Review

Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom is what I would call a sleeper hit (much like Enslaved) it is a game that got lost in the tidal wave of Holiday releases and will dwindle away into obscurity.

That said I enjoyed this game the story line is predictable and it revolves around our hero Tepeu finding and freeing a golem called the Majin to fight a darkness that has overtaken the kingdom.

The graphics are simple but the art style is great giving real life to the world and characters as a whole.

The sound is diverse and deep, the dialog has been referred to as bad, but I would more attribute it to being written and delivered like it was made for a Saturday morning cartoon.

The gameplay is a mix between Sly Cooper (with the combat and stealth flow) and the Legend of Zelda or Metroid where you have to acquire items to access new areas and defeat bosses.

All in all this is a solid title that any adventure fan would enjoy. I would recommend it more as a rental that a buy simply because it is short and doesn't really have any incentive to play through again.

Review

Okay I am going to rant again, this game keeps getting bad reviews because it plays like Prince of Persia. Or because it has a good multiplayer with a not as good campaign. SERIOUSLY!! it plays like a futuristic version of PoP where you can throw discs that explode! What is wrong with people?!

This game follows the Tron fiction perfectly tying the original film with the upcoming Tron Legacy. The story also feels like a true part of Tron Lore.

The graphics are on par with the current gen systems, the best part is that it feels like the Tron universe. The movement and combat animations are great using Parkour and Capoeira.

The sound is good with the music holding the mood for the areas. The dialog is well delivered with a few sub par. The sound effects for the discs, and the light cycles, and the recognizers are amazing.

The gameplay is exactly like I said PoP with the Tron flair, and I actually jumped into the multiplayer grid the moment I finished the campaign and that is not something I do. The multiplayer is actually fun especially in the bigger grids where you can jump into your light cycle at will.

In closing I love Tron and I love this game, I actually feel like I am in the grid and that is all I can really ask for.

Review

Journey to the west is an amazing story, The journey of the Monkey King and the Philosopher is epic. When I heard that there was a gaming adaptation being made I was concerned, I thought it would be another Dante's Inferno. Trying to capitalize on a famous story but not respecting the source material.

However Enslaved Odyssey to the West pays homage to the origin material, even though it takes place in a post apocalyptic future and the Monkey King is not a God in need of being humbled. The interaction between Monkey and Tripp is fantastic, you can actually see their relationship change and how they both grow due to the other.

The story is great a little short but still great, now don't be confused Enslaved's story has very little to do with much more than the people involved. That is not a hit on the story but a part of it that I think many have and will miss while playing this game.

The graphics and sound are great, the dialog is believable and this world is unlike any other post apocalyptic world before, it is not desolate and barren, but lush and alive showing that nature has taken back the world after humanity destroyed itself. The best part is the characters, the animations of their movements and faces is on par with Mass Effect and sometimes surpasses it.

The gameplay is standard third person action and the platforming is simplistic however I did enjoy playing the game and never got bored.

Do yourself a favor and play this game, the story is rich as is the world and it ends with a possibility of a sequel that I would most certainly play.

Review

Assassin's Creed Brotherhood by Ubisoft, it is no mystery that I love the AC series but when I hear that a sequel to AC 2 was being made with multiplayer, I was not happy and did not even want to play it.

Then I heard that it had a single player campaign that started right after AC 2 ended and that you would be able to play through Rome and you would be the head of the Assassin's guild and could call your fellow Assassin's to your aid. That is when I became interested.

Story wise ACBH is right on target with the series, it was shorter but had a lot of side missions and task that really fleshed out the story.

It has the best gameplay of the series so far. They have refined everything further and give you a few new things that I love: the parachutes are a great addition and the ability to use secondary weapons by holding down the attack button is great.

The graphics and sound are equal with AC 2 so they are great.

Final verdict: If you like action adventure games get this, if you like the AC series get this, if you haven't played one of the games in the series this one is a perfect place to jump in since AC 3 will be out in 2011.

Side note: I have not played the Multiplayer yet but if it is half as good as the campaign I will love it.

Pointless fun

Posting this because I love this gif.

Review

Fable 3, the latest in one of the most entertaining RPG series ever. Yeah I loved it, I originally bought my XBOX for the first Fable and my 360 for Fable 2 I love this series.

I think that Lionhead did exactly what they should have with this game, they took Fable 2 and improved on it. The combat is more fun, the story had more depth, and the decisions you made felt important.

Graphic wise it is pretty much on par with Fable 2, they made a few improvements to the engine but left the feel and it worked perfectly.

