Have you ever had a dream that felt so real but you couldn’t remember it enough to explain it?  That’s kind of how my experience felt while playing Limbo.  The masterminds behind the eerie world that is Limbo, are a company called “Playdead” who is based out of Copenhagen, Denmark.  While this may be the teams first project together, it definitely does not show.  Playdead is now a studio that I’ am a fan of and I look forward to whatever else they bring in the future.

LIMBO takes you on a beautiful and dark journey of a boy who is uncertain about his sisters fate.  The entire game is set in a black and white atmosphere that you will soon discover is a place you would never want to be.  My time spent with Limbo was nothing short of amazing.  The game starts off with you waking up in the middle of a forest not knowing where you are or what your in store for.  I refer to the main character as “the boy” because the game doesn’t have voice actors, nor does it have character development.  Only thing that matters is that you overcome the dangerous objects that await you, so you can find your sister.

As you progress through Limbo, you are challenged by mind bending puzzles that actually do take some thinking.  This is where the game absolutely shines.  It is almost impossible to be perfect and stay alive for a long period of time.  You will be electrocuted, drowned, and pummeled by the dangerous tools that surround Limbo.  You will die, respawn, maybe die again but then hopefully realize where you went wrong.  This may sound frustrating and even game breaking but it’s almost the opposite.  Playdead did an excellent job at making sure when you die you don’t feel like chucking the controller across the room.  When you fail at a specific puzzle you are put almost exactly where you left off right before you attempted it.  I also felt a sense of accomplishment when I figured out a way to get past a section that kept me engrossed in wanting to play for just “5 more minutes.”  The puzzles vary and never get old because they change up through out the game.  I never felt bored or felt like I have been doing the same thing over and over again.  Towards the end of the game your encounters with certain elements will get harder and the puzzles will challenge you more and more, but not once did I feel fed up with the game.  It’s just a beautiful display of balance and forgiveness.

The controls are very simplistic.  You move with the left analog stick and use A to jump and B to move objects.  It truly is another reason why Limbo could be a game for anybody who doesn’t mind using their brain a little.  One thing you should be aware of though is that your character dies in pretty horrific ways.  If he’s ripped up by a saw you will see body parts and limbs flying around.  It is hardly “graphic” because of it’s black and white art style but there is a setting to turn it off if your a bit squeamish.  One of the other elements of the game that I just have to mention is the sound.  I played the entire game with my Turtle Beach headphones on and it was very noticeable that Playdead put a lot of time in getting the sound just right.  Everything from the crackling of tree branches to the howling from the owls are heard through out your time in Limbo.  My suggestion, if you have a nice pair of gaming headphones use them and you will see what I mean.

Make no mistake, while LIMBO may be an Xbox Live Arcade title, I still consider it to be one of the top displays thus far of 2010 and I will put it up there with any of the other big boys for Game of the Year.  When a game can give you a different experience that you have never encountered before, that is something special.  For a title that costs 15 dollars, this is the biggest bang for your buck that your going to get this summer, or for that matter possibly the rest of the year.

We’ve been waiting a very long time for Alan Wake. Heralded as a corner stone of Microsoft’s original IP, Alan Wake has appeared and reappeared on the radar of gamers so many times that most didn’t believe when a firm release date was set. Well rest your weary heads because Alan Wake has been released to the public and we can all finally experience was Remedy studios have been crafting all these years. It’s not hard to understand that the makers of Max Payne had a lot of freedom and time to create this game, but did they deliver? Is Alan Wake’s glory written in the stars, or is it scribbled among the failures of history?

Taking a break from the regular routine is a method Alan and his Wife plan to use in an attempt to break Alan’s mental writers block. They arrive at Bright Falls via boat and before they even land, things begin to get a little odd. Bright Falls is a mysterious place to say the least. It’s a small place country town, but even small country towns have heard of a famous writer the likes of Wake. Even here he can’t escape admiration and questions from the prying public. Things go from bad to worse as Alan’s life is turned upside down by dark forces he can’t escape or understand. The darkness consumes him and forces him down a path of destruction as Wake tries to free himself and his wife from it’s grip. I won’t go into much detail, because this is a story you really have to experience for yourself.

Mechanically speaking..

Technically the game is a third person shooter with some problem solving sequences. Once you dig a little deeper you can find much more just under the surface. It’s about resource management and knowing when to fight…and when to turn and run. It’s about character development and trying to dig deep into the motivations behind peoples actions and feelings. Through understanding it soon becomes clear that combining light and fire power is the only way to defeat these enemies. Flashlights and shotguns make an excellent combination when fighting “the darkness”. However; carelessly wasting your supplies can put you in hot water in a bad way. Shine your light upon your enemies to destroy their “shields of darkness” before shooting at the fragile flesh below.  Flares and flash bangs are great for taking out enemies, but only use them when you absolutely have no choice. Tactics like this help give the game some depth and keep you constantly in a state of uncertainty at what is next.

Unfortunately the visuals don’t always impress. The lighting borders on photo realism sometimes, but the textures and models leave something to be desired. Occasionally the camera will zoom in on an object in a room and the results may cause slight cringing. The facial animation is also extremely weak at times. Up and down are not the only ways the human mouth moves, no matter what you see in this game.

A rose by any other name

Mood and Narrative, the two best parts of Alan Wake. Each are individually and masterfully crafted. The game balances dark and light to constantly surprise the player and keep him on the edge. Something about wandering through a dark forrest carrying only a flashlight and magnum really can have an unpleasant effect on your nerves. Luckily the game has brilliantly paced intervals splitting the game into episodes, each ending with a brilliant fade to the title screen and amazing music. It seems like a small thing, but it’s a brilliant touch.

The games narration is also top notch and is explored through narrated  manuscript pages littered throughout the game levels. The game also includes some hilarious in-game tv shows and radio programs that are sure to make you laugh. Each episode rises and falls, culminating in an awesome ending. Memorable characters (Your assistant Barry is great) help round Alan Wake out as an experiment in character design as well as in game design. The game doesn’t pull any punches is acknowledging that Alan Wake is a poor mans Stephen King, which is a good thing . Better to come right out and say what we’re all thinking then pretending you came up with it.

Simply stated, this isn’t one you should miss.

Bizarre Creations has been hard at work at trying to recreate the popular “Power-up” gameplay in there latest project BLUR.  While many comparisons ring true about Mario Kart, BLUR isn’t just a quick knock off but instead a much deeper experience in certain areas.  BLUR’s environments screams chaos, and if you didn’t know by now the name of the game is to strike your opponents with as many power-ups as you can and move to the front of the pack.  But with the amount of arcade racers that have come out within the last month you may be asking yourself, is BLUR worth my time?

As I mentioned before BLUR’s game is all about the Power-ups.  Let me explain in some detail how each of these work.  There are a total of eight different power-ups that you can pick up that lay scattered on each track.  Your allowed to have up to three in your arsenal at a time.  You can also drop a power-up to make room for something else  if you picked up two of something that you do not need.  Here is a quick look at the power-ups that could help save your life.

Shock- This is great if your having a bad game and are at the end of the pack.  The Shock will launch a bolt of lightning to the front of the group, stunning any car that runs through it.  It will greatly slow down the driver and make it easier for you to catch up.

This Cannot End Well

Mine- Explosives Mines are great in any situation, while also allowing you to shoot it behind you to spin the guy riding your tail right out of control.

Barge- A Barge is a close-range attack that forces cars away from you when activated. Just get right up close to your opponent and a quick jolt will do the job.

Bolt- Pretty much the opposite of Barge.  Bolts are great for long ranged damage.  Fire up to three bolts to hand out the most damage and force cars to swerve all over the track.

Shunt- This is probably my favorite Power-up in the game. A homing missile that flips cars straight up into the air.  This is another power-up that you fire backwards if you happen to be in the front of the race.

Nitro- The obvious of the bunch, gives a quick burst of speed to catch up. If fired backwards you can turn late or airbrake into other cars.

Shield- The last two are more what I like to call defensive power-ups. The Shield protects your car from damage and whatever else may come flying at you on the track.

Repair- After you’ve been knocked around make sure to not forget about repairing your cars health.  When damage is critical this is the only thing that will save you.

Back in March those who were lucky enough had early access to the BLUR Multiplayer Beta for the Xbox 360.  Which consisted of 4 playable tracks and a ranking system that unlocked new cars as you made your way to the top, although talks on the career mode were for the most part non-existent.  So needless to say after spending hours with the Multiplayer Beta I was more interested in the career progression and sadly I came away very underwhelmed.

The Career section of the game is split up into nine different Boss Battle scenarios.  In each chapter you must complete a set of demands by Placing in races, doing time trial runs or winning Destruction games in where you have to rack up a certain amount of points by doing damage to AI racers.  If and when you accomplish the Bosses demands you square off with him mono vs mono and have a chance to steal his ride and shut him up once and for all.  Earning new cars is awarded by how many “fans” you make during each race.  Fans work as XP progression and the more you have the better your rides will be.  You can earn fans in alot of different ways so you are constantly ranking up.  Anything you do good in a particular race will increase your fan amount.  For example completing “Fan Runs” these are set up as gates that you have to drive through in a set amount of time.  By doing that will give you a little extra bonus.

Unfortunately I found the Career mode to be lacking and just simply not fun after a couple of bosses.  You really don’t feel like your achieving anything by doing these “demands” and it just adds a bit of frustration to the mix.  Luckily enough, the single player aspect has absolutely nothing to do with the multiplayer component.  This my friends is what makes BLUR better than the competition.

Things Can Get Pretty Crazy

With 90 races under my belt (none in first place) so far and just under 6 hours of multiplayer mayhem, BLUR has a online that will keep you coming back for more.  One of the great things about it is that you don’t need to play a lick of the single player.  Everything you do in Multiplayer is separate from the Career and has no bearing on what you did in it.  In fact, you could completely skip the Career and hop right into Online.

If you have ever played Call of Duty multiplayer then you will feel right at home with BLUR’s similar style. Once again, just as in single player “Fans” are awarded for how well you do in a race. They mean everything to your progression in the rankings and the more you have the better and faster your cars will be.  Each specific car also has a set of challenges to it.  Using certain power-ups with your vehicle or coming in first place with that car will earn you more fans. The challenges really add a nice pace to the multiplayer and you will want to use different cars to earn the maximum amount of fans.

What really is the make it or break it for BLUR multiplayer is its rank up system.  You start off at level 1 and have to progress all the way to a level 50.  Like Call of Duty’s Prestige mode, once you cap out at Level 50 you have the choice to enter “Legend” mode, which will unlock new items every time you do.  On your way to Level 50 you will unlock better cars and trucks and unlock “Mods.”  Mods are the equivalent to Perks, for example if using a shield and you happen to get hit with a power-up, that power-up will be available to you.  Maybe you slam into walls one to many times, you can add “Battering Ram” that will decrease the amount of damage your vehicle will take.  These Mods add a nice little tactical aspect of how you play, but really does not decipher how well you will do in a particular race.

Multiplayer game modes is something BLUR is lacking.  You have your standard Skirmish racing that allows 2-10

Did I Mention To Avoid The "Shock"

players (my favorite) with a “Powered-Up” playlist that adds up to 20 cars in a single race.  I did not really enjoy the 20 car races, mainly because I had problems with Lag and lost connections.  “Motor Mash” reminds me of being a kid in bumper cars, without going 100mph of course.  The object here is drive around a circular track dealing as much damage to the other cars as possible.  Whoever has the most points after the 10 minute game wins.  It is a good change of pace from the regular races but gets a little boring after a few games, and you will quickly just want to hop back into regular racing.  All other modes are nothing to call home about.  They added team-based games for “Motor Mash” and “Powered Up” races.  These can get hectic and pretty ridiculous as its hard to tell who you should be trying to wreck and who is on your team.  There is a couple more modes scattered throughout but honestly nothing that adds to the multiplayer experience.

After all that said, BLUR is still an incredibly fun arcade racer.  Though I would not recommend it for someone who just plans on playing this single player.  Its evident that Bizarre Creations made this game a multiplayer first, single player second project.  But if your looking for a deep multiplayer experience that will keep you coming back for “just one more” then I cant tell you enough that this game should be in your gaming library over any of the other competition.

I had never really played a Western video game prior to Red Dead Redemption, partially because of their infrequency and partially because I lacked the interest in a genre that seemed like it wouldn’t hold up as well as the familiar sci-fi and post apocalyptia that dominated the landscape. Compared with the creativity of weapons and enemies afforded by genres spawned exclusively by the artists imagination, more recent American history is far more challenging to make as exotic or compelling with as little effort. That isn’t to say it doesn’t have enormous potential, the Old West is after all the great American mythology, it’s just harder to coax this greatness from the dry fabric of realism and antiquity. However, I’m glad I paid attention to this one because Red Dead Redemption is not only the answer to these challenges, it is the definitive Western experience and one of the most purely enjoyable games I’ve played in a while.

It’s ironic that a setting drenched in blood and heroism in film and fantasy has been largely overlooked in gaming, a medium highly receptive to both, but it’s perhaps it’s seeming disadvantage when compared to other more accommodating genres that have limited it. After all, who wants to ride a creaky old buckboard when they can fly around in a spaceship or tear around in a Warthog, and why would I want to use a six shooter when I can use a gravity gun or a chainsaw bayonet? Any period of history following the sword but preceding the machine gun is in danger of being too mundane or tedious for a conventional shooter. The challenges of creating compelling gameplay aside, Developers face additional obstacles in building the environment since the organic spontaneity of nature is much harder to believably render than the symmetry and steel of sci-fi or the barren wastes of post apocalyptia. In short the unique limitations and challenges of creating a great Western game have always relegated it to near obscurity.

Looks Comfortable Huh?

With Red Dead Redemption, Rockstar has overcome these hurdles with solutions that include an impressively simulated, thoroughly engrossing environment, and gameplay and story elements that fully realize the unique potential of the Old West. It’s clear that the developers examined the issues at hand and understood what needed to be done. It was crucial that the individual qualities that make the Wild West legendary in our minds and so appropriately suited as fiction, be the foundation of any game that attempted to do it justice. Rockstar accomplishes this neatly and as a result, Redemption is not simply a dull Westernized clone of every other shooter, not simply old ideas transplanted to a different time and place, but a game that captures the spirit and experience of the Wild West. It delivers on the promise of it’s setting and it’s greatest success is how completely it fulfills that promise.

Following the exploits of ex-outlaw John Marston, the game accounts his attempts to end his old life and begin a new one. In order to do so he must hunt down his former brothers in arms in exchange for clemency for himself and his family from Government agents who’s ruthless tactics and callousness come off as more sinister then the relatively simple motives of the men he hunts. The story itself is less dramatically told or cinematic then say Mass Effect 2, but is a lot deeper than it’s candid delivery at first appears. It’s layered in a way few stories are. It’s depth is in many ways informed by the wealth of Western mythos inherent in our cultural subconscious but it’s Rockstar’s talent for satire and social analysis that give the lengthy story and characters genuine integrity. The understated comparisons between the forces of good and evil are one example of this underlying poignancy and the story’s methodical discernment of characters and motivations is deeply philosophical. Nothing is forced which is why the story seems fairly unassuming but there is a quiet nobility to it’s arc as a sensitive elegiac commentary on society and history.

The various personalities you’ll encounter are all very well done. Each is a Western caricature in their own way, brought to life with great writing, superb voice acting and some theatrically impressive mo-cap. Most of them have a charismatic eccentricity that makes them comedic and memorable and the more serious individuals fill their roles with appropriate gravitas. Rockstar continues to assert itself as a master of character design.

Nothing is wasted here and when I spoke of Redemption as the definitive western it wasn’t simply because there are so few to compare it with but rather because it’s a fulfillment of practically any Western fantasy you can imagine. Everything from the host of interesting and eccentric characters to the various missions, mini-games, challenges, side quests and multitude of locations have been designed to showcase the unique variety and range of the Old West as a time and place as well as a legendary realm of adventure and bravado. The missions read like a thrill seeker’s wild west to-do list and players will take part in everything from defending stagecoaches to boarding moving trains, robbing banks, assaulting fortresses, dueling with gunslingers, hunting buffalo, searching for treasure, cheating at poker, lassoing criminals, riding with posses and everything in between. Even agrarian chores such as herding cattle and breaking horses are accounted for and like everything else you’ll do, they’re fun and satisfying.

Traveling Easy

The ecology of the world is equally varied. The map itself is massive, (it has to be one of the biggest ever in a game) and, as with the activities, the diversity of the Old West is fully realized across it’s impressive acreage. Players can explore the great plains, shadowy forests, snowy mountains, arid canyons, bleached deserts and red mesas. Everything is stunning. The game looks as good and better, in fact, then most linear games, with a host of environmental effects and subtle touches, combined into one of the most impressively lifelike worlds in any game. High end tech like Grass, brush and vegetation that respond to your character’s movements are ubiquitous and more common effects such as footprints, dust and particles are masterfully implemented. Lighting is also top shelf, with dynamic shadows and impressive sunrises and sunsets. I’ve literally stopped on more then one occasion just to watch the last glimmering rays disappear beyond the horizon.

The world is populated by an impressive selection of region specific wildlife all of which can be hunted for valuable meat, feathers and pelts. In addition players will encounter the believable traffic of everyday life as, travelers, townsfolk, and campers all inhabit the landscape attributing a constant flow of activity and further enhancing it’s effectiveness as a real world setting. Everything is impressively rendered and animated thanks to Rockstar’s Euphoria engine, which gives humans and animals, a fluidity of movement often missing from other games.

It’s the fidelity and level of detail that’s unrivaled in this type of game that truly makes this such a unique experience. The world and it’s inhabitants (the day night cycles, weather patterns and ambient effects) seduce you with their realistic majesty and picturesque splendor. The ebb and flow of nature surrounds you as you explore and it’s easy to lose hours to the enchanting embrace of the wilderness. This natural quality also provides moments of almost poetic serendipity, such as the time I pursued a black stallion into the twilight of a misty forest as a gentle snow began to fall. Rarely does a game surprise you with moments that transcend the act of simply playing it. The quality and believability of the environment, it’s ability to captivate the player and function as an entity all it’s own, was an essential component in creating a great Western sandbox and Rockstar absolutely nails it here.

Continue on to page two for the rest of the review.

As I have mentioned before, I am not a huge racing game fan. While there have been some games that have really caught my attention, I do not tend to anticipate them or even consider buying them on their release date. I did not even buy Burnout Paradise when it came out, and I was a huge fan of the previous game in the series.

Why am I starting this review this way? I wanted you to understand just how rare it is for me to get as excited about the release of a racing game as I was for Split Second. From the very first trailer I saw of the game, I was intrigued. A racing game where you can trigger explosions and other obstacles to take out your opponents was intriguing. The demo piques my interest, and between that and my position with EDG, I decided this game was going to be the exception to buying racing games on day one.

Must say I am glad I made that exception.

It all starts normal enough

At its core, Split Second is a rather simple arcade racer. You are competing in Split Second, a reality TV series where racers try to advance through a twelve episode season, striving for the ultimate prize: the season championship. Each episode is broken into six races, and you earn credits based on how you finish each race. These credits not only unlock new cars, but they are necessary to unlock each episodes Elite Race. The Elite Race is the sixth and final race for each episode in which you race against the Split Second elite. If you don’t finish within the target place on the race, you do not advance to the next episode.

So far, this is probably sounding like a pretty standard racer, but Split Second is anything but. Two main things separate the game from other racers: Power Plays and insane race modes.

All about the Power Plays

When you trigger a Power Play can mean the difference between wrecking your rivals or yourself.

There is no doubt about it: Power Plays are what catches everyone’s attention when they first play Split Second. While racing, you gain “power” by performing successful drifts around turns, drafts behind other racers and jumps. When you get enough power to fill a third of your gauge, you can activate various devices that can give you the edge in races. These can range from exploding tankers to helicopters dropping debris on the track, all designed to wreck you opponents so you can take the lead. On caveat, however; you are not immune to any Power Plays you activate, and if you are not careful, all you will manage to do by activating one is wreck yourself.

Basic Power Plays are only the beginning. If you gain enough power to fill the entire gauge, you can activate the Level 2 Power Plays. These are much more powerful; instead of just blowing up a tanker, you may take out an entire cooling tank, along with any drivers who decided to try and take a shortcut by driving underneath it.

There is also another type of Level 2 Power Play: the route changer. Regular Power Plays can open short cuts in the course, allowing you to catch up with your opponents. Level 2 Power Plays can actually completely reshape sections of the track itself, changing the route everyone has to race. Maybe you take out a section of a bridge, lowering it to a different road that eventually snakes back to the main track. Maybe you blow up the supports underneath ship you were racing underneath, creating a jump that leads to racing on the top of an aircraft carrier. You may divert racers onto a runway, forcing you to avoid a landing aircraft while pull ahead of other racers. These route changes take what was already a crazy racing game and make it absolutely insane.

If the Power Plays are what set Split Second apart, it’s the unusual race modes that will keep you coming back for more.

Never raced like that before

Like most arcade racers, Split Second has several different race modes. Three of them are basic variations we have seen before. The standard race is pretty self explanatory. Eliminator starts the race out with a countdown clock, and every time the clock hits 0, the last place car is eliminated from the race. Then there is Detonator, the Split Second version of Burnout’s burning lap; you race one particular type of car for 1 lap, trying to get the best time as Power Plays are automatically triggered ahead of you. The other race modes, however, are like nothing you have ever seen.

• 

  Dodging missiles while racing? Never did that before.

  Air Strike: You are the only racer on the track. A helicopter is flying overhead, firing missiles at the track in front of you. It is your job to avoid the missile strikes, and the better job you do of that, the higher you score from each wave of missiles. Take a direct hit from a missile strike or enough collateral damage from a missile wave, you crash. Survive three waves in a row, and you increase your points multiplier, which keeps increasing by one for every three above that. Every wreck resets the combo multiplier. It is your job to obtain as high a score as possible in three lives/wrecks.

• Air Strike Revenge: Like Air Strike, you are racing against a helicopter firing missiles at the track. Unlike Air Strike, you get to fight back. You build up power like you would for activating Power Plays, with the exception of the fact that you also build it for avoiding splash damage from missiles. Fill up one power bar, and you can deflect one missile back at the copter. Build up enough for a Level 2 Power Play, and you deflect four missiles back at the copter. Only issue is each wreck resets your power meter, so if you are saving up for the Level 2 and wreck, you have wasted the power. The object is to take out the copter as quickly as you can.
• Survival: You are racing down the track with several big rigs. The object is to pass as many of these rigs as possible, scoring similarly to how you score in Air Strike, with each three rigs you pass building up your combos meter. The race starts with a countdown timer, and you gain bonus time for each rig you pass. The problem is each rig is dropping exploding barrels behind it: the blue ones will slow you down, while the reds ones will force you to wreck. Once the timer hits 0, you hit sudden death; every barrel the rigs drop is red, and your next wreck will end the race.

You unlock these various modes by racing within the various seasons. Once you have participated in a particular mode, you unlock it for quick play.

The flaws in the design

As good as Split Second is, it is not without its faults. The biggest issue is its rather bland multiplayer experience. There are only three modes available for online play: Race, Elimination and Survival Battle. You have to unlock vehicles in the seasons, so if you have not played enough to unlock the better cars, you will not stand chance. There appears to be no matchmaking to connect you only with players who have the same vehicle ratings unlocked you do. The lobby system leaves many things to be desired, and you will start to see the same tracks over and over. You can set up private matches, but outside of that, the only real bright spot in the multiplayer is Survival Battle, which throws all the racers into a Survival race, forcing you to deal with both the semis and the other racers.

Lack of multiplayer is not the only problem. There is almost no vehicle customization you get to choose from a few colors for the cars, and that is all. You cannot change the load out at all, which is disappointing when compared with the customization options of Pure, Blackrock Studio’s first entry in the racing game field. There also are not a lot of tracks available in the game, and some even manage to incorporate sections of track you have already raced, so the game can start to feel repetitive.

There is one other problem with Split Second. The graphics and transitions between modes of play help to enforce the reality TV feel, but that is really about it. Sure, you get a little bit of “Next episode/This episode” outro and intro as you move between episodes, but that is about it. Blackrock should have included a little more to really build on the TV theme. It may seem like a minor thing to point out, but its absence stands out during game play.

Split Second has its faults. It also is one of the most unique racing experiences I have ever had. If you are okay with the lack of customization and bare-bones multiplayer, you will find a lot to like. Split Second gets a 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Sam Fisher is finally back in the saddle. He has cut his emo hair and thrown his night vision goggles aside. You’re hunting people that need to be hunted and taking out anyone who stands in your way, no messing around. It’s out with the old and in with the new, gameplay that is. It’s Splinter Cell on steroids. It’s shoot first and neck snap later. You might still crawl on the pipes and shoot out some lights, but you really don’t need to waste your time with that sneaking stuff. Nothing says Splinter Cell like a sprinting chop to the neck followed by the instant execution of 4 mercenaries, right? Apparently!

Not so subtle

They see my rolling

Gone are the days of waiting in the darkness with night vision goggles on studying walking patterns. The old Splinter Cell mechanics have been tossed out a very high window and replaced with a new set of moves with an emphasis on fast movement and close quarter brawls. They say speed kills. They might have been talking about Sam Fisher. Unlike the previous games in the franchise which focused on methodical movement, Fisher can now crawl along edges with super-human speed and scale pipes and walls like he was raised by apes. Hiding in the darkness is more of a suggestion now, rather then a commandment. It’s a lot different then the previous games. It feels like the game doesn’t know what genre it belongs in. It’s a jack of all trades, master of none. It’s okay as a stealth game and okay as a third person shooter, but certainly not top of the pack in either category. It’s constantly lurching forward with speed but being held back at the same time. Like a stallion bred for racing being forced to trot around a field at a kids birthday party, the games potential is being hampered at every turn.

Tools of the trade.

Say hi to the sidewalk for me

Throughout the game completing certain actions will earn you points to spend on weapon and equipment upgrades. Some are easy like killing 5 guys in a row without being detected, others are more demanding, such as finishing an entire level without being spotted even once. These side-quests will add some life to the game and help tip the odds in your favor when it comes to weaponry. Picking up your foes weapons will store them in your safe, accessible throughout select locations in each level. Upgrade your weapons with silencers, bigger clips and the ability to tag more people in your mark and execute move. You’re aloud to bring one pistol and one machine gun with you, so make them good ones. It’s a shame the third person shooting mechanics are so rough around the edges, making a barn burning shoot out a frustrating and fidgety experience. Your main weapons will be your fists. Anyone in the game can be killed in one button push, from behind or face to face. Since you have the ability to run and your melee kills are so devastatingly effective, I developed a strategy of getting just close enough with gun fire to sprint and melee the closest enemy while simultaneously marking other enemies in the room.  You also have equipment such as grenades and sticky cameras, but they feel a little unimportant. Like Metal Gear Solid 4, the game gives you tons of things that you will never ever need to use. The equipment is either ineffective or just less efficient then a melee kill or bullets.

Multiplayer

The most fun I had with the game was in co-op. Online or splitscreen, you and a friend can tackle 4 different missions as an American operative and a Russian operative. The game does a nice job of throwing in a few tricks for co-op fun (dual executions) but it’s pretty much the same experience, but you’ve got a buddy! Lots of melee kills and lots of shooting. Voice communication and timing are key, because a well played scenario can have 10 mercenaries dying in an instant after each of you tag four and take the fifth as a hostage. Situations like that are where the game really clicks and feels awesome, it’s a shame they don’t occur more often. Aside from straight up co-op, you can go head to head with your partner in some online modes. Theirs some fun to be had, but it won’t keep you coming back for very long.

Highs and  lows

Not long for this world

For a game that has been in development for so long, you’d think the story and graphics would be top notched. Neither impress. The games visuals look outdated almost immediately with some shockingly basic textures rearing their ugly heads every once and a while. The game looks fine in motion, just don’t stop to smell the pixels. While the visuals are jumping up and down, so are the mechanics. Every now and then Conviction throws a new little mechanic at you which can frustrate players quickly. Dodging lasers, lights you can’t shoot out..enemies that can see you through walls. Those ultra-violent interrogation scenes you drooled over in the games previews are nothing special after a go or two. The core game is fun, but it’s just got a bunch of nagging issues that keep it from achieving elite status.

Expect twists and familiar faces throughout the Convictions 6-7 hour length. Conviction is by no means a bad game, just a confused one. It tip toes on the edge of greatest but is held just short by its flaws. The game balances pace throughout  before it abandons the earlier design docs and flops around like a fish on the floor of a boat gasping for air.

Pure: the racing game that made people take Blackrock Studios, and by proxy Disney Interactive Studios, seriously. You remember the game, right? Racing on quads, doing stunts to gain points and boost…. Pure put Balckrock on the map and made many people’s list of overlooked games in 2008.

Well, Blackrock and Disney are back. This time, though, its not about doing tricks; it’s about taking your opponent out.

Though the demo for Split/Second is short, it is impressive.

Welcome Split/Second, a game set in the televised world of destructive auto racing. The goal is simple: win the race. To do this, you will need to do what you would expect from any racing game: draft, drift, jump, maneuver and trigger explosive traps to wreck your opponents or change the course.

Wait, that last bit is not something you normally do in racing games.

The Demo for Split/Second has just hit the Xbox Live marketplace, and if you are a fan of racers, I encourage you to try this game out. You race around and through an airport terminal, filling your power bar as you draft behind opponents, drift around turns and get air off jumps. Once you have enough power, you can call upon Power Plays: traps activated around the track designed to give you the upper hand. These can range from exploding barrels to demo charges taking out the air traffic control tower. These Power Plays can wreck your opponenet, or they can wreck you if you are not careful. Some can even alter the track itself, giving you the chance to change up the gameplay and maybe even unlock hidden short cuts.

Now I will grant you the demo is rather short. You only have the one track, and after 3 laps, it is over. You can choose to race the track again, and with the route changes it can feel different, but that is all there is to it.

In the end, however, this small taste of what this racer has to offer may just be enough. Balckrock has the making of another hit on its hands. The only question is whether it will be able to compete with Blur, which comes out the same day.

In my eyes, there is no competition. The Split/Second demo has managed to do something that racing games rarely do; it has made me consider buying the game the week of release.

Nulla E Vero. Tutto E Permesso. Nothing is true, Everything is permitted. The first Assassins Creed was a highly controversial game. Now, it isn’t controversial in the traditional sense. People aren’t debating political or religious issues, just gameplan and story ones. Assassins Creed will live in infamy as one of the more dividing games in recent history. For every ten people you could find who loved the game, you could find ten more would argue the exact opposite opinion. The game scored a mixed bag, but let us put that all aside. This isn’t the original. Sit back as Laren gives his take on Desmond’s return to the Animus! 

Story

Back when I played the first Assassin’s Creed on the 360, I was drawn into the story. One thing I always enjoy as a gamer is an original and immersive story. The first iteration of Creed has a very solid storyline. Assassin’s Creed II starts off right where the first game left off. We open to Desmond being greeted by Lucy. Desmond is rushed to hurry back on to the Animus. This is where we witness the birth of Ezio Auditore da Firenze. It’s a very strange way to begin a game, but it does a great job of keeping the player on his toes. 

Enter Ezio Auditore

Desmond’s ancestor and our new soon-to-be assassin. After some running and fighting Desmond and Lucy  escape Abstergo and we are introduced to some new  characters , new hideout, and a new Animus. We are  introduced to Shaun Hastings an egotistical data logger  who really does not seem to care for Desmond. Our other  new character in Desmond’s is Rebecca Crane who runs  the Animus 2.0. Now we  get  to the good stuff. At this  point, we begin to re live the life of Ezio Auditore da  Firenze in the Italian renaissance. Ubisoft did an amazing  job choosing the time period and character. Ubisoft  really paralleled the story of AC1. Instead of being a Master Assassin and getting your ranked stripped, you start off as a normal 17 year old teenage boy. Trust me, it’s more fun than it sound. Let’s just say that some crazy stuff happens and both of your brothers and your father ( who was also an assassin) are hung are their own “acquittal”. before the death of your father, he tells you of a chest. From here, we enter the journey of an Assassin. 

