WU - Tengami

Haiku-Review:

a game with haiku's;
so befitting to review
through my own haiku

Additional Comment:

I love getting those little mail blasts on my Nintendo account listing the latest releases to the eShop. However, very rarely am I ever intrigued by anything shown. First off, anything available via retail will always be purchased via retail - if a physical copy exist, then a physical copy I shall have. Secondly, I can care less about Virtual Console games since I own all those actual systems and would just rather have the real thing, although a free gift of Earthbound versus  dropping $150 on the real thing. Ooh, that's a tough call. Fortunate for me, the Mother series has never interested me, so screw it. That's $150 saved and a free gift I can use on something else like Dr. Luigi or Pushmo World, two games that I can tell I'm going to have more fun with just by looking at them, even if I do own the original Dr. Mario which Dr. Luigi barely seems to be an improvement on. And thirdly, well most of the downloadable only games released to the eShop never seem that impressive. Most of the ones that really grab my attention, like Chariot, I've already got elsewhere. Every so often, however, something interesting nudges its way into the ongoing yawn-inducing titles. From the few snapshots provided and the brief summary, Tengami proved to be one of those rare games that gave me hope in an otherwise vast sea of possible inadequacy. And after watching the trailer, I was sold. Well, actually I wasn't sold until Nyamyam decided to have a little sale. Then I was sold.

Tengami's art direction clearly had me hooked. The paper thin graphics, reminiscent of the Paper Mario series, already had me, but it was the idea of the entire game being represented as a pop-up book that completely enamored me. Wrapping that all up in a skin of beautifully hand drawn classic medieval Japanese flair was simply the icing on the cake. And the music - oh... Let me lie down for a bit. I was utterly amazed when I found out the compositions were thanks to David Wise, but then considering two-thirds of Nyamyam has their roots in Rare, is it really that surprising? Listening to some of the pieces like, The Awakening or Ocean Breeze, though admittedly, that does have a very DKC feel to it, nope, still pretty surprising.

All of this beauty and wonder and rampant adoration was entirely based on some screenies and a trailer though. Like many, I passed judgment well before I had time to get down to the nitty gritty, which can be a dangerous. Graphics and music make for a fabulous façade, but if the gameplay, i.e. foundation, isn't capable of supporting all that beauty, it can become a tragic affair. And to be honest, based on what I saw in the trailer, I was a bit skeptical; after all, that's why I didn't purchase the game until a sale came along. It was easy to gather Tengami was a puzzle game, but based on the puzzles showcased in the trailer, I worried over how elementary they appeared.

There's definitely some game play issues with Tengami, however they're not all Tengami's fault. Much like several titles I've already dealt with on the Wii U, especially Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker, the GamePad decided to enter the mix with some of its gimmicky features. However, given the nature of Tengami, I can sort of give it a free pass. Coming from an IOS background, it's expected touchscreen mechanics - ah, those dreaded touchscreen mechanics - are going to factor largely in the gameplay. Oh, who am I kidding? Touchscreen controls are the only controls available. I find myself torn over this though. Again, like Captain Toad, I'm playing this game on a console that hooks to a TV, and I'll clear the air right now, this game looks incredible on a big screen. Only, I don't ever get to experience all that beauty exploded to incredible scale filling half of my living room wall. Instead, I'm stuck face down with my nose in the tiny screen of the GamePad poking and prodding the screen to solve puzzles and move our protagonist across the landscape. Needless to say, I'm totally disheartened over this turn of events. If I was on a tablet or some such nonsense where I had no visual alternative, I wouldn't care, but on the Wii U, I find myself feeling rather apathetic towards the game. All that initial adoration has washed away because I'm forced to use the butt end of the Wii U to enjoy this game.

But it's a touchscreen game. What do you expect? You're right, and maybe I should have read through the game's description a bit more carefully as opposed to simply finding myself awe stricken over some hand painted imagery. I'd still have a strong urge to play the game, but if I was fully aware that I'd never get to experience anything outside of the title screen and end credits on the big screen, I would have passed it up for something else. Maybe that makes me a shallow gamer, but then again, I've enjoyed my time playing games on a tiny screen with the Game Boy years ago. That time has passed.

