Is Reset Generation THE N-Gage Title?
It is very easy to mock Nokia’s first real foray into gaming, the N-Gage, with derision and references to the visual similarity of the handset to a traditional Mexican dish. However, their efforts were very committed, their heart was in the right place and the N-Gage has gone from strength to strength as a platform as soon as they ditched the hardware route.
Despite these improvements, there has not yet been a single title to maximise the potential of the N-Gage 2.0, until Reset Generation. Word in mobile gaming circles was that Reset Generation is the big one, the game which brings online gaming, persistent Xbox Live-style accounts, and cross platform multiplayer, and will get Nokia recognised amongst the gaming fraternity for once.
Today is the day where everyone gets to see whether the hype was justified, as the title is released on the N-Gage service, and the site has gone live from today. Pocket Gamer has written a suitably gushing 10 out of 10 review, and with the pedigree of the developers that is no surprise. The product of N-Gage stalwarts RedLynx, Reset Generation manages to shoehorn everything the top console games are known for, fun multiplayer, achievements and even downloadable replay videos of every match (like Halo 3) are possible.
So what kind of game is it? Well, that’s where it gets a little complicated… Best described as an action puzzle princess rescuing shooter with an obvious self-referential wink to other video games (hence the name), it is a frenetic multiplayer experience which needs to be played to be understood. It is one of those perfectly balanced multiplayer titles where the strengths and weaknesses are offset by powerups and the tactical nature of canny players.
If it doesn’t trigger an epileptic fit first, this video will give you a good idea of where Reset Generation’s head is at!
The attention to detail, the fun factor, the genuine retro soundtrack provided by chiptune group 8 Bit Weapon, it is the attention to detail which is usually reserved for a triple-A effort that makes this game stand out. It would be a travesty if the constraints of the platform (N-Gage is only available on certain Nokia handsets) meant it didn’t get out to as many people as possible.
Luckily everyone can get it for free, as it being given away to play on the PC, that is if you aren’t using Firefox… So PC and mobile gamers can go head-to head for the first time, and glory be, it works! The murmurings are that it could break the shackles of the mobile phone domain and see an XBox Live Arcade release also! Makes a lot of sense, given all the rumours about Nokia going beyond handsets with their gaming plans. If the PC, mobile and Xbox versions are compatible with each other, the possibilities for opening up their market share are immense!
All they needed was a truly great game, who would have thought? Just give it a quick go on the site, or on the mobile if you are one of the lucky ones. If you have an N81, N81 8GB, N82, N95, or an N95 8GB, just go to the N-Gage portal on ypour handset and get involved. Your eyes and brain will thank you.
Source:Pocket Gamer/Reset Generation
