OtakuDante's Gaming Inferno

Nexuiz (XBLA): "Old School Arena Shooters Are Reborn & Revived!!!"

2012-02-27T13:18:00.001-05:00

If you are a gamer who has enjoyed fast paced arena shooters in the past such as the "Quake" series (Quake III: Arena) then you'll be stoked about what 'ILLFONIC/THQ' has done for the genre. They have not only brought back the classic gameplay style of the FPS arena shooters of old, but have improved on it in many ways. In fact they have made the game their own in doing so. I was seriously stoked myself when I watched the trailer of "Nexuiz" last year after it was first revealed. It was a shot in the dark, but I knew I had to try and get this game for review. I wanted to see how good it was, and if the developers had managed to successfully revive a gaming genre that I have missed for quite some time. After getting the code for review (which I'm highly thankful for) I tested out all aspects of it, and took many notes on the details of the game as I did so. I was one of the lucky reviewers who actually got to spend some quality time playing online with others. It was hard to find matches at times, but I'm glad to say I can give you the details you need to know.

Nexuiz chronicles the interstellar war between two alien races, the "Kavusarri" and the "Forsellian". Instead of settling their differences on the battlefield they have chosen to make a spectacle of themselves by hosting lethal arena based death matches throughout the galaxy for entertainment. As a result the 'Nexuiz (Necks - us)' competitions were born. Both races of warriors in this display of galactic combat have their own distinct look (Kavussari = Orange, Forsellian = Blue) that sets them apart from one another. They also have various armor types (Light, Medium, Heavy) that alter their movement speed, and durability. These armor types are merely changes in appearances for the most part though. To quench the warriors' blood lust they also have an interesting array of weapons that can be obtained, and used in the arenas (CryLink, Electro, Nex, ClanCutter, Hagar, Mortar, Rocket Launcher, Ravager). Each player starts off with a shotgun, and infinite ammo. Additional guns can be picked up as you come in contact with them in the arenas though. Mutators that alter how the game is played, and functions can also be obtained/used.

What sets "Nexuiz" apart from other arena shooters is the massive amount of "Mutators" that are accessible within the game. If memory serves me correctly, there are at least 100 different mutators available that effect the gameplay in a multitude of ways. Some mutators simply enhance visual effects (Night Time, Color Blind, Old Skool, Third Eye ...). Other mutators alter movement (Double Jump, Jet Packs, Low Gravity ...). There are even some that have wacky properties that only add to the game's unique sense of humor (Farty Poopy, ILLFONIC, Pinata ...). I could do five paragraphs alone on all the mutators that are available, but I think they are best left to self discovery for those who purchase the game. With that being said the game also features a "Dynamic Mutators" shop that I definitely need to discuss. This shop allows players to spend points that are earned during online play to make (assign 'pips') the chance of getting certain mutators more/less likely. You can only assign up to 100 'pips' within the store, but the good news is you can buy them back afterwards. Having the store options definitely allows the player to better their chances of winning since mutators greatly effect how the matches are won/lost.

As it stands there were only two available types of matches in "Nexuiz". These match types will be very familiar to both "Quake", and CoD (Call of Duty) players. The match types I speak of are 'TDM (Team Deathmatch)', and 'CTF (Capture The Flag)'. In Team Deathmatch you are given a time limit (10 mins.), and a score/kill limit in which to accumulate the most kills. There is probably a limit to how many players can join, but since I've only been able to play with/against 8-10 other reviewers at a time, I do not have a clue to the size a team can be? Capture the Flag (CTF) is a bit more involved than TDM. It is an objective based match type that requires each side to capture the opposing team's flag, and carry it back to their own to score a point. during this time the two teams can combat each other, and use tactics for distraction in order to better achieve their goal. The time limit is the same as in 'TDM', and there is a point limit that can be reached as well. Aside from online play (quick match, private & party play) there is also a single player bot mode in which the gamer can improve their various skills, and try out the different mutators in the game. In the end I found both the offline, and online modes to be solid with little flaw. There was an occasional lag from time to time, but it wasn't severe.

Nexuiz exceeds in both visual, and audio presentation. The developers (ILLFONIC) have created "Nexuiz" with a never before used "CryEngine 3". From the beginning intro sequence to the actual gameplay I could tell that this new gaming engine was leagues ahead of it's time. The graphics were amazing! The lighting, shadows, and special effects in the various arenas were over-the-top in quality. I've only seen high grade gaming PCs bring this sort of visual quality to the table. As for the audio it was equally as impressive. I believe the developers/ILLFONIC went for a more techno/dubstep theme when it came to the in-game soundtrack. In fact it almost sounded "New Age" in a way. I have recently got a new gaming setup with a 36 in. HDTV, and the game looked and sounded brilliant.