On an audio level this was great the music and voice work was great with an amazing cast (including Stephen Fry, Ben Kingsley, John Cleese, and Simon Pegg to name a few).

The story was fun and compelling, you are the younger sibling of the tyrant king and are trying to overthrow his rule. There is more to the story than you know at first and I will not ruin it but needless to say you actually feel like the weight of an entire nation rests on you.

The gameplay is standard Fable, fight enemies, make friends, get married, etc... However everything has a more solid feel to it. The only complaint I have is the weapons leveling system, where you have to do certain things with certain weapons in order to make them stronger. In the end it feels unnecessary and I think you should of been able to have these task fulfilled weather you did them before you got the weapon or using it or whatever.

All in all this game is a big win for Lionhead. If you like RPGs get it, and if you like British humor you will want it too. Well I am getting Assassin's Creed Brotherhood on the 16th and I have Tron Evolution lined up for the beginning of December.

Review

Let me start off by saying I love Star Wars, I have been a huge fan my entire life. Also I loved the original Force Unleashed and all I wanted for the sequel was more of the first but with more fluid controls. I got my wish

I have been seeing this game get hammered all week long by reviewers and I think their complaints are frivolous. I have a hard time with the whole video games are art argument because I really believe they are. However I believe video game reviewers are becoming too much like movie reviewers. I keep seeing movies that I love getting poor reviews because they were "filled with mindless action" or "have bad special effects" etc... This is starting to happen with video games as well.

People have bashed Star Wars the Force Unleashed 2 for being a game where all you can do is "go crazy with force powers" I'm sorry did you just complain that you can pick up a guy, impale him with your lightsaber, charge him up with force lightning, and then throw him into a group of his friends making him (and all of them) explode. Not to mention you will actually get an achievement for doing it?

Come on people since when did it become bad to have a game where the whole point is to have fun? the game has good graphics, great sound (all the Star Wars staples are present), and fun game play. Don't argue with me about convoluted story lines that you can't understand (I think it was pretty easy to follow), or repetitive game play.

TFU 2 plays pretty much like this, enemies appear, use lightsaber or crazy force powers to wipe the floor with them because you are a total bad ass move on to next room where enemies appear... They complain about this, yet when our market is flooded to bursting with FPS games that have you do the same thing except replace lightsabers and force powers with um....guns?....this suddenly becomes amazing?

If games like Modern Warfare 2 and Halo get great scores when they have mediocre campaigns and are only still being played for the multiplayer we have a problem. Why have we forgotten that games are supposed to be fun and are not about owning newbs in a death match scenario. Since when did we let our world become populated with dumb ass mentality that makes you think you only rock if you can shoot enough people to get access to a nuclear strike?

Please people if you liked the first game or want to be a bad ass Jedi with crazy force powers play this game....let's give Lucas Arts an excuse to keep giving us a chance to feel like an over powered ninja samurai wizard combination. Sure beats the hell out of being another space Marine.

Updates

Well to start off, if you like Halloween and have $15 Costume Quest is an amazing game and Double Fine is a great developer to support.

Also on my mind is the double tap next week. First the Force Unleashed 2 and then Fable 3. Both look amazing and I am excited that two very different games are going to be in my hands next week.

Review

Castlevania Lords of Shadow, okay I have to say when I heard they were making yet another 3D Castlevania I was worried. The game only ever succeeded as a 2D, but when I head Kojima productions was overseeing the project I became intrigued. After finishing the game (in about 15 hours) I am very impressed.

First off the graphics are very impressive, the creature and character models are impressive and creative. The landscapes are awesome and the ambiance feels great (especially for a dark game released in October).

The sound is great the weapons, creatures, and atmosphere really set the tone. The voice work is amazing with high level actors like Patrick Stewart make this game a full fledged movie value story.

The gameplay is amazing, it has been compared a lot to God of War and it really is a lot like it. However I enjoyed the gameplay much more than GoW it felt smoother and I used all the combos and abilities that I had because the enemies required it. I was always able to just swing away in GoW.

This game is amazing, it achieved a dead tie with Castlevania Symphony of the Night as my favorite Castlevania game. There is also some interesting revelations in the end of the game. I predicted tow of the big twists but one of them very much surprised me. You will understand what I mean when you see the location we find our characters in during the Epilogue. I can not recommend this game enough, if you like action adventure games get it. If you like games about the supernatural get it. If you want a game with a great story get it. In short buy this game.

