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Underrated Review: Blast Works: Build, Trade, Destroy

Blast Works: Build, Trade, Destroy Review

Reasons for underrated status:
Lack of hype and gamer recognition.

Introduction:
In America, the gaming industry is one that tends to focus on trends. Every generation has one of two genres that are considered "popular" (read as profitable) and therefore dominates the occupation of publishers, developers and customers alike. Today's gamer, for example, seems to be attracted to shooters both 3rd and 1st person. Previously, genres like fighters, RPGs and platformers have flourished as the dominant/preferred genre. The good thing about these fads is that although rare, great innovations have stemmed from these periods of genre gluttony. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the fact that many worthy gaming genres are considered null and void.

One of the categories that has for the most part been denied it's 15 minutes of fame (the 16-bit era being a reasonable exception) is the Shoot-Em-Up or Shmup. Regardless of this sad fact, many hardcore enthusiasts continue to praise or in many cases worship this god amongst gaming genres. Dwelling in the underground, unbeknownst to the common man, this beast has grown exponentially and divided itself into many sub-divisions. ABA Games, a Japanese game developer comprised of one man (the great Kenta Cho) has been one of a very small group that have participated in the maintenance and growth of this hibernating beast. I find it appropriate to use the "hibernating beast" analogy because ironically, it was at the brink of Summer 2008 that this beast was reawakened in the form of Blast Works: Build, Trade, Destroy for the Nintendo Wii.

Blast Works: Build, Trade, Destroy is a collage of tribute. With this title Budcat Creations has simultaneously celebrated the Shmup genre, PC freeware developer ABA Games (Kenta Cho) and gamers across the world. This is a gamer's game. Jam packed with everything Shmup, Blast Works includes five separate titles, a little love and a lot of level editing tools. For the sake of word count, I will limit this introduction to a discussion revolved around the disc's main experience, that being the Blast Works game, but there is a lot more to this package. Blast Works is basically a reimagining of Kenta Cho's PC classic, TUMIKI Fighters. The goal of this game is the common Shmup fare of shooting your way through an enemy ridden, bullet filled level using only your jet's guns and slick maneuvering. Also, as usual, prior to completion of each level you will also face an enormous and intimidating boss. Although my description thus far may scream clique, there is much more to this terrific experience. Blast Works' gimmick lies in it's power up system. During gameplay, all properly defeated enemy ships are potential assistors. By simply touching fallen foes, they can be added on to your vehicle in great numbers. The key to success is positioning each addition's placement in a manner that considers it's specific beneficial aspect. Enemy ships can provide everything from increased firepower to defensive plating, but without catching them in a way that uses their strength advantageously, you may be forced to maneuver through a level with a backward firing cannon or a shield that blocks the best gun available to your arsenal. The stress caused from being forced to both avoid enemy fire and focus on properly utilizing broken opponents exemplifies gaming's ability to bolster hand eye coordination. Let's talk detail. . .

The Katamari Damacy of the Shmup world.

Graphics:
This may be a controversial topic amongst those looking for an issue or bias within my reviews but if you have read my previous work than you should understand my scoring policy. I am not in the business of rating in comparison to others but rather in a manner that observes the game's intention. My will, is to judge how well the purposed or received feeling comes across. In this particular instance, the game is meant to be a reimagining of a title that promoted it's feel with an oversimplified "Toy Box" graphical styIe. I believe that Budcat Creations has not only done a terrific job replicating Kenta Cho's intention but also brought it up to date very nicely. The shapes are brought together (in most cases) very nicely and there is absolutely no slow down. I know that the latter should be a given but even when piloting a massive screen filling beast ship, shifting it's parts in and out of the vehicle on the fly, there is absolutely no lag in performance. . . and there is a lot going on. My major complaint comes in the form of lackluster backgrounds. I don't see how the game's intended atmosphere would be broken by adding a little activity to the far ground. I understand the developer's take on this but considering the almost drastic detail additions in comparison to the original, I don't feel this improvement would have been too far of a stretch.

Pictured: The original TUMIKI Fighters (also included in this package).

Sound:
Rating the sound in Blast Works offers just as much conflict as the previous category. The factor that makes it slightly easier to degrade is the sound effects. Once again I am aware of Budcat's intention to retain the original feel but the muffled effect received from the bullet fire and their connection with enemy vehicles is unacceptable. Although the sounds themselves, (taken directly from the TUMIKI Fighters) are effective, they could and should have been clarified and upgraded in an equal capacity to the graphics. While the sound of most explosions and the terrific 1up effect will be completely satisfying, other, more frequent sounds will be very distracting to those paying attention. I personally find sound effects to be a definitive aspect of the gaming experience and was very disappointed by what I heard.

Thankfully the musical performance far exceeds that of sound effects. The intensity amplifying techno sounds of classic Shmup fame makes a triumphant return in this title. A full-on barrage of 16-bit Shmup ecstasy blazes through the speaker in a significantly higher clarity than the effects and evokes feelings of anticipation, excitement and adrenaline. Blast Works' energy is captured fully by the bass thumps and synthesizers. It was good to hear that music, especially important in this genre, was not ignored.

Controls:
Blast Works' controls are pretty much all that you can ask for. The fact that it's more complex functions are handled through in game decisions allows the input system to remain very basic. Besides vehicular maneuvering (handled with the analog stick/D-Pad) there is a button for shooting and another to intake/hide any additions that your fighter has accumulated during the course of a level. The in game input reactions are immediate, featuring nothing similar to lag and Budcat Creations was kind enough to offer a choice of sideways Wii-Mote, Nun-Chuck or Classic Controller schemes for more picky gamers. All of these options are viable because as I previous announced, the controls are simple. As far as the vehicle movement styIe, it is just right. They are speedy, steady and once you understand that pulling in your additional mass will both slow you down and distort your bullet stream, extremely responsive. Any lost lives will be your own fault.