Like I said, the touchscreen issues aren't Tengami's fault. If anything, they're personal issues I have with the Wii U and how developers choose to use the GamePad. Difficulty and game length, on the other hand, are far more related to Tengami itself. Tengami, presumptuously by design, is easy. The game's general lack of extended play only adds to the assumption that Tengami is built as a casual game and nothing more. I'd say the trade in difficulty was made for an engaging story, which given the pop-up book premise, sounds like a reasonable hypothesis, but unfortunately, the story is far more conceptual as an overall art piece. What I mean is that instead of a story in the conventional sense, we're instead treated to a profound haiku about loss and offered an opportunity to conjure our own interpretation of story based on the imagery or the act of the protagonist's journey. Otherwise, at face value, we're left with a tale of restoring a sakura - not exactly compelling content for an expansive work of fiction in this format. However, the game accomplishes its goal by setting in motion a chain of events that drives us though a few varied settings allowing us to solve a variety of puzzles.

Unfortunately, those puzzles span only three stages and I hesitate to call any of the puzzles in the first stage puzzles. The puzzles in the second stage live up to their name a bit more but are still on the easy side except for the last one, which isn't that it's difficult, but isn't exactly clear on what it wants you to do. On top of that, it took me a while to figure out that one particular location sported a different symbol than what I kept thinking it was. The puzzles in the third area began to feel like true puzzles with a couple of them forcing me to put on my thinking cap. This excited me as I began to have new hope for the game, but then, the game was over. I felt betrayed. Finally, Tengami was proving it's worth as far as gameplay was concerned and then simply decided it had enough. Again, considering the game comes from an IOS background, I probably should have known better, but this... This just reeked of disappointment. I can't remember the last time I felt robbed by the length of a console game. I'd say I hope they make a sequel because I genuinely want more Tengami, but then, I'm afraid they'd just make another twenty minute game.

Granted, my first playthough lasted approximately four to six hours because there were three puzzles that slowed me down to a crawl. However, on my second run - which I only did to collect the one stamp I somehow missed on my first run, which irritatingly enough was the very first stamp in the game - I completed the game in twenty minutes. And if the protagonist didn't amble along at a snail's pace, I'd probably have finished it a lot faster. In a way, I'm both happy and sad that I ran a second run because I got to see how little content there really is in this game. The same could be said for any NES game where speed runners can manage sub tens in optimal conditions, except speed runners are a rare breed and not everyone can master NES difficulty with such grace. Plus, puzzles are a completely different beast when it comes to game padding, except even with padding, Tengami is shockingly short.

However, I think Nyamyam had every means to create the illusion of length with the material presented if they allowed for more collectibles or at least made a better effort at hiding the ones available. As they are, the stamps are way too easy to find. The only reason I missed the first one on my first run is because I wasn't aware there were collectibles beyond the sakura blossoms until it was too late. I also believe if Tengami wasn't so insistent on holding our hand throughout the entire journey by showing us where all the interactive locales were, the game's difficulty wouldn't  seem so rudimentary. The puzzles would still be a breeze, for the most part, but it would cause us to better analyze our surroundings. Tengami feels like an evolutionary step in the point and click genre, except the sleuthing and experimentation elements have been stripped away. Instead, little bubbles constantly detail the path to victory: pull this tab, or poke this spot. I'd rather they have the pull tabs look the part, but blend as much as they can so they're not readily noticeable.