The enviroments are stunning

Assassin’s Creed II, like its predecessor, is filled with conspiracy theories and yet, they all somehow tie into a Sci-Fi, Past, Present, Assassin, Redemption story and some how it all makes since 

Gameplay

The biggest issue with the first Creed was with the gameplay. It was repetitive to a fault. Well Ladies and Gentlemen, Ubisoft listened to the complaints of gamers and fixed it all! That is one of the aspects that makes AC II such an amazing game, Ubisoft improved ALL the problems that the first had when it came to gameplay. Let me just say that this game has stunning environments and you get a rush Free-Running through Italy. The combat is also improved and Ubisoft gave us some new equipment. You have two Hidden Blades, hidden pistol, poison blade, new assassination techniques and so much more. Ubisoft really thought about what gamers wanted and they fully delivered. The gameplay felt extremely smooth and enjoyable. The camera worked well, Ezio’s control felt natural and the game has a low learning curve. 

Enviroments

Ubisoft did an amazing job picking the locations for AC II. The cities are massive, in fact, the whole game has a much more epic feel to it. From the music to the cutscenes, it’s all massive! Venice is my personal favorite and it is for a reason. The buildings look extremely accurate to that of Italy and there is just something surreal about seeing Firebreathers and Fireworks during Carnivale! 

Overall

The jump from the quality from AC I to AC II is simply amazing! The feel of this game felt more immersive and on a much bigger scale. The story was more of the focus and that is not bad by any means. Italy is  amazing and Ezio is so much better as a protagonist. If you do not own this game, you are missing out on an amazing experience! 

The Battlefield franchises has always defined tactical warfare combat on the PC and has now managed to take more then a slice of the pie on the consoles. Bad Company 2 follows up the popular first game in the franchise with lots of changes and improvements that help it stand above others first person shooters. Dice has thrown down the gauntlet at the feet of other shooters that would stand opposed to it with the latest in the Bad Company series and doesn’t pull any punches. The game offers an extremely deep and tactical online multiplayer as well as a respectable single player. The game boasts unmatched ingame destructibility which really helps shape the battlefield in a different way every round, promising to keep throwing curve balls at you just when you think you have a strategy. So does Battlefield Bad Company 2 blow away the competition, or is it firing blanks?

Reshaping the Battlefield

Snowday!

One of the best and most talked about features of the first Bad Company game was the environmental destructibility. Blow buildings apart to their frames exposing enemies within and create new entrances to assault a position. This destructibility has been taken to the next level in Bad Company 2, including the new ability to completely level houses, with people still inside. Taking the door is now truly for the sucker. You might think this is nothing more then a gimmick, but it really does make each multiplayer match a little different from one another. If their is one complaints I can level against the Modern Warfare franchise, it’s the predictability of its multiplayer.  Days after release the Modern Warfare maps have been completely picked clean for hiding spots and tactics. You are funneled down the same pipes, game after game. It’s an everyman for himself gun fight, unlike Battlefield Bad Company 2. Discovering and creating your own personalized paths to your objectives is half the fun. Taking cover in a house no longer provides you will infinite cover. You aren’t safe anywhere as walls and trees are blown away by many different kinds of explosions and ammunition. Get in a vehicle and squeeze the trigger to maximize destruction and chaos. Almost everything in Bad Company 2 can be reduced to a heaping pile of ruble, so walk with care.

Single Player

Bad Company 2 does feature an average length single player experience which doesn’t exactly blow the genre away, but it does its job nicely. The boys of Bad Company are back and this time in a much more respectable position. Asked to handle situations of the highest importance, these soldiers are no longer the rag tag pack of thieves you once knew. The game parades you to different locals all over the world, and does a fairly good job of spicing up the games pacing. Vehicle segments, flashbacks and weather related challenges are just a few ways the game keeps you on your toes. The original games insane health “needles” have been ditched in favor of the much more appropriate regeneration system. It won’t blow your doors off, but it’s a fairly enjoyable campaign that lasts an appropriate length. If you don’t have access to the online mutliplayer, this single player does not do enough to warrant a purchase.

Still King

Online or bust.

Multiplayer is where Bad Company 2 really shines. Just like the other games in the franchise, tactical online multiplayer makes this game important among so many other similar games. This game really requires you to work as a team to win. Joining a squad is not just a suggestion. It will help you organize your efforts as a team and also help you personally progress to unlock more weapons and equipment. The multiplayer is once again broken up into classes, each with their own perks and weapons. Healing teammates is the job of the medic, while the job of repairing tanks goes to the engineer. You can also choose to be a grunt solider or stealthy sniper. A mix of all the classes is the mark of a prepared squad. Like previous Battlefield games, kills and objective points will increase your rank and unlock better weapons among other things. The game is generous with giving out points for pretty much any style of playing. Killstreaks, defensive actions and accuracy are just some examples of rewarding behavior. We have a lot to do, so get out there solider!

Bad Company 2 also features new game modes and some old returning classics. “Squad Rush” being one of the best additions and “Conquest” keeps fans of the old capture and defend Battlefield style happy. Battlefield is still the king of online mutliplayer. The vehicles and weapons just have that extra level of polish and balance that set this series apart. Teamwork is always encouraged and rewarded. The destruction and chaos form a perfect storm of fun that will keep people coming back for more. It truly does embarrass the competition in terms of scale and creativity. Long drawn out sniper fights, epic tank battles or close quarter combat sequences are all parts of one huge battle. The maps are not only large, but well designed and creative. It’s a real shining star in a genre so bogged down with average multiplayers. Unfortunately the losing side of a multiplayer match is treated to a loud air horn blast every 3 seconds for the final minute of the game, but it’s a small gripe. Bad Company 2 demonstrates how great first person shooting multiplayer can be.

Closing Thoughts

You can’t deny the impact the Battlefield games have had on the first person shooting genre, just like you can’t deny the brilliance that is Bad Company 2. Their is something here for everyone. Unfortunately the PC version was bogged down with technical issues at launch, but stick with it. Most games have their hitches, and this game isn’t one any first person shooter worth his salt should skip over.

When the original Bioshock was released in 2007, no one could have expected the level of praise it was destined to receive.  Heralded as one of the best single player experiences in gaming history, the game left some awfully big shoes that would need to be filled with a sequel. Losing some of the talent that helped shaped the original also didn’t do any favors to the already high level of skepticism. People questioned the need for more after the original story had done such a fantastic job of introducing the world and characters of Rapture while both starting and finishing the story. Like it or not, more Bioshock is here and you’ve been thrown back into Rapture. Does this much maligned sequel manage to silence the critics? Or does it sink under all the pressure?

The Story

Returning to the world of Rapture ten years after the events of the first game, you control “Delta”, a first generation Big Daddy with all the skills necessary to handle the wild citizens of Rapture. You have been brought back to life in order to save the little sister you were bound to and the entire world of Rapture is standing in your way. Andrew Ryan’s time has passed and his utopia has slipped further and further into madness and chaos. His life long over, you are introduced to new leaders who have picked up the pieces left by Ryan. Instead of having Andrew Ryan or Fontaine, you have Sophia Lamb, a former psychiatrist and new leader for the abandoned city. She might claim to have different motivation and political views, but it all feels pretty much the same from your boots. Lamb is holding your little sister hostage and you’re going to have to go and get her, but that’s not as easy as it sounds. The remaining non-splicer citizens have taken over sections of Rapture and you’re going to need to get their help to continue your journey.

A New Threat

You get to listen in through audio logs as Lamb and Ryan debate back and forth on the motivations behind each others actions. It sort of feels forced in as you think of how someone clearly so important in the history of this place was never once mentioned in the previous game. It’s obvious why, but still disappointing to know that these characters are being inserted into the cannon of Rapture in order to create more room for a sequel. New enemies pop up but none prove more potent then the Big Sisters. Some Little Sisters that have remained in Rapture have been transformed into these quick moving and deadly enemies. Tools of Sophia Lamb, they are always watching you and show up periodically to give you trouble.

Although the story still managed to hold my interest through its entirety, I certainly didn’t feel any of the shock and awe I experienced when I was first introduced to Rapture and its history. Discovering and diving into the art style and characters was a new and fresh experience in the original and as much as I enjoyed seeing new characters and places, non of it felt as important as when I had seen it first. One thing that has been drastically improved is the ending, which comes off as the strongest part of game, in stark contrast with the first offering.

The Gameplay

Moving along from the disappointments of the story, one thing that this game definitely does better is the gameplay. You still have the interesting powers you remember from the first game but everything has been upgraded. As a Big Daddy, you are given the choice to deal with the Little Sisters in whatever manner you see fit. Harvest her for a quick boost of Adam, or adopt her and go from there. Having the little sister on your shoulders means she can lead you to bodies that have large amounts of Adam for her to harvest. This proves a profitable way of gathering Adam, but it’s not the easiest way. The act of gather the Adam attracts all sorts of unwanted attention, so be prepared to fight as you wait for her to finish her job. Luckily you are provided with more then enough tools to help fight off the evil forces of Rapture. One of the most prominent new features is the ability to dual wield your powers along with your weapons. You can now use your powers to turn the tides in guns fights. Freeze, ignite and shock your enemies mid fight to give yourself a tactical advantage, or use other powers to help use the environment as an ally.

Like the first one, half of the battle is in the plannings. Set up traps for your enemies with weapons or plasmids. Everything from Tornado traps on the floor to the old fashion electrical wires can be used in lots of creative ways. It’s a fresh breathe of air and can really encourage some creativity in a genre that needs it. The shooting feels a little questionable at first, but is greatly improved later on in the game with upgrades. Your trusty wrench has been replaced by the Big Daddy drill, which when used right can cause massive damage to any enemy in the game. Upgrade your guns and Plasmids to the higher levels and you will be pleasantly surprised at the new additions you find. Some of the new powers like “Scout” (the ability to move forward into areas while invisible) really can prove useful once you upgrade it and gain the ability to hack turrets and cameras before entering a room.

Under The Sea.

Nothing has really been changed about the health or gathering system, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The hacking mini game has been changed for the better. This time is doesn’t take you out of experience and kill the pacing. Hack vending machines and ammo stations for bonuses in a quick and neat fashion, but be prepared for trouble if you fumble the hack.

Along with the addition of Big Sisters, new types of splicers show up in the game including the “brutes” who charge at you and throw objects from a distance. You will meet plenty of enemies throughout your journey and have lots of memorable battles. The experience starts off a little slow, but after a few hours you will be rolling along nicely picking up audio logs and smashing splicers with your new powers and weapons. You also get to explore more of rapture as you gain the ability to go outside underwater in your Big Daddy suit. I can’t get into every new aspect of the gameplay because it would take forever. Just know that it’s all been improved and handles a lot more smoothly then the first. Take care in the choices you make during the game because you are forced to answer for your choices in the end.

A Multiplayer Experience?

Maybe one of the most questionable steps taken by Bioshock 2 is the addition of a competitive online multiplayer mode. No one seemed to mind that the first was lacking this mode because of the strong single player experience. The main worry is that time taken away from the single player and dedicated to the multiplayer would negatively affect the game as the whole. That just isn’t the case. The multiplayer feels almost shockingly well rounded. As is the same with so many other games, a experienced system has been integrated in helping to encourage you to keep coming back. Customize your load outs and choose from a number of game types to suit your fancy.

Classic Deathmatch

The classic deathmatch and team deathmatch areboth present along with some variations on other popular game modes. Capture the flag has been turned into capture the little sister, with one side on defense and the other on offense. The gunplay feels a lot faster than the single player in a good way, and the ability to hack and use the research camera also makes an appearance in the multiplayer. Scan the the bodies of your victims for a damage bonus or hack turrets to help fight for you in gun fights. Maybe if you’re lucky you will find the randomly appearing Big Daddy suit and put the hurt down on those lowely splicers.

Add it all together and you have a completely competent mutliplayer experience. It doesn’t do anything particularly groundbreaking, but it does check all the boxes you would hope for. I’m not sure how long it will keep players interested, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it managed to carve out a small dedicated group of players that really find something they enjoy. They event went so far as to try and write the entire multiplayer mode into the cannon as experiments in plasmid research. It’s a little charming and a nice touch when you enter your apartment to customize all your load outs and outfits.

The Verdict

Despite the negative feelings you may have about creating a sequel to Bioshock, their is no denying that this game is great. It looks beautiful and it plays fantastic. 2K Marin gave it a real shot and I feel like they succeeded in drawing me back into the Bioshock universe. The new additions are all welcomed as the game takes the abilities of the players to new levels and really lets you customize your own play style. The overall level of action is just better. You no longer have to fight with the controls and can take full advantage of the gifts you have been given. Combine that will an incredible ending and you have a game that manages to hold it’s own ground when compared to the original.

Additional Thoughts by Patrick Adams

Being that the original BioShock is at the top of my “favorite games of all time” list I was a little skeptical when I heard that Ken Levine would no longer be the man behind the series. I was afraid that the BioShock franchise was going to be ruined but yet I still stayed faithful. I did have low expectations going into the game but only because of what other people were saying (without having even played it). I must say that BioShock 2 has exceeded my expectations  and in my opinion is the best way they could have done a sequel. The story is still interesting, the gameplay has improved to what I would expect, and the final product feels great. Maybe it’s because I have a daughter but I really enjoyed the interaction with the Little Sisters. To be honest, BioShock 2 is really just more BioShock, and to me that is definitely a good thing. I’m excited to see what 2K Marin can come up with for BioShock 3. My suggestion is that they bring us into Rapture when it was at its peak, before it’s downfall, whether it be by playable flashbacks or actual present time.

The Story: A New Threat

The Collectors: The newest threat to the Mass Effect universe.

After a dramatic intro to the game, Mass Effect 2 drops you back into BioWare’s universe two years after the fateful battle at the Citadel. Human colonists in the terminus systems are being abducted by an alien race known as the Collectors, and no one seems to know why or how to stop them. Cerberus, a shady entity with a pro-human agenda, seems to be the only group willing to do anything about the Collectors. Its leader, known only as the Illusive Man, hires Shephard and provides him/her (your choice) with a new and improved version of the Normandy, believing Shephard is the only person who can assemble a team capable of dealing with this new threat.

As Shephard, you must recruit the best of the best, whether human or Asari, biotic or soldier, in hopes that the collective skills of the crew you assemble will give you a chance against an enemy that outnumbers you and has much greater technology. Along the way, you will run across your old friends and enemies, along with several new characters who make the story truly come to life. The voice acting in this game is absolutely top notch, with sequences that will rival any movie being made in Hollywood. Add to that a plot that completely changes everything you thought you know about the universe created in the first game, and you have what is easily one of the most engaging storylines in gaming.

While it is impossible to talk too much about the story without spoiling it, one thing I can say is to pay attention to the decisions you make. Not only will they affect the game itself, they can affect the loyalty of your crew, and you will need all of their loyalty to make it though the end of the game in tact.

After all, in case you did not know this, it is possible for you to beat the game and yet still have Shephard die.

The Gameplay: BioWare Listened

As good as the firstMass Effect was, there were some things that drove gamers absolutely crazy. A poor inventory system, quirky combat controls that looked like a shooter but really did not play like one, cookie cutter side missions with the same buildings and caves over and over and those darn elevators tended to drive even the most ardent fan of the game insane. BioBare had said going into Mass Effect 2 they were going to improve all of those things, and they delivered in that promise.

• Inventory: There basically isn’t an inventory system in the sequel. As opposed to having multiple weapons of a particular type and all the various upgrades, you find various items you can research to improve your weapons, armor and even the Normandy itself. What this means is you are never having to decide what useful item you were going to have to turn to omni-gel just so you could carry more stuff.
  

  The new cover system is a welcome addition to the gameplay.

• Combat: Mass Effect 2 plays much more like a third person shooter with RPG elements, as opposed to its predecessor which did the reverse. Gone are the feels of the die rolls; there is much more emphasis on aim and headshots in this game. At the same time, you have a much better squad command system and the ability to map three biotic/tech powers to buttons on the controller on top of your standard time pausing target selection process. The game also forces you to rely on cover; you are usually outnumbered and outgunned, and if you try to run headlong into battle, you will not last very long.
• Side Missions: There is no such thing as a cookie cutter mission in this game. Every side mission takes on its own life, with unique settings and additions to the storyline. Some side missions actually unlock others as you beat them, giving the missions a depth that was never really there in the first game. I never felt like I was just going through the motions of the side quests in this game. On the contrary, I quite enjoyed them.
• Elevators/Load Screens: The first time I entered an elevator in the Normandy, I could not help but mockingly brace myself for what was coming. Instead of spending forever in the elevator just spinning the camera around to waste time, I was rather pleasantly surprised to see myself zooming out to a schematic of the ship, giving me an overview of where the elevator was taking me. Other load screens are handled in this same style, showing anything from your shuttle departing from the Normandy to land on a planet to whatever path the planet side transportation you are using is taking. Its a nice touch that never lasts as long or gets as frustrating as the first game’s load screens.

While BioWare has made signification changes to the gameplay, the best element may be a slight refinement to what was already one of the series’ most distinctive features: the conversation system. Conversations flow much more naturally in Mass Effect 2, with characters actually moving around and reacting logically to the flow of the dialogue as opposed to just standing there as you talk. Little touches, like a character standing up to pace a bit before answering or moving closer or further from you as you converse, make the dialogue seem more real.

Your team is your lifeline. You will need all of them to make it through the final mission.

No discussion of the conversation system would be complete without discussing ME2′s interrupt feature. During conversations, you will often be given the chance to interrupt the character in either a positive or negative way. Paragon interrupts, activated by hitting the left trigger when prompted, will result in positive actions, such as giving medi-gel to an infected Batarian or helping someone focus. Renegade interrupts, activated with the right trigger, lead to more negative results: shooting someone’s bodyguards, head butting a Krogan, etc. This feature draws you into the game even more, making you pay extra attention to the conversations in the game, often wondering what would have happened if you had chosen to use an interrupt, or if you hadn’t.

And then there is the character import system. BioWare obviously wanted to reward those who had played the first game, and while it may have seemed the company down played this feature, you will be amazed at what a difference it can make. You will run across several characters who were influenced by your actions in the first game, giving fans a chance to truly see the difference they have made.

Mass Effect showed how cinematic an action/RPG can be. Mass Effect 2 improved heavily on its predecessor, making this an almost flawless game.

The Verdict: Not Hyped Enough

As I just mentioned, Mass Effect 2 is an almost perfect game. There are some issues with the cover system where you will find yourself suddenly vulnerable to attack, an odd choice to have you fly manually between solar systems not containing Mass Effect relays and some game glitches including but not limited to a complete loss of sound in the game that keep it from being perfect.

In the end, however, I found these few negative points just really did not bother me. BioWare has built an absolute masterpiece of a game that manages to more than live up to its hype. Every character is multi-dimensional, even Subject Zero, who could easily have been just the archetype bad girl. Players of the first game will love the references to characters and events in it. Even more impressive than that is the the fact BioWare did with this game what I thought would be next to impossible: creating an ending even more epic than the first.

Every now and then a game comes along that forever changes your perspective on just what is possible in this medium we enjoy. Mass Effect 2 is that kind of game. I cannot stress enough just how much of a joy it is to play, and though I have beaten it, I am already planning my next playthough. An early favorite for 2010′s Game of the Year, Mass Effect 2 gets a 5 out of 5.

Salem and Rios are back and this time the platonic pair find themselves stuck in Shanghai when the proverbial crap has hit the fan. The entire city crumbles around the duo and the simple goal of getting out of dodge quickly spirals into large scale fire fights and unexpected moral dilemma’s. Rios or Salem, the choice is yours. Just make sure after you pick one, you find a friend to pick the other. Although the game does feature a command for initiating a game of rock-paper-scissors at anytime (in the middle of chaotic gun fight perhaps), do the fist bumps and aggro meters really make this game a must buy? Or should Salem and Rios figure this one out without your help?

The Story So Far..

Being a hired gun isn’t the world easiest job, and this time Salem and Rios have really drawn the short end of the stick on what seemed like a slam dunk job. When a easy job turns complicated, Salem and Rios are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Spanning only a few days, the pair must survive long enough to escape from Shanghai and find out who is behind all the destruction. The game isn’t exactly Hemingway material, but it does a good enough job of letting you know who you are shooting at and why..most of the time. You might not be all that interested in where you are headed, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the ride their. Two grizzled mercenaries with big guns and even bigger armor shoot everything that moves…while wearing fancy hockey masks. Don’t expect award winning story telling and you won’t be disappointed.

How Is The Gameplay?

It plays pretty much exactly how you think it would. Over the shoulder shooting with cover to cover mechanics straight out of the Gears of War play book. It’s not terribly innovative, but it does a good job of providing nice clean controls that help you navigate the world easily, aside from some issues with making your character take cover as oppose to leaping over it. With a couple new additions to the controls and some improved AI in your buddy, as well as the enemies, the game manages to fix most of the pressing issues people had with the first game. Not to say the AI will blow you away, but it’s definitely competent. Aggro is back in a big way in The 40th Day, making flanking one of the most effective strategies in the game. Most mini-bosses can be easily beaten as long as you have a teammate to distract him as you sneak around back and shoot the exploding backpacks or gas tanks. If you choose to tackle the game alone, prepare to do a fair bit of partner managing which can sometimes feel like a drag.

Salem and Rios

Luckily the controls for teammate orders are simple enough and pretty effective. If you’ve played the first game or Gears of War, you will pick this game up almost instantly. Prepare to mow through the game in around 5 hours or so, which feels like a pretty good length. Much longer and the tricks the game pulls might have become tired. You can only save some many hostages before it gets old.

One of the best parts of the game is the level of customization you have over the characters and their weapons. Score money for completing objectives and rescuing hostages to spend on new guns and all sorts of upgrades. Deck out your weapons in all sorts of ugly color schemes (tiger stripes, rainbow puzzle pieces) and attach scopes and silencers to help increase or decrease weapons stats. The game features plenty of different weapons and unlocking all the attachments for them would be a serious commitment to playing the game.

Not everything is the game is simply an improvement, some features are completely new. The 40th Day takes some time to engage the player with moral choices that have you picking one of two options to a problem. Do I kill this person and take his stuff, or do I let him go? Either way you choose to handle yourself, you will be treated to a comic book style cut scene showing the ramifications of your choice.  Some of the most interesting stuff in the game is entirely contained in these small choice segments. It’s a nice addition that helps add some much needed character depth, it’s a shame the first player to make a choice speaks for both of you.

The Multiplayer

It is an absolute shame that the multiplayer made such a bad impression on me. Lag and wacky grenade spamming turned me off almost instantly. Even with just five thousand people online, every match I entered was rendered unplayable due to lag. I’m sure the problem isn’t global, but it sure did a fine job of ruining it for me personally. What little I did get to enjoy in between lag attacks seemed to be pretty fun.

Shooting Blind

The game takes after Killzone 2 in its mid-game mode switching which keeps the action going and spices things up. Grab a buddy and give it a shot, but I wouldn’t say it’s the games strong point.

Closing Remarks

Ubisoft has managed to deliver on pretty much everything I was expecting in Army of Two The 40th Day. The new addition of a morality system feels like a natural fit for the series and I hope this is a trend that will be even further expanded upon in the next game. Although it is another game with Nolan North as a main character, the voice acting in the game does a fine job of defining it’s characters and showcasing their reactions to the story. The game shows some of it’s legs with the much improved multiplayer and the ability for gamers to log onto the EA site and create custom masks, ala Skate 2, to help set their character apart online. It’s a nice addition to the series, but if anything customization and the morality system could stand to be pushed even further. I can’t say for certain that you must play this game, but you probably can determine for yourself by now if you are interested. Expect explosions early and often, a story that does just enough to explain the gun fights, lots of bullets and some good ol’ fashion co-op fun.

Riding the unheralded success  of Borderlands, Gearbox has released Mad Moxxi’s Underdome Riot for 10 dollars on Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network respectively, as well as the PC. The content offers players an arena to engage in combat with increasingly difficult waves of opponents with ever changing game modes and modifications, but does it satisfy the cravings of Borderland junkies waiting for their next fix?

The answer, sadly, is no. Unlike the previous Zombie Island DLC, Mad Moxxi’s Underdome Riot fails to capitalize on what helped Boderlands become so beloved as it forces players to trudge through waves of waves of enemies while receiving little to no reward for doing so. All the weapon proficiency and experience points players would regularly receive from combat has been omitted for this DLC. While it makes sense as a way of preventing players from taking advantage and quickly raising their level, it also drains the game of any sense of accomplishment. Even with friends the arena’s and game modifications quickly become predictable and drab. Some little treats (an extra skill point, backpack slots) might draw some in, but it won’t keep them for long.

Another major issue I have with the DLC is the lack of an ability to save progress during an arena. If you are forced to leave (or are disconnected) the game during the match at any point, you will be forced to start at the very beginning the next time you play. This happening 2 hours into an arena is enough to turn anyone off from ever playing this DLC again.

Even if some of these things were fixed in an update, the entire focus of the content still seems misplaced. Not that Borderlands combat is bad necessarily, but it’s not what makes the game fun nor is it the games strong point.

All feeling of progression and the delights of rooting through loads of loot are tossed aside as the game attempts to beat you over the head with combat. Even the levels themselves don’t do much to show off the wonderful cell shaded style the game aught to flaunt at every chance. I would only (and barely) recommend this for hardcore and high level Borderlands players who are desperate for more time on Pandora. I’m scratching my head trying to find the logic progression that led from Zombie Island to the Underdome Riot, but I just can’t see it.  It seems that wave based combat modes (Horde, Fire-fight) are all the rage lately, but this one just isn’t worth your money or time. It’s not a deal breaker in terms of purchasing DLC for Borderlands, but I sure hope Gearbox has something better up its sleeve.

I want to be very honest with this review of Rogue Warrior. I played about an hour of it and decided that it was not worth my time to continue. With all the triple A titles that have recently been released I am surprised that Rogue Warrior even made it to stores let alone with a $60 price tag. Games like Rogue Warrior make me wonder if the people who developed the game really even support it. How could you? Are they blindly thinking they are creating something worth playing or are they just doing it for a quick buck? I may never know.

Bottom line, Rogue Warrior is not worth the purchase and probably won’t ever be, even if you can get it for $10 used. The controls are janky, the campaign is very short (from what I read, only 2 hours), the F-word is constantly used and the multiplayer is not even worth touching.

I really respect Bethesda and hope that they will continue to publish great games but I have no idea what they were thinking taking on Rogue Warrior.

When Left 4 Dead 2 was first announced I was surprised, but I wasn’t one of the people planning to boycott the game. Yes, it caught me off guard, but I was excited none-the-less.

In my opinion the original L4D was too short and not worth the $60. Yes, it was a really fun game but I didn’t think it was a $60 game. Especially if you never play the multiplayer modes. I completed L4D2′s campaign yesterday and unlike the first I felt the campaign actually had a nice length to it. I was very satisfied. At first I felt like the game was too hard and I wasn’t having much fun because it didn’t feel like anything new to me, just shoot the zombies like always. I was playing through it with my wife and we both agreed that it was really frustrating and difficult. This is because the emphasis of “work as a team” is really enforced in the sequel. It’s not as easy as the first, where you can run ahead and finish the level without having to work for it. This was annoying at first but once I accepted the fact that I needed to stay close to my team I started to really enjoy the difficulty.

Another thing that took me time to appreciate was the melee weapons. I didn’t plan on using them but about halfway through I got the samurai sword and the machete. With these melee weapons I came up with the strategy of backing myself into a corner and just slicing all zombies that came up to me. Melee weapons are a huge addition to the game. I found myself using them more than my shotgun. They made everything a lot easier. All you have to do is run up to a zombie and slice rather than try and aim for each individual zombie with your gun, specifically the shotgun. The game felt totally different once I learned to appreciate the melee weapons. I became a zombie slaying ninja assassin running through hordes of zombies without breaking a sweat. This didn’t feel like the original game at all, but it was still a lot of fun if not better.

Left 4 Dead 2 brings a lot to the table especially with the new special infected. My least favorite addition has to be the Jockey as I found him to be the most annoying. He often took you away from the crowd and made it hard for them to save you. I do however like the addition of the Spitter, the green slime spewing beauty.

Another thing  I liked about the game was the addition of new items such as the boomer bile vial that you can throw on anything to attract zombies to it. You also have special explosive ammo and a defibrillator kit that lets you revive dead teammates. In addition to the pills you have a adrenaline shot that boosts health and agility.

Overall Left 4 Dead 2 is a very satisfying experience. My fingers are still crossed that they will somehow incorporate both the original and this one into one game so that you don’t have to switch between the two. With the recent announcement of a new DLC campaign I am hoping that Valve will continue to support L4D2 and make it something that I can keep coming back to for a while.

Check out my video review of the game below:

For more Zombie action check out Act 1 and Act 2 of our Left 4 Dead parody.

Spending my life as a self-proclaimed hater of “first person shooters” (FPSs if you’re nasty), I have had to re-evaluate my stance on this genre more and more frequently in recent years. I mean, even though I do see the merit in your Halos and your Calls of Duties, I just don’t find myself being attracted to these games like most of the people on my friends list are. But every once in a while along comes a game with a hook powerful enough to make me want to spend 50 plus hours looking down the sights of a shotgun, and seeing the funny bits fly when I pull the trigger. Games like Left 4 Dead with it’s zombies, Team fortress with it’s different classes and awesome art style, and Portal with its… Portals(?) ensnare me with something to do other than shooting the guy’s who are not from my country/planet. To this list of off-beat FPSs we can now introduce Borderlands, developed by Gearbox Software. I warn you, this will at times tend to read more like a love letter than a review.

Borderlands is a first person shooter with heavy RPG elements (or an RPG seen from a first person perspective?), with a strong Diablo-esque emphasis on grinding and loot collection. Stack on top of all this that all enemies, equipment and weapons are randomly generated and you have a game that will keep you addicted, while still managing to pack in a few surprises even after having played it for over 100 hours.

Story

Borderlands takes place in the colony planet of Pandora. A planet colonized and quickly abandoned by the government, and corporations once they saw how little there was in it to profit from, and how difficult it would be to survive in it for prolonged stretches of time. The only people left behind were the treasure hunters, some early settlers, unlucky employees and hordes of criminals who now prey on the civilians left behind. Most of the people who stayed behind did so because of their belief in a legendary vault of untold, and immeasurable treasures. The story in this game is easily the weakest part of the game, and at times it seems like a throw-away part of a whole which seems so well thought out, which is sad, because the characters can be so darn funny and interesting at times. At one point in the story you find out someone has died, and this is never followed through any further, almost as if they wanted to move you, but didn’t care enough to give this branch in the plot any closure.

Gameplay

Borderlands starts off as most FPSs do. You are give a gun, you are given a guide, and you are given some some easy mooks to kill. Where things start diverging from other FPSs is when you kill someone, or complete a mission and are given a set amount of experience, which in turn increases your level, making you stronger, tougher, and giving you more health. You also start getting skill points which you can use to develop your chosen character into the perfect killing machine, healing or looting machine.

There are four character classes to choose from:

*A soldier who can either heal his teammates or summon a turret to assist with the butt-kickery.

*A siren whose power allows her to explode in an elemental flash, become invisible for a few seconds, while she runs to or from danger, and then explodes again to knock out whoever is standing around her.

*The berserker who is an explosives specialist, or an unstoppable punching juggernaut.

*And the hunter, who can either be a deadeye sniper or a gunslinger with buffs whenever he uses handguns and revolvers, with a pet hawk who attacks and slows down enemies. He also drops extra loot for the whole party.

As awesome as single player for this game is, things just get better every time another player joins the game: enemies become tougher, which makes the little puppies you were fighting against in single player become fire, acid, or thunder-breathing monsters which will take a whole team, and a lot of bullets to take down. Treasure also goes up a few levels in awesome with more people in your party, taking your machinegun and replacing it’s bullets with rockets. You are doing yourself a disservice if you never play this game with other people.

The game also features player duels and arenas in which to fight your friends. Ignore these, as they are highly irrelevant. A properly built hunter can kill anyone within half a second of the start of the fight by summoning his hawk. A siren can kill everyone else. None of this is pertinent to your level, or to how awesome your weapons are. The game is made for killing monsters, and PVP battles are really unbalanced.

