G-pinions

I love weird games. People who have read this site for awhile should know that I'll give a free pass to games that try something a little different. I can only play so many standard shooters and racing games before I just need something different. Like a jaded movie critic who praises The Rope just because it's not like every Hollywood movie out there, I too am guilty of liking a game just because it's totally off the wall. My favorite "what the hell did I just play" experience from last generation was Killer 7. I would describe my experience as "trippy," but that is too trite to really encompass just how bizarre Killer 7 really was. Everything from the gameplay to the art design to the story presentation was unlike anything else. It was a completely unique game that was able to overcome massive load times and questionable gameplay because I really needed to know what was around the next corner.

For anyone who experienced Killer 7 and thought they could find another mind-blowing experience in Contact, well, you should curb your enthusiasm now. Contact is an RPG for the NDS. It does not have crazy gameplay. The story is standard find-the-stolen-emerald fair, and it's not particularly engaging. In other words, it's a huge disappointment. But I cannot stand here and rip the game for not living up to the unrealistic expectations I dished upon it. If nothing else, Grasshopper has proven they can make a standard video game that is still fun. Contact is not as memorable as Killer 7, but I still find myself sneaking off to the bathroom every few minutes to experience more of it.

I'm not done with the game yet so this is not a full-blown review. But I did want to leave some impressions. I hyped the game so much before it came out. I should at least mention whether it lived up to my hype. The coolest thing about the game thus far is being able to level up every action of your character. It works kind of like Oblivion this way. Every time you slash with a knife your gain more experience in strength and stabbing. When you walk around you make your character faster. And if you cook a lot of chicken you become an expert chef. What's not to like about that?

So while the story may drag at times, I thoroughly enjoy attacking enemies and doing chores to level up. During my last bathroom break, which came dangerously close to the forty-minute mark, I learned how to make a killer potion. It's just seven parts water to every three parts herb. What could be easier? The more you cook, the more items you can cook. It's quite fantastic. Try to turn that rotten meat into something edible as a level one chef and you may just kill the neighborhood. But now I just need to add a little seasoning and it's at least on par with dog food.

There are about eight different outfits in the game, each with their own unique skills. You can practice opening treasure chests as the Shadow Thief or fishing with the, um, Fishing Man suit. I find myself constantly opening up the experience menu to see how far away I am from the next skill level. I'm a little obsessive compulsive in that regard. I want to see all the cool powers I can earn before I finish this game.

So right now, I couldn't tell you what's going on in the story or the name of any of the characters, but I can tell you I have reached level 10 in my cooking. And really, isn't that all that matters?