The controls in "Nexuiz" are what you'd expect from an FPS/Arena based shooter. You'll find that the initial controller setup has the firing buttons at the top. For movement you'll use the (Left Thumbstick), and for aiming (which can be inverted) you will use the (Right Thumbstick). Switching weapons is as easy as pressing the (Y, or B) buttons. The developers also include a quick turn button (X), and a button for jumping (A). Since the game also uses jet packs for flying they utilized one of the thumbsticks (pressed in) for the ability to land, and to fly. While This all may seem a bit confusing for you at the moment, I assure you they are not really complicated to learn. If you have any experience with "CoD", "Battlefield 3", or other similar FPS games then you'll feel right at home. If you are like me though, and like things custom then there is a highly detailed custom controller menu just for you (Look, Movement, Scoreboard, In Game Menu, Dynamic Mutators, Primary Fire, Alternate Fire, Next Weapon, Previous Weapon, Melee Attack, Weapon Wheel, Rocket Jump, Quick Turn).

Now that I have touched base on the main details of "Nexuiz" I have to give my verdict. I previously mentioned that the new gaming engine (CryEngine 3) was highly impressive, and it is. With that being said the game wasn't without it's hiccups, and lagging moments. During offline play (which I spent most of my time) I found some occasional lag, and frame rate slowdowns. I also encountered a game freeze when playing online with a full lobby of players. Some of the players did have poor signals, so this may have contributed to that factor. After mentioning it to one of the developers during an online session they issued a patch. Unfortunately with the lack of players online I was unable to really tell if this helped at all. It was nice to know that the developers were working diligently to correct any issues that were happening though. Aside from those flaws the game played really well. It was extremely fast paced as the developer addressed in trailers, videos, and articles concerning "Nexuiz". I know that when most players begin playing they may think there's things wrong with the game, but I guarantee you that 9 times out of 10 it will be an effect of one of the mutators such as the "Broken Hit Detection" or "Slow Fire". These (mutators) are a major part of the game that don't need to be overlooked. In conclusion I highly recommend that you get this XBLA title. For 800 msp you are getting a heck of a deal, and a very fun multiplayer experience!

GAME OVERVIEW:

- 100+ Dynamic Mutators
- 9 Arenas/ 3 CTF & 6 TDM (Vertigo, Crash, Sanctuary, Strength, Overlook, Vigor, Refinery, Station, Tension)
- 8 Weapons w/dual shot types + 8 Super Weapon Mutators (Shotgun, Crylink, Electro, Nex, ClanCutter, Hagar, Mortar, Rocket Launcher, Ravager)
- Extensive Clan & Leaderboard Support
- Detailed Player Stats
- Solo & Online Gameplay (Play Against Bots, 4v4 Multiplayer Matches)
- 3 Online Match Types (Quick Match, Private Match, Party Play)
- 3 Character Classes (Light, Medium, Heavy) for Kavussari & Forsellians
- 12 Xbox LIVE Achievements
- Detailed Custom Controls

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (Xbox 360): "The Sad Truth"

2012-02-21T08:36:00.000-05:00

There's been a lot of things really getting on my nerves about online games lately. No doubt you have seen my rants & raves via Twitter about the subject. The fact of the matter is that online gaming is rapidly declining in quality, and has been doing so for quite some time now. With each online oriented game that is released there are also lobbies of cheaters, hackers, and spammers. I realize this sounds like a lot of whining on my part, but it's 100% accurate. Getting back on track though with the topic of this article ... Modern Warfare 3, or MW3 as most gamers know it has become a cesspool for campers, and all the bad types of gamers imaginable. To further add salt to the wound "Infinity Ward" & "Activision" have released 3 new DLC maps all of which are 100% camper friendly. With the release of the first to maps there was a video by "Infinity Ward" literally saying that they were "camper friendly". I also found out today after downloading the latest DLC content drop of the "Overwatch" map, and trying it out that they have continued with their camper friendly bullcrap. I tested the map out as soon as I downloaded it, and found more camping areas in it than on any map in the entire game. Needless to say I'm very pissed about the whole ordeal. I spent an extra $50 to get the Elite CoD membership, and I can honestly say it was a bad investment. I hope you guys & gals learn from my mistake, and stay the heck away from CoD games & CoD DLC.

- Brad (OtakuDante)

Pinball FX2 (XBLA): "Epic Quest"

2012-02-19T14:38:00.000-05:00

Zen Studios have produced some spectacular pinball tables in the years that they've been involved in game development. This time around though they really outdid themselves with a unique pinball table experience that combines the elements of RPGs with all of the goodness of a Pinball FX2 table. The table I speak of is called "Epic Quest", and the title definitely suits the experience you'll get when you play the table. I honestly think that Zen Studios covered every single element you'd find in a classic, or even modern RPG. There's HP, MP, Spells, A Ranking/Leveling system, Upgradeable weapons/armor, and epic boss/creature battles that continue even after you have lost. The brilliant innovation that Zen Studios has applied to this table goes way beyond just RPG elements, but also includes some "Epic" replay value. It's something you won't find anywhere else in the pinball gaming world at this current time. I know you guys, and gals have been awaiting my review, so I'll go ahead and get into it ...

