Kingdom Rush (Android)

Kingdom Rush - copyright: developed by Ironhide Game Studio and published by Armor Games

Tower defense is a type of strategy game, where the player must defend a specific territory from enemies. The gamer typically can use troops or constructions, like towers (which name this game genre), in order to defeat or stop the enemies, varying according to the title universe. And when I think about a game that represents this category, I always remember one title: Kingdom Rush.

Developed by Ironhide Game Studio and published by Armor Games, the title was first released for PC as a free flash web browser game in July 2011. Only in May 2013 Kingdom Rush was ported to Android systems, and then, in May 2015, the game became a free app for Android. It is a game full of humor, action, strategy and many secrets to discover.

Kingdom Rush main menu

Set in a fantastic medieval universe, where there are might knights, powerful wizards, skillful elves, and genius dwarfs, Kingdom Rush is a huge adventure. The game mechanic is pretty simple: you need to build towers and place troops in the scenario, in order to stop enemies from reaching their goal. Each defeated enemy, as goblins and werewolves, gives you money, necessary for creating or upgrading buildings and troops.

The first missions are good to understand how the game mechanics work

Every level presents a different scenario, where the towers can only be built in determinate places. The enemies have different skills, as flying capacity, magical resistance, and area damage, among many others, so the towers strategy must be well-planned. For example, use archers tower to hit flying units, while placing a barrack tower to hold enemies and allow a dwarf bomb tower to deal area damage.

There are scenarios in every environment, from wastelands to icy mountains

The player starts each level with twenty hearts, and when an enemy reaches the goal, you lose hearts according to the foes power. The higher their power, the more hearts you will lose. There are more than thirty unique enemies, so you must be able to deal with different tricks and attacks. Even if you have only four basic towers, do not forget that every tower has its own special abilities, which can be upgraded with money anytime.

There are many upgrades and achievements to unlock through the game

Besides the towers, the player can make use of special items, reinforcements, and meteor attacks (called Rain of Fire), the last two being cooldown based abilities. You can also control a Hero, a special unit that has can battle using its special skills, and gain experience points to level up and become stronger. In the free version, there are only three heroes to choose (which is a bit disappointing), but they are good enough to help in your missions. And if the Hero dies, do not worry: in some moments it will revive and return to the battle.

The Heroes are really useful during the battles

Kingdom Rush graphics are very good, full of color and great cartoon like animations. The characters are interesting, and the scenarios locations are well-designed. The attacks and spells sounds are original and exciting, just as the funny phrases said by the character and heroes. It is great to play epic battles while listening to the game songs and the combat sounds, creating an intense game play. The controls are intuitive and the touch buttons and commands are accurate.

The bosses are always challenging, so pay attention to any opening 

Some missions in the hard difficult level may be a bit frustrating. More than requiring well-planned tower layout across the scenario, these levels demand an almost perfect timing when using heroes, spells and reinforcements. However, as I have written before, the game offers so many challenges that you will have lots of fun before facing the tough ones. Unless you are one of those players that always aim for 100 % completion (which also includes many secrets), in this case I wish you good luck…

The last mission is really tough!

Kingdom Rush is one of the funniest games for Android devices. Its particular tower defense mechanics are simple, but also full of possibilities. From magical wizard towers to technological dwarfs shocking machines, passing by barbarian’s huts and archer towers, you have many options to stop the enemies from reaching their targets. The game cartoon graphics are great, and songs and sounds are very funny. Literally a “must have” free Android game, Kingdom Rush will give you hours and hours of fun (and even some of suffering, if you dare to play the hardest levels).

Daredevil (Series)

Daredevil - copyright: Netflix (distributor) and Marvel Television / ABC Studios (publisher)

The adaptation of a work from its original media to another is always a difficult subject. On one hand, it is necessary to preserve the original work must, keeping most of its essence; on other hand, sometimes it is almost impossible to adapt a work to another media without some changes. Nowadays, this dual problem is found frequently in comics adaptations, as superheroes movies and series are becoming very popular.

One of the best examples of how to adapt a comic is the Netflix original series Daredevil. Released in April 10, 2015, Daredevil was a production of Marvel Television and ABC Studios, along with others companies. The Netflix series was capable of dealing with the originality/adaptation balance (almost) perfectly, being one of my favorite series.