Tengami's a tough game to rank. I adore the aesthetics and the premise to no end but I find the technical side of it weak. Maybe it should have stuck to its IOS roots and never made the transition to the Wii U. Of course, then I'd never even know about it, and I do find the game to have sufficient merit. I think, despite it's IOS origins, Nyamyam should have done much more for the Wii U port. As is, it feels...I don't want to say an incomplete game, for it definitely feels complete, but maybe an inadequate game? It just seems like there should be more; like the game ended prematurely. I want to love this game, I feel I should love this game, but I can't, and I feel exactly the same way in regards to recommendation. In good conscience, I couldn't recommend it, not for purchase at least. Maybe if someone was at my house and I had the Wii U running I'd say, "Hey! Check this interesting little title out." I would, however, recommend that boss David Wise soundtrack.

Rating: 2.5 haikus out of 5

WU - Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker

Haiku-Review:

coin enthusiast
dares birds, dragons, and mummies;
it's not Scrooge McDuck?

Additional Comments:

Honestly did not expect this to be my first Wii U title to hit the books since I've had New Super Mario Bros. U finished for over a year now. Unfortunately, I've been mired in challenge hell with that game and it's rather sapped my energy. Nevertheless, Captain Toad is an equally brilliant game to open up the road for the Wii U, a console I've really come to love despite thinking it was going to be a flop upon release and having heavily derailed the GamePad. My whole Wii U prognostication turned out to be nothing more than baseless opinion as some truly amazing games have come along for the system and it turns out the GamePad is a rather comfortable and easy to use controller. I could still say some snide remarks about some of the more gimmicky features of the GamePad, and I will in relation to Captain Toad, but first I wish to muse about the magnificence of this wonderful little title.

Captain Toad proved to be a game to be on the look out for when Nintendo first showed glimses a couple E3s ago, and am I ever glad I kept it on my radar. Even in the beginning, it appeared to be one of those rare games that showcases a unique charm and innocence, which is surprising considering it's a Marioverse spin-off - not that charm and innocence should be surprising for anything Mario related, but the fact that it took those qualities to a whole new level. Toad's not out to save the world; he's just after a few coins is all. Ok, maybe Mario's been after a few coins throughout his adventures as well, but Toad's quest feels so much more down to earth than Mario's high-flying, globe-trotting, Bowser-defying exploits against the greatest denizens of doom that the King of Koopas can muster forth.

However, the down to earth quality nearly worked against Captain Toad. The first book is so short and easy that doubts regarding its worth quickly surfaced. I fully expected the game to fall on the easier side, but it was too easy. Even the challenges proved dauntless. A funny feeling crept over me to the point where I had a hard time coming to grips with the game being anything more than a $10 download. Not only that, but I couldn't quite digest Nintendo's development time - a bare minimum of two years to make this? The content is damn near negligible. But then, something wonderful occurred - something truly unexpected considering the presentation of the game up until that point. Captain Toad's journey continued. Well, to be precise, Toadette carried the baton, or in this case, the pickax, proudly forward, hot on the heels of Toad. And when that was done, there was even more. I think Nintendo's tactical surprise further boosted the game's overall affable charm captivating our hearts with unexpected material after being suckered in by an initial staff roll. It build on the idea introduced during King K. Rool's battle in Donkey Kong Country, except instead of a half-assed continuation to a very straight-forward fight, we're practically getting a whole new game, and then again, and again. I'll admit, after the second book, I was genuinely shocked to see yet a whole other treasure hunting experience on offer as the first two books felt a little on par with what I originally expected in game length, even if the difficulty still seemed to measure up on the easy side.

Despite the first book masquerading as a preschooler's bead and wire toy as far as challenge was concerned, the stages and puzzles were quite innovative. A majority of the touch screen puzzles especially fascinated me, which is rather surprising considering my disdain towards touch screen shenanigans - not just here, but in all walks of technology in general. However, the lack of difficulty continued to trend relatively level through far more of the game than it should have. But then, it's tough to judge. The game's core tenets need to be fully understood in order to better comprehend the difficulty scale. Are we to interpret difficulty by the complexity of the puzzles themselves or should the various threats be accounted for? I only question this because a large number of levels are strictly puzzle based, even if some imminent dangers do exist. It's just that a lot of those dangers can be regarded simply as obstacles as opposed to actual dangers - think Shy Guys, Bullet Bills, or Chargin' Chucks. Levels that utilized more proper enemies typically had a higher degree of difficulty, yet these levels were almost haphazardly strewn among the various straight-up puzzlers which in the end created a very skewed line of difficulty as well. So while the difficulty curve remained relatively flat for much of the game, jagged spikes would suddenly appear without warning every now and again. But I found myself embracing these spikes as they typified where I believed, or at least hoped the average difficulty should have been for most of the game as opposed to the easier than apple pie interpretation.