Weapons

As stated before, weapons in this game are randomly generated, which means that if you are really, very lucky you can find a super rare weapon, which will make your character into a spider killing god. There are different weapon-types in the game, including pistols, sniper rifles, shotguns, machineguns, and even some alien weapons. Every time you open a chest, or kill a baddie you have a chance of finding, say a sniper, or a sniper that does double damage, or a sniper that shoots fire bullets, or acid bullets… Or a sniper which shoots clusters of bullets, like a shotgun, or if you’re really lucky, all of the above. Also it can refill ammo automatically so you never run out. The possibilities here are endless, and all the examples described above are weapons I actually have. And they are all on my crappy character… (my good character has a revolver whose bullets rotate between all the elements in the game, and shoots as fast as an assault riffle).

Weapons are the reason most people who play this game will continue to play it well after their characters have all reached their level cap.

Graphics

Borderlands is powered by the unreal engine 3, so it obviously looks amazing. It has a beautiful cell-shaded style which gives it a bit of a comic-book feel, and gives the characters a lot of personality, and helps a lot with the humor behind them all. The game manages impressive draw distances, which is very helpful for us snipers out there. In fact, the only time I noticed any slowdown and frame skipping was when playing with a full party of level 50 characters we all spread out throughout a huge map and each fought innumerable hordes of spiders, and used ridiculous fast, powerful, acid shooting, explosion spamming weapons, but it soon passed, as those spider did not live for long.

Borderlands is easily one of my favorite games this year, and one of the games I’ve dumped the most hours into (considering it takes about 40-50 hours {more or less depending on skill} to complete all missions in the games, and even at that point your character will only be around level 36). Each character gives the player a different play style, and a different perspective on the game, and how to tackle each mission all over again. But you will continue playing this game with friends looking for the next, strongest weapon you could ever imagine. There is so much more that could be said about the unlimited possibilities for the weapons available to you in this game, but I really must stop; I just finished downloading the newest downloadable content for this game, and it’s zombies…ZOMBIES!!!

You know, I was not really interested in Brutal Legend at first. Granted, Tim Schafer is a brilliant game designer, having made games the defy genres and are considered among the best made, even if they did not sell well. It’s just that I am not a fan of Jack Black. Sure, he can be funny when he is reigned in, but he often is not, and I figured with the game being M Rated, he would be allowed to run free. Still, I decided to give it a chance.

In the end, I am glad I did. This game is one not to be missed.

A world ruled by Heavy Metal

So let me get one thing straight from the very beginning: this game is weird. Now that may not be too much of a surprise when you consider who created the game. You enter the twisted world of Brutal Legend as Eddie Riggs, the best roadie in the world stuck in a dead end job working for what passes as a metal band. A stage accident draws you into a world run by metal music ruled by Doviculus, Emperor of the Tainted Coil and his Glam Rock minion General Lionwhyte. Opposing them are Lars and Lita Halford and Ophelia, who meets Eddie when he first appears in this new world. Working alongside this motley crew (pun fully intended), Eddie forms Ironheade, a rag tag army of head banging youth forced to work in the mines, rocker girls with long distance arsenal, bass playing healers riding hogs and numerous other “warriors” taken from a metal motif.

Schafer has created an entire world based on Heavy Metal…as only he can.

If you think the storyline is twisted, wait till you play the game itself. Brutal Legend is primarily an open world brawler akin to God of War. You control Eddie, whose primary weapons are his enchanted axe and his guitar, which, when played in combat, can create various effects combining lightning and fire and allows for some rather serious combos. There’s more to it, however. Add in part rhythm game as you come across different “sacred solos” to play on the guitar, doing anything from raising relics to rallying the troops in battle. Another one of the solos calls forth the Druid Plow, and upgradable hot rod that not only allows you to traverse the the open world areas more quickly but also get involved in races and vehicular combat. Then come the stage battles: a mixture of brawler and real time strategy in which you and your army must complete the task at hand, be it just survive the battle or take down an enemy stronghold. To power your army, you draw energy from “fans,” geysers of spirits in the earth. You draw this energy from them by “Playing to the Fans,” a solo that erects a merch booth that becomes both your source of power and your weakest point in battle. Basically, Tim has attempted to bring several game play styles together on on package.

Does it work?

Brutal Legend is a kind of a hard game to score. On the one hand, it is a rather brilliant amalgam of gaming styles. The combat is strong, and though the real time strategy elements are simplistic, they are well done. On top of that, Schafer has constructed an impressive world around this unusual game. The storyline runs deep. with plenty of back story to be found by the curious. Then there is the humor in the game, something that really sets Schafer apart as a game designer. Brutal Legend contains a dry wit that, while it rarely gets you to laugh at loud, keeps you in a bemused state that makes the game rather enjoyable. Everything from the cloaking roadies, who hide in the shadows and tend not to be seen, to the Lord of Metal from whom you can buy upgrades, voiced rather appropriately by Ozzy Osbourne, just seems to fit within the twisted yet ultimately clever design.

On the other hand, the game is not all fun. As the saying goes, jack of all trades, master of none, and Brutal Legend suffers from thisat points. While the combination of styles is well done, none of them feel quite fully fleshed out. The open world is nice, but as often happens in these kind of games, you start to run out of things to do. The game starts to take on a little bit of the “Been there, done that” feeling. On top of that, Schafer seems to fall prey to to some of the trappings of games of this ilk, including really bad escort missions and some rather poor side quests.

Most gamers will find themselves enjoying the game despite its flaws.

It’s still worth it

In the end, Brutal Legend is neither as good as many people have said it is or as bad some of my criticism may lead you to believe. Most gamers will enjoy this game, which is a departure from the norm, something Schafer is known for doing well. Add to that the rather nice feature of built in censors for those of us who would rather not see all the gore or hear all the foul language, dealt with in a rather humorous flair worthy of the famous game designer, and you have a game I can recommend in spite of its flaws. Brutal Legend gets a 4 out of 5.

I first saw WET when it was announced a while back and I wasn’t very impressed. I thought it was a joke and I was positive it would be a flop or not even get published. Well, the day has come and WET has been released into the wild and boy did it exceed my expectations by far.

WET reminds me a lot of Stranglehold, the emphasis is on slo-mo and acrobatic kills. Basically you do certain actions like jump, wall-run, or slide which then trigger slow motion that lasts about 5 seconds. One of your guns aims automatically and you aim the other gun manually, this makes it possible to kill two people at the same time. Combine this acrobatic gameplay and a highly stylized art direction and you have the basis of WET. WET reminds me of the Kill Bill movies and I think it was made like this on purpose. You will even see drive-in commercials in between some of segments. The whole art direction, I would say, was made to make WET look like a movie.

Rubi Malone, the main character, wields guns and a sword. Guns are for slow motion combat and the sword is for close combat. There are certain areas in the game that I like to call “battle areas” and you will know you are about to enter one of these areas when a cut-scene of Rubi doing some gun-slinger tricks plays. In these areas you are to destroy the enemy spawn points by slashing them with the sword. Once all spawn points are destroyed you are to defeat the rest of the enemies. After you complete a level you are taken to a screen where you can purchase new moves and perks. You gain “style points” in each level based on how well you do. Once you complete a chapter of the game you are taken back to your “junk yard” which is basically where you can practice all of your skills. There are also challenges to be completed there. I wasn’t sure I actually liked the idea of the junk yard, I felt like the game would be better suited as a campaign with no stops from start to finish. There are also other sequences in the game that stick out from the rest and make you go “Wow” like the “Rage Mode.” Rage Mode happens at random points in the game and basically just makes the graphics look similar to MadWorld but with red, black, and white. To watch Rage Mode in action check out my video here. There are also quick time sequences in the game. One of them took place on a highway during a fast paced car chase while Rubi leaped from one car to the other shooting enemies in slow motion. It was these sequences that made the game feel unlike any other game I’ve played.

WET is a great looking game, the art direction is fantastic and I was also impressed with how gritty the game is. Usually I am not a fan of intense violence but it fits well in WET. Again, WET feels like a movie and I almost wish they would turn it into one as I think it could be very enjoyable. One last thing I want to add is that the soundtrack to the game is stellar. It fits the game perfectly and really adds to the action on the screen.

I was a little surprised to hear that Bethesda decided to take on publishing WET but I can see now they made a great choice. Hopefully WET will get the attention it deserves. The bottom line is that I really enjoyed it,  it’s pure fun, very artistic, and I would recommend picking it up if you like Stranglehold or if you like the idea of a Kill Bill game.

If you are interested in WET check out my play-through of the demo here. You can also download the demo on Xbox 360 or PS3.

In 1988, Capcom released Bionic Commando for the NES.  It was a side-scrolling action game in which the protagonist, Radd Spencer, used his bionic arm to get him through conflicts behind enemy lines to rescue the imprisoned Super Joe.  Bionic Commando was fresh, it was innovative and it’s unique mechanic and well told story made it a memorable game from the NES.  The story, not unlike Wolfenstein, capitalized on the overwhelming patriotism and anti-dictator sentiment heavy in the air around the time of it’s release.  The Japanese version kept the Nazi symbols and Hitler-like leader, while only Hitler’s likeness in the villain of Master D made their way into the release of the game seen stateside.  Suffice to say, it’s obvious that Bionic Commando holds fond memories and a special place in this writer’s heart, so it was with much anticipation that I followed the news of Capcom reviving this franchise in next-gen glory.  Did it live up to it’s legacy?

Storyline

In the 80′s, Radd Spencer was a patriot—the odd man out, sent behind enemy lines to rescue a brave soldier and stop a ‘Nazi’ research project from aiding in their global domination fueled by a resurrected Hitler figurehead.  Now, many years later, Nathan ‘Radd’ Spencer has served five years of his death sentence and his number has come it, it’s time to pay the piper.  In the years following Spencer’s rescue of Super Joe, T.A.S.C.(Tactical Arms and Security Committee) has labeled Spencer guilty of treason because of the acts of rogue bionic soldiers, and as a result, undergone a Bionic Purge to remove these potentially loose canons from existence.  We get the impression that Spencer has been made a scape goat, but I won’t let any spoilers go.  Coincidentally, on the day Spencer is to be executed, a nuke is detonated in Ascension City by a terrorist organization known as BioReign.  At the hour of Spencer’s death, he stands before Joe ‘Super Joe’ Gibson and is asked to be reunited with his Bionic Arm so he can be reinstated to investigate the threat in Ascension City and bring the terrorists to justice.  Once again, the bright shiny hero has been turned into the anti-hero, a theme very common in today’s releases, and we tick off the first finger on the bionic hand that marks the bad choices Capcom made with Bionic Commando.  Bad choices that follow straight through to the end credits of the game, but I will save you from the spoilers-and hopefully save you from playing this game with my review.

Gameplay

Dropped into the fallout that is Ascension City, your first task is to find the capsule that contains your Bionic Arm.  Once found, the game uses the mechanic that all of Spencer’s powers do not come online immediately, since it has been such a prolonged amount of time that he has been separated from his appendage.  Immediately available is Spencer’s ability to use his arm to swing from point to point, like Spider-Man with a Bionic Web.  Also immediately, is the clunky feel of the controls–getting Spencer to do what you want should be fluid, but it starts as an exercise in frustration and seems to stay that way as your tasks get harder with the game’s progression.  Holding down the left trigger of a 360 pad extends Spencer’s arm, keeping it held down maintains his grip and letting go at the right moment is key to using the momentum of Spencer’s swing to carry him forward to the next platform or grapple point.  It sounds like an issue that would easily be worked through by playing through the game and becoming more familiar with the controls, but that in and of itself is a task due to the limitations of the game’s map.  Ascension City, as I’ve stated, is ripe with radiation from the recent bombing, stray off the set course into blue shaded radiation, and the radion cripples not only Spencer’s bionics, but Spencer himself.  More often than not, the maps feel claustrophobic, and don’t lend well to exploration.  Further, Bionic Commando can’t seem to make up it’s mind as to whether it wants to be a third-person shooter or an action game.  Over time Spencer gains the ability to throw objects at enemies and throw enemies themselves.  He can grab onto them with his bionic arm and perform a zip attack to disable them.  All of these melee attacks require close proximity, and getting in close enough to attack is not ideal when under a hail of gunfire.  Unfortunately, limited ammo and weak targeting with Spencer’s biological arm don’t make it a very good shooter.  In the end, neither tactic feels right, making the slightest of your mistakes painfully obvious.  The end result is a game where both the platforming and the combat feel more like you are waging war on the controls and not the terrorist group you have been tasked to snuff out.  Lastly, Spencer gains health and ammo boosts by completing challenges and unlocks concept art by obtaining 8-bit collectible items scattered through each level.  Like intel items in other games, the collectibles are always placed in the middle of nowhere forcing you to choose between fighting the controls to make the perfect jump over and over to get your items, or just continuing with the story.  Make your jumps count, because unlike other games with intel items, Bionic Commando does let you level skip to go back to previous levels, but it won’t let you save any progress you make with challenges or collectibles when you replay missions.  So now we’ve broken replayability also, has Capcom missed anything?  Oh that’s right!  There’s multiplayer!  Standard Capture the Flag, Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch modes are available, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone online to play with.  It’s a shame too, because the multiplay isn’t particularly bad, kind of like a Gears of War with a grappling hook, but it doesn’t do anything to change up standard fare.  So with a lack of community support and bland multiplayer modes, Capcom has completed it’s bionic vice grip on any fun to be had in Ascension City.

Graphics and Sound

The graphics in Bionic Commando are nothing less than mesmerizing.  The atmosphere’s are absolutely breathtaking, just don’t try to explore them.  There are lots of throwbacks to the original game starting with the already mentioned 8-bit collectibles reminiscent of the extra life icon and weapon drop crates from the original game to name a few.  Sunrises and sunsets, lighting and water effects all look amazingly detailed and intricate in high definition and are easily the standout feature of the game.   Some of the harder bionic foes that Radd fought at a level’s end have been brought back into the next-gen game, with their rear weaknesses intact.  You start in the waste of Ascension City, but environments vary from underground subways and tunnels to Ascension Garden and Ascension Park—and if you’ve made it far enough to reach those two levels you will be treated to some of the best looking graphics this game has to offer.  Equally impressive is the soundtrack, subtly boasting orchestral remixes of the original theme and game music.  The theme snuck up and on me, and it took a minute to realize that the epic score blaring behind my gunfire was actually a remastered version of the original theme, but it sounds fantastic.  The scores are brilliant, and will make any fan of the series squeal with delight.  It would have been nice to see the grand scale of the graphics and audio spill over into the controls and gameplay, but I guess they will be kept at arm’s length until the sequel.                                                                                                                                                                                                          *********EDITED 9/7/09***********                                                                                                          I apologize, but I seem to have neglected to mention the language present in Bionic Commando.  It amazed me that the deeper you progressed in the game, the more vulgar the language became.  Apparently, it was not enough for the soldiers pursuing you to drop F-bombs, they also had to string them with every other curse known to hurl insults at you.  If you can imagine the combination of four letter words, your attackers will use it, it blew my mind how imaginitive and unecessary the language in this game was.  For me, it was just another reason that Capcom did nothing but disappoint fans of the series.  Even if I had enjoyed the game, and wanted to usher my kids into a franchise that I have known and loved for the last 20 years, I wouldn’t dare do it with the needless vulgarity included here.  I know I’ve said it before, but I will repeat myself—it’s sad that in so many games the only thing keeping parents from playing with the kids is the flurry of vulgarity that does not need to be included in a game.  My new statements here did not change the original rating of Two Stars that I had given Bionic Commando, I had already deducted the correct rating points, but I feel it necessary to mention this in my review.

In Closing

Take it from a fan of the series from the beginning, keep this game on your rent list and spend your hard-earned cash elsewhere.  Maybe take your fifty bucks and track down a used Gameboy Color and a copy of Bionic Commando : Elite Forces, or just take ten bucks and take Bionic Commando : Rearmed for a spin, it’s head and shoulders above it’s 3D counterpart, and the visuals are just as stunning.  Let’s have a moment of silence for Nathan ‘Rad’ Spencer.  It would seem his death sentence was carried out by electrocution as Capcom urinated on him and my childhood memories short-circuiting his bionic appendage.  RIP Radd!

First, let’s get this out of the way.  Batman: Arkham Asylum is an exceptional game worth the price of admission.  Your wait for a game that actually makes you feel like the Dark Night himself is over.  Doing my best to keep you hidden from spoilers, your trek through Arkham Asylum will have you swinging, sneaking, destroying, bludgeoning and detectiving (wait is that even a word) until the very end.

This next paragraph is the well known plot of the game but if you don’t want any spoilers skip it. Your long night as Batman starts out with returning Joker to his rightful home at Arkham Asylum, an island near Gotham City which houses the criminally insane.  Batman realizes that the Joker surrendered too easily and feels like something is amiss.  Before you know it Joker has the upper hand and his capture was a setup to extinguish “The Bat”.  Arkham Asylum is now under the Joker’s control with the help of his groupie Harley Quinn.

Batman is an everyman hero, built from revenge striking fear in the hearts and minds of criminals without the use of “super powers”, which is exactly how you feel when playing with your enemies.  Unarmed inmates are handled with earth shattering combos; each hit feels like you just dropped a sledge hammer on your foe, quiet satisfying to say the least.  Combat is smooth and effortless never feeling awkward.  Your 4 face buttons are assigned to attack, counter, evade and stun.  Dealing with armed enemies demands a more stealth-like approach.  Even though Batman is built like a tank a few gunshots can take him down like the rest of us.  In order to stay out of harms way you can grapple up to the rafters by way of strategically placed gargoyles where you are basically invisible.  This can feel a bit cheesy at times, once spotted all you have to do is swing to a few of these and it was like you were never there, enemies seeming unaware that you just swung 40 feet to the left.  You will also find other environmental aids to hide in the shadows like air ducts and trap doors.  Sneak up on an enemy and you’re rewarded with a silent takedown, cutting off their air supply until they are out cold.  One of my personal favorites is hanging from a ledge and at just the right moment you can smash their head against a guard rail and drop them over the edge.  Many tools are at your disposal to rid yourself of these pests.  Batarangs, grappling hooks and explosive gel all lend to the fun.  Let your imagination run wild here, drop a baddy near an electric door and when their buddy comes to check on them, kindly guide them into it.  Effortlessly string up a villain to a gargoyle and startle their partners by cutting him down with a Batarang, at just the right moment.  Those are just a few examples of how much diversity can be had with the combat system, half the fun is seeing what you can come up with.  Batman has a leveling system based on experience points which are rewarded for stringing combat moves together and mixing up your fighting style.  Each “level” progression provides you with an unlockable item; enhanced Batsuit, detective aid, combat increase or Batarang upgrade.  The upgrades are handled nicely and there is not an overwhelming amount to try and unlock.

Arkham Asylum’s immersion factor rivals the underwater world of Rapture in Bioshock and it’s a good thing it does because backtracking is a very familiar task.  It’s certainly not without reason.  In most games it would feel like a cheap tactic to extend the game play, no so with Arkham Asylum.  Backtracking never feels tired or bothersome.  The environment also changes as the events of the night unfold.  Your first play-through will take around 10-12 hours depending on your play style, I say first because I definitely feel this game warrants at least another run.  The Riddler left behind plenty of riddles to challenge your detective skills, finding them is worth while as they unlock character bios, interview tapes and help increase your overall experience.

Rocksteady has created something special with Batman: Arkham Asylum.  Many may not care for the ending as it seems somewhat out of place but of the few gripes I have, are all trumped by the sheer impressiveness of the entire package.  The pacing, graphics, attention to detail and overall presentation are exceptional and I will say it again this is a must play.

Shadow Complex was released while I was out of town with no Xbox 360 in sight so I had plenty of time to read all the hype before I got a chance to sit down with it. Going in with high expectations is always a bad thing. This isn’t the case for Shadow Complex however, it definitely lives up to the hype.

In case you live under a rock Shadow Complex is a downloadable title from Xbox Live Arcade. It’s 1200 MS Points which totals $15. SC is probably the best looking XBLA title I have downloaded to date if not the best overall game. The visuals are top notch and the environments are very detailed. SC is a side-scrolling shooter which means you can only go up, down, left and right on a 2D plane even though the environments tease you into thinking you can move in a 3D plane. Even though the movement is from left to right, you can still shoot enemies that are located anywhere in the 3D plane. Confusing right?

The gameplay in Shadow Complex may be a little slow in the beginning until you get familiar with how it plays. In the beginning I was taking my time, exploring it all but then once I completed the first area I found myself flying through the rest of the game, kicking butt and taking names. I think the game was built like this on purpose. Another reason SC is so enjoyable is the fact that you never have to find ammo for your gun, it has an unlimited supply of ammo. This helps shift the focus of the game from being stressful to being fun. The items that you are to search for throughout the game help give the game depth. Finding items is crucial to your success in the game as well. These aren’t just items you have to find to get achievements, these are items that increase your total grenade count, your total health, your armor, etc. By the time you’ve collected all the items you are indestructible. The one thing that stuck out for me about Shadow Complex is that I never wanted to put it down, it was so easy to just keep playing. Even once I finished the game I didn’t want to stop playing it so I went back and collected all of the items I missed. In case you were wondering, I completed Shadow Complex in 8.5 hours so it is a pretty lengthy game for an XBLA title.

I’m hoping that Chair has plans for some DLC in the near future because I want more. With the game doing so well I can almost guarantee a sequel will be in the works very shortly. Overall Shadow Complex is an amazing game. It looks great, it plays great. I highly recommend downloading it. I would even go as far as to say it may be very close to my top 10 favorite games of all time. Yes it’s that good!

So we have come to the final review in the 30 Reviews in 30 Days series. While I have enjoyed writing these reviews, I am glad to be writing my final one tonight. It has bee a challenge getting these thirty reviews done, though these last five have been games I have been wanting to review for some time.

And so it all comes to a close. When I started these reviews of my top 5 games, I said they could really go in any order. While this is primarily true, if I was forced to choose just one game as my top game of all time, it would have to be the one I am reviewing today: Fable II.

So what makes Fable II such a good game?

The journey begins

Fable II starts simple enough. You and your sister are orphans in Bowerstone who take interest in a music box being sold by a traveling salesman. To earn enough money for the box, the two of you wander around the town, looking for little odd jobs. This actually plays out as the tutorial for the game, and is a good way to introduce you to the controls while keeping you within the game itself. You will be given the choice of whether to do things honorably or dishonorably, and that plays into what comes later, but I will talk more about that a little further into the review.

So you earn the money, you buy this supposedly magical music box, your sister winds it up and plays it…and nothing happens. The two of you go to sleep in your little alley home, being joined by a stray dog you helped rescue earlier.

You start out Fable II as a kid, and it is your sister’s death that really gets things started.

During the night, guards from the castle come to bring you to Lord Lucien. He seems keenly interested in you and the music box. When he determines you and your sister have the abilities to become true heroes, he decides he cannot let you live lest you ruin his plans. He kills your sister and shoots you, sending you flying out the window and falling to what he believes is your death. You are found by the dog and Theresa, a blind Seeress who takes you to live with the gypsies.

That is the start of the game. If you are not hooked by that time, you never will be, and you might as well stop playing.

Me, I was hooked. I wanted revenge on Lucien for the death of Rose, and I wanted to see just what had become of Albion since I have last been there in the original game.

I was ready to become the hero.

Choose your path

Many games give you the illusion of choice. They give you “moral dilemmas” that do not actually affect the game. Take Bioshock for example: you can choose to save the sisters or harvest them, but it does not really affect anything but the ending.

Fable II is different. The choices you make set the tone for much of what happens in the game. Play the part of the hero, and the people will love you, singing your praises and following you everywhere you go. Play the part of the villain, and they will revile you, regarding you in distaste and running when you draw your weapon or cast spells. You can also affect the way people react to you by choosing the expressions your character will use. These expressions can be held for more bonuses, but be careful; the longer you hold it, the easier it is to mess up, which will not exactly give you the outcome you intended.

The choices in this game run much deeper than how people see you, however. Remember in the beginning how I said you can choose to get the money for the music box by either honorable or dishonorable means? Well, if you chose to be honorable and help the guard, Old Town Bowerstone becomes a place of renewal, with crime at a minimum and people moving back into the area. If you choose to get it by dishonorable means, the town will be overrun with crime.

This is not the only area affected by your choices. All throughout the game, you will make pivotal decisions that will change the world around you. While not all of them will have as dramatic an impact as this, all you need to do is start sharing your game experience with other players to find out there are several subtle or not so subtle differences in their experiences.

Seamless combat

Another thing that truly stands out when talking about Fable II is the simple and yet surprisingly deep combat. Unlike Mass Effect, Fable II‘s combat works very well. You use three buttons in combat: one for melee attacks, one for ranged attacks and one for magic.

Melee is deceptively simple. Hit the button quickly for a quick attack, hold down longer for a harder attack. Hold down for a bit and you will start the feel the controller shake, symbolizing you have charged up for a major attack. Seems simple on the face of it, but it is deeper than you might think. Timing is everything; you will find out that just trying to slash all the time does not work. You really need to vary your attack, waiting for the perfect time to hit your next strike. Sure, you can button mash, but the better and more elegant your combat, the higher the experience multiplier you receive.

Combat controls are simple yet satisfying, allowing you to blend attack types at will.

Ranged combat is also relatively simple. You hit the button quickly to shoot the target you are currently locked onto. You hold the button down to aim. As you improve your ranged attacks, you get tot a point where you have precision aiming, giving you the chance to target specific areas of your opponent’s body. One of the best achievements you can get in the game is called “Only a flesh wound,” where you shoot both arms off a Hollow Man and then shoot it in the head.

There there is magic. You can learn several different spells. Each spell has two different kind of attacks, a focus and a wide ranged attack. For example, if you target a single person with the fire spell, you throw a fireball at them. If you do not target anyone, you cast a ring of fire out from yourself. You can equip up to 5 spells, either the same or different, one for each of the various spell levels. Spells equipped at a higher level will take longer to cast but will have a greater affect.

What makes this combat so impressive is you can seamlessly switch styles of attack. You can easily shoot someone, take a swipe and someone else with the sword, and then cast the lightning spell to hit another opponent in rapid fire succession. This gives you even more depth in combat, yet is easy enough even casual gamers can pick it up.

Your best friend

It is almost funny when you hear Molyneux talk about hard hard he had to fight to get one thing included in Fable II. When he told the rest of the team at Lionhead Studios that he wanted to have a dog in the game, they thought he was crazy. In the end, however, the one thing people will say truly sets the game apart is the dog.

On the surface, the dog seems almost like a gimmick. In just a little time, however, you begin to bond with your dog. As you leave the gypsy camp, the dog will find your first treasure, a rubber ball you will dig out of the ground that, you guessed it, you can use to play fetch.

Of all the inovations of Fable II, the dog is the most impressive.

The dog really begins to become an extension of your character. He will sniff out treasure. attack enemies when they are down and even do tricks to help compliment your expressions. Oh, and heaven help the enemy who hurts your dog. The first time I heard that whelp of pain, I actually got angry and went directly after the bandit who had hurt my companion. Few games can make you feel that way about even main characters, let alone canines. It truly speaks to just how unique this game is.

A few issues

Fable II is a brilliant game, but as with many other games, it is not without its glitches. The co-op did not work anything like advertised by Molyneux, with horrible camera controls and very little chance to actually work together. It’s too bad, really. There was real potential to make this a great co-op game.

There are also a coupe of major game glitches that almost ruin the experience. I ran across one that locked up my character in a rescue quest. My wife in the game was supposed to scold my child after I rescued him and then head home, but I would get to where this was supposed to occur and nothing would happen. I finally had to find a way to keep my wife from following me into the cave by going through the crucible again, which allowed me to finish the quest normally.

One other thing people will argue ruins the game is the ending. Players who were looking for an epic battle at the end were disappointed, and many voiced their displeasure with the end. Without giving it away, I have to say I disagree with them. Not only do I think it helps bring things full circle, but I realize that the battles are not the focus of Fable II.

In the end, Fable II is all about the choices you make. the game really gets you to examine the choices you make and how they affect the world around you. The battles, the quests, they are just the vessel Molynuex and the Lionhead team use to get you to the meat of the game: choice.

Fable II is truly unlike any game I have ever played. Funny yet touching, light-hearted yet serious, it will make you really think about the choices are asked to make and how they will shape both your character and the world around you. Fable II gets a 5 out of 5.

So that’s it. Not only does that finish the reviews of my top 5 games, it brings the 30 Reviews in 30 Days to a close. I hope you have enjoyed reading them as much as I have enjoyed writing them.

Who knows; I might just do something like this again sometime.

After playing Mass Effect, I had to revise that once again, this time saying it was among the best I had ever played. Bioware had finally done what I thought was not possible: make a game on par with Square’s masterpiece.

A pedrigree of great RPGs

To say people were anticipating the release of Mass Effect is a bit of an understatement. Not only did the game itself look amazing, but it was being made by one of the most well known producers of role playing games, Bioware.

Bioware has made some of the most well known RPGs on the market. Baldur’s Gate is the game that brought the company into the forefront, establishing it as a serious contender in PC RPGs. It followed this up with the critically acclaimed sequel and then the popular and acclaimed Neverwinter Nights. These games borrowed heavily from the tried and true RPG formulas of the day, though Bioware definitely put its own twist in each of them. The company had proven it was here to stay, at least in the PC market. The company’s biggest surprise was yet to come, however.

In 2003, Bioware released its first console RPG, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. People were stunned at just how good a game it was, if for no other reason than it was the company’s first foray into the consoles. The game was very well received by both critics and players, and for lack of a better way to put it, Bioware had arrived. The company’s next offering, Jade Empire, did not do quite as well, but at this point it could afford to have a game that just fell a little short.

So like I said, there was a lot of aniticipation surrounding Mass Effect. People could not wait to see what Bioware, who had revolutionized the way you interacted with NPCs in its earlier RPGs, was going to do with its first game on a next gen console. With such high expectations, it would have been easy for the game to fall short.

It doesn’t.

Amazing back story

To craft a game like Mass Effect, one of the first things you need is a credible back story. Bioware went out of its way to create one. The year is 2183, and humanity has made its way to the stars, only to find out it is not alone. They are now in what is known as Citadel  Space, which is ruled by the Council. For the last several years, the humans have been pushing for inclusion in this council, but to no avail.

Mass Effect combines story, graphics and RPG elements to make one great game.

The Council has a group of hand picked agents referred to as Spectres. They operate above the law that normally governs most police forces, which leads to others treating them with both reverence and more than a little suspicion. Saren, one of the most respected Spectres, has turned rogue, aligning himself with a murderous group synthetic lifeforms called the Geth. It is up to you as Commander Shepard, the first human Spectre, to stop him. You will assemble a team that of several different characters, including both humans and aliens who all have their own reasons for wanting to see Saren stopped. At stake is the fate of the universe, though the true threat is much more than just the Geth.

As you begin to get the full picture of just what is going on within the game universe. you see how much time and attention Bioware paid to make Mass Effect so much more than just a game. It truly becomes an epic, culminating in one of the most amazing final hours of gameplay I have ever experienced.

Want to know what is even more amazing about the back story of the game? There is more than one. When you are designing your character, you get the normal customization you have come to expect from a company like Bioware: sex, facial features, build, hair and eye color, character class, etc. You also choose two part to your character’s back story. One is where you were born: space, a colony or Earth. The other is your character’s reputation, where you are given the choice of war hero, lone survivor of an alien attack or a ruthless soldier. Though these choices may seem rather minor, they will affect how others relate to you in the game and can influence certain side quests. It is a really nice touch.

The conversations are the key

When people talk about Mass Effect, they generally do not start talking about the combat. It’s not that the combat is horrible, though people who did not understand the game is an RPG at heart and expected it to play like a first person shooter were disappointed when they were not getting head shots with sniper rifles. The reason it is not the first thing that comes to mind is the combat is not what stands out about the game; it is the conversations.

Bioware took its conversation system from Knights of the Old Republic and overhauled it, adding to what was already considered one of the best in the industry. What makes the system in Mass Effect so impressive is it is so dynamic.

Whenever you enter a conversation, you are given options to choose just like in any RPG. One of these is usually considered a positive response, one more neutral and one negative. That is where this game breaks company with those that come before it, however, because you are not actually choosing what your character is going to say; you are choosing the attitude with which you are going to say it.

