Plymouth Staff Choices

Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess published by Nintendo of America
Video Games -Main Level

For those of you who might not know, The Legend of Zelda is one of the most popular series of games in history. For us old timers who remember, Zelda dates back to 1987 when it first debuted as a top down 2-D game for the Nintendo Entertainment Center. Since then the game has gone through many changes, yet it always retains many of the same elements that make it a classic. This entry in the series is no different, and may be one of the best so far.

Those familiar with the series will recognize the green garbed hero Link, and his nemesis Ganon. As is the standard you start out as a simple boy who is thrown into an extraordinary adventure. As you progress in the game you’ll work your way through simple tasks such as herding goats with your trusty horse Epona, exploring the vast world of Hyrule, and conquering an array of enemies in the games many dungeons. With each task accomplished you’ll gain additional abilities and weapons.

This may all seem like old news to those who are familiar with the series, but what makes the game stand out is the use of the Wii remote. By swinging the remote you can slash your sword, as well as use it to aim at opponents when using your bow and arrow. Many of the puzzles also take advantage of the controller’s intuitive design. While the controls are a bit more advanced then some of the other Wii games, it doesn’t take long to get the hang of. All in all Twilight Princess is a great game that translates well onto Nintendo’s new platform. Also, if you're interested in video games don't forget to check the teen zone calendar for our gaming days at http://plymouthlibrary.org/ya.htm

Nancy Drew – Danger on Deception Island
Lower Level – CD-ROMs - Nan

In each of the CD-ROMs in the series, the player gets to star as Nancy Drew, the crime solving detective. It is her job, by playing little puzzles, finding clues, and talking to people, to solve a crime that is committed. This all too often happens while she is trying to enjoy a leisurely vacation. . .

People to talk to and places to go are kept to a minimum as to not become overwhelming. Nancy’s friends, including the Hardy Boys, can sometimes be called for additional help. It is also nice that if you get hurt, instead of the game ending, it allows you to pick up the plot again from moments before the mistake.

Each Nancy Drew CD-ROM can be a great compromise for parents who want their children to check out books with a kid who wants to check out video games. Each adventure requires the player to read throughout the game play (and if more reading is desired, then volume can always be turned off, as all parts of dialogue are also included at the bottom of the screen). Most of the games include both fiction and non-fiction reading. In this particular escapade, Danger on Deception Island the player has to learn about different types of whales and dolphins. In another excursion, Nancy gains insight into the Mayan culture, and in another, precautions to take while camping.

Nancy Drew offers games for those not ready for the challenge of similar but much deeper games like Myst . It is a great game to work your way up to more complicated games, or for younger players. Even though most of the Nancy Drew games have received a rating of “E” for everyone by the gaming commission, this is not a game for young players. Even older children would benefit from the assistance of parents in this game, as some of the challenges are a little difficult for those not accustomed to role-playing mystery games.

With over 15 different mysteries to choose from – the fun will surely continue!

Endless Ocean
Wii games – END – Lower Level

Endless Ocean allows the user to explore colorful shallow reefs and the dark ocean’s depths all in one day. Hired as a scuba diver, your assistance is needed not only to explore different regions for topography and types of fish, but also for finding priceless artifacts. Gear becomes more specialized as the game advances, allowing for deeper depths to be reached.

Befriend underwater wildlife in a safe environment. Gain the trust of a bottlenose dolphin and other sea creatures that will provide assistance along the way. Swim with sharks and sea turtles. Closely look at the coral to see if any small animals reside within. Soon others will learn of your expertise and will be asking for guidance on dives. Will you be able to prove that some legends actually are true?

The graphics in Endless Ocean are amazing. They are colorful and detailed. The deeper the dive, however, vision becomes obstructed by darkness. Only by using the diving light, which comes on automatically, can things be seen in the depths of the ocean. Endless Ocean uses sound appropriately, with softer music in the shallow waters, eerie music in deeper waters, and inspiring music when some discoveries are made.

