Fallen Knights Fanzine

Flashback - 002 - Streets of Rage 2's soundtrack

2010-11-12T02:32:00.003-05:00

Streets of Rage 2 was, on its own merits, a spectacular beat-em-up. One might go so far as to say things never really got much better than that one point in time, with competition being fierce between SoR, Final Fight, Double Dragon, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and lets not forget about all the early 90's amazing arcade only experiences. The one thing that this specific game had over every other game at the time was the amazing soundtrack. Most games had simple medleys that would stick in your head forever, but something about the soundtrack here was just so much more than that. To this day, I can start the game and spend a lot more time than I should just listening to music in the sound test.

Remember that part where you're in that park at night, walking through and beating up thugs as they wake up from laying on benches? Guaranteed if you don't, you could load up that song and remember how magical it made the entire environment feel. The big thing in gaming since Uncharted 2 was released has been trying to create these elaborate set pieces, making the game one of the characters instead of just players and npcs. While games hadn't really progressed to that point all those years ago, the soundtrack is just as important as any boss, character, or level. All in all, I seriously love this game, and the soundtrack...? Let's all just take a moment to thank the composer, Yuzo Koshiro, for an effing amazing job.

Flashback - 001 - Ninja Gaiden 2

2010-11-04T06:35:00.004-04:00

After recently watching the Angry Video Game Nerd Castlevania retrospective and hearing his final statement about those games, both the good and bad, being like a photograph of moments he'll never forget, then thinking about Chad Concelmo's excellent Memory Card articles over at Destructoid, I felt it was time that I wax nostalgicly about games that were important in my life. Anyone else out there that's reading this, either comment on it or feel free to join in the movement, because as long as Superman 64 had some sort of significance in your life, it's always good to hear about it and why it left such an impact. The first entry in this series for me? Ninja Gaiden 2.

After FINALLY completing the game, I was debating on writing an actual review in my head. I felt this would be much more appropriate, considering how important this game was in my life as a gamer, instead of critically analyzing every aspect of it. Ninja Gaiden 2 is one of the earliest video game memories for me, along with Super Mario Bros., Mike Tyson's Punch Out, and Contra. I'm not sure why, but I have distinct memories of being 4 years old and holding the controller in my hands, knowing that as long as I had the controller, I was a badass ninja, running across rooftops and slashing enemies out of existence. While the first game gets the credit for starting the franchise and pioneering that cinematic storytelling technique via cutscenes, the incredible graphics of this sequel actually made me feel like I was Ryu Hayabusa. And that's just the beginning.

It seemed like all the kids I knew at the time (including myself) were really into Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Since the first TMNT game was pretty not good, something about this captured what I really wanted my ninja to be. Ninja Turtles had the advantage of selecting 4 different turtles. NG2? Although it's just one dude against hordes of strange enemies, who could possibly forget all the amazing power ups? By slashing any of the floating orbs in the game, items would then drop out, ranging from scrolls that could restore your life or magic, to the invincibility-granting firewheel, all the way to the amazing shadow ninjas that would follow you around and help you take down enemies without actually taking damage. Speaking of them, I'm pretty sure I'm not the only person in the world that somehow convinced myself that there was some sort of secret code to make the game into a 3 player game by getting one of those ninja and having a friend enter some elusive code on the controller.

Another major advantage of this game to that other ninja franchise is that the storyline in NG2 was definitely more gritty. After reaching and taking down the first boss, you stumble across a strange man that gives you pointers on where to go in your quest. All of a sudden, the guy pulls a gun out and fires at you - or does he? Turns out, that monster you just killed wasn't all the way dead and he totally just saved you. After finishing that amazing city level and seeing that jaw dropping cutscene for the first time, you're...on a train? Until about 10 minutes from the time that I'm writing this (3 AM on November 3, 2010), I never realized that the boss of the first level just so happens to be -gasp- in a train yard. Anyway, after boarding the train and fighting your way to the front of it, you're in one most memorable NES stages I've had the pleasure of enjoying. Most platformers have their ice and lava levels. This game places you on a mountain (which I'm assuming comes from the mountains on the background on the preceding stage). As a result of the elevation, there happens to be snow. This snow isn't coating the ground, so at least you can hold your footing and don't have to worry about slipping and sliding around like you do on so many similar stages. Oh no. Instead, you watch the snows direction. When it's falling straight down, there's nothing to worry about. When it's moving left or right, it pushes you in that direction, meaning if you're fighting the elements, you're going to be going a lot slower than normal and incapable of making what would have previously been the most simple jumps. If you work with it, you'll be going twice as fast and fly twice as far through the air, Since the game wasn't satisfied with difficult jumps on its own, this levels nasty trick is that sometimes the snow just stops going in a direction, or pushes back in mid jump, causing you to fall to your death.

In many games, that would be infuriating. In NG2, it came across as being incredibly innovative and gave you one more thing to master. After working your way through this level, the 3rd stage is a battle across a treacherous path leading to a castle. Unfortunately, this is the last highly innovative level that I can think of. Instead of it just being a bunch of perilous blocks and platforms strewn about, with a constant threat of enemies, there are certain parts of the level that are too dark to see any of the terrain, forcing you to wait until lightning strikes, then carefully move towards your goal. Keep in mind that you could technically do this entire area if you had the layout memorized, but realistically, you won't, so it's just one more amazing element that makes this game such an impressive feat in the world of 8 bit platformers. The rest of the game has you using your platforming skills to eventually fight the end boss, which has 2 forms, since that's what every end boss ever has to do.

The last thing that really stands out for me aside from the awesome level design, amazing cutscenes, and gorgeous graphics was the fantastic soundtrack. Since this was towards the end NES life cycle, but the SNES hadn't hit American shores just yet, developers had managed to crank out some beautiful sounds coming from the consoles sound chip. While it's no Streets of Rage 2 by any means, every single sound fits the enviroments you're in. The main melody on the snowy mountain stage is something that will probably forever be etched into my memory, probably thanks to how long it took me to clear the level. Something about the song used in the first level always feels like it's ramping me up for what's almost always going to be a long adventure until the end of the game.

All in all, while I can't say Ninja Gaiden 2 is the best game of all time, it definitely sticks out in my memory, and it's nice that it's one of the games that I feel holds up incredibly well to this day. When people ask what games they should use to get a friend into gaming, instead of going with a game like Modern Warfare because of graphics, or Flower because of the innovative control scheme, there's something that's really simple about having 4 directions on ONE d-pad and 2 buttons to perform any of the possible in game actions.

Hope you enjoyed this first feature of what will hopefully turn into a either daily or at least weekly series, as long as I can keep writing. For anyone wondering, this isn't going to follow any sort of chronological or top 10 order, it's just going to be games that have meant a lot to me over the years for whatever reason, from the 2600 to the PS3 and everything in between. Hell, I might even include some pinball tables if I feel like it!

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World: The Game Review

2010-11-04T06:33:00.001-04:00

Normally when there's a movie and a game to accompany it, it ends up being utter trash. Strict release dates and short development times usually means the core experienced has a tendency to affect the games in the worst way possible. This makes Scott Pilgrim vs The World probably one of the biggest surprises I've ever seen when it comes to games based on an already established franchise. With fast, furious, yet familiar mechanics, this easily is one of the best deals of the summer.

Gameplay - 8/10

Scott Pilgrim is a series that's known for it's geek culture references. Instead of trying to design a next gen game and throwing in subtle hints towards Mario, Zelda, or whatever else, this game goes all out and embraces it, just like the material it's based around. Following the story, which a friend summed up for me as "Nerdy unintentional jerk scores mega-hottie but has to battle her seven evil exes in order to continue dating her. Hilarity ensues," The game uses Scott's quest through a beat-em-up, using the exes as end bosses to each of the levels. While a lot of games in the genre had a tendency to devolve into you maybe hitting your enemy first, but normally trading hits until you run out of lives, SP slowly expands your move list the more you play. On your first few times playing the game, you might end up getting your rear handed to you, the more you play, the more experience you earn, ultimately unlocking new moves. Taking cues from River City Ransom, you're able to defeat enemies that turn into coins, which can then be spent in stores found throughout the game for food or items that can be used to boost your experience/stats. There's also a lot of charm that presents itself at every opportunity possible. The game sports a 4 player co-op mode, a few unlockable characters, and a zombie mode, which can be unlocked by entering a code at the start screen. Unfortunately, there's no online co-op at the time of this review, which feels like a missed opportunity.

Graphics - 8/10

Since I haven't read the comics or seen the movie, I can't comment on how accurately the game portrays scenes from there, but I CAN say that SP is a gorgeous game. Using pixel art from a Mr. Paul Robertson, every single inch of the game looks like a work of art. While the developer (or at least whoever tried to describe the art style) claims it's an 8/16 bit art style, I'm pretty sure every one that plays it or at least sees the game in action will admit that the stuff here is of a much higher quality.

Sound - 9/10

Part of me feels like I should elaborate on this a bit, but there's not too much to say. In addition to some very retro sound effects from attacks, the reason this scores so highly is that the entire soundtrack consists of music created by Anamanaguchi. If you've never heard of them, they're a chiptune band, meaning they produce music that sounds like it's coming from one of the retro gaming consoles of yesteryear. Despite what your feelings may be about the genre, the best part is that every single melody is highly appropriate for whatever stage you're currently on, and it's also pretty good to listen to on its own.

Overall - 9/10

SPvTW is a game that anyone who ever had a soft spot for beat-em-ups absolutely has to own, along with people that are just looking for a good downloadable game that's a bit different from the other offerings present on the downloadable services. 4 player couch co-op makes this game an easy recommendation for anyone that tends to get a bunch of people together, even if it's only for an hour. Unfortunately, most people have traded in the social experience of slapping your friend a high-five after that tough boss fight in favor of playing games with people from across the globe. Since the game doesn't feature online play as of right now, it limits the appeal for people who claim the game is too hard or only want to play a game that they can finish with iPwNn0oBz69. Regardless, it's still a solid title and worthy of belonging on almost everyones hard drive, young and old. What else are you going to do with that cash, after all? Buy t-shirts on PS Home or Xbox Live?

Heavy Rain Review

2010-11-04T06:14:00.002-04:00

I know I’m months late with writing this review, but here it is nonetheless! Heavy Rain was one of the highest anticipated games released on PS3 so far this year. Garnering buzz from critics with the early Casting Call tech demo showcasing the PS3’s potential at an E3 years ago, the game it spawned is here and worry not, it’s actually a spectacular title

Gameplay – 8/10.

Although everyone’s been wrapped up in the eye candy, it’s nice to know the game itself presents a solid experience. After a tragic event relatively early on, one of the main characters children is kidnapped, plunging you straight into the center of the mystery of the Origami Killer. In order to unravel everything, the player alternates between 4 different characters throughout the experience, each contributing in their own way. Most games would have used a point and click interface for an experience like this, but Heavy Rain relies heavily on creative controls using the six-axis and button combinations, along with a timer to keep dialogue moments moving while feeling fresh. On one hand, you could look at the game as being a gigantic QTE exercise, but that’s only a perspective that the most cynical could ever take. One of the most interesting things about the game is that it is completely possible to mess up too many QTE’s or just make a few bad decisions and one or multiple characters can die, while still allowing the experience to go on. There are also normally multiple solutions to many of the sequences, offering tons of branching paths if you choose to go down them in subsequent playthroughs. While a lot of the sixaxis movements contribute to the immersion, there are times where you’ll fail something due to shoddy movement detection. The movement controls are also very untraditional, leading to a few annoying moments as you adjust to having to use R2 to move forward and the left analog just for steering your character.

Graphics – 10/10.

The wait was completely worth it. When the tech demo was first shown, it was considered one of those graphical benchmarks that showed what the future could hold for Sony’s console. With the release of Heavy Rain, the bar has been raised for every other console game on the horizon. While some games would be satisfied with having some amazing looking cutscenes or some incredibly fleshed out areas, while ignoring some of the minor ones, every single location of every place you visit in the game is jaw dropping. Since there is now a game instead of just something to look at, the graphics might not be exactly as good as the early footage of the game, it still is easily one of the best looking games of this generation. The character facial animation does wonders for breathing life into every character that you come across, so much so that Quantic Dream felt the need to include a close-up of different characters during some very awkward loading screens.

Sound – 7/10.

With the game offering a solid experience with some of the best graphics to be found in any title since the launch of this console generation, it’s sad that these lifelike characters do have some incredibly strange tropes in terms of voice acting. The most cited example is during an early moment in the game where you essentially “Press X to ‘JASON,’” turning what should be a tense experience into one of the funniest things I’ve probably ever seen in a game. Most of the voice acting issues stem from the fact that it sounds like they hired French actors to pretend to be Americans, leading to over enunciation of every syllable, or just an awkward pacing to some of the speech. While the voice acting is a bit strange at certain times, the sound effects and musical themes are all expertly done, making the VO discrepancies are definitely a minority that is made more jarring when compared to how well other moments are.

Overall – 8/10.

Contrary to most of the other big name PS3 releases, this is one game that I feel every single gamer, and even many non-gamers should experience at least once. With the excellently crafted story, emphasis on realism, making QTE's a compelling part of the gameplay, and breathtaking graphics, it's guaranteed to draw in even the most skeptical person. The story is brief enough to keep you going until the end, and ends at just the right time to feel like you had one of the most unforgettable experiences you'll find on the console. The downside to the brevity of the game is just that; while you feel completely satisfied by the end of the game, it's worth mentioning that it's probably going to clock in at around 6-8 hours for most people, but the multiple endings, plus the possibility to have any of your characters die at any time due to a bad decision more than make up for it. I'd give the game a higher score if those jarring voice acting issues weren't present and while I loved it, I could see some people being put off by how cinematic of a game it is, sacrificing rocket launchers, double jumps, and world-threatening terrorists in favor of a dad that just wants to save his son from harm, even if it means sacrifing his own life. If you don't pick it up for full price, make sure that if you're a gamer to at least give it a shot whenever you get the chance, you won't be disappointed.

Pre-Order Flight of the Conchords: The Complete Collection

2010-08-01T15:30:00.005-04:00

Just recently I heard that there's going to be a complete collection of the show, Season 1 and 2 plus a ton of added features. I really am hoping for deleted scenes from season 1, since the original season 1 set never had any bonus features. You can pre-order it now for the price of $38.99. I'm guessing that the price is actually higher on the actual HBO site, since both seasons and their CDs were priced higher. Anyways, this wonderful DVD set comes out on August 24th. I also posted this on my fotc blog located here: Folk You!

Here are the special features:

Comes with 4 discs

All 22 episodes within the two seasons

Flight of the Conchords: One Night Stand--Never-before-released 30-minutes special

Flight of the Conchords - On Air Documentary feature

Dave's Pawn Shop Commercials

Outtakes, Deleted Scenes, and More

Buy it below:

Amazon.com

Link obtained from here.

Red Dead Redemption review

2010-07-30T11:29:00.003-04:00

Every time I come across one of these great new Sandbox games, it really makes me think that we could possibly be entering a new renaissance. Back in the PS2 days, when the games first started really coming into their own, we were slammed with tons of GTA wannabes. Now, we've got all of these incredibly unique experiences and it's easy for some of them to get overlooked. What is it about Red Dead that has gamers so excited about Rockstars latest release?

Gameplay - 9/10

It feels like every single game Rockstar has worked on has lead them to this point. Taking the best cues from GTA4, a bit of Manhunt's brutality, and almost a bit of (I know it's not a R* game) Gun, all thrown into a pot and blended excellently together has culminated in one of 2010's biggest games. Red Dead Redemption probably does a better job than anything else I can remember of really recreating that wild west that we can only imagine or see in films and books. While a lot of games like open world games fall into a trap of making the world a playground, RDR makes it feel like a living breathing place by adding in tons of npc's that will approach you as you ride your horse from town to town, asking for assistance or even trying to mug you. While you could look at these elements from a distance and complain that these are boring but brief sidequests, when you're in the world, it helps to reinforce the immersion. The character of John Marston is probably their most likable protagonist ever, and one that you can truly understand the motivation for his actions without them seeming completely outlandish. Marston's adventure has him coming across some of the best developed characters in the genre as well, motivating you to keep pushing forward from one mission to the next until the spectacular ending, which is probably one of the most badass endings you'll see in a game.

Once you tire of the single player's 20-30 hours campaign and have had your fill of collectibles, you can hop into the online mode. Similar to GTA4, all of the players in each game are dumped into the exact same world as the single player campaign and are free to explore the world alone or with a posse. In order to give players a bit more of a focus, you'll occasionally come across bandit hideouts that need to be cleared, animals that can be hunted in specific ways to progress through challenges, multiplayer versus games, or you could even roll around making life a living hell for other players. Unfortunately, the last time I played the game, there were a ton of glitches that made the entire experience hard to enjoy to the full extent, but even with those in place, it was easy to lose hours at a time online just messing around, and I'm sure a lot of those have been ironed out now, especially with the new DLC packs having been released.

Graphics - 8/10

As I previously said, Red Dead does a great job of making the old west come alive with all of the wildlife you'll see flourishing in each of the areas you come across. All of the different towns and regions sport a unique feel that feels appropriate to the location and time period, and the character models look great as well. Unfortunately, graphical glitches prevent me from scoring this higher, such as the infamous horse woman and the limited number of models of some of the games classes (whores what) can take you out of the experience a tad bit, but considering the scale of the world, Rockstar did a spectacular job.

Sound - 9/10

Each character in Red Dead Redemption really comes alive with the great voice acting. It's also great to know that, yes, it IS possible to have a great male lead that ISN'T Nolan North. The subtle ambient music really reinforces that cinematic western feel, with some truly amazing songs normally kicking in once you transfer from one area to the next that give the whole thing a somber feel when the moments appropriate. There's something really nice about walking into a bar and hearing people murmur something about one of your latest exploits or a bandit that's been plaguing the town recently.

Overall - 9/10

I hate to be trite, but Red Dead Redemption is one hell of a ride. Games like this a few years ago would have been reserved solely for a big holiday release, but with all of the content in this 60$ package, not to mention the DLC that's out and the amazing stuff coming, this might be one of the best purchases you make all year. There have been complaints raised about the beginning of the game being a bit on the slow side, but it's entirely appropriate for the game and helps you out later down the line. Once you've exhausted the single player game, there's an entirely separate set of online objectives to complete for the completionists, not to mention tons to do in the world if you just want to screw around with other fans of the game. How could anyone possibly be complaining about a summer drought with great games like Red Dead Redemption having been released and giving you more than enough to keep you busy for a long time.

Chrono Trigger DS Review

2010-07-16T20:58:00.008-04:00

Chrono Trigger has always been one of those games. You know, the ones that everyone who plays it, adores it and has nothing but praise, yet has a lot more people that have never given it a chance. With this DS re-release, now is everyone's chance that either missed it the first few times around or just wants to go back and revisit the classic for old times sake to get reacquainted with this classic adventure.

Gameplay - 10/10

I was worried when starting Chrono Trigger that my view of the title was going to be tinted heavily with nostalgia. Instead of starting up a dated rpg, after a few short moments with the game, I remembered exactly why it's been such a highly praised game for all these years. What's the point in having another amnesiac or vengeful hero when you could have an adventure that spans the entire history of mankind in an effort to make the future a better place? Of course, story alone is not enough to carry a 30+ hour RPG. Thankfully, CTDS has one of the best combat systems that's ever been done in the genre. The ATB system and constantly moving enemies really help to add a strategic feel to the combat while keeping the player engaged in order to get an edge over their enemies. There's also an incredible feeling of exploration, particularly when you're able to go between different time periods, and when you forget, the games narration does a great job of pushing the story into the right areas, keeping you from ever becoming truly overwhelmed by the number of possible things to do at once.

Graphics - 7/10

Maybe it's just me, but it feels like this game was designed for the DS. Even though the screen may be small, the world feels like it truly comes alive as you're staring down at the screen, admiring the sheer amount of detail that goes into every single animation of the characters. Chrono Trigger does a great job of disguising their dungeons and making each location feel like a truly important place instead of just swapping a color pallate or throwing in a generic layout. More impressive is that each time period has a look that feels entirely appropriate for the story and age you're in. Unfortunately, I feel like some people out there might look pass this classic in favors of more modern games, such as The World Ends With You or Dragon Quest IX, which is a true shame considering that the Pokemon games sell millions with every single release yet don't look anywhere near as beautiful as Chrono Trigger.

Sound - 9/10

How often do you find yourself playing a modern game and wondering why, even though the soundtrack sticks with you, you couldn't hum any of the themes even if your life depended on it? Chrono Trigger does a great job of reminding players of a much more simple time in gaming when people were forced to make these amazing scores with the hardware limitations of whatever console their project was tied to. It's amazing how much passion feels like it went into each song in the game, and especially that all of the music, despite coming from the SNES sound processor, feels entirely fitting to the time period in game as well as occasionally making you wonder how in the world such a beautiful sound is coming out of these tiny speakers. One of the most welcome additions is the new jukebox, which allows you to go back and listen to any of the songs from the game whenever you want to.

Overall - 9/10

Every single aspect of Chrono Trigger makes this one of, if not THE best portable RPGs that more than earns its spot in your collection. For fans of the original that 100% cleared everything, possibly numerous times, the new endings give you something to work towards as well as the perfect opportunity to relive this classic, while newcomers can finally understand exactly why this game has had such a gigantic fanbase since its original release. When you find yourself humming Far Off Promise or thinking about all of the amazing adventures you'll have gone on by the end of the game long after the game has ended, you'll completely understand why this is a definite must-own for every DS owner.

F.E.A.R. 2 Review

2010-06-02T09:07:00.008-04:00

The first FEAR was critically praised for its marriage of intense firefights, ferocious AI, and creepy atmosphere. Shortly after the original game released, there was a big stir as the IP was torn between the developer and the publisher, leading to two forgettable expansions (Perseus Mandate and Extraction Point) developed by another studio since the publisher had owned the name. During all of this chaos, Monolith began work on a game known as Project Origin, and as more information became available, it was fairly apparent that this would be the true successor to the F.E.A.R. name, just possibly without that title stuck to it. Things started to fall into place for Monolith however, primarily that they earned the right to use the series name and were signed back with Warner Bros. Does F.E.A.R. 2 manage to make up for those horrendous expansions? Read on to find out!

Gameplay - 7/10

FEAR 2 doesn't really do much to differentiate it from the original game when it comes to gameplay, which is a good and bad thing. While this means that the incredible AI has made a triumphant return, it also means that the game is going to rely a lot on the same scare tactics as the original. Stumbling down hallways and looking for a door in dimly lit areas while lights flicker overhead might scare the bejesus out of you once, but by the end of the game, you'll be more surprised when it doesn't happen. In order to break up the tedium of walking through cramped areas, the developer integrated outdoor areas and a giant mech every now and then that you can pilot, effectively turning your once vulnerable hero into a clone-slaying war machine. It's a bit jarring at first, but I actually appreciated the change after a while. Many games lose their tension when you gain a super weapon like this, But FEAR 2 keeps these sections brief, keeping it from turning into some sort of Dynasty Warriors slaughterfest. The last minor, yet incredibly annoying thing that needs to be mentioned is that there are no options to customize the control scheme from what I noticed. This means that all of the crazy melee moves are rendered somewhat useless on the PS3 version of FEAR 2 because of how awkward it is to have to press in the analog sticks, jump, and tap the melee button all at once for whatever move you're trying to execute.

Graphics - 7/10

As previously mentioned, this game still relies heavily on dimly lit environments and a clone army. On the bright side, the dimly lit environments are no longer just once office complex consisting of brown corridors. Instead, you stumble through some fairly eerie locations that all look slightly different from each other when you can actually see what's going on. While the change in color is greatly appreciated, something about the actual models looks a bit dated and you ultimately still spend a lot of time wandering down halls. Enemy designs, while effective, never really struck me as anything creative. When you consider that most of the things you face are just clones, you'll love it when the game introduces more enemy types until you realize that, yes, it's just 10 or so different types of enemies that all look exactly the same. At least the action keeps moving at a steady framerate the whole time!

Sound - 7/10

I've always appreciated it when a game nails weapon sound effects. This is the one area that FEAR 2 succeeds in incredibly well. Fitting in the the tense action sequences and creeping through hallways comes some great environmental sounds, from leaky pipes to rattling cans. The enemy voice overs in battle, although basic, still mange to add to the gameplay experience, especially when you come around a corner and hear "Flashlight over there, get in position!" and are able to get a somewhat accurate count for how many enemies you're about to face based on their footsteps in the next room. While these sounds are amazing, the voiceovers for plot points are questionable at best. I'm still unsure what kind of story they were trying to create, which is why this score is so low, but when you hear characters comparing you to pizza or making fun of other characters for being secretive, you want to let out a laugh, but it's kind of awkward in a game that made a name for itself by being a scary action game.

Overall - 7/10

FEAR 2 is one of those games, like Wolfenstein, that you could go your entire life without ever playing and might not be missing much, but if you're bored and just want something a little bit different and on the cheap side (now), it's worth a play through. If you're thinking of picking this up for the multiplayer component, you might want to pass since it's incredibly hard to find a game now, and when you do, it's just Deathmatch or Team Deathmatch. If you loved the first game, or are a fan of shooters/horror games, I'd advise picking up FEAR 2, but for everyone else, I'd say check out the demo first.

Wolfenstein Review

2010-05-29T17:30:00.001-04:00

You ask any gamer what the first FPS was, you generally get the same answer: Doom. Sorry, brah. Wolfenstein 3D was id Softwares first game, which essentially put them on the map and allowed for Doom to be developed. The original Wolfenstein 3D laid forth the formula for the series that continues all the way up into 2009's Wolfenstein, boiling down to a bunch of Nazis that gain control of a relic that empowers them with some sort of super powers, which is ultimately taken down by B.J. Blazkowicz. How does it measure up, all these years later? Is it still fun to take down super nazis? Read on to find out.

Gameplay - 7/10

While all the previous games in this series took an incredibly linear format, this most recent release goes for a much more open hub world system. Although it's a refreshing change to the stage-to-stage format every other first person shooter goes through, ultimately it ends up with you running to an area on a map, getting a mission, then going there anyway. It's a nice alteration, but ultimately doesn't make any real difference to how you'll be going through the game. Another change I feel was made to be console friendly that probably isn't present in the PC version is that when you go into the menu to switch weapons, you set it so you can switch between your two favorite weapons, but if you want to pick a completely different one, you're going to be staring at what is essentially an equipment menu, which takes you out of the game a bit. All of these are minor issues, and I'm sure we're all wondering how this games nazi blasting formula deviates from World at War or the previous Wolfenstein games. Thanks to the fact that you're traveling through a much more believe war-torn Europe, there are tons of things in the environment that are entirely appropriate to use for cover.
These elements hold up well for the standard soldiers you come across, but it's the supernatural forces that might make you want to eat your controller a few times. After a certain point, you start coming across the trademark sexy female ninja nazis, cloaked enemies, and a lot of other things that you've got to see to believe, including one of the most frustrating end bosses I've seen in a game in years (excluding Killzone 2). While there is a multiplayer component in the game, I was unable to find anyone playing online when I tried it out, which was probably in March or April 2010, so I can't say how enjoyable that is. The last thing that needs to be mentioned is how insane the weapons get towards the end of the game. Other games settle for giving you a badass rocket launcher. Wolfenstein? Sure, feel free to take this hand-held Tesla Cannon.

Graphics - 8/10

While I was going through this game, I was wondering why some other games don't have the attention to detail in the textures that this has, specifically God of War 3. A lot of games give you decent texture work when you're playing the game, but under closer examination, such as when there are lulls in the action, it's hard not to notice blurry textures. Another thing that surprised me, considering that I'm sure a lot of people skipped this title, was how imaginative a lot of the models and environments become, especially in enemy design towards the latter half of the game. Early on, you'll be facing hordes of generic soldiers, but as the adventure progresses, you start seeing some of the things that seem like they could only come from the minds at id and Raven.

Sound - 6/10

Most of the time, you're going to be hearing the same gunshots you hear everywhere else. The voice acting is nice, although some characters feel like they might be overdoing the foreigner-attempting-to-speak-english dialect, but it's functional and probably won't bother you that bad unless you pay special attention to it. Although they're nothing new, the explosions tend to create a real sense of tension, as well as that familiar tinkling sound of a grenade rolling slightly too close. Let's also not forget how satisfying it is to come across a horde of enemies, ignite them, and hear/see them screaming in agony. It's a bit demented, but it feels like that sound is one of the hardest for any voice actor to portray right, and its more than adequate in Wolfenstein.

Overall - 7/10

Part of me wants to score this higher just to encourage people to give it a chance, but another part says that there are probably better things to spend the cash on. The sci-fi nazi twist is a nice change up from fighting terrorists in a first person shooter, not to mention how awesome it is to be using fictional weapons again instead of the standard pistol/sniper rifles that fill so many other games (don't worry, those are included in this too). The story isn't exactly full of unpredictable plot twists or anything, but it's nice to pick up a game for once and have an idea of exactly how it's going to start and how it's going to end. Out of all the overlooked shooters from 2009, this stands out as one I encourage everyone to try, especially if you can find it for 30$ and under or possibly a weekend rental.

Skate 3 Review

2010-05-28T07:20:00.004-04:00

Skate 3 is the sequel that Skate 2 should have been. That's not to say that Skate 2 was bad or inferior to Skate, but there are a lot of additions that I'm looking at in this game that feel like they should have made it into the second game, but possibly didn't do to time constraints. All of that aside, the third game in this series worked its way into retailers on May 11th, bringing with it a hosts of improvements and alterations to the tried and true formula. Read on to find out how well the overall package came together.

Gameplay 8/10

With the original game, the skateboarding game genre was forever transformed, as evident by the number of sales against its rival that year, Tony Hawks Proving Grounds. In addition to that, the realistic gameplay, creative control scheme, and size of the open world was met with tons of critical acclaim and cemented the namesake into the hearts of gamers everywhere. The sequel improved on this formula by setting the game in the same city after a major disaster occurs, which alters the landscape a bit, giving you tons of new areas to skate, pros to meet, and an even more in depth replay and photo editor. This, coupled with more open areas of online freeskate, not to mention the addition of walking, made this sequel more than deserving as its title of successor.
Now, here we are with Skate 3, which in every way feels like the game Skate 2 would have developed into had there been more time between releases. Major changes to the game include the fact that now every single player challenge can be played online in co-op, meaning any thing you're having issues with is made a lot more tolerable by possibly bringing someone else in that is better than you or functions better than your new AI teammates. While Skate 2 had the option to drag items around and set up your own unique spots, Skate 3 allows you to use an object dropper anywhere in the world, not to mention an extensive park editor that allows for in depth customization of every single rail, ledge, ramp, or even elevation change on your own park, which can be shared with other people online (provided you buy the game new!). The fact that the entire game is entire co-op has its weaknesses, primarily coming from the team challenges that feel like its necessary for someone else to be doing with you instead of relying on the AI provided, which might be a deal-breaker for some.