The intricate converstaion system really sets this game apart.

It’s really hard to describe this without giving an example. One of the earliest conversations you have in the game is with your pilot, who expresses concern that, for your first mission in this new ship, you are being accompanied by a Spectre (Shepard has not been elevated to Spectre status at this point). One of your choices on the conversation wheel is “You worry too much ,” which is a valid response and the one I chose. What Shepard actually said, however, was “You always look for the worst in any situation.”

So why is this important? It makes the conversations feel more fluid, more lifelike. You become much more interested in them because your character will not just parrot back the response you choose. What is even more impressive is that you are rarely taken out of this mechanic. Even in the games “cut scenes,” you are still choosing what Shepard is saying. When I took over the Normandy after being made a Spectre, I sat back for what was undoubtedly going to be the “motivational speech” from the captain. I had to pick the controller back up because, instead of just giving a wrote speech, I was given the ability to choose the overall theme and attitude with which it was presented. Bioware does not take you out of the game by going to cut scenes that play out some pre-programmed way; if Shepard is involved in the scene, it is a safe bet that you will have input.

BTW, you gain experience in the game based on how you handle the conversations.

The game is not perfect

Though Mass Effect is one of the best games I have ever played, it is not without its faults. Three stand out:

1) Technical Issues: Bioware was really pushing what the 360 could do for this game, and that lead to a few technical issues. One is texture popping, where the overall amazing graphics will take a little time to full load in an area, with finer textures “popping” into existence. This can be annoying, but it is nothing compared to the elevator load times. You will spend a lot of time in this game waiting in elevators, and though you will at least get a little bit of story while within the ones in the Citadel, their is nothing to help deal with the tedium of the one in the Normandy. In fact, Penny Arcade took a rather humorous stab at this in its Nitpicking: Mass Effect comic (warning, language is not safe for work, which is why I am not posting the comic in the article).

2) Combat Issues: As I mentioned earlier, the combat in Mass Effect is in no way broken. It can be a little unwieldy, however. It is a hybrid between third person shooter and RPG, with much more of an emphasis on the RPG side, something many gamers did not understand. You can pause time to choose your attacks and biotic powers (sort of akin to The Force in Star Wars) and to assign targets for your team members, which is a good thing. The biggest problem, however, is you cannot really direct your team mates to where you want them to go, at least on the 360 version. You can issue commands like stay or go to a certain location via the D-pad, but it is imprecise at best, and it can lead to your comrades getting in the way of your shots or just standing out in the open to be shot. From what I understand, the PC version corrected some of this.

3) Recycled Areas: Each of the major, story driven planets and areas of the game are unique and impressive. The side mission planets, however, pretty much all fall into a certain formula: barren land, a couple of outposts that look exactly alike on the inside, and maybe a cave. While the side missions themselves are often interesting, the areas themselves are not.

Even with these issues, Mass Effect still excels as a gaming experience. By the time you get to the end, you will not really care about the issues; you will be so engaged in the storyline they just will not matter. This game will make you laugh out loud, scream in fury and possible even choke up a bit, especially after having to deal with the consequences of one rather difficult decision.

I never thought I would find myself playing an RPG where I wanted to get past the combat to get to the conversations, but this game made me want to do just that. For forever changing the way I will think of storytelling in an RPG, Mass Effect gets a 5 out of 5.

One more to go. Funny thing is I would not really consider myself a serious RPG player, and yet 3 of my top 5, including the one I will review tomorrow, are RPGs.

To me, Peggle falls into this category. At its heart, this is such a simple puzzle game, but I would dare anyone to spend a little time with it and not get hooked.

All you do is launch the ball

When it comes right down to it, the gameplay for Peggle is extremely simple. You have a little cannon launcher at the top of the screen. You use it to aim at the pegs on the board, the plan being to send the ball ricocheting off those pegs. The majority of these pegs, which in later levels can be bricks, are blue, and hitting them just gives you points. The pegs you need to focus on are the orange ones; to advance to the next level, you must hit all of them. Every time you fire a ball out of the cannon, you use up one of the balls in your stock for that level. Run out of balls before you hit all the orange pegs, and you do not advance to the next level.

That’s it. That is the basic gameplay. Seriously, that is the basis of the entire game. Now granted, you do get the ball slowing down when it is about to hit the final orange peg, and if you do hit it, ‘Ode to Joy” starts playing as your ball travels to the bottom of the screen to get your bonuses, but that is the whole point of the game.

It may not look like much, but Peggle will keep you coming back for more.

It’s the ways the game designers tweak the game from there that makes it so addictive.

Gems, Powerups and Extra Balls

Remember how I said you use up one of your stock of balls every time you fire one out of the cannon? Well, you can gain extra balls in the game, which makes it easier to pass levels. You can gain these extra lives, if you will, a couple of different ways. The easiest is to make sure your ball drops into the little cup that moves back and forth across the bottom of the screen. The other way is to score enough points in one shot that you earn an extra ball. You do this by hitting more pegs in a single shot or by accomplishing skill shots, which are ricochets that occur over a great distance.

Then there are the purple pegs. Before each shot, one of the blue pegs will turn purple. If you hit this purple peg, you get a higher score for that shot. Once you hit a certain number within the level, you are taken to another board where you use the bumpers to bounce the balls and collect the gems to gain more points, which in turn gives you extra balls.

The green pegs are the ones you really want to hit, however. Each level will have two green pegs. Hitting these pegs will activate a special power. The power varies based on what master you ware working with in the adventure mode. They include such abilities as gaining a guideline that shows where your ricochet is going to go, fireballs that will go right through pegs, magic hats that highlight any pegs they touch as if the ball hit them or the zen shot, which adjusts your shot just a touch to give you a better score. These power ups are what really makes this game so addicting.

In the end, Peggle is not some phenomenal, groundbreaking game that makes you rethink puzzle games. It is incredibly addicting, however, and I guarantee you will find it very hard to stop playing. It may not sound like much, but trust me; you just need to try it to get hooked. Peggle gets a 4 out of 5.

It may not have started where you think it started

Do you remember where the whole Marvel characters appearing in Capcom fighting games got its start? Many of you may be thinking X-Men VS Street Fighter, but there was one before that: Marvel Superheroes. This game pit several of the major characters from the comics against each other in an attempt to stop Thanatos, who was in control of the Infinity Gauntlet. That was followed by the aforementioned game, and things eventually lead to Marvel VS Capcom.

Marvel VS Capcom brought a cavalcade of characters into play, with you picking two to work in tag team battles throughout the game. It was heralded by many people to be one of the most interesting fighting games out there, and the crowds it used to draw would have rivaled the Street Fighter 2 games if the arcade hadn’t been on the downturn. Before the local arcade really hit its end, however, Capcom released the the sequel, and people were just blown away.

Though it can be a little frantic, Marvel VS Capcom 2 is an excellent game.

Marvel VS Capcom 2 did the unthinkable. Not only did it once again pair the Marvel and Capcom worlds together, but it brought 56 characters into the field. This game was just about pinnacle of the 2D fighting games, so when news came out that it was getting released for the Xbox Live Arcade and PSN, gamers like myself rejoiced.

The only concern was whether not not game would live up to our expectations. Thankfully, it does more than that.

Tag team insanity

At first glance, one might think that Marvel VS Capcom 2 is a more simplistic game than its predecessor. After all, the game does remove two of the attack buttons, making it easier to play for those not as used to the Street Fighter button layout. The other two buttons are replaced with assist buttons, which allow you to call in your teammates for help.

That’s right, I said teammates. Unlike the first game in the series, Marvel VS Capcom 2 lets you select three characters, not 2. Not only do you get to call in your partners for assist attacks in the middle of combat, but when you select your characters, you can choose what type of assistance they are going to give, which may include capture attacks, projectile, anti air or others. How you choose to use these assists can determine just how well you perform in the fight; in the later stages, it is crucial to know how to pull them off.

You can switch from among your characters at anytime during the fight, with characters who are not currently fighting being able to regain some of their lost health. You have to be careful, however. If your character loses all it’s health, you cannot use it the rest of that battle. On top of that, characters who are coming in for assists can be hurt. So when it comes dow to it, you really have to know how to use your characters well.

56 characters, assists and team super combos make this a game you need to play.

So who do you choose? The answer to that question generally stems from what kind of player you are. With 56 characters to chose from (all the unlockable characters are unlocked from the beginning for 360/PS3), there are fighters to fit anyone’s style. The main thing you want to keep in mind is what characters will complement each other well. For example, you probably do not want to choose three melee fighters or projectile players. Sure, you may do well against certain teams, but a well balanced team will be able to take you out.

Special attacks

Of course there is more to the game than just your normal attacks and combos. As was the case with the games before it, you can build up your combo meter, which will allow you to unleash major attacks on your opponent. What is nice is every character has at least 2 of these special attacks, and some have more, even if they are only slight variations. You can build up to 5 levels on your combo meter, which not only allows you to use multiple super attacks back to back but also do combined supers, calling in your teammates to do even more damage. Of course, each additional character you bring in uses another bar of your combo meter.

There is one other type of special attack in the game. If you can time it right, you can knock an opponent off the level, forcing your opponent to use another character. That character you just knocked out will be unusable for a time, which can be really strategic, forcing your enemy to use a character he would rather not have to use against you. If you can do it twice in a row, you can force your opponent to use just one character for a time, which can be very advantageous. This attack will use one bar of your combo meter, but it is more than worth it.

So any bonuses for the new version?

With the tendency to add new graphics or other things to the new versions of games being released on Xbox Arcade, you would think Capcom would add something to Marvel VS Capcom 2. Sadly, that is not the case. Other than having all the characters unlocked up front, this is the same game Dreamcast fans have had for a while.

Of course, there is the online play. You could maybe argue the ability to play over Live or PSN is a new addition, since it does bring in Player, Ranked and Custom matches, but in the end it is not much of an addition. Even the graphics are the same, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Though it would have been nice if Capcom had added something this this game, It really did not need it in the end.

So if you were a fan of the original game or just like 2D fighters, Marvel VS Capcom 2 is a must own game. Though it may have its issues, the game still holds up very well, and it is more than worth the price. Marvel VS Capcom 2 gets a 5 out of 5.

So, before we get to my 22nd review, let’s take a look at the last week:

Monday: Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia definitely brings the difficulty back to the series, but in the end, it starts to feel a little too much like most other Castlevania games.

Tuesday: Poker and puzzle gamplay make a Poker Smash and Xbox Arcade game worth considering.

Wednesday: What more can be said about The Orange Box? If you have not already purchased this collection, what are you waiting for?

Thursday: To many gamers, Crackdown was a welcome surprise. It was good to see the game was so much more than filler for the Halo 3 beta.

Friday: Another Retroview, this time focusing on the Dreamcast game Jet Grind Radio. If you have a Dreamcast or can get one, this game is worth playing. Heck, even the Gameboy Advance version of it is decent.

Saturday: CarneyVale Showtime is yet another Xbox Indie game worth playing. The level editor is a nice added bonus as well.

So that brings me to today’s game, a game for which I have had a change of heart from my first time playing it: Burnout Paradise.

Sometimes first impressions are wrong

I have to admit I was not very impressed with Burnout Paradise the first time I played it. Well, maybe that is a bit harsh. It may be more accurate to say I just did not think it was as good as it’s predecessors.

You see, of all the games on the original Xbox, I spent more time playing Burnout 3: Takedown than any other game, with the exception of Fable. I loved the races, the takedowns, the crash mode…. It may have been as close to a perfect driving game as I have ever played. Some would argue it may be too arcadey to say that, but that is part of what I like about it. I do not get into racing sims.

So when I got the 360, it was only natural that I tried out Burnout Revenge. The game left me severely disappointed. It didn’t even hardly feel like a 360 game; there was not much if any improvement upon its predecessor. This was part of the reason I was so excited about Burnout Paradise; everything about it just screamed innovation, from the open world to the stunning graphics.

You can imagine my disappointment, then, when I was not getting lost in the game like I did when playing Burnout 3. Sure, the open world touch was nice, but not being able to restart races was really frustrating. Being able to kick into Showtime at any time was fun, but it was not the almost puzzle solving elegance of Crash Mode. In the end, I marked it as an enjoyable game and an improvement on the first Burnout installment on the 360 but not a game really worth owning.

A good friend of mine kept telling me I needed to give Burnout Paradise another try. Criterion, the game designer, had tweaked the gameplay, allowing you to restart your current challenge, adding day/night cycles to the city and adding motorcycles, all for free. So, bolstered by his urging, I picked up the game for $20.00 at Play N Trade.

May bave been the best $20.00 I have spent for a game in a long time.

Coming back for another try

When it comes to adding features to games, one often thinks of Epic or Valve. They are both known for releasing additions to games for free or for minimal purchase on the 360. You do not often think of Criterion, or at least I did not before Burnout Paradise. After seeing the amount of free content they have released for the game, I am really impressed.

There no denying the fact that Burnout Paradise is a gorgeous looking game.

Burnout Paradise now only slightly resembles the game I first played. The game modes are all there still, with races, Road Rage, Stunt Runs, Marked Man and Burning Laps all available. Instead of choosing the mode to play from a menu, however, you pull up to an intersection and hold down on both gas and brake to initiate the challenge. Though that part has not changed, Criterion did give you the ability to restart the event you were currently on, taking away the frustration of trying to find the intersection you were just at to try again. That may seem like a minor tweak, but it makes a major difference in the game, especially when you are trying to improve your license.

Then there is Showtime. Hit both bumpers at once, and you car starts to flip, initiating a crash sequence. The more vehicles you wreck in this mode, the longer you keep your boost active, which allows you to relaunch your car into the air and continue the wreckage. Hitting road signs gives you nice bonuses, and hitting buses improves your multiplier. As much fun as Showtime can be, it is not Crash Mode, and it kind of makes a poor substitute.

A mode Criterion added to the game was the Stunt Run. You are given a target score you need to achieve, and you do this by hitting jumps, drifting, and doing barrel rolls. You get bonuses if you can hit billboards or super jumps in the middle of these runs, and you can chain stunts together via boost.

Burnout Paradise makes yet one  more major departure from the earlier games, and that is how you obtain your cars. You start off with a decent but relatively plain car you pick up in one of the junkyards in Paradise City. From there, you need to find a repair shop to bring the car up to top condition. As you start to win races, DJ Atomica, the Paradise City radio DJ who acts as your guide throughout the game, will let you know that a new car is now roaming the streets of the city. If you can takedown that car, it will be added to your junkyard, allowing you to drive it.

All of this adds up to a game that is a lot of fun, but not quite as good as Burnout 3. Even the motorcycles Criterion added, while a nice touch, do not really push it over the top. One thing does, however: the online element.

Online play is the key

Criterion has really upped the ante for online play with this game. The first bright move they made was giving you the chance to play in online mode even for the single player experience. This allows you to know how friends or players in general are doing in regards to the challenges. It’s a nice touch that helps add to the competitive nature of the game.

Then comes the online play itself. You can play with up to 8 friends in several modes in the game. There is the free burn, which just allows you to drive around and goof off. Then there are the races, which are pretty self explanatory.

Motorcyles and stund runs are nice, but the online challenges are where this game shines.

Then comes what is truly the best part: the challenges. These are a set of requirements all players must meat in order to succeed. It may be racing to a particular position on the map, drifting a certain distance, or completing a series of stunts. For lack of a better way to put it, trying to complete these challenges is the most fun you will have playing this game. What makes it even more interesting is the challenges vary based on the number of people playing online at once. In other words, you face a different set of challenges if three people are online in your world than if you only have two.

The second verdict

If I had given Burnout Paradise a score before the changes Criterion made and before I got to play it online, I probably would have givne it a 4 at best. After really experiencing everything it has to offer, I need to revise that score. While Burnout 3 may be the better single player game, this one is the better overall game. Burnout Paradise gets a 5 out of 5.

Sometimes it does pay to give a game another try.

Throw that clown around

In CarneyVale Showtime, you play as Slinky the clown. Slinky is a circus performer in the Carnival. Your job is to try and entertain the crowd, but the thing is you do not really have direct control of your actions. To move about the levels, you have to use the grappling arms to grab your character and fling him throughout the level. The object is to try and pop the balloons throughout the levels, making way to the exit without falling off the board or hitting the various obstacles in your path.

CarneyVale Showtime‘s unique gameplay and level designer make welcome addition to the Indie games.

Sounds simple enough, right? Well, it is not. You not only have the learned just how to launch off the grappling arms to reach the next section of each level. While you can have a slight influence on the direction Slinky will travel, ultimately you are at the mercy of the physics in the game. Not only do you need to advance to the next level, but you need to do so with flair, scoring well enough to advance. After all, you need to put on a show.

So you have the entertaining and challenging puzzles, but that is not all the designers have given you.

Create your own levels

The creators of CarneyVale Showtime seem to think that, since they had so much fun creating the game, you would have fun creating your own levels. The level editor they have included with the game is extensive and yet easy to use, giving you the chance to try out the levels as you work on them to make sure you are not making them too difficult.

Unique gameplay, a level creator and the nice touch of built in achievements that may not improve your gamer score but still add something to the gameplay make this a game you really should try for yourself. CarneyVale Showtime gets a 4 out of 5.

Maybe we are looking at this all wrong, however. Maybe the ones we need to feel sorry for are the gamers who never even gave this game a try. After all, anyone who actually played Crackdown can tell you it is still one of the more enjoyable games to come out for the 360.

Hero of Pacific City

Crackdown takes place in Pacific City, a city overrun by three gangs: the Central American Los Muertos, the Eastern European Volk and the Asian Shai-Gen Corporation, which masquerades as a legitimate company. The people of Pacific City have turned to the Peacekeepers, their version of the local police, for help, but this group is seriously outmatched. A new weapon is needed in this war against crime: you.

Your character is a genetically altered Agent, working for a mysterious organization known as The Agency. Your job: clean up the streets of Pacific City while doing your best to keep civilian casualties down to a minimum. To aid you in this quest, you will be equipped with the best weapons and vehicles The Agency can provide.

Once you power up your Agent, the real fun begins.

You also have the ability to power up your Agent, making him a super soldier in the war against crime. You do this many different ways. You can find orbs scattered throughout the city, some that will increase all your capabilities and some that will only increase your agility. You can try to complete the challenges scattered throughout the city, each designed to help build different abilities. Or you can just kill the gang members. What makes this a little more interesting, however, is how you choose to kill them determines how you level up. If you attack them with hand-to-hand combat, your strength improves. If you shoot them, your weapons accuracy improves. Run them over and your driving improves. Basically, however you choose to take someone down has a direct effect on how your character’s abilities increase.

Super powered Agents

Part of what makes improving your Agent’s abilities fun in Crackdown is your character can become, for lack of a better way to put it, a super hero. When you start the game, you are strong enough that you can beat someone to death. After you level you strength up, you can grab objects, including light poles, and use them to hit people. Get a little stronger, and you can start kicking cars back on the gang members, which is truly a blast. Get leveled up all the way, and you can start picking up the cars and throwing them.

Needless to say, this game really gets to be fun when you get leveled up. I have already talked about what you can do when you have your strength maxed, but it is just as much fun watching how high you can jump when your agility is fully powered or the size of the explosions you can created when your demolition skill is at its peak. Like I said, you basically become a super hero.

And in this game, you are going to need it. The third-person, sandbox gameplay can start to truly get challenging as you get closer to the end, especially when you face the Shai-Gen. Heck, just trying to make your way to the top of their high rise to battle the last boss for the Shai-Gen is tricky.

Play Your Way

One of the the truly impressive things about Crackdown is it truly lets you play the way you want to play. Want to snipe enemies from a distance and take them on in smaller groups, you can. Want to charge in headlong and run them over with the nearest vehicle? Feel free. Want to go after the leader of a gang before you have taken out all of the other generals? Feel free, though you may find it much more difficult than you would if you take them out first.

If you missed it the first time, do yourself a favor and play Crackdown.

There are a lot of sanbox style games out there, but few give you the freedom Crackdown does to just do whatever you really want to do. This feeling was expanded upon even more when Realtime Worlds gave players the “Key to the City.” This download allowed players to add or remove the gangs, set up the world around them, and pretty much do what they pleased. Add to that the co-op gameplay available both in the campaign and in this new mode, and you can really do just about anything you can think of.

Don’t believe me? Go on Youtube and look up videos on Crackdown.

And now the bad news…what there is

As good as Crackdown is, it is not all fun. Many people had real issues with the orb collecting in the game, more specifically the agility orbs. These are scattered throughout the city, and they can be a little hard to find among the various buildings. Many felt they could not level up their Agent’s agility because they could not find enough of these orbs. I did it by shooting enemies from great heights, so this did not really bother me.

One thing about the game did bother me, however: the driving. I never got the hang of it, even when driving the Agency vehicle that powered up as my driving improved. The controls just always felt imprecise, as if they were an afterthought in what was overall a well designed game.

Worth a look if you passed it up

Gamers can be a cynical bunch. Though we often have high hopes for games, we tend to be suspicious when things look like they could be a bit shady. I think that is part of why people weren’t really ready to give Crackdown a chance. People thought it was just some filler, throw away game that was really just there to distribute the beta for the 360′s killer app.

Nothing could have been further from the truth. Crackdown flew under the radar for many gamers, but those of us who decided to give it a try found a game that was so much more than anyone expected. Crackdown gets a 5 out of 5.

The series that needs no introduction

The cornerstone of The Orange Box is the Half Life Series. The first game redefined the first person action-shooter, and Half Life 2 just continued where its predecessor left off. You once again take on the role of scientist Gordon Freeman, brought out of stasis by the mysterious G-Man years after the events of the first game. The world is now under the control of the Combine, which are headquartered in the mysterious City 17. You enter this city and are soon reunited with some of the survivors of the Black Mesa incident. You also meet Alyx Vance, a prominent member of the human resistance forces and a valuable ally throughout the series.

Half Life 2 and its episodes are games every gamer should play.

What happens next is a congruence of events that only Valve can weave together. You find yourself making your way through the back alleys of City 17, the grim streets of the zombie infested Ravenholm and many other varied locals in your attempt to help the human resistance. The spot-0n gameplay and story that never takes you out of the first person experience make Half Life 2 a great sequel to the original game and a must play for fans of first person shooters/adventure games. Oh, and the gravity game is just way too much fun.

Then there is the episodic content, or at least what was supposed to be episodic. Half Life 2 Episode 1 picks up right where Half Life 2 left off, forcing you to deal with the effects of what occurs in the other game. Then there is Episode 2, which many argue has one of the more amazing ending sequences in all of gaming.

The argument could be made that these three games alone would have been ebough for a compilation like The Orange Box. Valve was not satisfied with that, however. There were still two other games to add.

A new take on a classic

Team Fortress was originally a mod of id Software’s Quake engine. Its popularity grew so much that there was another mod made of it, called Team Fortress Classic, using the engine for the original Half Life. You can still find people playing it today, and later versions of Half Life included the mod as a Valve sanctioned multiplayer mod for the game.

Considering the popularity of the original game, it was no surprise there was a lot of buzz surrounding the release with The Orange Box of Team Fortress 2. This time, Valve was going to do the programing, taking the classes that were so popular in the first game, balancing them out even better, and making one of the best multiplayer games ever made (some might argue the best). Along the way, the art style was completely changed, replacing the realistic style of the original with a cell shaded, cartoony verizon that has belies the serious gameplay within the game itself.

Vlave chose the cartoonish look so character classes could be recognized from a distance.

What makes Team Fortress 2 stand out from other online shooters are the classes. Players can choose to play as a scout, sniper, demo man, heavy, soldier, spy, engineer, pyro or medic, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. What is so impressive about Team Fortress 2 is, unlike other online shooters with classes, no class is superior to any other. A good player will often switch classes several times within one game, choosing the one that is best suited for the situation at hand.

So The Orange Box has the sequels to one of the greatest PC games ever made and the improvement on what is truly a classic among online shooters.

And yet, as good as those games are, it was a relatively unknown game in this collection that gained all the attention.

The newcomer takes the cake

With all the hype surrounding the big titles that were a part of The Orange Box, many were surprised to find the true hidden gem in the collection was Portal. Portal is a truly unique game; a first person puzzle game in which you use a portal gun to traverse through the testing grounds of the Apeture Science facility. Sure, this seems easy enough, but throw in major hazards, humorous sentry guns and a slightly maladjusted AI named GlaDOS, and you have the making of a gamplay experience unlike any you have ever played.

Just what is it about Portal that made people take notice. Was it the gameplay, which lead you to test and defy the laws of physics like never before? The twisted humor throughout the game? The Companion Cube? The memorable showdown against GlaDOS in the end? Or maybe it’s the ending credits song “Still Alive?”

Portal is a game that must be played to be believed.

In the end, it is probably all of these things. This game is one that even jaded game reviewers found just too much fun to ignore. Some were even arguing it alone was worth the price of the collection, and that can definitely be argued now that you can pick up The Orange Box for $20.00 if you look hard enough.

The Half Life 2 games, Team Fortress 2 and Portal. Do you need any other reason to own The Orange Box? If you have not picked up this collection, what are you waiting for? The Orange Box gets a 5 out of 5.

And that is exactly what Poker Smash is: a unique puzzle game for the Xbox Arcade that will keep you coming back for more.

Looking for the best hand

As you probably guessed, Poker Smash brings the game of poker into the puzzle genre. You have a board five cards across with card advancing from the bottom, ranked 10 through Ace in each of the suit. You move cards around, trying to form various poker hands, anything from 3 of a kind up to the Royal Flush.

Sounds pretty straightforward, right? Not so fast. There are a few elements thrown in that make this game a little more interesting:

1. Challenges: As you play in a level, you will get periodic challenges. these challenges are poker hands you have to try and create before the time runs out, and can range from as simple as creating a three of a kind to trying to get 5 Jacks together.

2. Bombs: The better you do, the more bombs you get to employ. Bombs can be placed on one card, and they serve 2 purposes: they stop the advance of the cards while they countdown, and they destroy the card. As nice as it is to be able to take out cards, I find the ability to stop the advance of the cards rather handy on the later levels.

Stunning Visuals and addictive gameplay will keep you playing Poker Smash.

3. Speed Control: You have the ability to control the speed of the card advancement two separate ways. The first is by pressing the left trigger, which advances the cards more quickly. This can come in handy in the earlier levels or when trying to get enough cards on the board to meet a challenge. The second is by pressing the right trigger, which allows you to slow time.

These additions help this game rise above the level of standard puzzlers, but it is one of the extra game modes that really helps set it apart.

Choose your next move carefully

The mode that will keep you coming back to Poker Smash is the puzzle mode. You are given a set of cards on the screen, and you have to make all of them advance to move to the next puzzle.

Okay, I know this sounds really simple, and at first it is. It starts to ramp up in difficulty rather quickly. It was about the fourth or fifth level in that I found myself replaying several times before I found out if you move the cards fast enough, you could skip over single card gaps.

There are a couple of reasons to play this mode. The obvious one is the satisfaction you get from solving the puzzles. The other is the tricks you learn in this mode carry over to the regular gameplay. After playing the puzzle mode for a bit, I found I was performing much better on the standard version of the game.

On top of all of this, Poker Smash is a visually stunning game. You don’t ususally say that about puzzle games, but take one look at the screenshots I have posted and see if you can disagree with me. The presentation of this game is top notch.

Now I am not saying that Poker Smash is some amazing puzzle game that will leave you speechless. What I am saying is it is a game puzzle fans will enjoy playing. Though it may not be the most complex puzzler out there, once you start playing it, you will find it hward to stop. Poler Smash gets a 4 out of 5.

So week two of the 30 Reviews in 30 Days feature is now behind us. This is the half-way point: after today’s reviews, I will have written half of the reviews I will end up writing for this feature. Before I get to a review I have been needing to write for a long time, let’s take a quick look of last weeks games:

Monday: Following my feature review of Damnation, I reviewed one of the most unique RPGs Square Enix has ever made: The World Ends With You. This is one of the best DS RPGs out there.

Tuesday: Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix has a unique take on puzzle gaming and is worth trying.

Wednesday: Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords managed to combine puzzle games and RPGs, something most gamers did not think could be done.

Thursday: My review of Mirror’s Edge was not exactly praise worthy. If you like the game, more power to you. I don’t.

Friday: My second Xbox Indie Game review was Artoon. This Q-Bert like platformer is a little quirky, but a lot of fun.

Saturday: The Retroview made its return with my review of The Lost Vikings. Blizzard scored a hit with this puzzle-platformer, and if you are a retrogamer, you need to play it.

So that brings me to Day 15, and a game review I have started and restarted several times. In a way, I am glad I waited this long. I think my review of Street Fighter IV will more than likely be more balanced now that I have had a little time away from it.

The Legend returns to its roots

Remember when Capcom first announced it was releasing Street Fighter IV? From what I remember, the reactions were mixed. Some people wondered if Capcom was going to do a halfway decent job of bringing the Street Fighter series to the current generation of consoles. The first trailer didn’t exactly alleviate any of those concerns. Sure, the graphics looked pretty good, but their was an odd style choice with the ink splotches thrown in. Gamers were left wondering just what to expect.

What was my reaction? Well, I was hoping for a return to the days of the arcade, when I would wait my turn to take on the current champion. Street Fighter II was the game that truly made me a gamer, so I was hoping Street Fighter IV would go back to that feel. Hoping, but not expecting. As the game drew closer to its release, that hope began to grow. As I got to see more of the graphic style and gameplay, I began to really get excited. The game was going back to the old school 2D gameplay with 3D character models, a move that made it look impressive graphically but still feel like the old game. Capcom was also bringing back most of the characters from the Super Street Fighter II version of the game, along with some new characters and fighters from the lore of the series. All in all, the game looked great. So when I took my 360 over to a friend’s house the day I bought the game, I was looking forward to seeing if this game would recapture the magic of the series. I was not disappointed. The game brought back the old feelings of pure joy I used to have when playing Street Fighter II.

Old meets new

Street Fighter IV does a fantastic job of blending tradition fighting gameplay with new mechanics and characters. The primary object of the game remains the same: KO the opponent before he can KO you. Each character has their own unique set of moves, strengths and fighting styles, giving almost anyone the opportunity to find someone they can use. Like any fighting game, the gameplay is all about combos, counters and timing. The good news is Capcom does not try to reinvent the genre they helped pioneer.

Ultra Combos are well animated, and they can quickly change the battle in your favor.

The company did add a few of things that make it a little more interesting, however. First, there is the return from previous Street Fighter games of the Super Combo. You build up energy based on the attacks you perform, and once you have enough, you can launch powerful versions of your special attacks that will really damage the opponent. Second is the focus attack, which allows you to absorb one hit by the opponent while getting ready to deliver a counter move that can lead to a nice combo. It’s the third addition that really spices things up, however. The more damage you take, the more power you build up in your Revenge Meter. Once that is full, you can pull off your character’s Ultra Combo, a cinematic attack that usually involves several hits and lots of damage. This Ultra Combo can turn the tide of battle quickly, allowing a player who has been getting hammered to even the odds a bit. These attacks are both impressive and sometimes humorous, and they are a joy to watch. Capcom animated these attacks very well.

Here comes  a New Challenger

Street Fighter IV is loaded with characters both old and new. Along with the returning cast, four totally new characters have entered the World Tournament:

Abel: A French mixed martial artist, Abel has no memories of who he is. He approaches Chun Li because he knows she is investigating the Shadaloo. She invites him to take part in the World Tournament, and he accepts, hoping it will help him remember. Abel is a power house character who is not as slow as many of the other heavy hitters in the game.

Crimson Viper: Viper is an American who is testing a new technologically enhanced battle suit to sell in the black market. Though she portrays herself as a mercenary for hire, there is more to her than meets the eye. She is a speedy character with some unusual attacks thanks to her technology.

Abel, C Viper, Rufus and El Fuerte are welcome additions to the line up.

Rufus: Rufus is overweight, obnoxious and absolutely obsessed with proving he is a better fighter than Ken. Do not let his size fool you, though. Rufus is a surprisingly fast Kung Fu style fighter.

El Fuerte: A man of conflicted dreams, El Fuerte is a luchador who dreams of being a gourmet chef. He is the most unique fighter in the game, making him difficult to face as an opponent.