Daredevil promotional poster

The comic main structure is as follows: Matthew Murdock, son of a former boxer, suffers an accident with radioactive chemicals, losing its vision in the process. However, as a compensation for his lost eyes, the other four senses were enhanced to great levels. He can hear and identify a heartbeat inside a big crowd. Or smell the sweat of people around him. His touch is so sensitive that Matt can even read a newspaper just feeling the ink with his fingers.

Daredevil comics by Frank Miller and David Mazzucchelli are really great!

In addition to his improved senses, Matt acquired a “radar sense”, just like a bat or a submarine. He is able to “hear” the reflection of sound waves when they hit objects, which allows him to create a mental reconstruction of everything around him. Using these extraordinary senses, Matt trained his body and mind in order to become the Daredevil, a superhero that protects the city of New York, mostly the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood, where he always lived with his now deceased father.

The series was able to fully adapt the Daredevil action, full of intense acrobatics movements and great martial arts. Another potentially complicated point, the superhuman senses, was also well adapted during the story. The public can understand what Matt is feeling, without any unnecessary overreaction.

The fighting scenes are very intense and exciting

As a classic superhero, Matt Murdock (played by Charlie Cox) has two lives. Besides being the superhero Daredevil, he is also a lawyer alongside with his best friend Franklin “Foggy” Nelson (played by Elden Henson). Other important characters are: Karen Page (played by Deborah Ann Woll), Matt’s eternal love, the journalist Ben Urich (played by Vondie Curtis-Hall), the nurse Claire Temple (played by Rosario Dawson), and the main antagonist Wilson Fisk (played by Vincent D’Onofrio), a great business man and mafia boss also known as Kingpin.

From left to right: Fisk, Claire, Matt, Karen and Foggy

The cast selection was great, resulting in very believable interactions and conversations. Foggy and Matt really look like old friends (even if, in my opinion, Foggy is not very physically similar with its comics version), Matt and Karen make a lovely couple, and Fisk surely is a genuine egocentric mafia boss. Every character is played marvelously (as expected from Marvel…), which makes the plot advances very naturally along the 13 episodes.

Without telling any spoilers, Matt has to deal with some tough personal/professional problems during the story. This fact is another great adaptation from the comics, where the bad guys are not the only difficulties. A dark past, the conflict between acting as a vigilante and a lawyer, the danger in what of those around him are: Daredevil is much more than just a superhero series. Many social principles and complex feelings are questioned, but always in a very captivating way.

Behind the scenes: in the beginning, Matt does not use the classic Daredevil outfit

Daredevil is one of the best superheroes adaptations so far. For those who are used to read the comics, the characters and plot are pleasantly familiar. Even if you are not used, you will get along with them naturally, as the cast selection is great for both main and supporting characters. The plot is solid, being able to bring many comics references without losing any touch with reality. Moreover, the fighting scenes are all exciting and well performed. Never reading a comic and watching a series was so close and so funny.

Persona 5 (PS3)

Persona 5 - copyright: Atlus Co., Ltd.

JRPG.  For those who don’t know, it is an abbreviation for “Japanese role-playing game”. And if you think that RPGs already are a traditional Japanese game type, you better think again. This game genre main difference from the “classic” RPG is the presence of social interactions. The characters have much more interaction with each other, being able to build relationships and interact in an emotional level. And in my opinion, a perfect game for both JRPGs beginners and experts is the one called Persona 5 (member of the Megami Tensei franchise).

Persona 5 box cover

Launched worldwide in April 2017 by the developer Atlus, Persona 5 tells the story of the Phantom Thieves, a group of teenagers aiming to change the society ruled by dishonest adults. In order to accomplish this objective, they can “steal” the heart of evil people. By doing so, they make the person regrets and confess its crimes and bad acts. However, before stealing the heart, the Phantom Thieves must overcome all the nightmares and delusions of the villains consciousness. These challenges are found in the enemies cognitive worlds, called Palaces, where everything is modeled as he sees the reality.

Caroline (left) and Justine (rigth), alongside with Igor (center, out of focus) will help in your own prison Palace

For example, a bully professor Palace is a castle, where he rules as the students king. For a gangster, its cognitive world is a bank, where everybody is an ATM ready to provide money. During their fights inside the Palaces, each member of the Phantom Thieves can summon a being called Persona. A Persona appearance and powers are related with its owner, and they help the group to defeat its enemies. While the rest of the Thieves can only have one Persona, the protagonist (whose name it is your choice) may have many at the same time. As he is under probation, due to a crime he did not commit, every mission must be carefully planned or it is “game-over” for his life.