Graphics - 8/10

For the first time, the game is running at a steady 60 FPS throughout the entire city. While the graphical style looks similar to Skate 2's, the fact that everything is consistent the whole way through makes a huge change in how fluid the game moves. The camera work this time around gives you a much more clean view of the world, since the series ditched that dirty looking filter and fisheye effect from the previous games, but if you desire to have them back, you can turn them on in the options, at the sake of reducing the framerate. Another huge change in the graphics is the fact that now, if you fail at doing a trick, instead of going into an automatic bail animation, there's a possibility that your skater will stumble and attempt to regain balance, which looks exactly like you'd expect it to if you've ever been the victim of this or witnessed in real life. Not only does it serve to immerse you in the sim like experience, but it helps from a gameplay perspective, as this makes it a lot easier to recover your momentum than faceplanting into the cement.

Sound - 8/10

While the previous games offered samples of other genres, it feels like Skate 3's soundtrack offers more of whatever it is that you're looking for. I can't name another game off the top of my head that can take you from Young Jeezy to Neil Diamond, then back over to The Pixies or Joy Division all within the course of 10 minutes. If there's anything in the soundtrack you don't want to hear, you can go into the menu and disable it. The PS3 version implements custom soundtracks right off the disk, meaning you don't have to wait for a patch to skate to that Rod Stewart cd you've secretly hoarded on your hard drive. For anyone that had been annoyed with the cameraman in the previous games, he's gone now and replaced with a new guy that rarely ever says anything unless you come across a really awesome spot, have an incredibly harsh bail, or pull off an insane trick. The score only gets an 8 here mostly because the sound effects from the actual skateboard just don't sound as satisfying as they did in earlier games. Maybe it's just me, but everything sounds a lot more muted now.

Overall - 8/10

While I can easily say Skate 3 is a much more refined game than Skate 2 was, it's a bit harder to recommend if you're not able to play online, and you should also be aware that if you buy it used, it disables your ability to share parks, logos, and pictures online. If you've never played a Skate game in your life before, however, the addition of difficulties, variety of landscapes, and refinements to the overall gameplay mechanics makes this easily a welcome starting area, probably even more than the first two games! The last thing I feel needs to be mentioned is that as of May 28th, 2010, it's been increasingly hard to find games online, especially considering a lot of players are probably on one of the other games that's come out this month. I'm hoping the community returns maybe during the post-E3 pre-fall down time, but I'm no psychic and this makes it a lot harder to get the full enjoyment out of the game due to the increased attention to online play.

After Burner Climax review

2010-05-11T19:22:00.005-04:00

Remember the days when games were based around a core mechanic and lived or died by said mechanic? During that period of time, Sega birthed an arcade flight action game under the name After Burner. While the original did fairly good, when most people think of After Burner, the memories are almost always associated with the second game; holding the flight stick in the arcade while shooting down countless enemy planes at insane speed. While there was an After Burner 3, the series hadn't seen a sequel since the 90's, but all of that changed in 2006 with the arcade release of After Burner Climax. The game succeeds in catching the attention and quarters of many in the arcade, thanks to it's blistering speeds and somewhat familiar gameplay with a few new tweaks, but is it worth the price of admission to play at home?

Gameplay - 8/10

Just like Outrun Online Arcade, ABC succeeds in taking one solid mechanic and making an incredible game out of it. The default control scheme might take a while to get adjusted to, but its well worth the dedication. If it's still not clicking for you, there's a few custom control schemes that you can select from as well, which are great, but it's a bummer that you can't fully customize the layout. Once you've got that out of the way, you select your plane and take to the skies. For those hoping for a free roam flight game akin to Ace Combat, you'll quickly realize that Climax sticks to its roots and forces you to constantly move forward, allowing you to use the throttle to accelerate or decelerate, which becomes vital in dodging shots and evading enemies behind you. Although the game is constantly hurtling you in one direction, you're free to move in a fairly large area using the left stick, all while using your machine gun to take down nearby enemies or locking onto them with your missiles before letting them go. The last thing in the controls department is the inclusion of the climax mode, where everything slows down, allowing you to lock on to tons of targets at once while making some dodges that would otherwise have been incredibly tricky, then firing off a volley of missiles, taking down all of the selected targets almost instantaneously. Unfortunately, that's about as far as the game goes in terms of controls.
Due to the unrelenting forward movement, the game also normally only takes between 8-12 minutes to finish, which would be a huge problem if this was an epic first person shooter or something, but despite its simple controls and short total gameplay time, chances are that you won't be making it to the end in your first few playthroughs (JUST LIKE IN OUTRUN!), since you're initially only given 3 credits to work with. In spite of what I said about the simple controls earlier, there's a surprisingly deep combo-chaining system present here that rewards you for continuously stringing together kills before a timer runs out, meaning that you occasionally need to leave one or two stragglers if you want to continue chaining between waves of enemies. After each mission, you're ranked on how well you did, along with getting letter grades after every 4 stages or so, which usually give you a chance to take a branching path to reach the ending.

Graphics - 7/10

When you first fire it up, you'll realize how incredibly well this looks for not only a downloadable game, but also as a next-gen game. All of this will be made more amazing once you realize the game was released in arcades back in 2006! As you blaze through the games levels, the variety of environments will continue to impress you, constantly making you wonder what the next level looks like or what the other path might lead to. The planes featured in the game all sport a surprising amount of detail and the explosions all look incredibly satisfying. The more you play, especially if you go for that achievement that requires you to finish the game with a D or E rank in speed (protip: hold the brake the whole game), you'll start realizing that under closer examination, the textures only look detailed if you're playing the game right (blazing through or just slowing down long enough to dodge enemy fire). This also brings to light that some of the effects are kind of...not as detailed as they look when you're going through faster, most notably the planes emerging from beneath the clouds, but as long as you keep your speed up, none of this will be an issue at all.

Sound - 6/10

ABC's biggest weakness is it's lackluster soundtrack. While I give Sega props for including the ability to use the Afterburner 2 soundtrack in the game, it still doesn't excuse how forgettable the soundtrack in this game is. It's appropriate considering this is an arcade flight combat game, but there's definitely not any jingles that are going to be left in your head or most likely songs that you really want to hear when you're not playing the game. The game does get an extra point for having some incredibly funny dialogue going on in the background, and I don't think that it's intentionally humorous, but it's almost campy for an arcade game "WOO! I MADE IT HERE FIRST!" There's just something really charming about the banter you hear between the pilots or the lack of concern in their voices as they take down an imaginary country's entire air force.

Overall - 7/10

After Burner Climax is highly recommended that everyone at least tries out, because it's a throwback to when games were pure and lived or died on one mechanic, this one being its combo system. Fortunately, it gets the combo system right, along with having tons of unlockables, and then you have the leaderboards and a personal high score board as well to encourage you to keep trying to do better. If you're not the kind of person that is addicted to constantly trying to see how much better you can do than your own previous best, the short nature of the game might make you want to leave it behind. Again, at least give the demo a shot, leave some comments, and let me know what you think.

My ode to the Dreamcast

2010-05-06T17:29:00.009-04:00

When I was a young lad, I remember my brother and I went to this mystical place called "Blockbuster", along with a few other local rental places (does anyone remember when grocery stores had their own video stores in them?) to pick up these amazing arcade ports on NES, SNES, and Genesis. I'd sit there for hours in front of the TV playing these perfect ports of games like Street Fighter 2, NBA Jam, Joe and Mac, and tons of others. At the time, I thought nothing could ever get any better than that. You could practically play authentic renditions of the same games you would normally have to plop quarter after quarter into in your own home! Sure, maybe the graphics weren't quite as polished, they might have altered some of the sounds, but the core experience was the same! How could it ever get any better?

Things started to change once the move to CD-based consoles started. When the Sony Playstation launched, instead of playing these compressed arcade games, we were getting closer to replicating that very same experience without having to sacrifice nearly as much, thanks to the superior hardware and the increased storage capacity on CD's. Unfortunately, as with most changes in technology, there was a trade-off: insane load times. Mortal Kombat 3 on Genesis was the first time I really noticed how much less crisp its sound was compared to the SNES, along with the fact that the color pallet seemed lacking. The SNES version seemed to look closer but still lacked that definition that made it stand out in arcade. The PS1 port, however, looked and sounded JUST like its big brother. Enter the trade-off: due to the laser having to read data off the disc, whenever Shang Tsung morphed, the game would freeze for a few seconds as it loaded the new characters moveset, which kind of ruined the whole experience, not to mention the loading time between fights. As time went on, the Playstation would become the next home for arcade ports, but we were always forced to just deal with the loading. All of that changed on 9/9/99.

When the Dreamcast finally hit, we saw a significant difference between what had been available during the 32-bit era (Saturn and Playstation) in terms of graphics, sound, and the core gameplay experience. While previous consoles had to sacrifice something, Dreamcast benefited from being constructed on the same basic hardware as what was then available in arcades. This meant that everything you saw at the arcade was finally playable at home with no losses, going so far as to throw in tons of extra modes (Street Fighter Alpha 3 says "Hi"), allowing you to refine your skills at home without having to take frame rate or input differences into account.

As previously mentioned, this was not the Dreamcast's only strength. It definitely makes it easy to go back into if you feel like playing Capcom vs SNK 2 or Soul Calibur, but there were tons of amazing games that were exclusive to it that still hold up well today. Jet Set Radio is still a landmark title thanks to its introduction of the cel-shaded art style that games use to this day. Shenmue can be blamed for the origin of so many QTE events in games for years to come, even going so far as to be the primary control element in this years hit, Heavy Rain. While online console gaming technically existed years before thanks to the xband, Phantasy Star Online is the title people look back at and remember how excellent the netcode was, or that crazy night they jumped on to trade items with some guy from the other side of the world. With the creation of the 2k sports games, it felt like Madden and NBA Live had some serious competition, forcing them to seriously consider what their strategy was. Sure, there was NFL Xtreme, Game Day, NBA Shootout, and other franchises that tried, but none ever managed to really get the experience as refined as NFL and NBA 2k did, which also looked leaps and bounds better than anything we'd seen before. Last, but definitely not least, who can possibly forget their first time seeing the Ready 2 Rumble commercial?

I could go on and on forever about how amazing the Dreamcast was and still is, and there might be future posts nailing down specific experiences I had with the amazing, but for now, I'd like to bring this to a close. The Dreamcast is still my first choice for amazing 4 player split screen games and loading up amazing arcade ports, and while the PS2 is a close second, I really feel that this was the niche Sega carved out for itself in the hearts of gamers everywhere. The next time you hear that ridiculously loud beeping sound the VMUs made when starting up or hear about a new Cel Shaded game, or even when you're cursing out a game because of that damn QTE you missed, think of the Dreamcast and pour one out for Sega. Better yet, track one down if you don't already have one, get some friends, some controllers, and bask in the glory of one of the finest consoles of all time.

Uncharted: Drake's Fortune Review

2010-04-30T04:10:00.004-04:00

I've owned a copy of Uncharted 2 since shortly after it came out and haven't even touched it yet, although I spent extensive time with the multiplayer betas. Even though I've heard so many great things about how Uncharted 2 pushes the possibilities of narrative and character development, I felt I'd be doing myself a disservice by not touching the original Uncharted first. After finishing Uncharted 1, I would like to say that I'm totally ready to move on to the next game to see where this goes, and as a sort of goodbye to the original, I'm writing this review while my thoughts are untainted.

Graphics - 8/10

For a game that came out in 2007, this is still one of the most impressive PS3 games I've seen. While some people have dubbed Uncharted as "Dude Raider" or "Larry Croft", it has a lot more in common with Indiana Jones than Tomb Raider. The way the scenes transition to cutscenes, and then the in-game cinematics all combine to create an incredibly beautiful game. While some games might give you a lush jungle and fail at creating any other locations, Uncharted looks phenomenal at every single location you end up in. The high quality graphics don't just stop with the environments either; all of the models, while not as realistic as something like Heavy Rain, their animations along with the attention to detail (Drake's Half Tuck comes to mind...) help to make these some of the most life-like characters you'll ever encounter in a game. Unfortunately, even though all of the models and environments look great, it's a bit of a bummer that eventually, you start getting into firefights (which have some amazing explosions, by the way) with a lot of the same enemy models, which kind of ruins things a bit, but it's understandable. If every NPC had been completely original, who knows how long it would have taken for this to come out!

Gameplay - 7/10

Uncharted's weakest area might be in its techniques used to build tension. Adventuring through the amazing locales, taking in the sights, even the platforming and shooting are all incredibly well done. The controls feel tight the entire time, allowing you to go to whatever cover you need to, pop a few headshots, then move somewhere else. So if the core mechanics are as good as I say they are, how is it possible that this section gets a 7/10? First issue is the problem with how they set up certain battles. When you're walking through twisty tunnels in a cave and suddenly come to a big clearing with randomly strewn about boulders and pillars, you'll start to realize that this means there are going to be dudes pouring in from everywhere. It doesn't matter where it is, this always happens, and during these encounters, you tend to die a lot until you figure out exactly where that rocket toting soldier is, where the snipers are, and when the enemies that keep punching you to death are spawning from (tip: it's probably behind you somewhere). Also, the last few hours of gameplay introduce a completely different enemy, and while the change starts off as being completely welcome, it quickly grows trite when you realize it's essentially forcing itself to become a straight up action game, which isn't the best path for this type of action/adventure game and brings focus to the respawning enemies + arena formula that plagues the whole game.

Sound - 9/10

I don't think I've played any other game where the dialogue between characters comes off as natural as it does here. Every time I've heard someone mention either Uncharted, they immediately start talking about how much the liked the characters, ranging from the archetypes they represented to simple character design. The presentation of archetypes are mostly done through their dialogue and how well the actors did, elevating the scriptwriting from lines on a paper to sounding like believable responses for any of the characters during these harrowing situations. Fortunately, the voice acting isn't the sounds only strength; the soundtrack is incredibly fitting. In addition to every song being fantastically composed to create that treasure-hunting atmosphere, all of the songs are used at fantastic times. Last but not least, the weapon sounds are all distinguishable from each other during gunfights, allowing you to audibly tell who you should be avoiding or precisely where that guy with a sniper rifle is firing down at you from.

Overall - 8/10

While the whole experience is fantastic, it's a bit disappointing that some of the gameplay mechanics really do drag what would otherwise be a fantastic experience. To this day, all these years later, I've yet to come across more believable characters, and while the graphics aren't the best any more, thanks to titles like Final Fantasy XIII and Heavy Rain, they are easily in the upper echelon of what's been presented on PS3. Despite its flaws, Uncharted 1 is a title I highly recommend every PS3 owner at least try out and any collector needs in their library.

God of War III Review

2010-04-19T16:44:00.000-04:00

I was going to attempt to hold off on writing this review until I finished the 14 other reviews I've had pending since last October, but the more I think about my experiences with God of War 3, the more I realize I need to let it all out. First and foremost, I would like to say that I was a huge fan of the first game, skipped the second, played the PSP one which made me hate the entire series, and I'm back again giving 3 a chance. This was the one release this year that was guaranteed to be at least a good, worth owning PS3 title, especially after enduring all of the hype it was getting. What were my impressions and most importantly, could it possibly rekindle the flame that Chains of Olympus urinated out then shoved into a vat of steaming elephant dung for me? Read on to find out.

Graphics - 8/10

I think it goes without saying that as of right now, the graphical powerhouse titles on PS3 are Killzone 2, Heavy Rain, and Uncharted 2 (leave a comment if I missed one). While I can't comment on the last one since I've barely played the single player in it, I can safely say that God of War 3 does a stellar job of pushing the cell processor just as hard if not harder than the previously mentioned titles, and all without a hint of slowdown. GOW3 continues to emphasize the scale of Kratos vs. the insurmountable odds he faces at every turn, from minotaurs to titans. While the previous games looked particularly well considering when they came out, God of War 3 manages to keep everything running at a smooth 60 fps the entire time while presenting almost every story event using the in-game graphics engine instead of prerendered cutscenes, which is just about the only time you get to see how impressive the models look up close. All of the models sport incredible detail, even down to the way that sash around Kratos' waist moves. So why is this only an 8/10? Unfortunately, there are moments in the action based gameplay where when the camera zooms in and you get to see the texture work on the regular geometry and you realize that the only reason the world looks so detailed is because those textures were clearly meant to be seen from a distance and lose that sharpness as you get closer. Another downside is that there are also a lot of enemies and locations that have been (or at least look) recycled from previous games and while they have been increased in detail, it would have been nice to see completely original enemies or new designs for the pre-existing ones. Fortunately, some of the bosses you come across (the first comes to mind) look spectacular and there's a rather clever 300-styled cutscene that happens early in the game.

Gameplay - 7/10

I managed to not come close to touching the demo since I had a really weird feeling that God of War 3, at its core mechanics, would be more of the same. I'm a bit conflicted on how I feel about the end result. After unlocking more weapons, the ability to switch them on the fly mid-combo comes as a welcome change of pace. Despite this innovation for the series, most of the time you'll end up just hammering out the same button combos that you've been doing since the first title. It's nice to be able to pick up the controller and instantly know things, such as how the right stick has to be dodge, but it makes me wish that there had been more originality overall instead of falling back to the if-it-ain't-broke-don't-fix-it end result that we're left with. When you consider that Heavy Rain came out a few weeks before GoW3 and completely changed how most people feel about character interaction and presenting you with compelling QTE's, it's almost disappointing to see almost all of the events in GoW3 resort to hammering on a single button. At it's best, the game slows down long enough to let you see the button presses and make sure you hit the right ones or offers a cinematic camera angle from the enemies perspective, but the competition seems like it's moved way beyond the basic mechanics presented here.

Sound - 8/10

Since I've relocated to an apartment that I'm sharing with someone else, I feel like I shorthanded myself by not having experienced this game in 5.1 glory. Fortunately, I did have a set of Turtle Beach X1's handy, and while they don't simulate surround sound or anything dramatic, they do have great bass reception. When you get to hear the booming voice of Hades, it really made me appreciate how much effort went into the voice acting. Even Kratos' trademark anger is present, if a bit trite. The score continues to be phenomenal, just as it has been in the previous games, while fitting in appropriately to each section of the game, easily succeeding in further immersing the player into the insanity of the situations at hand. While all of the voice acting is phenomenal, it's a shame that the lines written for the characters have to be so weak at times. "WHAT TREACHERY IS THIS?!" Really now?! At least the line was delivered well in spite of its content!

Overall - 8/10

God of War 3 did manage to convince me that all hope was not lost for the franchise, even if it's supposed to be the end of a trilogy. While the whole game isn't continuously full of the high notes like the first hour or so, it did make a good job of making me want to see what was around the next corner, more for the experience instead of story. One thing I did forget to mention in the gameplay segment is how infuriating the double jump system is. While it is a total bummer to survive a tough fight only to fail at jumping a tiny pit because the timing is so strange for it, it still doesn't completely drag the experience down. I almost feel like if the studio had been tasked with creating a new title from a fresh IP, they might have put more effort into overcoming some of the traps they fell into (Kratos is still one dimensional, the double jump issue, and an incredibly predictable story). God of War 3 this still succeeds in being one of the best action games of this type on the PS3 and a must play for anyone owning the console. If you're a fan of action games or the series, this is easy to recommend as a purchase. If you're new to the franchise, you might want to just rent this one or pick up the God of War Collection instead. While it is a fitting end to a trilogy, it's also incredibly formulaic which keeps it from scoring higher.

Beatmania US Review

2009-12-04T13:28:00.004-05:00

With DJ Hero just recently coming out, I feel like it's time to go ahead and give credit where it's due. That's right, ladies and gents: it's time for me to finally review Beatmania.

GAMEPLAY - 7/10

Beatmania (US) is actually based on the 9th game in the popular and long running Beatmania IIDX arcade series, which is also a sort of reimagining of the original Beatmania series. The gameplay consists of buttons falling from the top of the screen to the bottom, with the player having to press the corresponding button as soon as it reaches the bottom. While the formula doesn't sound to different from any other music game out there, its real charm comes from the sheer difficulty and learning curve. While most games tend to make concessions towards introducing players to the game, then getting progressively harder, Beatmania starts you off at the bottom of the staircase, shows you the first two steps, then smashes the rest of them with a gigantic hammer, lights it on fire, then lines the rubble with nails dipped in poison and asks you to reach the top. Part of the challenge comes from the fact that the samples you're playing usually involve tapping rhythms and melody at the same time, while managing the turn table. This might not be that big of an issue, but it requires you to have at least 85% of the notes played correctly through the entire song, with your percentage becoming a life bar. Once you reach the upper threshold, any missed notes will slowly pull it down. Basically, this boils down to you possibly being great at a song and failing because of the last 5 seconds of the song if you don't know the ending, which can lead to a lot of frustration. If anyone out there is a fan of the previous (or later) releases, the US version is a perfect port in terms of gameplay, along with giving you a chance to get an official Beatmania controller.

GRAPHICS - 4/10

While the US music games tend to focus on creating unique interfaces, characters or customization, Beatmania focuses more on a minimal graphical style that makes it feel more like you're learning some bizarre language instead of playing a game. Most of the time, you'll be staring at a plain black background with white, blue, and red keys flying down screen. If you can peel your eyes away, there's a video playing on the side, but that's about it as far as in-game visuals are concerned. The music select screen is nice, but there's really not too much that sets up any sort of atmosphere other than music-game-in-corner-of-arcade, which doesn't really cut it for console music games anymore.

SOUND - 7/10

If you're one of those people that criticizes DJ Hero for not having enough trance/techno, the soundtrack here might float your boat a bit more. While there's still a bit of the traditional eurobeat stuff that plagues so many japanese music games, you also get some of the more original songs from the franchise (Bad Boy Bass? Yes plz). In addition to that, you get a few original songs along with the required American tracks, which includes a decent remix of Britney Spears' Toxic, Funkytown, etc. In total, you've got 58 songs, some exclusive to Beatmania, the others in IIDX, and a few more that are selectable in both modes once you unlock them.

OVERALL - 7/10

For anyone that's always loved Beatmania or is a huge fan of music games, this is well worth at least trying out, however the steep difficulty curve and song list might alienate some players. If you persevere and manage to pass some of those more tough songs and possibly even AA them, you'll get one of those rare moments where you might jump out of your chair or away from the TV in excitement. This is also probably one of the easiest way to score an affordable and decent Beatmania controller for long time fans, but it's a bit hard to locate copies of the game since it didn't sell too well in the US. While BM US is easily a must buy for Beatmania fans, people that are hardcore fans of American music games might want to approach this one with caution and everyone else might want to look at videos to see if it looks interesting before even trying it out.

Wii Sports Resort review

2009-11-16T11:34:00.011-05:00

It's nice to know the first Wii game reviewed here is a pretty good one! The original Wii Sports was one of those games that really helped to showcase the features of the Wii and was a primary reason so many people purchased the console, but it was clear after a few sessions that it was pretty much just a glorified tech demo. Is it possible that Wii Sports Resort presents the player with more of the same, or does it bring anything new to the table? How does the Motion Plus affect gameplay? Why are there so many questions here? Read on to find out!

Graphics - 7/10

Annnnnnnnnd it looks like we're off to a bad start. Unfortunately since Wii Sports came out, there have been a lot prettier games produced without having to add the "good for a Wii game" qualifier after it. While the graphics in Wii Sports Resort do have a certain charm to them, it's mostly just a few small enhancements to the same visual style from the original game. Your characters are all Miis, which is cool and all, but they aren't exactly the most detailed things out there. I know it's nitpicking, but I feel like things might have been a bit better had they pushed this into a slightly more unique art style. To be fair, the new levels feel a lot more organic with the miis walking around in the background or cheering you on, or even subtle things like the ducks swimming in the lake while you're canoeing. Most importantly, even though it might not be pushing any graphical boundaries, it still feels like it captures that classic Nintendo feel that nearly all of their first party games have.

Gameplay - 9/10

The first game did a phenomenal job of convincing people to spend 250$ on an experience they couldn't get anywhere else, but unfortunately didn't keep anyone really coming back for more past the first week. Wii Sports Resort relieves all of those issues by offering 12 different sports, each with tons of unlockable bonuses that change up the gameplay (frisbee golf, speed slice, 3v3 basketball, etc) with the core gameplay of most of the modes being incredibly fun and accurate to their real life counterparts. While there's tons of content for all 12 games, the typical reaction from people is to love some of them, like a few more, then have 1 or 2 that they utterly despise. The other small issue is that while most of the games take full advantage of the motion plus, a few of them feel like they could have been done without it, which is a shame since the game requires each player to have the accessory attached during multiplayer. I'm not sure if you want to at the package as a full game with a pack-in that you might end up needing in the future or a 40$ accessory with a 10$ game, but this time there's definitely more than enough on the game side to keep you coming back for a long time.

Sound - 6/10

While the graphics get by because of the sheer charm, the sound in WSR is actually harder to excuse. On one hand, you have an incredibly catchy theme with some decent sound effects that you'll hear from time to time, but you'll quickly realize that those few sounds are what you're going to be hearing every single time you play. It would have been nice if they gave you an option to use a custom soundtrack or maybe had a few classic Nintendo game songs just to help things stay fresh a bit longer. While most games feature overly cinematic scores, Wii Sports Resort skips all of that and uses some incredibly simple, yet memorable songs that you might actually find yourself humming while not playing the game for the first time in years.

Overall - 8/10

If you're a Wii owner or considering purchasing one soon thanks to the new price drop, WSR definitely deserves a place in your library. Not only does it blow the original out of the water, but the enhancements to the returning games gives you tons to keep coming back for. If anyone is looking for a title to show off the graphical prowess of the Wii, you might want to shy away from using this, but if you're looking for one of the most flat-out fun experiences this year, look no further than Wii Sports Resort.

Blueberry Garden quick review

2009-11-15T16:43:00.001-05:00

Winner of the Seamus McNally indie gaming prize has been out for quite some time, and has all sorts of mixed opinions. The one thing I think everyone can say that has played it is that it's not really much of a game in the traditional sense. While there is an objective, it's not exactly...clear at the beginning of the game, or even once you start doing things. Honestly, Blueberry Garden is more of an experience than anything else. People thinking of picking this up based on the awards or the praise it had been getting pre-release might want to check out the demo first to see if they enjoy it, but even then, it IS only 5$ so whatever opinion you walk away with, at least you won't be broke. Some people have called it a garden simulator with an abstract ending, others have mentioned how some of the things laying around in the world almost offer a perspective on environmentalism, but if there is one positive thing I can say, it's that the piano score is incredibly well done. The controls get the job done, even if you don't know exactly what the job is. On the other hand, due to poor computer optimization and no post-release updates, it's even harder to recommend since there's no way to make the game run better and its not clear whether or not your system will be able to play it smoothly. I'm playing on a 2.5gb RAM + Radeon 4670 HD pc and it runs the game at about 10-15 frames per second while all of the laptops in the house which have 256mb integrated graphics cards seem to run it flawlessly and I can't figure out why. So...what does all of this mean? There's probably 2-3 people out there that might ever read this and decide that Blueberry Garden is their ideal game, and while it IS a unique concept, it's definitely not for everyone. It's honestly not even recommendable to fans of abstract or indie games in general because of how terribly it runs. For people waiting for a score, here it goes:

OVERALL - 4/10

It's almost unplayable and even though you might completely go beyond the requirements, there's no guarantee that it will run smoothly. Maybe if there's ever some sort of fix, this will do better, but I've got to say you'd be fine watching a youtube video of this instead of playing it yourself. On the plus side, it's got a great soundtrack and a pretty cool looking art style.

DJ Hero Review

2009-11-07T20:52:00.004-05:00

It's hard to deny that Activision has essentially become the evil empire that Electronic Arts had been in the past. While in the past, they were known for rehashed Tony Hawk games and quick movie cash-ins, they also launched the (at it's release) innovative Guitar Hero franchise. While Guitar Freaks existed before it, GH was the first title to actually make it to US consoles with a music list that appealed to American audiences. While the first one was a critical success, it wasn't until the second that it became certain that Activision had managed to cement its place in music game history and inspired Rock Band and Konami to actually release its long-running Beatmania franchise here. Unfortunately, they pulled an Activision and like the THPS franchise before it, the Hero name seemed to appear on every single platform (DS?!) with several releases coming each year (4 being released in 2008). With that and Rock Band constantly competing against each others release dates, many people have grown tired of anything with the name attached to it and are slowly losing any dwindling interest in the music game genre. The most recent release with the Hero name attached to it is DJ Hero, which sounds like a quick attempt to cash in on the franchise name or emulate Beatmania. Does it actually do anything new? Is it worth the 120$? Read on to find out.

GAMEPLAY - 9/10

From the moment its name was announced, it was painfully obvious that this was another cheap move from the publisher to make as much money without doing anything new yet again. At least, that was everyone's expectation. Readers, I would like to take this time to inform you that despite the name, this is probably one of the best music games I've ever played. While the core gameplay is completely reminiscent of of the notes-streaming-down-a-highway we've all grown accustomed to, the new mechanics and controller set this apart from anything else you've ever experienced. The first assumption when touching the controller is that the buttons on the turn table are going to ruin the game, or at least detract from the feeling of actually mixing the tracks, but it adds another layer of depth while also kind of helping you to get a grip during some of those extra tricky scratches.
Instead of just forcing the player to dive in and get started, the game only has easy, medium, and hard opened from the start, and forces you to go through the tutorial first to make sure you have a basic understanding of the mechanics before you get yourself overwhelmed. After that, you've got a playlist at your disposal until you quickly start unlocking more and more sets, some with hidden songs that are only playable after getting at least 3 stars on everything else in that set. Along with the "Hero" title attached to the game, the lack of failing in the game was also heavily criticized before the game shipped, but as you progress, you'll realize about halfway through unlocking that just barely passing songs is NOT enough to unlock at least 10 of the playlists, which get progressively harder and still requiring you to get a decent number of stars to unlock even more things, which gives you something to work towards and rewards players that stick with the game long enough to start improving their scores.
The peripheral itself seems to garner people that love it and people that think its terrible. For the people that think it's a horrible piece of hardware, remember that you don't have to slide the crossfader directly back into the middle for it to count as being centered, so that argument goes away as you start playing more and more, and the grill on the outer edge of the turn table gives you extra grip for some of the quick scratches. The other major complaint I hear fairly often is that the game doesn't let you mix songs how you want to, and to that camp of people, I would like to remind you that you're playing a video game, not an actual turntable.
For those looking for multiplayer options, this feels like it was constructed as more of a single player experience (especially with the lofty price), but a few of the songs allow you to play on a turn table while a friend plays the guitar track, or even head to head battles with two turn tables. I'm not..sure..why you'd want to do that since there's all of the rewinds and samples you can throw in when you play alone, but...to each their own, I guess.