Epic Quest is a table that takes the classic knight, and princess tale a good bit further. As Max the knight you must conquer the beasts of this medieval land, and tend to your beloved princess in the process. You will rank up as you would in any RPG, and gain more respectable titles as you do so. At your disposal you have a customizable setup of weapons, and armor. You can gain loot from your fallen adversaries, and switch out your current equipment as you earn more. You will encounter a wide array of enemies that must be dealt with by using parries, shields, sword strikes, and even spells. Among those creatures you'll find vampires, trolls, living trees, rats, ghosts, and other fantastical creatures of darkness. It will take all of your pinball expertise to come out on top in this whimsical "Monty Python" inspired table.

Epic Quest has a lot of features that mimic what you'd find in other RPG games. For example the two center ramps are your shield, and your sword. When you trigger a battle with a creature (via the stage theater side slots) you will need to strike it down with sword attacks by flipping the pinball up the corresponding ramp with a sword image on it. You can also block attacks by flipping the pinball up the ramp with the shield image. Aside from your basic attack (sword), and defense (shield) you can also flip the pinball up the far side lanes in order to parry or dodge an attack. Another RPG related feature is the ability to trade out equipment (swords, axes, shields) as you win loot. The weapons and shields come in three different grades (common = yellow, better = blue, epic! = purple) that are determined by text color via the dot matrix. There is also a ranking (XP) system in "Epic Quest". It involves a rank title (Minor Knight, Knight, High Knight, Champion, Monster Hunter, Golden Knight, Arch Night, Veteran Looter, Epic Hero), and a digital bar that that keeps track of the XP you earn from boss battles.

There are quite a few bumpers, ramps, lanes and launchers in "Epic Quest". In the center of the table you'll find a water wheel that will take the pinball to an upper level flipper. From this flipper you can flip the pinball through a track that leads to a stage like puppeteer play which showcases the upcoming "Encounter Mode" fight. The bumpers are located around a pink, and purple monster tree that is located to the left of the water wheel .This monster tree is part of a side quest that can earn you a fairly decent amount of points if you can hit it a certain amount of times before losing your current pinball. The shield ramp doubles as a side quest ramp as well. When you are not in "Encounter Mode", and pass through this ramp enough times you will trigger the "Bat Country" event. After this event is triggered you merely have to enter or exit the ramps with the lit up bat symbol beneath them. The more ramps you successfully enter/exit during this event the more points you will earn. I actually ended up getting over a million points in that event alone. Aside from the "Bat Country" event there's also a similar multi-ball event that involves skeletons. It plays out pretty much the same as the "Bat Country" event requiring to to enter, and exit the appropriately marked ramps.

There are plenty of ways to score in in "Epic Quest". Among the previously stated ways you will also find another multi-ball event called "Princess Multi-ball". This event is triggered by landing three pinballs into the Princess roulette table. After you land the three pinballs an announcement from Max the knight will occur, and they'll be launched onto the table. The "Princess Multi-ball" roulette table also doubles as a sort of bonus event with things like an extra ball, jackpot, and super jackpot that are available if you land the pinball in the appropriate roulette/princess slot. I actually forgot to mention something a couple paragraphs above about the spells system, so I'll tackle that here. There are spells that can be gained/used during boss battles though the puppeteer stage mechanism. By pushing the pinball in one of the four holes (via bars) you will gain elemental scrolls, spells, and trigger boss battles. In this way the puppeteer stage has multiple uses during gameplay.

In conclusion I found "Epic Quest" to be the most impressive Pinball FX2 table to date! Zen Studios took an innovative approach to this table, and succeeded in making it one of the best tables currently available. The way they utilized various RPG elements was brilliant. I actually wanted to keep playing the table just to see what equipment I could get for Max, and of course to shoot for that highest score. The replay value of this particular table definitely goes way beyond what you'd find in most pinball related games. It even surpasses the replay value of other genre based games I've played. The bells & whistles (metaphorically speaking) that Zen Studios added including the ability to reset your rank stats when you max out at level 100 really makes the table stand out from others in the Pinball FX2 series. I could go on, and on about how great this table was, but the fact of the matter is that it's a Pinball FX2 table worth having. In fact I "Highly Reccomend" that you add this to your Pinball FX2 library if you haven't done so already!!!

Shank 2 Digital Comic Book For Free!!!

2012-02-16T06:58:00.000-05:00

I received some pretty awesome news from Emily Morganti of "Klei Entertainment" yesterday. Following the release of their XBLA game they have made a free digital "Shank" comic book for download. The following is an excerpt (portion) of the email that Emily sent me to share with you guys, and gals:

Hot on the heels of last week's Shank 2 launch on Xbox LIVE Arcade, PlayStation Network, and PC, the game's award-winning indie developer Klei Entertainment has just released an eye-catching Shank comic book for free download: http://www.shankgame.com/shank-comic

Bridging the period between the two Shank games, the action-packed comic features sixteen pages of over-the-top original artwork from Klei's creative director Jeff Agala and artist Vangelis Christou -- it's a must-have for Shank fans and a great intro for new players!

