Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Robot Wants Kitty (video review)

This is a video review of the game Robot Wants Kitty. In the review I say what I think of the game and I explain the badges a bit too. The review is not one of my best, but hopefully I'll improve in the next video review. Also, the volume is a bit low, so higher up your speakers! Finally, if you want to comment, comment in the YouTube video.



Monday, March 15, 2010

MagnetiZR Review

Futuristic laser manipulation? It doesn't get much better than this. MagnetiZR is a slick, smooth game where you use magnets to direct a laser to it's destination. It's sort of like being a futuristic traffic director, but much more difficult. As the game progresses it (obviously) gets more difficult, increasing in variety of tools and targets.

The game starts out on a 3D map, with a small upside-down triangle signaling you first level. It's all very polished, but as soon as you start the levels you'll realize it's less about the appearance, and more about the actual game.

On one side, there is a little laser. Without your direction, it will shoot directly to the end of the screen, missing your target completely. Your job is to use some of your magnetic tools to attract, repel and essentially direct the magnet to your target(s). You also have the job of making sure the laser avoids the walls, which will quickly absorb it, and block any direction the laser was going.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

500 articles- A look at then and now!

Wow, 500 guides, reviews, interviews, and even old KCCG posts that make up what KCG is today- it really is an accomplishment seeing how far we've come! For those of you who don't know, KCG was originally known as KCCG (Kongregate's Collectible Card Game), and only focused on the Kongai cards. Something many of you may not know is that this blog was originally owned and created by r3p3nt. Hipcheck soon joined the team and became an admin, followed by me. We've had well over 40 different people join (and many quit) the team since the blog's start.

As of right now, we have:
153 Guides
85 Reviews
29 Interviews

As for what's to come, only time will decide. We're trying to keep our writing team down to only the most dedicated writers. Even if you aren't that great at writing, a lot of dedication will go a long way. We're planning on hopefully moving KCG to a separate site one day, but that's pretty far off from now. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. :3

Cover Orange 2 Walkthrough

JohnnyKS1979's walkthrough on Cover Orange 2.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Infectonator: World Dominator - How To Rule The World (Review)


Ever played one of those world domination games? I'm sure you have; the type where you start small and end up conquering the planet by either sending soldiers to capture land, or by infecting them with some deadly disease.

Let me put it this way:
Infectionator: World Dominator is a very unique game. It is a game where you are some sort omniscient being (an "infectionator", I suppose) and it is your job to dominate the world. Follows the title, I suppose.

Starting out in Africa and working your way up the country/continent food chain it's you're duty to use infections to create zombies and destroy the major towns within these regions. It's a pretty straightforward game, the only major gameplay tweak being that you get little "heroes" which you can get on certain levels. These "heroes" let you summon them on command, and they serve as zombies more powerful than the others.

The Kongregate Podcast with Adam and Katie

Two users have started a podcast for Kongregate and already have an episode up. You can check out the forum thread here if it interests you at all. I would probably recommend the podcast to anyone who likes Kongregate or even gaming at the slightest amount. They bring up a lot of cool things on the show- They're always awaiting e-mails at KongregatePodcast@gmail.com

A Fascinating Debate On Obscure Puns (ImmorTall RebutTall)

I'm not a philosophy major. But then again, maybe we all are. Because any one person can see the world if they open their eyes and look. But what takes real talent is to see the world looking back at you. ImmorTall (Produced by Pixelante) was a game I stumbled onto via the front page. When I first saw the game there, I had thought "Oh great.... Another 'Alien Shoot Em Up'". I decided it was worth a try anyways since it was on the front page(I didn't let the negative comments deter me, either). Without warning, this game hit me hard. More of a meta-game than anything, ImmorTall shines the light on some sensitive aspects of life. Its simplistic and minimalist style craft a tale worth experiencing. Since the game will take only a few minutes, any one can afford to try ImmorTall. Especially if you need a break from blasting aliens in the face with your worn AK-47. Since this is more of an artistic allegory than anything, this review will be different than my others. And for those of you who didn't like this game, give this a read; I'm trying to give an interpretation, more than a face value review.

