Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Review: Bioshock (360*)

Graphics- 10/10
Sound- 10/10
Gameplay- 10/10
Replay Value- 10/10
Overall- 10/10

Bioshock carries some heavy weight on its shoulders as it follows in the foot steps of System Shock 2, but since many gamers (mainly console gamers) missed out on System Shock 2, they didn't know what to expect. I must admit, I was one of those gamers. But, I must say, after playing Bioshock, I can assure you that it is a game that refreshes the shooter genre. Bioshock boasts wonderfully detailed visuals and superbly fun game play, as well, it is obvious that Bioshock has a very powerful, high quality design to it. With such strengths, Bioshock is a strong contender for game of the year.

As I plopped Bioshock in for the first time, I was rather excited. Quite thankfully, I can say my excitement was for good reason as my high expectations were surpassed. The graphics were certainly one of the most polished parts of the game. Everything is in superb detail with a wonderful and realistic use of color and light. As well, the over all visuals are surprisingly clear and crisp, making it very easy to be immersed into the game's dark world. The design of the game itself is very original and very pleasing. The splicers, your main enemies, truly look like raving, murderous monsters that once used to be a part of human civilization. The Big Daddies and the Rosies (a different kind of Big Daddy) are one of my favorite character designs in Bioshock. Their armor-like, old-school underwater suits portray a very powerful and prominent creature in Bioshock. Quite basically, the designs are so successful that you know a fight between you, a Big Daddy, and a group of raving Splicers defines disaster.

The sound is another refined part of Bioshock's environment. The developers really hit the bulls eye of realistic sound with deafening gun shots, horrifying shrieks, and mushy-mashy bludgeoning sound effects. As well, the music and truly superb voicing of Bioshock over comes many of the best movies to date. The soundtrack is a wonderful composition of songs that define and push the game's stressful and insane mood, all the while fitting the era in which the game takes place. The voice acting, as well, is of just plain superb quality. Colorful wording that fits the vocabulary of people of the 50's/60's combined with lines that successfully echo each character's personality make for very entertaining and attention holding conversations.

When I started Bioshock, I didn't know what to expect. I knew it was in first person, but many people talked of a shooter/adventure/role playing game combo. It is quite true that Bioshock is a FPS game unlike any other. The firefights are of amazing realistic quality. It isn't an all out shoot out in Bioshock, oh no, it's much wilder than that. Splicers will jump left and right, dodging your shots, while you scurry for cover of your own. The kick back of your guns will throw your aim wildly around as you fire off each shot at the menacing splicers, who themselves desperately hurry to get their shots into you. The fights are wild and frenzied, with fear over coming both sides. But the wonderful action is just a small piece of the fun. All the fire arms you gather or loot are completely customizable; various add-ons include more damage, better aim, even completely custom bullets, and beyond. As well, one of the most important features is changing your genes to gain powers, called plasmids, is an amazingly fun part of the game. Powers range from freezing your enemies or shocking them to marking your enemies so security guns will shoot only them and making Big Daddies fight for you. But the developers took this already great feature even farther; in one part of the game you'll be going through a part of Rapture (where Bioshock is set) where ice has covered most of the area, by using your fire plasmid, you can melt away the ice and find hidden items and passage ways. Another fun trick is to shoot a puddle in which several enemies are standing to shock them all at once; or, another favorite of mine, you can catch a bomb or grenade thrown at you with telepathy and through it right back. You really have to think out of the box and get creative to fully utilize the potential of plasmids, which seems nearly endless. But, in the end, the truly most important part of Bioshock is deciding what to do with the Little Sisters. The Little Sisters are little girls who have been changed into mutants who gather Adam, a key component in the creation of plasmids. The catch: deciding what to do with them; you can either harvest them getting all the possible Adam out of them but kill them, or you can save them, releasing them from their mutant, hypnotized state but getting less Adam. Making the choice to harvest or save will affect the game immensely, so choose carefully.

All in all, Bioshock is an immense game that encourages exploration and creativity in a wild, dark, and very original setting. The ability to customize weaponry, freely explore, and making the decision to save or harvest the Little Sisters multiplies the replay value. With such high quality design, exciting game play, and so much play and replay value, Bioshock is one of the few perfect games out there.


Pros: Great visuals and sound, wonderful game play, tons to do and many reasons to play through multiple times.
Cons: None, that's right, nothing.

Review: Vedran

* Review for 360 version only, available on PC as well.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Review: Madden '08 (Wii*)

Graphics- 7/10
Sound- 9/10
Gameplay- 7.5/10
Replay Value- 9/10
Overall- 7.5/10

I was in need of my yearly Madden fix, but this year all that happened was I became anxious for the Madden to loose its license agreement. In a hit or miss series of games, this year features lots of misses.

When I got home to start playing Madden '08 the first thing that I noticed was the much improved loading times. This year is a vast improvement over last years average load times, and much better than the PSP version that I had last year was. However my enthusiasm was short lived, because once I actually started to play the game, I realized I was in fact playing the Gamecube version. I can barely notice the difference between the current Gamecube version and the current Wii version, graphical speaking. I have only noticed minor things, like extra shiny helmets, and new player animations. To counter the negativity, there was something that I was very pleased at, and that was the controls. I have found them to be very responsive and easy. The first thing that I would recommend that you do, is go to "learn Madden," it teaches you what you need to do, and you can start playing rather quickly.

As far as actually playing the game goes - it isn't bad. Once you get used to using the Wiimote to throw a pass, it is all good. Especially once you learn to set a" primary receiver." Doing that is a fairly simple task, and can really help you out. Before you snap the ball - when you are surveying the field by holding down "B" - you hit the button of the receiver that you would like to throw the ball to. Now that you have done that, all you have to do is flick the Wiimote to throw the ball - you don't have to hold down a button. As far as running the ball, it is very fun - you use the Wiimote to stiff arm and the Nunchuck to juke. On top of that the power moves have improved, because you just have to shove the Wiimote forward, instead of last year where you had to shove both the Nunchuck and Wiimote forward. As for this years new feature (player weapons) it is all fine and dandy, but I honestly don't use it all that much. What the feature is supposed to do is help you identify superstars allowing super star players to be noticed. For example Randy Moss is a "spectacular catch" receiver, allowing him to make amazing one-handed grabs and Reggie Bush is an "elusive back," making him more agile then most players. The other way to play is superstar mode, and there is only one big change this year is the creation process. Gone are the days of randomly shifting through your parents "DNA," and it is instead replaced with a point system. You are assigned a certain amount of points which you can add to your players attributes.

The other big new feature on the Wii this year, is online capabilities, which flat out suck. It takes you way to long to find someone with a strong enough signal to play ( it has to be full, other wise you will not be able to get past three minutes without ramming your head through the wall.) Then once you find someone with a strong enough signal the game still has way to much lag. Not only that there are a lot of glitches with the scoring system. For example I was playing someone and I was winning, so they decided to be a little baby a quit, but hey what do I care I get the win and there DNF % goes up. Ha, I was wrong - we both got a win plus a DNF. Other times it has worked to perfection, making the system extremely hit and miss.

There are a few other problems that I have noticed, but the big one is freezing. It always seems to freeze whenever I go to team schedule in my franchise instead of weekly schedule. It is easy to avoid, I understand, but it is still something that I shouldn't have to deal with. The only other problem is that the Gamecube version is better. Yeah, thats right. The Gamecube version has a ton more options and ways to play. The Gamecube version contains certain options such as create-a-team, that are lacking in the Wii version. So, what am I trying to say? Buy the Gamecube version, seriously. Unless you need sucky online play, there is no reason for the Wii version. The only other feature, that the Wii version has is Party Mode, which is how your Miis are involved in this particular Wii game. Should I expect better from Madden, you ask? Well, probably not, but I do and this game has failed me in that regard.

