arts // no. 10 theotherpress.ca Pitch-perfect pistol-slinging platforming action for less than a toonie » ‘Gunman Clive HD Collection’ Wii U review Alex Stanton Staff Writer OOOO Wee critiquing a video game, to me it’s important : to take every single factor into consideration, no matter how insignificant it might be to the average customer. The bullet- riddled brainchild of Swedish video game developer Bertil Horberg, the Gunman Clive HD Collection is a two-in-one port of the 2012 3D$S action platformer Gunman Clive as well as its 2015 sequel, and for just $2 you can own two of the finest Nintendo eShop games to date, the length of the games notwithstanding. Gunman Clive unravels a yarn that’s as simple and fun as the run, gun, and jump gameplay. During the year 18XX in an apparently futuristic version of your typical Wild West setting, enemies from parts unknown kidnap the daughter of your town’s mayor. It’s up to Clive, a gunman of the Old West, to traverse through over 15 levels and save the girl. it, has the exact same story. The incredibly simple and cliché plot does the game nothing but favours, with the developers wisely choosing other areas : to put their resources. It’s clear right from the : , : beginning of the first level that Gunman Clive 2, as it would have : the aforementioned resources : went straight to balancing : the platforming action. The : cardinal rule of making a : platforming game would be to : make it so that the only way : to die is through human error, : no cheap deaths or slippery : controls. Gunman Clive follows : that rule to the letter, with : jumping and shooting coming easily to players, particularly : those who have played the : retro games that inspired : it, such as Mega Man. Screenshot from the game In a move that might be : seen as an attempt to innovate, : the second game in the : collection includes levels with : alternate gameplay styles, such : as eschewing side scrolling : for a third-person camera of : our hero riding a horse in the : style of Temple Run. These : levels are acceptable, though : I for one would've loved to see : one or two pure platforming : levels in their place. The graphics, sound, : and presentation convey : the Wild West atmosphere : perfectly. Every single level : looks like it’s hand-drawn with : pencil against a light beige : background. The variety of : Old West/Flamenco inspired ? music is a perfect companion : to the rest of the game. For : a truly old school adventure, : Ho6rberg also released a one- : level version of the game : for the Game Boy system. Both games are excellent : enough for me to personally : overlook perhaps the single : flaw with the Clive Collection, : but P’ll mention it anyway: for : anyone who has played a video game before, both games are beatable in a single sitting. According to my save file, the first game took me 48 minutes to complete on Normal Mode. : One can easily squeeze another : handful of hours out of it by : replaying both games on Hard : Mode with the other two non- : Clive playable characters. I’ve never encountered : a game that was so short, : so sweet, and such a joy to : play for such a low price. : It’s a no-brainer: for $2, you : should check out the Gunman : Clive HD Collection. Music from space » ‘Space Sessions: Songs from a Tin Can’ album review Lauren Paulsen Senior Columnist OOOO ost Canadians know that Chris Hadfield is the first Canadian astronaut to walk in space. But Hadfield is a man of many talents. Not only did he serve as a commander of the International Space Station, he also has an engineering degree, is a former pilot for the Royal Canadian Air Force, is an author, and happens to be a successful musician. Hadfield recently came out with an album, Space Sessions: Songs from a Tin Can. I would have to say that this is probably one of the most unique albums ever recorded, because not only are the majority of the : songs about space from the : perspective of an astronaut, but : many of the songs were actually : recorded by Hadfield in space. The album itself contains : 11 songs, plus 1 bonus track. : Many of these songs were co- : written with Hadfield’s brother, : David. Several are personal, : such as “Space Lullaby,” which : Hadfield wrote for his daughter, : or “Big Smoke,” a song that : his brother wrote for him asa : gift for his first space launch. : The bonus track at the end is : Hadfield’s cover of David Bowie’s : “Space Oddity.” If you haven’t : seen it already, you can find a : video of Hadfield singing this : song in space on YouTube. Hadfield tends to favour : slower songs on his album, : though there are a few that : pick up the tempo, such as : “Ride That Lightning.” If] had : to choose a favourite song, I'd : be torn between two: “Jewel in : the Night” and “Feet Up.” The : first is a beautiful space carol : that I imagine will be playing : on the radio a lot at this time : of year. The second is a fun : little song about being in zero : gravity. The first line of “Feet : Up” really caught my attention : with its humour: “Can't put my : feet up, can’t hold my lunch : down.” It made me laugh. Space Sessions: Songs from : a Tin Can is definitely worth : listening to. It is probably : the most unique album that I : own. Even if the genre is not : for everyone, I think everyone : should give it a listen anyways. : The perspective is brilliant, and : it gives normal people a glimpse : into the life of an astronaut. This : is something that you'll want : on your Christmas wish list. See ee ee | | | ort s