You know what’s up. Let’s go.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – The Game – Stage 1

While Scott Pilgrim is an awesome game and competent all around brawler, well…let me just tell you my story. So I noticed this game the same day Shank came out. Shank didn’t initially work 100% right on my 360, so I played it for a bit, got annoyed by its difficulty, the played SPvTW instead. So I’m playing the first stage, already loving the synthesized music and River City Ransom-esque brawling…when the music suddenly gets to the “chorus line”…WITH ELECTRIC GUITARS BACKING IT (5:40 for all interested).

Immediately I’m banging my head, goosebumps driving up my arms as I’m beating the shit out of the semi-cutesy enemies with no remorse. I notice I’m able to buy stuff just like in RCR and there’s even the hidden door store in the underpass, just like in RCR…traffic…snow effects…then the boss, who’s great and over the top as well (personally I felt he was better represented here than in the movie).

Believe me when I tell you I played this level over and over, partially because it has some of my favorite stores, but also because it’s easily my favorite level with both of my favorite tracks in the game. What an amazing stage…and yes, you get all this even if you just download the trial. Truly, SPvTW is one of the best brawlers EVER.

Shin Nekketsu Kouha – Kunio Tachi no Banka – Opening/Breaking Out of Prison

Shin Nekketsu…blah blah…Banka…is a really great brawler, as I’d said previously. And yes, this is the same movie I’ve used previously. Also, yes, I just copy paste that name because holy damn, I am NOT going to remember it that easily. In any case, this game is amazing for a number of reasons. Firstly, yeah, it has a plot and it’s actually decent. No, it’s nothing amazing, but it’s still decent and fun to follow as it takes our heroes through an amusement park, a condemned school, and a whole lot more.

But where it all begins is what matters: jail. You get to kick the shit out of some inmates, guards, and make a daring escape. Nevermind that, the music is kickass, the level design isn’t half bad, and it’s only a sign of things to come as they get more over the top and ridiculous as the game goes on. Seriously, if this and Scott Pilgrim got in a pissing contest, it would be about the most epic thing ever.

The Saboteur – Jules Dies, Sean GETS PISSED

The Saboteur is an amazing game, if for only one reason: it’s an alternate WW2 story that ISN’T Wolfenstein or Call of Duty and is ACTUALLY really goddamn fun and not boring. And while all characters are pretty damn awesome, the constant tension between Sean and Dierker is too epic, almost to Cloud and Sephiroth levels. This scene alone perfectly epitomizes the rage and anger that is Sean and the cold, psychotic killer that is Dierker.

Snatcher – Death, Snatchers, and Explosions

This video perfectly shows the overall flow of Snatcher and Kojima as a director. Great setup, plenty of surprises, and lots of “Kojima touches.” For example, obviously you have Metal Gear Mk II there, but also Kojima encourages you to turn up the volume so you can hear where the beeping is coming from…then BLASTS you with the explosion, chastising you for having your volume up afterward. Seriously, what a bastard.

Of course, that same bastard later went on to do similar things with the Metal Gear Solid series and so on, so it’s always interesting to see what clever things he has in store for you. Snatcher is one of the earliest examples of Kojima at his finest and as I said previously, is definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for something Shadowgate-like with a Blade Runner feel.

Ninja Gaiden – Ryu’s Father Dies, Ryu GETS PISSED

One of the earliest examples of cinematic gameplay can be seen not in Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest, but the original Ninja Gaiden. And yes, this is the FIRST cutscene you get. Not only is it an excellent starter for an excellent game, but there are plenty more between levels and sections to keep you going. As AVGN said, it’s one of the main reasons that keeps you going, despite its punishing difficulty.

Conclusion

So this time around we mostly dealt with cutscenes, intros, and what have you, but holy shit are they epic and set up a great game. Next time, I’m hoping I can find some shitty games with awesome cutscenes. And yes, it’s do-able. And yes…I already know of a few. Stay tuned!