Pros: Good controls, Load times, Got my yearly Madden fix.
Cons: Everything else.

Review: Dan

Available for many systems. Review for Wii version only.

Monday, August 6, 2007

Review: F.E.A.R. (360*)

Graphics- 9/10
Sound- 9.5/10
Gameplay- 9.5/10
Replay Value- 9/10
Overall- 9.5/10

FEAR was the game to get on the PC awhile back, but now it's on the 360, and that age old question comes up again; did it survive the port?

I had high hopes for FEAR on the 360 for 2 reasons; 1. this generation of consoles has the power to port PC games successfully, and 2. when FEAR came out for the PC, I couldn't run it. Thankfully, the port was a success. The 360 makes fine work of running the game. The graphics, as a shining point of the PC version, was what I scrutinized first. The difference between the graphics on the 360 and those of the PC were non-existent, if anything. The textures were flatter than those in Gears of War, but this is no surprise, as FEAR on the PC is an older game. The resolution, colors, and lighting was top notch, though. The textures did little to hold back the visuals as a whole, as the overall picture was sharp and very easy on the eyes. The most important part of the picture was the lighting, though. As a horror game, FEAR uses the lighting heavily to influence the mood, and it does this quite successfully.

Working together with the lighting, the sound is surprisingly realistic. Every shot fired, every step taken, literally everything has a freakishly crisp, realistic sound. The ambient noises and the music blend seamlessly into the gameplay, effecting the mood and, ultimately, how you play. Gameplay, though, is the best part. It reminded me a lot of Half-Life, where adventure and story line were stuffed right into the action, meaning almost the entire game is from a first-person perspective. The game is filled with weapons and different types of grenades, as with most shooters, but unlike most shooters, there are health and reflex boosters scattered through the levels. Health boosters raise your health permanently, and reflex boosters do the same for your slow motion powers. This feature adds a new angle of gameplay, it's kind of like an RPG in this way, giving you the option to beef up your character through tons of fun, truly frightening exploration. As well, finding all the scattered boosters adds wonderfully to the replay value. The levels, themselves, are quite stunning. FEAR is in no way linear, as the levels have tons of diverging, twisting paths; and it's up to you to choose the ones you want to follow. But don't worry about getting lost; these paths, in the end, will lead you to your objective. Besides adventuring through all those horrifying levels, you'll also be treated to a lot of adrenaline filled firefights. The action is loud, fast, and very satisfying. The slow motion powers add to the fights with lots of action movie moments. Besides raising the fun level, the slow motion is surprisingly useful; it's not just another gimmick. Many times, these powers are the reason you survive the battles.

In the end, FEAR is a superb game. The large, free-form level design along with the multiplayer adds a nice touch of replay value. The game is just plain fun; the level design and health and reflex boosters, along with the wonderfully action packed shootouts make FEAR a refreshingly fun and exciting shooter with a great adventure game feel to it; and the complex story from a first person view really adds to the depth, tension and fear.

Pros: Great shoot outs; adventure feel adds to the depth of game play; large levels; superb lighting, sounds, and music; very good story; surprisingly scary.
Cons: A bit flat on the textures.

Review: Vedran

*Available on the 360, PS3, and PC. Review for 360 only.

Thursday, August 2, 2007

Editorial: Sports Video Games

You can not ignore the importance of sport games in the video game world. They are a huge deal, and are constantly getting better, which is one of the reasons that they have had such a huge impact on the world of video games. I am a huge fan of sports video games, especially when they are done right, which leads me to the question: Which sports have made the best transition into a video game?

To me the best type of sports game available is baseball. While it is true that baseball is my favorite sport, that is not why I say it's the best. It's the best because they have managed to capture all of the different aspects of the game. From hitting a home run, to getting caught in a run down, it's all there. Every year the game seems to get closer to true simulation, with the player models getting better, as well as the animations. I am not saying that any baseball video game that has been made has been perfect, but they seem to be the closest to perfect available. Now I understand that some people might argue that football is the best sports video game that is currently available. While it is the most popular, it does not simulate the actual sport as well as baseball. There are too many glitches, animations can be lacking, challenges are all luck, and it can be too easy. Now, this isn't to say I don't like football video games. I find them to be very fun. In fact, I am looking forward to the release of Madden '08.

Now on the the fun part - the worst. After thinking about this for awhile, and considering many different types, I remembered wrestling. To me this is rock bottom when it comes to sports video games. These game were never incredibly popular, nor good. The most popular ones were probably the WWE games on the N64, and they were never "sold out" popular. The best games graphically are obviously the most recent games, which I don't know the names of, and I won't bother to look them up. However to me the biggest problem with wrestling video games is the terrible simulation, because of the lack of moves. Think about, there are only so many button combos that you can do on any given controller before it gets tedious. On top of that, there are way more moves in real life then available in the games. I just don't see why anybody outside of hard-core wrestling fans would buy anything from this particular genre.

There are a few other loose ends to tie up. For example - soccer video games. I can't really tell much about them because I rarely ever play them, but from what I understand they manage to do a pretty good job of simulating a real game. Another one is golf - this is probably the most realistic sim out there, but unfortunately it is very unpopular. Last but not least is basketball. Basketball games are certainly getting better and more realistic as time goes on, but they have yet to achieve anything great. Speaking of on the rise - that is something that is true about most sports video games. Ever since the creation of true 3D video games, sports games are always improving, and are becoming more popular due to their realism. Sports video games are something you can't ignore, and something you have probably taken part in over your life. The future of sports video games is looking up, and I can't wait to see what can be done on the new systems - especially the Wii.

Editorial: Dan

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Review: Diddy Kong Racing DS (DS)

Graphics- 8/10
Sound- 9.5/10
Gameplay- 9/10
Replay Value- 8/10
Overall- 8.5/10

I was in need of a new DS game, so I went hunting. I remembered Diddy Kong Racing DS, so I purchased it. This is another game you can chalk up as a great N64 remake.

I guess I should start out by saying that I am very much in the minority when it comes to this games. It seems like everyone who touches this game hates it. It could be that I was way too excited to the Rare logo on a Nintendo game for the first time in way too long or it could be that I want to like this game, because I liked the original for the N64. Anyways, whatever the reason is, I like the game. People have complained about the graphics and more specifically, the textures. I have noticed this - but I only see this when I am looking for a problem, and that is not how I should review a game. In other words, when you aren't looking for any problems, odds are you won't see any. Enough about the graphics, lets get right down to the gameplay - and boy is there a lot of it. The racing aspect of this game has remained great, and nothing really has to be said, because almost nothing has changed (read what I said here.) The only change is to the start of the race, more specifically the way you boost at the beginning. If you are in a car, you spin a wheel on the touch screen, if you are in a plane you spin a propeller, and if you are in a hovercraft you blow into the microphone. To say the least, this is a very compelling idea, unfortunately, spinning the wheel is so hard, spinning the propeller is to easy, and blowing is way way to easy (oops...). However, this is a very minor detail. As long as we are talking about the cars, I might as well tell you one of the new features that I like about this game. That is the newly added unlockable features, which includes car upgrades. Are you as excited as I was? Well... probably not, but anyways, my excitement didn't last long because, it turns out upgrading is too easy, and makes the game too easy. If you keep losing a race, just upgrade your top speed, and you will win. "But, wait," you say, "I don't have enough coins to upgrade!" (you collect coins during races.) Well then, you just go back to the first races, the way too easy races, and you collect lots of coins. The other things that you can unlock include a design-a-course race, which I was disappointed in, mainly due to its lack of depth.