The awakening of the protagonist first Persona

The game starts in a luxurious casino, where you are on a mission as a Phantom Thief. In this “tutorial”, can enjoy Persona 5 great graphics and sounds, besides getting familiar with its mechanics. Everything is going great, but then, after some action moments, you are arrested. And it is just when, after being tortured by some shady cops and start telling your story to the prosecutor, which the game really begins: the story returns many months in time, showing how the Phantom Thieves group was created and advanced until the casino mission.

It is interesting to play the game while you know that everything happening is “past”. There some moments when the game returns to the “present”, where you and the prosecutor are talking, which helps you do not forget about how everything really is. These few paragraphs that you read only scratch the game plot surface, as there are many more important facts and mysteries, such as your best friend Morgana unknown origin, in the main and in the side stories of Persona 5.

From left to right: Makoto, Ann, Yusuke, (insert your name), Haru, Ryuji, Morgana and Sakura

Talking about the game mechanics, basically there are two main ones: the battles and the social developments. The first one is pretty self-explained. Using your group abilities, you must enter Palaces and defeat enemies in order to steal a bad guy heart. The battles are turn based, and the attacks are divided in categories, such as physical, fire, nuclear, wind, among others. As any good RPG, there are ailments (such as curse and confusion), healing and assist skills, besides many different items and equipment’s. The battle mechanics in Persona 5 are very extensive, but also intuitive and enjoyable after some fights.

When battling, you have many options to choose from, so a good strategy is always necessary

The second main mechanic is characteristic of JRPGs, and just like the battle ones, the social mechanics are as interesting as wide. There are many people to interact and create relationships, as your first friends Ryuji and Ann, or side-jobs to candidate, as a flower shop assistant or a yakuza follower. You can also take your time to read a book, go to the movies, and play videogames… Persona 5 gives a lot of importance (and options) in how you spend your time. In most of the days, you will have to choose between your friends invitations to study/have fun/work, battling in a Palace, go to the movies, among many other activities. Besides the experience points earned through battles, that increases your level and abilities, there are the social points: knowledge, guts, kindness, proficiency and charm. Each one points can be earned from specific activities found in the game universe.

You are both a student and a justice thief. Remember to balance both lives

Each decision makes you advance in some part of the game. For example, stronger relationships provide stronger Personas, new items, money or even a girlfriend (or many girlfriends, if you take the risk), while reading a book can increase you knowledge (which is important for your academic life) or teach you how to fish as a pro. Choosing carefully how to progress in the game is the key to have fun and still be able to defeat the enemies and progress in the story. However, there will be moments that you will think “what if a have done something different?”

What to do next?

Besides the solids gameplay and mechanics, another Persona 5 quality is its finishing. You can see how much the game was polished in many details: the loading screens, the in-game menu, the (almost) infinity number of things to do or to collect, the transitions between different scenes. Persona 5 is a huge game in many aspects, with lots of missions and new things to discover, which is essential for any good JRPG. Combine it with the high detailed polishing, the beautiful graphics and songs, and you have an immersive gaming experience.

Main menu (red/black/white), medical items (blue) and weapons/equipment shop (green) designs

For many people, the English translation of Persona 5 is one of the few cons. As far as I could analyze and compare both Japanese and English dubs, in my opinion there is nothing “terrible”. Obviously, we can expect better voice acting from the original language, as this game is set in Japan, with all its deep and unique culture. For me, the English localization is OK, sometimes a bit clumsy and lacking some feeling, but it does not compromise the game. Besides that, the game is really solid and well finished.

Persona 5 has lot of interesting characters inside an immersive great story, with very competent gameplay and mechanics. Its graphics are amazing, full of details and beautifully designed locations, besides many lovely anime cut scenes. The soundtrack is exciting, with adequate English voice acting. There are many things to do in the game, and remember: all the choices play an essential part in the story. With more than one hundred hours of addictive gameplay, Persona 5 is probably one of the best games in PS3 library, and for me, the best JRPG so far.

The Mummy (Movie)

The Mummy (1999) - copyrights: Universal Studios

When you want to see a good movie, which elements you want to find? Action? Adventure? Comedy? Or maybe a bit of mystery and thrilling? For me, the best movies unite all these elements (and sometimes some more) in one good story played by great characters. One example of this type of movie, and one of my favorites, is called The Mummy.