The Holiday Season

Okay so my "Christmas" games have all ready started coming in and here they are in the order that I will receive them. Not the actual order that they are being released because I actually want to save a certain one for Christmas morning.



SO I am about 2/3 of the way through Castlevania LoS and I love this game. It is getting a lot of comparisons to God of War and I have to say it does everything GoW does right. I will be posting my review once I have finished the story line and unless it manages to really do something wrong in these last few hours then this is easily competing with SotN as my favorite Castlevania game.



Star Wars the Force Unleashed is my favorite Star Wars game to date. It actually let you feel like you had force powers and despite the criticism that it received this game revolutionized what a Star Wars game could be. I will be getting it next and I am getting the collectors edition because it offers a lot of in game additions and a little bit of swag.



Fable 3.....anyone who knows me knows that I am a Fable fan. If not for the first Fable I never would have bought an original XBOX and in all honesty the reason I bought a 360 was for Fable 2. So yes I am getting Fable 3 and yes I am getting the Limited Edition. It releases on the same day as Star Wars TFU2 but I had to order it so it won't arrive for a few days after.



Fallout, there is not enough praise that can be placed on the Fallout series, and Fallout 3 is one of my favorite games of this generation. So yes Fallout New Vegas is my Christmas morning gift, I am waiting for it even though it comes out in a couple of weeks because I want a deep game for my winter break between semesters.

Okay so that is my line up for this season. What about you? Let me know in the comments below, and before I get harassed about Medal of Honor and Call of Duty.....yeah I like FPS games but I rarely play them for more than a few weeks, so I usually borrow them or pick them up used later on.

Reviews and such

So two very different things to talk about today. First of is Left 4 Dead 2 by Valve. I love this game, it is better than the first and still the top tier of Zombie game fun. If you want to shoot your way through a zombie Apocalypse play this game. Also it is best enjoyed with friends.

Now as for the Playstation Move, when I first saw this I was not interested. I thought Sony was trying to just pull the Wii crowd in. However last E3 I saw somethings (namely a game called Sorcery) that made me change my tune. After I got my hands on it myself I was blown away. To be fair I have only played the sports champions game and a demo of the eye pet. But the degree to which sports champions follows and reads your movements sold on this tech instantly.

All we need now is for Lucas Arts to make a the force unleashed (or a similar star wars title) controllable with this. I can not wait to see what Sony has in store for this wonderful little device.

I'm alive

Okay here is an update with some compact reviews. First off let's review Crackdown 2, I love it more than I loved the first one, but don't think this game is more than just an excuse to run around like a superhero and blow stuff up.....which is why I love this game.

I also would like to review all the downloadable games I have played lately. Scott Pilgrim is an amazing side scrolling beat up. Shank was a 2D homage to the NES era. Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is a great addition to the Tomb Raider series. Dead Rising 2 Case Zero actually made me want to play Dead Rising 2. And I just got Castle Crashers last night.....and holy crap this game is fun.

AS for further updates. I went to Disney World with my family last week and that is one reason I have been bad at keeping up with the blog. Also school started a couple weeks ago and so I have been busy with classes as well.

The Playstation Move is currently in transit and should be here by Monday so I can start to give some updates and impressions on the new hardware. Honestly I am looking forward to it. Okay I will try to be better at updating more often and with more important news.

Review

Okay so with summer school over and a few weeks before Fall semester I have been picking up used games at Gamestop beating them and then returning them. We call this a Gamestop rental, it is a neat little loop hole in the Gamestop used game practice that I use when I can. It let's me play a lot more games than I normally would otherwise.

Since there are 4 games to review I am just going to say a little summary about each.

Aliens VS Predator: I liked this game but only as the Alien or Predator playing as the human felt way off. Also this game could have been much better than it was. I still think that the real time worlds team who made crackdown (which I still haven't reviewed I know) should make a Predator game. That would rock.

Transformers War for Cybertron: This game was amazing. They finally got transformers right, I felt like I was in one of the great comic story lines. The cast of transformers, the abilities, the locations, and the story line were top notch.

Battlefield Bad Company 2: This game was better than MW2 and I loved all the destructible environments in it. Not a game I would keep but a fun rental none the less and a game that deserves it's following unlike MW2.

God of War 3: The God of War series is great and this was an awesome way to finish the series. Giving the story line and Kratos both a great finale. I loved every second of it.

Okay so there we go. I will post my Crackdown review soon....well maybe. I do have more gaming responsibilities to attend to.