Anyways something that I loved in the original was the music, it was awesome, and thank god it wasn't changed for this game. Hot Top Volcano still has the same somewhat stereotypical music. Another thing I loved in the original was the elephant's extremely stereotypical Indian voice, but unfortunately, this did not return (it's not hard to figure out why.) Something else that I have yet to mention is the Wi-Fi, and for the most part it works fine, it's nothing special. It does add more to the game though. In the end, I still spend a lot of time with this game, and I don't care what everyone else says. If you read my original review, you can understand why I like the remake. Is my review possibly biased? Well get used to this, it's a good game.

Pros: Upgrades, Music the same, Much like the original.
Cons: Loss of stereotypical Indian voice, Design a course, Upgrades.

Review: Dan

Editorial: Idiocy in the World of Today's Courtroom

Recently, a new lawsuit was filed against Sony for the use of a Cell that can do synchronized parallel processing with shared memory. Of course, this is referring to the technology used within the Playstation 3. But why is this lawsuit different? One word: idiocy.

Here are the facts: The company suing is International Parallel Processing, who got the rights for the patent way back in 1991; which begs the question; why did they wait so long to tell Sony the Cell was patented. The technology and the use of it in the Playstation 3 was made public very loudly during the development of the system. Secondly, International Parallel Processing hasn't actually said how this hurts them as it seems they haven't done anything with said technology in the last 16 years. Lastly, not only has International Parallel Processing asked for Sony to pay the damages which haven't at all been specified, they've also asked that all Sony products using the technology be destroyed; that means all Playstation 3 systems.

Although I wouldn't believe that the destruction of millions of Playstation 3 systems will be forced on Sony, we have to realise that this claim is ridiculous. The game industry is huge, rich, and advanced; yet it is still weak to attention loving politicians and greedy companies. International Parallel Processing has the right to defend it's patent, but asking for such a large scale destruction of a major console is an obvious move of hostility towards the easily targeted game industry.

Editorial: Vedran

Review: Super Stardust HD (PS3)

Graphics- 9/10
Sound- 8/10
Gameplay- 9/10
Replay Value- 7/10
Overall- 8/10

Super Stardust HD is not the first game in the dual-joystick genre, but it's probably the best on the PS3. It features crisp visuals, a nice soundtrack, and a fun co-op feature. For only $8, this game is one of the best available from the Playstation Store.

In Super Stardust HD, you take control of a spaceship that orbits a planet on a grid. Your goal is to protect the world from the asteroids that are hurdling towards it. Once they reach the planet, they circle it on the grid, leaving you to destroy them before they destroy you. Because the planet is, of course, a sphere, the playing field is a sphere. The concept is pretty simple, and the game is easy to get into and start playing. However, there are three different types of weapons that you have, each for a specific type of asteroid. For example, the rock crusher does more damage to rocks than the gold melter does, but not as much damage to gold. This gameplay element makes the game more fun, but also more challenging. Also, at the center of the asteroids are power-ups that give you an extra life, make your weapons stronger, or give you a shield. You will often find yourself frantically switching weapons, trying to avoid getting hit, and trying to collect power-ups at the same time. There are several planets to defend, each with five stages of varying difficulty, that end with a boss fight. There is also an online leaderboard, so you can see how you compare with others.

The multiplayer comes in the form of co-op, but its offline only. Both players play on the same screen and have independent controls. However, if one player moves too far away from the other, the other player gets dragged along with. But it is to the players' advantage to stick close together, as it boosts the weapons power. The planets aren't very detailed, but the asteroids and the explosions are very nicely rendered. The asteroids blow up into oddly-shaped pieces, and the weapons create some flashy explosions. The soundtrack and sound effects of the game are nothing special, but the sci-fi theme fits the game incredibly well. If you have played plenty of games like this one before, then Super Stardust HD might be a pass, even though it's a solid game. If you are new to the genre, then this game is an excellent place to start.

Pros: Nice presentation, good value for price, co-op.
Cons: Limited replay value, not the first in genre.

Review: Eric

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Review: Final Fantasy III (DS)

Graphics- 8.5/10
Sound- 10/10
Gameplay- 9/10
Replay Value- 8.5/10
Overall- 9/10

I've long been a fan of the Final Fantasy series, but since I missed out on some of the oldies, I've been picking up the newer remakes. And I must tell you, Final Fantasy III on the DS is the best of the remakes and already one of my favorite Final Fantasy games.

Recently, with the rise in new Final Fantasy releases, the market has seen a rise, as well, in remakes of the older, classic Final Fantasies. Final Fantasy III on the DS is one of the newer remakes and easily the most updated, as the graphics have been changed from 2D to 3D. Although it is obvious that the graphics are certainly not the best on a portable system, they give the game a certain charm that makes the visuals very appealing. One of the main things that adds to this is the wonderful use of color in the designs and environments. The picture is very crisp, appealing, and fun to watch due to the use of color and detail. With all these properties working together, the visuals prove to be very attractive. Working with the visuals, the sound, namely the music, really raises the game to another level of entertainment. The soundtrack, specifically the theme song, is breath taking at numerous moments. The music is perfectly composed, with the ability to affect your emotions drastically.

The game play is truly what gives the game it's classic feeling. Just like Final Fantasy games of old, the game takes place on a large over world, covered by green fields, dense forests, and rugged mountains; as well, the other part of the adventure is when you enter the numerous, detailed dungeons, towns, and castles for quests that range from treasure hunting to saving the world. There is plenty of room in the game which supports the free form questing style of the game. As you travel through the more detailed places of the world, such as caves and dungeons, the feeling is truly adventurous with the threat of monsters and the reward of treasure being real. As well, there is a nice feature to the game; as it's name, zoom, implies, you zoom in the camera to find needed items and buttons for secret passage ways. The game really uses the feature in the game play and it is often needed for advancement. This zoom feature adds a feeling of light puzzle solving to the adventure. The battles themselves are true to the classic, turn based style of older Final Fantasy games. Fighting is simple, quick, and often fun and satisfying, with some key battles being more epic in scale, giving the game a nice range of action.

These are all the elements that make the game what it is; fun, adventurous, and pretty free, but the main feature is the job system. The job system allows you to choose what type of adventurers your characters are at almost any moment. The choices range from warrior to red mage and thief to monk. Even more options become available as you advance through the game, such as dragoon and ninja. The game play really changes depending on the classes chosen, making it easy to make the game fun for any ones' taste. In the end, the choice of classes throughout the game, along with it's semi-free form nature really gives the game a nice amount of replay value. Over all, Final Fantasy III is a wonderful addition to the DS, and a great remake. The visuals are appealing, the game play is very fun and adventurous, and the music is truly stunning. As well, even with out replaying the game, you can have tons of time of fun and adventure with this one.


Pros: Very appealing design, great adventure, wonderful music. Job system is fun
Cons: Graphics aren't quite as good as they could be.

Review: Vedran

Saturday, July 7, 2007

Review: Splinter Cell: Double Agent (360*)

Graphics- 9/10
Sound- 8.5/10
Gameplay- 8.5/10
Replay Value- 8.5/10
Overall- 8.5/10

The Splinter Cell series is still going strong. Since the original, many improvements have been made; such as lighting, graphics, and a lot more interactivity with the world in the game. But can Double Agent match up, or more importantly, improve on Chaos Theory, the 3rd part in the series which seemed to perfect Splinter Cell?

