$20 GOTW & Lost Classics Halloween Special

It’s that time of the year again folks! The scariest night of the year, October 31st is upon us once again, and in between the candy, costumes, and practical jokes, we got a dose of some of the scariest games that have ever graced a console. One of which is an unknown chapter of a well-known franchise, and the other is a modern-day update to one of the most prolific titles in gaming. So without further ado, turn down the lights, keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times, and try not to wet yourself.

$20 Game of the Week: Doom 3 (PC, Xbox, Linux, Mac OSX)
While ID software’s Wolfenstein 3-d was credited with starting the modern first person shooter genre, it was Doom that truly revolutionized it. Introducing textured surfaces, varying height elevations, and outdoor environments in stark contrast to Wolfenstein’s bland nondescript environments. Not only that, it was one of the first commercial games to support online play and user-created content. Players everywhere enjoyed the quest of one lone nameless space marine to save mars and its moons from the demons that invaded them. More than a decade later, and after several other games had improved on the formula many times over, ID software bought back one of the most important games ever, in the form of an update using current technology.

Instead of being a sequel, Doom 3 is a remake of the original. Once again playing as a nameless space marine, you explore a space station on mars that has been infested by demons. While the story hasn’t evolved much, the gameplay and graphical prowess has. There are minimal cutscenes, and most of the information in the game is learned from computer terminals scattered about. The classic enemies have each received a next-gen overhaul, making them even more fearsome than they were in 1993. There are several different weapons used to dispatch them with, including the classic BFG and chainsaw. The lighting is also key to enhancing the fear factor of the game, as in many sections your flashlight will be the only way that you’ll be able to see whats coming. Some argue that the AI could be better, but for mindless creatures in a survival horror video game, it works just naturally. An expansion pack, Resurrection of Evil adds new weapons, enemies, and further expands on the plot of Doom 3.

There are several ways to experience Doom 3. There are retain versions available for Windows, Mac OSX, and Linux. There are also two Xbox versions, (both of which are backwardly compatible on the Xbox 360) a regular edition and a collector’s edition (which contains ports of Ultimate Doom and Doom 2 which feature split-screen multiplayer). In addition, the game, along with most of ID’s back catalog, is available on Valve’s Steam downloadable game service. While there are better and deeper FPS games than Doom 3 (Halo, Half-life 2, and Timesplitters come to mind), there are few that have had the legacy or the impact on the industry that ID Software’s masterpiece has had.

Lost Classics: Castlevania Chronicles (Playstation)
Last week saw the release of a Japan-only Castlevania title in the form of a remake. However, this isn’t the first time that a Castlevania title hit shores as a remake. In 2001, late into the life cycle of the original Playstation, Konami released Castlevania chronicles, a remake of Akumajo Dracula, a game that previously saw release on the X68000, a home computer system from Japan. Akumajo Dracula has the same storyline as the original Castlevania (Dracula has been revived in an occult ceremony, and only Simon Belmont can stop him), and in in terms of Castlevania’s main backstory, both games are essentially the same. Castlevania Chronicles is a traditional 2-d Castlevania. You battle enemies throughout several stages (including a clock tower, an underground waterway, and that famous entry way from the first Castlevania), and you face bosses such as the wolfman and the mummy. The soundtrack contains many tunes that are familiar to series veterans such as Vampire Killer and Bloody tears, and there are several selectable sound hardware settings that remix the music in different ways. The Arranged mode adds new sprites for Simon Belmont and Dracula (including a pink-haired anime inspired metrosexual look for the former), an easier difficulty, a new soundtrack, and FMV sequences for the intro and the ending. The original disc was produced in limited supply, so it’s a bit hard to find, although there are rumors that this game will be hitting the Playstation Network sometime in the near future. Fans of the series should seek out this game. While it may lack the flash that later games in the series have, it’s an enjoyable experience all the same.

Lost Classics Part 2: Zombies Ate My Neighbors (Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo)
Developed by Lucasarts and published by Konami, this overlooked title from the 16-bit era casts players as either Zack or Julie (or both in a 2-player co-op mode) as they battle an assortment of monsters and rescue their neighbors throughout the game’s 48 levels (with some hidden bonus areas thrown in for good measure). You’ll use unorthodox items such as silverware, water guns, weed whackers, and soda cans to dispatch your enemies. The game is a homage to monster movies of the 50s and 60s. You’ll battle werewolves, vampires, mummies, and other things that go bump in the night. Each monster has a weakness to certain items, for instance, silverware is lethal to werewolves. Boss battles, including a giant baby and an alien spaceship help add variety to the game’s levels. Even though it’s underrated, it’s one of the best games of the bit days, and it’s still a blast to play today, especially if you bring a buddy along. A sequel, Ghoul Patrol was released in 1994 but it wasn’t as well received as the original. Monster Madness: Battle for Suburbia, recently released for Windows and Xbox 360, while being a spiritual successor to this game only made fans want the original that much more. Due to licensing issues, only time will tell if this game will receive a release on the Wii Virtual Console. Here’s to hoping it does, because this game is just too flat out fun to not get a second chance at life.

That’s all for this week kids, have a happy Halloween, safe trick-or-treating, and try not to overdose on the sugar. Oh, and whatever you do, DON’T LOOK BEHIND YOU!