Review

Okay so a lot of people look at this game as a kids game. Yeah in a lot of ways it is and there are numerous nods to old school games. But after the mention of Demon's Souls by having a girl say she had sticky white stuff in her hair (play demon's souls and you will understand) I realized that this game was going to be hilarious.

Graphically this game is very simple, a bunch of 3D blocks make up everything. But it is vibrant and so well done that you be wishing they would just remake the original Legend of Zelda like this.

The audio is very basic, but the sounds and music make me think of Zelda, and Dragon Warrior, and even Crystalis on the NES. I loved it.

The story is simple PRG fare, ancient evil was defeated and now it is coming back and you must follow in the foot steps of the ancient hero blah blah blah. But all the references to other classic and new games is simply amazing. If you don't laugh at these then you are too young or you are not a real gamer.

The gameplay is par for the course. Travel to dungeon, check; find special item, check; kill dungeon boss, check; rinse and repeat. The glory of this game comes from how well all of this is done and how fun everything is. Having a sword that shot beams out when you were full health was great in the Legend of Zelda. But having a sword that is longer that the entire screen and four times the width of your character when you have full health is genius.

The game is short, and it is very much an homage to titles like The Legend of Zelda. But with a $40 price tag it is hard to say no to something that let's you relive the good old days with out making it feel old.

Review

Alpha Protocol, first off this game is not as horrible as many of the reviews would have you believe. However do to the fact that it was delayed from October 2009 to June of 2010 this game has many unacceptable flaws.

Let's start with things I don't care too much about. The graphics are passable at best, but the lack of customization for Michael Thorton is underwhelming. The armor and weapons customization are good and actually one of the best things about this game.

The sound works though some of the shots and explosions don't hit the mark. The voice acting is hit or miss either great or completely campy.

The gameplay is hard to judge, many reviewers dislike it because they expected it to be more of a shooter than an RPG. However Obsidian is an RPG maker, I think the RPG elements work well building your character and shaping his skills is fun but playing the game is not so much. I was very dependent upon my skill set instead of the gameplay mechanics to beat the game. In fact the final boss was beat because I used a stealth ability to be invisible and hide then use a pistol skill to chain 6 shots at once and did this twice while hiding to beat him.

All in all the game is good as an RPG but not really up to the standard of a game in our current game cycle. If you want a good RPG, look to Bioware's Mass Effect series or Dragon Age. Or if you really want a shooter RPG get Bethesda's Fallout 3. However if you want a spy game that actually feels like a spy game then get Alpha Protocol because this is the only way it works.

Review

Okay Yeah too long I am aware. In fact I have this review , Alpha Protocol, and 3D Dot Heroes. But first to the matter at hand.

I love the old west. I was first in line to by GUN on the PS2 and I loved it because it was the best western game that had ever been made. And then Rockstar did what they do best and released Red Dead Redemption it has forever changed my gaming history.

Let's start with what matters least in this game, the graphics as an open world game it of course has weird random hiccups, in fact quite a few have been posted on youtube. But it does feel worn and leathery like the old west should.

The sound is impressive, the weapons all make the right snaps and bursts. The animals, people, and atmosphere all shine. The voice over work is great with Marston sounding absolutely like he should.

The gameplay is great the dead eye slowing down and picking your shots give you a satisfaction of disarming a guy shooting off his hat and then blowing his face off. There are few things as fun ans lassoing a guy of his horse or dragging someone behind you with it while you are riding your horse.

The story for this game is standard fare, outlaw who has to go back and take out his old partners in order to redeem himself. The way the story plays out is what makes it great hitting high marks on all wild west fares. Stage coach chases bounty hunting, shootouts, and high noon draws.

The multiplayer is great the coop is so much fun, and I haven't even tried the new coop story mode download that came out a couple of weeks ago. I am also looking forward too the zombie ghost town download that is coming soon.

This game is one of my top 5 of all time. I have no fears that Rockstar will make another due to the great sales figures. So if you have not tried this game go get it. And I will see you online.

Review

Yes I know I should be reviewing Red Dead Redemption since I got it before I got Alan Wake, but I haven't played much of the multiplayer in RDR and therefore I feel that I can't give a full review just yet but it is coming soon.

Now as for Alan Wake I will start off by saying that it is not a prefect game and there is more it could have done with such a long development cycle. However this is by far the best survival horror game I have played since Silent Hill 2 (Resident Evil 4 and 5 are not survival horror but action horror) and I am glad it was not done open world as originally planned.