Speaking of the touch screen mechanics, the Wii U's GamePad plays a vital role in the way Captain Toad is played. As I  said, I hate touch screen mechanics, be it on the Wii U, touch screen computer monitors, smart phones, self checkout registers, ATMs, whatever...simply put, I hate it. I'd pin it down to the old fogey in me protesting change, but then I look around and see so many people who are older than I embracing it with open arms. To me, it feels like short-sighted, and very expensive to replace technology, but that's all a whole other argument that has no place occluding Captain Toad. If anything, I found most - most - of the touch screen puzzles and mechanics worked beautifully. Some, like rotating gears or turrets, or temporarily stunning the various enemies hinders or slows down the game's pace unnecessarily.

Allow me to expound on this, but first, let me clear up my actual issue with the extraneous control features of the Wii U, namely touch screen and the microphone. Nintendo has a track record for coming out with gimmicky products, but unlike a lot of people I applaud them for that as it's usually very innovative in terms of approach to video games that other companies may or may not pick up on down the road. Sure, Nintendo can't exactly compete with the other two big dogs currently on the block, but I've never really viewed Nintendo as direct competition to them. However, because of this, Nintendo likes to take chances with silly ideas or take brilliant ideas and unfortunately make poor decisions regarding how to best make use of them. The Wii U GamePad is a perfect example of the latter. In general - again, old fogey change is evil alert - I dislike the second screen experience, but I can see great use in it if utilized correctly. Sadly, I've yet to see Nintendo do this outside of Nintendo Land - a brilliant game, by the way. Most of the time, the GamePad is just mimicking the TV, which essentially obsoletes the TV. Except, I have no interest in obsoleting the TV as I'd rather play the game on my nice 72" behemoth then this puny little screen sitting six inches from my face. I've already explained my aversion towards handhelds while discussing Me & My Katamari. Why would I want to play another handheld, especially when I'm playing a console that's, well you know, a console? And by that, I mean it can hook up to my big ass TV!

I know what you're thinking, "But Mr. Peters, no one's forcing you to play Captain Toad using the micro-vision screen on the GamePad." That's true. Except I have to constantly advert my eyes from screen to screen whenever I need to quickly tap a block, or spin a wheel (which is the worst offender), or immobilize a charging Shy Guy. And while the damage may be minimal, there's fractions of a second lost that can possibly spell doom. Mummy-Me Maze Forever is the perfect example of this nonsense. To put it in more contemporary terms, it's akin to the anti-driving and texting referendums that are sweeping the nation. Again, fractions of a second are at stake. Ok, we're safe in the virtual world of video games unlike the real world, but when constant momentum is necessary only to be nominally distracted while we redirect our eyes, that's a problem. The reason Mummy-Me Maze Forever is especially poignant is that an already frustrating stage now suffers secondary levels of difficulty that are artificially increased by second screen stupidity. The solution, bypass the TV and just use the screen on the GamePad. That's a stupid fucking solution. Why? Because it's a game for a console system which allows me to play it, again, on my big ass screen TV!

