Capcom NYC Press Tour: Dark Void And Lost Planet 2
When I think Capcom I think: bright colors, lively animation, and catchy music so when I see games like Dark Void and Lost Planet 2 I am reminded of how much this company has added to its' resume since my days of playing Mega Man 2 on the NES. If looks are paramount to your gaming experience these games will not disappoint. The level of polish on these titles shine through with some unique experiences.
I got a chance to play Lost Planet 2 on four player co-op. My teammates and I were thrown into a battlefield with deadly sniper alien soldiers. The objective while unclear immediately became overshadowed by the sheer mass of the map. Instilling thoughts of the original Lost Planet, the heat and hostility pulled me right into the desert of a very alien world complete with deadly (and awesome!) space weaponry and a completely destructible environment. The weighted gait of my avatar and simple controls made feeling like a badass space soldier all the more real. As I navigated the battlefield, dodging enemy fire, I found myself immersed in some interesting play mechanics. While one could jump like an Olympian I took joy on utilizing the grappling hook to grab onto the tops of the buildings and snipe from a higher vantage point. Climbing into the hovels themselves I discovered a seemingly endless supply of laser bazookas, rifles, grenades and ammo. My favorite was a rocket launcher type which was capable of administering one hit kills but had a long recharge time. Just as I was getting comfortable with blowing everything to smithereens, mayhem ensued with the interruption of two very large creatures screeching their way onto the map. The introduction of the boss fight was presented in a completely optional cut scene in real time and was watchable by holding down the left trigger. The element of teamwork became very clear as we were charged with taking down these monstrous threats. When my health began to run low I received a prompt to allow me to transfer my ammo into health, which I could also transfer to any member of my team in need of aid. The Capcom team member also informed me of the extensive customization available in the final build, allowing for creation of an avatar capable of carrying over into all areas of play.
"Jump over for more spicy sci-fi action!"
The sci-fi action/adventure continued with Dark Void. Billed as a third person shooter with flight simulation, Void tends to the task of seamless transition from one spectacular set piece to the next. Every new enemy encountered or vehicle acquired presented new twists in mechanics serving up an unprecedented variety of game play sensibilities. The key facets of this game were brought to light in a brilliant demonstration by one of the games producers. One minute you are hurtling through the air at breakneck speeds utilizing the game's easy to learn flying mechanics and the next you are on the hull of a ship managing a quick time event in hopes to overthrow the pilot. Every time I played the swamp level of Resident Evil 5 I was mildly bothered by the short cut scene displayed each time I landed that dang swamp mobile on the dock. Dark Void attempts to eliminate these instances altogether. This is where the game really shines. It's not Void's graphics (which are delicious). Its not even the sense of scale and authenticity in the flight handling and graphical depth perception. Dark Void sparkles in it's ability to seamlessly shift from one form of game play to the next and has you constantly thinking on your toes. It is obvious by its very presentation how much love and care has been placed into Dark Void. I will be excited to get my hands on this title when it comes out on January 12th
ROCsteady
Posted to Video Games on 24 October 2009
Other stuff like this: 3rd person, capcom, dark void, lost planet 2, mega man 2, nes, resident evil 5, shooter