The Story is where I want to start because I feel it is Alan Wake's strongest feature, the story is captivating with great and believable characters. The only problems I have is that some characters motivations are not totally clear at times and there are a few holes in the plot that I figure will be filled by the two remaining games in the trilogy.

The gameplay is done quite well, this is a good handle for survival horror having fast enemies but a great dodge mechanic let you feel strong and weak at the same time. The use of light as weapon and a defense is pulled off quite nicely. The only problem I have is that sometimes the aiming can be a little sloppy, but you are a writer after all not a trained soldier.

The presentation is impressive, there are some graphical hiccup sometimes but the are very minor. There is a graphical trick that makes bushes and trees look like enemies until you turn your light on them. The audio is great too the dialog is delivered well and the effects and music fit perfectly.

All in all Alan Wake is a great game, I am glad it made it through it's development cycle hell and got to my 360 I am now looking forward to the two final installments of this series over the next few years. If you are looking for a good survival horror game you could do much worse that this game.

I will do a RDR review soon I hope but let's just say it is one of my top 5 games of all time and I am getting Alpha Protocol for my Birthday in a couple weeks despite the negative reviews that it has been receiving I know I will enjoy it.

Update

Yes I know I have been MIA for quite some time now. Between family, school, work, and of course my various gaming habits I have been very bad at keeping this blog up to date. I will be posting a review for Red Dead Redemption in the next few weeks but not until I hit the multiplayer pretty heavily as well.

I am looking for suggestions on FTW games to blog about, or other games you might want to know more information about that I might be able to answer questions on. Pretty much I want to make this an open area where you all can ask questions and make requests of me....let's try to keep it all game oriented though. As much as I love movies and TV (sad now that LOST and 24 are both over) I made this blog to be about gaming.

I am looking for more people to play online with so if you are on the PSN or XBOX live drop me your tag and we can hit some Splinter Cell or Red Dead or MAG even. SO I guess I should go and get back to work since I am sitting at my desk writing this instead of working.

Review

All right so we all know that I was really excited for Splinter Cell Conviction. Sometimes you get so excited about something that you are let down when you finally get your hands on it. This is not what happened. Conviction blew me away, let's break it down.

The gameplay of Conviction has done for stealth action games that the original Splinter Cell did, it revolutionized the genre. It is no longer just about waiting and sneaking or getting spotted and having a mission end, in some parts this still happens but for the most part the game focuses on ingenuity. Using your area and tools to solve a problem, and there are so many ways to this.

Graphically the game is done well none more so than the CQC (close quarters combat) kills that are done with a silenced pistol in your hands.

The audio is great, the explosions, shots, hits, and music are great. But everyone knows the most unforgettable thing about Splinter Cell's audio is Michal Ironside's voicing of Sam Fisher. He has an amazing voice and can really convey emotion and intent in his control of it.

The single player mode is not very long and I have not played the multiplayer but I did finish the co-op campaign as well. Let me finish by saying that the co-op is better than the single player in every way and as much as I loved the single player mode I think this is the greatest co-op mode ever made.

If you like action games and always liked the Splinter Cell series but never felt as bad ass as you should have while in control of Sam Fisher then get this game now.

Red Dead Redemption

Okay first off I have to admit I am not a huge Rockstar fan, their crown jewel Grand Theft Auto has never really impressed me much. I am however a huge fan of a PS2 game called GUN, it was a great try at making a western video game.

I wasn't following Red Dead Redemption until recently, and now May 18th can't come soon enough. This game is in great hands, if Rockstar knows one thing better than just about any company out there it is open world games. If Rockstar delivers on their promises as well as they delivered on everything they promised with GTA 4 then RDR could easily contend for game of the year.

Dual Review

Yeah I am doing a dual review (i.e. reviewing two games at once) because if I don't then I will get behind even more.




Army of Two the 40th Day

This game I picked up only because I played and enjoyed the first one. It is a complete popcorn game (like a mindless action movie that comes out in the summer) I enjoyed it but it was short and I would only play it again if I did it co-op with a friend.

The graphics were good enough and the various weapons all looked and functioned in true enough form.

The sound worked well all the explosions and gun fire sounded well mixed. The dialog was ridiculous most the time and yes I know Nolan North is in this game too.

All in all the game was fun and probably would have been better with a second player but I liked it.




Heavy Rain is a master piece, it was everything I hoped it would be. I wouldn't actually call it a game....more like an interactive movie.

The graphics were hit and miss, some of it was great and other parts were down right scary.