GRAPHICS - 7/10

This section will be kept as brief as possible since the main features of the game are its soundtrack and gameplay. The graphics work. That pretty much sums up what you expect from a music game anyway, right? While you can't create your own character, there's probably about 15-20 (including actual djs) that you'll have after you unlock all of them, with plenty of alternate costumes, custom decks/headphones, and venues that you earn the more you play, which helps with the variety. At the same time, all of the created male dj's feel ridiculous, especially when placed in the realistic looking locales (such as the mansion), or actual DJs included in the game. The crowds also seem to have this weird 2D or simplified 3D rendering that gives the illusion of tons of people gathered around watching you, but then you realize the crowd is constructed of like..3 models that are incredibly jaggy whenever you get a real view of them, but works since you spend most of your time staring at the notes streaming down the screen anyway. The noteskins and everything gameplay related work just as expected, which is to say sort of flashy to give it a bit more flare than the lines from Beatmania, but don't distract you from the overall gameplay experience. Despite my criticisms for the way the crowd looks and some of the bizarre male characters, there's still some sort of atmosphere of almost being on a stage in front of tons of people because of crazy lighting effects and the sheer size and variety of venues.

SOUND - 8/10

I'm not going to lie: the soundtrack in DJ Hero isn't going to please everyones tastes. At the same time, if you're upset that Metallica or Johnny Cash isn't in DJ Hero, you might have bigger problems than worrying about the music selection that IS available. On the disc, you've already got 93 mixes to play through, and while there might be a few weak mixes, you still have probably more than twice as many songs than what was available in Rock Band 1. That's an insane number of songs to be included on the disc in a music game. While some of the songs seem to get reused pretty frequently, the mixes still sound amazing if you can open your mind to the entire mashup genre. After you accept the fact that you're scratching at places the person that mixed it would scratch and you get to hear the full thing, there's tons of moments where you'll realize that these two songs you didn't think could work together mesh perfectly. Who would have ever thought MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice were possible to unite without the entire world being reverted to the 90's?

OVERALL - 8/10

For music game fans, regardless of your musical tastes, DJ Hero is an absolute must-play. For everyone else, you'll probably have tons of fun if you can accept the song list, and it's a completely different feel from anything you've ever played with the heavy emphasis on the scratching and crossfading, not to mention the ridiculous songs towards the latter half of expert that are incredibly rewarding once you start getting higher scores. Thanks to the tons of things that are left to unlock even after you get all of the songs, there's TONS of replayability in DJ Hero. The multiplayer feels kind of forgettable, but for those of you who want to try it out, there's online versus even though there's almost no one playing it. The biggest reason this didn't get a 9 however, is that even though I think this is probably one of the best music games I've ever played, there's the fact that it costs 120$, which makes it hard to recommend to anyone that's not a hardcore music game player. It's a shame because this is definitely one of those games I think everyone should at least give a chance, but thanks to everything else that's coming out or already came out this year, you've probably got tons of things to do to pass the time until the price inevitably goes down after the holiday season.

Lost Planet 2 Multiplayer Demo Impressions

2009-10-23T13:42:00.003-04:00

I realize this quick-look at the upcoming Capcom action game is probably 2 months late at this point, but better late then never, I always say! Lost Planet 2 is clearly the follow-up to the early 2007 sleeper hit, which took place on a distant planet that humanity was looking to colonize, yet had to compete against tons of space pirates and the native life forms, not to mention the incredibly harsh environment. The core gameplay was almost a blending of old-school mechanics with cutting-edge graphics and newer 3rd person shooting action, mostly set in frozen environments, but with volcanoes, abandoned facilities, and caves thrown in for variety. While it did fairly well, it never caught on well enough with the mainstream to warrant a sequel in my opinion which is why it's so shocking to find out that not only is Capcom working on a sequel, but they're throwing in more of the gigantic boss fights, 4 player co-op, and even more varied locales thanks to the aftermath of the original game.

The new demo for Lost Planet 2 highlights the 4 player co-op while showcasing one of the gigantic new bosses in a familiar frozen environment for fans of the original. With all the co-op functionality included in most games at this point, it would be fairly easy to assume that this is just another quick cash-in, but it's well worth sticking around to find out just how crazy and useful having 3 other teammates there with you are. The boss still has the same gigantic glowing orange weak spot that was in the first game, but it's worth pointing out that he completely towers over you and the other players. As everyone quickly scrambles around, searching for their weapon of choice, activating spawn points, or just trying to find a good spot to begin the beat down, you'll sooner or later learn that the size of the boss isn't one of those things that just intended to intimidate you. With a well timed approach while the enemy is crouching down, you can actually manage to get ingested inside of the creature and fight off tons of enemies as you work your way through its digestive system until you eventually come across the heart of the beast and have a few moments to attack it through its ribcage until you're inevitably forced out the butt of the thing, then can rejoin your teammates outside or attempt to start the cycle all over again.

While this was probably one of the coolest boss fights I've played in a while, it's worth noting that if you have a team of people that aren't very good at the game or don't want to help out, you'll probably die off really quickly, making this the ideal game to play with people that you actually game with on a regular basis that you know you can depend on to save yourself a lot of frustration. After the end of the boss fight, you've got a few seconds to run around and gather up points and ammo before it shows you with a ranking screen and exits back out to the main menu. If they can keep increasing the creativity of the boss fights throughout the game and the co-op includes...you know...levels and is NOT just a boss rush, along with bringing back the addictive competitive multiplayer from the original, this is totally a day one purchase for me. On the other hand, if you're not a fan of trying to find gigantic glowing weak spots, or you're looking for a more narrative driven game, it might be best to try out this demo first or wait for a review after the full game comes out, since the first one definitely wasn't for everyone and the demo feels the same way.

Katamari Forever demo impressions

2009-09-16T17:02:00.003-04:00

Originally, I had planned on writing this a few months ago after some hands on time with the Japanese demo, but felt I should wait. So here we are! The US demo has finally come out on the Playstation Network and the verdict? It's pretty much the same thing you grown to love or hate. While the gameplay changes are minor (using the six-axis to jump...sort of.) there's a bit more variety in the missions, not to mention you can change characters now, and it sounds like you might be able to unlock a few of them in game if you manage to roll them up. While in the previous games, the King of all Cosmos would sort of taunt you or maybe give you an backhanded compliment for doing a bad or great job, there's an actual grading system in place, giving you more replayability if you're the kind of person that's into getting and improving high scores. The controls aside from the jump are the exact same and work as great as they always have. The two most significant changes aside from the grading system and mission variety (one mission has you absorbing water then rolling over sand to expose the lush environment underneath) is the new art style. It's not exactly cel-shaded, but it does have a cartoon-like feel, which is appropriate when you think about how outlandish what you're doing is in these games anyway. The soundtrack is great as always, with the demo featuring two songs that I don't remember from any of the other versions, but still are a variation on the unforgettable Katamari theme. Lastly, I would like to say that this is the first version of the game that I've played where once you start exceeding your goals and become huge, there's no drop in the frame rate or graphical quality. Then again, the demo does only offer one scenario where you're getting bigger, and it takes place indoors so that might not be the case for outdoor environments. As a Katamari fan, I'm looking forward to playing the full version whenever it comes out, but if you've never liked the series before, it seems like this will do little to convert you.

Darkest of Days demo impressions

2009-09-16T15:52:00.002-04:00

Darkest of Days is one of those games that I know is going to be overlooked by tons of people that probably would have enjoyed, yet won't experience due to negative feedback or the outlandish premise. Keep in mind that all of the following statements are based on the demo, so it's possible there's some even more crazy plot twist that ruins the game/gameplay later in, but if you're trying to play through this for the story, you're probably missing the point. From what I gathered from the demo, you start off as a soldier during Custer’s Last Stand, tasked with simply surviving against increasingly more and more Native Americans. Unfortunately, you get shot and end up firing into the masses on a CoD4 last stand mode, and when everyone around you finally dies, a time bubble pops open and out pops some futuristic looking soldier, telling you that they need you to come back with them. Enter Darkest of Days; Once you're teleported to the future, you're given a brief explanation of why you're going back through different periods in time, which is usually something along the lines of "THIS GUY IS IN THE WRONG SPOT! GO BACK AND FIND AND PROTECT THEM WHILE SHOOTING REVOLUTIONARY WAR SOLDIERS WITH A ROCKET LAUNCHER LOL" It's not in exactly those words, but I think you get the point. After a brief training session, you're warped back in time again, with more control over the outcome.

The gameplay itself is really reminiscent of things like Serious Sam or Painkiller, or possibly even Left 4 Dead since it's mostly you moving to an area, holding it, then moving on to another. To keep things a bit more fresh from just saving one guy while killing everyone else, there are random enemies that have a blue aura surrounding them, which means that you're supposed to score a non-lethal take down on them, which is easily done by shooting them a few times in the legs or arms. It's not much of a change from the formula, but it is a welcome addition. While everyone you're fighting is using weapons from the respective time period, it doesn't mean that you're necessarily going to be blowing through them. Judging from the demo, when you enter an area, you're given 2 weapons from that time, which in this case meant an old school rifle that you had to reload by packing gunpowder and dropping in ammunition and a faster semi-automatic rifle that's a bit weaker in terms of pure firepower, but later you‘re handed a weapon to turn the tides in your favor. While it's not exactly complicated, the well done engine, mechanics, and controls do provide a lot of mindless fun. It's nice to play newer games that don't try to have elaborate cover systems or RPG elements from time to time.

Graphically speaking, I'm a bit torn. On one hand, the game really does a great job of modeling the chaotic feeling of organized battles during that moment since firing a manual reload rifle leads to tons of smoke filling up the air, which clouds your field of vision, but those same effects are largely what cause the frame rate to drop down from 30-40 to somewhere in the teens for a few seconds. The character designs are pretty well done, and while their talking animations aren't that great, it still looks good enough to not break you out of the battle while getting shot at. The only real downside I've noticed is that the color palate seems to reflect what you have a mental image of what a battle would have looked like at that time period, and not an actual realistic environment.

The sound effects are ...not the greatest strength of the game, but they aren't really terrible either. Considering the game is coming from a smaller studio, it's not that bad, but I almost get the feeling that the voice actors in particular are trying to feed on stereotypes to help you identify where they're coming from. I would like to point out how bizarre it is that no one at all ever mentions how you're using an incredibly overpowered weapons, but hey, what can you do?

Overall, I'm really impressed with the simple fun that's here, but I’d have a hard time recommending it to anyone that’s not a fan of more arcade style shooters. While there isn't a point mechanic or anything that I'm aware of, it's not exactly the deepest game out there. Then again, you've got tons of those coming out between Halo: ODST, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and several other shooters coming out from this year or in early 2010. Why not give this one at least a chance as a demo or if you see it for a lower price. Unfortunately, I've heard some bad things about the console version, so if possible, go for the PC one (29.99 on Steam), provided you can run it. While I have your attention, I've got to say that this feels like the perfect engine to mod on since you've got all these weapons already demonstrated in game.

Dreamcast 10th anniversary spectacular!

2009-09-09T21:56:00.011-04:00

I know this is a bit late, but it's still the 9th, so happy 10th anniversary, Dreamcast! This list is just a list of ten things that I feel made the Dreamcast special. It's not the ONLY things, but these were the first ten that popped into my mind. If you have anything to add, feel free to leave a comment!

1. The 128 bit Graphics.

I still have that scene of Sonic racing down a dock as a killer whale crashes through behind you against the blue sky and crashing waves in Sonic Adventure 1. While the N64 had been a 64 bit system, most of the games didn't feel like nearly as big of a leap as what happened with the launch of the Dreamcast. While Sonic Adventure 1's dolphin scene and maybe the commercial for Ready 2 Rumble are two of the most memorable launch experiences, who can possibly forget the first time you saw Soul Calibur? Say what you will about the franchise, SC1 on DC had some amazing effects. Then you've got Jet Grind Radio, the amazing 2d art in Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike, completely trippy visuals like Rez, and countless other games that showed you that, at least for a while, Sega did what Sony and Nintendon't.

2. Peripherals

While there weren't actually too many peripherals for DC, the ones that were actually helped out people a lot. You've got the infamous Rez vibration controller, but there's also great things like the light guns, and arcade stick for creating an authentic arcade experience at home. If you were a fan of pc games, specifically Quake 3, you could grab the keyboard and mouse for the dreamcast, allowing you to play a console FPS exactly how you always wanted to, which was great for online matches against other PC players (cross platform play ftw!). The keyboard attachment was also later used to help players all over the world talk to each other in PSO and was infinitely more useful than the on screen keyboard or quick commands, along with later being used in Typing of the Dead. A microphone had been released later to use with Seaman, which was useful, but never really managed to make it beyond gimmick status. Either way, you've still got stuff like the Samba De Amigo maracas and that definitely gave plenty of people a lot of enjoyment.

3. Cel Shading and Jet Grind Radio.

What probably would have been overlooked as just another extreme sports game, the art style really made this game stand out amongst the Tony Hawks and Dave Mirras, which allowed people to realize that this was actually about graffiti, helping to spread word of your crew while surviving against the oppressive military and other gangs. If I ever see anyone take down a helicopter in real life with a can of spray paint...I think I'll have finally seen everything.

4. PSO/Online Play

Managing to waste entire weekends playing Phantasy Star Online for free through Sega's 56k modem is simply unforgetable. I'm STILL not completely sure how they managed to keep everything running so smooth while everyone was using telephone lines to dial in, but WOW, what an amazing experience! I'm not certain that Phantasy Star Online Blue Burst is still online for the pc, but if you haven't played this game yet and are a fan of Diablo style hack and slash adventures, do yourself a favor and grab it on pc, xbox, dc, or whatever else you can.

5. All of the amazing arcade ports.

From Shmups to Light Gun games, whatever your favorite games were in the arcade in the late 90's, if you wanted to see a 100% faithful port, Dreamcast was the way to go. While this tradition was sort of started with the Saturn, the faster loading times, great dpad, and hardware specs made this an arcade fans dream. When it was finally announced that the Dreamcast was no longer going to be produced, it left everyone a bit uncertain since this also happened during the decline of arcades. Luckily, the torch was passed on to the PS2, but if you're trying to find that perfect port of Marvel Vs Capcom 2 or want to go back and experience the way Ikaruga was meant to be, look no further than the DC.

6. VMUs.

While card based storage would later be phased out with the dawn of the Xbox, both Sony and Sega tried their hand at creating portable memory cards with screens. Unfortunately for Sony, their attempt never caught on and (if I remember correctly) was never officially released in the US. Dreamcast, on the other hand, was launched with their Virtual Memory Unit, a memory card that had a dpad, 2 buttons, ran on one of those...LR3 batteries or whatever, and had a (terrible) speaker built into it. While many games just used the feature to show the name of their game on the screen as you played, there were plenty that actually took advantage of it and several sites that had downloadable games specifically designed for the VMU. To think, it took Logitech until 2005/2006 to produce their G15 keyboard that had a screen with more or less the same functionality!

7. The controller.

I'm not going to lie. The Dreamcast controller, aesthetically speaking, looks pretty frickin' unwieldy. First, you have the 4 candy colored buttons on the right side, two triggers, a big wide space in the middle with a start button at the bottom center and a gap in the face to view the VMU, then a dpad and analog stick. It even sounds awkward describing it. Amazingly, when you put that thing in your hands, it feels perfect, largely thanks to the grips the triggers provided so you could comfortably rest your extra fingers behind it. While issues arose with first person shooters (dual analogs hadn't really been around yet), those hadn't really caught on too well with the console market, so this controller is still perfectly suited for the games available on the console.

8. Sega Sports.

While I'm not a big sports gamer, I really do admire how much the 2k sports games forced EA to actually get better, to this day. Before NFL 2K had come out, it was already accepted that football fans were going to get the new Madden whenever it came out, and maybe give a game like NFL Blitz or NFL Xtreme a shot, but nothing had come close if you were looking for a realistic sports game. Then here comes Sega's first real sports game in ages, NFL 2k, which blew Madden out of the water, while the NBA 2K games slowly gained dominance of EAs NBA Live. With its 128 bit graphics, completely unique play selection screen, and the sheer amount of detail that went into every aspect, it was evident a new and formidable competitor had finally stepped into the ring.

9. That Ready 2 Rumble ad.

THIS LONE AD was what made SO MANY people think games had finally started to really look realistic. While biting fro's was not an actual attack in-game, it was still managed to be a lot of fun to play. Now that I think about it, R2R was the first time I'd had a great time with a boxing game since Super Punch Out. While the gameplay itself was great, the graphics, characters, and commentary by Michael Buffer really helped keep this in the heart of countless Dreamcast fans.

10. The arrival of Shenmue.

Talk about ambitious! Shenmue was originally planned to be a 16 part game that followed Ryo's quest to avenge his father. The first game in the series was one of the most hyped Dreamcast games I can remember. Putting the game in for the first time, you were treated with an epic (for the time) intro that lasted at least 10 minutes. The game took place in Yokosuka, Japan and one of the cool features of the game was that as you hunted down clues to the man that killed your father, there was a day-night cycle with randomly generated weather that was respective of the season in addition to using some of the real weather patterns from that area in real life during that time. While looking back at it now, many people scoff at how "hunting down" a killer boiled down to asking sailors what they knew about "THE THREE BLAAAAADES?!?!", and then repeating the question to the person only to find out they know nothing, there's an actual feel of tension of trying to finish all of these tasks within the hours you have awake. For those that just wanted to enjoy the world, you were free to roam the streets and talk to the many npc's, or maybe hop in the local arcade to play a few games of Space Harrier or Hang On while wasting the rest of your money on the countless toy dispensing machines in your attempt to collect every action figure known to mankind. The only downside to this game was that this is the game most people directly blame for QTE's catching on. Finally, the series was cut short, and even though it had been critically praised, terrible sales prevented Shenmue II from ever making it overseas on the Dreamcast, doomed to stay forever in Europe and Asia, yet somehow managing to get a US Xbox port many years later. It seems like every year, people hold out hope for a Shenmue 3 or something to continue the adventures, but until that day comes, keep crossing your fingers.

XBL indie spotlight - I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES!!!1

2009-08-31T23:17:00.004-04:00

I'm long overdue to write an article here, so here we go! While there's been many, MANY retail games that are well worth owning released this summer, it’s pretty obvious that with the economy the way it is and the sheer number of things going on in peoples lives that sometimes you just can’t afford to spend a full 60$ on something new. For those of you who are on a budget, there’s been plenty of great sales on Steam and some amazing PSN and Xbox Live Arcade games going from 10-15$. For people that aren’t able to spend that much either, this is exactly the type of game you’ve been looking for. Since Geometry Wars came out years ago, its formula has been reiterated and cloned many times, so it’s easy to think you’ve seen everything that can be done with twin stick shooters. Luckily, there’s some pretty amazing people out there that want to prove otherwise. Enter I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES!!!1: a game that I bought simply because of the laughable title, the fact that it only cost 80 Microsoft points (1$), and the incredibly minimalist box art which stood out in the Indie Games section. It sat on my hard drive for 2 days, unplayed but not forgotten, until I had some downtime two days later, so I finally decided to fire it up.

While its gameplay is still a reiteration of the tried-and-true twin stick shooter format, there’s a certain charm in its construction that has to be experienced once in everyone’s life. Since Portal came out, people have occasionally tried their hands at making a game with a comedic ending song (Portal - Still Alive, and You Have To Burn The Rope come to mind), but this game is almost built around this concept. While it’s fun to play on its own, the real humor of the game comes from the amazing song blaring in the background, which I don’t want to ruin here. The great thing about the music in the game is that just when it starts to get old, it switches into another version of the song and the map and graphics changes accordingly, along with introducing new enemies and weapons. I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES!!!1 is one of those things that might have benefited from online play or an online leader board, but even without it, there’s tons of laughs to be had each time you play the game. It’s hard to say too much about it without kind of spoiling or possibly overhyping the experience, so do yourself a favor and download it with those 80 points you’ve had laying around on your account or at least give the demo a chance.

Demo Woes.

2009-08-05T19:29:00.005-04:00

Perhaps one of the most definitive memories of the huge change to using CD's for video games, aside from the technical side of things, was that gamers everywhere were given the ability to play demonstrations. When the format had been around for a while, you would find yourself getting demos included with everything from magazines to cereal, and even as promotions for fast food companies. The entire idea behind things such as Playstation Underground or the demos for Sega Dreamcast were to generate hype for titles that you might not have heard of or perhaps just seeing images in magazines didn't do justice to the feel of the games themselves. Demos were constantly tweaked as years went by, changing as companies attempted to understand exactly what the consumer needed to see in order to make the jump from casual interest into being prepared to purchase, so the general expectation was that you would have around 10-15 minutes or a few levels, with the first few minutes or first level used primarily as a tutorial, explaining exactly what you were playing while showing off a few of the mechanics that made it different from the crowd by not being too challenging. Following the introduction, the next section typically let the player see how they could use those same mechanics in more difficult ways, such as an actual game to practice the trick stick that had been newly introduced in NBA Live 2k3 to getting a good grasp on the combat system of an RPG. It's always been incredibly vital that the new player that's trying to see if they're interested in a game to have some sort of brief tutorial or a slowly increasing difficulty meter without ever getting too hard just to start the hype machine in their minds and push the person towards purchasing the product.

So....WHY has this format of demo slowly been pushed out? Where we were once rewarded with a demo simply for buying a certain box of cereal or picking up a magazine, there's a lot of companies that refuse to have their demos available anywhere unless you do some sort of special preorder of a deluxe edition, which allows you to try out a game that you've pretty much already decided you're going to buy. Doesn't that completely eliminate the possibility of enticing anyone that was just casually interested? Even more frustrating than exclusive demos or releasing a beta for your game that pretty much functions as a demo in many peoples eyes after a certain point is releasing a demo without ANY sort of instruction as to what's happening. Just to lay all of my cards out right here, this entire article was fueled by my run through of the Madden 10 demo on Xbox Live. I haven't played a next gen Madden game (unless you count 07 on the Wii, which is significantly different), so this was my first time giving the franchise a fair shake since 2004. I've kept my eye and ears open by listening to what friends of mine that are into the franchise have told me they've added each year and how to perform the moves, but had it not been for that, I would have absolutely no clue how to control anything in this game, much less any clue of what makes it unique aside from looking pretty. To be fair, the demo is about 8 minutes long, which lets you at least get a feel for the basics of the game, but that's it. The demo doesn't even go so far as to tell a person that's never touched the franchise how to hike, pass, juke, the new defensive line moves, or any of that. Loading the demo up takes you to a 'Press Start' screen, which then shows you a menu that has the following options: Play Now, XBOX LIVE, Career Modes, Quick Modes, NFL Roster, My Madden, Exit Demo. Picking anything aside from Play Now just lets you see highlights of that feature of the game in a sentence or two, which is incredibly vague. Once you select your teams in Play Now, you're taken to the field annnnnnd that's it. From then on, you're just thrown in to the mix. One of the features that people either love or hate about these games is also missing from this demo too, which is the commentary. I don't... understand what the point of this demo is aside from letting people who were already fans of the series play this one a bit early, but it doesn't even inform you of what you should be looking for.

There's also the issue of vertical slice demos, which highlight specifically the best parts of a game, and I understand what it accomplishes, but if you're the developer/publisher and you identify a certain part of your title as being particularly well done or better than the rest, shouldn't you also know exactly what to go back and change with the rest of the content to make it a much more cohesive experience instead of trying to fool people with the one fun level from your game? The last thing that needs to be somehow figured out is what to demo and what not to demo. Some games just aren't going to hold up or seem all that appealing if you only get to play a small section, and while some studios seem to get this (Bethesda not releasing a Fallout/Oblivion demo), others tend to stumble and put one out which can have a negative effect on opening day sales (Burnout Paradise). If anyone else out there can think of any solid examples of well done demos, horribly botched ones, or has a different perspective, feel free to comment and get a bit of discussion going. Maybe I'm completely wrong in my assumption that demos are slowly starting to miss their original intentions, or maybe it's just the big companies that aren't utilizing them correctly and everyone else is doing a great job.

inFAMOUS review

2009-07-05T19:06:00.005-04:00

Sucker Punch’s (the studio responsible for the Sly Cooper series) debut on the PS3 has finally arrived in the form of Infamous. It’s been one of the most hyped PS3 titles in gaming circles and while it instantly draws comparisons to Crackdown and Prototype, this title truly is in a league of it’s own with its moral choice system and the slight rpg elements included. Some may complain that the game lacks a true morality system since in order to get the most powerful version of yourself, you have to be truly good or truly evil, it’s fairly obvious that the game wasn’t designed with the concept of a grey area in mind and it embraces it with every choice that you make.

Gameplay – 8/10

Let’s clarify one thing now: inFamous is a pretty long game. That said, for the 30 or so hours it will take you to complete the main quest, you’re going to be in for one incredible ride and is well worth every cent of its price. Not to go into too much detail, the game starts off with a picture of a bike and the title screen displayed above it. The moment you press start, theres instantly an explosion, which serves as your prologue and sets you up for your cleverly integrated tutorial mission. As you progress through the game, you come through a few more sequences extending all the way up to the final hours where you enter a room and end up coming across a sewer that sets you up with a new power but also functions as a tutorial to help you come to grips with the controls for that specific move. Eventually, you'll find a point when you're easily able to judge exactly how far it is that you're going to be jumping and pinpointing your landing. Fortunately if you miscalculate a leap, the incredible parkour stuff kicks in.
Cole, for whatever reason, is extremely agile and capable of scaling nearly any building that populates the lush city. Any single ledge that you can see jutting out even the smallest bit is completely open for you to grab, which leads directly into the first complaint. Cole literally grabs anything within reach, which is awesome when you're scaling buildings vertically, but the moment you need to go sideways? You're going to find yourself wanting to leap from one side of the building, across two windows and a drain, then grabbing that very last one, but instead the game automatically forces you to grab on all of the things in between. Another major time this becomes an issue is during combat sequences when an enemy launches a rocket at you and you really need to dodge, but end up getting hit because you grabbed something you didn't mean to. It's nothing too major, but it does detract from the experience a small bit. Progression through the game, as previously mentioned, unlocks tons of abilities depending on which path you take, with the good side focusing more on sniper like attacks and the evil path gives you a huge area of destruction, since that's probably what you want anyway, right?
Once you become settled with the controls and gain some of the more powerful abilities, Cole truly becomes a force that can't be stopped... except by water and chain link fences. Dodging foes attacks becomes second nature as does using your environment and their strengths to your advantage. For a quick example, the kamikaze enemies you see throughout the streets are able to be blown back into a mob and detonated, taking it and several other creatures out with it. Of course, using your powers does drain your energy a bit, but quickly tapping the L3 key shows lighting icons throughout the world via minimap that you can drain in the middle of a fight, or you can drain enemies/civilians for a quick boost as well. While the entire game is pretty satisfying, unfortunately the mission variety starts to get stale about halfway through, with the basic missions being slightly different variations of things you've previously done. While I didn't mind, a lot of criticism has been aimed at how you do have moral choices, but it's almost always along the lines of "help the old lady cross the street" or "help the old lady cross the street, but when she's halfway across, shoot her into traffic, revive her, then detonate every car that surrounds her and wipe her and entire population nearby out as well." While the choices themselves may be extremely black and white, they do add a noticable change to your character and the way the city reacts to them, going so far as to slightly alter the ending and the way certain major events play out. It might not be the most incredible way to do moral choices, it actually starts to feel really fun, and that's what games like this should be about anyway. Last but not least, the storyline does a good job of giving you a slightly above average origin story and outcome of a completely original super hero that you could easily see belonging inside the Marvel or DC universe and the limited number of major characters in the cast allows you to become more attached to them than you realize.

Graphics - 8/10

While Cole is an important character, it almost feels like the central focus of inFamous at times is the city itself. Cole's character design isn't anything spectacular and could probably find itself comfortably fitting in any other game of this type and you wouldn't notice. His animations, however, are fabulous. While the controls feel great themselves, the fluidity of animations when you're running , then make a daring leap and grab on to a ledge just looks exactly how you would want it to. His various idle animations actually made me smile since this is one of the few 3rd person action games that has not just one, but several that happen as you're sitting there waiting. Sucker Punch really did an amazing job of giving you certain awesome looking moments that when you're holding on to an object with one while reaching out and pulling the electricity out of a nearby structure, or the way he slightly reaches up when he's crouched behind cover to take off a quick shot at an enemy. Enemy designs, while cool looking in the sleek comic style cutscenes, don't really look all that amazing in game. It's fine since you're almost too busy to notice, but instead of coming of as clever or creepy when they're alone, they just look...odd. NPC's in inFamous have enough models that create the illusion of a crowd when necessary, but you'll quickly find yourself coming across some of the same models throughout the 3 islands, which isn't bad considering how large the world is. Unfortunately the models for the cars are pretty bland, but that almost encourages you to just make one explode, which makes them look a lot better.

Sound - 6/10

Since this is such an anticipated title, it's a downer that there's almost no sort of soundtrack in 95% of the game. When the score does come into play, it's never intrusive in its style, but at the same time it's incredibly forgettable and seems to just happen at random times. I'm not certain if inFamous supports custom soundtracks either, so a lot of what you're going to be hearing will be the sounds of combat, the city, and npc's along with sporadic chatter with various characters from your cell phone. While the soundtrack and its integration was completely overlooked by the developer, the voice acting does a pretty good job. Cole's voice amused me since it captured that feeling of constantly being annoyed with people asking for his assistance, while others did an excellent job of portraying whatever emotion they were trying to get across. Since the sound effects consist of powers created via electricity, the team had a lot of liberty in creating whatever sounds they wanted to (I can't name a single person that's ever heard what's essentially a electric rocket launcher in real life) yet somehow everything sounds exactly how you would expect it to. A really nice touch that is typically overlook that inFamous completely nails is that NPC's actually react to you in the world, and even though it's not much, it's better than hearing "The hero of kvatch!" for 50 hours.

Overall – 8/10

For PS3 owners, inFamous is a must buy, without a doubt. If you're still a bit skeptical, you should at least borrow or rent it. The sheer size of the world, number of missions, interesting story, and creative powers will give you tons to do. Completionists will have tons of orbs to collect, which help to increase how much energy you have for your moves, the three islands to reclaim, two different stories, and loads of areas to explore. While the game on a whole is incredibly entertaining, the downside is that since there's so much to do, after playing about 50% of the time, you'll start to notice that even though theres so much stuff there, a lot of it lacks the polish of more focused games. The lack of a soundtrack for almost the entire game slowly takes it toll on you and drags the otherwise solid experience down a bit. Anyone that's a fan of superheroes, comics, sandbox games, or just looking for something to do this summer should definitely find a way to play this this out, but inFamous isn't quite what I could recommend to anyone looking for a system seller since there's all these minor gripes that add up. On the other hand, if you're looking for a game to add to your library or you're thinking of picking up a ps3 with this and a few other games, you're going to have an incredible amount of fun here.

Music Review: Atmosphere, When Live Gives You Lemons, You Paint That Shit Gold.

