Rochard: An Indie Game Review

Rochard: An Indie Game Review

                Delving into the world of Rochard, I didn’t know what to expect; having been a part of a Humble Indie Bundle I bought I while back, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. What I found was a very surreal and stylized tale and a fascinating puzzle game that was equally fun and frustrating, requiring a bit of polish to feel completely deserving of a place on my shelf.

Presentation

                The game opens with a well done cutscene and a blaringly fun tune, Grinder’s Blues by Poets of the Fall, which acts as a really magnificent start, giving players a strong Western tone to be the backdrop of this interstellar expedition.

                The story, as a whole, is very basic; John Rochard, a miner in this futuristic realm, is about to have his branch of the company Skyrig shut down, when he suddenly discovers a large amount of minerals that, in the story, are utilized as fuel. However, this is revealed to be hiding something more, as former friend and ally, Maximillion, hires a team of thugs, the Wild Dogs, to kill off the mining team and take whatever mysterious prize is hidden beneath the rocks for himself. Rochard and his female compatriot, Skylar, must find a way to survive Max and the Wild Dogs while stopping whatever villainous plot he has in store. As characters, everyone is very single-dimensional, playing their part well, but not really creating a deep or mind-blowing tale. Some of it seems somewhat skipped over, as many details are left out or forgotten about over the course of the story. Not much is really explained for that matter, a lot of it lost in translation from the creator’s mind to the screen. And the finale is sorely lacking any form of conclusion, making me wonder if some sort of sequel is intended or if this is simply… it. Other than the start of each section, of which there are four, all cutscenes are in-game, and range from well done to incredibly awkward. Limbs and expressions don’t really match each scenario, changing almost comically moment to moment, making emotional moments seem silly. However, the voice-acting that is utilized throughout the entire game is very well done, and really adds to the atmosphere.

                The look and feel of the world is very stylistic, a brightly colored cell-shaded outer space, filled with both futuristic-looking bases and casinos to deep rock crevices and winding tunnels to traverse. Admittedly, only three locales are used throughout the whole thing, and it did feel sometimes like I was walking through the same environment repeatedly, but the look and feel of this other world did enough to envelope me. The enemies look cool as well, although aren’t terribly diverse. I believe there were only seven or so different enemies to fight overall, most of these being carbon copies of each other with slight differences, but I never became bored with the experience, as there was enough challenge present to keep me going.

                There’s only one mode present, the single-player story, so don’t come into this expecting a whole lot. Options are also minimal, leaving me with the game and… that’s about it.

Gameplay

This is where the game shines. Rochard feels like a Metroid game, but set in a brighter, Western atmosphere and without the stress on exploration. Sure, there are a set of hidden collectables scattered throughout the game, but you can only reach them if you can find a way to do it then and there; otherwise, it’s gone forever. However, I wouldn’t worry too much about collecting them unless you like the challenge, as there is no way of telling if you collected them all at the end of the game. That’s right, by the time I finished, I have no idea if I obtained each of the collectables or not. This is a serious let down, as I had worked hard to obtain them with no reward or pay-off at all. This feels like something that should have been caught much earlier in production, and is a serious issue.

                Moving away from that, Rochard is equipped with a G-Lifter, a form of gun used in mining that allows you to pick up and throw boxes throughout the levels. Though simple at first, you quickly acquire a number of upgrades to this little device, such as anti-gravity, explosives, and a built-in blaster to puzzle you’re way through the environments and take out the baddies. But, the game encourages you not to just shoot enemies, but rather to use your wit and cunning to take out enemies. Sure, the gun works fine, but it was more thrilling personally to use my surroundings to my advantage. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t Mark of the Ninja or anything, but it still adds a layer of depth to it. In terms of puzzles, this game can keep you on your toes with some honestly clever areas to traverse, leaving me pondering what to do for extended periods of time. However, none of these are difficult enough where you have to look it up at any point. The game is difficult, though, as I died numerous times. This became both exciting and grueling; for, though I felt the challenge in attempting these levels, it could become tedious and infuriating to play one portion of the game too many times. The puzzles themselves, however, greatly varied in terms of difficulty, as some towards the end felt a little too easy, whereas others at the start were fairly hard. There was no real balancing of difficulty as a whole, but rather one varied fluxuation of difficulty throughout, which, in a strange way, I kind of enjoyed.