On top of these new characters, there are several characters you can unlock by playing the game, including Akuma, Sakura, Dan and, for the first time in a Street Fighter game, Gouken, the trainer of Ryu and Ken.

Excellent gameplay, a fantastic online mode, multiple characters, challenge modes….is there anything this game does not do well?

Yes, there is: Seth.

What was Capcom thinking?

Do you remember the first time you made it to Bison in Street Fighter II? Here was this man with soulless, glowing eyes that was able to tear you apart with his martial arts and psycho powers. At first, he seemed unbeatable, but after playing him a few times and watching others face him, you begin to figure out ways to take him down. The first time you manage to beat him, you feel a certain amount of pride at finally figuring out how to beat this menace.Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the final boss of Street Fighter IV. Where Bison was intimidating, this boss is almost comical: a genetically engineered fighter with a spinning yin yang globe in place of his torso. Oh, and Capcom in their infinite wisdom thought Seth would be a good name for this boss. Seth? Are you kidding me? I’ve met cronies in other games with more intimidating names then that.

Ridiculous looking, cheap and named Seth. Did Capcom really this would be a good boss?

I wish the bad news about this character stopped there, but it doesn’t. Seth is by far the cheapest character in the game. He constantly manages to pull off attacks at times that no other character in the game would be able to do. Take for example the time I went to hit him with Ryu’s Super Combo Hadoken. Seth, who when I had started the attack was vulnerable from a hit I had just delivered, manages to grab me through the blast and spin slam me to the ground. The problem with beating Seth is you really do not get that sense of pride you do when beating Bison in the older games; instead, you just kind of feel lucky. End bosses are a major part of fighting games. Ruining them can almost ruin the game. Fortunately, Street Fighter IV has enough going for it that Seth does not ruin it. This is the first fighting game I have played since Marvel VS Capcom 2 that really made me remember why I once loved these 2D fighting games. While I probably would have given the game a perfect rating had I reviewed it right after it came out, time has lead me to look at this game with a little less nostalgia for the older games. Still, Street Fighter IV is a great game, and it gets a 4 out of 5.

Sorry Yuoma. No 5 for you.

Q-Bert reborn?

So what exactly is Artoon? Well, it’s sort a a twisted take on Q-Bert. You play as Art, a bluish-gray bouncy ball with googly eyes who must bounce on different squares to make his way to the exit of each level. You can’t just bounce to the end, however. You have to color 60 percent of the locks in the level before you can finish.

Sounds simple enough, right? Well, at its heart, Artoon is a very simple game. There are 2 things that make it a little more interesting, however.

Gotta get that high score

The main goal of the game is to get high scores on each level. You are graded on the levels based on how well you actually get through them. This score consists of three separate parts.

1. The percentage of blocks you cover: This should be pretty self explanatory. The more blocks you color, the higher the score you get.

2. The number of your combo meter when you hit the finish: For every block you land on, you get a boost to your combo meter. This is only true, however, if you do not jump on the same block more than once in a row or once it is colored. This would be much easier if there weren’t blocks out there with numbers on them representing the number of times you have to jump on it. Thing is, you can’t just sit there bouncing on it; the number will not decrease unless you bounce on another tile.

The levels in Artoon are defenitely creative.

3. Your style meter: If you choose to, you can cut off your jump by hitting a button before you reach its peak. This makes it harder sometimes to hit the square you are aiming for, but it increases your style points.

What twisted mind thought of these levels?

If the score keeps you interested in Artoon, its the crazy levels that will keep you coming back for more. You face levels where you have to look into the light facing in one direction of the board; rotating the camera at all starts creating vertical hold problems that make it much more difficult to make you next jump. Then there are levels where the blocks become wire frames after you jump on them or rotate in rings both clockwise and counter clockwise. There are also levels where the background “skyscrapers” pule with the music of the level, distracting you from your goal and making you fall off. Basically, the levels can be almost sadistic, but they are also just challenging enough to be addictive.

If you are looking for a real deep gaming experience, this game is probably not for you. If you give it a try, however, I can almost bet you will fine yourself really enjoying this game. Artoon gets a 4 out of 5.

I have to admit, I hadn’t heard anything about Trials HD until the demo was released. I downloaded it out of curiosity and was instantly hooked. I’m not a huge motorcycle fan but you don’t have to be to like this game. The formula is simple for anyone. The great thing about Trials is that it’s easy to keep trying to perfect your run. You have two options when on the track, press the back button to start over from the beginning of the track or press the B button to start from the last checkpoint. Starting from the last checkpoint counts as a “fault” which will in turn affect your overall time so it is best to start over from the beginning if you want to get the gold medal. For each track you are either rewarded a Bronze, Silver, or Gold medal. You can also compare your times with friends that have the game. For example one of my friends has Trials and we’ve been competing back and forth to get a faster time on each track. This is what makes Trials so addicting. Yes competing for Gold medals is tough enough but trying to beat your friend’s score is added incentive. I almost wish I could host an Xbox Live party to bring my friends in the game so that we could watch each other race the tracks and see who can get the fastest time. I also like how Trials loads fast, if at anytime you want to restart a track you press the back button and instantly you are at the beginning ready to give it another shot. Because of this I always find myself saying “okay, one more try” even though it really is never my last.

You may ask yourself, “What is so hard about Trials HD?” Trials is physics-based meaning you must tilt your body either forward or backward at the right time to get the smoothest ride possible. It’s the combination of tilting your body and pressing the gas that makes this game what it is. In the later levels your skills are really tested, you must be pinpoint if you want to complete the track with a gold medal. Take for example the video below, this level requires a lot of precision:

Other tracks in Trials just look plain awesome, like the one titled “Dreamscape” that has pieces of wood floating in the air and doesn’t look like a track at all. RedLynx definitely knew what they were doing when they created these tracks. Not to mention Trials also comes with a track builder which you can use to create your own tracks and share them with friends. Check the video below to check out the “Dreamscape” track.

Overall I love the game, it was a pleasant surprise and that might be the main reason I like it so much. Trials HD is fun, simple, and addicting, everything a game should be. If you have an Xbox 360 and 1200 points I highly suggest Trials HD even if you don’t particularly care for motorcycle games.

One thing should have clued me into the fact this game might not be as good as I was thinking. I was visiting my local Play N Trade and noticed they had Mirrors Edge set up on one of the 360 consoles, so I decided to try it. It was not long before I found myself getting quickly frustrated, especially when I was suddenly dropped into a area with three armed guards and just kept dying. I figured that I had missed the tutorial and would be better equipped to play the game if I started from the beginning.

Turns out I was wrong.

Mirror’s Edge had all the makings of a great game. It just fell short.

It seemed like such a good idea

As I mentioned earlier, you take on the role of Faith in Mirror’s Edge. You are a runner: a message deliverer who uses parkour to traverse the roof tops and deliver sensitive materials people do not want to fall into the hands of the totalitarian government. When your sister is framed for murder, you make it your mission to clear her name and bring to light the conspiracy that left the one person who might change things dead. Not the most original plot line, but it had potential.

Mirror’s Edge was going to be a unique experience for gamers. Faith was not a combatant; she was a runner. As such, it would be to your advantage to use the environment to avoid conflicts. You also have what they call “Runner Vision,” which marks in red the areas you need to go to proceed further into the levels. You had to be able to run, jump, roll and time your movements right to be able to reach the next area, and this was something that was supposed to be simple.

Notice I said “supposed to be simple.” That’s because it is not. There are a couple of reasons for this. The first is the choice of first person perspective. While that does give you a feel for the speed of movement, it makes it a little hard really measure jumps and other actions. I understand it was a design choice, but I cannot help but feel like it may have been better and easier to play in third person. The other problem is the button combinations for movement are not intuitive. When you are rapidly having to remember a whole series of button presses just to complete a jump, you find you are so focused on the buttons you are not being drawn into the game itself. Compared this to the ease of similar movements in games like Assassin’s Creed, Damnation or Prince of Persia, and Mirror’s Edge just seems needlessly complex. I even menti0ned on a podcast this game made me realize how much I would not have liked Assassin’s Creed if I had to push a button for each movement.

And then there’s the combat

While the movement in this game is overly complex, the combat is just flat out broken. Once again, this was a design choice, and in this case it was a poor one. Faith is not a fighter, and the game designers wanted to make sure you knew this. As a result, they made it very difficult to deal with anymore than one enemy at a time.

Mirror’s Edge’s Graphics are impressive. Its gameplay…not so much.

Fighting in this game is just flat out clunky. You can try to get up close and deal with an opponent in hand to hand combat, but generally you are not going to win a straight up fight. You can slide into an opponent and kick them, but it is really hard to be accurate with that, and if you miss you leave yourself wide open for counter attacks. In the end, your best bet is to try and get in close enough the enemy decides for some reason to try and hit you with the gun instead of shoot you. The gun will turn red for a short period of time as the enemy takes a swing at you, and if you hit the right button, you can disarm him. While the concept is not a bad one, there is a major flaw in it: for some reason, enemies with bigger guns take less time swinging them back to hit you, so you have less time to disarm. This almost seems counter intuitive, but then again so does hitting someone with a gun in the first place.

The problematic combat would not be that big of an issue if you could avoid fighting. The biggest problem with this game is, for a game that is not supposed to be about combat, you sure find yourself in many areas where you have to rely on it at least to an extent. In other words, you have to use this broken fighting system to get through areas of the game. I wish the developers had actually decided to either give you the chance to avoid the combat or make the fight controls work. This was just way too frustrating.

And so the game falls short

I really wanted to like Mirror’s Edge. The anime cut scenes were a nice touch. The story, while nothing new, was intriguing. Some of the parkour elements in the game were really impressive. After getting about five or six levels into the game, however, I found myself getting much too frustrated with it to keep playing. I was tired of hitting several buttons to make any kind of significant movement in the game. I was ready to throw my controller the next time I actually had to engage an enemy in combat. In the end, I decided I had just had enough and sent the game back to Gamefly.

What else can I say? This game is not horrible by any means, but I cannot bring myself to recommend it. If you really want to play it, I would recommend renting it first so you don’t find yourself regretting the purchase. Mirror’s Edge gets a 2 out of 5.

Now that we’ve explored every nook of the wastes, the world beyond and even the past, there was only one more frontier we had yet to venture: The final frontier. I tip my hat once again to Bethesda as I have in past reviews for their willingness to experiment with the DLC and use it to do things they couldn’t try in the main game. Unfortunately however, differen’t hasn’t always been good and the DLC, though mostly positive has had it’s areas of disappoint. In attempting new things the DLC has too often strayed from the core gameplay, that special myriad of mechanics and genres, that makes Fallout 3 work.

Overall the DLC has been a slow positive return to that formula, a gradual rise to near perfection and into outer space. Mothership Zeta is the last DLC Bethesda has currently planned and takes us far beyond the arid desolation of earth into the cold metallic recesses of an alien spaceship. Sadly after the greatness of Broken Steel and Point Lookout, Mothership Zeta is an unfortunate and puzzling reversion to some of the same things that plauged the lesser of these installments. It isn’t a complete disappointment but it has similar problems as Operation Anchorage, the first and worst of the DLC. Whereas Point Lookout finally got it right as a simple continuation of the open ended adventuring that made Fallout 3 so much fun, Mothership Zeta returns to the constrictive “corridor-shooter” style gameplay that frustrated in Operation Anchorage.

With a game that succeeds in the freedom and expanse of an open world it baffles me why the creators have at times aspired to more linear, scripted gameplay in the DLC. Mothership Zeta is not as annoying as I found much of Operation Anchorage to be, you can still scavenge after all, but it still reduces the gameplay to relatively simple, straightforward objectives and mindless run and gun action. As the DLC progressively went from mediocre to great, I didn’t think I would have to go through this routine again. I think I’ve remarked on the flaws of this approach at least to some degree in each of the DLC reviews, thoroughly in my frustrated review of Operation Anchorage.

To those who complain that Fallout 3 is an FPS disguised as an RPG, that it’s merely a shooter and little else, let me assure them: It’s very definitely not. How do I know? Because it’s a great game but when it’s reduced to simple FPS gameplay it isn’t. So there’s definitely something else to it. It’s the sum of it’s parts. When you strip away the exploration, and the dynamic nuance, strategy and variety it’s freedom represents, and you trap it in a narrow hallway with limited options and 5 enemies blitzing you, you’re quickly reminded how much this game is not an FPS. This may be outer space, but Halo it aint. There are a lot of reasons why but, without going in to detail, the controls are stiffer and less fluent in frenetic combat situations, the weapons less accurate or, in some cases, responsive, and the subtleties of an RPG style damage system makes straight firefights harder to assess tactically. It’s just not an FPS. Trust me.

Mothership Zeta begins when you explore the source of a mysterious radio transmission and are promptly abducted. Beamed aboard the alien craft you soon meet others who have been similarly collected for insidious experimentation at the hands of your extraterrestrial captors. after some introductions you’ll find yourself striking a blow for humanity and leading a charge to commandeer the spaceship. The gameplay is simple but well executed, if only Fallout 3 were a better shooter. Meeting a motley crew of abducted humans from various places and time periods, they station themselves behind you at specific locations, throughout the game as you clear sections, complete objectives, and reach new areas. They remain in tow as you press deeper into the alien vessel. Among these characters are a woman who can repair your weapons and a medic who can modify alien substances into healing biogel, as well as a little girl that reminded me of a little sister from Bioshock as she crawled through doors and vents to open them to you.

The game consists of simple forward progression as you make your way through each new section of the ship mowing down stereotypical aliens on your merry rampage to the bridge. A scenario of this kind would have been far better served in a game like Timesplitters, right down to the humor. Each section has objectives to complete along the way although I found 9 times out of 10 this consisted of nothing more interesting than blowing up the same type of generator over and over again. Meanwhile you’re assaulted by the alien crew who wield a variety of fancy laser guns and electric batons. This kind of simplicity works fine for shooters but only draws attention to Fallout 3′s shortcomings as such. With the RPG model, why are we limiting the game to rudimentary, over simplified action with little to no emphasis on story, character development or strategy?

As far as the story goes there’s not much of a driving narrative other than the obvious imperative to escape. It’s true that given the situation I really don’t need a complicated drama to motivate my actions. Fighting for freedom is obvious and so are the reasons. Instead of an overarching story the scenario itself is informed by pop culture and the tongue and cheek references to abduction, alien experimentation, spacemen and flying saucers. Audio sound bytes from human prisoners that fill out the story a-la Bioshock and each member of your team has their own story, however I found myself willing to bypass both since they were basically just standard stage dressing. The story exists in the background. It’s there if you’re interested. I’m a little surprised how little else they attempted, but what’s here works on an indirect level.

Enemy AI is serviceable but not great by any standard. Enemies charge you or shoot depending on what type of weapon they have but other than that they aren’t very creative and the minimal intelligence suffers from the cramped quarters. Often times I found myself surrounded by several enemies as they assaulted me with batons. This annoying scenario was often repeated and it wasn’t helped by the fact that the combat suffers from the slight over durability of certain enemies. Most are fine but the force field protected soldiers are frustratingly resilient.

Abduction is not altogether without benefits though. You find and collect a surplus of foreign substances and items that have advantageous uses such as the Alien epoxy, which can be used to repair weapons and the Adapted Bio-Gel which is good for restoring a whopping 180Hp. You’d think the new weaponry would be the coolest yet but it’s fairly modest in terms of damage and function. There is a pistol, the Alien Atomizer, and a rifle, the Alien Disintegrator. Both are fun to toy around with but ultimately somewhat dismissible, especially compared with some of the cool toys in DLC past. The other notable weapon is the Drone Canon, which sounds cool but is just plain bad. It’s a heavy weapon that launches a ball of energy that explodes after bouncing around a bit. Since it doesn’t explode on contact but deflects against surfaces, accurately placing a shot is a guessing game. I actually had it bounce right off my target only to explode harmlessly off to the side and after only a few shots I put it away.

The best part of scavenging is how little everything weighs and how valuable it is. You will, in the course of the game acquire a ton of equipment, all of which can be traded for large sums of money. I went up fairly light and returned with about 30,000 caps worth of loot. You heard me right. Your money problems are over. Honestly, though it’s a little excessive and unbalances the game slightly but it’s nice to get something for your trouble. You can also return to the ship after the quest is completed but many doors are no longer accessible.

To be fair, Motherhsip Zeta is not a terrible campaign. The design of the alien craft is visually appealing with blinking lights, buttons and screens practically everywhere, though at times the disarray of bells and whistles can be distracting during quests and make knowing exactly which button to push a little confusing. Responses to this DLC seem generally positive but playing it I found myself more often than not underwhelmed by the gameplay. It isn’t badly designed but, like Operation Anchorage it fails to deliver on the potential we know Fallout 3 is capable of and I experienced a similar sense of aggravation in some situations as I did with that first DLC episode. It gravitates to it’s weaker FPS side and given the content, we’ve been there and done that in better shooters. Mothership Zeta gets a very moderate recommendation to only the Fallout 3 die hards like myself. It simply pales in comparison to what was offered in Point Lookout and is an unfortunately mediocre finale to Fallout 3′s DLC.

A simple premise brilliantly executed

The idea behind Puzzle Quest is actually quiet simple: take the match three puzzle play of Bejeweled and toss in a light RPG element to keep players coming back for more. In the beginning of the game, you are given the chance to choose the type of character you want to play, and you will find many of the fantasy archetypes present and accounted for, including the ranger and the warrior.

Each character has different spells and attacks he or she can learn, so who you choose does make a difference. For example, the ranger will have spells that rely more heavily on the elements, where the knight may have more direct attacks. You gain the ability to activate these spells or attacks by building mana from the puzzle; if you match green gems, you get green mana, if you match red you get red, etc. Each spell requires a certain amount of at least one and often many types of mana, and these spells can range from attacking gems on the board and getting the damage effects to hurting your opponent directly.

Beleive it or not, you can combine a puzzler with an RPG.

After choosing a character, you get into the RPG element of the game. Unfolding before you is a story of an ancient evil that is slowly starting to reawaken. It is up to you and your allies to stop this evil. You do this by moving about the land, doing different quests and fighting different enemies along the way. These battles are fought on the puzzle board, where you match the colored gems to get mana to use for your spells. There are also skulls on the board, and if you match they, you deal damage to your opponent directly. The battle is over when either you or your opponent run out of health.

Seems simple enough, right? It is, yet there is a much deeper element to this game than there appears at first glance.

More hardcore role playing than you might think

For a game with such a simple premise, Puzzle Quest is actually a serious RPG. As you progress through the game, you are given choices that will effect whether or not you gain allies. These allies aid you in battle, doing things like hurting certain types of opponents or lowering their attack capabilities. These allies can help turn the tide of combat, especially early in the game.

If you face off against a creature enough times, you can try to capture that creature. To capture, you must remove all the gems from the board you are given. The harder the creature, the harder it is to make the appropriate moves to capture them. Once captured, you can train the ones you can ride and use them to improve your speed and attack. The ones you cannot ride, you can learn their spells, which you do by matching mana and scrolls in the puzzle.

On top of that, you can lay siege to the cities around you. If you win the siege, you gain control of that city, which means it will produce income for you. Of course the city might rise up against you, and you may find yourself having to beat it again to regain control.

Capture enemies, learn spells, gain allies…. The hardcore RPG fan will find much to love about Puzzle Quest.

Add to this your standard character leveling system and the chance to craft master weapons and armor through the puzzle board, and you find there really is a much deeper game here than meets the eye. The story may be a little cliched, but the rest of the game makes up for it.

The one major flaw

You mat have noticed that Puzzle Quest is in my top 10 games of all time. Only one thing keeps it out of the top five: the one major flaw of the game.

Imagine this: you are facing off against an opponent you should be able to beat. Several moves in, it looks like everything is going your way. Suddenly, the enemy gets a rather convenient combo of gems, allowing it to gain another turn. Then it happens again. And again. In no time, this battle that was going so heavily in your favor has gotten out of hand, and you find yourself losing.

Puzzle Quest has what has been referred to as a rather convenient AI. At too many points in the game, you will find your opponent making just the right move, which leads to a chain reaction that completely turns the tide of battle. This becomes extremely annoying at the end when you are facing against Lord Bane. He is a difficult enough final boss to fight without having to worry about him “cheating.” It is the one major flaw of the game, an it will leave you needing to walk away from it on more than one occasion.

That being said, Puzzle Quest is easily one of the most addicting games I have ever played. I have payed for the DS version twice (and soon will probably get it for a third time), and I also own the Xbox Live Arcade version of the game. I guess I just can’t get enogh of it. Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords gets a 5 out of 5.

It’s no secret I am a Street Fighter fan. Heck, I grew up playing all of the Campcom and SNK fighting games, including Dark Stalkers. I came to know several of the players and really reached a point where I could play pretty well with several of them.

Still, nothing quite prepared my for that day I walked into the arcade in the Memorial Union at Arizona State University, looking at this strange game that has just been added. It was a puzzle game featuring kid-like versions of my favorite fighters from the Capcom franchises, and it just looked a little odd. It would not be long, however, before I would really come to enjoy Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo. Over the years, many games would come and go, but there was just something charming about that game that stood out, so much so that when Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix was released on Xbox Live Arcade, I knew I had to get it.

You got cute in my Street Figher

The first thing you notice when you start playing Super Puzzzle Fighter is the game is just insufferably cute. You choose from child-like versions of some of the most famous Capcom fighters, from Ryu to Chun Li to Felicia. Each character has their own little catch phrases, motions and animations which help add to the charm of the game. As you destroy gems within the puzzle, the characters react, doing anything from sticking out their tongues at the opponent to unleashing a barage of their more well known special attacks if the combo is high enough. They are even cute when they loose.

There is no denying the fact the characters in this game are cute.

Don’t let the cute factor fool you, though. Super Puzzle Fighter is a puzzle game at heart, and your choice of character can make a big difference in how you play the game.

Looking beyond the surface

At first, Super Puzzle Fighter looks like a straightforward puzzle game. You have gems falling from the top of the screen, and it is your job to match them up with other gems of the same color. It is not a match 3 type game, however. Far from it. If you put four gems of the same color in a square, the will actually form one larger gem, which will add a score multiplier when destroyed.

Along with the regular gems, you get Crash Gems. Touch these gems against gems of the same color, and you destroy them. As long a gems of the same color are touching, you can keep the destruction going, adding to your multiplier and leading to those attack animations I was referencing earlier.

The other important thing about building those combos is it allows you to throw counter gems into your opponent’s gem field. Much like the extra lines in Tetris, these extra gems make it a little harder for your opponent to match up gems for combos and use Crash Gems effectively. This is also where your choice of character makes a difference. Each character has different pattern of counter gems, and quite honestly some of the patterns are better than others. This can tend to unbalance the game a bit, but it can also give added challenge to good players. allowing them to intentionally choose characters with bad counters.

Combos create major counter gem issues for your opponent and lead to great attack animations.

Instead of having levels you reach by removing a certain number of gems or reaching a certain score, you win a round of Puzzle Fighter when your opponent’s gem level hits the top of the board. You then progress to the next challenger, slowly working your way through the puzzle tournament much like you would in any other fighting game.

There are also two variations on the puzzle play in the game. On one, if you put 3 gems together, they vanish, similar to Bejeweled. The other is more akin to Planet Puzzle League, where the gems are advancing from the bottom of the screen, and you have a box of two squares you can move to switch up the places of the gems. While these add some variety to the game, neither is as good as the Crash Gem original.

While Super Puzzle Fighter may not be some sort of amazing puzzler that is better than the standouts in the genre, it does offer a unique take on the standard puzzle game. It’s worth playing if for no other reason that you have never seen anything quite like it. Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo HD Remix gets a 4 out of 5.

Monday: After opening strong with my review of Henry Hatsworth, I threw a bit of a curve ball by reviewing the new NXE Update for the 360. This will not be the only wildcard I throw into this series. I’m doing 30 reviews here; I think I am entitled.

Tuesday: Kicked off my first Indie Game review with Groov. I should have that video up on the site shortly. If the review piqued your interest, you need to see the video.

Wednesday: Finally got back to content for Retro Active with my first Retroview, The Revenge of Shinobi. I am so glad I found that one for my Genesis.

Thursday: Reviewed the Xbox Live Arcade Game Catan. Thank you Big Huge Games for giving me an affordable version of this game to play. I really appreciate it.

Friday: Yes, I reviewed Rock Band 2. Yes, I list it among my top 10 games of all time. Yes, I think it may be the best party game of all time. Yes, I am serious.

Saturday: So I still can’t quite decide whether I love or hate Fear 2: Project Origin. All I know is the third had better have a much better ending. Ugh.

So now we come to the second of the features for this series. The first feature was on Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure, a favorite for DS Game of the Year. Today’s game isn’t nearly as good, but it was one that I found surprisingly fun: Damnation.

Raised, then Lowered Expectations

If you were listening to the podcasts back when most of us got started, you might remember that I was looking forward to playing Damnation. I even listed it among my games I was looking forward to in 2009. It just looked different: a vertical shooter with an open world element that was supposed to let you choose how you wanted to approach missions. Add to that the steam punk take on the Civil War, and you had a game that truly had my attention.

It did not take long for me to start seeing this game was probably not going to live up to those expectations. As more came out about it, it became clear that the open world part of the game was being thrown out the window in favor of very directed platforming. The story, which had been intriguing at first, was starting to sound more than a little forced, and the screenshots were not doing the game any real favors. Basically, the game went from a “must play when it comes out” to a “I’ll get to it once Gamefly gets it to me.” When I finally did receive it from Gamefly, I expected to play for a couple of hours and send it back.

Imagine my surprise when I found myself playing through the entire game.

First, the bad news

Don’t get me wrong: Damnation is not a good game. The story is ridiculous. The Civil War has gone on so long that the industrial revolution has occurred right in the middle of it. The US does not really resemble anything it was during the time period, and the evil Lord Prescott (no, I am not kidding, that is as intimidating as the name gets) is using steam powered robots and drug empowered soldiers to create a new empire. You lead a rag tag group of battle weary warriors who are the only hope of the free people of what is left of the United States. Oh, and you have been given the Native American “gift” of Spirit Vision to aide you in this conflict. Seriously? A 12 year old could have written a better story than this. Heck, I think I did when I was 12.

The graphics in Damnation are not exaclty inspired.

Oh, and if you have a poorly written story, guess what else must go with it: ridiculous dialogue. If I was comparing the dialogue in Damnation to that of, say, Star Wars Episode II, I would have to say Lucas actually managed to out write someone. As bad as some of Anakin’s courtship lines in that movie are, they are far better than a boss in this game taunting you by singing you and your partner are “sitting in a tree, d-y-i-n-g.” No, i am not making that up. It is that bad.

Then there are the graphics. It is rather hard to call Damnation a current generation game. It looks more like a game form the original Xbox era stuck in the 360. The character design is bland, the levels are unimaginative and the textures are either varying shades of brown or gray. Not exactly awe inspiring.

No, Damnation is not a good game. It is, however, a fun game.

Now, the Good News

So what kept me coming back to this game? There were a few things they did right:

The Platforming: Eidos needs to look at this game when they make the next Tomb Raider. The way you move you character from level to level in this game is just about perfect. You routinely find yourself jumping off walls to grab onto ledges to flip up and then shimmy along that ledge till you can jump to the next one. Or you jump over and grab onto a wall, flip around to the other side, then lean back and jump to a ladder, slide down to the bottom, swing around to the to the other side and climb up. There is something truly enjoyable about the way you traverse the levels in this game, and few games have captured this kind of platforming.

The platforming, weapons and Coop are areas where the programmers got it right.

The Weapons: Remember how I mentioned in my review of Fear 2 that the weapons were just not that interesting? Well, the weapons in Damnation are much more entertaining. Sure, you have your standard machine gun, shotgun and pistol, but you also have a sniper rifle with the most accurate sniper scope I have seen in a game in a long time, a grenade launcher that does nice damage, a railroad spike gun that you must charge up to use but is a one shot kill when charged and a sniper scope sighted explosive launcher you get toward the end of the game that is way too much fun to use. In a game where creativity is not exactly overflowing, it’s nice to see there was at least some thought given to how to make the game stand out.

The Coop: This one seems like a no brainer, but it is amazing how many games are not including coop in the campaign *cough Killzone 2 cough*. The makers of Damnation may have made several mistakes, but this is not one of them. The entire campaign is playable coop with one other player, both split screen and over Live. The interesting part is the coop player is going to get to play as three separate characters in the game. Don’t get your hopes up; they all play the same. It’s just a bit of a different touch.

The game is just fun

Don’t get me wrong; I am not trying to say you should all run out and buy this game immediately. As I mentioned, there are several problems with it. Still, if you can get it at a really good price or can rent it from a place like Gamefly, you just may be surprise just how much fun you can have playing Damnation. Just check your expectations at the door. Damnation gets a 3 out of 5.

It all started well

FEAR 2 sort of picks up where its predecessor left off. I say sort of, as you do not even control the main character from the first game. Instead, you find yourself playing Michael Becket, a member of an elite team sent to take Geneveieve Aristide into protective custody right about the time the protagonist in the first game destroys the reactor at the Origin Facility, setting Alma free and ruining the city around it from both a physical and supernatural standpoint.

This of course opens up a whole new set of problems. Now not only are you trying to survive the aftermath of the explosion, you are faced with the task of stopping a teenage phantom with an axe to grind. This leads you through a hospital full of failed experiments to make replica generals, ruined city streets filled with replica soldiers, puppet masters and ghosts of those who once lived there and, most haunting of all, a school where…things are just not quite right.

Sure, the pule rifle is nice, but the laser and even the mech…not so much.

As you make your way through this barren landscape, you begin to understand that you and your team were a part of a project known as “Harbinger,” a top secret project to create teams of super soldiers lead by telepathic generals. You also learn thanks to the help of “Snake Fist” that Aristide has an ulterior motive, and that you may be the only one who has a chance at stopping Alma.

It all seems fine, and everything plays out fairly well to a point…till it all kind of falls apart. You see, you come to this amazing point in the game where you ware making your way to the Origin Facility. As you make you approach, you have to walk into the blast crater, walking on the walls of the buildings as if you they were the ground. It is an amazingly striking visual, and you cannot help but think the ending is going to be great. The problem is that is really the high point of the game, and beyond that it all starts to fall apart.

When a good thing turns bad

One of the fist things you will notice about FEAR 2 is it is not a very tight shooter. This isn’t really too much trouble as you do have the ability to slow down time. Something that that helps you deal with the fact you are constantly outnumbered. You also have a variety of weapons to choose from throughout the game, but with rare exception, they are not really all that impressive. Useful, but they’ve all been done before. The one exception is the weapon given to you by Snake Fist, a pulse weapon that works great against the replica assassins in the game, but runs out of ammo in no time. You never do find any more for it.

Anyway, back to the not-so-tight controls. This becomes really annoying in the final stages of the game, where you are dealing with overwhelming odds and numerous replica assassins, which require precision. The problem is the controls will not give you that kind of precision. One of the most annoying segments in the last levels is the tram ride, where you are being attacked from soldiers on all sides. You really are trying to to conserve ammo while taking down your opponents, but that is easier said than done when you cannot line up your shots accurately and quickly. Now in full disclosure, I was playing the Xbox 360 version of the game, and the controls may be more precise on the PC, but that is no excuse in my book. Other companies, including Valve and Infinity Ward, have found ways to make their games shooting mechanic precise on the 360. There is no excuse for Monolith’s somewhat sloppy handling of this gameplay mechanic.

On top of that, there is the “maze” where Alma keeps trowing crates around telekinetically that somehow land in the exact same place they were already in, the ridiculous final battle and the ending that will have you cringing.  I was serious when I said in the podcast that once you get through the crater section I mentioned earlier, you should really stop playing the game. At least then you will not end up with such a bad taste in you mouth.

It’s not all bad news

By this point, you must think I hated Fear 2. Nothing could be further from the truth. There are parts of this game that are truly brilliant. Take for example the sequence in the cells of the hospital. You are stuck in a room with cells that keep opening, releasing the failed attempts to make the replica generals. These people have turned into rather nasty creatures who will stalk you, moving in such a way that makes them rather difficult to hit. The sequence can be nerve racking, making you as a player start looking around every corner, considering the defensibility of every area you must cross.