2009-06-22T21:13:00.002-04:00

Album: When Life gives you lemons, you paint that shit gold
Artists: Atmosphere
Album cover-

Sound: 7
Lyrics: 10
Originality: 9
Overall: 8.75

Rated - Nonexplicit

Comments: Slug and Ant of Atmosphere have come a long way since their lyrically charged debut, Overcast. They have gone through many transformations, and with each new album coming out, you never know what you will get till you give it a listen. They have created their own brand of hip hop that exists outside the macho, violent, sexist, and obscene world that dominates most of this genre. “When Life Gives you Lemons, You paint that Shit Gold“, is the fifth full length studio release by Atmosphere, and easily one of the best. It took the Story telling formula that had worked so well in their previous album “You Can’t imagine how much fun were having”, and took it one step further. It takes it to a much more personal level. I couldn’t help by smile when listening to "You" and “In her music box”, and I couldn’t help but cry when listening to “yesterday”. Each song on this great album expresses a different emotion. Hope, determination, desperation, sadness, regret, happiness. It is truly an emotional experience.

This album shines in more way than one. Besides the lyrical content displayed by MC slug, producer Ant has probably done the best work of his career on this album. His synthesizer based beats are unique, creative, and just absolutely brilliant. They possibly even outshine Slug.

If you are a fan of Atmosphere I highly recommend this album. If not, it wouldn’t be the best album to break your atmo cherry with, however it wouldn’t be the worst either. Give it a listen if you have not!

Other images:
Alternative album cover-

Album image-

Red Faction: Guerilla Multiplayer Demo Impressions

2009-05-28T09:17:00.004-04:00

Wow. Red Faction's single player demo didn't really make me care for the game. If anything, it kind of turned me away, but I've heard that it was a bad point in the game to showcase since it's so limited. The Multiplayer demo on the other hand features the Damage Control mode, which is just a standard multi-point King of the Hill similar to Conquest mode in the Battlefield games. WITH A TWIST!!! While you have to capture and hold points and you're thrust into a large Martian landscape, you've also got the hammer, different movement packs (jetpacks, faster movement, etc), explosives, several different guns, a nice ranking system, and the entire destructibility element that's always been the major selling point of the franchise fully present without any limitations in multiplayer. Instead of just running over to a point and standing there to capture it, then defending it, in order to capture a point, you have to pull out your repair gun and construct a satellite device to capture it, but only after annihilating the other teams previous one to make them lose their capture by any means necessary. There are several buildings that make perfect spots for snipers, but if you've got the time and communication, you can actually topple an entire building, completely destroying that snipers nest, and then later use your repair gun to build it back up or just leave it alone and destroyed.

Unlike most games, when you take down the supports for a building, there's a chance that the building will crush under its own weight, destroying it completely for that game unless someone rebuilds it, but it's also incredibly likely that the building will drop a few floors, maybe have a few walls get crushed along with the roof collapsing, but you're still able to jump into the remaining areas and use the rubble for cover instead of it just becoming some modeled pile of rubble that you can walk through that eventually fades away. It's also incredibly likely that you'll see a guy jumping from a building with a jet pack, applying it when they're right on top of you, and shooting electricity from a gun while you're frantically running to avoid them while shooting back with whatever you've got or maybe even jumping into the sky and smacking them down with a hammer. The sheer randomness of every match makes each game pretty unique and it feels like different groups of players, when working together, might take on the same level in completely different ways. Once you capture the points, your points slowly start to go up, with your goal being to reach 500 before the other team. The easiest way to do this is of course to have your team divided into either offense or defense, all out one way, or split into groups, which is pretty awesome since the game does reward players extra points for getting kills while near other characters. While I’m still not particularly excited for the single player still, I’m thinking of picking this up for the multiplayer as long as I can convince myself that people are going to be playing it online for a long time, especially since there’s nothing else like it out right now.

inFamous - First Impressions

2009-05-28T08:35:00.005-04:00

Yet another huge PS3 exclusive has finally arrived, but was it worth the wait? You play as Cole, a completely normal man that's been infused with these electrical powers that he's slowly gaining an understanding of as he progresses throughout his adventure. What hasn't been completely clear in the marketing is how he comes across these powers. When you start up the game, you're shown the title screen that simply says the title of the game and "press start", with the serene city at night being displayed as the backdrop. The second that you press the start button, ish hits the fan. Hard. Instead of giving you a typical introduction where you have some abilities at the start, or starting you off as a character without powers that gains them through the adventure, pressing start triggers a gigantic electrical explosion, completely altering the landscape and killing tons of people before you even take your first steps in this game. After the explosion is done, you're shown some comic book style scenes, then you're awakened to the sounds of yelling over helicopter blades. Because the game starts off with you directly triggering the explosion, the movement tutorial area is you trying to escape what appears to be ground zero for the explosion. As you continue forward, you'll slowly notice things are reacting strangely to you, specifically electrical items that spark as you walk by. After progressing through this tutorial area, you eventually black out and awaken on the roof of a building with your friend there, giving you another tutorial on how to use your newly awakened electrical powers, and after you're done, you're completely free to explore the first island.

This is probably the most incredible way to explain a superhero/supervillain's origin that I've ever seen. Since you're actually learning about abilities throughout your adventure, it's pretty awesome when you yourself are seeing various powers awakening. While I was a bit put off by the looseness of the camera controls at first, you're able to go into the menu and change between a normal, fast, and faster setting, which might not be as precise as a slider, but lowering it down to normal worked fine for me. One of the heavily marketed aspects is the entire morality system, which gives players a completely different skill set depending on how they play. For doing good deeds, you slowly become a hero, which causes people to cheer as they see you leaping between rooftops or simply walking down the street, while also opening up quests that you can only do as a hero. From a powers standpoint, the hero powers are a bit more like sniper attacks, allowing you to focus on a specific target while the infamous powers are more damaging to a general area, since you're most likely going to be causing as much chaos as possible. While Sucker Punch could have probably just gotten away with simply reskinning the moves to be either blue or red, instead they have moves and missions that you can only embark on if you're playing a good or bad character, and in order to stay at the highest level of either side, you have to continuously perform good/bad deeds. In terms of mission structure, you've got story missions, good and evil missions, and other missions. The story missions obviously push you forward in the game, while the good and evil missions are dedicated to allowing you to make large jumps in either direction of the morality system. The other missions are mostly just things that you do for random citizens that, while they ultimately don't affect your morality or anything, they do give you a bit of experience and completing them causes enemies to stop appearing in that section of the island.

Graphically, while it's not the best looking game ever, it's still incredibly pretty and does an amazing job of creating a gritty yet realistic environment. The animations on Cole and the pedestrians are part of what gives this immersive feeling. When you're scaling up the side of buildings, leaping over poles, or dodging between cars while taking shots at enemies, everything feels extremely fluid. There's something about the way Cole reacts to the environment that just screams awesome, especially when you're dangling from a wire with one hand while targeting an enemy and watching the ensuing explosions. The car models work, and while they're not particularly great or anything, they all capture that worn down look that you would expect to see after a disaster of this magnitude happens, and it's pretty impressive when you launch a car that was driving down the road into a group of enemies and you look over to see the person inside slowly die at the wheel, which might be grim but makes perfect sense in context. While I haven't noticed any blood, the death animations are pretty believable depending on how you take out an enemy. Last but not least, the comic style cutscenes are beautiful to look at, but that style of delivering major story points might not be for everyone, but it is an extremely stylish alternative to the various in game storyline elements and adds a bit of variety.

I'll admit that the first time I had tried out the demo, I wasn't a fan of how the movement felt and almost found the game to be a bit boring, but if you let yourself just screw around in the world and pick your own play style, it's easy to just lose yourself for hours here. While the black and white morality choices might not click with everyone that wants more options in games, it's still extremely fun once you just embrace it and decide to go down your path, either healing everyone you find while doing tons of good deeds or just causing as much chaos as possible, from starting riots to finding a way to just screw the city over completely, and it's really awesome to see that people in the world are constantly reacting to you. The score works, and while I haven't noticed any memorable songs in it, there's also been nothing grating to listen to, and the voice actors and actresses all feel like they've done a great job of capturing how each character is supposed to be feeling, extending from major characters to random civilians crying out in amazement at your actions or hatred for what you've done. Controlling Cole gets to a point where it just clicks, and since the game slowly introduces more abilities to you, you don't start off with a million things you have to know, but once you've mastered those skills and powered them up, you can pull them off without much thought at all. I'm only about 6 hours in so far, so all of this is subject to change, but I really think this is a must own game on ps3 right now, or at least checking out what it has to offer. Once I'm done, there will be a review up and of course, once Prototype comes out, I'll do a comparison between this, that, and Crackdown. So far, this game definitely feels unique in comparison to anything else I've played since the movement system is so fluid, you can actually stop enemies from spawning, you've got different ways to develop your character depending on how you play the game, which is complimented by the morality system. If you don't want to drop the 60$ on it, there's always the demo up on PSN that you could give a try.

Rogue Touch Quick Review

2009-05-26T07:07:00.004-04:00

Similar to many other games in this dungeon-crawling genre, Rogue Touch brings the classic incredibly rewarding yet punishing formula of the dungeon crawling classic Rogue to iPhone and iPod Touch. For those who are unfamiliar with the genre, the main draw of these games is that you're put into a random dungeon with randomly located enemies, treasures, and traps, and generally have to descend in the labyrinth as far as possible. Since it's such a simplistic concept, the controls work fine with movement, attacking inventory management, etc, all being controlled by simply sliding you finger across the screen in the direction you wish to move or on the character to use items or manage your inventory. In classic style, you'll come across all types of unidentified items, forcing you to think wisely before you blindly equip that magic ring you found, since it could end up draining your health per turn. Once you die, your characters name will be registered in your hall of fame but you're forced to return to level one with a fresh start, meaning you don't have any of the items you previously found accessible to you. One of the unique features of Rogue Touch is that supposedly you're able to come across your corpse if you adventure long enough and you're able to loot it, taking items and gold that you had when you died and use them on your new character. While the gameplay is pretty addictive, it stays true to the classic art style, meaning you're looking at a more or less top down view of the dungeon, with your character, creatures, and items all represented by simple 2d sprites. Combat is conducted by simply walking into a creature over and over and reading the status messages as the top of the screen that tell you if you had a hit, critical hit, took damage, etc.

(You'll see this. A lot.)

It's worth mentioning that in addition to managing your inventory, you also have to worry about your character's health, which means that you're going to have to hold on to food when you find it and use it when you start to get hungry. As you fight more, you'll eventually level up which refills your health bar and seems to make you a bit more powerful as well. The music in the game is more or less non-existent, which is kind of a bummer since it disables your own music when you start it up with the soft "plop" sound of water every few moments. On the plus side, roguelikes are easily one of the most addictive types of games and having it on your iphone or itouch means you can literally start a game within seconds, turn it off whenever you need to, and as long as you don't die, there's a continue feature on the main screen. The main reason I'm just giving this a 7 is that while I definitely do enjoy it, I realize this type of experience isn't for everyone, especially since you have to realize that you WILL die and dying is a part of the game, not to mention you'll occasionally come across some completely unexpected moments (testing out an unidentified wand that happens to shoot lighting, which then bounces off the wall and kills you after an hour of playing), but it's those moments that make this such an enjoyable game and kind along with giving you clues of what to be careful of the next time you're in the dungeon.

Score - 7/10

Marvel vs Capcom 2 demo impressions

2009-05-12T20:02:00.003-04:00

The demo for the anticipated and inevitable (considering the current streak of success with Capcom) classic arcade fighter has finally hit. That's right, for everyone who's tired of Street Fighter, Virtua Fighter, Tekken, and Soul Calibur, or is just looking for a completely insane and refreshing experience, Marvel Vs Capcom 2 has been announced to land on digital shelves this summer, but the demo is now out to make the wait less dreadful. The demo highlights some of the basic new features, specifically the graphical filters and widescreen support. When the actual game comes out, all characters will be unlocked from the moment you buy it (saving us all 10+ hours of unlocking), but the demo only features 6 of them. As far as gameplay is concerned, everything feels pretty much exactly how you remember it, if you spent time playing MvC2 in the past on Dreamcast or in arcades. The only downside with the demo is that it only features local multiplayer, so you need to have another controller and preferrably a body that's willing to battle against you. While you are able to browse the gameplay modes, trying to select anything other than the local multiplayer just shows you a "UNLOCK FULL VERSION" screen.

It's said to use the same net code as SSF2THD remix, which I definitely would rather have instead of the one present in SF4. The selectable characters in the demo are Ryu, Chun Li, and Strider on the Capcom side, while Wolverine, Spiderman, and Iron Man round out the Marvel side. For anyone that loved the games back in the day, or always wanted to play it but didn't feel like dropping 80$ for the game ( Which is its current price used without a guaranteed manual or case at Gamestop), you've finally got a shot to play it with netplay, which is a huge bonus. If you're unsure about whether or not you want to pick this up, that's the entire point of the demo, provided you have an extra controller laying around and possibly another gamer that's up for fighting. Hopefully I'll see at least a few of you online and be sure to drop a comment letting me know your personal thoughts on this rerelease!

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl review

2009-05-10T08:11:00.002-04:00

Are you ready for an in-your-face, skateboard-shreddin', rollercoaster of a ride through a post nuclear wasteland?! Well, you've probably picked up the wrong game. What STALKER represents is an excellent blend of first person shooting mixed with light rpg elements, all set in the desolate environment surrounding the infamous Chernobyl Power Plant post nuclear meltdown. As a result, the wildlife has become horribly mutated and hostile, and the terrain has become controlled by three rival factions, all constantly battling for territory while collecting artifacts that are worth thousands for their own profit. Where does the player fit in through all of this? You're given control of The Marked One, an amnesiac (I've never seen THAT in a game before!) protagonist (or antagonist, depending on how you play the game) that's only got one memory left, which is the primary motivation for completing the game. Does it hold up over time? Is it worth going back to a game that was originally supposed to be released in 2004, and then got delayed 3 years for more than just gameplay?

Gameplay - 8/10

For those of you who are looking for something a bit different in your first person shooters, this might be exactly what you've spent so much time searching for. One of the many aspects that separate S.T.A.L.K.E.R. from the competition is the freedom you have in the world. While the storyline might not be the most compelling thing ever, once you get a quest from a citizen such as retrieving an item, fighting back an offensive move from a rival faction, to just exploring new locations, you're quickly thrown into the world to handle it however you want to. Then again, maybe you just don't like the way a certain city looks. If that's you, you can easily just kill everyone in a town: the choice is completely up to you. For those of you who do decide to follow the narrative, much of the major points in the story are told through cutscenes in the middle of a mission, each one giving you somewhat of an insight as to what might have caused you to lose your memory in the first place. All of this is fine and dandy, but the way its developer has created the world is simply amazing. While many games are content to settle with a few weird creatures here or there, then constantly coming across bombed out cities for creating a ghastly atmosphere, Shadow of Chernobyl takes it one step further by occasionally allowing you to stumble across various anomalies in the world, from some that give you a nasty dose of radiation which is fatal if not treated quickly, to others that summon some sort of a radioactive tornado, you'll quickly start to learn that the environment might just be a bigger foe than any enemy you'll find in game, or it could be your best friend once you master setting traps so your enemies walk through them. While there are tons of enemies wandering around, you'll find yourself entering settlements, all populated with fellow mercenaries that have a different perspective on you based on your actions in the world. Weapons, armor, and certain anomalies all have various attributes on them, with the most unfortunate being their actual status, which deteriorates with use. Fortunately, the further you get in the game, the more powerful the weapons you find. Don't plan on taking everything you see with you though, since you're ultimately restricted by having a weight limit. Once you pass that weight, you're unable to run and jump, and if you continue to pick up items beyond that point, you'll find yourself over encumbered and unable to move. All of this is good and well, but there's one major downfall in this title. STALKER doesn't exactly have the most compelling story, so many people find themselves drawn more into the world than the events and characters taking place inside of it. It's worth pointing out that the game does feature several endings, but the biggest complaint I have with the title arises with the last section of gameplay. Without giving away any spoilers, it almost feels like STALKER's developers were worried about players zooming through a large portion of the game, and as a result, when you're progressing through the very last few areas, you've basically got to worry about a very strict time clock that if it runs out, you die, while being pushed through environments that are full of enemies that don't feel difficult, they just feel incredibly cheap. If you make yourself stop playing before you reach this point, once you're sucked in to this digital version of an alternate world Chernobyl, you'll probably be wondering why this only got an 8, but for those who actually press on to the very end, you're going to find yourself constantly in situations where you're wanting to eat your monitor.

Sound - 6/10

Unfortunately, especially compared to games that were released around the same time, such as Doom 3, Half Life 2, and even Far Cry, the sound in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. isn’t all that impressive. Most of this can be directly attributed to the fact that you’re wandering around a desolate environment, meaning you’re mostly just going to be listening to the wind or your footsteps, but its minimalism is also sort of a downfall. The weapon sound effects don’t seem to really vary much between the different guns you can pick up in each class, but you are able to distinguish the sound between a rifle and a sniper rifle. In the games defense, using surround sound or a decent set of headphones allows you to pinpoint exactly where your enemy is, which is useful for when you’re aiming at someone and hear a mob of rabid dogs approaching behind you, or locating some of the harder to see enemies in the run down factories. The voice acting is pretty well done and never feels out of place, but I don’t really understand Russian, so I’ve got absolutely no clue what most NPC’s are really saying. Speaking in a language relative to the location does help to provide extra immersion and really give you that feel of wandering around the ruins of Chernobyl, and the guns don’t necessarily sound weak, but I really feel like they could have possibly done more somehow.

Graphics - 7/10

When the game was first announced back in 2002 or 2003, I definitely remember flipping through magazines and looking at various gaming websites and being completely blown away by the fidelity of visuals, especially considering the games 2004 release. But then… that didn’t actually happen. Shadow of Chernobyl kind of just disappeared and was rumored to have become vaporware, which made it seem like gamers everywhere would just have to dream of what the title would have been like. Had it met it’s 2004/2005 release date, it’s direct competition would have just been Half Life 2, but due to the halt in development and the fact that it wasn’t released until 2007 without really any graphical upgrades aside from lighting effects definitely makes this title look a bit dated, even beside other games from the time period this was supposed to come out. On the plus side, they really did manage to capture the actual look of Chernobyl, even including landmarks from the actual location. The enemy design is pretty unique for the various mutated creatures you encounter, but the generic mercenaries are just that: generic. Many of the special effects you’ll see look pretty nice, and even though the visuals aren’t all that great, they do run at a steady framerate and it still looks decent, just not up to the standards set for the time which is almost inexcusable because of the extra few years they had to work on enhancing the tech.

Overall - 7/10

One of the biggest problems everyone has with STALKER is the first hour or so of playing. It’s hard in the beginning to accept that your weapons, while governed largely by the players on skill, are still statistic based, meaning that while you might be aiming right at someone, you’re likely to not hit them with the first few shots until you come across better weapons. The game looks similar to every other first person shooter, but it’s a lot more of a slow paced, tactical experience requiring the player to use cover wisely while constantly keep an eye on their flanks. Once you’re finally adjusted, you’ll quickly finding yourself losing track of time as you start exploring the amazing environments and taking on countless quests. While the storyline suffers from AHS, or amnesiac hero syndrome, the gameplay makes up for it and the atmosphere of certain areas is incredible. Unfortunately, the experience is almost completely ruined because of the very last hour of gameplay, but with all the quests to embark on and places to visit, it kind of balances out. The graphics and audio suffice, but could have been improved if they used the extra development time a bit better. For the price it’s at now, it’s a great deal if you’re looking for a slightly different experience and if it does actually click with you, you’ll love it and find yourself wishing there were more games that captured that same atmosphere from this game, but there’s also a pretty big chance that you might be completely turned off by the RPG elements.

Doom 3 review

2009-05-10T08:01:00.003-04:00

Sometimes I happen to actually finish games in my backlog just a few years after they were released. Doom 3 is the most recent title that falls into that category. Back when the game came out, it offered the most amazing visuals seen on PC until that point and kept gamers tense with its quick action, creepy atmosphere, and sudden surprises. For those of us that are trying not to spend as much right now and want a good, cheap game to play, could Doom 3 possibly fill that hole?

Gameplay - 7/10

While Doom 3 visually looks like a dramatically different game, as you start exploring the facility, everything seems oddly familiar if you've played any of the previous entries into the series. One new aspect is that there actually IS a story this time that you see in game, even if it is essentially a more in-depth rehash of the same fundamental story in every Doom: Humans are on mars, humans dig too deep into Mars, ancient demons awaken and slaughter/zombify everyone, etc. Instead of just restricting the storytelling to cutscenes, you'll occasionally encounter living humans who might have a bit to contribute or data/audio/video discs that you can read in your handy-dandy PDA whenever you wish. It's executed in a manner that fits the game, since if you don't want to know anything about the story, you could pick up the discs strewn about the facility and never read or listen to any of them and you'd be perfectly fine for the most part. Occasionally, you come across a locked door that you'll have to look through a certain PDA entry to find in order to progress and sometimes you still have to find an item that is essentially a key card in order to get through a locked door, but none of it feels intrusive and since you're going through twisting corridors in an abandoned facility on Mars, most of them are fairly linear in where you need to go to find them. As far as enemies are concerned, there really aren't too many things here that are completely new, but that's perfect for Doom 3. All of the weapons perform just like you remember, which is incredibly comforting when you're staring an imp with a fireball glowing in his hand and you just instantly know that switching to your shotgun and blasting him in the face will stop him in his tracks. In terms of scares, the experience starts off well and they do a few things throughout the game to keep you on your toes, but one feature that might get a lot of people more frustrated than creeped out is the games dependence on what are literally monster closets. You'll find yourself walking down a hallway time and time again and...BAM... you see a door to your right slide open, a monster pop out and hit you, then you kill it. It's cool the first few times, but after playing the game for 6+ hours, you'll start to grow tired of it since it seems more like a cheap attempt at increasing the difficulty. Of course, no game like this is complete without boss battles, and Doom 3 has several. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on what kind of gamer you are), all of the bosses are defeated by the classic formula of circle strafing and shooting tons of bullets into it or something nearby, making the boss battles against artistically epic enemies last about 2 minutes.

Graphics - 9/10

Looking back at this game in 2009, it still holds up remarkably well. At the time, I remember this was graphically that year’s version of Crysis, the ultimate test for any pc. Now that many of us are capable of running this game maxed out and in any resolution desired without any major framerate issues, it’s an impressive technical feat. While the outdoor environments might be a bit bland, the indoor locations look eerily haunted, with steam busting out of pipes as you walk through a metallic hallway with a few dim lights flickering on and off. The character designs and models look extremely well, especially with all of the shading effects on them to create a more realistic (or haunting in the case of enemies) setting. All of the animations look extremely fluid, making this easy to go back and look at without you having to make any concessions to the time period.

Sound - 8/10

I’ll admit, there were several moments in the game where I was positive I had killed everyone in a room and I’d hear a howl from behind me and actually jump in my seat. Unfortunately, most of the gun sound effects aren’t as well done as the environmental sounds, but it does make pretty good use of surround sound if you’ve got it. The voice acting is pretty solid which helps to give the illusion of the NPC’s that actually sounding like they’re interacting with each other instead of being in separate rooms reading a script. The one downer about the voice acting is that nearly every PDA recycles a few voices, but each one is acted incredibly well and helps you get a sense for what that character might have been going through when they recorded the log.

Overall - 8/10

For about 20$, you can now pick this up on steam and if you love mindless shooters or just creepy games, you definitely need this in your collection. It’s just long enough so it doesn’t feel like you’re getting ripped off while also cutting off just before the monster closet + shotgun to face combo starts to get old. It DOES have a multiplayer component, but I was unable to test it out so that might be worthwhile for some of you out there looking for an extended experience. Once you’re done with the game, you unlock an extra difficulty as well, so you’re definitely going to be getting a lot of bang for your buck. While the game itself doesn’t feel like it gets stale, it is a bit of a downer when you walk into areas and you’re able to predict exactly when something is going to pop out of one of the monster closets, which kind of destroys the atmosphere. All in all, it’s a solid package and something some people might be able to finish in a weekend since you’re more or less facing the same types of enemies with all of the classic weapons and they all work exactly like you remember and expect them too.

Left 4 Dead update review

2009-05-10T07:58:00.002-04:00

Yeah, I know I already did a full review for Left 4 Dead, but now that the new patch is out that's added official support for the other two campaigns in versus, adds in the new Survival Mode, and then an extra map for that said mode, I feel it's worth it to update everyone. Since it's just an update, this isn't going to be as in depth as the stuff I normally do, but then again, this isn't a full retail game unless you count the Game Of The Year package, but...don't do that. Anyway, for those who never tried out the versus mode, I highly recommend you do, but make sure you play with friends because it requires an incredible amount of cooperation and communication to ever actually win on either side. While it was a bit controversial when announced that they were just adding support for the last two campaigns, when you consider that it's 10 more maps that you get to play on, it feels like you're getting an incredible deal, especially since it's all available for the low, low cost of free. Both campaigns feel incredibly unique now that you're able to control the infected on them, especially with certain sections of Dead Air, particularly the lobby moment. While the controls are still the same and there wasn't a graphics overhaul or anything, once you actually give the two campaigns a shot, you'll realize that it's a pretty sizable bonus for free that almost dwarfs anything else that you can pick up as a map pack for 5-10$ on xbox live at the very least. The last additional component and arguably the highlight of the patch is the new Survival Mode. Typically games that have survival modes are more of a test of your patience than actually feeling like you're fighting to survive. Left 4 Dead's view is the exact opposite. Instead of gradually increasing the numbers of infected and special infected attacking, from the moment you start the event, you are completely bombarded from all directions, and for the first few times, you'll probably die in the first minute or two. As you progress further and further into the mode, the game starts spawning special infected at a faster and faster rate, until eventually there is no respawn timer between them. One of the neat things that definitely doesn't happen in other games or the campaigns/versus for Left 4 Dead is that, basically, no spot is safe and the moment you think everything is fine, something's going to happen which forces you to constantly be ready to move to a new location while pushing your way through the hordes. It's also worth mentioning that there isn't really a noticeable break between waves, meaning that not only do you need to stay alive, but you've also got to take down everything as fast as you can while still trying to keep up with your ammo. For people with the PC version, if you have the game installed, Steam now does an automatic update, meaning that your copy of Left 4 Dead should already be set up for this and 360 owners, I believe it's a 100ish mb download, but it's well worth every byte and if you had any fun at all playing the game ever, you need to get this installed.

TouchGrind quick review

2009-05-10T07:52:00.002-04:00

I'm pretty sure everyone knows that I'm a huge fan of the two Skate games, so it probably comes as no surprise that the moment I got an iTouch, this was one of the first apps I purchased. While there are technically only 3 parks to pick from, it seems like there's a lot less since there's just 1 park for each game mode (practice, jam session/best trick, competition). Normally, this would be a downside, but thanks to the amazing controls and physics of the game, it's completely fine in my book. Since the iTouch and iPhone have a multi touch screen, that means you're actually able to control the game like a tech deck, meaning you put one finger on the nose/tail of the board, then the other in the center which determines the general direction you're going to be headed in. In order to turn, just like on a real skateboard, you simply lean your fingers in the direction you want to go or release your front finger. To ollie, you release your front finger, then the tail finger, and if you feel like pushing it back down to slap down on a rail or whatever, just put both fingers back on the skateboard. Kickflips are performed by flicking your front finger off to the left side of the deck, and then release your back finger, and the better you perform the action, the faster and more straight your flips come out. For anyone who cares, there is an online leaderboard and unlockable decks, but neither really extends the life of the game. Since it’s pretty cheap, it’s an easy recommendation for anyone with an iTouch or iPhone and has tons of replayability.

Bionic Commando Multiplayer impressions

2009-05-10T07:45:00.006-04:00

For those who were unaware, the multiplayer demo for Capcom's upcoming title "Bionic Commando" was released a few days ago. This new game is sort of a sequel to a classic 2d arcade/NES title and more recently, a downloadable sequel available on Xbox Live Arcade and the Playstation Network. The primary gimmick that made this stand out above other platformers of the time is that your character is unable to jump and must instead rely on using a grappling hook to swing across dangerous chasms, up various buildings, all while fighting countless enemies. Bionic Commando's next-gen sequel features a new title character that relies on the same gimmick but is actually able to jump, along with the whole game being in 3D. As far as gameplay is concerned in the multiplayer trial, I've only noticed one gametype and map that it seems like everyone is automatically put into from the second they choose multiplayer.

One of the games interesting design choices is that for this deathmatch mode, all of the players are shown as being a ridiculously bright color representing their name on screen, which I'm actually not enjoying that much. I can understand that the choice was made to distinguish enemies when they're swinging through the air, latching on to whatever they can, but once they've stopped and are trying to snipe you from a rooftop, it looks kind of weird to see a bright neon pink guy clinging to the side of a building. Apart from that minor gripe which doesn't break the mode, the game seems sort of fun. The controls work pretty well, with you using the right trigger to fire your gun and the left to shoot out your grappling hook (which requires you to aim at whatever you want to grab on to, but as long as its in close enough distance and you're aiming somewhat at it, it's not that hard to latch on to it mid jump), the dpad used for quick turns (never had to use it), and the face buttons used for various functions.

The combat itself doesn't really feel all that visceral or anything, but it's pretty fun when you notice someone's aiming at you and you're desperately trying to outmanuver them by jumping, then grappling on to a light post somewhere, then to the underside of a rail, pulling yourself up and firing down upon them while they're trying to figure out where you went to. Unfortunately, the level used in the demo is at night and feels kind of small for the 8 players that are participating, but it does a good job of showing you that the controls really aren't intrusive and once you adjust to them, when to release the button to fly forward or when to pull yourself up the object becomes second nature. The multiplayer seems like it's a decent distraction, but it's one of those things that you could probably pass on and wouldn't be missing out on a large chunk of the experience.

Outrun Online Arcade review

2009-05-10T07:38:00.003-04:00

There's a lot of people that have fond memories of playing the original Outrun in the arcade all those years ago, but a lot of those people are completely unaware of the fact that there is an Outrun 2 and one that was released on Playstation 2 (Coast 2 coast). Fortunately for any fans of the series or arcade racing games in general, OOA is completely new experience that still retains many of the same gameplay elements that made the previous installments so popular while incorporating some new gameplay modes along with achievements, multiplayer, and leaderboards to keep you coming back from more.

