Newspaper Page Text
Page 8
Wednesday, October 25,2006
BfMtWaJsgPlP 9
“Odama”
Game Cube
Some things just
belong together: peanut
butter and jelly, socks and
shoes, and, in some circles,
birds and bees.
However, there are
two things that definitely
never need to be put
together again, and that is
feudal Japanese warfare
and pinball. Too bad the
creators of the Game Cube
game “Odama” didn’t get
that memo.
“Odama” involves two
warring generals and their
respective armies, as they
face each other in countless
battles over the lands.
These lands are all
represented on individual
pinball tables that resemble
a more realistic nature
battleground as opposed to
all of the bells and whistles
of its arcade counterpart.
The levels are flooded
with life as samurai
warriors scamper to and fro
from various structures and
across natural features.
As the general
Kagetora, players will be
in control of two secret
weapons that will help
SILENCE
continued from page 7
an anthem. 1 can rest
easy now that I know
what that is.
The idea of “they don’t
care about us” is pretty
central to punk. Were you
going for that when you
wrote the song?
Jason: Yeah, I think 1
was trying to focus in on
saying something specific
but it became general.
It can mean something
general or it can mean
something specific to
Hurricane Katrina victims,
which was part of the
inspiration of the song.
WG: Is this your first
time playing in the South?
Joey: We’ve played
Atlanta, but this is our first
time playing in Alabama.
WG: Flogging Molly
is borderline mainstream.
What is it like playing
with them and being on a
label with them? Are they
the model for you guys if
you make it that big?
Joey: Absolutely. They
have quite a brain behind
them in terms of taking
the right avenues. They
have done an amazing job
of building their band to
where it is now virtually
on their own.
Sometimes, a label
Fantastic House For Rent!!!
Close to Colk-~o Located on 166. 86 Southern Trail Carrollton
Secluded 3 bedroom, 2 bath, loft overlooking family room.
Jacuzzi room with extended sunroom.
Contact Kormath @ 404-735-4695
them gain the decisive edge
against their enemies.
One is aptly named the
Ninten Bell, which when
rang can deliver a powerful
blast that will knock out
rows of enemies.
The other is a giant ball
called the Odama, which rolls
across the lands destroying
anything in its path.
This Odama ball
will naturally serve as the
game’s pinball that can be
manipulated by the pinball
flippers during gameplay.
Players will be required
to launch the giant Odama
into various structures
and enemy warriors in
order to help the army’s
advancements with the
Ninten Bell.
With these two
mighty weapons at the
general’s disposal, victory
is imminent. Or so players
would think.
The main trouble with
“Odama” is that the game
is unmercifully difficult.
The main objective
of the game is for some
of the player’s men to
slowly carry the Ninten
Bell from the bottom
of the board, where the
pinball flippers are, all
the way to the very top
where the enemy gate is.
It may sound easy
enough, but wait until the
elements of the game start
stacking up.
The enemy’s army is
ruthless and never-ending.
can only do so much and
it is up to the band to
be smart and they have
done a tremendous job
with that.
WG: How much
does the label you are on
now (Side One Dummy)
benefit you over a
smaller label since you
have bigger distribution.
Joey: That is one
of the main points, the
distribution. A label can
only promote a record
based on how many
resources they have.
Jason: You know.
Flogging Molly has
helped the label get into
other arenas marketing
wise that they couldn’t
have gotten into in the
past. Who accepts Side
One now is a lot different
than five years ago.
WG: Are you glad that
Flogging Molly stays with
the label? I’d think that
they sell enough records
for Sony or someone to
want them.
Jason: For the other
bands on the label, it
probably helps a lot.
Side One has to work
that much harder to keep
Flogging Molly happy.
WG: How is it to
go from touring by
yourselves to being in
a package touring with
other bands?
a time limit is in play, and
most of the time players are
only allowed one or two
Odama balls per level.