The atmosphere of FEAR 2 is sufficiently creepy. It’s not a bad game, just not great.

Then there is the school. FEAR 2 goes out of its way to create a creepy and disturbing atmosphere, and nowhere does this atmosphere shine through more than in the school. Imagine walking through an area that should be a place of learning and laughter, only to find grim reminders of the surrounding devastation, strange propaganda being taught in the classrooms, and ghost like apparitions ready to attack you at any turn. It is probably the most impressive section of the game.

The game just tries too hard

In the end, FEAR 2′s biggest problem may be that Monolith tried to hard to make an epic sequel to the first game. Even the mech suit sequences feel like an attempt to upstage the first game. In the attempt to make the game bigger and better than the first, Monolith instead made a game that starts strong but wears out its welcome.

So am I saying you should avoid the game? No, not really. I just think it is more of a rent than a buy, especially when you consider the lackluster multiplayer. While I enjoyed this game, I just cannot give FEAR 2: Project Origin any higher than a 3 out of 5.

So there.

Okay, okay, I’ll get serious. There is no denying the fact that Rock Band was a revolutionary game. Harmonix took what it had learned from making Guitar Hero and Karaoke Revolution and created something that went beyond being just a game, becoming an experience. I’ll never forget the first time I heard the crowd singing along as I was doing well on a song; a part of me felt like a rock star.

Well, some people were surprised when Harmonix announced Rock Band 2 just a year after the first one. When Harmonix started talking about both the improvements to the game and the set list, however, that surprise and apprehension began to turn into excitement. It was obvious that the company was not content to just make incremental improvements to the game: it wanted to make Rock Band 2 what it had intended to make the first game. The only question was would it succeed?

Taking the World by Storm

As good as the original Rock Band was, there was one major drawback to the game: you could only play World Tour mode with multiple people. Add the fact there wasn’t even a career mode for bass, and some players began to get a little bored with the game.

Rock Band 2 changed all of that. From the very beginning. you could create a band. and any of your band members could play any instrument as opposed to being locked to one. You could even set it up so your band was always with you, having the same characters play with you throughout tour mode. Harmonix Dropped the career mode, substituting it with the tour mode, a move that made the game much more enjoyable. Each instrument is now represented, and you cam play this mode both single player or coop, online or off.

Rock Band 2 lets you create your own band. Mine’s called Slide Rock.

That is not the only change to the gameplay. Harmonix has introduced Challenges into the mix, ranging from decade specific sets to sets consisting of 15+ songs. On top of that, there are the Battle of the Bands, where you and your friends can compete with other bands on specific songs or challenges to see who reigns supreme.

Party Like a Rock Star

While Rock Band 2 is a lot of fun to play alone or online, it is at its heart a party game. I have never seen a game draw more attention from a group of people gathered together than this one. With the 100+ songs in the game (the ones on the disk and the 20 free downloads Harmonix could not fit on the disk), there is something for everyone. Seriously, i mean everyone. I have played this game with friends my age, the youth at church and my mom, and we have all enjoyed it thoroughly.

Rock Band was fun as well, but there was always one drawback to playing the game at parties: someone who did not know how to play could end a song very quickly. To help alleviate that, Harmonix added in a No Fail mode. With this activated, you will be able to finish the song no matter what, something that helps encourage new players to try the game out.

You know a game is good when writing the review makes you want to play it.

Keep On Rocking the Free World

What really sets Rock Band 2 apart is the music. The game comes with some of the standards of rock, including “Eye of the Tiger,” “Carry On Wayward Son,” “Everlong,” “Aqualung”…. You can honestly find soemthing for everyone. the game also let you import all but about 3 songs from the original Rock Band into it. Just from having the original game and the 20 free downloadable songs, you have a lot of music.

Harmonix did not just leave it at that impressive list, however. Every week, new music is released on Xbox Live and Playstation Network for Rock Band 2, with anything from indie artists to full albums by some of the most well known bands out there. Add to that Harmonix’s promise that all songs downloaded for any Rock Band game will be playable in any other Rock Band game, and you have no reason to not have this game in your library. Rock Band 2 gets a 5 out of 5.

I am a huge fan of Settlers of Catan. My cousin first introduced me to this game years ago, long before the newest wave of table games became popular. The game was so simple to play, yet there ia strategy behind it kept us coming back time and time again. The only thing that kept me from getting the game myself is it is not cheap. Of course, neither are video games, but that is another matter.

There is a cheap way to play Settlers of Catan, however. Big Huge Games has released a version on Xbox Live called Catan. Can the electronic version live up to my memories of the game?

What the heck is Catan?

If you are familiar with the resurgence of table top resource management gaming, you are probably very aware of the gameplay behind Catan. In essence, it is pretty simple. A group of hexagonal game pieces representing land are set up randomly, with water and harbor pieces surrounding them. These land tiles each represent different resources: forests for lumber, clay for brick, wheat fields for grain, mountains for ore and grassy plains for wool. There is also on tile representing a desert, which fittingly does not give out any resources. Numbers are then randomly placed on the tiles from 2-12 minus the 7, which represent numbers you can roll on two dice. Players then get to place their first two settlements and roads, trying to set up where they can get the best combination of resources for the most common die rolls. One more piece is put on the desert tile, a black piece representing the the thief.

Players take turns rolling the two dice, and anyone with a settlement attached to a tile with the number rolled gains one of that resource. For example, if you have a settlement on one of the corners of a clay tile with an 8 on it and an 8 is rolled, you get one clay resource card. If you have two settlements on that tile, you get two, and so on. If a 7 is rolled, the player gains control of the thief, and he can move it onto a tile his opponents are connected to, effectively blocking the number of that resource and allowing him to steal a card from that player.

Catan is an Xbox Live Arcade game that will have you coming back for more.

After the resource gathering faze, players can try trade for resources with other players in the game. You want to do this because you need various amounts of these resources to build settlements; roads, which are needed to build more settlements; cities, which replace settlements and give you twice the resources; and Development Cards, which give you either soldiers to repel the thief or victory points. The winner of the game is the first to ten points, with settlements counting as one point a piece, cities as two, victory points as a point each and bonuses for largest army and longest road.

Seem simple enough? Actually, there is a lot of strategy to the game, from whether or not to accept trades to trying to take bonuses away from other players so they get further away from the ten point mark. Catan is one of those games that is easy to learn but difficult to truly master.

So does the Xbox Live version of Catan live up to the table version? In a word, YES!

So did the description above interest you in playing Catan? If it did, you need to download the game. You see, while Settlers of Catan tends to run upwards of $30.00, Catan on Xbox Live only costs 800 points or $10.00, and you don’t have to spend all the time setting it up to play.

That’s not the only reason to pick up the game, however. You can play against up to four opponents, both AI controlled and other Xbox Live Gold members. The AI is you face is represented by different characters in history, including Cleopatra, Abraham Lincoln and Sun Tzu. You can set the difficulty of the AI as well as interact through emoticons throughout the game. Big Huge Games did a fantastic job of capturing the feel and strategy of the game, giving you the chance to trade with your opponents, gain resources through the use of ports and skillfully choose just where to place the thief. There are also colorful animations and hilarious sound effects; nothing is quite as funny as hearing the sheep bahing as they are dunked in the watter when trading them in a port.

In the end, Catan is a lot of fun. If you enjoy playing electronic versions of board games, you will find Catan to be quite enjoyable. It gets a 4 out of 5.

Well, no matter. The 30 Reviews in 30 Days articles give me the perfect chance to review a few of the best ones out there.

And in my opinion, there is no better place to start than Groov.

Not just another Geometry Wars (Robotron) rip-off:

One thing you will find in the Indie Games section of Xbox Live is a lot of dual stick shooters. I can understand the reasons: relatively easy to make, simple mechanic and there is a segment of players who will always gravitate to them. Still, it becomes a little depressing to see the same basic design repeated over and over again. Of course, the remakes of Pong are even worse, but I digress.

So you can imagine my hesitance when I stumbled across Groov. After all, it was another in the long line of games trying to cash in on the success of Geometry Wars. Still, the description did catch my eye. Something about a dual stick shooter with a jazz fusion touch sounded intriguing. I downloaded the trial, tried it once, and was hooked.

Jazz Fusion?

You did not read that wrong. Groov takes the standard dual stick shooter and brings in a unique musical twist. You are not just flying around your little box shooting enemies, you are building a jazz fusion piece as you play. Each shot fired is the stroke of fingers on a keyboard. Enemies take on unique sounds, be they the strum of a base, blast of a well timed horn or a little bit of scat voice.

Think you’re looking at another Geometry Wars clone? Think again.

These enemies don’t just vanish immediately, either. They turn white, which allows you to fly through them. They then fade out with timing that matches the music. This “symphony” is calm enough when the battlefield is relatively light, but as things get more frantic, so does the music. You go from a relaxing jazz mix to a frantic, pulsing rhythm that is only matched by the harried travel of your ship.

On top of that, you cannot really use the standard conventions of dual shooters to get you through the levels. Like to stay in to the sides? You’ll start seeing more and more of the “Horn” enemies, which materialize on the sides. Think the corners help by cutting down the the angles from which you can be attacked? How about enemies that care not what boundaries are laid before them. You will also need to pay attnetion to when enemies turn white. Not all do it on first shot.

So you are severely outnumbered, just like any dual stick shooter. The game creators have to give you something to help even the odds, right? Well, they do: a time slowing mechanic. That’s right; in the middle of the hectic fights, you have a limited number of times you can slow down time, which slows enemies, music…everything except you. Sounds great, right? Well it is, but ther is one small catch. You can only activate it on the downbeat of the music.

Skip to the good part

If you play enough dual stick shooters, you know there is one major problem with them. Just as things get really good, you lose your last life. You are pumped until you realize you have to work your way back through all the ealry parts of the game again just to get to the good part.

Well, Groov gives you the chance to unlock the Expert Remix mode once you score enough in the regular. Expert Remix throws you right into the best part of the game with limited time slows and 1 life. You go from zero to frantic in no time flat, and you’ll love every minute of it.

There is also a Jam Session mode, but you have to score 25,000 in Expert Remix to unlock that. Let’s just say I’m not that good yet.

It’s nice to see someone take a tried and true mechanic and turn it around a bit. Besides, you can get Groov for 200 points, and I gauruatee you will get more than $2.50 worth of enjoyment out of the game. Don’t believe me? Check out the demo for yourself. Groov gets a 5 out of 5.

Well, I managed to get one of those invites. As part of the 30 Reviews in 30 Days, I thought it would be a great idea to give you my insights on the changes.

What changed:

XBOX Preview: A new category has been added: The Xbox Preview. Sure, it would be easy to discount this, but there is a rather handy area for new announcements, new features and a help section now built into the 360. Not a major thing, but a nice touch all the same.

PARTY!: If you have used the Party feature much on 360, you have probably noticed that, despite it’s nice features, it was a little buggy. Team Xbox realized this, and they have added a couple of really nice touches. For example, you can now launch parties much more quickly, especially within Netflix (more on that later). Also, if someone drops from a party, when they get back on live, they will be immediately re-added. That ought to make party play a whole lot more enjoyable.

Account Management Improved: Are you one of those gamers whose Live ID expired? You know just how much of a pain that was to re-intiate? Well, not anymore. You’ll just be asked to update it the next time you log into Live. You will also be notified when your Live Subscription is about to expire, and Microsoft has imprived the account recovery process. Oh, and a little number appears next to your Gamertag to let everyone know how long you have been a Gold member.

Love for the Avatars: You have heard about the Avatar marketplace, right? That’s right, you can now buy items for your Avatar to wear or props to interact with, including a remote control Halo Warthog. The good news is there are already items based on games available, including the Lionhead Studios shirt my avatar is currently wearing thanks to the Fable II content. What is more exciting, however, is the Avatar Rewards section. There is nothing there yet, but just the prospect of getting items for achievements…. Wait, didn’t we suggest this in a podcast last year?

Netflix Just Got Better: Genres you can look through to add new content to your instant queue from the 360. A recently watched panel that makes it easy to get back to the next show in that series you are watching or the movie you had to put on hold. No more automatically getting kicked out while Netflix adjusts to changing connection speeds. Oh, and did I mention the Party Watch?

That’s right! You can now do what Microsoft said you would be able to do all along: watch Netflix Movies with your Friends on Live. You make a suggestion for the party, you agree on what to watch, and next thing you know your avatars are entering a theater to watch the movie of choice. Fortunately, it does not look like the rather cheesy example shown at E3. The Avatars are sitting in theater chairs at the bottom of the screen and do not get in the way of the movie. When you talk, a little speaker appears behind your chair so you can see who is talking. Also, your avatars have a wide range of emotional reactions/interactions you can choose to display. What it really comes down it is you get the choice of either watching a movie seriously with friends who you cannot get together with normally or just goofing off and doing your own Mystery Science Theater spin-off. The implementation is a lot better than most of us thought it would be. Not every studio supports Party Watch, but most do.

Hmmm. My party looked better than this. Still, you get the idea.

Rate those games: Think reviewers do a poor job of rating games? Or maybe you wanted to know if there are any Indie games really worth playing. Well, now the power is in your hands. You can rate any game in the system now, be it full retail, Arcade or Indie. Nice touch.

Games on Demand: Well, maybe this does not really appeal to you, but I can see a point to this. I am tempted to download Mass Effect to see if it gets rid of the elevator load times.

It’s all about the Interface: Microsoft has tweaked the interface a bit. Most of the tweaks are minor, though Achievement Junkies might find the list of the achievements you could have reached based on games played may haunting them. The nice one is a warning during voice recording for messages if your mic is muted. No more sending messages to friends just to have them contact you and say “I couldn’t hear you.”

What did not make it:

So, all those things are nice, but what about the rest of the features we were supposed to get? If you did not already know, LastFM, Twitter and Facebook functionality are not rolling out with this update. Now, Microsoft is saying we should receive those later this year, but I for one was looking forward to running LastFM, doing updates on Twitter in game and getting screenshots for Facebook. I understand that getting these things to work with the NXE takes time, but I am a gamer, which means I am impatient by nature. Right?

No Facebook, Twitter or LastFM. Hope MS makes good on those soon.

The Verdict:

When NXE went live last year, we were all excited. It was the first time a console interface had been completely changed after launch. So should we really be that upset if the new update is really more of the same? Probably not. Still, even though the changes to Netflix and the Party System are nice, but without the promised changes of Twitter, Facebook and LastFM, this update just is not as exciting as it should be.

Still, I should not really be complaining too much. In the end, there are some definite improvements, and it will be interesting to see what develops with the Avatar Marketplace and Avatar Rewards. Since there are components still missing, I cannot give the new experience a perfect score, but the new update still gets a 4 out of 5.

Hey, I never said all the items reviewed in the 30 Days would be games. Just game related.

The Main character in Prototype is Alex Mercer, a man with little to no memories of his past, and with a virus cursing through his veins which gives him his super powers, and has the entire United States army chasing after him. As Alex you have to use your powers to infiltrate bases, steal memories, fight soldiers and clear the city of the ever increasing number of infected. The story is told well, and the memory stealing power/feature helps you get as much out of the story as you want to: i.e. you can breeze through the main quest, doing only the missions that will get you to the conclusion fastest, or you can roam every corner of the island looking for people involved with the development and release of the virus. The story is really dark and about as cheerful as a zombie movie with a female lead character.

A sandbox game, Prototype gives you a massive version of Manhattan island to explore and enjoy, which is a good thing because you will be spending a lot of time in it, both following the main story and finding all the hidden collectibles spread throughout. Also, although it’s not a perfect recreation of Manhattan, the designers did a great job of capturing the spirit of some of New York City’s more famous landmarks. I mean, it was cool to fight the army in Times Square, and to climb the Empire State Building to reach a glowing orb, or maybe even hi-jack a helicopter as it flies over Central Park; but my breath was taken away when i was running at full speed through the streets, and had to stop and take a closer look at the spot on Bryant park where i would take my lunch breaks.

The gameplay is really where prototype shines, though at times it seems like a fancier version of Hulk: Ultimate Destruction, which is not necessarily a bad thing considering how fantastic that game was. The controls are easy to pick up, and the various powers keep things interesting for a while. These powers range from razor-sharp claws, to a long tentacle, to an armored behemoth who gains massive amounts of defense at the cost of your usually ninja-like movement. I personally loved the way the character’s movements were animated: Parkour flipping through traffic and over buildings is great, but nothing beats being in the thick of battle, getting hit by a rocket, scrabbling on all four before running at full speed and using a devastator attack to kill everything within a two block radius. Oh, and did i mention this game is violent? well, it is. Violent and bloody. some of the ways you have of disposing of enemies would make the creators of Mortal Kombat write some concerned letters to their respective senators.

The one area where this game disappointed me was in the graphic department. Don’t get me wrong, running and fighting and blowing things up looks great; but as soon as you stop running and look at anything up-close it looks so ugly and last-gen that it will make you cringe. I mean, it is understandable that at the speed at which you run through crowds and destroy thousands of cars it would be too taxing to render tons of beautiful people, trucks or buildings; but the sheer ugliness of these characters, and the amount of repetition of the same faces in the crowd (i think there’s maybe 20 different civilian sprites in the game) as you’re passing by thousands of them, makes the graphic design feel lazy and does not show the care that was taken into almost every other aspect of the game.

All in all Prototype is a great playing, at times ugly looking game that will make you feel like you really have super powers. An exciting roller-coaster ride, although if you’ve played their last Hulk game it will feel like it’s a ride you’ve already taken.

Point Lookout as it’s description implies is not a story driven experience as Operation Anchorage, The Pitt or Broken Steel before it, but is instead more of a themed environment, which is basically what Fallout 3 is anyway. Rather than prompting players to engage in a certain scripted series of events, the game simply provides a backdrop for exploration and action that the player can enjoy at their discretion. Though it does not have a single plot driving the gameplay, it is not devoid of quests either. It provides several, one in particular is fairly lengthy and could be seen as the main thrust, however the player is not obligated to complete them and can engage in them at their leisure. Point Lookout doesn’t have an ending per se and can simply be partaken of at the players discretion.

It is in this way very similar to the main world of Fallout 3 and delivers on the merits that made the original so good as a microcosm of of the Capital Wastes. There’s no war to win, no slaves to rescue or Enclave to exterminate, just an open world of possibilities, strange inhabitants to encounter and adventure to be had. I fought with local cretins, explored a crumbling mansion, climbed to the top of a light house, jumped off and killed myself, and dug for buried treasure, among other things.

As a piece of real estate, Point Lookout is a riverside bayou. It’s themes are well realized and clearly drawn with southern swampland motifs that are complete, down to the moonshine and confederate hats you’ll find scattered around. The swamp itself is very distinct from anything in the Capital Wasteland or any of the other DLC, saturated and miry with tepid ponds and streams mottling the landscape. Fog and dreary overcast skies obscure visibility, frogs chirp and spiry mournful trees festooned with ethnic fetishes enclose about you in sparse forests. Dilapidated lean-tos and creepy shacks speckle the marshland. I wasn’t a huge fan of Operation Anchorage but just as I could almost feel the freezing air in my lungs I am reminded again here of how well conceived the environments are. I can just about smell the balmy swamp air. The environment is another distinct landscape that attests to Bethesda’s desire to use the DLC to explore visual themes and concepts they didn’t have a chance to in the main game. It’s another refreshing and different experience.

The marshland theme is appropriately completed by the indigenous swamp dwellers that populate the region. Lurking about the swamp are hillbilly mutants, including a flanneled brute and a shirtless crony, as well as a lumbering buffoon that looks like a cross between Left 4 Dead and Chunk from the Goonies. My favorite of the three is the scrawny shirtless one known as the creeper, a comically grotesque pot bellied characature with the same goofy expression permanently plastered across his mug. His slinky posture and doofish tufts of hair on either side of a bald strip (yes I said strip) are always amusing to encounter up close. As a rule, these locals don’t take kindly to your presence and assail you with a variety of  local weaponry including double barrel shotguns, lever action rifles and axes.

Other enemies include swamp ghouls, (same as usual) the glowing ones and the brutally tough ghoul reavers, mole rats, Swamplarks (mirelarks) and tribals. The tribals factor into the largest quest in the game and can be either friend or foe depending on how you play your cards (the only cards I played were hot lead and I was the dealer). There are also smugglers which play a less significant role. Mirelarks, and Mirelark Kings in particular, are used to great effect in this region. They are featured prominently and seem right at home in the salty seaside murk.

The map is large but not huge and features beaches, seaside cliffs, and of course an abundance of swampland. The activities you can engage in range from modest affairs such as gathering ingredients to make moonshine, and collecting soil samples (yay!) to more involved efforts such as taking side in a local feud. Said feud is a large part of Point Lookouts gameplay and the best and longest quest it offers. It involves a dispute between a vicious mercenary ghoul and his longtime rival. I wont give away too much but it’s a lengthy and satisfying quest that gives Point Lookout some girth. The other quests, such as the moonshine one, are primarily errands and are fun for the sake of the action you encounter along the way. All in all the it’s a collection of about 5 quests and various other diversions and activities set in a new and interest environment. Nothing revolutionary, but satisfying as ever. The point is less about following a specific storyline as simply exploring the territory.

The weapons I mentioned before are less significant and flashy than the additions of previous DLC, such as the Gauss gun or Tesla Canon, but they are fun to play around with. The most impressive is the double barrel shotgun, a trusty no nonsense weapon handy for dispatching enemies with a single pulverizing blast equivalent to nearly 100 damage. It’s extremely satisfying. I have the bloody mess perk and it’s a powerful feeling watching an attacker utterly disintegrate into a chunky mist with one shot (sorry I just had to say it). The Lever Action rifle is a 32 cal. weapon similar to the hunting rifle offering slightly scoped sighting and fairly quick reloads. The axe is the melee weapon of choice for locals and if up close and personal is your style it does a respectable amount of damage. There is another more unique weapon you can acquire at the end of a quest but I’ll let you discover that one on your own.

With it’s interesting environment and cavalier gameplay, Point Lookout is a satisfying companion to Fallout 3. With the elbow room of it’s free form style and a decent amount of quests to partake and areas to explore it’s also a great value for 800 pts. I’ve spent around 10 hours playing through it. It’s another solid DLC installment. I’m pleased to see such support for Fallout 3 and hope Bethesda’s dedication continues on for time to come. There are plenty or other places in the radioactive wastes we have yet to set foot.

Red Faction: Guerrilla takes place on Mars and your character is Alec Mason a former miner who rebels against the EDF (Earth Defense Force). Basically the EDF are the bad guys along with with Marauders which are the original inhabitants of the planet. RFG is an open-world game similar to Far Cry 2 and the Grand Theft Auto series. You can do what you want when you want. There are different types of missions that you can complete. The first type is the Gorrilla Actions, these are kind of like side quests, they aren’t necessary but they are pretty fun. Most of these missions consist of doing something in a certain amount of time, for example, destroying the building in front of you with only your hammer in under 2 minutes, or use the turret to destroy the windmills in under a minute. Some of the Gorrilla Action missions consist of going to rescue hostages from a building or stealing a truck from EDF territory and bringing it to a safe house. Each GA mission has a reward whether it be to raise the morale of the Red Faction or give you salvage. The currency used in the game is known as salvage. Salvage is picked up from destroying things as well as rewarded for completing missions.

The second of the mission types are the Destruction Targets. Destruction Targets are exactly what the name says, EDF targets that are to be destroyed. These can range from windmills to office buildings to huge EDF bases. These targets are to be destroyed to weaken the EDF’s forces. The last of the mission types is the actual campaign missions. These missions are usually pretty long and consist of doing more than one thing. If you played the demo you saw one of the campaign missions. Infiltrate an EDF base camp and steal a Walker. Take the Walker to the truck and then defend the truck as it escapes. The campaign missions usually have more of a structure. It’s these missions that when completed will get you further in the game. As you complete these missions you also unlock new areas of the map to explore and conquer.

By completing missions you receive salvage. Salvage is then used to buy upgrades. Some examples of upgrades would be being able to carry more remote charges, or being able to increase the amount of charges you can lay down at one time before detonating them. Other upgrades include better weapons and increasing the amount of damage your armor can withstand. It’s these upgrades that I look forward to most in the game. They change the game up and give you a reason to get more salvage.

There are a few things that instantly stood out about the game for me. One being the fact that the shooting is very accurate and feels great. Another being the vehicles. There is a wide range of vehicles and they are all fun to drive. Some vehicles even have turrets which you can switch to at any moment. Another thing I liked was the fact that they took the narrator from Crackdown, this gave it a great feel. The last thing and also the most important aspect of the game is the fact that everything is totally destructible. Everything. You can go up to a huge tower, destroy the foundation and the whole building will fall down and crumble to pieces. This is at times pretty amazing and this is what makes the game so fun.

Overall Red Faction: Guerrilla is in my opinion a day one purchase if you like open-world games. If you are skeptical, try out the demo, I bet you will enjoy it. I did not play the multiplayer modes at the time this review was written but the single-player campaign alone is enough to merit a day one purchase in my opinion. I plan on putting many more hours into the game so I am happy it was released right in time for the summer months. It looks like all my time is going to be spent on Mars this summer.

It’s been a while since I’ve played a “family” game, probably since LEGO Indiana Jones and I didn’t even play much of it. I personally felt the gameplay was a little bland for the LEGO games. UP on the other hand is the exact opposite. It was really fun. Besides the recently released X-Men Origins: Wolverine most video games based off of movies are pretty lame. UP in my opinion is the second game to get it right.

UP is an adventure/action type game like most movie games. You can take control of and switch between either Carl or Russell (and later Dug) but honestly this game is best played with a friend controlling the second character. I played through it with a friend. What I liked most about the game was that each character had a specific role that they did in specific spots. For example Carl was always the one who would jump up and use his cane to reach a ledge and then pull Russell up and Russell was always the one who would shimmy across ledges and pull Carl up with his rope. These actions weren’t interchangeable, they could only be done by the specific character. This made team-work crucial. I almost feel like UP did the whole co-op thing a lot better than Army of Two did.

The basic gameplay is get from point A to point B while collecting coins and smashing bugs. You also collect artifacts and mementos along the way. Being a perfectionist it was great fun smashing all of the rocks and mushrooms to collect things. I never was bored of the game, I always wanted to keep playing. This was mainly due to the fact that the environments were very diverse and looked very polished. The game is definitely a great looking game. Another thing I enjoyed was the fact that the movie scenes wouldn’t start until both characters were present, this was actually helpful because I would sometimes hang back and collect more coins than my friend would, so I didn’t have to worry about a movie scene cutting into my coin collecting.

The two things I didn’t like about the game were the dogs, these are the only real “enemies” you encounter other than spiders and wasps but they were all kind of annoying. I could never quite block their attacks at the right time. The other thing was the camera, while the camera was great most of the time it did sometimes hang back and do weird things that made it hard to play the game. Sometimes we would have to back track a little to get the camera to reset and follow us.

There are 11 levels total in the game and the game is disappointingly very short. We finished it in about 3-4 hours. This is my only major complaint. The $40 price tag for the Xbox 360 version (which I played for review) is great but might be a little too expensive for the length of the campaign. There are 3 multiplayer modes however. All of them consist of flying a plane but they are all pretty fun. The first mode is “Attack” which is the basic shoot your friends down mode, the next is “Pop” where you are to be the first to shoot and pop 100 balloons, and the last mode is Team where you are to shoot the vital parts of the other teams “drigible” to destroy it. There are 7 maps that you can play these modes on.

Overall UP was a lot of fun. Even though we breezed through it I enjoyed it very much and would love to play it again just to collect all of the mementos and artifacts. I do recommend picking this one up if you have a second person to play it with. While the campaign is short the multiplayer modes are enough to keep you busy for a little longer.

Operation anchorage was frustrating but modestly entertaining. The Pitt was a marked improvement but still just a side note. Broken Steel surpasses them both, in length and enjoyability, extending the main quest of Fallout and taking advantage of the D.C. Wasteland while still providing several large additional maps.

It’s hard to evaluate the episodic enclosure of Fallout 3′s DLC considering the strength of the main game was it’s expansive freedoms and successful moderation of boundaries. The condensation of it’s size was one of the flaws in Bethesda’s approach to DLC but they have all been fun diversions. Broken Steel smartly concludes this package with great additions to the existing game that make it a must buy for fans. If you’ve been on the fence about the DLC, now may be the best time to pick them all up. The various additional creative weapons, armor and bonus features alone are very nearly worth the price of the downloads and when used within Fallout 3′s main quest are extremely entertaining.

Broken Steel is a great way to conclude the series of add-ons not simply because it includes the standard additions of two new weapons and a new suit of armor, or because it’s slightly longer and more epic than the previous DLC, but because it finally delivers on the much anticipated promise to raise the level cap. Now players can grind away all the way to 30 and the points needed to do so are substantial. The quest to once again max out will last far longer than Broken Steel, which is of course the point.

This feature alone has had players eagerly awaiting it’s release, with some fans even holding off on the other DLC until they could take advantage of it. What makes Broken Steel the best installment so far is the way it provides players with so much, with little additional effort. I don’t think it’s actually that much bigger than Operation Anchorage or The Pitt but it’s the features it offers and the way it incorporates them that make it seem so big.

It extends the main quest of Fallout 3, returns to the massive world of the Wasteland, and offers the incentive of a raised level cap and new perks to reinvigorate this post apocalyptic adventure. Combined, these elements result in easily the most satisfying and worthwhile episode yet and as the crowning achievement of the trio, alongside them justifies the entire package.

Broken Steel begins where Fallout 3 ended and allows players to continue on, joining the Brotherhood of Steel in their campaign against the Enclave. If you’ve played through Fallout 3 you know why this would be difficult to do. Without giving too much away Bethesda essentially chose to alter the ending, which is a little awkward and detracts from the original story. However it’s story was never it’s most compelling or outstanding feature so I doubt any tears will be shed. As a continuation of the main quest this means you will need to finish Fallout 3 before you can begin Broken Steel. Most people who have already done so will have at least one saved game nearby so this shouldn’t be a problem.

It’s a little odd since now, instead of a full fledged ending you will have, Broken Steel. The story line simply continues and you are thrust into action alongside the Brotherhood who, armed with Liberty Prime (the enormous robot) are conducting an extermination crusade against the remnants of the Enclave. Make no mistake, this is a combat quest. There is a lot of fighting and fortunately it’s all a lot of fun. There isn’t a lot of necessary structure to the story-line other than what I’ve already explained. The game takes you from one location to the next completing objectives, gathering intel, and eradicating the Enclave. The story for the main game was passive but well done. Here it’s just okay, so it’s fortunate we barely need it. A great story wouldn’t have hurt but what’s offered is serviceable and it’s just so much fun mopping up the Enclave that I didn’t need an abundance of narrative. To quote Aliens, “I only need to know one thing: Where. They. Are.”

The fight eventually leads you to a military air base which boasts some memorable sequences and a generous gratuity of Enclave to dispatch with the copious selection of “hot death” at your disposal. Speaking of which the new Heavy Incinerator may be the hottest “flavor” yet! Picture this: A flame-thrower machine gun. It’s easily one of the coolest weapons ever and the most fun in Fallout 3. That actually should have been the first thing I mentioned in this review because after that there really isn’t any reason to go on. Once you get your hands on a gun that shoots giant balls of fire incredible distances rapidly, you’ve already gotten your money’s worth. Because of it’s incredible range it works great in broad expanses as a first strike weapon that allows you to light your enemies on fire before they even realize they’re being attacked: It’s hilarious. In addition there is an accompanying suit of armor that is my new favorite. The other new weapon, the Tesla Canon, is almost as cool. A heavy, one shot, reload, deal that blast enemies with cocoon of electricity then delivers a crippling surge, the TC definitely has it’s applications.

Though, as far as I could tell, unrelated to the main events of Broken Steel there is also the Tri-Beam Laser, an upgrade to the standard Laser Rifle. Not to be outdone by the weapons, certain enemies have also been upgraded as well. Super Mutant Overlords, and Feral Ghoul Reavers make an appearance as tougher versions of their respective casts. Incinerator wielding Enclave also make things interesting.

Besides the combat and some pretty impressive set pieces, what really makes this experience great is how these events unfold within the context of the Wasteland. Though most of the action still takes place on a few exterior locations, the way the quest is grounded within the primary overworld, allows players access to familiar amenities, and lends to the feeling that this campaign is huge, certainly bigger than it would seem on its own.