The sound had great ambiance, and atmosphere, the only problem with the dialog was the fact that it was a all European actors trying to sound American and they couldn't pull it off all the time.

Finally I loved this game, if you want a true interactive experience that is more about story than it is about martial arts or head shots then get this now.

I will be MIA for a while since I just got MAG, and Splinter Cell Conviction shipped yesterday.

Splinter Cell Conviction

In a week Splinter Cell Conviction will renew my love for this series. I have played every SC game and thought the third one (Chaos Theory) was the best. By the time Double Agent came out I was tired of the mechanics and stiff gameplay. I never felt like a bad ass agent and I figured that the series was dead.

Then I saw Conviction and my hope began to grow, I still didn't really follow the game until I found out that the Rainbow Six Vegas series team was making it. I suddenly new I would want this game. A couple of weeks ago the demo hit XBOX live and after playing the 20 minutes sequence once I was hooked. I pre-ordered it right away and it will be sent via amazon sometime next week.

If anyone out there wants to hit the co-op mode with me leave a message with your Gamertag and I will add you to my list so we can take out terrorists together.

FTW

In honor of Final Fantasy 13 (which has many main stream changes that work really well) I wish to talk about the best Final Fantasy game of the entire series. Know to us when it first released in the US as Final Fantasy 3 it actually is Final Fantasy 6. Many people argue that FF 7 is the best in the series and even though it has my favorite character (Sephiroth) it did not have the gaming impact on me that FF 3 did.

This game is a pure gem and has been remade several times because of it. The story was deep and had so many great twists through out it. I still think it is better than most movies and books out there. Not to mention the cast of characters with their various abilities like Sabin's blits or Shadow's throws.

Not to mention one of the most iconic gaming events of all time is in this game, yes I mean the opera scene, never before had a game asked you to stop fighting so that you could memorize a script and play a role in an opera. It blew my mind at the time. Well I should be posting a review of FF 13 in the next few weeks after I beat it. As for my initial impression with about 15 to 20 hours of gameplay into it. I love it....then again I love all Final Fantasy games I have played. A little while back I said Bioware was my new favorite developer and Square had it's work cut out for them if they were going to take their spot back, and they did, don't get me wrong I love Dragon Age and Mass Effect but Final Fantasy hits me like no other series can. So congratulations Square you are again on top, lets just not wait another 4 years for the next one okay?

Review

So I know Demon's Souls has been out for months in the US and much longer over seas. Now if you have heard anything about this game it has been how amazingly difficult it is. In a way that is true, and in a way it is not. I just beat my first play through last night at about 50 hours of playtime.

The story is mostly forgettable, there are some characters and ideas that are good but the game doesn't do very much to power the story. This game is all about gameplay.

The audio is good over all the sounds and ambiance work well and most of the voice work is solid though some of it feels very forced at times.

The graphics are neither good or bad, but I was impressed with the animation of the main character, dealing with all the weapon types you have available.

Now on to the point of this game, the gameplay is not exactly difficult it is.....old school. Remember when you were playing old school NES games like Ninja Gaiden and you would always die on the level 3 boss and have to start at the beginning every single time. It was an era before checkpoints or re spawn. You made a mistake and you paid for it. Demon's souls works like that. You can get to the end of the section you are playing and then get torn apart by the boss only to be put back at the start of the section with all the enemies back. And to top it off you lose all the experience (aka souls) that you had, not just the ones you gained in that section but all that you had when you came in too. Now you have the chance to work you way back to where you died and reclaim all those souls but if you die in the process then they are gone forever. Not to mention when you die you come back in soul form which means you are weaker and have 50% of your HP. To top everything off, the more you die the harder the game becomes making enemies more resistant to your attacks and able to penetrate your defenses easier as well. This game is not forgiving and punishes freely, but that makes every victory that much sweeter.

As for the online component, other games can be invited into your game at anytime to help you, and on the flip side they can invade your game at anytime to kill you, and it happens.....a lot.

In closing I have to say this game is one of the best I played in a long time, and the reason people are having difficulty is because many of today's gamers were not raised on the pain of the NES generation, either because they are too young or didn't get into gaming until later in their life so they are not used to using patience and having such high stakes for failure.

Yeah I am excited for tuesday

FTW

In honor of the release of Heavy Rain I wanted to honor Quantic Dream in recognizing Indigo Prophecy. This game is more like a movie you can control than a strait forward game.

The gameplay was unique in that it played a lot like a point and click PC adventure, except that you used all the buttons on the controller instead of a computer mouse.

The audio and graphics were on par for the time.