The Shank comic can also be downloaded for iPad, Android, and Kindle Fire from Comixology: http://cmxl.gy/ShankComic

Union of Armstrong (XBLIG): "A Unique Space Oriented Tower Defense Game"

2012-02-15T14:42:00.000-05:00

I was recently contact by Travis Rogers of "Domain of the Infinite" about reviewing his latest indie game "Union of Armstrong". I wasn't sure what the game was about, but I was glad to do the review for him. After playing the game for a brief time it kind of grew on me. It's the type of simple game that you can sit back, and relax to as you play it. It featured one of the most unique music soundtracks I've ever heard, and I quite enjoyed listening to it's mock radio station setup. As I did my playthrough of "Union of Armstrong" I tried my best to make it far in the game but failed since my mind wasn't focused at that time. I have plenty of things to worry about in my everyday life, so trying to become an expert at a tower defense game as involved as this one definitely proved to be a hopeless task. Regardless of that fact I quite enjoyed the playthrough, and will try my best to explain the core mechanics of the game to you guys, and gals.

Union of Armstrong is a tower defense game built around the conflict of an Apollo 11 moon colony, and a greedy corporation called Luna. As the gamer you control the defenses of the Apollo 11 colony in a final battle against Luna. The game starts off with a 3D surrounding that Travis Rogers/Domain of the Infinite is well known for. After you consult the robot behind the desk of the space station you will have a brief discussion with Luna's commander as to whether you want to surrender or not. The answer can be given from a variety of choices within a 3D menu, but ultimately it leads to the tower defense game that is the core of "Union of Armstrong". As the Apollo 11 colony's last hope you must use your limited resources, defense, and power to survive 40 waves of assault from the Luna Corporation.

The tower defense part of "Union of Armstrong" consists of a path that you must place various turrets on in order to halt the progress of incoming attackers. The path itself has many turns that must be covered, and constantly tended to as you face each wave of attackers. At your disposal you have "resources" which are what you use to build the turrets, "defense" which is the amount of hits the Apollo 11 colony can take before being destroyed, and "power" which is what keeps the turrets and defenses running. You can relocate the resources, defense, and power among each other in order to better manage your survival. Setting up the appropriate turrets in the right places is your key to surviving all 40 waves of attackers though. You'll also have to constantly keep a watch on your power level as it declines at a steady pace from turret, and defense usage. There's also a large attacking satellite that passes over from time to time that must be dealt with by using your shield (B). As the waves of enemies continue to attack the will become more resistant to your defenses/turrets, and as a result you will need to upgrade your turrets via an in-game menu (Y). Keeping a constant watch on what is going on onscreen is definitely a mandatory thing.

The controls in "Union of Armstrong" seemed to be fairly complicated to me at first. After getting into the actual game though I was able to understand it much easier. I can only recall some of the controls, but what I tell you may be able to help you better understand the game. I found during my playthrough that you basically use the top bumper buttons to rotate between the three available turret types. Once you have selected the type of turret (slow, basic, advance) you want to use you place it along the outside of the path by pressing the (A) button. If at anytime you wish to recycle your resources/turrets you can simply press the (X) button. The recycling process goes by the order in which you layed the turrets though, and as a result the cannot be recycled individually or at random. Aside from those basic controls you can also defend the large Apollo 11 colony that's located at the very end of the path by holding down the (B) button when one of the attackers runs into it. The (Y) button is used to bring up the transfer menu with which you can transfer the resources, defenses, and power amongst each other. For the placement of the actual turrets you'll guide the onscreen cursor with the (Left Thumbstick), or the (D. Pad). Those are the basic controls you will use, but if I left any out you can find them on an in-game controller diagram that the developer has included in the game.

In conclusion I found "Union of Armstrong" to be an oddly enjoyable game. I wasn't very good at it, but something about the game definitely held my attention. I believe it may have been the music, and the mock radio station that was playing during gameplay though. Whatever the case I found the game to be fairly decent. The sound quality, and visuals were both impressive for an indie game. The control scheme was easy to pick up on once I got started, and I only had to visit the "How to Play" section once before doing my playthrough which was nice. If you've ever played tower defense facebook games like the ones that can be found in "Mafia Wars" then you'll be right at home when playing this title. In the end I think this game is very much worth the asking price if you are a tower defense gamer. Keep in mind though that this isn't like 3D RPG tower defense games you may be used to, but more like the 2D old school genre.

Game Type (XBLIG): "MommysBestGames Issues An Update!!!"

2012-02-15T07:08:00.000-05:00

As all of you know by now I'm a serious shmup (shoot 'em up) fan. I absolutely love a good shmup even if it is a $1 (80 msp) XBLIG title. Last year I reviewed an XBLIG shmup called "Game Type". This shmup was unique in that it was used to make a point about the current state of the XBLIG titles' hard to find location in the Xbox 360 dashboard. Aside from it's obvious message the game also featured a shmup game that was actually fun. I found out this morning, after contacting the developer (MommysBestGames) that the game had been updated with some patches about 2 weeks ago. These patches were significant in nature, and included the leaderboard patch that I had been waiting for. I will include a link to the official website info on the currently available patches so you can see them for yourselves. If you haven't already got this game it's definitely worth the asking price!

http://www.mommysbest.blogspot.com/2012/01/game-type-updated.html

Soul Calibur V (Xbox 360): "The Love/Hate Relationship"