The fact that it requires players to complete the game means that most will be playing with fairly leveled up characters, the amount of weapons, perks and other advantages available at this stage in the game (including the additional armaments from previous DLC) is staggering.  Again the general feeling is a newfound immensity to a game that has gradually shrunk with the 100′s of hours spent in it.

What Bethesda has done to extend the playability of the game is commendable. One of the best ways they’ve done this was incorporating the logical progression of the main story-line into the world itself. There are various changes to the wasteland that reflect the events that transpired at the end of the main game as well as the pivotal choices the player can make at that point. It’s this natural evolution of the environment that attributes a sense of novelty to locations hours of playtime have since exhausted. In addition to the primary campaign against the Enclave there are a few side quests that branch into these new developments.

These additional quests are brief but satisfying and contribute to value, scale and enjoyment of Broken Steel. Bethesda was smart and with all the incentive features at work here, it’s clear that this DLC is intended, not only to last longer than the others but inspire a renewed interest in the Fallout 3 experience as a whole as players return to the Wastes in pursuit of level 30. If you haven’t checked out Fallout 3′s DLC yet, if you’ve been waiting for a reason to do so, rest assured, that reason is here. Whether you decide to pick up the others, which are worth it for the additional weaponry, or not Broken Steel is a must for fans of the game. You really owe it to the Wasteland to do something about the Enclave. Do it for Dad.

I have to admit, I was not interested in playing this game at all at first. If I had not seen the game in action on my friend’s PS3, I probably never would have rented it from Gamefly. I put the game in Saturday night thinking I would play it for a bit and then send it back.

Imagine my surprise when, several hours later, I was having to pry myself away from the game so I could get to bed.

Dead Space’s stunning graphics, unique gameplay and creepy feel make it a game worth giving a second look.

So what makes the game so much fun? Addicting gameplay surrounding the “strategic dismemberment,” forcing you to learn how to take out the variations of necromorph. Inventive puzzle solving taking advantage of zero g and vacuum conditions. Inventive weapons add to the mix, and the great if not extremely original story and haunting atmosphere will keeping you wanting to “complete just one more chapter.”

As good as Dead Space is, the game is not without it’s faults. The guideline your main character can call up to lead you to your next destination does not work well in zero g areas. There are times where the overall precise controls break down a bit, like when trying to use your kinetic energy device to plug in batteries for broken electrical systems or an asteroid defense segment that was nearly a game killer for me (don’t worry, the rest of the game makes this horrid part worth slogging through). Also, there is what should have been a twist in the story, but the names of the achievements kind of gave it away.

All in all, Dead Space is a great game. One word of warning, though: the game is rated M for a reason. It is dark, gratuitously gory and in no way intended for kids.

Dead Space is defenitely worth playing if you missed it the first time arround. It’s not for everyone, but it if you can take the grim storyline and want to know just what it would be like facing an alien undead horde, I think you will enjoy it.

Fallout 3 is a game more concerned with immersing players in the experience than forcefully compelling them through it. It isn’t heavily cinematic or driven by a dramatic urgency. It does not force the story upon the player or even insist that they follow a specific route within it. There is a definite, well constructed narrative but it is a means to an end, and Fallout 3 is about the journey not the destination.

It is an RPG that establishes a few rules and necessary parameters within a massive world then simply fades into the backdrop of it’s vastness, allowing players to experience the living breathing environment as they choose. Disassembled and scrutinized the game has flaws but it’s individual blemishes are only problematic on their own. The game is a brilliant amalgamation of modest genres and mechanics, that could be criticized individually but collectively comprise an incredible, satisfying gameplay experience. It is truly the sum of it’s parts, at it’s best in the sprawling ambiguity of it’s wastes and the cavalier sense of freedom it offers players.

Which brings us to the DLC and their independence from the main world of Fallout 3.

Operation Anchorage eschewed the variety that helped balance the game and offset it’s flaws in favor of a restrictive shooter. It suffered for it’s weakness as such. Fortunately, The Pitt avoids such compromises and returns to the fundamental nuance of Fallout 3′s gameplay. The resulting escapade lives up to the original game as a worthy addition.

Branching story paths and non linear environments liberate players and give them a reason to return to try alternate approaches and experience different outcomes. Unlike O.A., a dehydrated combat scenario which stripped players of their inventory and handicapped their chosen skill set with rigid directives, The Pitt offers far greater variety that capitalizes on the multifaceted virtues of Fallout 3′s gameplay. Players can scavenge once more, the environments are open world, and the quests allow greater freedom in the method and manner of their completion. Once again every aspect of the game is fully functional and the result is a far more robust and ultimately satisfying adventure.

Once downloaded, you can begin The Pitt at any point in an existing save. Shortly after returning to the Wastes, you will pick up a radio transmission, just as with O.A. Tuning in adds the quest, as you are requisitioned to help an out-of-towner with some trouble back in his home city. You travel/access The Pitt via a railway tunnel at the far edge of the Wasteland map. A small hand cart serves as your access point. This also means you can return even after the quest is completed and the game does a good job offering incentives to do so. The replay value is another way it trumps O.A., the lack of variety provided little motivation to repeat the experience.

If you’ve seen the trailer you know the story. The Pitt is set in what was formerly Pittsburgh, now the raider capital. It’s social order is comprised of the “workers” (slaves) who work labor in sweltering forges and the ruling class of Raiders that oversee them. The way this hierarchy is portrayed and the nature of the social establishment, woven into the fabric of the narrative, is impressive. The themes at work are classic.

An outsider, brought in to help free the slaves from raider tyranny, you arrive on the verge of a revolt. Tasked with obtaining a cure for the endemic sickness that plagues the region, you must survive physical peril and negotiate the treacherous political climate in order to reach your objective and get out alive. Accepted into the peasant class, your rise from serfdom into the upper echelons of power is an engaging plot that offers a thrilling perspective and plenty of opportunities to assert your karma.

The Pitt itself is an extraordinary place, an austere industrial world of boiling steel, spiring flames and dark clouds that perfectly evoke the harsh reality that dominates the fate of it’s inhabitants. A giant manufacturing complex, the city is cloaked in the oppressive shroud of pollution and tyranny. The foreboding art design and architecture brilliantly captures the dismal state of a fragile and dangerous ecology. Massive plumes of smoke rise ominously against orange skies above, the stacks that spew them dwarf the city beneath. A clutter of pipes, catwalks and debris weave together above the streets, entangling the buildings and forming labyrinthine passageways about the city. Within this terrible dystopia, there is indeed great beauty.

The game takes place entirely within this repressive metropolis and has players interacting with both slaves and raiders. Here the barbarous outlaws are presented as an organized faction with social and political motivations not hinted at in the capital wasteland. Outcasts referred to as Wild Men fulfill the role of “raider” as the obligatory hostiles. The other predators are the Trogs: humans who, succumbing to disease and madness, have degenerated into wild savages that roam the outlying areas. They are the equivalent to feral ghouls, only, with their elongated limbs, viscous expressions and prostrated, aggressive movement, are more frightening. They are however, just as easy to kill as their irradiated counterparts.

Your course through the game walks the line between the slaves and Raiders and until you alienate one side, both remain allied, though not necessarily friendly. The Pitt lives up to the moral dichotomy that Fallout 3 is built on, allowing players to determine their own allegiances. The writing does a respectable job of balancing both sides and although it’s still a pretty basic good/bad choice at work, I admired the deliberate ambiguity of the characters and narrative. The burden of choice was effectively conflicting at times, adding depth to a fairly compelling story.

During the course of the game you will also access two knew weapons. The Auto Axe, recognizable from the early preview screens, is a brutal set of rotating blades, effective at dispatching Trogs, and not bad at most anything else. I have to admit though that, close combat never seemed like a necessary or advantageous method of confrontation in Fallout 3 and so as cool as it looks, I found the Auto Axe somewhat less exciting in practice. (I’d love to see Insomniac’s take on it).

The Infiltrator is a different story. Essentially an Assault Rifle equipped with a silencer and scope (you can repair it with AR’s), the weapon is an elegant balance of stealth and a relentless hail of death (Yes!). My only gripe is the general inaccuracy of Fallout 3′s automatic weapons. Even in great condition, the unpredictable fire, negates to some degree the advantage of the scope. It’s pointless and a little frustrating to put the cross hairs right at someone’s head only to have the bullet do whatever it wants anyway. Still, it’s good quiet fun.

Overall The Pitt is an enjoyable place to discover and explore and there are enough interesting locations and characters to occupy your time. At around 3-4 hours with incentives to return, you’ll get your 800 pts. worth.

A minor complaint is that as with O.A. since this episode takes place apart from the main world of the Capital Wasteland it lacks it’s immensity and the leisured, exploratory pace it’s size effects. Even with it’s open ended nature it’s difficult to stop and simply partake of the experience of The Pitt without feeling compelled to promptly rush from objective to objective; a side effect of it’s self contained design. The world is smaller in size and conceptually isolated. There aren’t other side quests to distract you and the scope of the game is condensed into a single imperative. This may be one of the only flaws in Bethesda’s approach to the first two DLC installments. It will be interesting to see how the final episode turns out since it is set in the Capital Wasteland.

However, The Pitt stays true to the formula and uses it to tell an interesting chapter in this post apocalyptic tale. It delivers thrilling moments and avoids, excuse the pun, the pitfalls of Operation Anchorage, by not forcing the player to rely on primarily one aspect of gameplay. Unlike it’s predecessor it retains the gameplay variations that make the experience enjoyable and rewarding.

As the resident Fallout 3 geek here at EDG, I was excited when the opportunity to experience this first of the DLC trio and offer my impressions finally came. I was enthusiastic from the beginning and wanted to like it from the very beginning. Unfortunately some confounding design choices and a flawed decision to take the emphasis off the RPG and sandbox components and instead focus on Fallout 3′s functional but unimpressive FPS attributes make this a surprisingly mediocre endeavor.

A computer simulation of the liberation of Alaska from Chinese Communists, Operation Anchorage is primarily a combat mission that attempts to encourage strategy with some rudimentary options but largely eschews the open ended freedoms that make the Fallout 3 experience so diverse, dynamic, and compelling. Instead it reduces it to an exercise in linear run and gun action as it confines players within cramped interiors and the conceptually limited scope of the Alaskan military campaign. Employing the idea of a simulation has allowed Bethesda to explore a drastically different scenario than anything seen in Fallout 3, changing the place and even time, in a sense, but at what cost? I applaud the creativity and their willingness to go above and beyond for the DLC, however by effectively discarding the capital wasteland they have also ignored the games quintessential feature and greatest strength in favor of a restrictive shooter that emphasizes the games flawed FPS mechanic by focusing almost entirely on it.

The quest begins within the Capital Wasteland and can be accessed through any new or previously saved game. After a few moments of playing you will pick up a radio distress call from the Brotherhood Outcasts that leads to their main headquarters and an exciting confrontation with super mutants in the downtown area. This battle is actually the most fun I had with the entire quest. Upon repelling the invading freaks and making your way inside the base the Outcasts, as rudely as possible, request your help accessing a vault filled with preserved technology. It seems only by completing a combat simulation of the liberation of Anchorage will clearance to open the vault be granted and apparently your Pip-Boy is required to interface with the simulation (how or why is a little unclear but no matter).

When talking with the gruff Protector McGraw I was tempted to end our discussion prematurely by bragging about how I had wiped out the Outcast contingent at Fort Independence (cold hearted psychopath that I am…what can I say, their armor is worth a lot of caps) but I wanted to liberate Alaska so I resisted the impulse. Instead I satisfied my immature sense of humor and insatiable desire to be a jerk by hacking a computer behind my hosts back as he lead me to his commander. Very soon I was donning a neural interface suit and climbing into the simulation pod, which works the same way as the Tranquility lounger on steroids. Rather than a quaint antique monitor the interior is engulfed in shimmering incandescence and instead of a dinky little tune an sepia Americana, I was greeted on the other side by the crisp blue sky and breathtaking cliff side vista of the Alaskan Wilderness. Nice. But I have just described the best parts of the entire campaign.

The graphics, while not substantially improved were still a little cleaner and the unique art style and new environments all looked very sharp and inviting after so much time in the depressing monochromatic wasteland. I could almost feel the crisp winter wind in my lungs. Overall there seemed to be a slight yet noticeable visual upgrade but the animation remained still relatively mediocre.

The operation officially begins where you have presumably landed by parachute as you receive instructions from a fellow commando to infiltrate the Chinese strongholds for a sabotage mission. As I began to make my way across the rugged cliff side however I encountered the first of a number of frustrating design choices. The removal of all existing weapons and items makes sense and I had anticipated it, but the inability to scavenge, an integral part of Fallout 3′s gameplay, makes the experience feel unnecessarily sparse. Enemies vaporize upon death along with their weapons and the inability to rummage through traditional item caches such as metal boxes, as well as a general lack of other resources such as gun cabinets, foot lockers, and medical boxes constantly frustrated my efforts to embrace the have-it-your-way mentality Fallout 3 thrives on. Instead weapons, ammunition and health are all dispensed at specific locations by gadgets that glow/flash to make them easy to spot (think, the items in Bioshock). With such formal limitations, the ability to shape your own fate by choosing your own weapons, items, and methods feels lost here and the empowering cavalier spirit of the original, contradicted.

The game is broken into two main segments. The first is extremely linear and finds you making your way through the enemy base to rendezvous with another soldier and do some strategic demolition (Yay blow stuff up!) The second, more open, puts you in the field commanding a squadron of soldiers you select with three objectives to complete. Both scenarios are very combat oriented which is essentially the flaw of both and unfortunately, that of Operation Anchorage as a whole.

The first sequence is a dry “corridor shooter” (similar to something you’d find in a typical FPS) in the sense that it requires the player to simply and without deviation, navigate hallways gunning down enemies until they reach the end. Practically devoid of inventory or character customization, the ability to approach situations at the player’s discretion, or other similar freedoms, I found myself frustrated by my lack of options and the sudden inflexibility of the experience. Exterior areas are equally restrictive and invariable as you make your way up narrow pathways that meander precariously across the cliff face. They still present several long distance skirmishes, however, as remote enemies try to gun you down from across the rocky chasms. Unfortunately these altercations are seldom very enjoyable since the sporadic accuracy of Fallout’s automatic weapons make them somewhat ineffective at range and the distance likewise nullifies the percentages of V.A.T.S. The inability to rely on stimpacks or scavenge aid or ammo may have been meant to increase the tension but I just felt slighted out the very fundamentals I had become accustomed to.

The second portion of the game affords the player greater freedoms in how they approach their objectives as well as a larger environment to explore. You take command of a small hand picked platoon to accomplish specific missions. It is still obviously objective based, combat centric and to spite interchangeable weapon sets and squad members, suffers from the same lack of variety as the first. The idea is that you select specific soldier types based on intel for each specific objective, which was a great idea and one I was excited about at first. It’s enjoyable, but the “strategy” element is negligible and between my indestructible AI buddy and the Sentry Bot I chose as a team member I found that “rush in like an idiot, guns blazing” was an effective strategy no matter what the specific conditions of the objective. To be fair though this concept has great potential and demonstrates the designers interest in developing interesting ideas. I just think it would have benefited from a more extensive development period.

Both sections work on the basic level of Fallout 3 combat, but really don’t bring anything new to the formula or do anything to enliven it. Instead they simply reduce it to it’s rudimentary form, which by itself is not particularly engaging, and introduced arbitrary restrictions that seem contrary to the nature of the established formula. The gameplay relies too much on combat alone and makes you forget your playing an RPG. When I leveled up during the mission it actually seemed out of place and irrelevant. Since I was engaged in a straightforward combat scenario, broader strategies and character enhancement seemed pointless.

One of the things observed in most reviews as well as anyone who has spent some time with the game is that Fallout 3 “is not a first person shooter.” Even with the dynamic of V.A.T.S. it’s combat is only a small fragment of the greater whole. Fallout 3 is comprised of a multitude of choices and the freedom and environmental expanse in which to exercise them. It’s strategy and depth lies not in it’s individual mechanics or the strength of a single part but the versatility they afford together and the ability to overcome adversity with the skillful application of a variety of tools and methods. To be able to approach a situation your way, or avoid it completely lends it it’s engaging realism and satisfying sense of accomplishment. It is the sum of it’s parts, a synthesis of gameplay mechanics that could be criticized on their own but together harmonize as an amazing experience. Only through the coalescence of it’s FPS, RPG and Sandbox elements does it transcend the individual flaws of each. Operation Anchorage falters by relying far too much on just one component.

Obviously this is only a side quest and not the entire Fallout 3 experience but the difference between this and the other side quests is it exists in its own enclosed world. The Capital Wasteland is gone and with it most of the flexible gameplay that makes Fallout 3 so enjoyable. It is distinguished by this isolation, ostracized from the fundamental freedom upon which the main game is built, and therefore has too be judged on it’s own and not it’s relation to Fallout 3 as a whole. It has to stand on it’s own merits. Unfortunately it’s merits are combat and as we’ve already established the FPS mechanics at work here are not on par with Halo or CoD4. Essentially Operation Anchorage shoots itself in the foot by straying from it’s foundations and identifying itself as more of a shooter at the same time not allowing the player enough room to experience it with the sense of self reliance and ingenuity that define the Fallout 3 experience.

I don’t mind Bathesda creating something completely new and unique but since they so clearly distinguished it from it’s origins why couldn’t they have invented more in terms of gameplay as well. Since they fabricated a completely new environment, why not use the opportunity to get creative with the play mechanics, tweak the RPG system, or do something innovative with V.A.T.S. They could have introduced some new features that would have complimented and enhanced the basic combat system instead of just leaving it out to dry. Since it’s a simulation the new rules wouldn’t have had to apply to the rest of the game but could be discarded at the mission’s conclusion.

Closing Thoughts

Operation Anchorage is not absolutely terrible to spite my critical appraisal. The change of scenery is nice, the combat, while over relied upon, still works, and it introduces some new weapons and armor that are made available upon completion. In particular, there is a stealth suit with cloaking capabilities that’s a lot of fun to play around with in the wasteland when OA is over. I just think certain design choices hold it back and as big fan of Fallout 3 I can’t help but be a little disappointed with it’s disregard for what I feel are some of title’s best features.

At around 3 and a half hours I also feel that 800pts ($9.99) is a little steep. It would offer more value if it was a more open ended experience but the cut and dried, A to B objectives, restrictive map design, and lack of player choices leave little room for anything but running and gunning commies (don’t get me wrong I love sticking it to the Reds as much as the next guy.) If you’re a big fan of Fallout 3, as I am, check it out. However if you played Fallout 3, thought it was great, but have since moved on this isn’t enough incentive to justify a returning to the good fight. That being said I’m still excited about the next two DLC installments; The Pitt coming in February and Broken Steel, in March. Stay tuned for our coverage as more details surface. Here’s hoping Bathesda renews the sense of freedom and choice that makes Fallout 3 so great.

EA, in recent years, has positioned itself as a brand gamers love to hate. Micro-transaction fiascoes coupled with annual title releases, ad-nausea, give you the feeling EA has gone to the well too many times. Dead Space is definitely a step in the right direction for EA. Brand new IP’s are few and far between these days, which is why Dead Space is a welcomed entry into the survival horror genre, however new and interesting does not always equate to worth playing. Is Dead Space worthy of finding a place in your game library? Let’s find out!

On the surface, the story masquerades itself as a throw away. Gigantic interstellar space ship gets taken over by an alien life form that threatens the human race, Event Horizon anyone? Dig a little deeper and the story becomes very intriguing, with details begging to be discovered (I’ll leave that up to you). You take control of Issac Clarke (clever combination of science fiction writers Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke) a futuristic engineer sent on a routine maintenance trip to the USG Ishimura. The “planet cracker” known as the USG Ishimura harvests precious raw materials from planets throughout the galaxy, aka mammoth sized space craft. Along for the ride is token pretty girl/technical specialist Kendra Daniels and hardened security office Zach Hammond. Both supporting characters lend to the story nicely, never feeling out of place. Isaac’s love interest is also stationed on the ship which adds to the tension. After executing a less than desired landing on the USG Ishimura you quickly realize all is not well.

Dead Space sends a clear message right from the start. You are the prey not the predator. These predators, kindly referred to as Necromorphs, are mutations of their human carriers sporting organic, razor sharp limbs. Rather than a traditional headshot, Necromorphs must be relieved of their aforementioned limbs, know as “Strategic Dismemberment.” The AI is extremely resourceful and intelligent. During the early stages of the game I found myself running low on ammo and trying to flee the scene. Retreating into a previous “safe room” proved fatal, as the Necromorphs can take advantage of the ships ventilation system and track you down. Which is a nice change from the enter room, kill everything, door magically opens mechanic of several games. Not to mention, when the AI feels out manned they will retreat into these vents for a strategic flanking maneuver. Controlling Isaac takes a little practice but those used to Resident Evil 4 will have no problem as the controls closely mirror Capcom’s gem. Unlike Resident Evil 4, Isaac’s movement is very agile and responsive; you never feel like a lumbering tank trying to adjust position. Dead Space is devoid of any HUD system which really adds to the immersion of the game. Everything you need to be aware of is displayed on Isaac’s gear or from holographic images, all in real time. Weapons are not your standard fare either, consisting of engineering tools rather than traditional firearms. One unique tool, known as the ripper, suspends a rotating saw blade perfect for slicing and dicing Necromorphs. Projectile weapons are not your only resource; the stasis module grants the ability to slow enemies and objects allowing for some nice puzzle solving scenarios. The kinesis module allows Isaac to pickup and shoot objects, a la Half-Life 2’s gravity gun. Weapon and gear upgrades are handled through “work benches” spread within the game world. Power nodes are required in order to upgrade your equipment which can be found or purchased in the various store locations. Zero-gravity sections are dispersed throughout the story leading to some very interesting and exciting game play moments.

Everything about Dead Space screams polish. The visuals are amazing, the audio is incredible and the lighting is some of the best I have seen. Due yourself a favor, play this game with the lights off and the volume cranked to 11, your neighbors will forgive you someday. After completing the game, around 10 hours, you next play though keeps your current upgrades. One major design flaw; is the inability to change the difficulty level while keeping your upgrades. I still can’t understand why EA would cripple this particular feature.

All in all Dead Space in a refreshing new look at the survival horror genre. If grinning from ear to ear, while your heart is pounding out of your chest sounds like good fun, then look no further. Don’t get me wrong it is not without its faults. For many the lack of multiplayer, amount of backtracking (which fits within the story), and numerous you fixed this, now this is broken moments may deter you. Another thing worth mentioning is how the difficulty level is handled. Hard is the new normal. If you are looking for a challenge start there, while the normal difficulty will satisfy the casual gamer. I encourage you to look past the flaws as clearly Dead Space was developed by gamers for gamers. This game is easily a rental, if survival horror is your thing, you can feel confident in adding it to your game library.

The Call of Duty Franchise makes it’s return (sans distinguishing numeral) with World at War, and while gamers look forward to seeing how the modern setting will be fleshed out, most cringe with the thought of Treyarch stepping back into the driver’s seat. Yes, Activision continues the flip-flop development act, and to add salt to the wound fans find themselves back to the old World War II setting. So, how does WaW perform in the shadow of it’s older, more modern, big brother CoD4? Does Treyarch create a compelling and entertaining  FPS that  feels more relevant than WWII? Those questions and more will be answered as we take a look at the newest addition to the CoD family.

CoD has always had a special place in my heart, as it was the franchise that introduced me to the FPS genre, but like many other gamers who were jaded by the past outings from Treyarch, I really wasn’t anticipating WaW like I have past Call of Duty titles. CoD 3 had given me enough of an idea of the developer’s style, and with CoD4 still feeling fresh (even a year after release) I felt no need to dive into this game. As more time passed and new details were leaked my interest began to peak and I found myself anticipating facing off against Nazis for the umpteenth time. Let me get this out of the way – forget what you know, Treyarch delivers with World at War as the game surpasses all expectations.

Once you jump into the game play the first thing you’ll notice is how closely WaW emulates CoD4′s game play mechanics. The settings may have changed (this time you find yourself in the Pacific Theater), but so many things have made the transition from 4 to WaW. At times even the missions seem to be repeat offenses just with new backgrounds (sniper mission anyone?). This is a good thing, obviously CoD4 did so many things right, but it would be nice to see more originality in the story. Many times I got the feeling that Treyarch couldn’t think on it’s own and had to copy missions from the game’s predecessor. This is no reason to skip the campaign, there are some incredible moments, but don’t be surprised if you experience a little deja vu as you play through much of the story.

Possibly one of the biggest questions is: How do the weapons control? World War 2 doesn’t equal dated weapon controls (at least not this time). Just as Treyarch has borrowed several aspects from CoD4, weapon control is not an exception. The weapons may look different from the modern day offerings that we received in the fourth outing of this series, but don’t be fooled as the controls will immediately feel familiar for anyone who has played 4. On top of all of this – how many time’s have you used a flamethrower in a WWII game? The addition of the flamethrower helps to add a new element to what most gamers have come to expect from weapons in a WWII game. Like any good FPS the weapons in World at War are more than competent – in fact I thoroughly enjoyed being able to get more hands on time with WWII weapons inside the CoD4 control scheme.

There is no lack of game modes with this CoD outing. Returning is the ever popular online mode which features the usual Capture the Flag, Death-match, Team Death-match, etc. Throw in co-op game play and you have enough to keep you coming back long after you’ve completed the main campaign. If that wasn’t enough for you Treyarch kept a tight wrap on a special game mode that only became public knowledge shortly before the game’s release. Nazi Zombie mode makes it’s CoD debut – look at it as Gears of War’s Horde mode meets CoD with zombies. It’s an incredibly challenging game mode that will keep many gamers occupied as they defeat wave after wave of Zombie all in the name of climbing the ranks.

World at War makes it’s case for it’s spot in the CoD franchise. Developer Treyarch has created a gorgeous game with smooth controls and a competent story – with this outing they prove that they are a credible player in the CoD series. If you enjoyed CoD’s previous WWII entries or you simply enjoy the franchise as a whole then you should check out WaW – if nothing else it’s at the very least worth a rent. While the game may not progress the story or game play of Call of Duty it does nothing to set back Activision’s hit series. As long as IW and Treyarch can continue to perform in this manner there is no reason to think that Activision will ever find itself anywhere but on the top of the FPS market.

The campaign of this game can be played single player with three A.I. controlled friends or the recommended four person co-op.  You can play as one of four survivors; Francis who is a biker, Zoey is who in college and is into horror movies, Louis who works in his company’s IT department, or Bill who is a former Green Beret.

This game plays a little different than most games I’ve played in that there are four locations and you can play them in any order.  These locations are titled Blood Harvest, No Mercy, Death Toll, and Dead Air.  Your main goal is to get to the rescue spot without getting killed by the “Infected” zombies.  Along the way there are several “safe houses” that you have to work to get to, these allow  you to save and stock up on health and ammo.  These items are also available along the way if you explore your surroundings enough.

The zombies come in a few different forms.  There is the horde, also known as the “normal” zombies and then there are the special “Infected” zombies.  All of the special infected have special attaches that you have to watch out for.  The Boomer is the easiest to spot as he is about as much round as he is tall.  Like the name hints, when you shoot him he blows up and if his blood gets on you it will alert the horde.  Also if he throws up on you before you shoot him, then you will not be able to see and it will also alert the horde.  The next special zombie is known as the Hunter. To me the Hunter is one of the most dangerous because he leaps out of nowhere and pushes you down on the ground.  You can usually spot him as he is always crouching and tends to make a very shrill scream each time he leaps.  The Gene Simmons version of the infected is the Smoker.  This special infected has a frog like tongue that will grab you and pull you towards him.  Unless your facing him, it takes a teammate to shoot him to get you free.  Once killed the Smoker blows up leaving lots of… well, green smoke.  One of the hardest special infected to kill is the Tank.  The hulk/king kong looking infected will usually target one of the survivors.  He will throw things at you like cars and it takes a lot of blast to take him down.  You can easily hear him coming and feel the room or area that you are in shake because of him.  Last but definitely not least is the witch.  You can hear the witch crying before you ever get to her.  If you spot her and don’t shine your flashlight on her, most of the time you can walk around her without disturbing her.  However if you disturb her watch out as she is very fast and strong and will knock you down 99% of the time.

Teamwork is the name of the game in Left 4 Dead.  Staying together and working together are very important if you want to make it past the harder levels.  One nice thing about the game is that your teammates are highlighted so you can always see were they are.  You can even see their outline through walls.  This is great in case you do get separated.  When you go down your outline with flash orange to let your teamates know that you need help but if you go down too much the screen will turn black and white which lets you know that if you get attacked one more time you will die.  If you die early you will likely respawn in a closet and your teammates will have to find you and let you out.  This is a very nice touch and give you some hope that you will return to the game.

Then there is the versus mode.  This mode is 4 vs 4, with 4 people getting to be the survivors and 4 getting to play as the special infected and after the chapter swapping sides.  The survivors get points for how well they do and if they die before reaching the safe house, they will get points for how far they made it.  When playing as the infected you will randomly respawn as different infected but never as the witch.  You will also be alerted when someone is about to take over as the Tank.  When respawing as an infected you get to pick were you want to respawn but you can’t respawn in site of a survivor.  As the infected you can see the survivors through walls every time they move or shoot but if the survivor stays still long enough they will disappear.  This mode can only be played on Blood Harvest and No Mercy.  It can be challenging and the group that works better together will usually win.

With all the great games coming out right now it may be easy to overlook Left 4 Dead but I have to tell you, you would really be missing out.  This is one of the most fun games I’ve played all year.  It has very high replay value and is a must buy.  So go grab three friends and start kicking some zombie butt!

Additional Comments from Patrick Adams:

I agree Left 4 Dead is an amazing game. The replay value is very high and I believe that because there are so many different combinations of playing L4D this will cause people to come back to it time and time again. I am also very excited to see Left 4 Dead become part of the Valve family of awesome games and I hope we will see some DLC for L4D sometime in the near future. This is a franchise that can easily be expanded and I don’t think they will have a hard time making a sequal out of it as well. I can’t wait for some L4D2!

Fallout 3 starts with you witnessing your birth in the confines of Vault 101. In the opening hour of gameplay you are introduced to the mechanics and story of the Fallout world, and while this serves it’s purpose it also creates for a slow start. Don’t be fooled by the beginning of the game’s snail pace though, because you quickly find out that life inside of 101 is not as friendly as it may appear. As something strangely prompts your father to make a run for it, you are left to make an escape or meet your own demise. It’s from here that your wonderfully, wild adventure to find your father begins.

As I finally made my way out of Vault 101 and into the sunlight of the nuked DC wasteland the overall vastness of Fallout was immediately apparent. Exploration is one of the key elements of an open world RPG of this nature and there is no lack of it here. My travels during the game had me venturing into makeshift towns pieced together from scrap airplane parts, subway stations teeming with ghosts, and many other unique locations.

One of the many questions I had coming into my time with Fallout 3 was how would Bethesda handle the dungeons in this game? After a short amount of time in Fallout you’ll notice that many of the games dungeons are simply cut and paste affairs. That’s not to say that this aspect of the game is flawed by any means, but the problem that I noticed after several hours of game play is that most of the game’s dungeons had that “been there done that” feeling. Dungeon crawling still presents fun game play, but you’ll want to spend most of your time sucking in the radiated outside air.

Combat in Fallout 3 is somewhat of a mixed bag. Battles can be approached from a variety of angles; there’s third person (throw this mode out the window), first person, and the distinctive V.A.T.S. (pause time, target a body part, attack) system. While no one approach is right or wrong, this isn’t a game that you’ll want to play through solely as an FPS nor is it a game that you’ll want to play through as a standard RPG. While Bethesda claimed in early interviews that you could play the entire game as a first person shooter, doing so will only result in frustration and looking at the “Game Over” screen many, many times. From my experience the best way to handle a fight is by combining quick attacks via first person mode with deadly blows through the V.A.T.S system. It’s an experience that takes patience and some getting used to, but with practice you’ll find yourself tearing through baddies in no time.

