Xbox Live Monaco Game

Game design often comes down to stealing things. Ideas, inspirations, they’re often taken from something else. Funny enough, this game which steals from everything from Metal Gear Solid to Hollywood heist movies is about stealing things. Irony is pretty cool. So is Monaco. Just released to Xbox Live, this is a game you might’ve heard a lot about. It’s certainly had its fair share of hype, and rightfully so. It has style, complexity...of course; it’s also a gigantic pain in the ass. Obviously, that’s a selling point for some.

The fact that this is a tremendously challenging game, sometimes to the point of frustration. But if you’re like me, it relegates this potentially great game to...kind of great, for a certain audience. So Monaco tells the story...of Monaco. A place where there’s lots of stuff to steal sandlots of people to do it. In fact, you’re in control of them. And each one brings unique set of abilities to the heist. The Locksmith is the fastest with a lock pick.

The Cleaner can knock out unsuspecting guards. And the Pickpocket has a monkey, which can collect nearby loot for him. How heist movie is that, by the way? The Pickpocket. And his monkey. There are more characters, too. And to be successful in Monaco, you have to learn their abilities and know which thieves are best suited for which mission.
Though one level might be easy for the Hacker, you might need the Cleaner for others, for those pesky guards. There’s a lot of strategy to Monaco...and picking a character? That’s just the beginning. Obviously, this is a stealth game. Think top-down, old-school Metal Gear, but with an even more retro look and feel. Maybe even a little Pac-Man, for good measure. So it’s simple, but...only in concept and style. The execution is incredibly complex.

Missions are littered with traps and guards...and for the most part, you can’t see them. See, that’s one of the key elements here. The game is top-down to an extreme, to the point where the levels are actually just black and white blueprints. And you only see the actual rooms and what’s inside them...if you’re looking in that direction. You have this cone of vision, and anything outside that cone...is basically invisible. And therein lays one of the most divisive things about Monaco. See, there are times when...this really isn’t much of a stealth game.

You might open a door and be staring at a guard, who was impossible to see beforehand. And then you have to run, which also becomes central element of Monaco. Getting spotted or tripping an alarm, and then running like crazy...or, if you have the bullets, shooting people in the face. Nothing stealthy about shooting someone in the face. Of course, with so many different thieves and possible strategies, it only makes sense for Monaco to be a fantastic co-op game. And it is.

It’s awesome with friends. But when you’re alone...sometimes, it’s a bit more frustrating than fun. The style is fantastic, the design is brilliant...Monaco is a great game, no question. But if you’re more of a solo artist, it might not be a heist for you.


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CLUB PENGUIN Games for Kids

I'd never heard of Club Penguin until today. Evidently, it's some kind of MMO for kids, or something. Which is weird?  Freaking nine year olds, chatting online. With penguins. I must be getting old, because even though I...just read this on the Internet, I still think it sounds fake. Of course, online MMOs for kids aren't going to fly with everyone. I mean, penguins can't fly in the first place. So it only makes sense for Disney Interactive to bring Club Penguin to something that's a bit more traditionally kid-friendly.

Something likes the Nintendo DS. Imagine that. Disney making a shrewd business moves. It's Club Penguin: Elite Penguin Force. And you know, the surprising thing is that...this thing isn't that bad. In fact, it's pretty good. Elite Penguin Force takes the characters and general setting...and applies it to something different. In this case, a freaking...point and click adventure game. That's awesome. I mean, they could've phoned this in it still would've made money. But they didn't. Instead, they made a really good adventure game. So you play as a...penguin.

A penguin who ends up being recruited into this secret agency called the Elite Penguin Force. As you'd expect, this conveniently leads to a bunch of mysteries, which you are now uniquely qualified to solve. You explore the island, you talk to penguins, you find clues...you occasionally snowboard. Because...X-Games. So I really like the decision to make an adventure game, but that said...I'm, like, an adult.

 I'm not exactly the game's target demographic. And to be honest, I'm not sure the game is always ideal for little kids. I mean, as you'd expect from an adventure game, it's got a lot of reading. Speech bubble after speech bubble. It's slow and, at times, kind of boring. There's quite a bit of puzzle solving and deduction to do... I just, I'm not sure it's the best choice for nine year olds.

But that said...on its own merits, this is a well-done game. It has a nice cartoony look, there's actually a bit of humor...and with about a dozen missions, it's a nice length for a kid's game, too. There are also mini-games and a little multiplayer mode...again, it's an impressive game given what it could've been. I'm just wondering...if you buy it for your kids...will they play it, or will you?


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