Welcome to another Flashback folks.  I dug deep into the original Xbox’s launch to pull out a title that seems eerily similar to an Xbox 360 launch title.  Is Kameo: Elements of Power what Azurik: Rise of Perathia set out to be when it launched with the Xbox?  It (Azurik) had all the promises of lush worlds and fantastic creatures but fell so incredibly short on delivery.  It sounds so similar to Kameo, which just so happens to have done all of the things that Azurik failed to do and did them all right.  In fact let’s look at a description of both titles. 

Azurik: Rise of Perathia
“Travel the vast realms of Perathia as Azurik, a young apprentice sworn to protect the sacred elements: fire, water, earth, and air. Stop an apocalyptic prophecy already taking place in an extremely immersive, 3-D action-adventure game.”

Kameo: Elements of Power
“The future of the world depends on Kameo, who must master her new ability to transform into various warriors and harness their elemental powers to save her family from Thorn, the evil troll king.”

Hmmmm.  Kameo and Azurik both focus on elements and highlight a single, colorful hero who must protect or master those elements in order to save something.  You can see the connection can’t you?  Yeah, welcome to the Twilight Zone.  It almost feels like Kameo was Microsof’ts little “do-over” once you look at the uncanny similarities in both titles.  Could it be that they gave us Kameo to make up for a launch title that they failed so miserably on four years earlier? 

I’m putting the Next-Gen Meter for Azurik on Low but I wonder if we’ve seen the Azurik of this generation in Kameo.  It’s not too far-fetched to think is it? 

Flashback Game: Azurik: Rise of Perathia
Released: November 1 2001
Platform: Xbox
Next-Gen Meter: Low

Exactly 6 years ago, Interplay Entertainment and High Voltage Software gave original Xbox owners a chaplain, a biker, an ex-cop and rave girl.  Spencer “Deuce” Wyatt, Samantha Alexander, Kassandra Cheyung, and Father Esteban Cortez.  The four of these characters starred in one of the best top-down action games on the console, Hunter: The Reckoning.  They each had their own class; Avenger, Defender, Martyr and Judge.  They were hunters in search of destroying all evil. (naturally)

It is with great sorrow that I write the latest entry into the Flashback feature because I really loved this game.  I was always Father Cortez because of his really cool bow/gun and his wicked trench coat.  It looked good, the powers (called Edges) were great and it was 4-player co-op!  I really wish the Xbox 360 would find a way to convince some developer to re-visit this particular genre of game.  We need another Hunter, another Baldur’s Gate or something.  I hear there’s a new Golden Axe remake but for some reason, that title is dated to me.

It was really the first time that you saw a lot of enemies onscreen at the same time on the Xbox.  I had tons of fun with friends on this game.  Powering up, leveling up and even changing costumes was a blast.  The story for its time was also pretty darn good.  There was a sequel to this game called Hunter: The Reckoning Redeemer that I also enjoyed.  Overall, both were just damn good games that lead to Hunter: The Reckoning getting a “Hell Yeah” on my next-gen meter.  I’d love it or a game similar to it.

Flashback Game: Hunter: The Reckoning
Released: May 1 2002
Platform: Xbox
Next-Gen Meter: Hell Yeah

Time for another Flashback.  Out of all the Xbox owners out there, there shouldn’t be many who don’t remember this title.  Brute Force was perhaps the most controversial release for the original Xbox because of the mixed reception that it received.  The marketing behind it lead everyone to believe that it would turn the gaming world inside out but critics and gamers alike saw something much different.  Digital Anvil did a great job in my opinion because I was one of the few who really enjoyed Brute Force.

Flashback Game: Brute Force
Released: May 1 2003
Platform: Xbox
Next-Gen Meter: High

Although it fell short of delivering the ground-breaking experience, I really want to see this game done on next-gen consoles.  Or has it already been done?  You could make the argument that it has some similarities to Gears of War and many of the current squad-based games.  If you imagine Brute Force on steroids, you’d probably get something close to a 4-man playable Gears of War.  Tex was the original “muscle bound male” on the Xbox.  I’d love to see Flint, Hawk and Brutus all shine in a next-gen format.  Flint was the cyborg sniper of the crew and she was hot on top of that.  She had a sniper rifle with a hardcore scope.  I think the coolest of the crew though was Hawk and her cloaking ability.  Check out the Brute Force Experience to see an awesome little setup detailing the game and characters.

I thought it would be a lot of fun to introduce a new feature to U360 called Flashback.  It’s a look back at the good old days of gaming on the original Xbox.  It’s a look at what once got us super excited (or not) and what we once thought was “teh awesome” (or not).  I’ll be including a “Next-Gen Meter” on each Flashback that judges the desire to see the title on next-gen consoles.  The meter will range from Low, Moderate, High and Hell Yeah.

There’s going to be a mix of titles in the Flashback feature and I’m hoping it provides a little fun.  I’m sure it’ll remind us of the advances in the gaming industry and maybe result in some of these titles being revisited.  (not likely but hey we can dream)

To introduce the new feature, I’ve decided to take a look at one of the “or not” titles from years ago.  It’s one of the original Xbox titles that had us all excited for all the right reasons but in the end fell short with disappointment.  I remember the hype and the anticipation I had for this title but unfortunately I also remember how thoroughly pissed I was after playing it.

So without further delay, take a look at the first Flashback!

Flashback Game: Tao Feng: Fist of the Lotus
Released: March 1 2003
Platform: Xbox
Next-Gen Meter: Moderate

I still get kind of excited just watching the trailer.  The Pale Lotus versus the Black Mantis.  Geist and Exile were my favorite characters.  Luckily I know how it all turned out.  It had so much promise behind it but after playing, I realized how it failed.  It impressed me visually but the fighting controls weren’t very good and the game didn’t offer much beyond one play.  It had some interesting characters, a pretty cool Chi feature and a bone-breaking mechanic that sounded great but it lacked in any real substance.  I guess that’s why a sequel was never made.

Flashback and remember Tao Feng: Fist of the Lotus.  Were you one of the people who played it?  What did you think?  Did it deserve a sequel?  The Next-Gen Meter is Moderate on this one so it has at least a small interest from me to see its idea done on next-gen consoles.