The story was amazing and flowed some well, however there is a well known twist in the story that really did not flow well and ruined it for a lot of people. I dealt with it, saw past the hype, and instead saw what they were trying to deliver, a captivating story in a movie like presentation.

You could find this gem for cheap at just about any bargain bin in and it is really worth it.

Review

One of the greatest games I have ever played, and has been taking up most of my gaming time over the last few weeks. Bioware is officially my favorite game developer, as great as Dragon Age was Mass Effect 2 makes it feel like a sub par pile junk, and I loved Dragon Age.

All right let's start with things I don't really care about Graphics, this game is gorgeous I mean seriously beautiful. There are so many little details like the ads that float in 3D style off of the walls.

The sound track is one of the most inspirational and moving scores I have ever heard in a game or movie before. The dialog is top drawer on par with the Uncharted series, not to mention all the star power that fills the cast. The sound effects are perfect making the weapons and powers feel effective and solid.

The gameplay is great, all of the little problems with the combat in the original game were fixed and the combat really feels like a third person shooter without loosing the RPG elements. The weapon and armor system has been stream lined to let you focus on the story and gameplay and I wasn't disappointed in that change at all. I did have to say that the loss of the Mako is a win lose situation all of the side missions are much more accessible this time since you didn't have to ride around a plants surface to find them, however I am not a big fan of the new scanning and mining of plants to get materials to upgrade your weapons, armor, and ship.

The story, okay I have never been in a situation in a game where I thought I would die and be able to come back, but in the finale of the game after i had all ready lost three crew members (I mean I actually saw them die in front of me and I felt pain and loss because of it) I really thought I was on the verge of death by the end of the game, I was not sure I was going to make it and I didn't breath easy until I had gotten the heck out of there.

In closing this is one of the most impressive games I have ever played in my entire life, if you are even at all interested in it go get it. If you want wait a few months until you can get it cheap, but at the very least give it a try you will not be disappointed.

Review

All right I have a couple reviews I need to post and the first one is a great game that was almost a perfect game by Double Fine productions. Brutal Legend is an amazing concept, top shelf cast, great sound track, and a hilarious story. Unfortunately the gameplay is where this game failed to come together completely.

Don't get me wrong I loved playing this game the controls are solid and the combat and solo moves flow together well, however the game engine that was built for a third person action adventure game needs some tweaks to run on an RTS style. Unfortunately they failed to alter the game play to fit the RTS segments.

Everything else about this game is well....pure metal. If you do not like Jack Black or heavy metal DO NOT PLAY THIS GAME because you will not enjoy it. However if you dream about the ability to play an actual face melting solo then go grab it I got it at Gamestop for like $30 buck and I am glad I did.

Update

Just dropping a line to let everyone know I am alive, I have been playing Mass Effect 2 since it came out last week, and school started back up again last week, and I have been working too. I also played and beat Darksiders recently and I loved it, I will eventually post a review of it. I picked up Brutal Legend about four days before I got a hold of Mass Effect 2 and I loved what I played of it so far and will eventually revisit the rock gods when my Mass Effect 2 campaign is over.....maybe. Well that is all I am going to keep watching 24.


*p.s. my beautiful and amazing wife just had a baby too... That may be occupying some of my time...

Review

Okay let me start this review by saying that according to sale reports everyone in the world owns this game right now. Also I had this game for less than a week simply because I didn't enjoy it. Let me explain.

The FPS genre is the most over saturated in the business, there are so many crap games and so many poor game mechanics that you have to be careful what you put your trust in. First off there is no excuse to have a shooting in this current generation of gaming with out having a cover system. I don't mean the ability to crouch behind a box or step behind a wall, but the system that Rainbow Six uses so well sticking to cover and entering a third person view.

But this is not my problem with Modern Warfare 2, my biggest problem is that I feel like I have just witnessed a historic election, where all the politicians are making these huge amazing promises and then once they are in office nothing happens. The first Modern Warfare was enjoyable and had some really good movie moments. But this was supposed to top all of that and it didn't.

The campaign was lackluster after playing games like Uncharted 2. It is hard to see a game with so much hype and talent and then have it end up being unimpressive. Don't get me wrong the game as a whole is not bad but it suffers from the developers relying too much upon frat boy fans who don't seem to mind poorly developed games.

Everyone keeps trying to tell me that the multiplayer is where this game shines, and that is all well and good except for a few problems; first off if you have a game that is going to be all about the multiplayer do it right like MAG and make an online only game, second if you are going to have a single player campaign then make it worth while don't try to hang your game on the multiplayer.