Music

                This is, by far, Rochard’s crowning achievement. Besides the opening tune, Markus Captain Kaarlonen and Burt Kane provide their musical expertise to treat your ear buds to an adventure all their own. This tunes always fit well in this science-fiction setting, and can play out like the score of a film, adding a lot of gripping emotion to the story. As I listen to it the soundtrack now while wrting, I can tell you that this CD will be one to keep in your library.

Overall Verdict

                I’m not really sure how to feel about this game at the end of the game. I truly enjoyed the ingenuity of the puzzles, style and overall tone, voice acting, challenge, and wonderful music. Yet, the awkward story, frustration, limited locales, lacking modes, and broken collectables really hindered my experience. I feel that, with just a little more polish, this could have been one of the greats. However, this is still a solid game, and I plan to keep it in my library so that I can return to this fascinating world, and I hope for a sequel to improve upon the solid foundation presented here.

7.5/10

The Hobbit review

The Journey Back Again- Part I

A review of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

By: Luke Muench

                Upon hearing that The Hobbit, one of the classic tales that put me to sleep night after night as a child, I was admittedly a little skeptical; when I discovered it was to be a trilogy, my hopes for a success plummeted even further. I felt like I was facing the debacle of the Star Wars prequel trilogy all over again. So, when I was asked by a die-hard fan to attend the midnight premier, I found myself hemming and hawing over the thought of being so incredibly disappointed by this adaptation, possibly ruining the book for me from then on out.

                What I was met with was pure cinematic magic.

                The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is, by far, the best movie-going experience I’ve had all year, neatly parked in front of The Avengers. Peter Jackson’s return to Middle-Earth is truly one worth the time of all, bringing something to the table to both the casual viewer and the pickiest fans of the literature.

                Now, something important to cover before delving further into the recesses of this epic; do not compare this to the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I’ve heard many an individual make that mistake in the recent reviews and in casual conversation. To be frank, these two are completely different entities. The Lord of the Rings is meant to be a fantastical tale of a life-or-death journey to save the world from a foreboding evil entity that threatens to cast Middle-Earth into darkness and chaos. The Hobbit, on the other hand, is a story written with children in mind; the plot isn’t terribly complex, the tone is much lighter, and the adventure, as a whole, is not meant to have as dire of stakes. In this respect, there is no conceivable way that The Hobbit trilogy could have ever lived up to carrying its brother trilogy’s reputation. However, on its own, this is an enjoyable and engaging story that will capture the attention of all.

                That is, if you can make it through the first hour or so. One of the biggest complaints overall for the film that I heard people muttering as they left the theater I attended was that it took too long to get to an action, as the first portion of the movie focused completely on Bilbo’s development as a character as he is convinced to leave his comfortable home in The Shire. While for some this may be a deal breaker, I never found this to be awfully tedious, although I did find that a little less time spent in Bilbo’s abode would have been a welcome change. However, once passing this peak, there’s almost nothing but action for the rest of the film, albeit a few character building conversations and the classic and well-anticipated Gollum scene. Though, this too, could have worked against the film, just how well each battle is choreographed and how the characters interact are marvelous, drawing you in to each clash.

                Our main figures shine magnificently throughout the movie, with some awesome acting performed by Martin Freeman as a younger Bilbo, Richard Armitage as the angry Dwarven prince, and Ian McKellen, who doesn’t miss a beat as he reprises his role as the enigmatic and fascinating Gandalf. There is, however, a rather glaring issue with the Dwarven companions; with such a large number of them (thirteen including Thorin), it’s hard for there to be any character development for any of them. Despite the fact that they are on the screen for so much of the film, most become one-dimensional jokes that are occasionally touched on throughout the film; Oin has an ear horn that he utilizes frequently, Bombur is overweight and is often seen eating or breaking one thing or another, and so on. However, this issue comes with the literary work and was unavoidable, and, while this could have broken the film as a whole, Jackson seems content with leaving them in this simplified state, accentuating each with absurdly over exaggerated visuals. And it works really well for what it is, allowing for rampant Dwarf shenanigans and epic battles as they troop fights off goblins, orcs, and trolls, their large numbers adding excitement to the movie as a whole. Side characters are well acted, both new comers, like Sylvester McCoy’s performance as the strange wizard Radagast, to returners, such as Hugo Weaving’s Elrond, Christopher Lee’s Saruman, and Cate Blanchette’s Galadriel, who gather for a meeting of the White Council.