Many fans of this franchise have probably heard the talk of the new features of Double Agent; an all new out look on objectives in which the protagonist, Sam Fisher, faces decisions that could change the game dramatically. As the story begins, Sam is being placed into a different position than in previous game. As a double agent, Sam needs to gain the trust of the terrorist group he has infiltrated to ultimately stop them from within. Yet there are quite a few twists. Every level has several objectives for both the NSA(good guys) and the terrorist group, the completion of the objectives gains the trust of the side that gave you the order and everything is just peachy, right? Not really, many times you will find yourself choosing between two conflicting objectives, meaning that one side will trust you a little more, and the other will trust you a little less at the end of the level. As the game goes on, the decisions you make will build on top of one another to reach the ending; on which your choices will have a heavy effect. Although this has been used in some games before, this is pretty new to the Splinter Cell series. But the thing that matters is that this new aspect of game play really does make the game more interesting, or, in other words, more suspenseful, and suspense is the biggest part of having fun in a stealth game.

Now, on to the core game play. Veterans of previous Splinter Cell games will be at home in this part, as many of the previous moves are here, and that's great news as those game play features are fun to use, the problem is that not too many new things to do are found here. Besides the new double agent set up, this Splinter Cell feels much like it's predecessors. Expect to be on the edge of your seat most of the time, planning your moves carefully, and using gadgets and the environment to complete your objectives. That being said, the game play is very fun and that is great for new comers and Splinter Cell lovers, just don't expect anything dramatically different.

One very noticeable difference in Splinter Cell: Double Agent are the graphics. Everything from the hairs on Sam's rugged beard to the environmental details looks great. The visuals are very detailed, crisp, clean, and quite realistic. Although these aren't the juiciest graphics, it's still a visual feast, even on next gen standards. Sadly, though, there are minor graphical issues here and there, such as cloth and body interaction, but nothing serious. To go along with the visuals, the game's sound really does a great job. The music is very fitting and really sets the mood. And the sound effects are pretty realistic, although, the gunfire did seem a tad soft.

In the end, Splinter Cell: Double Agent does a good job of moving the series forward with the same, suspenseful game play, an intuitive double agent system that really makes a difference to the choices you make, crisp visuals, and clean sound. As well, being able to make choices that can change the game really ups the replay value. Splinter Cell: Double Agent is great for fans of the series and newcomers as well.

Pros:Suspenseful, fun game play. Double Agent feature adds to this. Very good graphics. decisions affect the game.
Cons: Game play not very different than previous Splinter Cell games.

Review: Vedran

* Also on Playstation 2, Gamecube, Playstation 3, Wii, Xbox, and PC. Review for 360 version only.

Sunday, July 1, 2007

Review: Mario Kart DS (DS)

Graphics- 9.5/10
Sound- 10/10
Gameplay- 10/10
Replay Value- 10/10
Overall- 9.5/10

Best Mario Kart game ever. Period. This game has it all; great courses, great gameplay, online gameplay, great characters and karts, and the list just keeps going.

This is what it is all about, I don't know if I will ever get so much entertainment from a DS game. Not only was the single player nicely done, the multiplayer was too. To start the single player, is set up just like all the other Mario Kart game. You have to choose between 50cc, 100cc, and 150cc - with 50cc being the easiest and 150cc being the most difficult. As you beat different cups you unlock different rewards such as new karts, courses and characters. That leads me into another great feature of this game, and that is the cup selection. In this game it is set up so there are eight total cups to chose from. There is the normal four and then the "retro four" which is basically the previous games greatest hits, course wise. They did
manage to get it pretty close to perfect with the course selection (damn Baby Park). Not only are the four retro cups nicely done, but the new ones are nicely done also. If you remember this is the problem that I had with Double Dash, and this little problem was fixed very nicely. I still like to go back to the courses and play the computers every once and awhile, which is something that is very hard to achieve in a racing game, but if I get bored of the computers I can always play some noobs online. This is where my only compliant for the game is - the online system is a little bare. Overall however it isn't bad for Nintendo's first online system. It also can be a little annoying when you play a hacker online, but that is not the games fault.

Another good feature about this game is the character and Kart selection choices. Once is all said and done you get to choose from up to twelve characters: Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Yoshi, Toad, Donkey Kong, Wario, Bowser, Princess Daisy, Waluigi, Dry Bones, and R.O.B. As far as karts go you
ultimately get to chose from 36. Now, I don't know if you're aware but that is a lot of karts that you can choose from. On top of that there are many other good things about the game. There is mission mode, which can be anything from drive through some tires, to fighting Boo for coins. Mission mode can be fun and all, but there is no reward for it, other than the satisfaction of perfect completion. You can also design your own emblems to be used in multiplayer races and battles. Which reminds me, the battles in this game tend to be a forgotten aspect, and they should not be. I guess what I am trying to say is that well this is the best "kart" racing game ever made, console or portable system because it combines the best aspects from all the previous games. This game is one of those must-own games that you hear so much about.

Pros: Tracks, Characters, Karts, Multiplayer, Single player, Online.
Cons: Online bare, Snakers online.

Review: Dan

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Review: MLB 07: The Show (PS3)

Graphics- 7/10
Sound- 8/10
Gameplay- 9.5/10
Replay Value- 9.5/10
Overall- 8.5/10

The Show is back! MLB 07: The Show for the PS3 is pretty much the PS2 version of the same game. This really isn't a bad thing, except in the graphics department. The Show is fun on all systems, but the PS3 version is probably the best. If you are a baseball fan, I highly recommend this game.

The next edition of the Show is here with MLB 07: The Show, finally out for the PS3. It was released two and a half months after the PS2 and PSP versions, which were released before the start of the season. The '07 version includes several new features, most notably the Road to the Show career and ability to create online leagues with up to 30 players. Like I said before, the game is almost a direct port of the PS2 version with better graphics and some additional features. However, the graphics certainly are hurt by this. The graphics aren't bad, but the game does not have that next-gen shine and polish that other games have, and doesn't look nearly as good as MLB 2K7. Also, there are several animation glitches that occur during gameplay. Most of these have to do with collision detection, such as going right through a player during a hard slide (this only happens some of the time). The announcing on the game is done well, with the help of Rex Hudler, Matt Vasgersian, and Dave Campbell. However, a consistent problem is that the sayings tend to overlap and do not necessarily correspond to the current play. Also, the soundtrack is not all that great. It fits in well, but only three or four of the 18 songs are any good (personal opinion).

However, baseball games aren't about the graphics or the soundtrack, well, maybe a little bit, but it is mostly about gameplay. And that is the area at which MLB 07: The Show excels. The controls work well and are easy to learn, besides the SIXAXIS controls, which feel tacked on. The new pitching system works incredibly well, and adds a fair amount of depth to the game. Also, the developers added in a system that is supposed to imitate the tendencies of an umpire, creating changing strike zones. This feature adds realism, and can be helpful, but can get annoying if it isn't working in your favor. The career mode from the first edition is back and is still amazing. But in addition to that, the new Road to the Show mode allows you to skip every play you are not involved in, speeding up the process. The only complaint I have with this mode is that the buttons that represent the bases control different bases when you play different positions, but, if you understand what I'm saying, this is a minor complaint. The franchise mode is also back, and is very deep and fun. All of these modes add up to plenty of hours that can be spent playing this game. And that is just the offline play. The online system is well done, allowing you to match up with people who have the same skill level as you. Also, as I mentioned before, you can create online leagues with your friends for up to 30 people. All in all, this game is an excellent baseball simulator, and if you are looking for a baseball game on the PS3, this is it.

