Categories: Top ::

Reviews: PSP's Coded Arms, Ridge Racer
Sun, 28 Aug 2005

Its been cloudy and/or rainy for each of the last 10 or 15 days, which probably helped lead me to acquiring this shiny ol' PSP. Today mind you has been exceptional.. a day that makes you glad to be alive, enjoying the simple pleasures. Talked to my mother on the phone (something we all should do more of; I really should be talking to my grandmother as she won't last much longer, being 91 or so..), went out for lunch with my wife, and sat in the killer-hot sun and breeze for nearly an hour. You know its a good day when you can't even be bothered to pick up a book or magazine or comic sitting right beside the sun lounger...

Last night I was waiting some lengthy computer work to wrap itself up, so started fiddling with the PSP. So far the device is pretty nifty, though as in my original 'preview' I noted that its likely doomed to 'familiarity' - to ports and franchises, while the Nintendo DS may get some original titles like Nintendogs. Fine by me, since I barely play anything and thus its all new to me. Anyway, some good titles so far (Untold Legends), and some bad ones.. about evenly on both sides. Hopefully as Christmas approaches, new titles will pop out.

Coded Arms

Coded Arms was designed as a wet dream for Matrix fans, though they don't go so far as to tell you that. Like Tron, theres little AI bots running around the levels (some shaped as bugs, get it?) and you get to off them in typical first-person-shooter fare. Theres some really good effects such as when entering a level the matrix-coded-surfaces explode outwards from the player vantage point, and the engine seems to always run fast and sharp and so represents a well done piece of technology. Controls are a little goofy and definately gave me cramps after playing for 20 mins or so, but perhaps an FPS isn't well suited to a handheld console. Theres numerous control styles to pick from (or build your own), though I tried a couple built-ins -- aim/free-look with the analog and move with the right-side D-pad, and also the aim/free-look with left D-pad and move with right D-pad. Both of these felt backwards to me, so perhaps they need to offer an upside-down play, flipping the display 180 degrees so we can aim with the right analog and move with the left D-pad... anyway, I got used to the controls quickly though they felt a little un-learned. So a technology success.

The game aspect however, was pretty terrible. Supposedly its pseudo-random level layout, which always makes me groan -- unless its Nethack, random levels tend to mean 'clunky' and 'boxy' and 'non-pretty' and this is no exception. I suspect the level designers specify only 'how many unpretty boxes' and 'how many adjoining hallways', and let the randomizer adjust the length and width of the halls, and maybe adjust how many enemies and where they start at. After running through 15 levels or so, all alike with the same artwork and enemies, it begs the question -- is the random levels 'feature' a feature, or just an easy way for the producers to cut 6 months of the development time and budget by firing the level designers? This was a launch title, so time was likely tight. Anyway, its a competant engine but everything I saw looked alike, and I immediately got totally bored of the boxy rooms.

2.5 out of 5 stars, after 20-30 mins of play. I could handle no more.

Ridge Racer

This too was a launch title, but by no means feals cramped or rushed but more akin to its bigger console brothers - this is the mobile Gran Turismo I've been waiting for. The PSP is put to task yet framerates do not suffer as you power-slide around a mountain or building corner, bumping other cars around and hitting the juice to fly over a hill -- great stuff, and scrumptious to look at. Wipeout:Pure lets you boost and fly over space-age canyons while Ridge Racer is conventional racing with an arcade feel, showing the PSP is definately a great racing game machine.

RR offers an adhoc multiplayer mode, as do many titles -- let you play with other PSP owners in the area (and possible share your game with them so they needn't buy it?) -- though I wish it utilized the infrastructure mode to play with remote owners across the Internet. There are some third party services to pretend remote players are adhoc locals, so I may have to look into that.. it could be really something to race a few others while camping out on the couch.

Visuals: 4 out of 5
Audio: 4 out of 5
Intro Movie: 4.5 out of 5 -- nice!
Controls: Perfect 5 out of 5
Replayability: Racing games are always playable by nature of the genre, so a big win.
Fun: 4 out of 5

Great game. Every PSP owner should score a copy.

[ Category: / entertainment / gaming / psp ] [link] [Comments]