Siliconera Wednesday, December 25, 2024 3:00 PM
Warcraft is what put Blizzard Entertainment on the map. Yes, there is Diablo, and there was Starcraft, but Warcraft is what almost everyone knows the studio for. Since the Warcraft series transitioned into an MMORPG through World of Warcraft, it's humble beginnings as an RTS, and RPG, has gone otherwise forgotten. Unless, of course, you're really deep into the lore of World of Warcraft. Blizzard Entertainment has brought all three entries to PC through the Warcraft Remastered Battle Chest, which is arguably the best way to play these games.
As the first entry in the series, the original Warcraft is pretty simple. It's your bog-standard RTS with base building mechanics that requires you to build up your army to defeat the invading horde of Orcs, or Humans that bar your path. You pick one of two factions and play through their scenario, which isn't anything riveting, as Blizzard Entertainment more or less expanded upon the narrative elements of these RTS games in Warcraft II. Once again, the conflict is centered around the Orcs and Humans, with the types of units you can train expanded upon. They're solid, but not all that engaging in terms of story.
While the first two Warcraft games didn't leave a particularly strong impression on me, it was Warcraft III that pulled me in, hook, line, and sinker. On that note, I would say the Warcraft Battle Chest is worth the price just for access to Warcraft III and The Frozen Throne expansion. The original release of Warcraft III Reforged was far from contentious, with it being disliked to such a staggering degree it was one of the lowest rated games on Metacritic. Thankfully, the game has been updated to allow for players to toggle off any HD effects, character models, and environments. While it doesn't solve all of the problems that many familiar with the classic version of the game may have (such as multiplayer adjustments, and so forth), it's a great way to access a classic.
Dipping my toes back into Warcraft III reminded me just how influential the game was. Blending the RTS with an RPG made me more invested in tackling optional quests and obtaining items to make my heroes more powerful. Outside of the general base building and upgrading units through incremental upgrades, tackling camps of enemies on the map help level up your hero units, making them more powerful as you carry them through the narrative. In this case, Arthas Menethil, the doomed Prince of Lordaeron and soon-to-be Lich King. His story, along with the others tied to him, still remain compelling. Certain changes, however, are less than welcome; specifically The Culling of Stratholme.
This mission has been gamified to such an extent that it removes the intention of the original in making the genocide of an entire village more "engaging" through new mechanics, which misses the entire point of the mission itself. It's changes like this that do end up making Warcraft III Reforged a worse version of the original. But the bones of Warcraft III itself are still there, and it's no surprise that this title specifically would go on to inspire Defense of the Ancients, or DotA, (which was a multiplayer mod I actually played) and League of Legends.
The narrative Blizzard Entertainment managed to craft in the early 2000's is still great, and for those looking to start World of Warcraft, playing Warcraft III almost feels essential. I won't lie that a lot of my fondness for the series is filtered through a lens of nostalgia. I love Warcraft because of memories of being hunkered down in the basement of a LAN party, building up my Night Elves to send my saber-riding huntresses into the fray against the horde of my friend's Orc army. And now that I'm deeply into World of Warcraft, I look back on the series with a greater sense of fondness, now able to parse through lore that I otherwise never really got a chance to sift through as I was a bit too young to really play those first two entries when they came out.
It's impossible to deny the impact the Warcraft series has had on the industry at large. Warcraft propelled Blizzard Entertainment into what success it would later experience in World of Warcraft, showcasing what the studio was capable of early on. It reminded me an era where Blizzard's name was spoken with the same reverence as Square in terms of the cinematics and storytelling a studio was capable.
But even with this to consider, the Warcraft Battle Chest isn't perfect. The new sprites for Warcraft and Warcraft II are something to be desired, and despite the influence Warcraft III had on video games, sometimes certain missions are kind of a drag, or have lost their original impact through certain gameplay changes. The new, revamped visuals aren't all that great, but since the option to revert them in the case of Warcraft III is there, I can't be too pressed about it either.
However, the Warcraft Remastered Battle Chest is the best way to access all three of these titles. And I still think, that even in 2024, it's more than worth giving them a try. It's one of the best RTS series of all time, and even now they manage to hold up as some of the best. But definitely temper your expectations, because while the box might say remaster, these are more or less actually just ports with a few glossy (or muddy) coats of paint on them.
The Warcraft Remastered Battle Chest, which includes Warcraft, Warcraft II, and Warcraft III, is available on PC.