The Mummy, released in 1999, is an epic motion picture. Full of Egyptian references, it is a great combination of action and adventure with refined humor and thrilling moments. Besides the interesting story, The Mummy has charismatic characters, a very good soundtrack, and an amazing Egyptian atmosphere full of mystery and magic.

The Mummy - Theatrical release poster

 Starting in the ancient Egypt, 1290 BC, the movie shows the story of the main antagonist: Imhotep (played by Arnold Vosloo), a high priest of Pharaoh Seti I. When the Pharaoh finds out that the priest had a love affair with his mistress Anck-su-Namun, the couple kills Seti I. Before being captured, the mistress committed suicide, in order to allow Imhotep performs her resurrection in Hamunaptra, the city of the dead. However, the priest ritual is stopped by the Medjai, the Pharaoh bodyguards.

Due to his serious crimes, Imhotep is sentenced to death through the Hom Dai, the worst Egyptian curse. It consists of being mummified alive and buried in a sarcophagus full of flesh-eating scarab beetles. The Medjai would always watch over the coffin, because if the priest was released, he would bring destruction to the world. Obviously, we all know that the mummy will be released (and defeated) in some moment. Leaving it aside, the gorgeous visual effects and the good narrative are able to introduce the public to the ancient Egypt “universe”.

The desert footage are beautiful, both in the "past" or the in "present" scenes

This little story is told in the beginning of the film. Right after this introduction, we return to the “present”, first in 1923 and then in 1926, where we meet the main protagonist: Rick O’Connel (brilliantly played by Brendan Fraser), an American that already visited the ruins of Hamunaptra, during his fights for the French Foreign Legion. O’Connel makes a deal with Evelyn Carnahan (charmingly played by Rachel Weisz), an Egyptologist eager to find more about the city of the dead. Together with her party, also composed by her brother Jonathan (played by John Hannah), they head to Hamunaptra guided by the American.

Rick, Evelyn and Jonathan in exploration

After having a competition with another group of explorers, also trying to find the lost city, they (obviously) release the priest mummy. Imhotep, released from the Egyptian curse, acquired many supernatural powers, and must be stopped at any cost by O’Connel, the Carnahan’s and the Medjai, who now aims to protect the entire world. Although the plot is sometimes predictable, the story flows nicely, with a good mix of funny and exciting moments. I am a fan of Egyptian culture, and it is amazing to see hieroglyphs, pyramids chambers and all sort of ancient materials and locations.

There are many treasures in Hamunaptra (if you ignore the mummies...)

One of the movie highlights, besides the good story, is the interaction between the characters. Rick and Evelyn “Evie” form an interesting couple: he as a man of action and reason, and she is an impulsive, yet intelligent woman. It is funny to see then argue about what to do next, or when they try to show up the interest in each other. Jonathan is the comical relief of the movie, creating instant jokes with all the cast. Vosloo is also very competent, playing the arrogant and scary mummy. Actually, sometimes, it is even possible to sympathize a bit with Imhotep, as his major objective is to revive his lover (although he wants to destroy the world in the process...)

Imhotep, before he fully recovered his body

On the other hand, one of The Mummy problems is the extent of Imhotep supernatural powers. In one moment, he creates a gigantic sandstorm, but in other, he is not able to defeat a single man in direct combat. When you realize this fact, some scenes may look weird. Another possible con is the fast pace action. The Mummy runs fast in some moments, which requires extra attention to not lose anything. Probably, it is because the movie has many things to show.

Even so, these many things are what make The Mummy a special movie. The well-planned jokes, the action scenes such as the airplane chase and the ship shooting, the exploration of ancient tombs and ruins, and the amazing desert footage are examples of great moments of the movie. It has some minor problems, but one fact prevails: the fun is everywhere, disguised in many different forms.

The airplane chase by the "mummy sandstorm" is fantastic

The Mummy is an enjoyable movie, combining action, comedy and horror in a great story through the ancient Egypt mysteries. Even if some of the “historical facts” are fictional, you could bet that everything really happened, thanks to the competent plot, visual effects and beautiful locations. The story is exciting, and the cast fitted like a glove in all the characters. Never a mummy movie was so funny and scary, with an almost perfect balance of these so different genres.

Along the trails of the West (Comics)

"Lungo i sentieri del West" - copyright: Sergio Bonelli Editore. Written by Antonio Segura and art by José Ortiz.