Pros: New features work well, Road to the Show, deep Franchise mode, online adds plenty to do.
Cons: Graphics look dated, soundtrack, animations.

Review: Eric

*Also available for PS2 and PSP. Review for PS3 only.

Review: Mario Kart: Double Dash!! (Gamecube)

Graphics- 9/10
Sound- 8.5/10
Gameplay- 8.5/10
Replay Value- 8/10
Overall- 8.5/10

The only Mario Kart game on the Gamecube is the worst in the series for a non-porable system, mainly due to bad couse design. But don't misinterpret that to mean it's a bad game, because it's still a good game.

I was very excited about this game when it came out, because it was a Mario Kart game and you should always be excited about any Mario Kart game. I was also excited about the newly added multiplayer mode, which as you should know involves two players on the same kart. This seemed like it would be really fun, and at points it is fun. However, some of the times it is the last thing that you want to do, especially if the person that you are stuck with sucks. The things that make it fun, are really fun. There is the item strategy, meaning that the person who isn't driving gets the items, and seeing as one of the newly added features of this game is each player has there own "special item," it can really effect the outcome of the race. The other feature that makes the new multiplayer really fun is the side swipes. In other words the person who isn't driving can hit L or R and they will reach over and punch in that direction - possibly stealing an item from a kart next to them.

On to the main problem that I hinted at earlier, which is the course design. It is by far the worst in any Mario Kart game to date. Sure there are great courses like DK Mountain, Wario Colosseum, and Waluigi Stadium. However, these good courses get outweighed by terrible courses like Dino Dino Jungle, Dry Dry Desert, Bowser's Castle, and Daisy Crusier - to name a few. Not only that the courses that are in the middle, a.k.a the average ones, usually fall one lower end of the scale. For example, Baby Park is a small circle courses that involves almost no skill and is solely based on your luck with items. Not only is the course design lacking, single player is to. This is because the game was obviously designed with only the multiplayer aspect in mind. The problem is that in single player you have to still choose two players, and when you are racing this can become very distracting - trying to have the right player in position when need that crucial item. That is not as bad though as multiplayer battle however. The course design in this part of the game is the worst I have ever seen anywhere, and isn't even worth mentioning.

I realize that my views do differ with a majority of the owners of this game, and I'll be honest, the other games in this series have spoiled me a great deal. I was just hoping for a lot more in this game. I guess it was somewhat predictable - the changes they made that is - the graphics are enhanced, new players and courses etc. Bottom line, this game is a great multiplayer game if you aren't battling your friends, and this is a great game to add to your collection if you are one of the owners of the Cube.

Pros: Multiplayer racing is fun, Enhanced graphics, Some good courses.
Cons: Lots of bad courses, Multiplayer battle, Single player, Expect more.

Review: Dan

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Review: Demon Stone (Xbox*)

Graphics- 8.5/10
Sound- 9/10
Gameplay- 8.5/10
Replay Value- 9/10
Overall- 8.5/10

Based on the Dungeons and Dragons setting Forgotten Realms, Demon Stone is a heavy hack n' slash RPG. With 3 main characters, the game's story has a nice bit of depth as well. Also, the game's music is one the biggest highlights.

As you begin Demon Stone, you quickly realize how much this game focuses on the hack n' slash gameplay. Although their are bits and pieces of times in the game where the elements of play are changed, you'll find yourself mowing through legions of enemies most of the time. As you fight, you'll come against a lot of classic fantasy monsters such as orcs, trolls, and a red dragon (which is a pretty sweet part of the game in my opinion). As well, their will be some not so well known creatures to fight. But the biggest feature of the game is being able to switch between 3 different characters at any time. The 3 members of your party are a human fighter, a human wizard, and a drow (dark elf) rogue. All three are together after the first level. Each of the characters have their own unique skills. The fighter can take tons of hits and deal them also, the wizard excels at long range magic fighting, and the rogue can sneak behind enemies for one hit kills. For the bulk of the game, you'll probably be using the character that most appeals to you. Although, there are plenty of moments when a certain character's skills are specifically needed. So the game offers plenty of variety in the long run, but there is still a heavy focus on just fighting. On the RPG side, you'll get what you expect- experience points to get stronger and gold for better equipment. The way this portion of the game is set up is kind of simplistic. Along the way you collect gold, and at the end of each level the gold, along with experience points, is totaled up. At this point, you can spend your experience points on better moves and improved attributes and your gold can go towards new equipment. The whole process is simplified by letting choose to get all the best upgrades possible with the amount of gold and experience points you have for all the characters at once. Over all, these game mechanics make the game a fun, although a bit simple, action RPG. The action is actually really good and keeps you on the edge of your seat. But a warning, the game can get a bit annoyingly hard. The big problem, though, is the camera, of which you have no control over. Every once in awhile the angles used for the camera become a problem, although, the game still stays fun.

Besides the camera, the rest of the visuals are pretty good. The graphics themselves are good and offer nice detail. The colors, as well, are done nicely. There is a tone used in the colors that really gives the game a different, original, and very fitting feeling (think stylish dark, not spooky dark). But, in the end, the designs are my personal favorite. The character's faces have feeling and are very fitting to each of the characters' roles. As well, the designs of the equipment are some of my favorite in any RPG and I hope to see more of such designs in other Dungeons and Dragons based games. The animation, too, is very well done. The character's moves are very appealing and make you think "wow, I wish could do that" plenty of times. But the games visuals are bested by the sound. More specifically, the music. The fantasy setting soundtrack is filled with movie quality music that really gets you into the action and keeps you on the edge of your seat.

All in all, Demon Stone offers plenty of fun, simple, and action packed fantasy gameplay. The visuals and animations are well done and the music really shines. As well, the replay value is very good as you can play through the game using any of the 3 main characters.

Pros: Action packed, cool designs, lots of fantasy creatures/ settings, and great music.
Cons: Kind of simple, fighting can get repetitive, bad camera.

* Also on Playstation 2, review only for Xbox version.

Review: Vedran

Sunday, June 3, 2007

Editorial: Upcoming Games to Look Forward To

-Wii-

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption - When this game gets released this year it will most likely have the best graphics on the Wii. The Metroid Prime Series had some of the best graphics on the Gamecube and when this game was shown at E3 2006, it looked similar to Metroid Prime 2: Echoes in terms of graphics but has sense been overhauled. People from GamePro where allowed to play an early version of the game and said "The graphics have had a huge overhaul since E3 -- vastly better than games like Halo 2." Not only will the graphics be good, the game play should fully use the Wiimote. While talking about Wiimote use in the game the President of Nintendo of America said "When we release it, it will be perfect." This is something that has yet to be done in a Wii game, so this makes me very excited.

Super Smash Bros. Brawl- This is the most wanted game by Wii owners, and I can see why. To original game was very well done and a huge success. This game appears to expand a lot, one way is with characters. The list of confirmed characters includes Fox, Kirby, Link, Mario, Meta Knight, Pikachu, Pit, Samus, Snake, and Wario. Obviously the inclusion of third party characters is really cool especially if the do end up putting Sonic in the game. My only concern would be that they try and make it too kiddish because it has already been confirmed that Wario will have a fart move. Gameplay appears to be the same as the other two games in the series, even down to the controller because you have to use the classic controller or a Gamecube controller. While I was hoping to be able to use the Wiimote, I understand this. This is a game you will be hearing about a lot so get ready.

