Matt Hazard: Blood Bath and Beyond

[Dave_K.]

Looks pretty cool, like a modern contra platformer. Wonder if there is any chance this will work with digital controls.

Matt Hazard: Blood Bath and Beyond - Sidescrolling Gameplay Part 1 of 2
Matt Hazard: Blood Bath and Beyond - Sidescrolling Gameplay Part 2 of 2

[AraraSPAMWitch]

If by "modern" you mean "has a lifebar and bland 3D graphics," then yeah, this looks a lot like a modern Contra. Whatever.

The first game is a sloppy, lazy, generic third-person shooter with a plot designed to justify, in an ironic manner, the game's simplistic and cliched mechanics, so my hopes are low for its followup.

[Kaiser]

*yawns* This looks awful, has a life-bar (a NO-NO in platformers like Contra), has 3D graphics pulled out of their asses. Nothing interesting here *Goes to play more contra*

[Cthulhu]

I might take a look simply because they made it 2D-ish in terms of gameplay. Doesn't look too inspired at a glance though.

[Ghegs]

Instead of Contra, I get more of a Shadow Complex -vibe from the vids with the more slow-paced gameplay, though I'm sure the stage are more of the Contra variety. Good thing we get demos of these games nowadays so we can test them out without relying on other people's reviews or videos about them.

[Daigohji]

The walking lighthouse was pretty cool. No too impressed otherwise.

[Vexorg]

Instead of Contra, I get more of a Shadow Complex -vibe from the vids with the more slow-paced gameplay, though I'm sure the stage are more of the Contra variety. Good thing we get demos of these games nowadays so we can test them out without relying on other people's reviews or videos about them.

Yes, the videos did remind me of Shadow Complex, although that's not necessarily a bad thing since I have enjoyed that one more than most games I've bought this year (I'm in the process of doing a second playthough for the 100% items achievement right now.) I suspect the run-and-gun snobs wouldn't like this one much, but it might be worth grabbing at some point.

Oh yeah, and according to the Wikipedia article, there will be a hardcore "one hit and you're dead" mode.

[Ghegs]

Yes, the videos did remind me of Shadow Complex, although that's not necessarily a bad thing since I have enjoyed that one more than most games I've bought this year (I'm in the process of doing a second playthough for the 100% items achievement right now.) I suspect the run-and-gun snobs wouldn't like this one much, but it might be worth grabbing at some point.

Oh yeah, and according to the Wikipedia article, there will be a hardcore "one hit and you're dead" mode.

Yeah, I didn't mean the Shadow Complex -vibe is a bad thing, it's a great game which I've already played through twice and will no doubt play through again. People just immediately expected a Contra-clone/tribute (though maybe BB&B has been advertised as such, I haven't followed it) and I tried to point out it's not the only way to do a run 'n gun.

And hooray for the insta-kill mode.

[AraraSPAMWitch]

Oh yeah, and according to the Wikipedia article, there will be a hardcore "one hit and you're dead" mode.

That sounds like a substantial improvement. I still have a hunch this will be trash, however. I remember watching my roommate play the first game and I commented on how obviously bad the level design was (and everyone there noticed) and one of my friends, the kind of person who thinks the most important aspect of a videogame is its story, defended it by saying, in all seriousness, "Well, it's a parody of bad games, so it's supposed to be bad and poorly made! So it's funny and actually good because it sucks!"

I should have kicked him out of my room.

But yeah, judging from two videos, it looks to be just as lazy as the last game, only in a 2D plane. I hope I'm wrong, because I know that whenever it's released I'll be forced to watch someone play it and I'd rather watch and/or play a quality game, but I just don't feel these developers have it in them to release a decent game.

[PainAmplifier]

I haven't played the first Hazard game yet, but I think this looks interesting. The Light House boss was truly unique, and even if the game didn't jump right out as super exciting, it looked interesting and a bit more intereactive than most games of this type are. Like the cannons moving into and out of the foreplane as the level 'moved'.

It doesn't look super hard, but who cares how easy it is as long as it's still 'fun' to play. (Well, so long as it's not a 1 credit-first try win that is.)

[Obiwanshinobi]

A comedy review. Nothing terribly informative. Did someone already play it? Any impressions?

[kengou]

I tried the demo. Good humor and music, gameplay resembles metal slug. Overall not bad, although the 3D graphics don't really work in the game's favor.

[Jockel]

Played the full version. Sucks.

[Udderdude]

Played the full version. Sucks.

Hope you didn't waste any money.

[Jockel]

Of course not

[Cthulhu]

I'm toying with the idea of buying this because the humor is good enough to carry it a bit and I want to support 2D games... if it was $10, I'm pretty sure I'd get it, but I'm still hrm-ing at the $15 price tag.

[StoofooEsq]

The BB&B demo showed me how a parody can get tired after repetition. The action itself is actually decent, but there's nothing radically interesting about it.

Most people say it's better than Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard. Not sure if that's saying much, though.

[UnscathedFlyingObject]

I think this game has 2 major problems. First, it looks way too generic, and second, the gameplay lacks what makes the best sidescrollers great. It just doesn't feel right like Metal Slug or Contra games do. Western developers tend to have problems emulating the right feel for arcade style games.

I recently played House of the Dead 2&3 and then played House of the Dead Overkill on my Wii, and for some reason, I didn't enjoy Overkill nearly as much. HotD2&3 are just more satisfying to play for some strange reason. Talking about HotD, I'd kill to lay HotD4.

[Jockel]

I think this game has 2 major problems. First, it looks way too generic, and second, the gameplay lacks what makes the best sidescrollers great. It just doesn't feel right like Metal Slug or Contra games do. Western developers tend to have problems emulating the right feel for arcade style games.

I recently played House of the Dead 2&3 and then played House of the Dead Overkill on my Wii, and for some reason, I didn't enjoy Overkill nearly as much. HotD2&3 are just more satisfying to play for some strange reason. Talking about HotD, I'd kill to lay HotD4.

While i agree on the first part, are you NUTS? HotD Overkill is sooooo awesome

[UnscathedFlyingObject]

I'm not saying it's a bad game, just that I didn't like it as much as the previous two games. Overkill doesn't feel as arcadey and I didn't like the enemy designs as much. It also doesn't run as smoothly and there's too much bloom. The dialogue and cutscenes were hilarious, tho.

But anyways, it cost me $13 at Amazon, so I'm no regret. Madworld also $13 right now. Don't waste time!

[Jockel]

Yeah for 13$ you can't go wrong.
The framerate sucks indeed, but the splatter is so much fun, it more than makes up for it imo.
Automatic shotgun = fun