Time to see what Namco Bandai has up its sleeves

Matt Hawkins Contributing Writer, Video Games

As noted in my Skyrim report, a swarm of game companies recently visited NYC, and they brought with them their upcoming (in some cases holiday) releases. In Namco Bandai’s case, it’s the latest for Demon’s Souls, Soul Calibur, and Ace Combat!

Dark Souls

ds Time to see what Namco Bandai has up its sleeves

Okay, right off the back, I was not the biggest fan of Demon’s Soul, which Dark Souls is the spiritual sequel of. To each their own, and running around a castle, with ruthlessly tough enemies at your neck, and pesky traps at every single corner, all ready to wipe away hours of grueling grinding in the blink of an eye, is not my idea of a fun time. But I know for many it is, so fans of part one will absolutely love part two. It certainly look prettier (still stark and foreboding, though there’s more color this time around), plus there’s an even wider variety enemies after you, plus even more weapons and armor to defend yourself with. Which all sounds dandy and all, but the already insane difficulty has been taken up several notches. No thanks. Though again, for others, I know that must be music to their ears (I have a few pals that are hardcore Demon’s Soul fans, and they’re going to be all over this new one, that’s for sure).

So there’s this part that concluded with a battle against a gigantic dragon on the roof off some castle. Problem was, getting up there was no easy feat; unlike other hack and slash games, in which the minor enemies are easily dispensed with ultimately, each encounter here is an epic battle all in itself, and every foe must be handled with care, even respect. The only pushover is you, a message that’s constantly driven home. I can totally see why the series has it fans… but again, it’s just not for me. Anyhow, the best part is, once you finally get up there and are face to toe with this GIGANTIC creature, bam, you’re dead. And then it’s back to square one, you have to start all the way in the beginning. Is that supposed to be fun? Well, for some, it’s the best time ever, and fans of Demon’s Souls are going to have an absolute blast.

Soul Calibur 5

sc5 Time to see what Namco Bandai has up its sleeves

So for this one, no one was allowed to touch the controller. Mostly because it was such an early build, the same one they had for E3. So early was it that the backgrounds (and maybe even the music) was lifted directly from part 4! So all I could do is ask questions…

Pretty much everyone knows the deal. It’s doing a Tekken 3, by taking place 17 years in the future. The two primary characters are the kids of Sophitia, Patroklos and his sister Pyrrha, and they basically have to beat up their mom’s friends and their offspring (or students in some cases). Sorry, but I know little about the story because, aside from much of it still being under wraps, I stopping keeping track around part 4, when it appeared that even Namco gave up trying to make sense out of everything. Cuz it’s always a good thing, stringing followers along by creating a super dense and complex plot involving all these names and faces that, over time, you start to sorta care about, and then introduce a bunch of stupid new (and somewhat stupid looking) faces.

On that note, the game looks basically the same as before. Didn’t get a chance to have an up-close look of the character models, though many of the returning characters who are supposed to look 17 years older don’t look quite the part, but whatever, it’s a video game. What’s actually important is how it plays. Specifically, how differently it handles. I asked about part 5 now sometime sporting a similar vibe to Super Street Fighter 4, with an emphasis on super combos that slows everything down. To that, the Namco rep responded with “what are you talking about, I don’t see any similarities!” Good answer. Though he did say that efforts towards making combo-addicted gamers happy have been forth. Also, no solid word on whether the ultra confusing and cumbersome armor destroying aspects that was introduced in part 4 introduced. I’m guessing it won’t be coming back, thank goodness.

Now get this: the game as a whole is supposed to be faster, which sounds great. But furthermore, everyone is basically moving at the same speed… regardless of how physically big or small you are. Which makes no sense, right? I tried probing for more details, but couldn’t get any. But it was eluded that this was part of the whole initiative to appeal to combo loving folks. Yay. Again, wish I could say more, but too much was under wraps, so instead, check out the latest trailer…

Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions

pacmangalaga3ds Time to see what Namco Bandai has up its sleeves

This game actually came out a few days ago, and for those who have yet to do so… Be warned, it’s a mixed bag. First off, for those who don’t know the deal, it collects various different versions of both games. First you have the original arcade offerings, and with the power of the 3DS, it can emulate all sorts of authentic, arcade-like flourishes. Like that tilted took that comes from a CRT monitor that’s at a 90 angle, stuff like that. It’s pretty neat, but… both games have something not stood the test of time (especially Pac-Man, whose gf still eats for lunch).

Next we have portable versions of Pac-Man Championship Editions and Galaga Legions. Both were awesome games on XBLA, and just as good on the go. Especially the former, which is the first Pac-Man title to beat Ms. in over 25 years btw. Before we simply had portable offerings in the form of iPhone and iPod Touch ports, which were okay, but sorry, the game DEMANDS to be controlled with a touchpad (joystick preferably). So that alone is worth the cost of admission. Though….

The main attractions are two original, 3DS specific distractions. First is Pac-Man Tilt, which is especially a combination of platformer and pinball game. To move the little yellow guy around, you have to utilize the game’s gyroscope by swinging the system around, which was a real pain in the ass. Buttons sometimes come into play by hitting flippers to move Pac-Man along hurriedly, but its hard to get a fix on the action when you moving the 3DS this way or that. Which especially sucks for a system in which having a rock-solid view of the action, in order for the 3D visual effects to take hold, is necessary.

That problem isn’t as pronounced in Galaga 3D Impact. Imagine Star Fox, via cockpit view exclusively, but you move your screen around again to scope out the enemy. But again, it was super finicky and I couldn’t get track of what was going on. Add in the fact that you’re also using the control nub to dictate movement (somewhat, it’s ultimately an on-rails shooter) meant going this way, but looking the other way. Again, unless you’re a diehard fan of Pac-Man CE, I say pass.

Ace Combat: Assault Horizon

acah Time to see what Namco Bandai has up its sleeves

Oh. My. God. Talk about a game that I honestly could have given a rat’s ass about beforehand, but then all of a sudden becoming a blabbering fanboy.

So here’s the deal: it’s Namco long-running flight combat game, but with some significant changes to the formula. Like having it take place in the real world, instead of the fictional setting that every previous installment took place, and also having real world jets and the such, not just made up, vaguely sci-fi aircraft from before. Not only that, but helicopters are being tossed into the mix… for a package that screams “hey folks who like Modern Warfare, look at us!” Seems like a recipe for disaster, right?

Well it’s not. When you get down to it, it’s still an Ace Combat game, so the emphasis is combat high in the skies. And star of the show is the new Close-Range Assault; when you get close enough to the enemy, the camera zooms as you attempt to make the kill. The effect is ultra dramatic and simply amazing. I seriously almost pissed myself by how awesome it was. Definitely feels like those classic World War 2 movies, with the super tense dogfight scenes. Which also has been my biggest beef with the games; everything was just far and away. As soon as you’d get close enough, they’d just whiz past you. Of if you finally had someone by the tail, it just… ends in the blink of an eye.

Instead of trying to explain, how about this trailer that demonstrates the new mode in action…

… To even that doesn’t get that barely cuts it. You simply have to play the game normally, because what makes Close-Range Assault such a rush is how it breaks up the usually calm and cool interludes between. The aforementioned slow and steady parts now have a greater purpose and are no longer frustrating! Though it does look as cool as it appear up above (with the leaking oil effect really taking it up a notch).

All right, so verdict? Dark Souls: perfect for fans of such things, Soul Calibur 5: eh, too early to tell, Pac-Man & Galaga Dimensions: fans of Pac-Mac CE need only apply, and Ace Combat: Assault Horizon: the new best thing ever!

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