Ant Commandos Double Range Guitar

It could be stated that a game is only as good as the controllers allow it to be.

Case in point: Harmonix and MTV Games put out the title Rock Band, and it was a bit of a revolution in terms of musically-based gaming. But a little more than two months after its release and near-constant playing, sync issues started to crop up and finally the game’s guitar died. The strummer didn’t work on the down stroke and the whole guitar element became almost unplayable.

Seven months after the release of the game, though, The Ant Commandos (TAC) has tossed its peripheral hat into the ring and introduced the Double Range Guitar. Ok, let’s get this over with right now – where has this controller been all my life!

It is, without a doubt, one sweet piece of peripheral controller device that embraces and shreds through Rock Band without sync issues (meaning that the problems encountered before were not in the game, not in the PS3 and not between the PS3 and Bravia HDTV) but can also be used in Guitar Hero. Which GH? Try all of them. This is a wireless controller that has a USB port to hook into your PS3, but if you only have a PS2, don’t worry, there is a splitter on the control link device that will also attach it to the PS2.

‘No way, dude … a wireless controller that works on the PS2?!?’

Yep, it does. You can now run through all those tunes on the original GH or GH2 courtesy TAC and the Double Range Guitar. Look ma, no cables attached!

Here is a list of the features of the guitar (gleaned from the TAC homepage):

• PowerThief Power Saving Mode - Automatically powers the controller off when the unit senses inactivity to squeeze every last drop of power out of battery packs!

• AutoSense 2.4GHz Wireless - Unlike infrared systems on other controllers that require a direct line of sight to the console, it automatically detects available single or multi-user RF channels to provide a 30 foot radius of 2.4GHz wireless connectivity!

• 360FLY Function - Special clip allow the controller to attach to belt clip with a single pivot point, which allows players to spin the controllers wildly, paying homage to flashy acrobatic visual effects made famous by ZZ Top, Cheap Trick and others! See http://www.youtube.com/theantcommandos.

• Xtended Fret Button Array - A second set of FeatherTouch fret buttons high on the neck enables players to jam like the pros by jumping to the higher set of fret buttons for world-class solos—and return to the lower set to rock out rhythm parts!

• Low Battery Indicator - When the battery is low, the Red light will blink. No more guessing!

• Patented Button Cluster - Specially designed button cluster features a recessed Start button that prevents players from accidentally pausing the game in the middle of a blistering jams!

• Super Whammy System - Finely tuned with a high density precision coil spring assembly, it provides reliable operation for many years of extreme abuse from rock ‘n’ roll animals!

• ComfortNeck - Exciting new neck dimensions and a specially designed contoured edge provides a more comfortable grip on the neck, which reduces finger fatigue even after many hours of play!

• TickleTilt Sensor - The smart TickleTilt Sensor incorporates two separate sensitive sensors so players can activate Star Power by lightly tilting the controller

• Whammy-wah food Pedal Connection - Expansion port for future connection to Whammy-Wah foot pedal for Star Power and whammy.

• PlayStation® 3 D-Pad & Home Button Support - Designed and built-in for your navigational convenient when not playing the game.

Is it as impressive as it sounds? Yes.

The connecting receiver (the part that plugs into the console) has a switch array on the side that enables players to pick PS II, PS3 GH or PS3 RB. Set it for the right game and you are good to go.

The frets on the neck are a tad wider than what you would find on either of the peripherals that came with GH3 or RB. And, in fairness, the plastic connectors for the strap might not stand up to a lot of abuse. But it’s the guitar that’s the thing and this controller is incredibly responsive. The body is the V shape popular many, many years ago by some of the top rock acts, and the controller GZ received was red with a white strum guard.

The whammy bar actually produces a very noticeable detune when you use it and the selector switch on the body above the strum bar will enable effects like wah-wah, flanger, chorus, sustain or none. Activate overdrive or star power, or hit those solos, and you have a selection of sound effects to make the work seem like your own.

It is so wonderful to have a controller that allows the joy of a game to shine through and that’s precisely what TAC has done here.

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Belief & Betrayal

Belief and Betrayal is an adventure game that was previously released in Europe in 2006 and 2007. Lighthouse Interactive is releasing a North American version for 2008. This review is of the North American version.

After an initial movie depicting a monk setting fire to some old, historic city, the game opens in Manhattan, New York City. Jonathan Danter is a journalist based in New York. However, his assignments require frequent international travel. Currently, he is set to travel to Miami, FL, for an interview with Cardinal Gregorio. These plans are interrupted by an unexpected phone call from Scotland Yard from London. Apparently, an uncle he believed to be deceased has just been murdered under mysterious circumstances. Inspector Twinings of Scotland Yard believes that Danter is in danger, and also wants Danter’s assistance in his investigation of the case.

These mysterious circumstances evidently have something to do with the Catholic Church’s past, and parallel subjects such as the Knights Templar and other like groups.