2012-02-14T16:43:00.000-05:00

This is a follow up to my last article about "Soul Calibur V", and it's more of a discussion about what I'm finding out about the game as I play it. In this particular article I'll also try to discuss further pros & cons I have found about the game ...
As most of you know I'm a serious fighting game critic, and player. I have spent a majority of my gaming career playing fighting games, and have enjoyed it for the most part. I have experienced about every sub-genre of fighting games including 2D, and 3D fighters. As with all game genres there comes the good, and the bad. Over the years I have witnessed the decline of fighting games as they entered the "online era". I would have thought that online fighting games would have proved to be more welcome, but the fact of the matter is that the online features in these games are just as flawed as that of any other video game out there. The reason I say this is that online fighting games have become plagued by the same hacking, and cheating issues as you'd find in other online genres such as FPS. Players have become so desperate to win that they'll do so any way they can. I have found this to be the same with Namco's latest release of "Soul Calibur V".

As I have played the many modes, and experienced the various online features of "Soul Calibur V" I've noticed a familiar trend to begin emerging. This trend I speak of is "cheating". Today I was actually playing an online players match in "Soul Calibur V", and the guy ragequitted just as I was winning. This wouldn't have bothered me so much, but they had done the same thing in a match before me with another player and got to continue in the top spot as a result. It's this sort of thing that really pisses me off. After the spoiled sport had left the lobby I continued on to win a few matches before being dethroned which was fine by me. Aside from this ragequitting incident I have seen some fairly impossible wins by opposing players, and have even heard talk over the mic about various cheats/hacks that players are using. These were very specific things that were mentioned by decent players, so the credibility is definitely there. It wouldn't actually surprise me to find hacks in a game such as "Soul Calibur V". Any online game is vulnerable to attacks. This fact alone annoys me to no end. It seems to me that developers would have developed a more secure online by now.

Soul Calibur V is not all doom & gloom. It definitely has some good points as well. One of these "good points" happens to be the detailed "Character Creation". I have never seen a fighting game "Creat-a-Character" made with some many possibilities. In fact I have been able to create some pretty amazing custom characters including the 4 "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles", "Go Nagai's Devilman", "(Jun Fudo) Go Nagai's Devil Lady", "Ben Templesmith's Wormwood Gentleman Corpse", and even some of my own unique creations. The huge plus to this character creation mode is the ability to design, and store up to 50 custom characters! This alone makes the game worth the asking price. Even if the game is flawed online I still enjoy showing of my created characters to players around the world. Their comments, and compliments are truly priceless. It's definitely nice to get noticed for such artistic talent within a video game!

I have not only enjoyed the character creation in "Soul Calibur V", but I've found it's offline modes to be equally as impressive. If your looking for a solid offline fighter then "Soul Calibur V" can definitely fill that spot. As with previous installments of the "Soul Calibur" series there are multiple offline modes to be experienced. Among these modes, "Soul Calibur V" continues with it's own unique story mode that takes the game's story to new limits with CG cinematics and involved gameplay. Once you playthrough the game's story mode there's pretty much no reason to revisit it though. Other modes in offline pick up in that replay value area though. As usual you will find the "Arcade Mode" in which you can attempt to beat your current record, or even a challenge mode where you can earn new titles to show off in the online modes. The only mode I didn't see that was present in previous titles of the series was the "Survival" mode. The lack of this mode truly disappointed me on so many levels. I think the last time I saw a survival mode in the "Soul Calibur" series was actually in "Soul Calibur II". It would have been nice for them to add this to the roster of playable offline modes though.

I wasn't going to address the online modes that are in "Soul Calibur V", but I think there are some of you that may be interested in which online modes are the best. For a while since getting "Soul Calibur V" I've been trying to improve my rank in the online "Ranked Matches". This is definitely not the way to go since the online in "Soul Calibur V" isn't fair on so many levels. There are major input delays, as well as frequent lag issues. It's definitely best that you avoid this mode all together. The " go to" online mode would be "Player Match". This mode features lobby search criteria (region, connection, language, lobby type) that makes for much better matchmaking. I often search the "Player Match" lobbies when playing online for fun, and hassle free fights. The huge benefit of the "Player Match" mode is that it won't aggravate you as much when you lose to a cheater. If your looking for something more competitive in nature then "Soul Calibur V" offers the online tournament mode which has lobbies that are divided by regions, and cities. This better guarantees an issue free match (assuming some jerk from another region hasn't joined in ...).

I hope this article has shed a little more light on "Soul Calibur V" for you. I did touch base on some things I've already mentioned, but I've also touched base on which modes are best to play. If your looking to enjoy "Soul Calibur V" then definitely stay away from the "Ranked Matches". If your determined to go online just play the "Player Matches". That's the best advice I can give you. You'll find that "Soul Calibur V" still offers a superb offline though, and a character creation that currently surpasses any fighting game I have seen/played thus far. If you're wondering if this game is worth the money or not, that is simply up to the person who's playing. The scales of worthiness could be tipped either way when it comes to "Soul Calibur V". The game has a lot to offer, but it is far from a perfect fighting game experience.

