Killer 7

[James]

I've stopped worrying about the business end of gaming. It's not my responsibility to tell Capcom when they're being stupid, and seeing as I own all three consoles I can't imagine why I'd take it personally which one gets what game and when. RE4 exclusive to the Gamecube for a year, or however long it takes Capcom to bring it to PS2? Fine by me.

The Gamecube is more powerful than the PS2. RE4 looks better on Gamecube than it will on PS2. I win, as do the other 600,000 or so people who bought it.

James

[Revoltor]

And hopefully by then the GC version will drop to 20 bucks.

Oh, and then I'll win.

[James]

Seeing as I've picked up my share of bargain games, I'm hardly going to argue the point. I am glad I sprung for the limited Gamestop RE4, though.

James

[MechDeus]

This game reminds me of Cyberia, only not nearly as shitty. From the first level and a half of play:

+Character specific puzzles which have a very helpful map
+Awesome visual design
+Upgrading abilities
+Healing is done by aiming wel
+Each character has their own twist for combat so that they don't all feel too similar (I like how time slows down for the blind guy) and they each see certain things in the world differently

-Nonsensical RE-style puzzles where you have grab random objects which mysteriously unlock completely unrelated obstacles (thankfully only one so far)
-Most enemies have been way too easy, only one guy has been even remotely tough to hit (that freakish dodging Heaven Smile near the end of the first level), hopefully should change as I go further in
-The PS2 pad sucks at aiming
-SO MUCH FUCKING LOADING JESUS CHRIST
-Add to the atmosphere as it may, using the old Mac/PC text editor where it generates voices from what you typed as the main source for character speech in levels is annoying

Anyway, I like it overall so far.

[MarkRyan]

+Character specific puzzles which have a very helpful map
These aren't so good--the map tells you which character to use (throughout the entire game). You just switch to the character, go to that point on the map and either hit Y or examine the area. Solves itself.

+Upgrading abilities
I generally don't like purchasing upgrades (as in Devil May Cry or RE4) but it works well in Killer 7. How much you can upgrade is dependent on your skill, and there's a cap in each level for how much you can upgrade. I like both of those elements.

+Healing is done by aiming wel
Yeah, I agree this rules. I don't like games that require the use of rare healing items--you either become stingy, you have too little, or you have an excess. I've always liked it when killing enemies yields health, and Killer 7's way of doing it to reward good aiming is very nice. On the downside, the game is too easy (which might make it better to play on Hard even on your first play).

+Each character has their own twist for combat so that they don't all feel too similar (I like how time slows down for the blind guy) and they each see certain things in the world differently
I dig the difference in characters, too. At first I figured I'd just blow through the game with Con, the blind dude with wicked fast automatic pistols. And while he's still my go-to dude, I find using Kevin (the shirtless knife thrower) to be beneficial--no reloading and perfectly steady aim--while other times you're forced to use Dan or Mask for their specific shots. Unfortunately, Coyote and KAEDE are pretty useless in combat. Coyote works, but he's got nothing special, and KAEDE is just helpless.

-Nonsensical RE-style puzzles where you have grab random objects which mysteriously unlock completely unrelated obstacles (thankfully only one so far)
There's pretty much one in every level. They're hardly puzzles, though--every level has the same "odd engraving" to find that acts as a key somewhere else in the level. It's basically just key finding.

-Most enemies have been way too easy, only one guy has been even remotely tough to hit (that freakish dodging Heaven Smile near the end of the first level), hopefully should change as I go further in
It's not really that the enemies themselves are too easy, but fighting only one at a time is always easy. The game just now started getting difficult for me and I'm more than half through the game, but it's really rewarding now--three or more enemies appear in tight quarters and you've gotta be SHARP to get out without damage.

-The PS2 pad sucks at aiming
Haven't had any problem with the Cube controller, but haven't touched the PS2 version.

-SO MUCH FUCKING LOADING JESUS CHRIST
Must be a PS2-only problem 'cause the Cube version only loads at the beginning of the level (and for about three seconds).

-Add to the atmosphere as it may, using the old Mac/PC text editor where it generates voices from what you typed as the main source for character speech in levels is annoying
I love it

[MechDeus]

These aren't so good--the map tells you which character to use (throughout the entire game). You just switch to the character, go to that point on the map and either hit Y or examine the area. Solves itself.

It's about the same as the regular puzzles, only those actually look cool and don't seem out of place.