There are many countries that are well-known for some particular stuff. For example, when you think about soccer, it probably reminds you about Brazil. If you think about sushi, you possibly also think about Japan. And if you think about deserts, it reminds you of the Egypt. Finally, if you think about western stories, what comes to your head? Was it “United States”? Actually, the western stories remind me of Italy.

Well, at least in the comic’s world, my relation is completely correct. The Italian Sergio Bonelli Editore is the best western comic producer, where you can find stories worthy of the classical American bang-bang. And the name responsible for the success is basically one: Tex Willer. Created by Bonelli and Gallepini, Tex is icon for the western comics as Superman is for the superhero comics.

Tex Willer riding a horse

In continuous publication since its creation, in 1948, Tex’s stories are famous in many countries, being considered the best of its segment. Greece, Turkey, Spain, Brazil, and, obviously, Italia, are some examples of where Bonelli comics, that has many others interesting characters and stories besides Tex, is a reference of quality and fun.

Tex 500 cover (from left to right): Kit Willer (Tex's Son), Tiger Jack (Navajo Warrior), Tex Willer, Kit Carson (old Tex's friend)

In my opinion, one of the best Tex stories is “Lungo i sentieri del West”, in the original, or something like “Along the trails of the west”. First published on the volume Maxi Tex #13, in October 2009, this 324 pages story is full of everything that a great western story must have: stagecoach chases, desert travels, Indians wrath against some corrupted palefaces, quick draw duels, and more.

Maxi Tex #13 cover

The main plot of the story is a western classic: after many crimes committed by a group of outlaws, Tex, a ranger and a justice man, is on their trail to bring justice to their victims. However, the bandits do not give up, which leads to a chase across the west American territory. It is the Bonelli Editore quality standard in its highest level.

Stagecoach chase

During the travel, Tex helps a lot of people along the way, many of them victims of the outlaws. He faces dangers like tornados, cheetahs, and snowstorms. And if at first this looks too fantastic for a western comic, you better read it for yourself. The writer Antonio Segura created the adventure plot with passion, mixing action, drama, and thriller moments in a perfect balance. The story follows an exciting rhythm, but without forgetting the important details and the characters developments.

Tex and Carson in a saloon gun battle

The story “Lungo i sentieri del West” also has a great artwork. José Ortiz style is absolutely amazing, making the entire action look really credible and intense. You can almost feel thirsty in the desert, of feel nervous during a gunfight. As I said before, the story goes along the American territory, which makes you face different environments, all of them brilliantly designed.

From sandstorms to icy mountains

It is interesting to see that the Ranger meets many friends during the story. The stories of the Tex Willer universe are all connected (with a few exceptions). So, it is natural to see him talking about past adventures, or meeting with people met in previous stories. If you’re a regular reader, these facts are like funny memories; if it is your first story, these moments make you feel like “wow, this is not a simple cowboy story”, making you feel how depth is Tex fictional universe.

"In that same time at Prescott...", as a classic old west town

During the story, there are some plot twists that leave the chase in the background. However, this is not a bad thing, as these events take the reader to new and exciting situations. For example, there is a moment when Tex helps some traveler families to pass through a Ute Indian reservation. Tex is also the Chief of the Navajos (I will not tell how this happened, but if you did not know it, I suggest you to look for this great story in past Tex comics), a Native American tribe of the United States, and it is interesting to see how he deals with this dual responsibility: help the lost travelers, but not harm the Utes territorial rights.

Tex needs to show his abilities in order to survive an Indian fight challenge

As good as any western movie of John Wayne or Clint Eastwood, “Lungo i sentieri del West” is a perfect story for the genre fans. A great adventure, that takes you to shootouts and deserts, saloons and long horse ridings, in the company of Tex Willer. A tough but noble man, who does everything to bring justice against the outlaws, regardless their color, properties or native land. A complete western adventure, full of fun for everybody who likes a thrilling story.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64)

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - copyright: Nintendo.

Any entertainment media has its eternal classics. Masterpieces that are reference in their area, becoming obligatory for anyone interested in that media. If you are a movie maniac, you probably watched and are a fan of Marty and Doc Brown. If you are addicted for series, you certainly were amazed by Walter White and Jesse Pinkman. If you are a bit (or a lot) otaku, you most likely is a follower of the Yorozuya.

And, at last but not at least, if you a hardcore gamer, you surely played and loved one of the best games of all time: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Originally a Nintendo 64 exclusive, launched in 1998, nowadays you can find it via Virtual Console or in a renewed Nintendo 3DS version.