Gameplay - 8/10

Before you even start the game, you're asked to pick a car and what tuning you'd like. It's worth mentioning that every car is in one way or another attached the legendary sports car manufacturer Ferrari in one way or another, but regardless of your thoughts on the brand, none of this really matters aside from aesthetics because this xbla title is far from being a racing sim and every car pretty much controls the same. After picking your car, its color, and the transmission, you're then given the option to select one of 5 gameplay modes, the 3 primary ones being Outrun mode (finish a race against the clock, competing for score, with several moments appearing between courses where you're given a branching path, 14 various paths you can take to reach one of five endings) Time Attack (same deal, but the tracks are pretty much empty aside from ghost cars), and Heart Attack mode (do various objectives to impress your girlfriend to get a higher score while trying to make it to the end). The other modes are just an extended version of Outrun and Time Attack, taking you through all 15 courses in a predetermined order. As previously mentioned, this is an arcade style racing game, meaning that you're going to find yourself constantly drifting between traffic in a completely sideways position, all without losing any speed if done correctly, and you're constantly exceeding 150 mph. In the beginning, it might turn some people off that since you have a time limit, the only way to complete a race is by not crashing or losing too much speed to make it to the next checkpoint, therefore adding more time to finish the level, but once you get the hang of everything, you'll start to find yourself trying out the various paths, getting favorite courses, and maybe even venturing online or checking in on your position on the leaderboards. Unfortunately, even just a few weeks after it's release, it's pretty obvious that most people playing this are playing solo since there are so few games online unless you can organize one with a few friends. While you can’t full customize the controls, there are several presets available, so I’m pretty sure there’s something out there for everyone and for anyone wondering, yes, the game feels a lot better if you hook up a steering wheel.

Graphics - 9/10

It seems like so long ago when developers were complaining about Microsoft forcing all arcade titles to be under a certain file size. Outrun arcade looks phenomenal, and while it might not be as pretty as Crysis or whatever or major retail release; it is easily one of the best looking XBLA titles available. The car designs themselves are incredibly authentic to their real life counterparts while still capturing the feel of the old arcade version of Outrun. No racing game would be complete without tracks of course, and Outrun’s stellar visuals pass on to the beautiful environments. There’s nothing else quite like that first short track, speeding down a highway with your girlfriend in the car beside you as you dart in and out of traffic with the top down, sun shining, wind rushing through your digital hair and making that first turn or drift and can see the waves crashing against the beach out the corner of your eye. Each level is dramatically different in look and feel from the last, keeping you from feeling like you’re driving through the same environments unlike many other racers out there. Because the game is running at such a high framerate and the visuals are so well done, one of the downsides is that if you do mess up and either slow down too much or run into the back of another car, the generic cars and buses used as the traffic models feel a bit blocky. It’s a small sacrifice to make for such an otherwise beautiful title though. One thing that does need to be mentioned is that some people have reported issues with the framerate either dropping or freezing for a moment, specifically around the Milky Way track, but I don’t personally recall ever having that bug happen.

Sound 6/10

There’s definitely something charming about how arcade like the sound is, but just like many arcade ports have learned through the years, something that might work fine there doesn’t necessarily translate well to a console release. When you’re starting out your race, you’re also given an option of what song you want to listen to, but they’re that really bad type of pop music that you only ever hear in arcade games, and that’s mainly because you can’t ever really hear them clearly in those environments. Since most of the game modes are over within 5 minutes, you’re not going to be complaining about having to listen to the same song over and over, but you definitely might wish there were more, especially since most people only favor 2 or 3 of the songs anyway. As far as sound effects go, it sounds like an arcade racer, from that trademark sound of rushing air as you draft behind someone to your tires squealing as you drift as 100+ mph around a 180 degree turn. It fits the game itself fine, but I can definitely see why someone that’s into serious racing games or never spent much time in arcades might be a bit put off by it and opt to just use their own custom soundtrack.

Overall 8/10

Outrun Online Arcade is going to appeal to a certain audience, and I’m positive the developers knew this at the outset. While it’s easy for anyone to pick up and play instantly, some people are probably going to be put off by the fact that there’s not a free run mode to allow you to memorize the tracks, meaning that on your first few playthroughs, even on the easiest path, you’re probably going to get game over’s back to back. As a direct result from the difficulty of finishing the races the first few times, there’s an immense sense of reward for finishing the game, then slowly increasing your score and times for each path. Once you tire of Outrun mode, there’s always Time attack, but for people looking for something different, there’s Heart Attack mode as well. For fans of arcade games or arcade style racers, you definitely need this in your collection. If you’re expecting Forza 3 here, you’re going to be sorely disappointed, but it’s still an incredibly polished and addictive racing experience that I recommend everyone at least try out.

Flight of the Conchords video games

2009-05-01T19:35:00.001-04:00

*NEW*

I can't believe I didn't post this before, these are 2 very awesome games made by a fan from Flight of the Conchords Message Board. He goes by Badatom. Anyways each season thus far, has its own game. I played the first game some time ago, and I must say it's pretty good, hard near the end, but good.

Anyways check the games out here - Badatom

You can also check out Badatom's website here.

Photo Copyright Badatom

Svartthron - Bearer Of The Crimson Flame, Review by LoC

2009-04-11T17:15:00.004-04:00

Svartthron - Bearer Of The Crimson Flame

Label:Inferna Profundus Records
Release Date: July 15th, 2008
Music Style: Depressive/Ambient Black Metal
Review By LoC

Svartthron is a band that I came across only recently, when I saw that an album of theirs was on sale for a really good price, and decided to buy it, based off the strength of the sound samples I heard. While I had been expecting a good Depressive/Ambient Black Metal album, Svartthron surprised me with just how good the music turned out to be. While there is very little to be found on this CD in the ways of originality, Svartthron makes up for this with their passion, and the rich atmosphere, which makes this album both relaxing and more aggressive in turns, but always high quality.

The instrumentation and production are both just about perfect, with the right amount of variation to make each song work well on their own, but this album is still most effective when listened to from the beginning to end. Acoustic guitars and keyboards are sprinkled throughout the album, but both serve to only enhance the melancholic mood, as opposed to detracting from it.

While it may be a bit soon to call Svartthron leaders of their chosen musical style, Bearer Of The Crimson Flame showcases a young band with a lot of promise, and the best could very well be yet to come. This is a very strong album that should be checked out by anyone who likes Ambient Black Metal, and also a fine starting point for anyone looking to investigate this style of music.

Street Fighter IV Review

2009-04-06T11:52:00.003-04:00

Street Fighter IV has been out for over a month as of the time of this review. Instead of trying to write about the game before investing serious time with it, I decided to hold of and let the dust settle so I could look past the hype and nostalgia and evaluate this for what it is. The series has always been one of those things that a lot of people have fond memories of playing arcades or against friends on the SNES/Genesis, but it’s always had that hardcore crowd that’s been there since then playing every version, mastering every change, etc. For those people, Street Fighter IV might be exactly what you’re looking for, especially if you preferred Street Fighter II to the III or the alphas. For other people that are looking for a good one to start on however, you might do better just picking up HD Remix or any of the other re-releases.

Gameplay – 8/10

Before the game came out, the developers and various people in the press that had spent a lot of time with the series were talking about how they were going to try to capture the more simple style of Street Fighter II over the complexities of SFIII with a few new tweaks to make things a bit more balanced. In addition to tweaking fight mechanics, all of the characters people remember from the Street Fighter II series have made a return along with 4 all new characters. There’s also 9 unlockable characters for people that invest the time in finishing the game under certain qualifications, mostly from the alpha series with the exception of two brand new characters. Fortunately, instead of just being reskins of the old characters, each one feels like they’ve been in the series the whole time and have the same easy to learn, but hard to master special moves. In the special moves department, for all of the classic characters, every move you remember is back in the game with the exact same command as before. Instead of just stopping with special moves though, Capcom has included an EX version of all of them (similar to 3rd strike) where you can hit two punches or two kicks as you execute the actual maneuver to perform a more powerful version of that attack. This adds an extra layer of depth to the game since there are various situations where you can actually cancel out a regular attack by doing one of these, allowing you to develop some pretty interesting combos. To combat all of the new offensive tweaks, there are focus attacks, which have the ability to absorb one hit (with a few exceptions that are learned from playing) and crushing the opponents guard. If you think your opponent is going to counter this, however, you can quickly cancel out of it by performing a dash in another direction, adding more depth to the game. As is becoming customary with fighting games, there’s a training mode that’s got a lot of combos to help you come to grasps with the mechanics but do little to explain them other than showing you what buttons you have to press. There’s no demonstration of the moves, meaning you’re going to be spending a lot of time just doing trial and error to figure out exactly when to cancel out something or the timing of that last hit. For hardcore players, this probably isn’t a problem but instead of helping, it alienates newcomers who are just coming to grips with how to perform special moves. Beyond that, there’s the standard survival and time attack modes, an arcade mode that has a storyline with anime cutscenes for every character, various unlockable costumes, and a basic online component. The only other downside I can think of is with the online play; a lot of the features that were huge in HD Remix are absent, most notably the quarter match mode. Supposedly, these are coming as DLC in the future, but it’s definitely a downer that this isn’t included on what would otherwise be a stellar offering. One other gripe I have is that a lot of the balance changes made in HD Remix were completely removed for whatever reason in SF4, which makes the tiers about the same as they were back in SF2 for people that aren’t going to be taking the time to learn all of the new stuff are basically just going to be playing Street Fighter II again, but with prettier graphics.

Graphics – 10/10

Every Street Fighter title seemed to be pushing more and more towards capturing an anime style, but the actual art style, while incredibly vivid for a 2d fighter, never seemed to be as fluid as what’s been present in the King of Fighters and Guilty Gear series offerings. Instead of retreading old ground or trying to make something similar to last years hit Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, the game sports a completely new look that I’ve never seen anywhere else. It’s really hard to describe with words since it blends so many styles developed over the year’s together, so I’ll just go with one word: beautiful. Everything seems to be moving at a steady framerate the entire time, allowing for frame counters to be in complete heaven since they don’t have to account for any hiccups, while the average player will simply appreciate how cartoon-like the game feels. There’s nothing quite like pulling of an ultra combo and watching the enemies eyes get large as they prepare for the oncoming beatdown! While none of the stages from the classic games have returned, many of the new ones have a feel similar to the classics, such as Guile, Chun Li, and even Zangief’s stage with various effects going on in the background that are directly affected by the player’s actions. All of the old characters are pretty much the exact same as they were back in the old days, from Zangief and his bizarre body hair to Ryu’s signature headband. The best part of all the characters though is that even the new characters received just as much attention, making them welcome additions to the franchise. Some characters, such as El Fuerte capture the more down to earth craziness of the Street Fighter franchise, but combine it with a luchadore to make 100% awesome, while you have other characters that are just flat out insane (Rufus). As previously mentioned, all of the new characters feel like they could have been done in 2D before in some unreleased Street Fighter game and just brought back into the limelight with this title. As far as the HUD, it’s pretty similar to what you’ve grown accustomed to, but as the saying goes “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The graphical direction of SF4 is completely out of the blue, but for some reason just feels like a logical progression of things. There are definitely bonus points here for originality, especially since it seems the graphics appeal to newcomers and veterans alike instantly without being intrusive to the gameplay.

Sound - 9/10

Hadouken! I probably don’t need to say much else than that for this paragraph for people that have been playing for a long time! There’s an insanely catchy menu song (I’m not sure if that’s a plus or minus for you), and while the individual songs for the stages aren’t as memorable as stuff from the past, they all fit in pretty well. If you couldn’t tell from the first word in this section, all of the sound effects are still here since if you’re going to shoot fire out of your hand, just out of common courtesy, it’s nice to let the other person know ahead of time by announcing it. One change that’s kind of a negative is the new voice acting for losing fights. None of the voices really fit the game (“My prize moneyyyyy!”…really, Balrog?), but after completing the game one time, you do unlock the ability to change them to Japanese. What you may be unaware of is that if you do actually turn on Japanese voices, it changes the theme song to the exact same song, but in Japanese instead of English. The voice acting in the cutscenes is pretty well done in my opinion, but it’s just weird to hear some of the weird stuff people yell out. In..des..structible. Trust me, after playing this game for a while, you’ll definitely be at least humming those lyrics, there’s absolutely no way around it.

Overall – 8/10

For people that have the time or have been anticipating a new Street Fighter for years, you’re definitely going to be pleased. All of the tweaks to the combat system effectively help to rebalance the game and add some variety. The graphics are amazing to look at, you’ll instantly know how to pull off a flash kick with no problem at all, and the ability to cancel out certain moves into other ones or just dash away gives you some amazing combo options. On the opposite end of the spectrum, people that have never played a Street Fighter before are probably going to be playing this game the exact same way people had been playing SF2 all those years ago, and for those people, you might find a better value in HD Remix, especially since it’s a lot cheaper. All of the new characters here fit in perfectly, with the old ones working just like you remember and the addition of ultra combos is a pretty welcome change without being overpowered. The downer that’s unavoidable to mention is that a lot of the balance changes from HD remix are completely absent, and the online play is pretty basic, with many of the modes people grew to love absent and no official date on when they’ll return. If you’re looking for a solid fighter and you’re willing to invest the time to learn what makes this game so great, you’re going to be getting a great deal for your dollar, but for everyone else, you might want to just save some cash and pick up HD Remix instead.

Suikoden Tierkreis, Review by LoC

2009-03-24T23:46:00.000-04:00

Title: Suikoden Tierkreis

Genre: Turn-based RPG

System: Nintendo DS

Publisher: Konami

Release Date: 2-17-2009

Review by LoC

When I first heard that Suikoden would be coming to the Nintendo DS, I was overjoyed, but when I found out that this game would be a spin-off with few if any ties to the main series, my expectations lowered considerably. That said I still considered the game to be a high enough priority, that I actually pre-ordered it, and how are the results? The answer is quite excellent, and possibly the best RPG to date for the Nintendo DS. When most other RPG's on the DS are either ports or remakes of older games, or simply games that settled for mediocrity, Suikoden DS has much higher goals, and it actually plays like a good RPG should, with an expansive world, a storyline that actually seems to serve more of a purpose than just background filler, and a sizable quest which may be the longest game for the whole system. Series fans will be pleased with the return of the 108 stars recruiting system, the upgradable castle, and team attacks, but other returning elements are few and far between. Prehaps the largest change is that the game takes place in a different world than the numerical Suikoden series, and the strategic battles and duels are also absent, as is the runes system. The magic is called marks of the stars, and seems to function more like traditional magic systems, with MP dictating how many times different skills/spells can be used. The battle system on the other hand is pretty much unchanged from the other games, with group attacks and different weapon ranges still featured, although you can only have 4 people in your party, with a 5th person who helps in a support role. Another big addition is the new jobs system, where you can take on various optional quests for a prize of money, items, or sometimes even recruitable characters. Despite all these changes and an entirely new cast and setting, the game still feels a lot more like a traditional Suikoden game than I expected. Also Suikoden DS is something of a technical marvel, with many anime cut-scenes and a lot of voice acting, which are things you don't really see too much of on the DS. All in all, this is an excellent game, and my early pick for DS game of the year, and I highly advise everyone pick this up. While I sincerely hope that the numbered Suikoden series continues as well, I wouldn't mind a sequel to this game at all either.

Phoenix Wright: Trials&Tribulations, Review by LoC

2009-03-24T23:31:00.002-04:00

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Phoenix Wright: Trials&Tribulations

Review by LoC

Genre: Adventure

System: Nintendo DS

Publisher: Capcom

Release Date: 2007

The Phoenix Wright series has been something of an unexpected success in the United States, not the least of which because it's a part of a genre of games which hasn't been very popular in recent years, that being a point and click Adventure game. One of the reasons that Phoenix Wright works where many other games have failed is because of the fairly unique setting, memorable characters, and well executed storyline. All of these elements are of course featured in this final outing of the Phoenix Wright trilogy: Trials&Tribulations, which is quite possibly the best game in the series. People who played Justice For All and were let down by the lack of improvements or new gameplay mechanics will still be let down with Trials, as absolutely nothing has been changed with the core gameplay. That isn't to say that there aren't any clever twists, as Trials has some cases where you will play as a lawyer other than Phoenix Wright, which is a very welcome addition. The story is probably the best yet, and helps close out the trilogy on a very high note, but I still can't help but wish that there could have been more games starring Phoenix Wright. All in all, this game is an absolute must for series fans, and I even found it to be emotionally moving at times. The Ace Attorney has since been continued with a new character named Apollo Justice at the helm, although it seems to be missing some of the magic found in the Phoenix trilogy, but that is a story for another Review.

Children Of Bodom - BloodDrunk, Review by Rugter

2009-03-24T23:16:00.003-04:00

Artist: Children Of Bodom

Album: BloodDrunk

Year Of Release: 2008

Genre: Heavy Metal with Mallcore influences

"It had the potential. But it fell flat on it's face."

Children of Bodom has arguably been one of the most successful metal bands of the last decade: With 11 years of being active with the name "Children of Bodom", and even more years if you count their early days as "Inearthed", they've been a force to be reckoned with, with their first 3 albums being considered classics. Now, I'm not gonna lie, I prefer the sound of their recent stuff (Are You Dead Yet?, Hatecrew Deathroll), to the one of their old stuff. I must even admit that Are You Dead Yet? is what I consider their best album. Being heavier and more complex than their old stuff while keeping a lot of melody was definitely something I quite enjoyed. Songs like the title track and Thrashed, Lost & Strungout kept calling me for playing them again. But let's get back on track, a review of Are You Dead Yet?, this is not.

Now, this album keeps the same formula as AYDY?... So why is it I don't rate it as highly? Well, to start with, I must admit that the quality of this album keeps jumping from song to song. The album opens in a good note with the fast, thrashy Hellhounds on My Trail. This song feels just like the kind of progression they needed, cool keyboard that makes atmosphere here and there. But if there's something interesting about this song, it is the solo. The solo of this song jumps back to the 80's thrash era, it is dissonant, fast, completely insane, yet it fits right in the madness. Even the keyboard solo is completely crazy. But it fits. And then, the title track. Blooddrunk is quite a good song, the keyboard intro is amazing, the solos are more like classic Bodom, and there's more melody here. Alexi's vocals are stronger than they were on AYDY?, and in both of this songs they fit perfectly. Sadly, this 2 songs might be the only ones of the album I can say that, and maybe Tie My Rope. Both songs are great, but I can't say that with the rest of the album so easily.

You see, one of the biggest problems here comes from Alexi's vocals. In the songs that were previously mentioned, his vocals felt right were they belonged. But in the other songs, he sounds overbearing. Since Hatecrew Deathroll, Alexi started changing his vocals from a harsh black metal like screech to a mid-range scream which you could actually understand and also was more powerful than his screech of early albums, and far better than his attempt at a low growl in Something Wild, which was, admittedly, quite laughable. But in this album, he tries to get his vocals to take over: In songs like Lobodomy and Roadkill Morning, his vocals are overbearing and annoying, you just get to wish he shuts up. Alexi has never been one of the most appreciated vocalists out there, but this album definitely won't help those who hate his vocals at all.

Musically, this album lacks an edge: While there are some seriously awesome songs like Hellhounds on My Trail, Blooddrunk, Tie My Rope and Banned From Heaven, there are some terrible ones like Lobodomy and Smile Pretty for the Devil, and the others are just... there, they are neither good nor bad: They're just forgettable. This album suffers from feeling like a collection of B-Sides instead of an actual album, and that quite damages the quality, making it quite jumpy. The riffs in this album are mostly great, going from highly melodic to thrashy, and that is one of the high points of the album. Same cannot be said about the lead guitar work, though: As good as Alexi is, the solos feel recycled and repetitive, with certain exceptions: Hellhounds on my Trail has that insane Slayer-like solo and Blooddrunk is quite good. But the rest of his solos are lacking the feeling of the ones in earlier stuff. Drumming isn't anything really special, but it's good. Jaska could do more creative stuff, but he does a good work. The bass has some cool parts like in Smile Pretty for the Devil, where it sounds cool in the intro, that is admittedly the best part of that weak song, but overall it is M.I.A. during all the album. The keyboards aren't as prominent as they used to be, usually now they just follow the notes, but they shine at times.

Lyrically, this album is simply disastrous. I can't keep it any longer, this album might as well be considered their lowest point lyrically. AYDY? got some of their best lyrics to date, this is totally the opposite. Take, for example, the great Hellhounds on My Trail:

Watching the c***
But before I'm into worries
I do better think fast
Step beyond the legs
Risk selfdestruction
One more sucker
Wait again
To the wrong turn
To the right direction
Too many ****ing gonna turn
Going too fast
When you call me outrageous
As a questioner

Now, asides from making NO SENSE AT ALL, they are plain terrible. Luckily, that is one of the songs where musically you won't care about the lyrics. But there are cases, like Lobodomy, where you'll hope "Well, at least this song might have good lyrics". Well, let's look at the source:

You mother****ers wanna give me, a lobodomy?
**** no, then you know who I am?
Well we're about to ****ing see
You started messin with death
No one said?
I'm a Maniac
Fuck yeah, you have no power to ask why!
Then I will give you a turn

Well, you get your answer, and it is a no. And don't expect the rest of the album to be any better lyrically, it's just plain terrible in that sense.

In short, this album had potential, but it ended up falling flat in it's face. Alexi tries to hard to take over with his vocals, the songwriting keeps jumping in quality, the lead guitar works usually feels like more of the same, the keyboards which used to give an extra edge to earlier albums aren't there for a good part, and the lyrics are horrid. Their worst album to date, though it has songs like Hellhounds on My Trail, Blooddrunk, Tie My Rope and Banned From Heaven that save it from being downright terrible. I don't know how their next album will turn out, but I do hope it ends up being better than this one.

Rugter's favorite tracks:

As mentioned before, Hellhounds on My Trail, Blooddrunk, Tie My Rope and Banned From Heaven. Because those are actually awesome.

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(Editor's Note: LoC would just like to point out that this Review is the opinion of the author, Rugter, and his alone. Personally I can't stand anything CoB released after Follow The Reaper, although I do enjoy the first 3 albums. - LoC )

pre-order Flight of the Conchords Season 2 DVD

2009-03-20T09:29:00.004-04:00

When season 2 started up, Amazon already had pre-orders going, well we now have a release date for the DVD set, which this time, will have extras. The set will be released sometime in August 4th, yes August; It seems like such a distant future, but I'm sure everyone can wait while they perfect the set and its extras. The DVD set is said to cost $29.98, but that's most likely at HBO, while at Amazon you'll be able to grab it for a nice $18.99. Pre-order from Amazon.

Source TV shows on DVD

Panopticon/Wheels Within Wheels - Split CD, Review by LoC

2009-03-13T22:30:00.005-04:00

Panopticon/Wheels Within Wheels - Split CD

Label:Lundr Records

Release Date: February 2009

Review by LoC

Panopticon and Wheels Within Wheels are two bands that you are likely to have never heard of before, but these two bands are among the best upcoming bands in todays Metal scene, or anywhere else for that matter.While this is the first official release by Wheels Within Wheels as far as I know, Panopticon had one full album that was released last year, but it looks to be already sold out unfortunately. Anyway, let's move on to the review!

The CD arrived in my mail this afternoon, and as I write this review, I am only on my second listen through, but I will do my best to give a coherant description

This split record has 2 songs contributed by each band, but don't let the tracklisting fool you, as there is plenty to hold your attention through the splits duration.

Panopticon is a band that defies descriptions, although there are many Black Metal elements(more prevalent on the ghosts of haymarket square) , there is also some Folk and even a little bit of Bluegrass style Banjo playing featured in their first song of the split '...Speaking...(collapsed version)', but any description I can give to their style won't be giving it proper justice. Wheels Within Wheels have a somewhat different style, but with enough common ground between the 2 artists to make the CD flow together perfectly.

Wheels Within Wheels style is like a cross between Folk Black Metal, Post-Rock, and Ambient, but you would have to listen on your own, and you tell me what it sounds like. Where Panopticon features some vocals, Wheels Within Wheels features none, outside of some television or talk radio soundbites featured on their second song 'What light Reigns Down On...', but this CD truly contains some of the best music that I have heard in a long time, and I think it should appeal to both Black Metal fans, along with people who like artists such as The Angelic Procress, The Swans, and some Post-Rock such as Godspeed! You Black Emperor.

No review of this album would be complete without making mention of the beautiful and unique packaging that it comes in, and each copy is numbered from 1 to 100, and even comes with a cool patch, all for a pretty low cost , or at least that's what I paid for my copy.

Leapin' Leprechans, the Top Ten Green Video Game Characters

2009-03-12T19:04:00.004-04:00

As St. Patrick's day approaches and allows everyone to get drunk off of green beer and demand kisses from strangers for being Irish, I decided to give a toast to the top ten green characters, or characters who wear green, in the video game world. Now while I'm pretty sure they have nothing to do with the holiday, I felt like they deserved to be mentioned.

10. Mr. Tingle

Here we have Mr. Tingle, one of many residents in the world of Hyrule. While this guy might be questioned about his sanity and/or his preference of company, no one questions his ability to party. This guy is the life of a party, sober or drunk.

9. Blanka

Now we have Blanka and don’t he look like someone you’d hate to see at a party. But this isn’t the case. No sir, the more Blanka drinks the friendly he becomes. And when I say friendly, I mean he’s smacking girls’ behinds and calling them “Suga Lips.”

8. Gex

Gex, being the stylish lizard that he is, has yet to be seen not at some form of a party. A hit with the ladies, he knows how to make any party into a wild and crazy event. But for every party he shows up at, there are ten more that he declines by replying, “No booze? Then no Gex!”
7. Yoshi

Ah, Yoshi. Our cute little dinosaur buddy. He’s always a great addition to the party. He knows when to hand over his keys and he will do it with a smile and a little something spilled onto your shirt. You know, that new one you just spent fifty dollars on, hoping to impress Miss Peach with. Yeah, Yoshi won’t remember ruining your chances or how your hundred gallon fish tank wound up in one of his eggs.

6. Link

Link, he come to partay! He come to save the last bottle of rum! No seriously, when he is of age to drink (and this has been often, I noticed), he can throw down with the best of them. Even after his tenth round, the guy can hit an apple of the top of a Redead and not blink an eye.

5. Bowser

Bowser isn't a lightweight in the drinking department. Ever since Princess Peach chose the small red jumpsuit-clad plumber, Bowser has been drowning his sorrows into a huge bottle of vodka. On any night you can catch him at the local bar, belting out one of many Hank Williams songs.

4. Luigi

Ah, the oft-neglected brother of Mario. Luigi rarely drinks, not because he don't like to but because he is always designated as the driver at any parties he's invited to. In fact, that's the only reason he's invited. That and he can buy the alcohol for underage drinkers (something he does so they might like him more than Mario.)

3. TMNT

These crime fighters might like you to think they don't drink but they tend to put some actresses out there to shame with how hard they can party. Most nights end with two or three fighting over who April the reporter likes more.
2. Yoda

Ah, Yoda. This Jedi Master is skilled in the art of drinking. He knows the best way to outdrink anyone willing to challenge him. Though, it is up for debate if he uses his Jedi mind skills for making the contest easier on him.

1. Master Chief

All hail the Chief! King of the Keg! And one of the few people that can outdrink Yoda (not sure why that is). He is one of those guys you don't want to upset when he's sitting back, drinking a cold one. He can become a very mean drunk. But as long as you stay on his good side, he's loads of fun.

Forumwarz, Article by LoC

2009-03-10T22:23:00.003-04:00

ForumWarz

Platform: Computer/Browser

Genre: RPG

Developer: Crotch Zombie

Article by LoC

Way back in early November of 2008, Wiki(a friend of mine) told me about how he discovered a game called ForumWarz, and how fun it was. Although I had known of the game since early in the year, I had never bothered to try it out, until Wiki encouraged me to. Almost immediately I became hooked, and I especially loved the concept of a browser based RPG that was a parody of various forums, and internet culture in general. Even more than a game though, ForumWarz is also a community in and of itself, and it is this community that has kept me playing this long, probably more than anything.The game itself is simple enough to play, and most of the gameplay revolves around visiting various fictional forums and Pwning them, often for a reward of Flezz(ForumWarz version of money), and for the opportunity of picking up rare items that will boost your characters statistics. What makes ForumWarz work so well is just how community centered the game is, and how easy they have made it for players to contribute their own content, such as new forums, or the enemies encountered at said forum. Besides this, there are other numerous ways to keep yourself busy on ForumWarz. One of the most entertaining is a ladder system called Domination, where whoever has the most scoops on your current team will be awarded a medal, or possibly even 2 or 3 of them, depending on which conditions are met. Another fun minigame, although not as rewarding, is called Incit, and it involves writing a caption for a randomly chosen picture, with the winners decided by voting. Part of what makes ForumWarz so consistantly entertaining is the fact that new content and features are always being worked on, and few games are as rewarding, or get the community involved quite like ForumWarz does. Although the first episode of the game is free, and still lets you use most features of the game, you do need to pay $10 dollars to gain access to the second episode, or $5 if you want to make a second character on your account.

The game can be found at http://www.forumwarz.com

but be warned, the game is not for those whom are easily offended, as it is a parody of internet culture, and also quite far from being politically correct, so play at your own risk.

Should you decide to play however, be sure to check out and join our guild: Fallen Knights Honor Guard

Dawn Of Tears: Dark Camber Litanies Review, by Rugter

2009-03-09T23:07:00.002-04:00

Dawn Of Tears: Dark Camber Litanies

Review by Rugter

[Awesome Melodic Death Metal band from Madrid, Spain they are. This EP is just a show of what they got. Could be hailed as a classic in some years.]

For those who do not know the band, Dawn of Tears are:

J. Alonso - Vocals
A. Perez - Guitar
J.L. Trebol - Guitar
Konrad - Bass
I. Perez - Drums

Spain has many great things. They have a great soccer league (Atletico de Madrid por siempre!), they have Gaudi's architecture, they got that Arabic culture infusion in Sevilla, La Puerta De Alcala in Madrid... A great country indeed. But Madrid has other things asides from 2 great soccer teams: They got Dawn of Tears, one of the most promising bands of recent years. Formed in 1999, this band didn't really do much until 2007, when they released their first LP, Descent. That LP was quite a great debut, with really few flaws. 2 years later, they've come and released an EP that displays their great potential. Being a band that leaves their albums free for download over the internet and having only one LP and 1 EP, asides from being very much unknown, you might think they're amateurs, but it's far from that: They are at the level of some of the best melodeath bands, and maybe even better. Their sound could be described as if Children of Bodom, In Flames, Dark Tranquillity and Cradle of Filth decided to do an EP toghether, but each one being on top of their game: The music is at the same time melodic, aggressive, technical and catchy. They manage it all at the same time, and with no flaws at all, I must admit. It's enough to listen to the opener, Cadent Beating, to witness how do they get it all done at once.

This band has it all: A great vocalist who ranges from sounding like an improved version of Anders Frieden from In Flames when using his Death Grunt at times sounding like Mikael Stanne from Dark Tranquillity in his Damage Done era, going to a Danni Filth like low whisper, all the way to some impressive clean vocals that normally harmonize with some grunts and at times with some female vocals for a great effect, normally that being in the choruses, which are really memorable. Dual lead guitars are obligatory for a melodeath band, and they keep that with no problem, the solos in this album are mindblowing, showing some great technical proficiency, keeping the melody with no problem. The riffs are also great, they can go from quite heavy to light power-metally ones. The bass manages to stand out enough, mainly in the song Winds of Despair, where you can listen to it quite clearly under all the madness. The drumming is quite good, keeping double bass most of the time, and there are some cool fills here and there, but in all honesty, it's the least memorable part of the album. I think Perez could do more interesting stuff. Lyrically, I have yet to figure out the lyrics, and they aren't up in their site yet, so I doubt I can comment on it any soon.

