"Bujingai"

What's wrong with video game makers these days? Taito, a once pround Japanese powerhouse (they made the original Space Invaders after all), had a 50th anniversary game come out for the PS2 not too long ago. And what was that 50th anniversary commemorative game? Bujinagai: The Forsaken City. Bujin-what? Most of you have never heard of this game. In fact, Taito didn't even bring it over to the U.S. Instead, Bam! Entertainment picked it up for a domestic release. I guess Taito didn't believe in their own game enough. It's hard to blame them.

Bujingai begins well enough. It's got a cool player-created intro screen, flashy moves, and just a pretty cool Hong Kong movie feel in general. Kinda sorta like a Devil May Cry - Hong Kong Edition. In fact, that's exactly why I bought this game. It seemed pretty damn cool when I tried out a friend's copy. The problem is that the camera is the worst piece of shit ever. Not only that, but the control is sketchy. Well, I guess for the most part it's OK. When you're just running around on the ground slashing shit, it's cool. But let's just say that pinpoint accurate jumping isn't its forte. So what do they go and do? Create an platform jumping level in the sky near the end of the game! WTF?! Did they not play the game they created? The jumping accuracy is pure and utter crap. I've never, ever yelled so much at the TV in my life as I did when I was playing that level. I nearly went hoarse cursing the game's developers, and the asshole on the screen that refused to do what I wanted him to do. Not only that, but the game rewarded me getting passed all that platform jumping bullshit with a game crash at the boss. Fuckin'-A-Awesome, Taito. Good job on that. I don't remember console games ever crashing on me before this generation of consoles. Christ.