                If Radagast or the White Council are strange concepts to you, that’s because these scenes are new additions to the film, and welcome ones at that. Both of these sub-plots come from one of Tolkien’s other Middle-Earth related novels, Unfinished Tales, and really allows for the story to be fleshed out a little more. This also adds something for those who know The Hobbit well enough, allowing for even the avid Tolkien reader to have a brand new mystery to follow, as this is one of Tolkien’s lesser known works. I honestly am looking forward to see the next film just to find out what happens next. This, however, does cause one of the larger issues of the film; its fan-service. Now, don’t get me wrong, this isn’t the “scantily clad women” sort of fan-service, more of the “oh-lookie-here-at-this-referance-to-our-own-work-aren’t-we-so-awesome” kind of fan-service. Admittedly, some of this is unavoidable, and adds to the experience in its own respect; when you first see the one ring and the somber tune from the original trilogy plays, I couldn’t help but feel a chill as I remembered the chaos that little band of gold caused. But, there were certain instances, which I don’t want to give away for you here, where I just felt like it was overplayed or overdone, to the point where I was very much drawn out of the film, waiting for it to move on. However, this wasn’t bad enough to be any sort of deal breaker, and could even test your knowledge of Middle-Earth, as references to Silmarillion make appearances occasionally.

                The musical score is just what you would expect; spectacular and soaring. Howard Shore continues to amaze, with some truly awesome new pieces, as well as reminds us of why we fell in love with his work in the first place, reviving some of the best known pieces from the original trilogy. There are a number of vocal pieces sung by characters, such as the Dwarven song featured in many of the trailers for the film, and, though seemingly odd at first, they really add to the lighter tone and vibe. Throughout the film, there was only one instance when the music detracted from the work, a strange moment blasting me out of the film for a moment, but, otherwise, Shore really brings more magic to this movie than Gandalf’s staff ever could (I’m actually listening to the soundtrack as I write this).

                Overall, this is a film everyone should see, whether a fan of the books, the original trilogy, or fantasy in general. This has something for all audiences, allowing for a fantastic experience for adults and children alike. I wait with baited breath for the next installment to the series, to experience more of this mystic world that fills the child’s heart inside of me all over again.

An Atheist's Eyes

As inspired by another poet


An Atheist's Eyes

I've known religious men,
and you aren't one.
Go ahead,
protest and moan,
cry to your false heavens,
the shallow sobs of an actor.
You step in the treads
left behind in the snow,
but what do you know,
a sorry soul
taken for a ride
by the sermons and the pride
for that which can't be seen,
can't be touched,
so how are you to
believe?

Look on your heart
with strained sight
and view, for once,
the facts you pretend
to defend
in the end
for what they
stoically stand for
while the rest
of the world
watches.

A Strange Brotherhood

Friends come to you in the strangest of moments


A Strange Brotherhood

I live alongside strangers
day in and day out,
never stopping to stare,
never breaking my stride,
never caring to talk.
I'm not sure why;
the strange smell of sweat
that permeates these concrete walls,
the gruff and gratuitous laughter
that shakes our communal foundation,
the slams in the night
that makes me fear
of monsters in my closet
all over again.

Yet, here I am,
speaking purely and frankly
with a people whom
I had always held
in the highest disdain.
How could this blindness
have broken the reason
that could be seen
for miles in all directions?

My hard heart
grows plush
with hope
for a tomorrow
when I can great everyone
with an honest grin
and a warm embrace
rather than the chilling stares
and silent strides
I've taken to hiding behind.

The Fellow Ship

Finally, I've had another poem come to me. Not my best work by far, but hey, moderate work is better than none at all.
Also, take note that I wrote this letter with my brand new sword-shaped pen that my girlfriend got me. Now the pen is mightier than the sword AND shaped like a sword! Doesn't get much better than that :P


The Fellow Ship

I float alongside
my comrade in sails,
floating further into
the abandoned abyss
in hopes of fame and glory,
only to fall
to our knees.
Screams are cut short
all around us
as we tumble,
swelling not with pride,
but  the suffering
that we soak up,
a blackened red
tanning our bows and sterns.

We crash into
the fragile floor,
two trees
toppling over,
their prime youth
cut out from beneath them.
I feel my bones shiver,
my muscles ache.
Some even break
from the strain
of a thousand waves
pushing down on us,
one by one,
an endless tide
keeping the tempo
to our torture.

Yet,
our wooden hearts
beat on,
if only for one another,
we, fellow ships,
eternally damned to
\each other's company.

My ear is pressed
against a conch,
but I hear nothing.
It's what I feel
that soothes
my throbbing soul.