But the touch screen isn't the most infuriating aspect of the peripheral controls. Blowing into the microphone takes that prize. This is something that already bothered me in Nintendo Land's Donkey Kong's Crash Course - a great game that was unfortunately ruined by an incredibly asinine mechanic. Blowing into the mic is one of those ideas that might sound great on paper - I italicize "might" as even on paper I have a hard time believing this to ever be a worthwhile addition to any video game - but just sucks in practice. As a whole, video games are pretty juvenile. I accept that, and I believe most, if not all, of the gaming populace accepts that. What bothers me is when video games make use of mechanics that work as a reflection of just how juvenile they can be. Blowing into a tiny set of slots on a Wii U controller, to me, emphasizes not only how childish this game is, but how childish and immature I'm being at that very moment. I'm embarrassed for myself and for anyone who needs to see that. I don't need video games to remind me just how much of a loser I am - that I need to blow into a piece of plastic to elevate a virtual fan-powered elevator just for a bit of light entertainment. Never mind that the necessary excessive blowing required in the optional route for Magma Road Marathon in order to grab the third diamond does not combine well with the fast pace zipped action since you're now controlling Toad with the GamePad about two inches from your face. This is all very uncomfortable, unconventional, and frankly, stupid. Why can't a controller just be, you know, a controller instead of being this glorious extension to our body? Blowing into a microphone is unnecessary and adds zero level of merit to the game. Everything controlled by my breath could have just as easily, and more conveniently been controlled by the press of a button. But that's Nintendo - doing stupid shit because they can or because they think it's a cool new funky way to experience a video game. It's not. It's a pathetic, childish way to infuriate your fan base.

Touch screen, breath control, and a long walk down Easy Street can't stop this game though. All that aside, or hell, even with it included, Captain Toad is an awesome little gem that hooked me from its initial sneak peek and delivered on every promise. I genuinely had fun from beginning to end, well almost end, and the stages themselves were little marvels of architecture. Additional gimmicks such as cloning further sweetened the pot. Actually, I wish the cloning gimmick was used a couple more times. Then again, I wish they made more use of some of the pipe maze stuff or included more touch block stages, but I think moderation may have been key to Captain Toad's success as a game. While including a variety of gimmicks, the developers were careful not to saturate or overindulge in certain gimmicks which made certain stages all the sweeter. Of course, the opposite can be said for a few particular gimmicks that only made a single appearance, such as Shadow Play Alley. To be honest, I found the gimmick here slightly underwhelming as it felt like they didn't make full use of the gimmick's potential, even if it's just a rehashed level from Super Mario 3D World.

Nintendo may recycle a lot of stuff; look no further than Mario. 2D Mario has essentially been built on the same old run and jump agenda from the very beginning. New Super Mario Bros. U, when it comes down to it, is fundamentally no different from Super Mario Bros., but somehow Nintendo has managed to splash on just enough sparkle and glimmer to make us, or at least me, to continually come back for more. Same can be said for Zelda or Mario Kart, but Captain Toad feels fresh, and that freshness feels authentic unlike Zelda's face lifts or Mario's new coat of paint. Captain Toad feels innovative, creative, and it has that certain wow factor that a lot of Nintendo's original IPs are lacking nowadays. And even if it's just another title within the incredibly extensive Mario franchise, it hold its own weight and does so proudly. Sure, it's just another trip through the all so familiar Mushroom Kingdom, but the Mushroom Kingdom has never felt so different - to the point where it feels like we're being introduced to the Mushroom Kingdom for the very first time all over again.

For anyone with a Wii U, Captain Toad is a must buy. Even if the lack of challenge puts you off, I highly recommend this game. Besides, don't worry. You'll get your fill of challenge before all is said and done. But I think having a head for difficulty is the wrong mindset for this game anyway. Captain Toad isn't out to frustrate, but instead offers a fun little romp through some astonishingly creative worlds. At it's heart, Captain Toad exemplifies entertainment through a variety of engaging puzzles and exciting little challenges. Not to mention there's a plethora of jaunty, beautiful and/or magical tunes, notably: Main Theme, Spinwheel Library, and Touchstone Trouble.

