I completed RE4 nearly 2 years ago and then swiftly moved on to something else in my life. When I powered on the game this past weekend, I saw some new menu options that I vaguely recall being unlocked after winning the game. One of the bonus options is called Assignment Ada wherein the player assumes the role of a supporting character named Ada Wong who is tasked with a subquest of collecting 5 MacGuffins.
This <10min quick play on YouTube has me thinking that I worked entirely too hard to clear the Assignment Ada bonus game:
This speed run is predicated on the fact that the enemies in the game are famously slow on the uptake and don’t react quick enough while the player sprints right past them.
The first time I reached the boss of the assignment, I thought he might have been impossible to beat. Much of the battle seemed to consist of so-called quicktime events where failure to press a random pair of buttons at the precise moment when prompted results in immediate death. RE4 is generally a quite popular and accomplished title, which makes it that much more ironic that it has 2 big features that receive so much criticism, including these quicktime events (the other point of contention is the escort mission, which I am probably alone in enjoying). These event junctures instantly transform a game of skill into a game of chance.
I quit in frustration the first night and gave it another go the next night. This time, I mostly honed my combat technique and studied the most efficient and, more importantly, stylized methods for dispatching foes. When I made it to the boss, I was extremely well-equipped with both weapons and health items. With enough practice I finally took him down.
And then I watched the above video and figured out that there was a much quicker way to take care of him. Figures. Reminds me of a certain boss in Resident Evil: Code Veronica (this guy, the Nosferatu)– first time around, he finally succumbed after I threw every single weapon in my cache at him. The second time through the game, I finally noticed the remarkably useful, specialized weapon nearby that the game was doing everything it could to nudge me towards.
Anyway, the good news is that Resident Evil 4 is still fun.
My new favorite thrift shop had a whole bunch of games from a series called Disney’s Hot Shots. Figuring that MobyGames already has decent Disney game coverage, I conservatively picked up a pair that were only a dollar apiece. I should have snatched every one that they had since none are in the database yet (at least not with the “Disney’s Hot Shots” prefix). These games come from that most conducive of genres for getting easy MobyGames points: the casual game. These 2 casual games are based on The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride from 1998.
The first of the pair is Swampberry Sling. I guess you could classify this as a Disney-themed first person shooter. Defend your position with swampberries against snakes, crocodiles, fish, vultures, frogs, and other threats. But don’t hit the babysitters Timon and Pumbaa, who frequently wander through the warzone on bicycles and windsurf boards:
Hey, it’s every bit as fun as the jewel case copy promises. The second game is Cub Chase and is an obvious Pac-Man homage. Instead of eating pellets, the cubs work to leave their paw prints all over the maze. Timon, Pumbaa, and Zazu stand in as the ghost metaphors (babysitters in this story arc), and there are ways to neutralize the babysisters such as a hyena mask or a log with tasty bugs. This is the hyena mask in action, paralyzing Timon with mortal terror:
Here’s hoping that no one else bothered to pick up any of the other Hot Shots titles at the thrift shop so that they will still be there next week when I’m in the neighborhood.
I replayed that Time To Ride: Saddles & Stables girlie game today in order to collect a few more screenshots for MobyGames. I found the nearby town and checked out the commerce center. When I took a good look around the virtual parking lot, I noticed something a little odd:
That’s right: 2 out of 3 patrons drive Volvos, and the exact same model. That’s the correct shield on the grill and everything. I wonder if the developers had to license the model?
Anyway, I honestly want to like this game. It’s a good effort, but the play control is so awkward and the camera scheme leaves much to be desired. For example, when I happen to wander behind the storefront:
I actually got stuck when the camera ducked down behind the trash cans and I could not figure out where I was. Hey, is that box measuring in liters? Well, this game was developed by a Scandinavian outfit. That might explain both the measurement units and the bias in automobiles.
So you know, there is more to this girlie game than just horseback riding– there’s also the brave quest to stand tall in the face of gossip. These kids stand around behind the store and chastise you for the way you dress and the people with whom you choose to consort:
Our city girl Amanda heroically faces down each verbal onslaught. We salute you, Amanda, with a vociferous, “you go, girl!” And if, for whatever reason, Amanda acquiesces to the derision, she can always buy new clothes in the game.