Gameplay: 4/5 Does this seem high to you? It shouldn't. Only two buttons are needed to play ImmorTall, but there is a good reason for that. As humans, we're often times presented with clear cut decisions that can affect our life or the lives of others. Frequently we don't have much time to decide either. "Should I walk right and stop the tank shell, or shall I walk left to stop the soldiers?" can easily translate to "I can buy this, or I can save my money" or "I can help out at home, or I can leave to be with my friends". We can choose to do whatever we wish, but we're always faced with consequences, whatever they may be. You might lose a human in this game. Or you might save his life. You write the story, not the developer. But let's step away from the stage a bit. Our alien friend tends to be glitchy and laggy at times. I can't tell if this was intentional or not, but it bars this game from a perfect gameplay score. When we need to block a bullet, we can't always be there. The metaphor loses meaning if the player isn't given free will. At the same time, I can say that if the controls fail us, how is that not like an uncontrollable force in reality? We can't control everything. Nor can our alien. Although, he does get an adrenal boost when the tank fires a shell. So, too, can we push ourselves.


Visual: 5/5 ImmorTall has graphics that not only catch the eye, but work perfectly with the game's philosophical viewpoints. One thing that definitely needs to be noted is how the colors change in the background. When the alien crash lands on earth, everything is black and grey, painting a bleak and dismal picture. But as the girl approaches him, things begin to lighten up. The rays of hope shine through and, as spend more time with the humans, we find that the sky's colours will change to suit the mood and feel of each emotion. Have you tried to save all the humans? Have you let them all die? Watch how the settings change and find your own metaphor. Another important detail is that all the characters are in black. Every sprite is dark, as well as the land you walk on. Our characters and stage are cold as night, so we must too know that there is bad in everyone and everything. Finding the white goodness in each being is a matter of perception. Once you find something great in someone, be they from Earth or elsewhere, run with it. The Alien has a white blob in him. I didn't think of it as an eye.

Audio: 4/5 Audio is always one of the pivotal points for me in any game. First off, we have a mute button. So if you aren't liking the music or SFX, you can toggle it off. However, since this game is short and uses all it has to paint a picture, I recommend leaving the sound on. Something that struck me in this game is the noise that bullets make as the strike the Alien. They're musical, albeit sad. I think we can all draw a conclusion from this. Each bullet is a wound, but what difference does it make when you can't die? When you are immortal, why not throw yourself in front of every bullet? Because in doing that, we kill ourselves from the inside. We can't truly live our life for others, because then we give it up. Those who are "immortal" can throw away their life by taking on everything. Pay attention to the noises and music, and you will see what I mean.

Overall 4.5/5 One thing is certain by playing ImmorTall: You will gain nothing by taking it for its face value. Sure, to most this game was nothing more than a waste of 3 minutes, walking in front of tanks and soldiers. But if you stop and think for a minute about any one detail, you can see that there is more to this game than meets the eye. The greatest thing about a game like this is that everyone will interpret it differently. Maybe this game is a representation of something happening in your life. To me, I've never seen the phrase "You can't spend your life trying to please everyone." displayed so well. Don't play this game; Live it.


If you have any remarks about this game or have any personal questions about my interpretation or relating to this review, leave a comment below. And if you still think this game is worthless and boring, let me know. I'd love to prove you wrong.


~DoctorAutopsy


Current Kongregate Score: 3.75


Thursday, March 4, 2010

^_^ (Sushi Cat Review)


I'll be completely honest with you here for a minute: I'm not the nicest guy in the world. At least when it comes to rating games. Hokage's been telling me to write for the site more, and to get geared into that "Writer mind-set", I've been reading some of my past reviews. I think "Brutally Honest" would be an understatement most of the time, so I want to change that. Forget turning a new leaf; I'm turning the whole tree. I'm going to be one hundred percent nice with this review. No foolin'. Sushi Cat (Gratuitously bestowed upon Kongregate from Armor Games) is without a doubt the cutest flash game I've played since... uh... Dark Cut...Yeah, that sounds about right. Sushi Cat a creative blend of casual gameplay, strategy and old-fashioned fun that can only be topped by my morning cup of coffee.