From the intro of the amazing 7 minute long Cadent Beating, you will be blown away. Starting with some toy-piano like effects, it goes and builds up before finally exploding into a massive tremolo-picked riff. From that very moment, you will notice something: Dawn of Tears mean serious business. Alonso enters showing a great vocal performance, and about 3:05 into the song, you'll listen to the first chorus: Melodic and memorable, simply awesome. The keyboards (Who I do not know who takes care of it) keep the atmosphere for it. By 4:05, the first solo hits, and man, is that a great solo. This song alone is not only a great intro to the EP, but possibly their best song to date. The riffs, the solos, the vocals, the drums, everything about it is as perfect as possible. Since They're Gone opens with a great piano intro, and the awesomeness is kept throughout. This song features some audible bass, and Alonso enters the vocals in a Danni Filth-like whisper, which is great. The chorus of this song is massive, with clean vocals harmonizing with death grunts. They sound simply perfect. After the relative calmness of the last song, Winds of Despair opens with a heavy tremolo picked riff, yet the keyboard simulating violins behind it gives a good amount of melody to it. The drumming in this one is a bit faster than in last 2 songs. With some female operatic vocals in the background in some parts, it gives it more power. Some tempo changes here and there, and yet another amazing chorus. The solo in this song fits the atmosphere perfectly. And the last chorus is sang acapella, a big plus. And in harmonized clean vocals, kinda sounding like Vortex from Dimmu Borgir.
Next song, As My Autums Withers opens with a heavy riff that once again gains the melody it has thanks to some background violins. This song has what I consider the best solo of the album, it's simply too damn good. Yet another solid, memorable song, every riff is great, and the solo is... well, THE solo. It finishes slowly fading out, making it's way to the next and last song. Mr. Jarrod opens with one insane intro: Distorted guitar and piano at the same time have never sounded so good. And suddenly, the song explodes into the main riff, which is basically the intro with tremolo pick and without the piano. Alonso's vocals in this song are outstanding: Death metal growl, black metal shrieks, to whispers, some drowned all clean vocals at the end, and all perfectly done, I must add. The solo is epic, and fits perfectly the song. If goes from melodic to fast and back to melodic again. It closes with just violins, drums, and drowned out clean vocals. This is simply a perfect closer for a great album.

Now, I've praised this album quite a bit, but why do I give it a 4.5? Well, for one, it leaves you wishing for more, Mr. Jarrod is a great closer, but still leaves you waiting for a next song first time around. And to be honest, the drumming could be quite better, it is just... repetitive. Other than that, this band is a clear winner for me: The know how to be epic, when to, they got one hell of a vocalist who knows when to do each thing, they got a pair of amazing guitar players, and they are at a really high level for a band with so few records. This album is a clear 4.5 for me, would be a 5 if not for the above mentioned flaws. Every song is a 5/5 for me. This band has some serious potential, which I am sure we're yet to see.

P.S.: This EP and their debut LP are free for download in their site: http://www.dawnoftears.com/descarga.html

Phoenix Wright: Justice For All Review, by LoC

2009-03-09T23:04:00.001-04:00

Phoenix Wright: Justice For All

Nintendo DS

Capcom

2007

Review by LoC

Phoenix Wright is a game series that I have been a fan of ever since the first game was released here in the U.S, but I didn't get to finally buy the games until I purchased my Nintendo DS last summer, and the original Phoenix Wright was one of my very first game purchases, and the first game that I had played through for the system. Shortly afterwards, I also purchased used copies of the second and third games, but I only started to play them within the past month, and I beat Justice For All only about 2 days ago, and am currently playing Trials&Tribulations, but that is a story for another time.

Justice For All is frequently considered the weakest part of the original trilogy, which is a verdict that I don't entirely agree with. While the game may be little more than a rehash of the first game with new cases, the same is also true for Trials&Tribulations, which was recieved considerably warmer. The graphics for all 3 titles are often reused in all of the games, and none of them exactly reinvents the wheel created in the first game, but the fact remains that the entire series is highly enjoyable, filled with memorable characters and plot-lines. Part of the backlash against Justice For All has to do with the fact that the game only had 4 cases, and lacked any DS exclusive cases, like the first one had. To further worsen the problem, only 2 of the cases were actually relevent to the series ongoing storyline, but that doesn't stop the other two cases from being very enjoyable in their own right.

The only real gameplay changes of note are that you can know present character profiles as evidence, and the new Psyche Lock system on certain characters when they are asked questions they don't want to answer. These psyche locks are broken in much the same way that you would advance the game during the court segments, by presenting evidence to the witness in question.

Anyone who loved the first Phoenix Wright should still find plenty to enjoy about Justice For All, as long as you aren't expecting any major innovations. Any of you who didn't care for the first game won't have their mind changed with this one.

Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix

2009-03-07T08:39:00.003-05:00

Street Fighter is one of those franchises that it seems like anyone that's ever played a video game has either played or at least knows about, which it's legendary "Hadouken" becoming one of the most memorable quotes from any game that's ever existed. As the years have gone by, it's seen tons of sequels and spin-offs, but after all these years, one of the finest versions has finally received an amazing overhaul, both visually and mechanically. SSF2THDR represents a culmination of fighting game enthusiasts dreams (rebalancing, tweaking and adding in moves, etc), while giving the game a much needed graphical overhaul to make it home on next gen consoles while still managing to capture the true spirit that made the original release of SSF2T so great in so many players eyes.

Gameplay – 10/10

There’s a reason why every Street Fighter game is highly anticipated, then continues to be the fighting game to beat for years after it comes out. Super Street Fighter II Turbo was the pinnacle of everything we thought a 2d fighter could be back when it came out, and though many new mechanics have been introduced over the years, SSF2T continues to be one of the highest regarded fighting games ever. The original kept the combo system introduced in SSF2, but added an extra layer of depth by allowing fighters to pull off a devastating super move after accumulating enough energy in a gauge in the lower corner of the screen, which was strong enough to turn the tides of battle in a players favor, but took a while to charge which kept it from being cheap. Still, despite that huge gameplay addition back in the day, little was done to rebalance the game. Enter our challenger, SSF2THDR. Instead of just altering the graphics and keeping everything the same, various characters were rebalanced and had some moves and frames changed to make every character seem a lot more worthwhile if you invested the time. While they could have called it quits with the amazing new art style and the moves, there’s an added online mode that allows you to play ranked and unranked matches with people from all over the globe. The two most creative however are the return of quarter matches (2 players fight, winner stays, loser goes, and next in line challenges them) and tournament mode (…it’s a tournament mode.), which gives you tons to come back for especially if you don’t have any friends that are actually willing to come by to play in person.

Graphics – 8/10

Playing the original Street Fighter II series on an HDTV just doesn’t hold up as well as one might wish, which was why this game received a complete graphical overhaul. The art style captures a more comic book art style instead of being anime influenced (ala Guilty Gear, King of Fighters, etc), which looks great on any tv, especially if yours supports any HD mode. On the downside, while the art does look great once you adjust to it, some people are going to have a hard time accepting the fact that the game has an almost cartoon look to it, but once you accept that, you’ll realize that all of the hitboxes and everything is pretty much the exact same. The backgrounds were all redone too, and while there’s nothing new here, what is there is very easy on the eye and actually works perfectly fine in widescreen hd resolutions, meaning that your fights will take up the whole screen instead of having random background images there.

Sound – 8/10

There’s no denying that the one of the most remembered phrases in all of gaming is that arcade staple, the hadouken. All of the sound effects that have lodged there way into your hearts and brain over the last 20+ years are all back, meaning that you’ll still get a kick out of trying to figure out what in the world Ryu and Ken are saying when they do their hurricane kick. While the sounds may all be the exact same, the soundtrack itself is the most notable feature here. As the years have gone buy, the ladies and gentlemen over at Overclocked Remix have constantly put out some amazing songs either based on games or remade songs that they’ve really latched on to, with some of them actually sounding superior to the original composition. A while back, they put out a Street Fighter II remix cd, which is what the score for HD Remix happens to be, fitting in flawlessly with the redone art style with all the songs still sounding somewhat similar, meaning you can still hum along to your favorite characters theme. Personally, I love the soundtrack, but it might be a disappointment to some who were looking for the original versions of the songs.

Overall – 9/10

Since I’m writing this a few months late, Street Fighter IV has already hit store shelves and been snatched up by the masses, but even among all of the excitement about the new game, HD Remix feels like it’s going to be a game people will continuously come back to since it’s almost an unchanged experience compared to the original with enough tweaks to the gameplay to make it feel like it’s the finest moment of the Street Fighter II series. The online options are actually more extensive than what’s currently available on SFIV, and the simplicity of knowing that everything you loved about the game back in the 90’s is still here, before the genre was introduced to parries, reversals, and the like might actually make this a much better purchase for many people. While some may be put off by the price tag, you’ll eventually realize that your money was well worth it as you slowly start losing hour after hour to this title, playing against either friends or competitors from all around the world and learning how to benefit from all the new character changes made here.

Bobhead's Top 10 Beat-Em-Ups

2009-03-03T12:12:00.002-05:00

Anyone that grew up in the 90's would have a hard time forgetting all of the arcane knowledge Beat-Em-Ups taught you. Only in that genre is punching a trash can a viable option to looking for a fresh cooked turkey that's still intact on the platter and everything. You also learned one of life’s most important lessons: whenever you're walking down a street, that guy reading the newspaper is waiting to kill you. This is ALWAYS true, along with the fact that if you manage to kill him in combat, and...let's just say his name was Dave for simplicities sake, if you run into someone that looks just like him with a different colored t-shirt, his name is probably going to now be Rave and he's going to be even tougher than he was previously. Unfortunately as the years have gone by and technology has advanced, beat-em-ups have started to become a dying breed, with titles occasionally popping up and reminding us why we loved the genre before also fading into obscurity. For those that loved the genre and still hold a candle for some sort of revival, I present you with my list of Top Ten Beat-em-ups!

10. The Warriors (PS2, PSP)

Only Rockstar would think that it would be a good idea to resurrect a 30 year old movie that's been a cult classic since it came out, then combine it with a genre that's almost been completely dead since the dawn of 32-bit consoles back in the mid 90's. Luckily for gamers everywhere, that combination proved to be the recipe for pure gold. The movie was about one gang (The Warriors) attempting to escape from a failed meeting where they were blamed for the assassination of the most powerful boss in the city, which was supposed to be a modern day version of the same story as 300. The game, since it was released decades after the movie it was based on, took some liberties and told an alternate version of the story, mostly dealing with the gang trying to take over the city block by block. For fans of the movie or people that really get into the game, there are several bonus missions that you get to take part in if you wish that helps explain the back story for characters and the gang in general. Of course, strong storytelling isn't the only aspect that makes this title especially memorable. You have plenty characters to choose from, earning more as you get further into the game, a leveling system, some creative missions that mix pure, all-or-nothing brawling with stealth or escaping an area, a money system that you can use to earn spray paint and a drug that gives you a stat boost, and some of the most satisfying combat ever to grace a beat-em-up. Most people missed out on the game, but if you ever come across it and are hungering for some of that old school action with a modern twist, you'll find a lot to love in The Warriors.

09. The Simpson’s (Arcade)

There was a time when it was possible for licensed games to not suck or be horrendously mediocre. In those golden years, arcades everywhere saw this amazing 4 player cabinet based around America’s favorite cartoon family, The Simpson’s. Instead of trying to base the game itself off of any particular episode, the game took you through several locations from the game while forcing players to fight against enemies from the show. While the storyline wasn’t particularly compelling (save Maggie), there are few games that come close to capturing that same feel of you and 3 of your best friends gathered around the cabinet and working together using team attacks until you reach the end of the game. The animation and graphics still hold up well to this day and really do manage to look exactly like the cartoons, which was no easy feat for when this title was actually new. Unfortunately, the game never made it to consoles, meaning the only way to play it now is to find it in an arcade (PROTIP: Check Chuck E Cheese) or emulation. On the positive side, once you do track it down and get your friends to play it, you’ll find every moment was worth it in the end.

08. Alien Vs. Predator (Arcade)

It’s a shame the movies were so terrible, because the arcade version of Alien Vs. Predator was amazing. Unless there had been a comic released around this time, Alien Vs Predator was a completely original title that was developed by Capcom. Instead of trying to force the player to play as an alien, you picked one of three original characters that appeared nowhere in the movies, then went through several stages beating the crap out of any alien that was foolish enough to cross your path. It wasn’t exactly a terrifying experience, but you really did start to feel the pressure as hordes upon hordes of aliens descended upon you, often times making you wonder if you’d make it far enough to grab that health pickup that you knew was going to be on the next screen. The storyline itself wasn’t bad, especially since it was all new content. Throughout the levels, you’d randomly come across different weapons that you could use for a temporary amount of time that greatly aided in combat. The only downer was that the game was only 3 players, which seems like an odd selection looking back at things, but it worked out fine here since there had only been 3 characters to select. Each of the levels seemed varied enough, using plenty of colors with a almost hand drawn look to all of the sprites that would appear, keeping you compelled to play past the end of each level even if it was just to see what the next would be.

07. Battletoads (NES)

Everything about Battletoads screams of the early 90’s. Take an animal, give it some “‘tude”, throw in some incredibly frustrating levels that can make a grown man cry (speederbikes, anyone?), gameplay that was simplistic at its core, and a hot female villain that most of us never made it halfway to. What do you get? A game that has become one of the most memorable Beat-Em-Ups of the 8-bit years. Letting players choose between the titular Battletoads named Zitz, Rash, or Pimple was just the start. Each level had you briefed by your leader, which was a …bird or something, then you were dropped into the game. One of the most memorable aspects of the game was the satisfaction you got from destroying any of the enemies and hearing that classic “thwap” sound when you made that final hit, with your fist growing 4 times its normal size. Other trademarks of the series were the speederbikes, the ability to hit an enemy into the ground, then run at them and kick them like a football off of the screen, and the walker robots (including a memorable boss fight on the first level) that you could beat down, then take their legs and use them to club other enemies to death. Chances of us ever seeing another Battletoads game are slim to none, but the games that are out in the series still stand the test of time and are a true test of any gamers skill and patience, while still being satisfying for every level you make it through. Combine that with a co-op mode that let you work together with your friend to thwart foes or even use THEM as a weapon by throwing them into enemies (hey, it’s called taking one for the team!) makes this game number 7 on the list.

06. Double Dragon (NES)

Double Dragon is probably the first game everyone cut their teeth on when it comes to all out brawling action. Taking you through several levels that ranged pretty dramatically from scenery was only the beginning of this titles epic adventure. It started out with one of the most memorable scenes from a game of all time: Screen comes on, you pick which mode you want to play, then you see about 4 guys standing around and a girl standing there. From that point, one of the guys steps forward and punches the crap out of her in the stomach, then throws her over his shoulder and walks away. My logic has always been that she probably deserved it and the last fight of the game just reinforced my theory over how she was a complete b**** (spoiler coming in a few sentences!). There was a lot of stuff that happened in this game that kind of paved the way for other future beat-em-ups, such as beating up women with really bad hair that HAD to carry whips (seriously, go play a few of these games and any time you see a woman, she almost ALWAYS has a whip), weapons in general, simultaneous 2 player that also included a mode where you could beat down on your friend, one of the first games I can remember that showed me that changing your clothes made you a tougher person, and....the genre staple: a last fight that turns you against the person you've been playing with for the love of a woman. The enemies themselves are all pretty amazing, especially the huge hulking guys that you fight throughout the game that seem to easily be able to beat the crap out of you. Either way, for pure fun, a memorable soundtrack, and nostalgia, there's no way Double Dragon could NOT make it up here.

05. Dungeons & Dragons: Shadow of Mystara (Arcade)

This is one of those games that I know a lot of people probably never played or maybe heard about and thought it was a generic rpg or something. While the previous title in this series was amazing, this one was pure concentrated Awesome In A Can®! Shadow of Mystara might have only been a 4 player game, but it featured 6 characters that you could play as and level up throughout your journey and forced players to actually consider what class they were going to be and play them accordingly. The graphics are still amazing to witness since it capitalized on that completely hand drawn look that is a trademark of arcade beat-em-ups that were developed by Capcom at the time. Many games in this genre have players mashing on one or two buttons, but D&D: SoM had players using their classes skills in addition to various items in order to make it through the adventure. As you traversed environments, you could potentially come across a treasure chest, which was fine if you had a key on you, but if not, you better have a thief! Mages had the ability to cast powerful offensive and defensive magic, the warrior was a beast, etc. The last major difference between this and other games on this list is this is one of the few games that would occasionally give you the option to take a branching path towards the end of your epic quest. If you come across this or whatever, definitely give it a shot. If you have the time, make sure you also have 3 friends in tow to play it to it's maximum potential.

04. Final Fight 2 (SNES)

Ahh. The Final Fight franchise. This was THE pinnacle of fighting games back in the 16 bit days for most gamers. While the original is a lot more memorable with its cast and the introduction of the franchise, I still believe the second game refined everything that made the first game great, then expanded on it which is the formula for making any solid sequel. While Guy and Cody are notably absent from this game, two new characters were introduced: Maki, who was essentially a female version of Guy, and Carlos, which was a South American guy...BUT WITH A SWORD! Rounding out the cast was everyone's favorite barreled chested bad ass: the mighty Haggar. The actual gameplay itself was pretty much the same as any of the other games in this franchise, but it's amazing how well it holds up for reasons unknown. While the 3rd game had it's AI mode that let the computer take over as the second player which was creative at the time, the game itself seem kind of bland in comparison to the first two. If you go back to the first game, while the gameplay itself was fine, the color palate seems kind of bland and doesn't feel like it holds up to the test of time graphically. Personally, Final Fight 2 was the one I completely latched on to for whatever reason, making this my number 4.

03. Castle Crashers (Xbox 360)

Beat-em-ups were almost dead for about 10-15 years. As time has gone by, people have clamored for a Streets of Rage 4, or just something that wasn't Dynasty Warriors or the convoluted character action games that are so popular nowadays (God of War, Ninja Gaiden, Devil May Cry, etc). Out of the blue a few years ago, Castle Crashers appeared at various press conferences, making gamers everywhere super excited to know that there was going to be a classic co-op beat-em-up coming out in the future. As time went by though, the title saw more and more delays, making it look like it could potentially become vaporware, but at the end of August 2008, the wait proved to be well worth it as Xbox Live Arcade saw the release of what is easily considered to be the best beat-em-up in years: Castle Crashers. The game, which was developed by Behemoth (developer of Alien Hominid and Newgrounds classic Dad 'n Me) brought back all of the classic simplistic fun that made the genre so great back in its heyday.Instead of just having fun gameplay, it's one of the most enjoyable games to actually look at, has loads of unlockables, 4 player online or offline co-op, a few different modes, and it brought back fighting your best friend for the love of a woman yet again. While people had issues when the game came out with 4 player online co-op, the game has since been patched and had a small expansion that appeared. If you aren't a fan of downloadable content, there are loads of different weapons to be found in the game and you'll have a lot of fun just going through the story as many times as you want, leveling up your characters as you progress.

02. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time (SNES/Arcade)

Turtles in Time took everything that makes beat-em-ups incredible, evolved on its own 4 player formula that was made in the TMNT arcade game, then threw in some of the most amazing levels seen in the genre. Once you actually reach the time traveling parts of the game, you know you're in for an amazing experience. The 4 turtles are all still there and while your standard hits are all the same, there were a few changes that blew gamers away back in the day. If you managed to get in close to your enemy, not only could you beat the crap out of them with your weapon, but you could also throw them. That's not all folks! With a well timed throw, you were able to grab an enemy and literally throw them into the screen, watching their sprite grow larger until they eventually just disappeared. No beat-em-up would be worth anything if there weren't enemies there, and this game featured tons of enemies that made the cartoon so great, from foot soldiers to the classic duo of Bebop and Rock Steady. The level designs themselves all fit in with the time periods you were being transported to, from pirate ships to trains, fighting dinosaurs, and even riding hover boards down a neon futuristic highway in the unforgettable Neon Night Riders stage. While it's not the easiest game, the amazing level designs, gorgeous graphics, and fast and frantic gameplay has held up remarkably well over the years, making this number 2.

01. Streets of Rage 2 (Sega Genesis)

While the game itself is one of my favorites of all time, the reason that makes this stand out above everything else is how memorable the soundtrack was. Instead of going on for hours about how great that single aspect of the game was, I'd rather talk about some of the other parts. The box art alone was simply amazing and I fondly remember seeing it in stores and being completely impressed already, especially after being a huge fan of the first game. Only two of the characters from the first game return, which sets up the plot for the game. Adam Hunter, the third member of the original title, was kidnapped, which was discovered by one of the most amazing characters of a beat-em-up ever: Eddie Hunter. Eddie Hunter's only rival I can think of off the top of my head is the Kangaroo from Streets of Rage 3, but more people remember this guy simply as "Skate". Skate...is the epitome of companies capitalizing on the 90's: an African American character with a backwards hat and he fought through the entire game on frickin' roller blades(!!!), making him the fastest character out there. The other new character was Max, who was SoR's unstoppable powerhouse that fought similar to Final Fight's Haggar, but did it in the most ridiculous looking pants and boots I've ever seen in my life. Luckily, his size and power more than made up for it, which brings us to another reason why this game was so great. Unlike most beat-em-ups where you could choose different characters that looked different but ultimately played the same, all of the characters in this title had their own stats, meaning that you could actually find someone that you felt fit your own play style. The last major gameplay change was the removal of the original games special attack that consisted of you calling a police car in that would perform a random attack across the screen. Instead, your character had their own special moves which helped to expand the movelist and give them their own unique attacks that helped to define who they were instead of just being generic characters like so many other games. The levels all were amazing with some incredible bosses and gorgeous graphics, all backed by one of the most amazing game soundtracks ever. While everyone is still holding out some sort of hope that maybe one day there will actually be a true sequel, fans have taken matters into their own hands and developed Beats of Rage which is a completely customizable beat-em-up. While the entire series was amazing, everything meshed together to make my favorite beat-em-up of all time in Streets of Rage 2.

*Honorable Mentions*
*River City Ransom*
*Die Hard Arcade*
*Dynasty Warriors whatever (its all the same game)*

Bad Boys Review

2009-02-27T12:43:00.003-05:00

Title: Bad Boys
Release Date: April 7th, 1995
Genre: Action, Comedy, Drama
Plot: [as per imdb.com] Marcus Burnett is a hen-pecked family man. Mike Lowry is a foot-loose and fancy free ladies' man. Both are Miami policemen, and both have 72 hours to reclaim a consignment of drugs stolen from under their station's nose. To complicate matters, in order to get the assistance of the sole witness to a murder, they have to pretend to be each other.
Rating: 8/10
Reasoning: This movie is without a doubt, one of Will Smith's finest. The on-screen relationship between Martin Lawrence and Will Smith is spectacular, with both actors basically playing off the other. The premise is rather well done, and keeps you on your toes as to what might happen to the guys next. Though I might've preferred more of a cop movie, rather than T.N.T, this fits just as well. Especially with Lawrence's character actually getting queasy with the sight of a dead body.

The main problem with the movie, which is why it got an 8 instead of a 9 or a 10 is Tea Leoni's acting. Though she has been in previously rather good movies (Fun with Dick and Jane), her character was extremely shrill, annoying, and basically an idiot. If she hadn't been the witness who could lead them to Fouchet, I would've smacked her in the face a bunch of times. I understand the predicament the character was in: she just witnessed her best friend get shot at an ex-cop's house, but she didn't have to get as carried away as she did in the movie. There's a fine line between scared and shrill, and she definitely went way past it.

But despite Tea Leoni's acting, this movie is still worth the watch, and you definitely get a feel for best friend relationship between Smith's and Lawrence's characters. A must see if you're also either a Will Smith fan or a Martin Lawrence fan.

Flower review

2009-02-24T20:35:00.002-05:00

Ever since it first popped up at an E3 a few years ago, Flower has been garnerning an insane amount of buzz around it. Captivating audiences with its tranquil, zen-like experience coupled with some of the prettiest and most vibrant visuals you might come across in this console generation. Unfortunately, towards the end of the game, there were some decisions made to remind you that this is still a game, but its core concept is one that's well worth checking out along with the story it’s trying to present as a whole, making this an experience I feel every gamer should have at least once. Read on for a more in depth look!

Gameplay - 8/10

Flower does a great job of giving you the feel of just simply being the wind. The use of the sixaxis is flawlessly implemented, and any single maneuver you want to pull off, using your brain (and your hands), you'll quickly find yourself performing a myriad of aerial maneuvers from sharp turns to dives all with the flick of a your wrist. While the game was original touted as being a completely zen like experience, the final product does have a bit of a story to tell, especially in the last 3 stages which completely change up the gameplay. Each level is actually so well done that even after you finish one, you still will find yourself returning to your favorites and just replaying them or maybe even flying around the environment just for fun. The negative side of this is that while the last three stages do change up the gameplay, the 5th in particular is almost completely different and reminds you that you’re actually playing a game by introducing a few gaming trademarks that might bring it down for some. To make up for this though, the credits are probably the most creative ones I’ve ever seen in a game and almost feels like its very own stage! Using ANY button on the controller is a definite plus and leaves you to focus just on the aerial tricks you’ll need to perform, and the overall presentation of the story it’s trying to give the player is remarkably well done.

Graphics - 10/10

The moment you finally turn on Flower, you’re greeted with a simplistic looking level select screen that is actually show as a budding flower in a flowerpot on a desk with a city behind it. Once you select your stage however, you’re instantly transported into one of the most serene, majestic landscapes ever to grace a video game. While you’re not going to be marveling at how lifelike the character models are, the lighting, wind, and grass is simply beautiful. It’s easy for someone to walk into the room and think you’re watching a video or some sort of tech demo, but knowing that each blade of grass looks to be modeled in real time, along with the awesome effects the grass creates when you fly in close is just one of those things that has to be experienced to be appreciated. On top of this, each level actually looks completely different from the last, and as you fly from flower to flower making things prettier, it’s easy to understand why people were so impressed every time Flower was shown at conferences. Not only is this title one of the most beautiful games to grace a next-gen console, it’s also only 10$, meaning that you’re getting great eye candy for a budget price with a stellar game attached to it!

Sound - 8/10

There’s nothing quite like that distinctive “woosh” sound as swoop in from the sky to collect that one petal that eluded you for so long. The music is subtle enough to further immerse you into the world without being any sort of a distraction to the overall experience. On the other hand however, there really isn’t that much sound here but that might be the games biggest strength. Unfortunately, I can’t comment on how this game sounds with 5.1 or anything, but I’m sure you’ll just have a more powerful sounding wind coming from all around you instead of just in front.

Overall - 8/10

Flower is one of those things that definitely deserves at least a shot from anyone who’s even remotely intrigued by the concept or the buzz that’s been surrounding it. For people who are hoping to have a game that’s just about flying around a world and making thing’s pretty, at least 80% of the game is for you but the 5th level really might put a damper on your spirits. For about 10$, it really won’t break the bank and it will definitely put a smile on your face a few times if you’re into experimental, indie, or just relaxing games. There’s a bit of talk about gamers that are looking for something different really loving this, but if you’re trying to convert someone into gaming, even though it’s simplistic, it might not have enough of a defined goal to turn anyone into an overnight gamer so be careful of that. In short, if you’ve ever been curious about the game or just want to unwind, Flower is the game for you but, If you’ve though the concept of the game was pointless or whatever, then you’re definitely going to want to pass on it. For anyone that does manage to pick this up and sink some time into it, you’ll find that this might be one of the better titles on PSN even if it is a bit short with the 6 levels probably taking anyone out there no longer than 2-3 hours to finish.

Bobhead's Top 10 Fighting Games.

2009-02-23T13:59:00.003-05:00

Over the years, there’s been an insane number of fighting games released. Throughout the last 4-5 however, they’ve slowly started to dwindle down to just the major franchise. Gone are the days where people would crowd around whatever the newest arcade machine is, placing a quarter on the corner, then saying “I got next.” While those particular moments have almost completely faded out of existence with the dwindling arcade scene, “the soul still burns!” To celebrate the release of Street Fighter IV, I’ve compiled a list of my top ten fighting games of all time. I realize not everyone is going to agree with me, but that’s what comments are for, right?! Leave a comment to let me know what you liked/hated! With that said “Fight!”

#10 - Powerstone 2

I know! What an amazing way to start off a list, right? The first Powerstone was one of the shining gems in the American Dreamcast launch, giving a completely new look into one on one fighting games. Instead of being confined to two dimensions or just being able to dodge into the foreground or background, Powerstone's gimmick was allowing full, three dimensional carnage with tons of items that were there for you to use along with special moves. There were several characters, with about 3 different weight classes that gave you different perks (lighter characters can jump higher, while bigger characters were harder to knock away and could rip off gigantic stone pillars to smack you with). The second one managed to improve on the formula by allowing up to 4 players to square off against each other, then you had the ability to play through the entire fighting game co-op, more characters, incredible level designs, etc. You could knock the game for having simplistic hand to hand combat controls, but learning how to use each item and character, along with using the terrain to your advantage AS that character, all while 3 of your best friends are flying around the arena safely secure this game a spot on this list.

#09 - Real Bout Fatal Fury 2

The original Fatal Fury games were really well done for the time, sporting a small change from the SF2 and Mortal Kombat gameplay styles since you were able to dodge into the background. At the end of the day though, it was another 2d fighting game that had combos and special moves. The Real Bout series, while 2d fighting was it's core gameplay element, you were also rated on how well you did in each round, which greatly helped players in improving their game. The number of characters was increased, especially with the second game. Instead of stopping with a creative rating system though, the game added in different arena restrictions. In the regular Fatal Fury games, you were able to dodge into the background and fight back there or fly in towards your opponent in the different plane. Real Bout had boxing rings with ropes that actually was a visual indication to the end of a level and best of all, barricades on others that if you slammed your enemy against enough times throughout the match, you would eventually be able to score a ring out on them, which gave turtler's something to be wary of.

#08 - Samurai Shodown 2

After playing all of the games in the Samurai Shodown series, I still consider the second to be the definitive release. The first game was the first fighter that actually stood out in the arcade to me alongside Street Fighter II since it actually had a new gimmick: weapons. The first wasn’t a bad game and is still fine to play, but the second took everything that one offered, refined it, threw in a few tricks of its own, and managed to actually keep people away from other fighting games from the time. There was nothing quite like having someone shoot a fireball then using the new crouching maneuver to avoid it, rushing in, and delivering that final blow. When playing against a human, few games have come close to having gripping, battle changing moments like this game offered (clashing weapon battles = awesome). This game also seemed like it was the last of the more lighthearted games in the series, with the 3rd being somewhat forgettable and the 4th being a great fighting game, but lacking that sense of humor this game and its background judge presented. Samurai Shodown 5 would easily be my second favorite in this series.