Coyote works, but he's got nothing special, and KAEDE is just helpless.

I think Coyote rocks, but that's probably just because I lost Dan real early in the first level because I hadn't figured out how to reload yet and kept getting jumped while running out of bullets in combat and died. So I ended up pumping up Coyote to all level 2 and 3s in abilities once I realized the extremely odd control config of using the right stick. Didn't figure out until level two that you could resurrect yourself with Garcian, that's what I get for charging in I suppose.

Must be a PS2-only problem 'cause the Cube version only loads at the beginning of the level (and for about three seconds).

Well I'm shivering timbers at the moment because I wasn't sure if this game was going to be worth it, but since I'm completely sold now I'll be sure to pick up the Cube version. As is there's chunks of loading (like 3-10 seconds or something) when you switch characters or enter rooms, but whenever I do backtracking and experiment with characters it turns into: *load* two seconds to the next room *load* turn a corner *load* down a small hallway *load* into Herman's Room, turn on TV *load* switch characters *load* turn around *load* back down small hallway *load* AND SO ON. If I'm not fighting I'm spending more time looking at loading screens then I am playing and that's retarded.

I love it

It's mostly the problems I have understanding them. Every in the game except for the three guys with the robotic voices are perfectly fine, but I can only get maybe a third of those guys say.

[MarkRyan]

I think Coyote rocks, but that's probably just because I lost Dan real early in the first level because I hadn't figured out how to reload yet and kept getting jumped while running out of bullets in combat and died. So I ended up pumping up Coyote to all level 2 and 3s in abilities once I realized the extremely odd control config of using the right stick. Didn't figure out until level two that you could resurrect yourself with Garcian, that's what I get for charging in I suppose.

The best part about Coyote is hearing him say "You're fucked!" But when you get into the characters and their differences, there's nothing that makes Coyote worth using. He's totally functional, but other characters do everything he does and do it better.

Well I'm shivering timbers at the moment because I wasn't sure if this game was going to be worth it, but since I'm completely sold now I'll be sure to pick up the Cube version. As is there's chunks of loading (like 3-10 seconds or something) when you switch characters or enter rooms, but whenever I do backtracking and experiment with characters it turns into: *load* two seconds to the next room *load* turn a corner *load* down a small hallway *load* into Herman's Room, turn on TV *load* switch characters *load* turn around *load* back down small hallway *load* AND SO ON. If I'm not fighting I'm spending more time looking at loading screens then I am playing and that's retarded.

Well I guess there are load times in the Cube version between certain areas, but it's just a quick one second screen of blurry blue that fades in and out when switching between map areas. No such loading for character switching, though--that'd be a huge pain. And the loading that is there is so short it's negligible (like the fade-in-fade-out in Mario 64). I wonder if the final PS2 version will be as bad as you describe, though. That'd be a huge pain.

It's mostly the problems I have understanding them. Every in the game except for the three guys with the robotic voices are perfectly fine, but I can only get maybe a third of those guys say.

Don't you get subtitles? Everything spoken by the ghosts (the weird digital voices) is subtitled on my final build. I wouldn't imagine it'd be understandable at all without the text.

[MechDeus]

Well I guess there are load times in the Cube version between certain areas, but it's just a quick one second screen of blurry blue that fades in and out when switching between map areas.

Sounds like it's a lot shorter than what I'm dealing with. The PS2 version varies back forth between quick and slightly lengthier times, it's never terrible but there's just so much of it.

Don't you get subtitles? Everything spoken by the ghosts (the weird digital voices) is subtitled on my final build. I wouldn't imagine it'd be understandable at all without the text.

Japanese subtitles. They do at least display the hiragana above the kanji for ease of speaking... which would be helpful if I spoke Japanese.

[StriderKyo]

There's a problem with delaying a purchase, though. The amount of hype for RE4's PS2 release is going to pale in comparison to the GameCube release. A good number of those people that wanted to wait for the PS2 version will get sucked up into some other game's hype and buy it instead.

It'd be like launching a movie on DVD a year before it releases in theaters. Without any anticipation leading up to the theater release the numbers would likely be disappointing.

Yeah, but considering their competition will be absolutely nothing, I don't see them getting swamped under by a wave of newer shinier games. They'll be the biggest name on PS2 at Christmas.

[TobalRox]

Seeing as I've picked up my share of bargain games, I'm hardly going to argue the point. I am glad I sprung for the limited Gamestop RE4, though.

James

What'd that do that was so special?