The cartridge box of Ocarina of Time

Ocarina of Time is present in all the lists and ranks of the best games. The reason of being absolutely popular and critical acclaimed is a perfect amalgam of elements: fascinating story, great graphics, solid gameplay, and amazing sound. It’s possible to see that (almost) every detail of this Zelda were carefully refined, creating a very credible in-game atmosphere. And if we consider when the game was launched, it is easier to recognize why this Zelda title is so famous and prized.

The Kokiri Village is where the adventure begins

The story is very interesting and has some great twists, worthy of a book series or even a movie. It starts with Navi, the fairy, awakening a child called Link in the Kokiri Forest. The boy and the fairy travels through the kingdom Hyrule, collecting Spiritual Stones in order to help Princess Zelda. She wants to stop Ganondorf, the king of the Gerudo, who aims to acquire a holy relic called Triforce.

Link meets Ganondorf, the game final boss

There is a key moment in the story, when Link is able to get the legendary Master Sword. Doing it, the hero travels seven years to the future. Although everything looks familiar in some way, almost everything has become different or destroyed, thanks to Ganondorf acts during the seven years. Link, now the Hero of Time, must defeat the villain, traveling to different locations between the eras and helping the sacred sages, in order to save the world.

Link removing the Master Sword from the pedestal in the Temple of Time

Obviously, there are many things that happen during the story. Link meets many different people, such as the Gorons and the Zoras, and also amazing locations, such as the Desert of Colossus and the Death Mountain. Besides the main plot, there are plenty side missions, which allow you to find and collect things like a stone-speaking mask, ice arrows, Gold Skultulas (one hundred of them), and time travels songs.

Epona is your faithful companion in the journey (her side-quest is virtually obligatory)

Ah, the songs. Ocarina of Time is also composed of amazing songs and melodies. Using an ocarina, a peculiar type of flute, Link (and the player) can perform many different songs in the game. They are not only great to listen, but also keys to solve puzzles and discover secrets. Besides that, the game has just a few dubbed words (unfortunately, Navi has one of them), however the dungeons songs and the sound effects are enough to make every moment epic.

Adult Link learning a new song (from a man that learned it from Young Link)

The graphics may be a little “rough” nowadays, but even now they are convincing. Most textures are very realistic, with different great environments areas, from deserts and icebergs, to castles and meadows. The characters are lovely, both friends and foes. The gameplay is very solid, with many moves (as backflips and rolls), weapons (as a boomerang and a hammer), and items (as masks and bugs) available to the player. As I said before, everything is well connected, with almost perfect balance between every part of the game system.

There are a lot of items to collect (including a blue chicken Cojiro...)

In my opinion, Ocarina of Time has no real cons. There are only a few minor problems, almost insignificant compared to the game greatness. Such as: your fairy Navi can be annoying sometimes, interrupting your exploration; there are some parts of the game that you may find yourself lost, mostly between dungeons; some tasks and dungeons are really challenging, requiring high precision and smartness, as the (in)famous Water Temple (I used a piece of paper in order to write the map details, and don’t get lost in this dungeon).

And besides the Water Temple itself, there is Dark Link. Probably the most difficult combat of the game

However, in order to complete the title, you will have to face these difficulties. After playing many times, I can say that the best advice to beat them, and the game itself, is composed of three simple actions: talk to everybody, explore everywhere, and think about everything. You must talk to all the NPC’s to receive tips and hints, obligatory to complete the game missions. You also must explore all the locations, in order to find secrets and many necessary items to advance the story.

The Ocarina of Time, a mystical instrument that helps you to progress in the game (and lends it its title)

Finally, you must think about everything inside Ocarina of Time. Understand its mechanics is essential to progress through the game. For example, if you find a spider web blocking a door, and you cannot cut it, just think for a moment: what can I do to remove it? If you look around, there is a lit torch. Maybe you can use something to bring the flames to the web, and then burn it. This example is a simple one, but it illustrates how the game works. You must always think about what you need to do, and which options you have to use.

From the left to the right: a Deku Scrub, the King of Gorons Darunia, a Zora, and the Kokiri Saria

The best part of Ocarina of Time, for me, is its greatness. Huge dungeons, lots of NPC’s to interact, many secrets hidden in the entire game map… everything in this title is great, both in quantity and, mostly, in quality. As you adventure in the lands of Hyrule, you have the feeling of “how many more things I still have to discover?” And it is not because you are bored with it, but because you do not want this great story to end soon.