#07 - Guilty Gear X2

The first time I saw a Guilty Gear game, I immediately fell in love with the art style. Every aspect of it looked like it was well thought out, from the level design to the amazing character artwork. Instead of stopping with just having a gorgeous looking game though, Guilty Gear X2 can quickly become one of the fastest paced, over the top games you've ever played. The Guilty Gear is mainly remembered for it's instant kills moves, that sound cheap on first hearing, but most of them take a ridiculously long time to pull off, and missing one means you're missing your special meter until the match is over. You also had roman cancels, which let you cancel out most moves into other ones, but X2 took all of that and still managed to push the insanity. There were new characters added, rebalancing, the addition of the false roman cancel, all while keeping up the high bar set in the original game, making some consider this to be the most balanced 2d fighter ever, along with the craziest.

#06 - King of Fighters 2002

It's another old game, but in my opinion, King of Fighters 2002 is the highlight of the series, with ‘98 being a close second. KoF 2002 wasn’t the most innovative in the series, but it did manage to refine the mechanics, incorporate a bigger number of characters that were all pretty well balanced, then give you plenty of versatility in your fighting style, whether you be a fan of rushing in with furious combos or staying back and waiting for that hole in your enemies offense. The graphics hold up incredibly well today, capitalizing on SNK’s trademark hand drawn art style.
While many people never even gave the series a shot besides one or two games, if you’re looking for a quality fighting game that’s NOT by Capcom, look no further than here.

#05 - Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo HD Remix

I was honestly debating between putting this and the original on the list. HD Remix made the cut thanks to new tweaks to the moves, more balancing corrections, online play (especially quarter mode) and the amazing art style. It’s subtle differences in the two games, such as Akuma not being all powerful, E. Honda’s jab flying headbutt being able to fly through fireballs, and easier to perform specials (people can actually do the infamous spinning piledriver without having to jump!) that really makes this stand out and seem like it’s now the definitive release for Street Fighter II. While the art style isn’t for everyone, it does grow on you over time and really looks nice once you have it on an HDTV. All that’s missing from this release of the game is an official arcade machine for it!

#04 - Marvel Vs. Capcom 2

The chaos. The insanity. Don’t blink, or you’ll probably be dead in Marvel Vs Capcom 2. Many look at the game and instantly assume it’s a button masher. That’s fine if you want to think that or even play it like that with friends, but the first moment you try button mashing against a person that’s invested a large amount of time in this title and you’ll quickly see that there’s a lot more strategy to the game. It’s most notable for its flashy combos and ridiculously large character selection which clocks in at a whopping 56. While MVC2 may not be the most balanced fighting game ever, trying to figure out what team you’re going to use against what characters, which version of their support attack you want, and exactly how you’re going to use them is only the beginning of the depth present in this title. It’s easy to watch a Magneto player and call them cheap or say they’re button mashing, but learning exactly how much work goes into doing his air dash, canceling out, starting a combo, calling a support character, then tagging out is a lot more complicated than you can ever imagine.

#03 - Virtua Fighter 5

Finally, we’ve made it to the top 3. Virtua Fighter 5 is the pinnacle of true 3d fighting. Many 3d fighting games are basically played out on a 2d plane with 3 dimensional graphics, but in order to succeed in VF5, you’re going to have to learn how to dodge, when to parry, how to use cancels to mess with your opponents mind, and even what attacks give you an advantage by dodging slightly into the foreground while you perform them. On the downside, there were only a few characters added to this game, but each one of them plays completely different from any of the current existing ones and none of them are actually bad. If you pick up the 360 version, there’s also online play, meaning you can finally test your skills against fighters from around the world. If you don’t have Xbox Live or just pick up the ps3 version, there’s at least a really in depth arcade career mode that has you traveling to various arcades and fighting against AI representations of various real players while accumulating different items to customize your characters appearance and the nice ranking system. In addition to having a very rewarding fighting system and that career mode, the graphics are very pleasing to the eyes. While they might not rival something like Crysis or Killzone 2 or whatever, for realism, there’s nothing that comes close in fighting games so far. Virtua Fighter isn’t for people that aren’t willing to invest time into it, but for those that do, this game is pure gold and definitely belongs in your collection.

#02 - Marvel Vs. Capcom 1

Gasp! BOTH Marvel vs Capcom games made the list? Well, it’s my list and I can do things like that! While the second game pushed the bar on what could be considered over the top (3 character supers, forcing your opponent to tag out, etc) Marvel Vs Capcom 1’s style was more emphasized on the actual combat in my opinion and not so much what characters you had on your team. Since you had a separate, non-player-controlled character for your assist, this allowed players to pick two characters that they actually enjoyed fighting as, such as a team with Gambit and Chun Li. This was also the game that I actually started to understand the mechanics of the classic Capcom chaining method (lp, lk, mp, mk, hp, hk) and learned that even in a fast paced game like this, everyone had their uses. The music also felt more in tune with the gameplay in comparison to that light jazz stuff offered in MVC2. The fact that this game could actually be played in 4 player mode secures this the number 2 spot on this list.

#01 - Capcom Vs. Snk 2

Capcom Vs Snk 2 is a game I’ve lost countless hours to over the years. When it first came out, I was a bit put off by how different it was from the first game. I really liked the art style and everything, but the fact that there weren’t any real tiers in place made me think the balance was going to be a bit lopsided. Instead of just offering two grooves, CvS2 upped the ante with a 6 grooves and 2 extra’s for the console versions. When anyone first tries out the game, they almost always just navigate to the C groove, which is similar to the charging system from SFA3 (3 levels, dashes, rolls, super jumps, etc), but after you start playing more, you quickly learn that almost all of them are useful in their own way. You’ve got A Groove, which gives you the option to use custom combo’s ala SFA2, P groove, which was similar to the parry system from SF3. That right there would probably have been enough for most players, but Capcom refused to stop there! There’s also S groove (old school KoF with dodging and charging, then infinite level 1 specials when you’re near death), N (Advanced system from the later KoF titles. The highlights are running, rolling, 3 gauges, only two gauges needed for what would be a level 3 super otherwise), and K groove (a mix between Garou’s Just Defend system and the rage system in Samurai Shodown). On top of all of the versatility with the grooves, there’s a ridiculously large character select screen highlighting characters from each of the two universes that everyone’s grown to know and love (or hate *coughRaidencough*). If you ever come across an arcade, it’s amazing how many people still stick to this game after all of these years and consider it to be one of, if not the finest fighting game of all time.

*Honorable Mentions*

Project Justice (2nd rival schools game) – Best idea ever, meshing the styles of the SF games with MVC and starring a cast from rival high schools! 10/10!

Street Fighter Alpha 2 – Introduction of Custom Combos, awesome levels, best of the alpha games in my opinion.

Vampire Savior (3rd darkstalkers game) – All of the games in the series were leading up to this point. It plays similar to the 1st two, but felt a bit more complete and had more characters, which is always a plus (jedah/b.b. hood ftw!)

King of Fighters 98 – my second favorite in the series. The art style is a bit dated nowadays, but the gameplay is just as tight as it was the first time I played it.

DJ Max Fever Review

2009-02-09T05:06:00.004-05:00

Fans of music games have probably been following this franchise for a long time now. It started out with a PC beta that essentially a very well done Beatmania clone that had a few changes in place that favored playing on a keyboard instead of with the traditional turntable controller. Instead of just having a list of ridiculously difficult songs, you still had multiple difficulties and a large song selection to scroll through, along with online play that slowly ranked you with a DJ level that was essentially representative of how many wins you had. As time passed by, the PC version became more difficult to access, eventually leading to the announcement that the game was in fact being ported over to PSP. There have already been about 4 games released in other countries, but this if the first one to actually hit American shores. While it's always a good thing to see music games get released over here, even though the fundamental gameplay aspects are the same, the soundtracks almost always suffer with licensed American pop hits that just don't fit the nature of gameplay (*coughTaikoDrumMastercough*). Does DJ Max Fever actually manage to overcome that hurdle while still offering the same addictive gameplay? Read on to find out!

Gameplay - 9/10

First impressions would leave you to think that this is just a simple, dumbed down port of Beatmania to a handheld and in some respects, you would right. There are plenty of changes to the formula that actually work to make the game a lot more accessible, while still having loads of options in terms of difficulty as you get better. The first thing of note is the fact that this game includes a pretty straightforward difficulty setting in the options menu, multiple modes (4 button, 5 button, 6 button, 8 button, and a mission mode) that have different difficulties for the songs, along with making it easy to know what the difficulty rating of the song is. For many players, Beatmania is insanely hard to actually play since you're normally playing random background samples in the music which makes it hard to figure out what the pattern is you're supposed to be banging out. DJ Max Fever does a much better job of letting you play the lead instruments and bringing out the sound, meaning you can actually tell what part of the song you're playing and almost feel it. The controls are fully customizable, but the default settings tend to work out incredibly well, with the only downside being the inability to completely turn off the auto feature (more on that later). In addition to the charts for the songs being a lot more relevant to what you're actually hearing, there are unlockable characters that you get from completing different in game objectives, each with their own abilities from earning you extra experience to increasing the auto feature that hits some of the notes you miss. All of this coupled with the large song list (especially considering that it's a handheld!) makes DJ Max Fever a must own title for any music game fan.

Graphics - 7/10

One of the first things that stood out to me about DJ Max Fever was how nice the interface was. Instead of trying to go with some elaborate system, you have a press start screen, and then you've got the option to load up the OST, portable game, network battle, etc by tapping left or right. If you sit there for a while, the game eventually goes to an anime cutscene that's very reminiscent of the stuff that plays in the background as you play. Once you're in game, everything fits well enough, with the combo meter popping up towards the upper half of the note chart, keeping it from obstructing your view too much, yet there's still just enough visual indication to let you know what's going on without having to stare at it too much. For the analog stick spinning sequences, you'll see a spinning stick pop up on screen ahead of time, and the actual section glows pretty bright, again helping you more than distracting your attention. The notes themselves come in a variety of colors that represent what beat they're falling on for those of you who will be playing on higher difficulties. The actual artwork for the characters is pretty well done, even though you only see them in the menu, and there are loads of extra skins that you can get for the note charts themselves, each looking just as neat as the character design. The last major feature that's worth mentioning with the graphics is how well the anime cutscenes for each level are done. While you're loading the game, you tend to see an image that turns into some sort of animation sequence relevant to what you'll see if you're somehow able to pry your attention from the notes frantically flying down screen. The cutscenes themselves almost remind me of professionally done anime music videos, since all of the action seems to be synced just right with the music if you're playing everything right. On the downside, you're mostly just going to be looking at the keys streaming down the screen, which are well done, yet extremely minimalistic and really haven't changed a bit since the stuff from Beatmania. If you really want to just check out the cutscenes and the music, there's still the OST mode that just plays the songs and video along with unlockable images.

Sound - 9/10

It's so rare that a music game comes out over here that originated in another country that gets to keep a majority of their song selection without being "Americanized". DJ Max Fever somehow managed to overcome that major hurdle to the joy of fans everywhere, using some of the classic songs from the games along with a few new ones, and thanks to the diversity of genres, there's something here from everyone that's willing to try out stuff they've never heard of before. Since you're essentially playing the music, the only times any of the sounds are out of place are if you're playing them wrong. If that's not really your bag, there's always the previously mentioned OST mode for just listening to the songs themselves. One of the really nice touches with the game is that aside from the game over screen, there really isn't an announcer to yell out distracting stuff like "100 Combo", allowing you to just focus on the beat and what you need to do to actually play it right. Unfortunately, the amazing soundtrack has one dark side that might be an artistic choice, but I'm pretty sure it's more loading related: While playing through any song, the background track sometimes goes out, leaving you to just hear what you're playing. Had you always been playing lead or rhythm, this probably wouldn't be a problem, but if you're playing some sample that sounds like a rocket launching that fits in context with the song, it just feels wrong playing it without anything behind it. It's one of those things that rarely happens and seriously feels like more of a hardware limitation, but it can break combos sometimes.

Overall - 8/10

For the music gamer on the go, especially if you're an American, you absolutely need DJ Max Fever in your collection. Not only are you getting a great game, but you're getting one that has a soundtrack that rivals the number of songs in most console titles, loads of unlockables and missions for the completionist, and with its nifty tutorial mode, it's a lot more accessible than some other games out there. While the audio glitching out sometimes is a bit distracting and the way the difficulty works (some 6's seem a lot harder than some 7's or 8's as an example), the whole experience and quality of the title seriously makes up for all of that. The sheer fact that they have a soundtrack that is on par with that of the previous releases if not better, is one of those things that truly shows how much the developer acknowledges their fan base and wanted to live up to their high standard.

Diane

2009-02-07T14:36:00.001-05:00

Diane,

I’m sorry for contacting you this way. I know I should have talked to you after we had our falling out. I’m sorry I hounded you when we lived together. I did want the best for you, but I think I ended up sounding like a troll. I should have called you when I found out he died. I wanted to, but I was scared of what you would say to me. I didn’t really know what to think when I heard the news myself. We should have gone out for a drink when I got the call from his lawyer saying our father, Clarence Willis, had passed away.

It was a few weeks ago, when I got the call and flew out to the old farm house we grew up in. I wish I hadn’t taken the lawyer’s advice to collect any of his personal affects for “memories”. I didn’t want of them. However, I thought I could get some closure and maybe get a few bucks out of his junk laying around the house.

I was in the attic. It hadn’t seen attention in years, which made me wonder how long the lawyer waited to inform everyone of dad’s passing. Made me think he picked the place clean of anything of value. Everything in the room was hidden away in cardboard boxes or covered in a thick layer of dust. So, I spent the majority of my day splitting open boxes to find old sketchbooks, notebooks, and dozens of glass jars and vials. It was like something out of Frankenstein’s laboratory. He had jars of organs tucked away in different boxes. Others contained small vials filled amber liquid with tendrils of red or black pieces of flesh in them. I shudder to think the contents of these containers were attached something that was once alive.

Half of my day was spent looking through this stuff. I wasn’t sure what to make of it. It felt like looking through a stranger’s life. I had no idea whose life I’d been digging through for the past day but it didn’t look like the neglectful alcoholic we’d grown up with together… Like it was a final “fuck you” from Dad. I still can’t fathom how we didn’t notice any of this. Was this after we left? Or was he drinking away some kind of insane obsession?

It wasn’t until late at night that I made it toward the back of the attic. It was the white powder on the ground forming a circle around the mirror what caught my attention. It was so odd that this was still here after who knows how long. This section of the attic had dozens of books in a language I didn’t understand or recognize. After closer inspection of the books, the covers just felt… strange. Like the book covers were made out of old leathered flesh stitched together. Seeing how old and how strange the books appeared, I thought they might be worth something… same with the mirror. I pulled the sheet off of the mirror to get a better look at the frame and the quality of the glass. The frame was painted a golden colored with runes or something etched into the wood. It barely looked like it was touched at all, but what bothered me was my own reflection staring back. It ebbed like it was made of water, like I could touch it and wet my fingertips. I felt so uneasy looking at myself, but I felt like I was cemented into place. That’s where I saw him, Diane. I saw Dad.

It felt like he was right beside me, but I after a quick glance to the side I still found myself alone. The image of Clarence Willis wasn’t the picture of life. It was a skeletal perversion of him. His smooth skin melted away to sickly ecru bone. His hair stayed the same bristled and thick with grime. There’s a whiskey bottle in his hand, but I doubt he can taste the burn of liquor down his throat. Even without his baby blues resting comfortably in his sockets, I know he could see me. I stare at the reflection of myself beside him. I can see the horror in my face. I can hear his voice calling out my name from a mouth with no tongue. The more I gape into the mirror the more I see myself becoming like him. In the mirror, my skin was fading away like his and I swear I could taste the dust of the attic through the open slits of my cheek.

I don’t remember screaming, but I’m sure I was. He kept repeating my name with a voice that shouldn’t exist through bone alone. His free hand reached out to me in the mirror image. I shoved the mirror back against the wall and ran. I heard a shriek of a man’s voice and the loud clatter of the antique crashing to the floor as I ran to the front door. I peeled out from the house and didn’t look back. The image still haunts me and has since gnawed at the back of my mind.

I’m so sorry, Diane. I’m so sorry. I don’t want you to go there. If the lawyer calls you, hang up. He’s been calling me daily since I left the house, asking why I didn’t take anything or stay in the house. He keeps calling and leaving messages and calling again. He won’t leave me be. Do me a favor. Just one last favor. Change your phone number; shred your mail from this lawyer; move if you have to. There was something very wrong about that house and everything connected to it. There was something wrong with our father and it’s safe to say we probably knew nothing about him. I pray that I’m just crazy and I’m imaging all this nonsense. Imagining it in my head as I dream, I can’t shake the image I saw in the mirror. I don’t want this to be real. I hope it’s not real.

Megan

Skate 2 Review

2009-02-05T08:45:00.002-05:00

Who would have thought that all it would take to dethrone the Tony Hawk franchise from the the skateboarding throne was a little realism and a new control scheme? When you look back at every game that went against it one way or another (Thrasher, Grind Sessions, MTV Sports Skateboarding, etc) and you see all of them were completely destroyed, when buzz first started about some crazy new skateboarding game from EA was in the works, almost everyone dismissed it as them trying to cash in on the Pro Skater style of gameplay finally and started to ignore it. When the day finally came, not only did the original Skate destroy Proving Grounds in sales, it also forced Activision to pull the franchise back to restructure it. Skate 1 was a breakthrough success that shows how one solid idea can completely reinvigorate what everyone had slowly accepted as being a stale genre. Not only was it a breath of fresh air, but there was a strong community built around the game that never faded away, and when EA announced that there was going to be a Skate 2, it was probably the first time that a sequel from them had more excitement in the air for all the potential to change things from the first game, but no one was sure exactly what could be done to change the actual gameplay itself without convoluting the stellar control scheme. Did they actually manage to beat the high standards set in the previous game while throwing in enough stuff to keep things fresh?

Gameplay - 10/10

With the original, not only did they manage to completely alter how people percieved skateboarding games, there was plenty of content, and entire city with 5 very different areas in between, loads of events to participate in, an excellent multiplayer component, and one of the most in depth replay editors anyone had ever seen in a console game. Who would have thought that not only would they completely obliterate that ridiculously high standard set in Skate, but expand on everything everyone loved, mix in old and new environments, and throw some solid co-op in for good measure? Skate 2 is the perfect example of how to make a sequel. Instead of trying to change everything up, they kept the flawless controls intact, threw in loads of new tricks for those that want more to sink their teeth into using some of the extra buttons, altered the event progression, and upped the framerate from 30 fps to 60, making everything buttery smooth. If you missed the original skate or tried it and thought it was fun but never invested time into it, you might do yourself a tremendous favor by starting here. Since it's a skateboarding game, there really wasn't much of a story to speak of other than trying to become a pro by doing various things to get featured on the Skateboard Mag and Thrasher, ultimately striving to earn a cover shot and a chance to show what you learned at the x-games. If you're looking for the crazy destructive antics of the Tony Hawk games, then stay far away, but the sheer number, diversity, and freedom in the events is impressive, not to mention that you no longer have to do events you don't want to unless you're trying to get all of the achievements. The size of the city is just as impressive as before, and it's a nice touch when you're skating through the New San Van's downtown area for the first time, setting up for a massive 360 flip across a familiar stair set only to realize at the last minute that the old landing area has been altered just enough to make everything feel fresh yet still staying away from the arcade-like nature of other skateboarding games. Just in case you get tired of hitting the same old 10 stair or ledges repeatedly, you're now able to freely walk around the city (no grabbing onto ledges here!) and while the controls aren't spectacular for this aspect, it's designed to let you run up different stairs or possibly set up some dumpsters to jump across so you can reach that ledge you've been dying to drop off since you first spotted it. The fact that you actually can move many of the objects in the city and there are ramps stashed in various places that you can move and set up anywhere is an amazing addition that means the diversity of terrain is limited only by your own imagination. If you set up a particularly nice location, you can go into the new spot editor, save it and set a score, then upload it for anyone to try out. Taking a cue from Burnout Paradise, by hitting the back button anywhere in the city, you have access to a map, options, your friends list, and the ability to create an online freeskate session in that location without ever having to return to the main menu. On top of all of this is an enhanced replay editor that lets you control the camera, meaning you can finally make videos that are on par or better than those shown in the intro and trailers for the first skate finally. The only downside to all of the freedom here is that they removed the filter effects that might be added as dlc later, but it's still an amazing package and I can guarantee that you're getting much more than your moneys worth with Skate 2.

Graphics - 10/10

Skate sported one of the sleekest art styles to be seen in a skateboarding game. With the vivid, yet realistic colors of the city and the realistic design of the city (what was with Project 8 and stores that happened to be shaped like halfpipes anyway?) along with some nice work done on models and textures, it seems there were lofty heights to reach if Skate 2 was ever going to improve. Thankfully, EA has some of the deepest pockets in the gaming industry along with some incredible talent, meaning that the framerate was upped, the city's design is similar, yet almost feels completely different, and the small tweaks that you'll have to see to believe. With the ability to freely move the camera around in the replay feature, the models look just as good up close as they do at a distance. While one of the features a lot of people enjoyed were the bails, you always had some people complaining about how your skater never looked like they'd been physically hurt or anything. To anyone that's thinking of making a skater with short shorts and no shirt, after a few bails, you'll see blood dripping down your body, or if you're wearing clothes, you'll notice dirt accumulating the more you hit the ground. Not even the wheels are immune to the realism, with them getting oil all over and the deck showing scratches as time goes by. There's the addition of female models as well, which received just as much attention as the males. That same effect of the world looking more vibrant is back as you get a higher multiplier, which is almost encouragement for trying to make sure you're doing good. Car models look a lot less blocky and overall, everything looks like it had a few extra months to get the extra attention it needed to make this worthy of being a sequel instead of just Skate 1.5

Sound - 9/10

After playing Skate It on DS and having to deal with the same 4 songs over and over, it was nice to see that they put just as much work into the soundtrack here as they did with the original title.There's a nice mix here, meaning that there's something for everyone and the songs all sound like their full versions. The city is full of all of the sounds that made it feel so alive, from the honking of horns as you try to skate across the street to the pedestrians yelling praise or complaints as you skate by them after pulling off a massive trick. The one downside for some people is that supposedly, the sound effects of the board snapping when you pop an ollie has been turned down some, along with the sound of your trucks grinding against different obstacles, which I never really noticed but feel it is worth mentioning for any audiophiles out there. I've got a 5.1 system that I used to test the mixing on and it sounds like everything was done better, such as being able to tell when that security guard is getting dangerously close to my rear right, but I'm not sure anyone was actually saying anything about that in the first game. On the downside, part of me wishes the soundtrack had been a little bigger, but I'm not sure that would have been possible without some aspect of the gameplay having to be sacrificed. There's always custom soundtracks for when you get tired though of what is offered!

Overall - 10/10

I'm simply amazed with the fact that not only does skate 2 stand up well to skate 1, it makes it hard to go back after experiencing it! It's very rare that a sequel manage to simply be a better game than the first but somehow, they pulled it off. Whether you're a hardcore skater or someone that tried out Tony Hawk 2 and thought it was alright, skate 2 is one of the must have games on 360. The sheer size of the environment is impressive, since no area feels like it was neglected. There's plenty of hidden spots to be found, an excellent multiplayer, a trick guide for if you're having trouble with the controls, and one of the strongest communities that's popped up in a long time. If you're picky about graphics, while skate 2 doesn't look as well as Killzone 2 supposedly does, it's surprisingly well done. The entire package is so much more than just a rehash in a new city, meaning that anyone who loved the first game should already have this and it's well worth the 60$ admission tag. Just in case the controls and depth aren't your bag, there's always the hall of meat that's dedicated to wracking up as much damage on your skater as possible. If you don't have the cash to buy it at full price, at least do yourself a favor and rent it, this is the perfect example of how not only to make an excellent sequel, but sets the new standard for action sports games.

Ketsui Death Label review

2009-02-03T06:33:00.002-05:00

Ketsui Death Label isn't exactly the most recognized title around. For those who are willing to try out import titles, what you'll find in the cart is one of the best shmups on current gen handhelds. With tight, responsive controls, loads of unlockables, multiple difficulties, and even tutorials that are unlocked as you play, not only is KDL a great title to start getting into the genre with, it's also got enough challenge and depth to test even the most hardcore gamers' skills.

Gameplay - 9/10

Most Shmups throw you in, beat the crap out of you a few hundred times, and never let up until you learn how to defend yourself and ultimately come to grips with the mechanics. Instead of being overwhelmingly difficult from the outset, this game gives you a few different modes to mess around with, a few tutorial lessons, and one of the hardest modes already unlocked. Most of the game essentially plays like a boss rush, meaning that you go from level to level just fighting the boss from taht stage before moving on to the next. As you play, the unique thing is that you start to earn more lives based on how many times you die along with different tutorials that appear from time to time, showing you things that you might have otherwise missed. Unfortunately, all of the tutorials are in japanese, but many of them feature video clips or images with certain things highlighted that gives you a good idea of what it is they're trying to teach you. As you finish the modes that are present, you slowly unlock more and more difficult modes, each with different bosses or at least a reorganization of them, which keeps the experience fresh and gives you plenty to come back for. Instead of limiting the unlocks to new modes and extra lives, there's a gallery consists of mostly concept art of the bosses and the only way to unlock them is to break off different puzzle pieces. I can already hear you groaning, but don't worry, this isn't some sort of a puzzle minigame! Instead, each piece has it's own objective, which means that some may be simple as finishing the Hard A course while others will want you to get a certain combo on a specific level, finishing a boss without dying, etc, which gives you more and more to try to accomplish. As far as mechanics, there are two different ships that have their own strengths and weaknesses that become apparent as soon as you start getting to the harder stages along with several weapons and a chaining system for each level. The best part of all is that the last unlockable mode is one incredibly difficult level that tests all of the skills that you've been gaining as you play. Beyond that, the game tracks your stats, from highest score to number of playthroughs and finishes of each level, to how many hours you've clocked in.

Graphics - 10/10

It seems that I've failed to mention this is more of a bullet-hell shooter, which literally means that you're constantly dodging neverending streams of tiny balls of death. For most games, it's easy to get confused and mistake bullet for a power-up, resulting in death. Somehow, the graphics in the game are so well done that once you adjust to what's dangerous and what isn't, it's fairly easy to make out why it is that you died, so you'll never feel like you were cheated out of a life somehow. Beyond that, the enemy and boss designs are well done, giving each boss it's own personality and letting the player get an idea of what kind of attack pattern you're going to be facing. Instead of the bosses just having one pattern, if you don't eliminate them quickly, you'll find yourself going through different stages, most completely different from the previous and each making sense structurally in relation to the boss. The environments themselves are all varied, even though you tend to be flying by so fast that the scenery quickly becomes a blur as you focus on trying to weave between bullets. As you start to get better at the game, you'll almost be able to see the tiny spaces in between all of the fire, meaning that it's not just one lazy beam but each wave of bullets is comprised of indivual pixels. As a bonus, the artwork in the tutorials is done in graphic novel style, with someone that I'm assuming is a developer's face popping up in a business suit with various looks on his face that are all hilarious. The score counter, combo meter, lives, and everything else on the HUD is in the perfect position to keep it from obstructing your field of view, which is always a bonus. Lastly, once you unlock the concept art, you can see how much detail the artists put in to the enemy designs.

Sound - 8/10

Pewpewpew! Ketsui doesn't really change the classic sounds, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. There's always been something satisfying to anyone playing or watching a shmup when you deliver that last shot to a particularly difficult boss and you hear that epic explosion and points counting up. Since the sound effects and music work so well together, they never become grating or distracting to the gameplay experience, but you're not really going to find any memorable songs that you'll be humming after you turn the game off. Stage specific songs are present, meaning you're not going to be forced to endure any one song, and each feels appropriate for the encounter.

Overall - 9/10

If you've ever wanted to play a shmup or you're a hardened vet, there's almost no excuse to not having KDL in your library. Out of everything I've played, it's the best shmup on the handheld, even if most of the game is a boss rush mode. With tons of unlockables, various objectives to complete, a leaderboard, and so much more, there's a lot of content to be found here and it's got a tutorial mode for new players or people looking to brush up on there skills! While there are tons of shmups that have been out before it, this might actually be the best entry point, and the fact that you can play this anywhere as long as you have your ds is always a plus. The one major downside to the game is that if you're reading this review, you're most likely going to have to import it since there's no word of an american release, but it's possibly one of the best investments you can make on the ds.

Skate It (DS) review

2009-02-02T17:13:00.003-05:00

Time and time again, a portable system comes out and software developers immediately start to think: “Wow, it’s a handheld with better graphics! Let’s port our console blockbuster titles over to it! No one will notice the difference!” Sorry to burst your bubble, but you guys aren’t slick, and people always notice. While Skate It isn’t necessarily a bad game, it could be a lot better, or maybe it would be best if it didn’t exist so we could just imagine what it would have been like. There's a lot of content here, and you really won't know what you're missing if you've never played the ps3 or 360 original games, but after having invested a lot of time with them, there's a serious lack of quality that you'll notice, and for people that can only play this title on the ds, while the controls, mechanics, and physics are mostly there, the fun part of the gameplay isn't, which may make you wonder why it generated so much buzz and positive reviews on the next gen consoles.

Graphics – 6\10

Remember back when Lara Croft in Tomb Raider 1 was considered the most attractive video game female ever? Without a doubt, she was known for her massive mammaries. My theory has always been that it wasn't a design decision, it's because of the triangular polygons they were working with, meaning she was forced into having pyramids attached to her body. Skate It on DS suffers from this same bug. For unknown reasons, whenever you try to create a skater, they're going to look horrendous and there's nothing you can really do about it. While the game does offer a lot of licensed merchandise from real skateboarding brands, everything is so blurry that you can't really tell what it is that you're looking at. As a result, you could simply be wearing a t-shirt with a picture of a ds on it, but they could call it an Element shirt and you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. The character models themselves are incredibly stiff, and I understand it's a ds, but...I had no clue corpses could skate. Speaking of corpses, when you do bail, which will happen a lot, gone are the ragdoll animations, which is understandable. In their place is a flying concrete brick that they call your skater, which moves in an incredibly disjointed, jerky manner. The trick animations really aren't that great to look at either, but at least the environments are all fairly decent. There's not too much of an issue with pop-in, which is mainly a result of being in closed areas (the community center level is just the community center. gone are the days of skating in the streets.) The major downside here is just the fact that they're trying to do a lot with the graphics, which I do appreciate, but it didn't pay off as much as you could have hoped for, and the worst part is that it's sometimes hard to tell where the street ends and a ledge begins since there aren't too many shadows or shading effects, meaning that the grey block you just flew into is going to cause your brick to fly through the air, and then grab their knee, even though they flew headfirst into a wall. Maybe next time, EA!