The post Review: The Warcraft Battle Chest is a Classic for a Reason appeared first on Siliconera. |
Siliconera Wednesday, December 25, 2024 12:00 PM
I have a weird relationship with Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop. When I'm not dealing with a nuclear reactor threatening to immediately exterminate me, I find the roguelike oddly relaxing. After all, it's a rocket repair simulation with an instruction manual for fixing every situation right in the palm of your hand. But if you hit certain scenarios, opt for a one mode over the other, or encounter a moment on the Switch during which only it suddenly stops recognizing controllers, it might feel unbearable.
Wilbur wakes up in Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop on what is presumably a planet in outer space with Uncle Chop's titular establishment there. Droose, a person who runs the diner where customers wait, is the one to rouse Wilbur from some sort of cold sleep. Your first order of business? Dispose of the dead body of the person who used to do your job, prying the instruction manual for fixing rockets from their death grip. From there, you head to work doing odds jobs you aren't qualified to perform to earn rent money and hopefully not die.
You are absolutely going to die. Probably a lot. But I figured you knew that coming into this review, given the nature of the genre.
Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop has two modes, which are referred to as Frantic and Focused. Frantic is a timed mode where, say, you get eight minutes and need to get as much done as possible. While I could manage that for maybe three days, the nature of the game and how many assignments you get, as well as attempting to play it with a controller, made it a bit unbearable for me. If someone's been playing for a while, is aware of all the situations you could possibly face, and isn't constantly checking the manual, I could see it being possible. But even once I did get comfy, I felt like Focused was the preferred option. That's one that lets you do three jobs per day, untimed, and is a great way to get accustomed to the game and mitigate some of the stress you'll feel when certain repair situations come up.
Regardless of which mode you select, a typical day in Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop tends to go the same. Wilbur wakes up. You clock in at the diner, then head to the phone booth. Jobs will appear, and you select one. The work order prints out, and you'll talk to the pilot of the rocket briefly. You then need to assess each area that needs fixing. During the first two days, you'll typically only encounter refueling and oil changes. Any repairs might be due to your own issues as you realize how not to overfill canisters. Eventually, you'll need to flash cartridges and complete levels for entertainment units, handle maintenance of miniature planets for respiratory systems, handle VR elements, and deal with the nuclear reactor I mentioned above. All of these step-by-step processes also include using tools to open or close hatches, stopping by a store to pick up items, or using machines to fabricate parts. When a job's done, you're paid and tipped based on how you did and if you completed each assignment, and you might get the Omen Tokens that allow you to purchase perks that carry over to additional runs.
It is that repair process that occasionally gets in your way. Part of this could come down to proper manual usage. It's generally pretty helpful and does include everything you need to know. But there will be times when you need to parse information in certain ways to ensure you're doing things like fabricating a pancake part properly or entering the security system override correctly. (I found the pancake and nuclear reactor parts especially daunting!) It is a lot to take in. Time could be at a premium even if you are playing on Focused Fixing mode. It's a lot.
The other issue is that sometimes the Switch version of Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop seemed to just… stop registering inputs? It'd happen at the strangest times, too. I could remove one fuel canister, no problem, but then when I'd press X to tab back over and start getting out the second one, I couldn't move. If I was playing with the system docked, I'd need to actually get up and use the touch screen in handheld mode to make it work. (As a result, I ended up only playing unlocked to avoid that issue.) It didn't happen often, but when I attempted Frantic Fixing it was the worst when that'd happen. But then, there are also some repairs that, even if the controls are working perfectly, feel like they're much better suited to the touch screen or mouse controls.
At least the general idea, UI, and layout meant that recognizing and taking possible actions was easy in Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop. It's a very well-designed game, in terms of appearances. Items are clearly recognizable, and the steps you need to take in the repair process are visible. The manual is a faithful recreation of them. Not to mention, this is all paired with a really great ambiance that suits the bleak, disturbing, otherworldly nature of things. The vibes are on-point as you play, fitting in with gameplay without being too distracting when you absolutely need to focus.
I'd even say it's that presentation and concept that really sold me on Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop even when I was having trouble with certain repairs or the Frantic Fixing mode. Droose and Kyle are both great characters. I loved the commentary from the cat at the station and the pilots who would come in for repairs. Uncle Chop is a real jerk, which even made my drive to get enough rent and keep going higher.
Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop has a lot going for it, but I think a lot of your enjoyment will be based on how or where you play it. It's a lot of fun on the Switch, but I noticed some technical issues. Frantic Fixing is a lot to deal with, especially if you're going in playing with a controller. Focused Fixing is fantastic, though. Most everything is covered well in the manual, but nuclear meltdowns will absolutely ruin your day.
Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop is available on the Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC.
The post Review: Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop Can Be Calming Until Things Blow Up appeared first on Siliconera. |
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