The game has a great map, with many amazing places to visit

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. A title that defined many standards in the game industry, as the targeting system for 3D games and the great side-quests, which are not only funny, but also, provide some useful stuff for the game. While you play the game, you find yourself immerse in the culture of Hyrule and its entire people. This title is an eternal classic, and will always remain as one of the best games of all.

Crash Bandicoot: Warped (PS)

Crash Bandicoot: Warped is developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony. "Crash Bandicoot" and related content is owned by Activision. Playstation is trademark of Sony.

“Old, but gold”. This saying may be used in many situations, but there is a world where it fits perfectly: games. The best games are ageless, because which defines a good game is how much fun you can get from it. Of course, graphics, sound, plot, and others characteristics are also important; however, they are nothing if the title is not funny to play.

Every gamer has some great old games as his favorite list. And, among some of my list, there is one called Crash Bandicoot: Warped. Released in 1998 for the Sony Playstation, the title developed by Naughty Dog is the third game of the marsupial series. Third, and probably the best Crash’s title until now, even after many new developers tried to achieve Naughty Dog quality level through the last years.

Crash Bandicoot: Warped box art cover

The game formula is simple. It gets every good point of its predecessors: mechanics, characters, basic level design; and then adds new great stuff, like new environments, original music and sounds, and a lot of exciting and funny challenges. Warped is a perfect example of how to improve a franchise. It is like the previous Crash games, but at the same time, it has much fresh new improvements.

You can select the levels before each boss, entering the Time-Twisted Machine.

Warped plot makes use of the time travels possibilities. After being defeated by Crash in the last game, Doctor Neo-Cortex releases an evil entity called Uka Uka, brother of Crash’s ally Aku Aku. Aiming to find the gems and crystals that Cortex was not able to (in the previous games), Uka Uka recruits Doctor Nefarious Tropy with his Time-Twisted Machine. Now, they will try to get them in the past.

The villains, from the left to the right: Dingodile, Tropy, Cortex, N. Gin. Tiny Tiger. In the top, the leader Uka Uka.

Aku Aku senses the return of his evil brother, and asks to Crash, and his sister Coco Bandicoot, to enter the Time-Twisted Machine. In order to collect the gems and crystals, the siblings must travel through many ages and locations. Crash has the majority of the levels, but Coco has some of the best challenges. The final battle is between Crash and Cortex, alongside Aku Aku versus Uka Uka. But don’t forget: there are always something extra to find in Warped.

Get the yellow clock in order to start a Time Trial Challenge

If you not familiar with a Crash Bandicoot game, don’t worry. Most of the levels follow a simple objective: run with Crash from the beginning to the end of a level, finding the obligatory pink crystal in the way. You will need to defeat enemies, escape from traps, chasms, and many other dangers. You can also get extra lives and Wumpa though the level. Coco’s levels are different, but you also need the pink crystal to beat them. And don’t forget the boss battles, always funny and challenging.

Coco's Jet Ski levels are a great addition to the game

As I said before, Crash’s best adventure seems to have made good use of the fans and critics feedback. Before Warped, some of the cons could be the high difficulty of the first title, the repetitive environments of the second, and the somewhat lack of different gameplay of both games. The launch of the third Bandicoots adventure is nearly perfect. It has the top graphics available in the PlayStation, with many exciting new gameplays, as Coco’s flying and Jet Ski missions, and Crash’s bazooka and motorcycle races.

The bazooka helps you to eliminate enemies and find secrets

The environments are very original and well designed. Using a time-machine, you can travel to different eras and locations, such as the medieval era, future, pre-history, Arabian nights, World War, Piracy era, among others. And the difficult level of Crash Bandicoot: Warped is well balanced. In general, levels are fair, with the boss battles needing more strategy. And, as usual for the series, the backtracking for crystals, gems, secrets paths and levels, and the new time-trial mode, is a great reason to keep playing after defeating Dr. Neo-Cortex.

Crash Bandicoot: Warped is probably one of the best 2.5D games of all time. It is a funny and challenging game, with the perfect difficult level: it is not impossible, but you will have to improve your abilities in every level played, mainly if you want to get all the secrets of the game. With amazing graphics and original level design, great sound effects and music, fascinating characters, and an addictive gameplay, Warped is really “old, but gold”.