This Week in Defunct Games - August 26, 2011

What Is It? Now here's something you don't see every day -- a fireman simulator. The Ignition Factor has a different take on the overhead action/adventure genre, one that involves a lot more strategy and planning than I initially thought. The idea is simple enough: You play a fireman who is tasked with rescuing a group of innocent survivors before the fire and smoke gets too out of hand. Of course, that's easier said than done. In order to find these survivors you'll need to bust down doors, use your hose to make paths and meet other goals along the way. If you can do all this, you'll be rewarded with new missions and a hearty "thank you" from everybody you heroically saved.

But this is more than your typical action game. The Ignition Factor requires players to spend some time memorizing the map, choosing the right equipment and devising an exit strategy. You'll also need to plan for the unexpected. As you work your way around the various disasters (including office buildings, theme park, mine shaft and even a World Trade Center-style tower) you'll discover that the condition of the fire can change from moment to moment. The constant fear of things going terribly wrong helps give this game a sense of urgency you normally don't see in this style of game.

Does It Still Hold Up? The controls take a little getting used to, so expect to die a few times before getting the hang of it. The graphics are solid, though you'll see a lot of repeating sprites in each location. Each of the varied levels features unique objectives and challenges, though making your way to them will take a lot of time and patience. There are still a few things that could have been improved (like running controls), but The Ignition Factor holds up better than I was anticipating.

Is It Worth The Money? The controls take a little getting used to, so expect to die a few times before getting the hang of it. The graphics are solid, though you'll see a lot of repeating sprites in each location. Each of the varied levels features unique objectives and challenges, though making your way to them will take a lot of time and patience. There are still a few things that could have been improved (like running controls), but The Ignition Factor holds up better than I was anticipating.

What Is It? Think the Game Boy is only good for watered-down NES ports and simple puzzle games? Then you clearly haven't played Gargoyle's Quest, Capcom's ambitious Ghosts 'N Goblins spin-off. Part 2D sidescroller and part overhead role-playing game, Gargoyle's Quest is a fully realized action/adventure game where you star as Firebrand on his quest to save his home from total destruction. You do this by exploring a large Final Fantasy-style world and battling large bosses in elaborate 2D platforming levels. Players will have to master all of Firebrand's techniques if they want to stand a chance against King Breager and his legion of undead baddies.

Does It Still Hold Up? It would have been easy for Capcom to just make another Ghosts 'N Goblins game, but Gargoyle's Quest manages to carve out a unique niche thanks to Firebrand's different abilities. Players will be able to cling to walls and fly (well, float) all over the expertly crafted levels. Even the graphics are good, which is something you don't normally say about Game Boy games from the early 1990s. Just about the only thing that doesn't hold up here is the music, which is limited by the hardware's crummy sound chip.

Is It Worth The Money? With so many amazing Game Boy games coming out, there's almost no reason to pick up the full-priced Nintendo 3DS games. Gargoyle's Quest continues the streak of must-own Virtual Console releases. Even if this game was twice the price, I would still recommend you take on Firebrand's adventure. Gargoyle's Quest is a perfect example of why many gamers consider the early 1990s to be Capcom's golden age.

Note: If you're interested in Firebrand and this series of games, check out yesterday's Ghosts 'N Goblins (Level 1). Capcom's favorite gargoyle gets a lot of play in this humorous look at Arthur's very first adventure!

What Is It? Parasite Eve was originally sold as Square's answer to Resident Evil. While the game shared some of the spooky atmosphere and hammy writing, Parasite Eve was not the survival horror game most people were expecting. The result was a turn-based role-playing game where combat was a must, not something to be avoided. This mix of traditional JRPG and survival horror intrigued some (including me, as you can see from my review), but frustrated gamers who were looking for something more akin to Resident Evil.

Flash forward a couple years and Square brings us exactly what we expected the first time around: A traditional survival horror game. But is this really what we wanted? What set the original Parasite Eve apart were the role-playing elements, a gimmick that was thrown out in the sequel. Parasite Eve II plays a lot like most horror games of that time; tank-style controls and all. It also ditches the leveling system for no reason.

While the gameplay mechanics may be disappointing, it's nice to see a new story and a whole new environment to explore. The other two Parasite Eve games largely take place in the confines of New York City, while this game has a decidedly small town vibe. It was also nice to finally play one of these games during the day. The new bad guys (which include a number of silly looking mutants) are also interesting, though not always in a scary way.

Does It Still Hold Up? Parasite Eve II employs the Resident Eve tank controls, which means you push up to walk forward and have a hard time turning around. This format works fine with deliberately slow moving survival horror games, but Square's 2000 game is full of mutant killing action. Running and gunning is not made any easier using the tank controls. What's more, too often the camera will change angle at the worst times and players will shoot at enemies off screen. Outside of the questionable gameplay, the graphics and sound are good. Though there's not enough voice acting found in Parasite Eve II.

Is It Worth The Money? This is a questionable time for Square to release Parasite Eve II. The perfect time would have been last April, in the run-up to The Third Birthday. But here we are almost five months later and everybody has forgotten about the PSP sequel. For those still interested in Aya's supernatural adventures, this another interesting chapter. It feels like a step in the wrong direction after the first game, but isn't a radical departure like the third installment. Still, the six dollar price tag makes this slightly disappointing pill a little easier to swallow. One of these days Square Enix will make the Parasite Eve sequel the fans deserve. In the meantime, this will do.