Wii The Sims - When I first heard about this game I was very excited because I loved the original Sims on the PC. Then I saw some screen shots for the game and all my hopes came crashing down. The game appears to be designed with a 3-year old in mind. However there does appear to be all the elements from classic Sim games in this game but the game will focus on you fixing up a house in your grandparents town. I would have purchased this game originally, but now this game seems underwhelming, especially in terms of the graphics. Not only that but it seems like your choices for making people and house will be very low. To me this game looks like a major disappointment.

Super Mario Galaxy - Oh boy, this is the game of the year, if not for all systems at least for the Wii. As you can see my expectations are a little high, but any game that Shigeru Miyamoto is involved in this much should be good. Super Mario 64 was such a big a hit because it was groundbreaking, as this game should be. Most of the game takes place in outer space along a vast chain of miniature planets, with every planet having it's own unique features. The Wiimote should add a bunch of great moves that will make this a game to remember.

Wii Music - This is the game that everybody is forgetting about, but shouldn't. If this game is anything like Wii Sports it should be pretty fun. When this game was shown at E3 it was meet with rave reviews despite there only being two songs to choose from. There have been two types of gameplay that are confirmed: Drums and Orchestra. Drums uses the Nunchuck and the Wiimote as drumsticks and Orchestra uses the Wiimote to conduct an orchestra. After you finish a number score is shown and you are given a rating of Passionate, Graceful, and Methodical. So far only Drums had multiplayer, and if other modes turn out to multiplayer this could be a great muliplayer game. Also like Wii Sports and Wii Play the Miis will be involved in gameplay. This is a title that is flying under the radar and deserves to have more attention focused on it.

Pokémon Battle Revolution - This game is going to a big hit, I'm not kidding. It is the first game for the Wii to allow online multiplayer as well as the first game to feature the Wii DS connectivity, allowing you to transfer your Pokemon from Diamond or Pearl onto the Wii. This is is most likely going to be the reason it will sell well because of the success of Diamond and Pearl. The gameplay appears to very similar to that of Pokemon Stadium, but with enhanced graphics, this time it actually shows the Pokemon being attacked rather than just showing the attack and cutting scenes. This game could actually be pretty good, especially with simultaneous battle, which is 2 vs. 2.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games - Ah, the long awaited get-together of two of the most famous characters in video game history, but is this going to be a game to remember? I do not think so. I am really only writing about this game because Mario and Sonic are finally in the same game together. The game does have a little potential, but I expect it to be just average, in fact it is probably the only game that I am writing about that I will not purchase. Unfortunately, there is little to say about the game because not much is know about gameplay other than it will use the Wiimote to it's full potential...which is really not anything to go by because every game that has come out on the has apparently used the Wiimote to it's full potential. Anyways, here's to a long relationship between Mario and Sonic that will hopefully make its way onto Brawl.


-Handheld-

The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass - This game will have the best graphics on the DS. However with graphics in the same style as Wind Waker, this game might be as controversial as it. However if gameplay is good it won't matter. This game will also have the sailing aspect that was present in Wind Waker, but this time you will use a steam boat, so you won't have to mess around with the wind. The other thing that should be really cool is that you will be able to make notes on the map, which will be on the top screen (you will flip the screens to write.) Not only that but there will be a WiFi battle mode, which could be really cool, because that is what Zelda games have lacked up to this point. This game is set for and October release and if you want a copy right away, you had better reserve it because this game will be very popular.


-PS3-

Lair - Lair has been followed by a lot of hype since it was first seen last year. In Lair, you are a dragon rider who controls his dragon with the SIXAXIS control of the PS3 controller. People have been saying that the controls are working very well, and add a nice element to the game. This game is supposed to be incredible, and the first title that makes the PS3 worth buying for some. Lair will be coming out in late July. It has had high expectations since day 1, and lets hope it delivers.

Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction - If you have read any of my reviews of the previous games in the Ratchet and Clank series, you should be able to tell I am a huge fan of the series. So I am very excited about the next chapter in the series. Ratchet and Clank Future is going back to the format of the first three games, as opposed to Ratchet: Deadlocked, which focused on arena-style combat. This game looks stunning from what has been shown so far, and it looks to be a fantastic game come launch.

Warhawk - Warhawk is a reincarnation of a game with the same title, that was originally on the PS1. The game was supposed to have a single player function in addition to the multiplayer, which was the main part of the game. However, the developers thought the single player's quality was lacking, so they canceled it to focus solely on multiplayer. If the quality was low, then I am glad they made this move, and I think other companies should have the guts to do this also. The multiplayer looks to be tons of fun, with the standard deathmatch and capture the flag. But the new feature is called zone. In it, teams try to expand their areas by capturing bases. This allows the team to gain new weapons and have access to turrets and such, alowing the team to gain in power. Warhawk should be a fantastic game when it comes out this summer.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots - MGS4 has been hyped every since it was first shown. The PS3 exclusive has had people excited ever since MGS3 was released. However, the hype is so big that it may not reach that level. From what has been shown so far, though, it most likely will meet those expectations, and even has a chance to exceed them. Expect this stealth-shooter to be released late this year/early next year.


Heavenly Sword - Heavenly Sword was first shown at E3 2006. Not much has been seen since, until Sony's recent game conference. However, the game looked amazing. It has been nicknamed "Goddess of War" by many people due to its likeness to "God of War," which isn't a bad thing, because of the high pedigree of the God of War series. Critics has been astounded at the game so far, and it is looking to become an incredible game.


-Xbox 360-

Halo 3 - The last Halo game is coming. The end to the storyline. The best and some new weapons are here. Stunning visuals. Crazy multiplayer. Click on screenshot... 'Nuff said.

Too Human
- Stunning and over the top action is what this game is all about. The visuals are very pleasing, as well. Along with intuitive, easy to use controls make this game some thing to look forward to.

Bio Shock- In a twisted, dark setting, you fight to survive and explore a seemingly dead underwater city. Surrounded by freaky creatures and with lots of adventure and action as the filling, this game should be one wild ride.

Mass Effect- Bioware continues to please with its soon to be released Mass Effect. The setting is in a far off future where humans are trying to fit into the alien filled universe with a mysterious threat coming. As you take control of the main character, (whom you make) you command a group of agents, trying to solve the threat and exploring the huge setting available to you. With plenty of worlds to explore, beautiful graphics, and a huge RPG element blended with action/shooter gameplay, this game seems to be a big hit.


-PC-

Starcraft 2- After so many years of waiting, it's here. The game that was such a huge hit is back. With a new storyline, new units, and wonderful, detailed graphics, this one is sure to please.


-Multi-Platform-

John Woo Presents Stranglehold - Stranglehold is a third person shooter from Midway, bringing back Chow Yun Fat, reprising his role of Inspector Tequila. This game is supposed to be a sequel to the movie "Hard Boiled," which came out in 1992. In fact, the PS3 collector's version will contain a version of "Hard Boiled" on Blu-Ray. Stranglehold has looked good from the start, and still does, and should be a fun shooter when it is released in summer.

Guitar Hero 3 - The sale of RedOctane to Activision was great for Wii owners, because now Guitar Hero 3 is on every platform. Specifically it's on: PS2, PS3, 360, Wii, and DS (Wha..?). Some great songs have already been confirmed such as School's Out by Alice Cooper, Paint It Black by the Stones and Rock and Roll All Nite by Kiss. Along with those songs many others have been confirmed or rumored and it appears there will once again be a great selection of music. All versions will also have online and muliplayer, along with changable face plates for your guitar controller, so everything seems to be falling into place to make this another great game in the guitar hero series. Lets just hope that there are no issues with any of the controllers.