Fun Factor:
Blast Works personifies the pick and play title. This is the game that you will play, complete and start again before you turn off your console. Rather than relying on flashy cut scenes or an elaborate storyline it throws you into combat with only your wits and your ship. On one hand it is a Shmup fans dream but also provides a simple enough experience to capture those who previously ignored the genre. Regardless of your pre-Blast Works preferences this title has a lot to offer. In the extras category, upon completion of the lengthy main game, 4 classic Kenta Cho titles (based on formerly released Shmup greats) will become unleashed. Besides the original TUMIKI Fighters, players will find Gunroar, a Geometry Wars hybrid, Torus Troopers, a reimagining of Tempest and a game of randomly generated boss battles that utilizes (through option) one of three weapon/defense mechanisms inspired by Psyvariar, Ikaruga and Giga Wing respectively, called rRootage. Also, for the multi-player maniac, an insane and carnage abundant 4 player simultaneous mode is available. Add online leader boards (necessary in a Shmup) and downloadable user generated levels/ships and the amount of replay value maxes out at nearly unlimited.

Hopefully this sounds intriguing enough to warrant purchase but the fact remains that we have yet to scratch this title's surface. . .

Up to 4 players simultaneously.

Online/Editor:
Up until now this review has been focused on the main game and it's unlockable content; Blast Works includes so much more. In this section of the review I will concentrate on and analyze both the in-game level editor and the online user-created content components.

In consideration of this article I felt that including content from this section in that used to discuss the main game would be unfair to both. The level editor, in my opinion, is almost a game of it's own. Incredibly deep and manageable, this portion of Blast Works allows you to virtually define categories like graphics, sound, control and fun. Background design, camera speed, music cues, enemy placement, weapon fire and just about every other aspect of the game are limited only by your will and effort. While not as in depth as those seen in games like Little Big Planet (BTW, this game came out first) if your focus is Shmup level creation than the differences are miniscule. Shapes, ships and bullets can be either created from scratch or manipulated from a given selection. You won't find things like pulley or switch systems but you won't need it for the intended purpose. In fact besides a music creation tool and a deeper rear level editor, this mechanism is limitless. The interface is easily sifted through and although some artistic talent may be helpful, any potential designer can definitely thrive in due time.

Once created, the aforementioned levels, enemies, objects etc can be easily uploaded to BlastWorksDepot.com and placed amongst the large array of shared materials. By setting up an account, users have unlimited access to a collection including thousands of itemized. . . err, items. Uploading is handled simply from your Wii and downloading can be done from any online device. In one personal circumstance, I was able to view, research and cue a Mario Bros fighter for download from my iPhone. Once I got home I just put in the game, entered the user created content menu and immediately received my ship. My favorite part is the lack of any copyright infringement checks; everything from Sonic to Dragon Ball Z related materials are available to be used or manipulated.

The creative potential in Blast Works is virtually limitless.

Conclusion:
More attentive readers may notice the 11/10 rating in the Editor section of the rundown. I felt this was the least I could do in these circumstances. The amount of content available in this package is unprecedented. For Shmup fans and noobs alike, Blast Works is a gaming orgasm. Bursting at the seams with good old fashion fun, it is hard for me to recognize and note it's faults. The main game although far from perfect, perfects the art of fun gameplay and the accompanying editor dares you to do the same. Budcat Creations is obviously comprised of gamers like you and I; they produced this gem for us. . . go get it.

Here are some of the big media outlet reviews and my ratings of their performance. Sorry guys.
IGN review rating: 2.25/5
1UP review rating: 3.5/5
Gamepro review rating: N/A. . . SHAME ON YOU!!!

Rundown:

Graphics: 6.0/10
-Good- 8.0/10
Retains the feel but greatly improves on the original
Retro StIye
Zero slowdown even when the screen is filled to capacity with moving object
Serves intended purpose very well
-Bad- 2.0/10
Very little motion in backgrounds
Some of the designs are lame
May not be enough for the more graphic oriented gamer

Sound: 5.0/10
-Good- 8.0/10
Typical 16-bit techno music in 2008 = AWESOME!!!
Sound Effects are also very retro (including many from the original game)
1 UP sound is PURE JOY!!!
Customizable music to sound ratio
-Bad- 3.0/10
Sound effects are muffled

Control: 10.0/10
-Good- 10.0/10
Supports sideways Wii Mote, Nun-Chuck and Classic Controller
Very simple (retro) feel, 2 buttons and a stick
Movement on screen corresponds perfectly with controls
-Bad- 0.0/10
Nothing really

Fun Factor: 10.0/10
-Good- 10.0/10
Four unlockable complete games = lots to do
Tons more unlockables = lots more to do
4 players simultaneously = WIN!!!
New age retro goodness
Lengthy main game
Almost unlimited amounts of usable fighters
Online leader boards
Escape from the norm
Tons of downloadable levels
Tons of downloadable levels
Did I mention the levels?
See Online/Editor section
-Bad- 0.0/10
No online multi-player

Online/Editor: 9.0/10
-Good- 11.0/10
Almost absolute control over how objects look
Control over music
Control over camera speed, angle, zoom etc.
Control over hit capacity of enemies
Control over bullet speed, angle size etc. of all firing ships
CONTROL!!!
TONS of downloadable content
Sync with website for universal (from any computer) access to your Wii, downloads and uploads
-Bad- 2.0/10
Control in editor is sometimes TOO precise
Level creation is learning process

Overall:
40.0/50 = 8.0/10