This leads to a very
frustrating experience
as players will be forced
to play the same level
countless times until they
either find a cheap method
that works, get lucky and
win or give up altogether.
* * .v*'**'" ' ~ la , j
Photo courtesy of (jamespx.com
With poor camera angles, Insanely difficult gameplay, and
an ill-conceived voice command feature, “Odama" seems
to be a flop for Nintendo’s Game Cube. It also proves the
age-old adage that pinball and Feudal Japan do not mix.
But out of all these
problems, the one that gets
the most frustrating is the
game’s biggest gimmick.
Packaged along w ith the
game comes a microphone
which can be attached onto
the controller in order to
give verbal commands to
the general’s army.
As the bell carriers
gradually ascend the table to
the top, handfuls of w arriors
are at player’s verbal
command to help fight,
protect, or carry out specific
orders as they see fit.
However, getting them
to carry' out these orders is
the annoying part.
Screaming orders
Joey: Obviously, you
like the people you are
touring with, so there is
that family vibe. It’s like
having our own mini
Warped Tour.
WG: What are some
other bands, both old and
new, that you would like
to tour with?
Joey: Against Me is
a band we like a lot. We
would love to do a tour
with them.
Jason: Or Rise
Against. I’ve heard a
lot of good things about
Strike Again, too.
WG: Are you thinking
about the next record?
Jason: Oh yeah, it
is important to move
on quickly from the
writing perspective,
even though we are
proud of the album and
it would be easy to rest
on it.
WG: Did you guys
think you’d ever be on
a bigger indie label and
get to tour the world?
Joey: Yeah, we never
set out to be a bar band or
local heroes.
WG: Do you guys
have any closing
comments?
Jason: Check out
http://www. my space,
com/thelieutenants.
They are a great band
that is just starting out.
into the microphone
regrettably get players
ignored for the most part,
as the elements continue
to tighten the noose on
any hopes of victory. But
there are instances where
the microphone will work
great and some sort of
strategy can be developed,
but these instances are few
and far between.
Sadly this game is too
frustrating, unresponsive,
and shallow to be
considered much fun for
anyone. Not even huge
fans of pinball, feudal
Japanese warfare, or,
sadly enough, both.
Gamers are urged to
possibly rent if necessary,
but otherwise steer clear
away from “Odama.”
Waters Kaliii”
(out of 10)
We want more parking.
I hate the new class schedules.
Where’s the pickle on my sandwich?
Carrollton smells like poo.
We’ve all got something to moan and complain
about.
If you would like to vent, send an email with the
subject line “Rant and Rave” to uwgpaper@westga.
edu
Calling all cartoonists!
We want to see some of
your best artwork!
Send in your submissions
to A&E Editor Jesse Duke at
uwgpaper@westga.edu
Social Distortion
The Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA
Wed, Oct 25, 2006 08:00 PM
Lewis Black
The Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA
Sat, Oct 28, 2006 08:00 PM
Ludacris
Macon Centreplex Coliseum, Macon, GA
Sat, Oct 28, 2006 08:30 PM
Vince Gill
The Arena At Gwinnett Center, Atlanta, GA
Fri, Nov 3, 2006 08:00 PM
Robert Earl Keen
Variety Playhouse, Atlanta, GA
Fri, Nov 3, 2006 08:30 PM
The Slits
The Drunken Unicorn, Atlanta, GA
Wed, Nov 8, 2006 09:00 PM
Panic! At the Disco
HiFi Buys Amphitheatre, Atlanta, GA
Thu, Nov 9, 2006 06:30 PM
My Morning Jacket
The Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA
Sun, Nov 12, 2006 08:00 PM
Death Cab for Cutie
Fabulous Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA
Fri, Nov 17, 2006 08:00 PM
The Who
The Arena At Gwinnett Center, Atlanta, GA
Wed, Nov 22, 2006 07:30 PM
Please recycle this newspaper!
This message is courtesy of
the UWG Recycling Initative
ahe fflest C6ennjtau