Rock Band - Think Guitar Hero, but with a guitar, drums, and a microphone. That is the basic premise of Rock Band from Harmonix. Since it is made by Harmonix and not RedOctane, the guitars might not be compatible, but that looks to be the only downside so far. Hopefully the game will have as good a soundtrack as Guitar Hero when it is launched for the PS3 and Xbox 360 late this year.

Devil May Cry 4 - For those who don’t know, the Devil May Cry games are third person shooters from Capcom that are known for being rather difficult. According to the game’s producer, however, DMC4 will have not as steep a learning curve as DMC3. Another change is that the game will feature Nero as the main playable character, as opposed to Dante. However, it is reported that Dante will be a playable character, but will have a more minor role. Once a PS3-exclusive, DMC4 will be released on the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC in September.

The Darkness - The Darkness may not be as highly anticipated as Assassin’s Creed or Metal Gear Solid 4, but it still looks like a very good game. In it, you play as Jackie Estacado, a mafia hitman, who gains the powers of the darkness on his 21st birthday. The darkness is a supernatural ability Jackie to take down enemies or move objects he normally would not be able to. Also, the darkness’ power is stronger when the player is in darkness. This unique shooter will be available in late June.

Assassin's Creed - Assassin's Creed looked like it would be the PS3's killer app. Then it was announced that it would not be an exclusive. Despite this, Assassin's Creed looks to be one of the best games of the year. The character models look amazing, and so do the environments. The gameplay also looks to be innovative and the AI is supposed to be excellent. I will most likely get this game at launch, unless some news comes out that there is a major flaw in the game. This won't happen though, so pick this game up when it is released in fall.

Mercenaries 2: World in Flames - Mercenaries 2 is going to be like the first game in the series, only the destruction element will be more emphasized. In case you didn't know, this is a good thing. The videos shown have looked spectacular. Also, it looks like the excellent physics engine is back and better than ever. This time around, the game will be set in Venezuela and the environment will be bigger than the two areas from the previous game combined. Also, the game will feature co-op that will allow a friend to join into your single player game online, allowing for a ton of possibilities. Mercenaries 2 looks to improve on the first, creating a game that is all the first game could have been, and maybe even better.

Editorial: Dan, Eric, Vedran

Thursday, May 31, 2007

Review: Starfox Adventures (Gamecube)

Graphics- 10/10
Sound- 9/10
Gameplay- 9.5/10
Replay Value- 6/10
Overall- 9/10

Rare's last game on a Nintendo console shows why the sale of Rare to Microsoft was one of the worst things that could happen to Nintendo. I had forgoten about this game until recently when rediscovered this hidden gem on the old Cube.

This game was popular and well received when it came out, but unfortunately this game seems to have lost its popularity as of late. The game starts out with you playing as Krystal, who is trying to reach Dinosaur Planet when she receives a distress signal, which was sent because General Scales was attacking the planet. Eventually one thing leads to another and the famous Fox McCloud gets evolved. Once you start to play as Fox the game really picks up and gets good. As soon as you start you are given you main weapon that you use throughout the game - you staff...well Krystal's Ex-Staff, which you can upgrade and really pimp out. When you have your first fight you will quickly discover how totally awesome the staff truly is. The combat system in the game is simple enough - you really just have to hit A - but because the moves that are pulled off when you do this look so cool, you don't care how easy it is. The other thing that you should notice during your first fight is the in-game graphics. They are still some of the best graphics on the Cube, even though this game was released in 2002 which is a year after the Gamecube's release. Despite the fact that the graphics looked well, it didn't slow down gameplay when there was multiple enemies. I mean I can not think of on instance of lag. Soon after your first fight you will encounter your new sidekick, Prince Tricky - the dinosaur. He is quite useful, annoying, funny, and adds a unique element to the game.

While you are playing the game more and more tasks you have to accomplish keep piling on, making this game a great time-consumer and even though there is a lot of stuff to do it really doesn't get that confusing. If for some reason it does though, you can always ask Slippy for help and he is sure to tell exactly what to do. You just hit start and Slippy will greet you with a hello and a nice message explaining what you should do. That brings me to another part of the game the voice-acting - it is top notch. A majority of the dialog is spoken, and most of it is very nicely done. There are a few spots were it is a bit over the top and the Dinosaur language used at the beginning of the game can be a bit annoying, but overall it is a fantastic job all around.

While this game is mostly on foot, which is straying away from the original Starfox formula, there are some instances were you need to fly from planet to planet to accomplish you goals and of course the flying is done the original Starfox way. The controls are simple and easy enough, but so is the flying, I mean it's too easy to go from planet to planet, but this is a minor part of the game so it doesn't really matter. Back to what I said earlier - this game is mostly on foot, if you haven't figured that out. Now at first I was a bit hesitant when I heard that, but it works perfectly fine. Will fans of the original Starfox game be disappointed? I wasn't, but if you really liked the flying aspect of the originals, you may be disappointed. However in the end, this is a game that deserves to be revisited by everybody, because it is really a good title, with superior graphics and Voice-acting. This is all not mentioning that Fox has quite the attitude problem, and can be quite comical at times.

Pros: Graphcis, Voice acting, Staff fights, No Lag, Tricky
Cons: Over the top voice acting, Fighting is easy, Tricky.

Review: Dan

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Review: Pokémon Diamond* (DS)

Graphics - 9/10
Sound- 9.5/10
Gameplay- 10/10
Replay Value- 9.5/10
Overall- 9/10

This game has really taken off and I'm not surprised. This game plays the same as the original Pokémons and has many great updates. You should definitely consider revisiting the Pokémon games if you have given up on them.

At first I was unsure if I was going to buy the game because I have not been following Pokémon like I used to and do not know many of the new Pokémon. I soon decided to get the game, and boy was it a smart move. I quickly found myself engulfed in the game and I couldn't stop. I played for 10 hours the first two days I had it. I don't know if it was the lack of a good Pokémon game in my life for several years, or the fact that there is just so much to do but I was hooked and still am. The first thing that caught my attention while I was playing was the graphics, there has been a massive update to them that is visible right away. The game looks a lot better than any of the previous games, and the the fact that the DS has a backlight helps (I know the SP did too.) The only problem with the graphics is when you are moving really fast. You can actually see the parts of the buildings jump around a little as the game tries to load them. While this is most likely because of the DS's insanely low refresh rate it will bother at first, but you do get used to it. The other thing that is noticeable is the sound, but not for the same reason as the graphics. The sound effects have stayed almost the same, which I actually like because it reminds me of the original sounds you heard on the Gameboy. The music on the other hand has been updated a little and sounds a bit more sharper and changes more frequently meaning there is more music, and all of it is classic Pokémon sounding music.

Enough of the technical stuff, lets get down to gameplay. It's it what makes the game so good. As I have said it is in the style of the classic Pokémon games, which I guess I should explain for the three people in the world that don't know how it is done. You are on an adventure to fill up your Pokédex and along the way you have to beat the Elite Four, which are the four most powerful trainers in the game. Along the way you have to capture Pokémon and train them by fighting and defeating other wild Pokémon and fellow trainers. The fighting method is turn-based, with the Pokémon that has the highest speed stat striking first. You choose a move that will do damage to the opposing Pokémon based on you level, opponents level, type of Pokémon, And you attack stat along with there defense stat. However it doesn't stop there, you can have certain attacks that will raise your stats or lower your opponents stats in certain ares. This can make certain battles a fight to the end or you may be seeing how quickly you can knock out the foe. The more your Pokémon fight, the more experienced they become, the more they level up, learn new moves and eventually evolve. This system is a fantastic one and it does make the game, its simple yet complicated enough that all types of players will enjoy it. On top of all this the game has great replay value because you Gotta Catch 'em All, so there's another couple of hours added on to your total playing time.