Gameplay: 4.5/5 The whole time I was playing Sushi Cat, I kept thinking of that one woman on "The Price Is Right" who was so excited to play Plinko that she nearly fainted in front of the cheering studio audience, grasping to Bob Barker's suit in an attempt to stay conscious long enough to actually get those chip thingies. So, what's the only thing better than classic day time television game shows? That's right. Kittens. Gaze in amazement as your kitten gobbles down raw fish bouncing to the crates below. The gameplay in Sushi Cat is that time-tested luck/skill mix that will have you on the edge of your seat, waving your hands and praying to the feline gods that this cat will fall into the 200 point crate on the bottom. I can't award a 5 here, sadly, because I feel like there could have been more done with the power-ups. The Dragon Cannons in stage 3 encourage the player to pay close attention to their skill shots, and anything that gives a little bit more interaction in cat movement is a good thing. With more ways to affect the outcome of a launch (A power-up that would make your cat float upwards would be neat. A balloon would be a great icon for it; Cats love to chew on those things), and some other minor tweaks, Sushi Cat would be arcade perfection.

Audio: 4/5 The music in this game is really something else. If you have it muted, take it off for at least a little bit. Since you are usually stuck watching your cat rebound off the same wall, you might as well have some good tunes playing. And Sushi Cat delivers. If I read the credits right, Run To Japan did the music for this game. Kudos to them. The sound effects aren't bad either, though I doubt they got a condenser mic and boom to catch the real sound of a cat gnawing on an onigiri. Authenticity is a good thing, people!

Visual: 4/5 This is where I'm torn. One on hand, a lush and scenic background would clutter the board, confusing the player into thinking that there are rebound platforms where there really aren't. However, I think more could have easily been done to make the game aesthetically pleasing. For starters, when we get to the third zone, we find our fat feline hero at a carnival. Why not add in pinball bumpers and bright lights, while having a black or dim background with stuffed animals hanging from a string? Maybe this is just me, but the stages didn't always seem to fit with what was going on in the storyline (Which was incredibly sweet, by the way). If this game gets a sequel, this would be a great thing to keep in mind.

Overall: 4.5/5 Sushi Cat is one of those few arcade gems that I think everyone should give a try. It has lots of appeal, be it cute, funny, or just outright fun. With no time limits or pressure (Other than a hungry stomach), this game is great for the casual flash gamer. There were a few moments where my cat would get so massive, it would get stuck in the stage. I had time to get up and use the bathroom once during one of the later levels while my cat was still running. I think the only thing keeping this from serious acclaim is the inability to affect a drop once it's started. I'll keep hoping this game gets a sequel, because it'd be so easy to make. And a level editor wouldn't be a bad idea either. Impress your friends with your cat bouncing skills on your own custom stage. As a final note here, I think adding in a list of bonuses would give the player a little extra goal to shoot for. Did you know? You can get serious points if you get a cat in each box in one level.

So there you have it. A "nice guy" review from a brutally honest dude. I feel refreshed and renewed! Like I'm some kind of...Sweetheart. Anyone for sushi tonight? ^^


This is DoctorAutopsy signing off, saying: Please think of the pet population. Spay and neuter your pets. They'll thank you for it.


Current Kong Score: 3.94

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Pirates

Cherishing freedom above all else (excluding treasure, booze, women, fighting, and more treasure), the scurvy pirates sail the seas in search of adventure and glory.

One fateful morning, a violent storm blew Auger and his crew's ship off course. They sought refuge from the weather in a rocky cove of a small, uncharted island. It was there that they discovered an ancient treasure fiercely guarded by Ranec Vest, the ghost of a fabled captain from generations past.

Ranec challenged Auger to a pistol duel, to which the mortal captain emerged victorious. Bullet-ridden but otherwise still sentient, Ranec relinquished his treasure to Auger's crew, then accepted an invitation to join their ranks.

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Items:

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Wake the Royalty Walkthrough

Tasselfoot's guide on Wake the Royalty.