I really am getting a better hold on what the new Banjo-Kazooie game has to offer. While at first I was mad that the new game would rely on vehicle creation, I have come to embrace it as a great idea. The game will appear to garner to hardcore fans as well as gather a new audience for the franchise. My final decisions on whether to buy the game really do depend on what reviews say overall. However, I don't exactly need a block buster to sell me either. That being said, here are the things I liked about the demo.

After booting the game up, it was nice to see the menu was first on the list of classic Banjo-Kazooie references. After I entered single player mode and a quite boring and annoying tutorial that I didn't bother to read, I found that the demo was really geared towards older fans to come and except the franchise. The only playable level is Banjo Land. While nice, I did want to see a "newer" level. The four jiggies were fun, however I hope there are more in the full game as the four challenges were rather easy to get a trophy thomas.

The next step was to jump into the vehicle creation. Rare hasn't been lying about this as the vehicles are easy to build but there is a lot of depth as well. What did become a problem was driving on a wheeled vehicle. What I found was the best way to drive was to hold the right trigger half-way down. This technique gave me a bit more control. Soon though I ditched the wheels and found wings and built a flying machine that used springs to launch me in the air. It floated as well.

However, there are a few things that have been bugging me. These annoyances are based on the fact that I'm a hardcore fan. I loved Banjo-Kazooie and had kids with Banjo-Tooie. So here is what is hard to watch:

1. Banjo-Kazooie was about platforming. The new game seems to have expanded that idea. I would still like some platforming moves to unlock and more platforming sections to find hidden items and unlockables (read: one trick pony).

2. Banjo-Tooie sported the idea that I was entering a different place in the hub world. Showdown Town is nice except that it seems incredibly disconnected from all the other worlds.

3. It is extremely hard to watch as game characters go from being playable (Mumbo) and transforming Banjo (Humba and Mumbo) enter as just side characters. Mumbo just opens boxes and Humba is a whore who sells you blue prints.

4. I imagine that the worlds will be big and marvelous, but half the fun of Banjo-Kazooie series was finding the nooks and crannies and hidden areas so you could help other characters and find the hidden jiggies. It's hard to do that with the huge open areas. Everything is seen.

Considering these problems I do have to say this in my defense. I am not usually one to hang on nostalgia. I really do like video games to move forward and improve upon concepts. Basic concepts can even still remain. There is no use trying to say "hey we are re-inventing platforming" and discarding the original feel. I am aware that platforming is still there, but the new concept tries to cover up what the franchise used to be. Which puts even more proof, in my mind, that Banjo-Kazooie was stuck on top of an original IP as more of coating of paint rather than a sequel. Don't get me wrong though, its still going to be a great game. Perhaps Rare will rethink a bit. Perhaps my fears are still a bit in the wrong direction. Perhaps that's why its called Nuts and Bolts and not Banjo-Kazooie 3.......nah!

Now if you excuse me, I am going to open the flood gates of hate.

EDIT:
I actually played the game again. I used the floating glitch to get some places that I couldn't reach before to get more parts and notes. As for the steering, I said in my review that if you hold the trigger half way down, it works as expected. You wouldn't hit the gas down all the way if you were driving around would you? I am actually looking forward to the game a lot now.