Shank 2 (XBLA): "Sequel To The Original Blood Filled Brawler"

2012-02-09T16:08:00.000-05:00

I'm going to begin by saying that I have never actually played the first "Shank" game. I did notice during my playthrough of "Shank 2" that it looked like the continuation of another story. With that being said though I was able to understand everything that was going on without having played the previous game. What I discovered when I played "Shank 2" was a gory 2D brawler/platformer that seemed to have elements of the "Metal Slug" games, and an art style similar to the "Samurai Jack" series. It also featured an interesting, and deeply involved combo system with a wide variety of weapons. All of the characters in the game had their own unique personality that gave them a likable quality. Shank (the hero) was a lone wolf kind of guy that reminded me a lot of "Marcus Phoenix" from the "Gears of War" series. He had that same gritty voice, and attitude going on. As I played the game I really began to like Shank's style. As interesting as the characters were I found that the story to be even more entertaining. It featured a plot about organ harvesting, a dying dictator, a mad doctor, and even a female cult leader among other things. It was like a "Quentin Tarantino" grindhouse feature that was made into a video game!

Shank 2 is a very complex game that takes some time to master, and learn. I had some trouble throughout my playthrough remembering the detailed controls that I had to use. Often times I would get buttons mixed up causing me to lose at certain parts of the game. The control setup isn't really user friendly in this game in that sense, but it's also not too terribly bad. The good news though is that the game offers you tips, and points out controls you should be using often throughout the game. If you get stuck repeating a part of a level then it's a good idea to pay attention to the hints in the loading screens. I'm not going to try and explain the controls in this review as I usually do, because it would only confuse you. You can trust me on that.

I mentioned at the beginning of this review that "Shank 2" had some elements that reminded me of the "Metal Slug" games, and it definitely does. There are certain things like the freeing of prisoners, and the level designs that are oddly reminiscent of those games. When it comes to actual gameplay though "Shank 2" is all original. The game features a unique weapons/combat/combo system that allows the player to choose/use 3 different weapons. You get to choose a melee weapon (machete, chainsaw, sledgehammer), a projectile weapon (shanks, handguns, shotgun), and an explosive weapon (grenade, mine, molotov). By using these weapons with the various attack buttons (X=Light, Y=Heavy, B=Shoot) you can string together combos in order to achieve a higher score at the end of each level. The combo system is explained fairly well in the game. I had no issues in picking up on it when I learned the controls, and you shouldn't either. Aside from the weapons, and combo system the game also has a lot of blood and gore. There's definitely a lot of bloodletting that goes on in "Shank 2" including some gory cutscenes during boss fights, and after you've finished the bosses off. It's this bloody combat system that sets the "Shank" series far apart from other 2D platformers.

There are a lot of cool features in "Shank 2". The game is teeming with hidden items (Intel), and secret character skins that can be unlocked during your playthrough of the game. The 'Campaign' mode has plenty of objectives that need to be completed in order to unlock the various character skins. You'll also unlock all the weapons in the game as you play through the 'Campaign' mode. I ended up getting all the weapons during my first playthrough of that mode, but I will need to go back to unlock all of the bonus character skins. The game honestly has some serious replay value, and also a 'Survival' multiplayer mode that will have you coming back for more. The 'Survival' mode puts up to four players together in a multi-tiered stage, and has them trying to defend cargo from bombers. The online co-op is fast paced, and and just as bloody as the 'Campaign'. You, and your online friends will face wave after wave of enemies in this online mode. After each wave is completed you will be given the opportunity to purchase items from a store menu that can aid you against the enemies, and bosses that appear. The goal in 'Survival' is simply to survive as many waves of enemies as you can, and gain the highest score. You can choose a character skin, and weapon setup before beginning a match in this mode.

In conclusion I found "Shank 2" to be a fairly solid game. The 'Campaign', and 'Survival' modes have some serious replay value that make the asking price understandable. I'm a serious fan of bloody/violent games, and "Shank 2" delivers some quality entertainment in that area. The art style within the game is quite impressive, and the story is definitely grindhouse feature quality (I would honestly go to the theater to see a movie about this game). With all the praise I can give this game there is still one little flaw that troubled me during my playthrough of "Shank 2". This flaw was the occasional frame rate lag that occurred when the action was heavy. While I done consider this a major issue it was still bothersome. I can easily overlook this though considering how much I enjoyed playing "Shank 2". I tested out the 'Survival' mode with (GT: Lord Kenshin), and made it to the 14th wave with no lag at all which is definitely an impressive feat in itself. Not only that I had fun playing 'Survival' with a random person. My thanks definitely goes out to (GT: Lord Kenshin) for being a good sport, and sticking with me throughout the 14 waves of 'Survival' mode. To sum it all up 'EA/ Klei Entertainment' have produced a solid gaming experience with "Shank 2". It's definitely worth the asking price.

Cloudberry Kingdom (XBLIG): "Upcoming $1,000 Contest!!!"