What’s a good RPG without a solid leveling and character progression system? Fortunately that question is not answered here, as Fallout’s character progression approach is top notch. You’ll find plenty of options when it comes time for your character to level up. The best approach to leveling is to focus in on only a few areas where you would like to progress and then throw all of your attribute points at those areas. What’s unique about this game is the Perks that you can also select for your character when you level up. Perks allow you to advance in specific areas quicker based on which Perk you choose.

The story line and character’s in Fallout are as top notch as every other aspect of this game. While you could plow through the main quest in 20 some hours, doing so would only do an injustice to the amount of work that Bethesda put into fleshing out the living, breathing world of Fallout 3. Everything from the voice acting to script screams blockbuster production. I came across characters that I grew to love and some that I loved to hate. Take your time with this game – stories like this don’t come along often in the video game world.

So is there anything negative about Fallout 3? Well, yes. Playing a game of this magnitude can become overwhelming at times and Fallout doesn’t do the best job at pointing you in the right direction. Sometimes exploration is the best route, but it would be nice if at times there was a little more hand holding. It’s a small hindrance, but one non-the-less. I also would have preferred for Bethesda just to do away with the third person option – yes you don’t need to use it, but why is it even there? I also felt like the gore was a little over the top. How many times do you need to see an enemies head explode off their shoulders? Other than these few, small setbacks the game is otherwise an incredible masterpiece.

Fallout 3 is an encounter with greatness that every gamer should take the time to experience. If you are a fan of Bethesda’s other outings then you should already have this game. Even if you never were able to play any of the Elder Scrolls games you still owe it to yourself to check this one out. An experience like this comes around only a few times in a consoles life, so what are you waiting for?

]]> http://everydaygamers.com/2008/11/20/fallout-3/feed/ 11 http://everydaygamers.com/2008/11/19/gears-of-war-2-multiplayer/ http://everydaygamers.com/2008/11/19/gears-of-war-2-multiplayer/#comments Wed, 19 Nov 2008 21:22:14 +0000 Werner Sencion http://everydaygamers.com/?p=3391 The original Gears of War was the reason I swallowed my pride and all my hatred for the Xbox 360. As soon as I saw it at my friend’s house I was hooked, and after my first time playing the multiplayer online against other friends I knew that my life actually had a meaning. Then along comes Gears of War 2 to show me that the original game in fact sucked by comparison.

GoW2 takes everything the first game did right and takes it to the next level, and multiplayer is no different. Doubling the number of multiplayer modes the original shipped with, adding party play, increasing the amount of players per game amongst other gameplay and aesthetic additions are pretty much sprinkling heroin on the already addictive formula of the first GoW.

The new multiplayer modes are Submission, Guardian, Wingman and Horde:

Submission is a twisted version of capture the flag in which you have to shoot down a civilian, who is by the way armed with a shotgun, and then carry him to a designated area, while your teammates try to protect you from the ever respawning onslaught of enemy forces trying to stop you.

Guardian is a regular warzone match with one difference: as long as the leader is alive the other player will keep respawning, but the leader’s death does not end the match either.

Wingman places you and a friend in a battle against up to four other teams of two in a no holds barred battle. Your friend will control a twin of your character, so shoot whoever doesn’t look like you. And then there’s…

Horde is the most unique of all the multiplayer modes, and in my opinion the best. A team of up to 5 players faces off against wave after wave of increasingly numerous, and resilient enemies. Players will have to work together to survive even at the lowest levels of this mode, and towards the end it gets so frantic that it reminds me of a zombie movie, where one person tries to board up the entrances while the others shoot the oncoming onslaught of enemies.

Party mode is for friends who want to stick together for more than one match without having to restart the game to change modes; and even making it possible to play with friends on ranked matches (which are now known as “public matches”), which I pretty much avoided in the first game because it was a pain finding a good group to play with.

Achievements are, unlike they were in the first game, unlocked throughout all modes, multiplayer or campaign, making it actually fun to get them. Most of the achievements in the original games were setup to only unlock on ranked matches, which were so frustrating to start, or play for any length of time that only the most diehard players (or those achievement boosting) unlocked them, which is kind of sad in such a great game. In this game achievements not only unlock while you’re playing with friends, but there is also a counter telling you how close you are to a certain achievement, which will keep your interest in the game going a bit longer, pushing you to get those 3 more shield melee attacks, or to win just one more chainsaw battle.

The campaign mode will only take you a couple of hours to complete, so multiplayer is what will keep this game in your 360′s disc drive. It’s just nice to know that multiplayer only improves on the good points of the old game, ensuring you will have fun with this one for many months to come.

So as you can probably imagine, Gears of War 2 had some awfully large shoes to fill. Fair or not, it was going to be compared in my mind to the game that made me decide which of the next gen consoles I was going to buy.

Fortunately, Gears 2 does just that, and so much more.

Story: It takes no time for Gears 2 to separate itself from it predecessor’s rather lackluster story. The opening cinematic, voiced by the mysterious Queen of the Locust whose voice was the last you heard in Gears, leads straight into a discussion among Marcus, Dom and Anya about the rather unusual attacks by the Locust as of late. This discussion  helps you understand that the infamous twosome of Delta squad aren’t just mindless warriors; they are soldiers who understand the weight of what lies ahead. This really becomes evident as the story of Dom’s wife Maria unfolds throughout the game, giving you not only insight into his character, but also a chance to see Marcus as not just a disgruntled war veteran, but a true friend who actually cares about his squad mates.

Marcus and Dom aren’t the only characters who get a more humanized treatment in this game. Anya becomes more than just a voice on the other end of a comlink, actually finding herself in some rather difficult situations throughout the game and showing real concern for Delta squad. Then there’s Tai, a tough as nails character with a rather unusual disposition whom I couldn’t help but like instantly. Baird is still whiny, but he does get the job done when you need him, and Cole, well, he’s just Cole. Even Carmine, your fresh out of boot camp rookie, reveals more about himself and is much more useful than his brother from the first game (did anyone else catch the inside joke….he’s a sniper!).

Now don’t get me wrong, the story is not going to win any awards, nor does it compare to games like Mass Effect or Bioshock in it’s depth, but it’s nice to see that Gears 2 is not a great game were the story is an afterthought. There are even a couple of points in the game that will sting you emotionally, and no, I’m not talking about the inevitable death of Carmine (come on, that shouldn’t even be a spoiler).

One other decision made by Epic in terms of story was nothing short of brilliant. Remember the COG tags from Gears? Well, the idea of collecting items is back in Gears 2, but this time what you are collecting helps fill in the gaps in the story, whether you are finding journal entries from other COG soldiers or newspaper headlines recounting the events in the Gears universe. In other words, finding the items not only gives you achievements, it helps you gain more insight into the world around you.

One word of advice: do not skip the end credits.

Gameplay: As I’m sure is true with many of you, the gamplay of the original Gears of War really set the game apart for me from the rather crowded market of sci-fi shooters. The idea of transitioning from cover to cover, active reload, and a refined over the shoulder camera that allowed you to move seamlessly between firing from the hip and down the sights worked better than ever expected. The only real complaints were that it was rather easy to end up moving to cover you never intended to get behind or finding it hard to remove yourself from cover.

Gears 2 has managed to take what was great about the original game and refine it just enough to make the gameplay even more enjoyable. Transitioning from cover to cover is much more intuitive; I never really found myself looking to the images that showed me where I was going to move, I just did it. You can separate yourself from cover much more easily now, which means that in those times when you do manage to get behind the wrong wall or shield, you can move away much more readily. You now also have options on how you choose to shoot from cover. Instead of being forced to shoot over it, you can lean to the side and shoot from there. You can also just barely peak over cover, which will keep you more protected but will make it harder for you to target enemies.

Weapons have also been tweaked in Gears 2. The Lancer is still the mainstay, but you may find yourself switching up your other weapons much more often depending on what situation you are in. For me, the Scorcher became my weapon of choice when dealing with wretches, whereas the shotgun was my favorite when dealing with them in the previous game (the chainsaw on the Lancer works great as well). The Mulcher, a portable turret for lack of a better explanation, became my favorite way to take on Reevers and other large enemies, while the Mortar was perfect for taking out hordes of Locust from a distance. Every weapon has its place in Gears 2; you even have to think about what pistol you are carrying, because that is all you can use if you are using a Boomshield or taking a downed Locust hostage to shield your advance.

In a game like Gears 2, it is really easy to find yourself doing the same thing over and over again, though at heart you are, the pacing and diversity of the game makes it feel different. One minute, you are dealing with a handful of rather tough enemies; the next, you are facing wave after wave of locusts and looking frantically for more ammo. Or you may be trying to deliver a bomb to blow open a locked door, using only one hand and a pistol to fend of wretches. Or you are shooting everything you have at an advancing Brumak. Even the driving sequences, so often an afterthought in games like this, are much more polished in this game, especially the final “vehicle” you get to drive. And if you think the Brumak is the biggest thing you have to deal with in this game, think again. It’s not even a close second.

Criticisms: Gears 2 does have it’s faults. In one of the early driving sequences, you are having to take out “mortar” fire from Seeders that threatens to tear apart the rig you are riding. Problem is, the mortars can be hard to hit, and since it only takes a few hits to take you out (try 2 on insane mode), you might find yourself repeating the scene over and over. The Locust can now revive downed comrades as well, which, while it adds a new gameplay element, can frustrate the heck out of you as you find yourself killing the same grub several times. There are other times where you need to hear what your teammates are telling you to know how to deal with a certain enemy, but the ambient noise of the level around you makes it very difficult to hear that crucial piece of info.

Then there’s the final boss. Remember how hard the battle against Raam was in Gears? Well, no such luck this time. The only thing that offsets that is how much fun the part leading up to it is.

Conclusion: Gears of War 2 delivers on the promise of it’s designer Cliff Bleszinski. It is bigger. It is better. It is even that word I do not intend to use in thus review. Yes, it has some minor problems, but they do not take away from what is truly a magnificent game. This one is well worth the money.

And that’s just the campaign. Multiplayer is another matter entirely.

“Epic Makes a Good Move But Comes Up Short” – Additional Comments by Jody Driggers

After much waiting we finally get to play Epic’s Gears of War 2.  Before the release I was reading a lot of different news on this game and one thing that caught my eye is the fact that it was going to have a language filter included in the game.  Being kind of new to games I’m not sure if this is the first game to offer this or not but I was excited about the option.  I love the new games coming out but the language in games like this is a little unsettling.  First of all I have to wait for my kids to be asleep or not around for me to play.  Also if given the option I personally would like not to hear all of the foul language.  Don’t get me wrong the language wouldn’t stop me from playing it but given the choice I could do without it.  With that said I went to the midnight launch, got home put the game in and while waiting on my buddy (who I was going to play co-op with) I decided to put the language filter on.  After playing awhile I got to a part and I started to hear words I thought the filter should have filtered out.  So I went to the options and made sure I had the option for language filter on and I did.  A while later I started to notice that some words were bleeped out and some were not.  The funny thing was that the same words would be beeped out once and let go the next time.

After doing some reading it appears that Epic filtered out the “strong language”.  From what I heard it was filtered so that if it was a movie it would be rated PG-13.  I was very disappointed.  I give props to Epic for doing something but why not take it all the way.  I mean if someone takes the time to turn the filter on in the first place then they probably want all the bad language filtered out.  I wish they would have at least put some sort of slider in that you could pick some bad language or all bad language filtered out.  My biggest problem with this is that kids will now get this game because their parents will think that they can just turn on the filter and stop the bad language.  I know it has an M rating but how many kids do you play with online?  I know I have many kids under 17 that I play with on Live and many of them have Gears of War 2.  Once again I don’t want to seem like I’m slamming Epic because they did make an effort to put this option in the game I just wish they would have taken it all the way.

Pure is an ATV racing game with some epic hundred foot jumps, off the wall tricks, great graphics and great courses, the ability to build your own ATV and three different event types, Racing, Sprint and Freestyle. In “Racing” the courses are long and there are a lot of jumps, from small to really big, while in “Sprint” the courses are much shorter and there are fewer jumps. In the third mode “Freestyle” you must pull off as many tricks as possible to get the highest score before your gas tank runs dry.

The controls are very simple, pressing the A, B or Y buttons will allow you to do Basic, Advanced and Pro tricks, respectively. You also have your Thrill Bar which fills up when you do tricks. You start all events with only basic tricks but once you start filling up the Thrill Bar you will unlock Advanced and Pro tricks. Your Thrill Bar also measures the amount of boost that you have, using boost will make you lose your Advanced and Pro tricks (until you fill up the Thrill Bar again) but most of the time it is necessary to win. When building your ATV you build it from the ground up, luckily there is an auto-build feature where you can have the game build either an optimal racing or optimal freestyle ATV for you. You can also choose your ATV’s color and you can select from some decals to put on it. You can also unlock stuff like new tricks and new parts to upgrade your ATV with.

I have not run into any problems except a small one and that is after doing a trick you crash despite your rider being fully back on their ATV, while it is annoying it doesn’t happen too much. The graphics are great which makes for some really cool courses. There are 32 courses and all of them look great. With seven different locations around the world you have some really cool scenery, for example one course is in a jungle and another on sand dunes. Other then the main mode, “Pure World Tour”, there is a “Single Event” mode, a “Time Trial” mode and a Multiplayer Mode, but for whatever reason no local multiplayer. You are also able to compete in any of the 3 events online, including a Freeride Mode, which can only be played online. Pure is a fun game with great graphics really adding to the experience, but the thrill of jumping a hundred feet in the air and doing wacky and unrealistic tricks kind of just wore off after a few races and I found myself getting bored, however, I am not a huge fan of these types of games usually, but I did enjoy this for awhile. If you aren’t usually a fan of these types of games I’d say it is at least worth a rent, fans however may want to buy this one.

Another Take: I downloaded the demo after hearing many people say the game was awesome and I am glad I did. I myself am a huge fan of the SSX series and Pure feels right at home. Pulling off insane tricks on huge jumps feels very similar to the SSX. Even though I loved the demo I still haven’t had time to pick it up so I cannot comment on the full game but I do wish I would have picked this one up instead of wasting my money on Mercenaries 2. - Patrick Adams

]]> http://everydaygamers.com/2008/10/29/pure/feed/ 0 http://everydaygamers.com/2008/10/23/saints-row-2/ http://everydaygamers.com/2008/10/23/saints-row-2/#comments Thu, 23 Oct 2008 23:40:55 +0000 Patrick Adams http://everydaygamers.com/?p=3252 This review was originally written by Brian K. who is no longer with Everyday Gamers.

If you have played the first Saints Row before then this game will feel very much the same, in fact, save the storyline and some new features, this game looks the same and plays the same as the first. If you were a fan of the first then you will like this game but if you didn’t like the first one then none of the new features will make you a fan.

The storyline in Saints Row 2 continues right off of the first game, however if you haven’t played the first catching on to what is going on isn’t very hard. Your character wakes up in a jail infirmary, bandaged up, just waking up from his coma which happened because of an explosion. This is where you get to create your character. You get to choose your characters race, age, weight and gender. With plenty of sliders to mess around with to scale your character you can make him/her look how you want them to look, then you can choose their voice and some taunts for them as well. Once your character wakes up and escapes from jail they find out that the 3rd Street Saints are no more and 3 other gangs have taken over. Once you have finished the prologue and recruited a new gang you are free to do whatever, especially since the entire city is open from the start.

The main missions are fun, with decent characters and a decent storyline, nothing fantastic but it is good enough to at least stay fun. Most of the missions consist of shooting your way through a bunch of gang members to get to where you want or to who you want. But there is a nice mix of different kinds of missions to keep it from getting too repetitive. For example, in one mission you have to take down a gangs lieutenant by sword dueling him. Also a new feature is the checkpoint system, which is very useful. You can also play any of the side-missions, called diversions. There are a lot of side-missions and all of them are fun. There are some like the “Insurance Fraud Diversion” where you dive in front of cars and try and get as much money as you can, or the “Riot Control Diversion” where you play bodyguard to a celebrity and you have to keep crazed fans away from them by any means necessary. None of the Diversion missions are all that serious or realistic but I think that is why they are so fun. There is also multiplayer with objective-based modes and a death match mode.

Some new features include being able to take a human shield which can come in handy. And you also earn stars for doing certain things like killing a gang member or doing stunts in a car, the harder the kill/stunt is to pull of the better the star rating from 1 bronze star to 3 gold stars. The better the star rating the more respect you earn from it. Also you are able to unlock extra stuff as you play like different taunts or fighting styles, faster health regeneration or better accuracy. Also there is a co-op mode where anybody can join in at any time, I have not used this feature though. You can change it to where anybody can join or just your friends. You can also make it invite only. While I have run into some glitches they were all graphical and didn’t affect gameplay at all. Speaking of which, the graphics aren’t anything special compared to other new games. But all in all this game is good and one of the main reasons I like it is because it isn’t all that serious all the time. If you have played the first Saints Row and liked it you will like this game, if you didn’t like it then this game won’t interest you either. If you haven’t played it but like the Grand Theft Auto games or at least like the idea of an open-world game then I’d say Saints Row 2 is at least worth a rent.

Patrick: I too have been waiting for Castle Crashers to release for a long time now, the first time I heard about it seems like forever-ago. One of the main things that draws me in to games these days is the art-style. I was instantly hooked to CC once I saw the typical Behemoth art-style we are accustomed to. After waiting forever, Castle Crashers has finally released and it is all that I was hoping it would be. CC brings back fond memories of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time on the SNES, the hack and slash side-scroller that I grew up playing. It’s this simple style of game combined with some great RPG elements that make Castle Crashers the ultimate XBLA game.

Werner: The gameplay is very fast paced and hectic at sometimes, and other times it can also be very slow and steady and very combo driven and tactical. It all depends on how you choose to make your character grow. Before beating the game I had already created a green knight who fought using mostly magic, a grey knight who was a powerful combatant and a high speed thief whose agility was so high that he could kill most enemies before they had a chance to get close to him, or even come into the screen. I beat it with the thief, of course, so now I have to go make some sort of a tank who can take any punishment anyone could dish out.

Patrick: Unlike Werner I tried to even my orange knight out pretty evenly with an emphasis on magic. This made the game pretty steady throughout and I was thankful to have my wife beside me as a blue knight who leveled everything evenly also but with an emphasis on strength. This made the game turn out to be a standard medium difficulty game.

Werner: The game is not flawless though, and the flaws it does have are only made worse by the irony that they make this multiplayer aimed game be impossible to play online reliably, and frustrating to play offline. Online play is terribly laggy, followed by random disconnects which cause you to lose any progress gotten during that stage. Offline play requires the other players to each have their own gamertag. It only takes a few minutes to create these new gamertags, but this should really be “pick-up and play”, with the option for others to log in. Another problem with the game is a random bug which causes people to lose their saved files. This is extra annoying if you spent hours powering up your red knight to level 50 one day, and he’s back to level 1 next time you play.

Patrick: Yes, I agree. One of the main aspects of CC is the fact that it is meant to be played with at least 2 but preferably 4 people. This is also the downfall of the game. I tried to play by myself and I found it very difficult, the more people you play with the better, but this also means more chaos on the screen which makes it hard to even find your character, which brings me to my next complaint. Even though I absolutely love the art, the screen doesn’t seem big enough (even my 52″) and some of the enemies and characters are too big which makes it hard to know what is going on. I was playing with my two cousins and a friend and one of my cousins had been button-mashing for at least a minute before he realized he was already dead and had been for at least 30 seconds. This is how chaotic it can get on the screen. If you keep it down to 2 knights it keeps it pretty clean. I’ve noticed the later levels tend to me less-chaotic as well.

Werner: Castle crashers is an awesome game. Maybe my favorite XBLA game, and a game I know I will be playing on the down time in-between the Gears of Wars and Fables and Skates. Yes, the game does have it’s flaws, but these are being looked into, and fixes have been promised, so when that happens feel free to add another star to this rating.

Patrick: Yes, despite these two downfalls Castle Crashers is still an amazing game and I am still a huge fan of it. It is everything I was hoping it would be and more. With 3 different modes this game is truly a game to bring out during a party. Even non-gamers can get in to Castle Crashers. You need to buy this now.

The cut-scenes and the story (as it was served to us) are, sadly, a throw-away. The action, and the loot collecting, which are really what this game is about, are top notch. The controls seem to be a problem for a lot of new-comers, especially when they realize they can no longer move the camera around to see what’s around the corner. This is easily fixed by using the LB button to center the camera behind Baldur, or by choosing a camera style more to your liking: choose far, and make believe you’re playing Diablo, or center it permanently behind Baldur, and make believe you’re playing a dark Kingdom Hearts (sorry, girls, no Donald Sephiroth here). Instead of the camera, the right stick now controls which direction you attack (Geometry War’s style), which can take some getting used to, but once grasped, this keeps you from getting attacked from behind by a goblin you thought was dead. It is also very exhilarating to rush into a crowd of monsters and see them fly in all directions as your right thumb guides your sword’s attacks. Each piece of armor is very beautifully crafted and, for the most part, very unique looking. The skill trees and leveling system make this game very addicting, and for those who find the control scheme’s (slight) learning curve, one that they will want to play again and again; whether it’s to experiment with a new build, to get just one more level before going to bed, to find that one perfect helmet, or the sword which will cut through enemies like butter. Another pleasing feature in the game is the way that most loading screens have been done away with. Most loading screens are hidden by short elevator rides, or even the cinemas themselves. Dying in the game brings the appearance of a Valkyrie who picks up your corpse and drops you off at the previous checkpoint, this too is another clever loading screen.

Online Multiplayer is where this game shines. There are no cut scenes, and there is tons more action and much better chances of getting awesome items. As long as you don’t get a crappy partner (I’m looking at you, people without mics), Too Human is one of the most fun online experiences you can have. Imagine knocking a monster into the air so your buddy can jump up and do a ten hit combo while you shoot it full of lead with your assault rifle. IMAGINE IT!!! It would be so much better if multiplayer were not limited to just 2 players, but I am very grateful for what is actually available. The trading system could also be better. It often seems wasteful to me that I would much rather throw away a helmet than hand it over to my online partner because I don’t want to spend 15 minutes giving it to him. Better yet, this game needs an online store, so players don’t have to resort to online forums to buy or sell their in-game loot which can only be used by a class other than their own.

I loved this game, but there are still some things I hated about it. Like the fact that there are tons of invisible walls everywhere in this game. In an age where players have been spoiled by games that let them go anywhere, it is a bit disappointing to be a god who can’t jump over a branch, and who gets stopped by grass. Although the graphics are quite acceptable, this game falls on the low side of the uncanny valley. Kinda sad when the women who are supposed to be attractive have sharp faces and odd corners. Sometimes it seems as if Baldur was the only character they took any special care with.

Too Human is actually a difficult game to review, because even though I love it, I can see how some people might not, which might explain the polar opposites to be found in the reviews for it. As a fan of Norse Mythology the game is very interesting, and the last ten seconds of the ending made me squeal like a school girl with the promise of how awesome the sequel of this game will be. The controls take some getting used to, and the story is a bit on the confusing side. Sadly these things might be enough to deter some from giving this game a chance. Lucky for you though, there is a free demo up on XBLA, so give it not one, but two tries, and if you have not decided to buy it by then, well then this game is just not for you.

+ A battle system that is very easy to grasp, yet very deep and rewarding for those who take the time to learn it.

+ Five different classes, each with two separate skill trees to choose from, a very deep charm system, and randomly generated stats on the interestingly designed items give the player a limitless amount of choices for creating and tweaking their characters to their liking.

+ Few loading screens: either a short loading screen, or cleverly hidden ones, which never take you out of the action

+ Very entertaining multiplayer, which rewards players for acting as a team. This is the main feature that will multiply the replay value of this game tenfold (I’m on my 6th play-through and going back for more after I finish this review).

+ Nothing beats the feeling of jumping into the middle of an army of undead, seeing bodies fly in all directions, and being the last left standing.

- Boring cut-scenes will not hold your interest for long. Play the game on single player ONCE so that you know what is going on, then play it on multiplayer for the rest of your life, and never look back

- Invisible walls.

Braid is a simple platformer which means you have all the basic abilities such as walking and jumping but there is one ability that you will learn in the very beginning of the game and that is the ability to rewind time. This ability instantly shifts the focus from making sure you don’t die to something a lot deeper. Dying is no longer a concern and you must focus on the more difficult tasks ahead. The main goal in the game is to collect puzzle pieces. Each world has it’s own puzzle that you are to complete by collecting the pieces scattered about the world. There are a total of 6 worlds including your own little “house” which acts as your base where you can work on the puzzles and travel to different worlds. Even though each world introduces a new game mechanic none of these mechanics travel over to any of the other worlds and you don’t have to do any backtracking, you are given the tools you need to get the puzzle pieces the moment you enter that world. This is hard to grasp as some puzzle pieces seem impossible to get and initially you will think “oh, I am to come back to this later” but this is never the case.

Braid is one of the hardest puzzle games I have played in a very long time and I am proud of myself every time I reach a puzzle piece. As of the writing of this game I have to get 3 more puzzle pieces in world 6 and then I will have completed the game. Once you complete the game you will unlock a mode called “Speed Run.” I had my wife along for a few levels and noticed that even though it is not a co-op game per say, it is definitely a game that is fun to watch and help with. Braid doesn’t just shine with its gameplay it is also a brilliant work of art with a painting-like style that you won’t be able to put aside. I’ve noticed that recently music has been a big part of my perception of a game and this music is very relaxing and fits the game perfectly.

Braid is a game that everyone needs to play. It is a game that breaks all the rules and teaches us a totally different way to play a game. It shatters what we know as conventional and utilizes what we think as unconventional. Braid really knows how to stretch your brain and make you think in ways you never have before.

GW2′s new modes are great. They all bring something very interesting to the plate. The first of the modes is Deadline, Deadline is similar to what you are used to playing in the first GW but this mode is timed. You have 3 minutes to score as many points as possible. You also have unlimited lives. I really enjoyed this mode and it is really fun to play. The next mode you will unlock is King. King is one of my favorite modes. In King you are given safe zones, basically all they are is circles that you can enter but enemies can’t. You can only shoot when you are in these circles and the circles will disappear after a certain amount of time. I relate this mode to holding your breath. You get in a circle, start shooting enemies to clear your path and then “hold your breath” until you get to the next safe circle. I enjoyed this mode a lot because I found it was very clever. It was also one of the most intense modes for me. The next mode you will unlock is Evolved. Evolved is your basic GW right down to the core. Just survive as long as you can. After that you will unlock Pacifism. Pacifism is one of the hardest modes. You can’t shoot in this mode and you must make your way through the “gates.” These gates will explode and kill any enemies around them. You must survive as long as possible while going through gates to kill enemies. I did not have an easy time with this and my top score shows it.

The next mode is Waves. Waves is probably my favorite mode right up there with King. Waves is just like the names sounds, waves of a rockets will glide across the screen. Once that wave gets across the screen a new wave will appear. Some waves span the whole length of the “arena” and some only span half. The key is to destroy the wave before the next one comes or they just keep stacking up and then it gets hectic. Waves is a really fun mode and my wife also really enjoys it. The last of the game modes is Sequence. Sequence gives you 30 seconds to destroy all the enemies on the screen. If you do this then you are moved to the next sequence where you must destroy all of those enemies within 30 seconds. This continues for 20 levels. If you lose a life you are automatically moved to the next level. This mode is fun but is one of the harder ones. I don’t usually get very far as it gets difficult very fast. You can play all of these modes cooperatively or competitively. A new addition to GW2 other than the modes is the presence of “Geoms.” Geoms are dropped by enemies which you then collect to increase your score multiplier.

Lastly I must say Geometry Wars 2 is a work of art. Watching this game is just as fun as playing it. With all of the colors and shapes combining and moving across the screen you will never find a dull moment. It is absolutely beautiful. GW2 is a great game, it has all of the things the hardcore love about it while still catering to the newer and less hardcore crowd. With 6 new modes this game has a high replayability and will bring you back time and time again for that quick adrenaline rush. Geometry Wars 2 is truly worthy of being called a sequel.

First of all the game has a really interesting story that makes the gamer want to know really what happened down there in Rapture. I think that this story is interesting because we’ve never experienced a game based on a non-futuristic underwater city. I love that they didn’t make it futuristic. Same thing with the art direction, amazing. If it wasn’t set in the 50′s then this game probably wouldn’t have caught my attention as much as it did. All the levels were very interesting. You might look at it and say it looks pretty much the same throughout but if you are really into the game you can see the difference in the places you visit. One of my favorite experiences is when you come down into rapture for the first time and you can really see the art direction that they were going for.

One of the main things that I really liked about the game was the interaction. I would take the time to check every box, cabinet, corpse, and storage case in hopes of finding something, anything. At first you were collecting money and eve, but eventually you started finding little pieces like screws and tubing in which you could use to invent things. I love that about this game. It’s not like most games in where you get pushed through, and most of the people that played that game went through it the same exact way you did, it’s more of an experience. There are so many ways that you could have gone about the game. Whether you want to hack everything, destroy everything, harvest everything, or save everything. It’s your choice but you make that choice without even knowing you are doing it. Whether you want to use plasmids or weapons or a combination. You decide. There is no wrong decision either. BioShock is truly an experience. I know that everyone out there who plays it is going to experience it differently.

The only thing that I was worried about the whole time while I was playing the game was the chance that I might get “stuck.” What I mean by “stuck” is, no money, no ammo, and no health, and no eve. Because everything is connected. I can say though now that I finished the game I never got “stuck” and I think it’s pretty hard. There are so many ways to go about the game that it’s practically impossible to get stuck. A few times I had low ammo and wondered how I was gonna make it through, then I would come back to an area and find that ammo and other things magically appeared there. I’m not sure if it was placed there for me or if it was just a coincidence. The respawning was also a big help. I was surprised to find out that you didn’t get penalized for the respawning. This helped when fighting Big Daddy’s.

Another thing that I didn’t expect when going into this game was how much of a horror game this really is. I would find myself at times turning the volume down a bit. But this wasn’t like most horror games. There was blood spattered everywhere throughout the whole game but rarely did you ever really experience it. I think you were left to wonder what happened to those people and use your own imagination there.

All in all this game is a masterpiece. I never wanted it to end and that is rare in a game for me. What you should do if you haven’t played it is quit reading about it and just go buy this. I know most people will be satisfied. This is what a game should be. I believe that BioShock will be what people will compare games to from now on. It just hits the nail straight on and hopefully this will be a wake-up call to all the developers out there just trying to pump games out ASAP to make some money. I know I will play BioShock a few more times before I put it down and I can’t wait to see what Ken Levine can cook up next.

The game does have the word “Vegas” in the title but you will only see a casino maybe once or twice. The setting is more of a behind the scenes of Vegas. That was fine with me because I played through enough casinos in the first one. I really enjoyed the settings in Vegas 2. They took us through backyards, convention centers, and even a Vegas junkyard. These new places gave it a fresh feel. The controls felt great as they did in the first one. At first they may feel complicated but you will get the hang of them within the first few minutes and after a while you will really be happy with the way they are laid out. Kurt and I did encounter some random problems such as disk read errors and some freezing up but not enough to make us quit playing. I was excited to hear they were adding experience points to the single player campaign as well as the multiplayer modes. This gave me a reason to go back and play some more of the campaign even after I finished it. I have a habit of looking at the bottom of the screen to see how many more points I need to rank up. I’m always looking forward to unlocking new armor and guns.

After Kurt and I finished the campaign we jumped right into “Terrorist Hunt” mode. We’ve been working at the “complete every map on realistic difficulty” achievement for a few nights now and so far we’ve been having a great time with it. This is definitely a great way to hone your skills before going into some death matches over Xbox Live. It forces you to work as a team and try different techniques to get the job done. The only thing I didn’t like was that it felt like the terrorists were set to spawn only when you reached a certain point. Once you walked past that certain point or threw a grenade into it they would then react to you. A few times I swore nobody was around and then I would look a second later and 3 or more people would just be standing there. This made the terrorist hunt mode a lot more difficult, it forced you to come out into the open and search instead of waiting for them to come to you.

Vegas has a very high replay value and I don’t think I will be setting it down anytime soon. I highly suggest playing through the campaign with a friend. If you want to join Kurt and I for some terrorist hunting just send me a message over Live.