So, what am I trying to say? Pokémon is back? Not quite, but this game is a great game for all of us who fondly remember spending our childhood playing Red or Blue, or even Yellow. The only major complaint that I have with the game is that there is only one game file. I was hoping for three, but it has been one file since the start of the series, so I can't be to disappointed. If you own a Ds, this game is a great pick-up that will keep you entertained for hours.

Pros: Improved graphics, An original Pokémon game, Sound.
Cons: Graphics show off DS's low refresh rate, One save file.


*Review based on Diamond version - Pearl is similar only with different Pokémon

Monday, May 21, 2007

Preview: Starcraft 2

Nearly an entire decade has passed since the release of the original Starcraft, and after much pleading from fans; the official sequel is on its way. With stunning graphics, new and redesigned units, an overhauled online multiplayer, and a big, fat story line; this one looks like it’s packing quite a punch.

If you, hadn’t noticed, Starcraft is huge. With constant tournaments in Korea and fans begging for a sequel, Blizzard had to do it. And it looks even better than imagined. The overhauled graphics are truly stunning. The in game graphics themselves are quite possibly the best in any strategy game. As well, many new units are being developed. Although full info is yet to come, it is known that some new units include an ultra-powerful ship for the Protoss. The redesigned units include some units with shielding and others with transportation abilities. Although the info is light and there is no official release date, the game looks very promising. Here are some screen shots to wet your appetite.







Preview: Vedran

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Review: Halo 2 (Xbox*)

Graphics- 10/10
Sound- 10/10
Gameplay 10/10
Replay Value- 10/10
Overall- 10/10

The original Halo put the Xbox on the map. The insults against the Microsoft system couldn't stand against this shocking shooter. And now, Halo's back, and it is SWEET!

Halo 2 basically picks up where the original left off and the Covenant want payback. The game definitely shows of its power in the visuals. First off, expect to see some superb designs. But the game really shines in its graphics, and they are SHINY. The details are wonderfully deep and make the game very realistic. As well, the overall picture and colors are crisp and clean. Besides the actual great graphics, the designs are definitely original and well done. The designs of the human soldiers, weapons, and vehicles are very realistic and are what you would expect them to be in the future. This is very good as it adds to the game's realism. As well, the Covanent designs are alien, imperialistic, and fit the idea of a marauding civilization of space. The environments, too, are quite stunning. Weapons, vehicles, and ammo are placed well throughout the maps. Also, the setup of the levels adds to the strategy of the game with abilities such as flanking your enemies and taking up sniping positions. These designs add to the already superb gameplay.

As you venture through the game, you'll usually find yourself on the move, heart pumping, with your guns constantly dishing out hot lead and searing plasma. You'll be armed with plenty of weapons from the human Battle Rifle to the Covenant Carbine and even from the famous (or infamous for some people) rocket launcher to the new Energy Sword, fresh from the Covenant weapon lineup. As mentioned, you'll be in a near constant state of movement and firefights. This means this game is overflowing with adrenaline. But this game isn't all about the rush, you'll have to make use of smart strategy and quick thinking to survive. The end result is a stunning combination of action and on-the-go planning and choices which makes for great realism. Adding to this is your arsenal. As I said it's quite large and varied. But also, the weapons are made just right, with each one having its own crisp sound and feel. But the burst from a SMG isn't the only good sound here. The music is quite superb, in fact, it's a pretty big highlight. From the start screen to the end credits, orchestral music mixed with a bit of rock and a pinch of techno will drive you through the action. Songs are well placed in the levels to bestow emotions of fear, excitement, and many others. If you don't know already, Halo's music is quite famous, and the same goes for Halo 2's. The tunes will definitely be welcomed by many ears. And don't worry about finishing this game, as the multiplayer is very well built with plentiful and will keep you coming back.

In the end, Halo 2 is a game with stunning graphics and even better gameplay with plenty of options. As well, the soundtrack is powerful, deep, and raises the game to another level. It's no wonder this game is so big.


Pros:Lots of action with many choices on how to fight. Great graphics and designs. Superb music and sound. Great multiplayer.
Cons: None.

Review: Vedran

*Also available for the PC, review for Xbox only.

Monday, May 7, 2007

Review: Super Paper Mario (Wii)

Graphics- 9/10
Sound- 8.5/10
Gameplay- 9.5/10
Replay Value- 8/10
Overall- 8.5/10

A classic Mario game with RPG elements...How could you go wrong? The biggest feature of this game is the ability to flip from 2-D to 3-D, and that works very well.

Super Paper Mario is my current "holdover" game. A "holdover" game is a game that I might not buy at full price except for it's the only good game out at the time. This is by far one of the better Holdover games that I have gotten...Although I have gotten games like 007: Agent Under Fire and Sonic Adventure 2 Battle in the past. Anyway, onto the game, it was basically advertised as a major update to the Paper Mario Series while retaining some of the RPG elements that we have come to expect from Paper Mario games. It did achieve what it said by adding an entire to aspect with the 2-D to 3-D ability. However, the RPG elements that it retained are very mild. Basically you can raise your HP after awhile and you can use items to attack enemies, which I never have really used. This does help the game, but fans of the turn-based combat of previous Paper Mario games will be disappointed because I have yet to encounter any turn-based combat. I think it would have been really cool to have all the boss fights as Turn-Based. That might have taken away from these boss fights, because they are some of the best I have seen in quite some time. Most games try and make the bosses big, scary, and a graphical wonder. Super Paper Mario makes the fight unique, interesting, and really fun. Speaking of graphical achievements...this game is not one. It's hard to have a Mario game as a graphics-driven game, but this game has decent graphics. You can see this the most when you flip to 3-D. I guess the best way to describe the graphics is "sharp." That is the game doesn't have any truly rough graphical features in it.

The other things that work well is multiple characters. You can play as Mario, (duh) Luigi, Peach, and Bowser. Yes Bowser, you see you are not actually after Bowser in this game, you are after Count Bleck. How does this happen? you ask, Well, pay attention to how the story unfolds and you will learn. I am telling you to pay attention because you might find it hard to follow the story because there is way to much talking, and not only that, it also makes a really bad sound whenever someone is talking. As long as I'm talking about things that make this game an 8.5, a lack of dash button comes to my mind. When I was reading other reviews for this game I thought that the lack of the dash button that we have come used to classic Mario games was a lame excuse to knock off points for the score. Well I was wrong. When I'm playing the game I always reach over to use the dash button, which results in me using my Pixl, (little creature that help you with various tasks along the way) I have just grown to used to the dash button. But as I was saying before, the multiple character work well, and they add reply value because you can go back to other courses and use each character's unique abilities to achieve more points and unlock new items.

Right now this is the best game that the Wii has out, and may be for awhile. You should cough up the $50 because it's a classic Mario with RPG elements...damn you Nintendo, that is how I think of the game now. Seriously, it is a good game and is worth the purchase.

Pros: Classic Mario, Multiple characters, Graphics are fine, Mild RPG elements work well, good replay value, 2-D to 3-D.
Cons: No dash button, Way to much talking.

Review: Dan