Sometime ago, there was this thing called 2D, and everything used it- there was 2D games, 2D movies, 2D animation- and even got forbid a 2D plane of existence for these 2D worlds. But then someone decided to jack up the world and make everything 3D, and we started seeing more then just that other line over there- which seemed good in the beginning, but soon things started becoming 3D, 3D games, 3D movies, 3D animation- oh and now 3D planes of existence for these 3D worlds. It seems everything is now 3D, but did we sacrifice the charm of the mediums for advancements in “viewing” technology?

Me beaning me, I have a retro fetish of such- and decided, what if we drop everything and go back in time- 2D everything yay! The past now is 3D, the present is 3D but the future- is 2D! Err maybe not, but you get the idea. I think. Or maybe I shouldn’t write articles at night time :/

Because I was bored, for this “retro” outlook of such, I made Another Code: 2 Memories sprites for the Game Boy Color- well at the end of the day more the original Game Boy, and not really that appealing of sprites (I got pretty bored). Oh and clearly I wasn’t following sprite rules or anything like that for the hardware limitations… :/

Note that I obviously got bored making these mock ups, so I just made it B/W and a rush job as well…

Anyway, my point I think- if I even had a point, was to prove that something which uses a touch screen and all those other fangled new technology pieces could be scaled down into a more 2D sprite world. I think…

I could of done better, but I got sick of making it- especially considering it was going to be used for an article- and not some magical artwork.

My point which I think I tried to talk about before, was scaling down this 3D video game with all its advancements and make it 2D and bring into it some charm. AKA the charm you get when you look at some dopey little sprites and think “hey the people put lots of emotion into making these little things I take for granted” not “oh great, it looks like that FPS I played the other day- you sure this isn’t the same game…”

I think what I’m trying to say is, back in the day everything looked different because the games as someone said when I was talking to them about this where “drawn”, meaning they all looked different, everyone/every game had their own unique style and direction, where as now- pretty much the same engine is used by every man and his dog.

Today I check out one of CINGs final titles before they went bankrupt, before I go all go-go-ga-ga and make a review, lets explore the game- first impressions and where they clearly have gotten a little bit of their ideas from- and what they should of copied more of. Because clearly this game plays like an American TV cop drama.

The reviews of CINGs Again are far few and thin, what is covered in most of them is a draining quality from the almost legendary sleeper hit developer. Lack of a “game”, horrible “paragraphs” and even people picky enough to say that the photo cut outs of actors are just plain ugly because its not “Hotel Dusk”.

Trying to remove the idea that they have created something awesome in the past, the highly regarded Hotel Dusk and its sequel Last Window (yet to be released outside Japan) have created high expectations from Gamers of what to expect from a Cing title.

Unboxing and the first 5 minutes of Again (DS)

CINGs first Nintendo DS title- Another Code, was less of a hit then its little brother Hotel Dusk, which climbed through the ranks and became a highly regarded title- but even then was a solid and interesting experience. It later went on to become a series- with its sequel for the Nintendo Wii.

Another Code was riddled with a few problems, especially the Nintendo DS original, but that didn’t stop it from been a good game. The problem with Again is it seems Cing has back stepped design wise into the riddled mess that was Another Code. While Another Code R did improve design wise and flush out the errors and little rough edges, it didn’t seem to do well commercially- which was the same fate Again suffered in Japan, and with reviewers giving the game the brown thumb, possibly the result for America.

Design wise Cing decided to keep with what Hotel Dusk and numerous other games achieved with the “story book” style side on approach for the Nintendo DS. But the control method unlike Hotel Dusk when moving around, is much less solid and though out- overall it feels very tacky- but at the end of the day does work- but is a very much a “it will do” attitude.

But those little grips are for the review, and dispute them I’m enjoying the game quite well.

My direction for the review (if I’m going to take an offensive or defensive score wise) I haven’t decided yet either…

But anyway onto my observation- it appears yes it does play like an American TV drama.

With the lack of gameplay in between at the end of the day (it is really a glorified spot the difference puzzle wise) its like reading a script for a TV pilot- in that while it seems to have premise, it could do what heaps of work- but still is pretty solid and alright.

It seems the game has taken a few things from Medium (the “visions”), Cold Case (those characters don’t look all that original), NCIS (the lab girl is totally like Abby, okay maybe not by much though….), okay maybe I’m grasping at a few straws but it does have heaps in common with what Americans watch on TV every day.

The only problem it seems in possibly a move to appeal more to the international croud, is that it seems they have “copied” the wrong TV shows.

The whole paranormal aspect of “J’s” seems to have been ripped right out of Medium, in the scene he experiences things and everyone believes his shit and none of that weird shit- when instead, it should of been more like “Life on Mars/Ashes to Ashes”, in that even the beholder doesn’t know what the hell is going on- though the mentioned TV shows do focus on a different paranormal aspect, the basic principles still could of been incorporated over.

Instead of bizarre white haired teenagers and god forbid a red head in the mist of that, all the characters pretty much look like the cast of Cold Case, and possibly even NCIS to a degree.

Also in some ways things seem reused in the “personality” aspect of CING’s past characters- eg. there is this newspaper writer who is personality and relationship wise to the main character to like that junkie guy from Hotel Dusk (names escape me atm).

Oh I could go on about these TV relationships, but fuck I’m tired. Just look for my review in the coming month or two.