Macro-Rant:

Ah! It almost made a clean break by having only been casually mentioned in regards to a completely different issue. Almost. Anyone who's played this game through to the end knows exactly what I'm referring to - that dastardly randomized marathon that is Mummy-Me Maze Forever. I played Captain Toad, rather casually I might add, over the course of several days and suddenly hit a roadblock with Mummy-Me Maze Forever. For anyone banging their head against the wall over this level, let me just say two things: turn off your head lamp and poke the hell out of that screen. Really, this is the stage that made me dislike the whole touch screen mechanic employed by the game. Up until this point, it bothered me, but on a pretty low scale. Cog and turret rotation caused the biggest issues, but even then, whatever, but then Mummy-Me Maze Forever pulled the ends of my frown closer to the floor. There is just so much working against you in this stage: endurance, randomization, a shitty camera that is highly susceptible to the GamePad's internal gyroscope, and the need to immobilize various enemies by placing your hand within your field of vision at times which also can potentially trip up your controls for a stage in which you must continuously be on the move else fall in the clutches of the persistent Mummy-Me. Let's look at each in closer detail.

Endurance. Honestly, I have no problem with running a 15 minute gauntlet. What I do have a problem with is consistently running a 15 minute gauntlet because a combination of touch screen hi-jinx and temperamental camera controls have screwed me for the umpteenth time four floors from the end. Let the fire piranhas pose their own threat, which they more than do, than having Camera Joe and Screen Shenanigans McShane nudge you into their path.

Randomization. I love randomization and I love it here, but combined with everything else it became a presence that further annoyed me mostly by toying with me when it came to mushrooms. It's like the game would hang a mushroom in front of me and then swiftly kick me in the dick. Mushrooms a plenty when I never needed them, and whenever I did, nary a mushroom be found.

Gyroscopic camera controls. Why isn't there an option to turn this off? Having a gyroscopic camera as well as a dedicated joystick for the camera makes no sense to me. Given how certain intersections within the Mummy-Me Maze are concealed with a layer of bricks I found myself constantly adjusting and readjusting the camera only to be thwarted by the gyroscopic camera because I barely nudged the GamePad this way or that. This is a perfect example of an implementation made for the heck of it. Outside of the mine cart rides and the turret controls, I found the gyroscopic camera to be nothing but a nuisance and never was this more true than within Mummy-Me Maze Forever.

Touch screen controls. Without attempting to unnecessarily berate this subject more than I need to for the topic at hand, Mummy-Me Maze Forever showcases just how stupid second screen tomfoolery is. Despite wanting to play as much of this stage on the big screen as possible to help me deal with the fidgety camera and have a more impressive perspective of the playing field, I found myself mostly confined to the small screen for this stage because of touch screen nonsense on the latter floors. But to make things worse, I often found my hand obstructing my field of vision on multiple occasions. This is a huge problem considering vision is already at a premium given how unpredictable the camera can be unless you're the steadiest hand in the west.

In the end, it took me several weeks to finally slay this stage mostly because after two or three runs at roughly 15 minutes a piece I simply had to walk away from the game. Not to mention, as the weeks wore on, I began taking 20 to 30 minute breaks every time I hit an intermission floor just because I couldn't handle the endurance any more. And finally, the intensity combined with all of the aforementioned attributes would just crush my soul by the time I hit floor 46. My final saving grace turned out to be a token of good will from the RNG gods as my final run through the last few floors proved straightforward and nearly devoid of any plant life or ectoplasmic goo. I couldn't believe it and when I finally reached the final floor I cried tears of joy. Looking back, I can't believe a game, that I've admittedly given flack for being far too easy, nearly destroyed me and brought on such an emotional victory, something that very few games have managed or managed for good reason - looking at you card sorting à la Fable.

Thing is, Mummy-Me Maze Forever is difficult for all the wrong reasons and it's pretty much all because of the GamePad. If we took away the GamePad's gimmicky features, the stage's difficulty would be absolutely just - still difficult as hell, but entirely just. The idea behind the stage is endurance and randomization and an almost - I shiver to say it as I hate the term - roguelike lite quality to it, so I can fully accept those qualities if those were the key qualities behind the stage's difficulty. But they're not.

And finally, amiibo support...nope, not even going there.

Rating: 5 biddybuds out of 5