Sound – 4\10

First thing's first: 4 songs as a soundtrack is NOT a soundtrack. While I realize that this is a DS game with fully 3d graphics, it feels like the soundtrack was kind of an afterthought. The few songs that are present eventually become overwhelmingly grating as you hear them over and over and over again in a single sitting, meaning that I eventually just turned off the sound completely and played my own music instead. As far as sound effects are concerned, they're alright, but they just don't feel as satisfying as I'd like. Of course the sound of the wheels rolling is great, but the actual pop of the board when you're doing a flip trick just isn't what you'd want it to be. There aren't really any voices in the game aside from random grunts here and there, so I can't really complain about the voice acting or anything. The sound department as a whole is incredibly disappointing, which is sad since the quality of sound in some of their other handhelds, such as FIFA is incredibly well done, meaning that they know they can do a lot better than this.

Gameplay – 7/10

Skate It actually manages to use the same basic control scheme as the console versions, and for many of the tricks, it translates fine. Manualing is done by placing your finger/stylus in the bottom of the skateboard shown on the touch screen and pulling down slightly until you find it. Ollies and Nollies are done by starting from the top or bottom of the board and sliding up or down, respectively. Kickflips and heelflips are done by starting at the bottom and flicking off towards the edge of the board. All of the basic tricks are well done, even extending to the grinds. On the downside, the grabs never really clicked with me, since you had to use the trigger and moving the board on the bottom screen in various directions, and while you can tell they put thought into it, it just doesn't work all that well. Worst of all is the advanced flip tricks, which you have to witness firsthand to see how butchered they are. For unknown reasons, when you want to do a 360 flip, you drag your stylus from the right of the screen towards the middle of the board, then you draw a semicircle, which no matter how hard I try, I just don't see any correlation to how you actually perform the trick in real life or in the console versions. At least they gave it a try and did something unique though, and the gameplay isn't that bad as a result, just don't expect this to be the same as the original console titles. You should also know that instead of being a free roam experience, you have different levels that you can visit, each representing major locations from the first game and a few extra real cities thrown in, which makes up for the lack of being able to cruise all over San Van.

Overall – 6/10

It's a shame that at it's base, it's not a bad game if you just consider the gameplay, but the graphics and sound really do drag it down significantly. Sometimes they grey textures aren't shaded that well, making it hard for you to see that thing you're about to roll into. The lack of a free roam is probably the most jarring thing of all the first time you play the game, since the original had that heavily integrated into the game, but thanks to the number of areas that you actually can unlock and visit, along with the real life locations, it's not that bad for a portable game. The best part about the sounds is that you can turn them off, meaning that you don't have to listen to that horrid soundtrack or "OOMPH!" a billion times if you wish. There's also a character creation system in place, which isn't exactly expansive, but I'm sure some people out there will be able to sink their teeth into that until they realize that you can't actually make a skater that looks like you because of the graphics engine, but it's always nice to have in game. For people that are more into just completing objectives instead of freeskating, there's plenty in each area, which means that you'll end up traveling between them to complete some, then finding a new area with even more challenges until you exhaust them all. Skate It really isn't that terrible when you look at the game itself along with the decent skate park editor and creation aspects. Anyone out there that really wants something different might actually enjoy it, but if you weren't impressed by the console games or were completely into them, the changes are incredibly jarring without altering the realistic gameplay and you might do yourself a favor by saving up for Skate 2 or another game instead.

Geometry Wars 2 Review

2009-01-26T12:26:00.003-05:00

When the 360 launched back in November 05, Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved quickly became THE must play game, which was an unprecedented accomplishment considering that the title was only available online. When rumors began to surface of a sequel a few years later, many gamers found themselves returning to the previous installments, from the hidden bonus games in the PGR games to the retail releases on Wii and DS to practice, but nothing could prepare anyone for the second onslaught of the stellar gameplay of Retro Evolved 2. Taking all of the other games innovations and praises and improving on them in unthinkable ways, Retro Evolved 2 is a must-play and must-own title for any 360 owner, regardless of how you feel about the twin stick shooter genre. Where many others fail, Geometry Wars has returned to show everyone why it was hailed king of the 360 launch and is still one of the most successful titles on XBLA to this day.

Gameplay - 10/10

The original Geometry Wars, a simple yet addictive game found in the car gallery of Project Gotham Racing 2 quickly became one of the biggest attractions of that title and already had a dedicated following of gamers, even though the basic gameplay was simple and the graphics reinstating that. When Retro Evolved arrived, the simple shooter received a much needed facelift, added in a bit more variety in terms of the enemies, and showed gamers how addictive it could be when you were playing to get "just a few more points to go up a few spots, and then call it a night". While it was known for it's pick up and play gameplay, people were quickly drawn in to see how far they could push their own scores while trying to gain bragging rights among their own circle of friends to reach the highest spots on the leaderboard. For it's time, the game was perfect and still holds up remarkably well to this day. When the Wii and DS versions arrived, they introduced new gameplay modes and a multiplier system that stemmed largely from collecting floating gems called "geoms", all wrapped up in a game that presented the player with multiple planets to visit, each with their own goals. Finally, taking cues from all of the former, Retro Evolved 2 arrived during the flurry of stellar arcade titles over Summer '08, removing the planet system and instead opting for several incredibly different gameplay modes that were all twists on the standard "shoot ‘em all" formula the title had become associated with. Each gameplay mode has it's own leaderboard and the first thing it shows you when you sign in and look at the list of modes is the top scores on your friends list, which is motivation in itself to try to be the best at all of them. The modes themselves range from the standard Retro Evolved mode, which consists of you playing as long as you can, surviving against a constant onslaught of enemies, a new pacifism mode, where your objective is to run for your life, passing through gates to detonate large chains of enemies in order to score more points while being unable to shoot, to waves mode, which has a number of ships that appear on screen and fly back and forth until you eliminate them, making more and more spawn in different directions, then throwing in obstacles. Any single one of these modes on it's own would have been worth the price of entry, but considering that you have all of them for the low price of the game, there's absolutely no reason not to have it in your library. It's a quick to learn game, but thanks to the additional modes, the new geoms, and a new multiplier system, there is a lot more depth than anyone could have ever anticipated and the game definitely rewards those that invest time, yet appeals to almost anyone that gives it a try.

Sound - 8/10

The theme of geometry destroying (as I like to refer to it) has returned, to mixed results. On one hand, it's one of the most infectious songs in an XBLA title, almost capturing the classic feel of the nightmare inducing Tetris theme or the Overworld theme in Super Mario Bros. 1, but it's pretty much the only song in the game. The best use of the song is during Deadline, where the further you get into your two minute run, the more the music begins to swell, almost as if the intensity of the game is determined more by the soundtrack than the players’ actual skill. After a few hours of hearing this song, either you're going to love it and find yourself humming along or quickly looking for a custom soundtrack to replace it. The sound effects are pretty much the same from the prior outings as well, which isn't necessarily a bad thing and in a title like this, you really don't want the sound to be overly complex as it would detract the players attention from the frantic on-screen action. While there are no new sound effects or songs, it's a really nice addition when you find yourself being able to recognize what enemy is about to spawn as soon as you hear certain indication, such as the ticking sound that's made before random enemies pop up in the corners to the digitized swishing sound the snakes make or the wave sound as those tinier swarms make as the continue to spawn out of the corners, telling you exactly how many are coming without you having to stare at them and take your eye off the danger in front of you. You'll also grow to love the sound of a 1up as you have billions of enemies chasing you and billions of others in front of you.

Graphics - 9/10

The first time you start to play it, you probably won't notice that the graphics are even more overhauled than in the previous outings for the series, but I can guarantee you that once you start to play this game for a while, you'll find it hard to go back to any of the others. The excessive particle effects are back and look better than ever, especially when you start going for multipliers using black holes and gates, and then watching as countless enemies all explode into a puff of geometric stardust before your eyes. The background is very minimalistic, but that's actually incredibly desirable for a twin stick shooter such as this. The colors are more vivid than ever, making the game an incredible experience to watch to player and onlookers alike. While it might not have complex water color art or detailed bump mapping, what is here is something that's very visually pleasing to look at in a simple manner that is aided by insane particle explosions of your helpless enemies.

Overall - 9/10

This is one of those must buy titles on the 360. It's not as complicated as Halo or anything, but you'll quickly find yourself playing this over other titles as you slowly start to log in, planning on playing just one game, then convincing yourself that with just one more, you'll be able to push your score up just a little bit higher to beat another one of your friends. Thanks to the multiplier mechanic and leaderboards that are present the moment you load the game, you will quickly begin to sink hours at a time into this title that you may have been planning to spend on another game instead. While you may get into a few game streaks where you're dying almost instantly, the frustration is kept to a bare minimum with how quickly you're able to restart your session in seconds without any loading whatsoever and the more you'll play, the better you'll find yourself getting and understanding the mechanics more. Considering that the last game in the series was a retail title and all of the modes present in Retro Evolved 2 (any of them easily being worth 10$), this is one of the best values you can find on XBLA and deserves a place on every gamers hard drive.

Left 4 Dead Review

2009-01-26T12:03:00.003-05:00

Fast zombies + friends = win

Survival Horror is one of those genres that refuses to evolve. On one hand, it's mastered its art of having tense atmospheres, creepy monsters, incredible soundtracks, brilliant sound mixing, and so forth, but it's very rare that a game comes along and puts it own unique twist on the genre. The first major evolution to survival horror happened in Resident Evil 4, which focused on a more controlled experience by allowing free aiming, a user friendly camera angle, and a twist on the narrative. The recently released Dead Space offered another twist, giving the player much more control over themselves and focusing more on managing your own inventory, precision aiming, and picking how you're going to take down the incoming mutants. Between Dead Space and Left 4 Dead, 2008 was a major and much needed evolution in the genre, Left 4 Dead taking a completely different approach than anything previously seen in games (4 player co-op first person shooter against hordes of zombies), and while it may be a short experience, it's one that is radically different depending on who you're playing with and each time you go through it, making it a must buy for any fan of the first person shooters or survival horror games.

Story/Presentation - 9/10

Left 4 Dead has a unique concept. Instead of focusing on one solid narrative, you're essentially playing through four different films, each involving the same characters, but in completely different locales, with no two campaigns feeling the same. For anyone wondering if the game has a tutorial, in one sense, it doesn't. The developer instead opted to include a cinematic cutscene at the beginning, and if you watch it, you get clued in on different aspects of the game. The terror of coming across a witch in an unexpected place and how to deal with it, the panic that sets in when a large and powerful zombie knows as a tank shows up, even down to the bone chilling howl of an approaching hunter, it's all right there. If you decide not to watch this for whatever reason, between loading screens, tips are shown on the bottom of the screen, and as you come into situations (such as finding weapons, downed friends, etc), the game tells you exactly what to do in the situation. It's all incredibly well done and keeps from breaking the immersion. Each of the characters has a distinct personality, from the tough-guy Francis, grizzled war vet Bill, the tough but cute required woman Zoey, to the token black guy Louis. All of the stereotypical characters from horror movies are portrayed here without being annoying and actually helping to immerse you in the world. Occasionally, during quiet spots, you'll hear a character comment about the current situation, including your own, and all of it comes off as being incredibly well done and natural feeling. There's a bit of film grain thrown into the game for good measure to further indulge you in the movie fantasy. While the story itself isn't incredibly compelling, you do get a strong sense of motivation to push on through each area and while each campaign isn't too long (40 minutes-an hour and a half normally), they feel like they're just the right length. There are plenty of different visual and audio clues that keep you engaged and let you know what type of situation you're about to get into, from the sudden orchestral blares and the accompanying scream of zombies when a horde is about to rush you, to the red glow of a witch's eyes as you walk through that room with your flashlights off, hoping to escape without her noticing. You'll quickly find yourself completely immersed in the world of Left 4 Dead, and the only downside is that there isn't more there, however what IS present is more than enough to keep you engaged for months.

Gameplay - 10/10

It's never felt so good in a game to be completely terrified by not knowing what was going to happen next. Just when you think you have the jump on situations, the AI Director throws in something unexpected. You could be staying back and shooting at zombies in the distance when a smoker appears from the trees and pulls one of your survivors in, rendering them helpless until a teammate rushes to their aid, meanwhile a boomer sneaks up on another person and vomits on them, triggering a rush of zombies, when you finally hear that chilling scream of a hunter that you can't see since you're so occupied with everything else. Left 4 Dead does an excellent job of keeping you on your toes. It's a nice touch that the included bots are incredibly solid and never seem to do anything stupid (aside from ignoring you when you try to direct them to a molotov or pipe bomb that's out of their visual range). The controls are precise, and while many games nowadays are reliant on Ironsights, the developers behind this title understood how chaotic things can get and give you incredibly precise aim by just shooting from the hip without ever having to raise your aim. Instead of having aiming as a secondary fire function, you've got a melee attack that's used to bat away enemies, giving you a few precious moments as they stumble away in a daze to get off that needed headshot. While some would complain about how you can't do anything when three of the super infected have you in their grasp (Smoker, Hunter, and boomer, for a moment), that's part of the fun. Instead of letting you try to fight against a hunter that's pinned you to the ground, the camera is pulled back as you see it beating you fiercely, forcing you to call out for a teammate to come to your aid. If they don't make it, instead of just dying, you're gone for awhile, and then you'll randomly appear in one of several closets located around each map. It forces you to keep alert and constantly think about what you're going to be doing and what the costs could be. There are several different weapons that you'll come across, each having their own strengths and weaknesses that become more and more apparent the more you play the game. Just to give you a clue, in a 4 player game, it's incredibly useful if you all have different weapons, or at least the 3 main ones. Last, there's the multiplayer game, which allows 4 humans to play as the survivors, and the other 4 to play as super infected, choosing where to spawn and forcing them to coordinate since each one has a powerful attribute, but suffers from at least one glaring weakness. Teamwork and communication is vital to overcome a team of crafty survivors, but the game is far from unbalanced when you're playing with people you know or can at least strategize with. A nice addition is that each of the trophies is pretty fun to earn, such as hitting a hunter with a melee attack as he's preparing to pounce, to killing a witch with a single shot. While you'll be able to get some of the achievements from simply completing levels, to make the most of the game, you have to do some things that you wouldn't normally think about, but quickly becomes fun to do, such as trying to singlehandedly take down a tank. Everything feels incredibly well in the gameplay, from the execution of the concepts to the controls, even down to small details, such as the lighting effects of the flashlights to the distinct looks of the super infected in comparison to the normal ones, not to mention the loads of replayablity between the campaign and co-op modes, along with the promise of downloadable content in the future.

Sound - 10/10

You're creeping through an abandoned warehouse, looking down at your life to see how much health you have left. The rest of your team was taken down in the last major attack. In the distance, you hear a deep bellowing yell, from something incredibly large. Suddenly, you feel the earth shaking around you as a timpani drum beats. You check your ammo counter and reload your shotgun, listening for all of the shells to be inserted and that locking sound meaning you're ready to go. At this moment, you hear a human voice yelling for help somewhere behind you. Standing for a few moments, you turn on your flashlight and fire a few shots into the darkness, then turn as you hear the powerful footsteps from something unseen approaching behind you as you rush to help whoever it is that's trapped, in hopes of getting some assistance. As you reach them and hear the door click, you turn around and hear the sound of earth being ripped up behind you. Instantly, you know that it's a tank approaching you and your friend, when from out of nowhere, you hear a haunting chorus of screams, then the dramatically swelling orchestral soundtrack well up. Not only do you have a tank on your hands, but you've also got a horde of zombies approaching from somewhere, as your teammate mutters something under their breath. Moments like this are what make Left 4 Dead's audio shine. Not only does the game have very solid sound effects, from the distinctive sounds of each weapon to the positional audio setup, but the subtle, yet well laid out soundtrack works to enhance the tension. Each of the super infected has a certain song that plays, indicating when they're approaching along with their own distinctive sounds they make, from the cry of a witch to the coughing of a smoker, you'll quickly finding yourself listening for those sounds amidst the chaos of hundreds of zombies regular screams. The weapon sound effects all give you a real sense of power, and while they don't have any real brands of guns, who cares when a sniper rifle is a sniper rifle and an auto shotgun is just that? That's what it all comes down to at the end of the day, and trust me, the sounds in this game will continue to haunt you even when you're no longer playing the game. The voice work is excellent, and it's nice that they went for creating personalities for each character by giving them dialogue that fits their look instead of trying to hire some random professional actors. There's a lot of small effects present, such as the coughing from when you walk through the ashes of a recently killed smoker to the screams for help if they manage to get you in their grasp. Each character also yells out automatically when you come across an item the team may want to pick up, along with giving you details on their status "Cover me, I'm reloading!".

Graphics - 9/10

For being four year technology, it's amazing how Half Life 2's source engine is constantly being pushed beyond what we though was previously it's threshold. There are lots of excellent lighting effects, dynamic shadows, flares, animations, and other things that really help give Left 4 Dead its own identity, elevating it far beyond just looking like a Half Life 2 mod. If you check out the developers website, they also mention that there were many choices they made in the game to create a more tense, yet fair experience. Originally, the areas you were walking through were darker, relying on pure lighting to let you see what was happening, but throughout testing, they found it was a complaint that kept arising. To fix the issue, they opted to use dark colored fog, which lets you see some of what's happening in the distance while keeping you guessing as to what's lurking out their in the fog, and it's still a pretty dark game. Another change that shows the attention to detail is that, in order to enhance the feeling of each area being an abandoned and forsaken place, the world itself has a pretty downtrodden feel to it. In the No Mercy campaign, instead of just putting you in an urban environment with abandoned houses, they threw graffiti on the walls, have a lot of slick looking textures in the outside area's, giving the illusion that there was recently rain, cars placed sporadically, especially police cars and those with alarms, which helps to enhance the feeling that something is incredibly wrong with this town and you might want to take heed and follow what everyone else did: Leave while you still can. The graffiti on the walls, if you have a moment, involves more of the humor that was shown in Portal, while other things reinforce the feeling that something went horribly wrong. The models for the survivors and infected are all incredibly well done, and the rag doll physics help as well, letting you know when you pulled off a powerful shot by sending a zombie spiraling through the air or off the side of a building. There's a film grain effect applied over everything to give the illusion that it's almost like watching or living a horror movie in a first person perspective. Since you're going to be spending a lot of time looking at your gun in the game, it's nice to know that all of the weapon models are well done. The flashlight and shadows work to not only to let you see what's coming up, but almost plays a psychological game with you as you enter an area with it on and see a shadow up ahead, only to find out it was cast by a bottle.Speaking of the flashlight effects, instead of just having a flashlight attached to your eye or something, which is how most games feel, L4D attaches it to your weapon, meaning that if you're reloading, it's temporarily cast in a different direction, leaving you vulnerable to the front if any danger approaches. Whenever you die, you get to watch the chaos happening to the other players in a third person viewpoint, giving you a different view of the action and it's actually kind of fun to look at. While many of the levels involve a house or some sort of indoor environment, they did an excellent job of varying the textures and placing of items, keeping each one feeling fresh and new and really letting you kind of get a hold on where the good hiding spots are after a short while. The only downside to the graphics, which is understandable, is that if you're running this game on a pc, the framerate will drop down (it's still completely playable and not everyone is going to notice it) during some of the more chaotic scenes, such as the finale chapter of Dead Air, so just be prepared for that.

Overall - 9/10

A 9/10 for a game that's only 4 hours long?! How can that be possible?! Simple. Left 4 Dead takes that 4 hours, gives you 4 different difficulties, a compelling survivor vs infected multiplayer game, the promise of new content in the future, and an amazing AI director system that changes up the placement of things to keep everything fresh every time you play. I can promise you that you will never have the same experience twice, and it's further elevated when you're playing with friends or people that know what they're doing. It's still a blast to play with people who are either new to the genre or aren't as skilled, since the director always seems to throw out just enough craziness to test your limits, occasionally pushing you past them when you're faced with improbable odds, but it rarely feels unfair. The only times that are guaranteed to happen are the major triggers which the game alerts you of right before you activate them by telling you "press the switch and prepare for the horde!" The sound, multiplayer, graphics, controls, and everything feels well done, well implemented, and well thought out, opting for a fun gameplay experience that sticks to the quality over quantity approach. While some of you may be put off by how brief it is on your initial playthrough, you'll find yourself constantly coming back for more, and it's nice since it's the kind of game where each chapter has a definite beginning and end and it's brief enough so that if you pick it up and play for an hour or so, you actually get to feel a sense of reward at the end. Left 4 Dead is definitely a must buy title for any gamer, regardless of if you're a fan of first person shooters or not. It's almost guaranteed to have something here that you'll fall in love with and find yourself coming back for more zombie action when you least expect it. Just remember to turn off the flashlight when you hear that innocent cry. There's a reason why they call her a witch.

Everyday Shooter Review

2009-01-26T11:46:00.002-05:00

If you're reading this, chances are that you're into arena/twin stick shooters, such as Geometry Wars, Super Stardust HD, Asteroids, and countless others. Just to simplify everything, read the following statement: Go buy this NOW! Everyday Shooter is an exceptionally well designed and innovative twin stick shooter available on both the PSN and Steam. For optimal scoring, you're probably going to want to use a controller, so make sure you've got one available with two sticks, since using the WASD and arrow keys aren't going to cut it here. While many have overlooked or just forgotten about the game, in many ways, it can be considered just as good if not better than the original Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved and Super Stardust HD. While it many not have the fancy, excessive particle effects or flashy graphics, the simplicity of visuals along with a well developed soundtrack (and some neat sound effects), and some of the most creative levels that are all different from one another make this a game that belongs on everyone's hard drive, especially for its low price.

Graphics - 9/10

Everyday Shooter was a game developed by a single person, and as a result, it was free to much more freedoms with it's artistic style. Instead of having an insane number of particles, bullets, and explosions going on, each level in ES has it's own distinct visual aesthetic, such as the etheral look of the 3rd section, the retro designed 4th stage, even to the simplistic, yet charming 2nd level. Every single one of the environments functions not only as a beauty to look at, but gives you gameplay clues. The enemy designs start off by appearing basic, but the further you go, you start to see some things that look like they were ripped straight from a dream. One of the nicest design choices is that the game doesn't give you an excessively complicated HUD. Instead, on the bottom of the screen is a long bar that slowly turns brighter, which technically tells you how long the song is, but when the song ends, so does the stage. There's also a life counter and a score present and that's about it. Since you ship is consistenly just a white triangle and there aren't any crazy particles, you'll have no problem losing yourself in the world and you'll always know exactly what it is that needs to be done and what to dodge, saving the player from a lot of frustration. The only reason I didn't give this a 10 is because I do realize that the visual style definitely isn't for everyone, but even if you don't think it looks that great, you can't deny that it's incredibly functional and easy on the eyes!

Sound - 9/10

Phenomenal. That one word could sum up everything that needs to be stated about the sound easily. Most games like this nowadays have a blazing techno soundtrack with the constant "PEWPEWPEW KAPOOSH" sound effects constantly going on, eventually causing your brain to hemmorage from how long you're guaranteed to be hearing those sounds. Jonathan Mak, creator of ES, decided that...that was stupid. Not only was he going up against blockbuster titles Super Stardust and Geometry Wars, but every time one of these games came out that wasn't that, it was immediately dismissed as just being another twin stick shooter. Instead of filling the sound effects and soundtrack with the generic stuff that you always here, he whipped out his guitar and laid down a few tracks that are completely related to gameplay. The end result is a game that's as easy on the ears as it is on the eyes, with a melodic, slighty distorted electric guitar being the background for all of the constant shooting action. It's actually incredibly relaxing to just pick a stage and relax while the music plays and you play the game at your own pace, but that doesn't do anything for that constant sound of explosions that you hear everywhere. To alleviate that issue, all of the sounds of enemies exploding are just different notes played on the guitar, indicating what type of enemy you've just taken down. While this could lead to issues with the entire headache thing, instead it's an amazingly zen-like experience, occasionally making you feel as though you're adding to the soundtrack instead of just shooting flying enemies. Another nice touch is that every song has a definite beginning and end, marked by the meter that goes across the bottom of the stage. As songs progress in intensity, you're usually confronted by swarms of enemies, and as it slowly eases back off, so do they, meaning the music in the game isn't just an afterthought and is actually vital to enjoying the game. As far as twin stick shooters go, this is easily one of the best soundtracks out there and you'll never get the feeling of wanting to turn it off since it's so peaceful.

Gameplay - 10/10

The motto for the game is "Everyday is another shooter". Most games give you a mechanic and scoring system and force you to go as long as you can. With ES, every single level lives up to that theme, each feeling like it could be fleshed out to be its own game thanks to all of them having different scoring systems to learn, new music, new enemies, and a new art style. The most compelling aspect of the gameplay is the fact that it feels unlike anything you’ve ever played before. While many titles would be perfectly fine with mimicking the gameplay of Geometry Wars or Super Stardust, Jonathan Mak really dug inside and has pushed the genre in a completely new and refreshing direction, proving that there is always more that can be done even when you think everything has been tried. As a bonus, there are a bunch of different things that you can unlock, ranging from stages to art styles that give you an extra incentive to play, not to mention there’s the entire high score that’s constantly there on each level if you’re a fan of challenging your own limits.

Overall - 9/10

Believe it or not, this was one of the main reasons I bought a PS3 and I feel that it was completely worth it. Everyday Shooter was one of the first games that proved that the psn was more than capable of pumping out high quality, fully realized titles for a low price, and not to mention that this is an indie developer and not some gigantic corporation. ES deserves a place on everyone’s hard drive. While it’s easy to look at it and brush it off as another twin stick shooter, there’s so much more present than that and thanks to the creative levels, each one feels like it’s own self contained game. The soundtrack helps to further immerse yourself, and if you find yourself growing tired of the regular game options, there are always those challenges that you can do in order to unlock different levels and miscellaneous effects that alter the experience. It’s also not that much, meaning that if you’re on a budget and looking for something to play, this is highly recommended.

Behemoth - Demigod Review, by Rugter

2009-01-16T23:20:00.000-05:00

Ahhh, Behemoth… The band that got me into death metal alongside with Dark Tranquillity. The difference is, this one is brutal as hell (I mean it). Nergal’s vocal delivery sounds like an army of demons, and that can already give you an idea of the kind of music they play. The riffs are intense, the drumming is too damn good (Inferno is one of the best drummers ever, in my opinion), the bass doesn’t stand out that much but it’s still great. With that, it's quite clear that their style isn't for the weak. Demigod is heavier than any of their other albums before, and it's quite possibly the peak of blackened death metal. Behemoth have kept a high standard of quality since Satanica, but this album blows every of their other attempts far away.

But all that aside, let's get into the review.

From the moment the opener Sculpting The Throne Ov Seth starts, you'll notice they mean business: Opening with a great classic guitar intro, and then all hell breaks loose when the distortion enters. First the heavy guitar riff, then the drums enter full force and the bass seems M.I.A., not unlike the rest of the album. And then comes Nergal with some really insane vocal performance. Because of the many layers of vocals, it's really hard to understand what he is saying, yet it also accomplishes what it wishes: The many vocal layers make Nergal sound like a true devil. The song doesn't lose speed at any point, it is always at full force, specially the drumming. The solo is also quite great. This song definitely sums up the album as a whole.
The next track, Demigod is yet another highlight. Opening with some horns that sound like a calling to arms, you know already what to expect. After that intro, the distortion enters and the total chaos starts. The riffs in this song are quite amazing, both guitars are used perfectly for an awesome effect. Another relentless song this is. There's also a little "HAIL. SATAN." thrown in by 2:57. And the heaviness doesn't stop with the next track. Conquer All, one of the singles of this album, is not as good as the first two tracks, yet it packs a punch. The riffs are awesome, some great changes in pace too. The chorus of this song is definitely cool, fast and powerful. The solo in this song is one of Nergal's best, even though one would like it to be a bit longer. The outro is another great point in this song, it's quite memorable. [/b]The Nephilm Rising[/b] is another aggressive song, if you didn't already know. A bit slower than the last 3, but that doesn't mean much. There's also something similar to a radio talk in some parts of the song. And for a few seconds, Nergal uses non-layered vocals. Still sounds really evil. Another great solo. Some classic guitar thrown in at the end, and it sounds macabre. That makes it yet another solid song.
Towards Babylon is another good song, but it might as well be the weakest of the album. The riffs aren't as memorable as the other songs, and the solo isn't as good as the last 2 songs. Fast and evil, but doesn't match the quality imposed by the first 4 tracks. Still, it is a really good song.
You though it was evil and psychotic sounding up to now? The most evil song in the whole album, Before The Æons Came has a cool evil intro, and then it gets to Nergal's most pissed off, downright evil performance. The riffs backing him up are fast and fit well with the anger in his vocals. This song is meant to be played at hell's lobby, that's for sure. The low point is that it is the shortest song of the album, but hey, I don't know if such an angry song could be able to last longer or if the listener wouldn't go crazy.
Mysterium Coniunctionis (Hermanubis) keeps the heaviness going, and you can say the album shows no signs of stopping. Creepy effect at the begging takes form and goes all heavy. The riffs are amazing as always, but another notable thing in this song is that Nergal's voice goes more black metal-ish than the rest. I personally didn't like it much, but it was still a very good song.
Xul is another heavy song, yet again with a kinda creepy intro, and pummeling into submission after that. Nothing really special in this song asides from the intro, it's just heavy as heck. The solos are cool, to say at the least, specially the one at the beginning. A good song, but nothing really special.
Of course, the heaviness would follow, and it does show in Slaves Shall Serve, a really fast track. Nergal opens screaming something extremely hard to understand (even by the standards of this album), and then the insanity begins. The drumming stands out here: Simply put, it's insane. Inferno shows his skills as a drummer here. The rest of the band aren't slouches either: They keep up with the pace of the drums perfectly. The song end with Nergal screaming "Slaves shall serve!" many times before finally snapping and screaming with all his strenght "SLAVES. SHALL. ****ING SERVE!!!". Another standout song.
After that craziness, you wouldn't expect a mid-paced song. Precisely what you get. The Reign ov Shemu-Hor opens with a kinda slow intro, sounds like something that would fit with an enormous evil army taking over some place or something. A little acoustic passage and Nergal enters. The song is slow compared to the rest, yet it sounds heavier. This 8:26 beast could be a hard listen at first, yet it's worth it. The solos throughout are masterful. By 7:50 it starts getting slower, the instruments start fading and the song finishes with a ringing note. And so, one of the heaviest albums of later years comes to an end. And what an end it is. After this, if you're not used to the heaviness, you will.

And so my review comes to an end. I hope you enjoyed it reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you think you're hardcore and can stand heavy music, or just like some real heavy ****, then give this a shot, you will possibly enjoy it.

Song ratings:
Sculpting The Throne Ov Seth: 5/5
Demigod: 5/5
Conquer All: 4.5/5
The Nephilm Rising: 5/5
Towards Babylon: 3.5/5
Before The Æons Came: 4/5
Mysterium Coniunctionis (Hermanubis): 3.75/5
Xul: 3/5
Slaves Shall Serve: 5/5
The Reign Ov Shemu-Hor: 4.5/5