Dale is pretty much dead-on about Cannon Spike and theres not much for me to say or add here. I think my main problem with the game is that it doesnt take enough chances. The arcade-style retro approach that the game takes is strikingly different from most games currently on the market, but the designers never exploit it in any remarkable way. The graphics are nice, controls are serviceable, and the action is decent, but no part of the game really reaches out and grabs you. What is this game trying to say or what does it want me to feel? After playing through the entire game, I wasnt quite sure.
There are rarely any highs and lows and it all feels too subdued like an exercise or experiment rather than an actual experience. What Cannon Spike needs is a stronger concept. As it stands, a public relations representative might describe Cannon Spike as "a top-down arcade action game featuring Capcom characters." And Im standing there scratching my head going "And this is special because?"
Somewhere between all the gaming, Chi some how managed to finish high school and get into the New York Institute of Technology. At the same time, Chi also interned at Virtual Frontiers, an Internet software consultancy where he learned the ways of HTML. Soon after acquiring his BFA, Chi went on to become the lead Web designer of the Anti-Defamation League. During his tenure there, Chi was instrumental in redesigning and relaunching the non-profit organization's Web site.
Today, Chi is the webmaster of the American Red Cross in Greater New York and somehow managed to work through the tragic events of September 11th without losing his sanity. Chi considers GameCritics.com his life's work and continues to be amazed that the web site is still standing after the recent dotcom fallout. It is his dream that GameCritics.com will accomplish two things: 1) Redefine the grammar of videogames much the same way French film critic Andre Bazin did for the art of cinema and 2) bring game criticism to the forefront of mainstream culture much the same way Siskel & Ebert did for film criticism.
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