2012-02-08T20:37:00.002-05:00

I have just received an email from 'Pwnee Studios' concerning one of the biggest prizes related to an XBLIG title! The contest in question will take place once the game is released in early Spring. It seems that 'Pwnee Studios' is searching for the greatest platformer gamer of all time ("Platformer god"). In order to prove your worth, and win the $1,000 prize you will need to be the first gamer to complete "Cloudberry Kingdom" on it's hardest difficulty setting. After you do so you will need to upload the replay via an in-game feature. I will leave you guys & gals a link to this extremely exciting contest so that you can check it out for yourself. I definitely know I'm going to give it a shot, and I hope you do as well. Best of luck to anyone who enters!

http://www.pwnee.com/wanted/

The Simpsons Arcade Game (XBLA): "A Retro Arcade Beat 'em Up"

2012-02-08T15:15:00.001-05:00

This game brought back so many memories from my childhood. As a teenager I enjoyed watching "The Simpsons" every chance that I got. My mother wasn't really approving of the shows semi-adult humor, but she allowed me to view it anyways. The television series isn't the only nostalgic memories this game brings to mind. Back in the day when I used to play the arcades at a skating venue called "Skate Country" I would spend many quarters playing this exact same arcade game. When I first got this game for review I wasn't really sure it was a direct translation of the arcade cabinet game, but after doing a thorough playthrough I realized that it was. It was definitely a pleasant surprise. I think Konami, and Backbone Entertainment did an excellent job of porting this arcade style brawler to the consoles. They included a lot of extra features that the arcade cabinet version of the game didn't have including online co-op.

The Simpsons Arcade Game has a basic story plot that takes place throughout various locations in the Springfield area. The game begins with a cutscene featuring a jewelry heist gone wrong with Mr. Smithers as the leader of the theft. In his haste to escape he runs into Maggie Simpson who accidentally swaps her pacifier for the stolen gem that Mr. Smithers had abducted. Without a moments hesitation Mr. Smithers grabs Maggie, and makes a dramatic escape. The remaining Simpsons family members (Marge, Homer & Bart) won't stand for this heinous act, and immediately pursue Mr. Smithers, and his goons. What ensues is an all out brawl that takes the Simpsons family through the various locales of Springfield, and pits them against some of the wackiest characters you have ever laid eyes on.

This port of "The Simpsons Arcade Game" features all of the levels (8 Levels), boss fights, graphics, and sounds of it's old arcade cabinet counterpart. While the game is dated in appearance, and sound it still brings some new features to the table making the game just as enjoyable as it was years ago. The Simpsons Arcade Game is a 1-4 player 3D brawler that can be played online or offline. The game takes place in Springfield which happens to be the home of the Simpsons family. It also pays tribute to the television series with cameos of the Simpsons cartoon characters that many of us grew to like in the past. Among those characters you'll see Moe, Barney, Krusty the Clown, Nelson, and their two pets Santa's Little Helper and Snowball II. There are other characters that you'll also recognize as you play the game.

There are a variety of different online, and offline modes in "The Simpsons Arcade Game", and all of them can be played alone or with up to 3 other players. Among those modes you'll find "Free Play" which is basically a game with unlimited continues. It offers little challenge since you'll be able to do a complete playthrough of the game regardless of how many times you die. Aside from that mode there's also two modes (Quarters, Team Quarters) that have limited continues for all players that participate. The "quarters" mode gives each player a 10 credits limit. This means that each player can only continue up to 10 times. The "Team Quarters" mode is different in that all of the players share a collection of 40 credits/continuations. This puts pressure on the players to stay alive as long as they can during the game, and not waste the continuations. The game also features one last mode called "Survival" in which the player/s have only 1 life, and no continues. You have to be a really good player to be able to last to the end of the game in this mode. Each mode in the game has four different difficulty settings (Easy, Normal, Hard, Expert).

There are a total of four available Simpsons characters to play as in "The Simpsons Arcade Game". The characters available include "Marge" who uses a vacuum cleaner as a weapon, "Homer" who uses his fists & feet, "Bart" who uses his signature skateboard, and "Lisa" who uses a jump rope as a weapon. Aside from the pre-equipped weapons each Simpson character can also pick up throwable items that are placed throughout each level/location. The game's controls are very basic, and use only two buttons and one thumbstick on the Xbox 360 controller. For character movement you will use the (Left Thumbstick). I didn't try to see if the D. Pad worked, but it would be awkward if it did since this is a 3D brawler. To attack in the game you will simply use the (X) button. To jump in the game you will need to press the (A) button. You can actually use the attack button (X) with the jump button (A) to perform a variety of attacks that depend on how quickly you press them. Both the attack, and jump controls can be changed in the options menu to suit the players preferred control setup.

In conclusion I found "The Simpsons Arcade Game" to be a brief, but fun experience. It definitely brought back some good memories. I think the overall game setup was executed quite nicely. It offered some screen customizations that catered to the gamers who wanted the arcade cabinet view, or even those who wanted a more fullscreen type of viewing. I actually enjoyed the larger more full screen better, but that's a personal preference. I did find the game to look, and sound as dated as it was years ago, but it's pretty much a direct port so I wouldn't expect anything else. I ended up choosing the "smooth" screen filter setting which definitely made the game seem less dated in appearance. I know a lot of you are curious as to how the online played, and I'd say it was good for the most part. I did experience some lag when playing with a random online player, but when it was with my own connection (4-5 bars) the game played very smoothly. As far as replay value goes this game is pretty much a one shot deal. Once you do a playthrough there's not much (other than the 12 achievements & the unlockable Japanese ROM) that will have you going back for more. If you're looking for a trip of nostalgia though this game will likely fill that void for a reasonable price.