The initial game-play is set by Danter’s editor outlining his current assignment over the phone. When this conversation is finished, Danter is supposed to pick up a few necessary items and be on his way. As this is a point-and-click adventure, players will move Danter around the screen and click on various interesting items that show as “hotspots.” The interface is pretty basic, and consists of right-clicking to choose an action, then left-clicking to accomplish that action. Hotspots that are only for viewing will produce statements on the lines of “I don’t think that is wise,” which I became very tired of hearing. It would have been nice if these comments had been more varied.

The settings are beautifully drawn, and Danter’s New York apartment is really cool (and really HUGE). It does beg the question of how he can afford it, though, on a journalist’s salary. Private fortune? Subsequent settings are just as nice. The characters aren’t quite as attractively drawn and appear stiff in their movements.

The puzzles are fairly interesting and are a good mixture of manipulative and inventory based types. They are mostly pretty easy, though, and don’t require a lot of thought. They are still interesting, though, and fit the story line nicely. There is one puzzle that did have me wondering. It involves the use of an object to make a knot, an object that not many people would imagine using in such a manner. Maybe it was supposed to be humorous, but I’m not sure. Much of the game is spent watching cut scenes after each major puzzle is solved, so this game ends up being a short gaming experience. There are actually three characters the players will be using from time to time, but the main character is Danter.

This is a likeable enough game in a quirky way, but the story is somewhat silly. I’m Ok with fiction, but I can only suspend my belief so much. It’s not just that the main plot is thin, but that many of the things that happen are pretty unbelievable, as well. For instance, that Scotland Yard would insist that Danter fly to London because his life is in danger, so they can protect him and get his assistance in solving his uncle’s murder. Immediately after that, a high-ranking officer acts in a wholly unbelievable manner. (I can’t go into details that will spoil the story).

The quirkiness mainly stems from the translation to a North American audience, I believe. Some of the phrases are supposed to be funny, but come across as odd. Danter doesn’t sound Welsh at all, which he supposedly is.

Overall, this is a decent enough adventure for those who like easy games that don’t require a whole lot of thought. It is very attractive and polished in its packaging and is pleasant to play. If players can get past the story, or if they like conspiracy theories, then this game could be a good summer diversion.

Review Scoring Details for Belief and Betrayal

Gameplay: 6.0
The gameplay is easy and straightforward, there are no mind-numbing puzzles. It is also a short game. However, it’s fun enough while it lasts for those who like these types of stories.

Graphics: 8.0
The localities and objects therein are drawn quite well and lend an attractive ambience to the game. The characters aren’t as pretty.

Sound: 6.0
Wholly average music and sound effects.

Difficulty: Easy
Most of the game is really easy.

Concept: 6.0
The content isn’t anything new, but the presentation is good.

Overall: 6.5
This is an average adventure game. There are some good features, but on the whole this is nothing out of the ordinary. The puzzles are very easy, and the story isn’t all that exciting. It looks good, though, and it’s fun to explore all the localities. People who enjoy easy adventures may have fun.

BattleField : Bad Company

For many, the Battlefield franchise has become the staple of serious, open-ended war games. While the open-ended first-person shooter remains in tact with Bad Company, the humor and storyline is sure to delight many who have stayed away from the games.

While my preview was only based on the Xbox 360 demo, which is now available on Live, my experience may not reflect the final product.

The story begins as your character finds himself in B Company, a somewhat misfit squad of wise-cracking soldiers. The game starts out like any wartime shooter as you follow orders to an objective, learning skills on the way. But by the time the game becomes interesting, the demo is over. Of course, the demo ends as your group discovers gold on the enemy. While the demo doesn’t show this, the game from their takes on a mercenary storyline where your squad will spend its time collecting this gold in an open-ended format. While I can’t comment on that section since I didn’t play it, the demo did feature some reasonably well-acted voice work and writing. Some of the better and funnier lines I had heard in a game, especially a war shooter.

The gameplay, while relatively similar to other first-person shooters, does have some idiosyncrasies. For one, recovering health is reliant on injecting yourself with a shot. While this might sound cumbersome, it does add another element of strategy when during a battle, you have to switch from a weapon to the shot, inject it from cover, and get back into battle. It’s very easy to get killed in this game (a couple of shots), so I found myself almost constantly injecting the shot – a mechanic that really took away from the fun of shooting and tactics and put me in a constant state of near death.

The gunplay was a little too twitchy for my taste and became overly frenetic when trying to target an enemy. What I did like, however, was the realistic firing recoil and sound. And while guns can pack a hard punch into enemies, try shooting rockets at buildings. Yes, most buildings in this game are destructible. But because most are, the buildings that aren’t stick out like a sore thumb. Because of these differences, I recommend hardcore shooters definitely check out the demo before making a purchase.

Overall, the demo sparked my interest, particularly because of the writing and interesting story premise. While this was just a demo, there were quite a few bugs present in the game. In one of the final missions, while running through a trench, enemies would spawn randomly right in front of me. But while the gameplay was too sporadic for my taste, I can’t say that it will be in the final version. This game is very stylized version of Battlefield, with broadly painted characters and over-the-top action. If you’re looking for a change in tone from war shooters, definitely keep this bad boy on your radar.