All in all the game was made by a talented team good graphics and physics, good dialog and a decent story idea, the problem is that there are too many reasons why this should not be the best selling game of all time. This is the perfect example of what is wrong with the gaming market today. Games like this are the top of the heap and amazing games like Beyond Good and Evil don't even have solid sequels yet.

In closing all I have to say is that gaming is more about head shots and teenagers swearing at each other. Gaming has evolved past all that and is more substantial today so remember that next time you pass up a game like Shadow of the Colossus and instead buy Madden or Call of Duty and ask yourself if you are a real gamer or just some frat guy with a 360.

FTW

I know it wasn't that long ago, but this game is still my favorite shooter series to this day. Rainbow Six Vegas did everything right and I loved every thing about this game. I played this game over and over until part two came out.

The game-play was great because there was not only cover, but actual tactics behind it all. Using your team and your tools was how you got the job done, instead of trying to "Halo" or "Call of Duty" your way through by just "running and gunning". The amount of weapons you could choose from allows you to handle any situation as you see fit.

The sound was stellar, the explosions, firearms, and dialog were amazing.

The graphics are still viable today (granted this is a current gen game), and the recreation of Vegas was vivid.

The story was full of betrayal, intrigue, and believable characters. It kept you engrossed the whole way through until the end.

I may eventually post about the sequel because it was just as good if not better. Tactical shooting does not get better than the Vegas series.

MAG

I am not big into online multiplayer especially with shooters because I get tired of fourteen year old swearing at me when I kill them or worse when I compliment them on a good kill against me.

So if someone would have told me a few weeks ago that I would not only play the MAG beta (an FPS that is online play only) but love it I probably would have slapped them.

MAG seems like standard FPS online with various weapons and perks, the ability to gain levels and increase your characters skills and weapons. And when I started playing the smaller maps with up to sixty-four players at a time: thirty-two on each team further broken down into four eight man squads it seemed like a solid shooter.

However after I hit level ten and could play the large maps with up to 256 players at one time I was hooked. The game plays on actual squad tactics like protecting a bunker or capturing a checkpoint under the direction of your squad leaders and then receiving further orders.

I was afraid of the possible insanity of that many people playing at one time but it really is organized chaos, and this game can not be played like all the other FPS games out there, if you try to be a lone gunman and run in there you will get mowed down fast. I noticed this because I was a sniper and I continued to drop those players on the other team that would try and do just that.

The only way to finish objectives and win is to play as a team and follow the necessary orders. I am not only excited but dead set on buying this game in the near future it releases on the 26Th of Jan (same day as Mass Effect 2) which is why I won't be getting it right away, but rest assured this game will be mine with in the next few weeks and I have never looked forward to an FPS before in my life much less one that is online only.

Review

Well Finally back from all my selfish game time this holiday season and ready to review Assassin's Creed 2 by Ubisoft. Well it's no secret that this game is great, it has gotten amazing reviews for months now but I wasn't able to play it until recently because my wife got me the Master Assassin edition for Christmas (one of the many goodies is a statue above of the image).

I loved the first Assassin's Creed despite some short comings and some mixed reviews. This game was a no brainer for me, I knew I wanted to play it right off, and I was not disappointed.

The gameplay is right in line with the original with more weapons and abilities than the first. Counter attacking is still the most fun for me but with new enemy types that can counter you and deflect your counters it makes for amazing battles. The free running and climbing is smoother and faster than the original.

The graphics are great I have never been to Italy but I believe that if I ever visit I will be able to recognize land mark buildings just by playing this game. On top of that the main character (Ezio) has amazingly fluid motion all the time if he is climbing or fighting he moves realistically.

The sound is done really well the dialog is great and everyone plays their roles perfectly, not to mention the constant chatter and ambiance of the cities makes then feel alive. Oh and the combat sounds from the clashing of swords to the cracking of bones sound real and visceral.

The story is amazing, it builds on the first one and sets everything up perfectly for the third one (hope that comes soon) it also makes you care about the characters and the fight that they are faced with. I won't spoil anything but do not fail to scan all the glyphs (you will know what I am talking about) and missing the message of subject 16.

Okay in closing this game is a landmark for gaming just like the first one it raises the bar on what games have to live up to in the future. If you liked the first one play this game now, if you are looking for a good action adventure game play this game, if you want to kill corrupt people in Renaissance Italy play this game, in short there is no reason not to play Assassin's Creed 2.