Endless Ocean also follows the natural rules of science and discovery. .. one does not know about animals until they are studied. Although the entire length of the encyclopedia is available from the start, the pages are only filled in once the discovery is made. For those interested in marine life and different characteristics of each animal, the information is available; for those who wish to ignore this information, it is not forced upon the user.

If you’re looking for a nice calming Wii game where you character is indestructible, then Endless Ocean is for you. Great for kids and adults alike!

Uncharted: Drakes Fortune by Naughty Dog Video Games - Main Level VG-UNC

Take the platforming of Tomb Raider, the game-play of Gears of War (albeit with far less gore) mix with lush jungle backdrops, top notch voice acting, and you get Uncharted: Drakes Fortune. Explorer Nathan Drake, a descendant of Sir Francis Drake, gets pulled into a search for an ancient relic that is linked to his ancestor. With the help of journalist Elena, and your sidekick Sully you traverse beautifully rendered jungles, waterfalls, caves, and ruins while avoiding the bullets from a group of pirates.

The combat involves a mixture of a run and gun cover system and melee elements. What makes the combat so rewarding is both the intelligence with which your enemy will flank you and the smooth transition between the gunplay and hand-to-hand fighting. While the game takes a liberal amount of its story elements from films like Indiana Jones, the gameplay and characters are more than enough to compensate for these shortcomings.

Boom Blox
Video Games Main Level – VG - BOO

Boom Blox for the Wii is a very entertaining game. The object of the game is to throw, push or blow up certain items before continuing to a new level. Before you even are able to play the game you need to go through a series of training exercises. These exercises give you a sampling of the different levels you will need to complete. They start off easy and gradually get harder. The game is much like Jenga, where you have to move items without knocking down the entire structure. In order to unlock new levels you need to get a gold, silver, or bronze medal on the previous level. The medals are based on the amount of points you receive while playing the level. This game can be played for hours at a time trying to beat your previous scores. You can also play with multiple players either cooperatively or against each other. If you want a few hours of mindless fun, check out Boom Blox.

Batman: Arkham Asylum for Playstation 3
Video games - Main Level - VG BAT

Batman: Arkham Asylum for Xbox 360
Video Games - Main Level - VG BAT

It’s been a long and painful road for video game adaptations of the caped crusader. For over twenty years there has been a Batman game for systems spanning the entirety of home console history. Whether that system was a Commodore Amiga, Atari ST, Nintendo Entertainment System, Genesis, Playstation, Gamecube, Xbox, or Gameboy there has been some iteration of Batman getting defiled on it. As is commonly the case with high profile licensed material such as comic book characters or movie adaptations, the games tend to suffer because their development is based on a quick cash grab. Just make a quick Google search for E.T. for the Atari 2600, and you’ll understand why there is a landfill somewhere that consists solely of that game.

Um phone home?

However, every once in awhile there is an exception to the rule, Batman: Arkham Asylum is that exception. After capturing the Joker for one might assume the millionth time, you hand deliver him to Arkham only to be caught in the middle of a breakout where the lunatics start running the place. What makes this title so great besides the stellar graphics, top notch voice acting, and compelling story is that for the first time you actually act like Batman. You actually “gasp” do some detective work, you hide in the shadows and swoop down to take out your prey, and of course you get to use all the “wonderful toys” like the batarang. The version for Nintendo actually had Batman with a gun! Any Batman nerd will tell you how sacrilegious that is.

Ahem, well usually anyway.

All of this delivered with a pretty straightforward control scheme. Of course the game isn’t perfect but it’s pretty close. Some of the boss fights were a bit underwhelming and while you do get to take on some of the classic villains there are quite a few missed opportunities. One can only hope for a sequel that takes place in Gotham to remedy these small issues.

So who cares if it took twenty-three years for someone to develop a good Batman game, I’m still eagerly awaiting that E.T. follow-up