Cloudberry Kingdom (XBLIG) - "Pwnee Studios Upcoming Game Release"

2012-02-07T14:48:00.002-05:00

I've been recieving a lot of compliments from XBLIG developers lately, and it definitely means a lot to me. It means that I'm actually doing something right in my quest to get games on the Xbox LIVE marketplace noticed. Recently I received an email from 'TJ Lutz' of 'Pwnee Studios (A 4 Man Team)' about their upcoming XBLIG title that promises new technological advances in the 2D platformer genre. They told me in the email that "Cloudberry Kingdom" will feature 6 different difficulty settings (casual - hardcore/nearly impossible) that adjust to the player's skill levels. This in itself seems like an impressive feat to me. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing, and hopefully reviewing the game. I will leave you guys & gals the youtube trailer so that you can see what I'm talking about for yourselves ...

Twitter: @PwneeStudios

Website: http://www.pwnee.com/

Katana Land (XBLIG): "A Mission Based 2D Ninja Platformer"

2012-02-06T12:57:00.000-05:00

I have had the chance to play a handful platforming games based around the ninja mythology since starting my XBLIG reviewing career. Most of the games released though were from "WINGLAY Entertainment". I was glad to see another developer step up, and introduce a ninja platformer that was different. Kablammo Games, the developer behind "Katana Land" definitely brought something new to the table in that respect. Their game had it's own unique comic book style of art, and the in-game details reflected their interesting style. Aside from the impressive comic book style graphics that were shown, the game also featured an amazing oriental soundtrack that complimented the game quite well. The gameplay itself was well presented, and featured objective based missions and boss battles. While the game wasn't extremely lengthy it offered some things that enhanced it's replay value. Overall the game was executed well, and was presented in a user friendly manner.

The story of "Katana Land" is simple, and straightforward. It seems that the hero/ninja's girlfriend was kidnapped by an evil overlord. To get her back he follows the advice, and tutoring of a wiseman. In order to save his girl he has to complete various objectives along the way, and confront a handful of bosses/demon lords that try to halt his progress. In the end he must face the evil overlord, and free his captive sweetheart. The ninja has various weapons, and attacks in which to complete his quest including a katana, shuriken, and a jump kick. Since he is a ninja he can maneuver through each level in a ninja-like manner. In the end it's up to you (the ninja) to defeat the bad guy, and save your girl.

The controls in "Katana Land" are user friendly for the most part, but definitely take some getting used to initially. The good thing is that there is a controller layout diagram displayed between each mission to refresh the player's memory on how things work. During my playthrough I found that movement could be performed in one of two ways. You could use the (Left Thumbstick) which I did, or you can use the (D. Pad) for a more retro feel. Jumping plays a huge part in the game, and can be done by pressing the (A) button. To swing your katana you simply press the (X) button. To throw shurikens/projectiles you will need to press (Right Bumper). You can also block in the game by pressing the (B) button. The (Y) button is used for the various mission based objectives that you'll find throughout the game. Aside from those standard controls you can also climb ledges by jumping, and using the (Left Thumbstick/D. Pad) to scale the ledges. Once your on a ledge you can press (A) to jump higher, or down plus (A) to scale down a wall/cliff side.

The graphics in "Katana Land" had a cartoon-like appearance to them. The color schemes that were used reflect the time period that the game focused on. The music also had a sound that accented the oriental theme of the game. It had a more modern sound to it though. The character animations within "Katana Land" were quite impressive. All of the characters had an anime/chibi (small bodies, big heads) look, and had their own unique animations/movements. There was a fairly impressive amount of different characters, and enemies within the game including two hidden playable characters. The hidden characters even had their own unique attacks, and projectiles. I didn't find any glitches, or bugs in the graphics as I did my playthrough. In fact the game played very smoothly.

In conclusion I think "Katana Land" was a really solid game. Everything in it was developed without flaw. The gameplay itself was fun, and was executed in a user friendly fashion throughout the entire game. I loved the challenging objective based levels in the game. They weren't too hard to complete, but they did take some effort to finish. If you want to complete the game 100% though you'll definitely want to get the 12 medals that can be earned by completing tasks in a certain manner. The fact that medals are available to earn definitely gives the game some added replay value. The two hidden/playable characters also give the replay value a boost. After playing through the entire game, and getting the three different endings (via the 3 characters) I decided that "Katana Land" is a game that's definitely worth adding to a gamer's collection if they like indie games as I do.

Brand (XBLIG): "A Game With A Mythology All It's Own"

2012-02-04T10:27:00.000-05:00

There are many mythologies in the world of gaming. You'll find epic games that revolve around various science fiction universes, and games that are based on fantasy realms. As a gamer I've seen many of these mythologies come, and go throughout the years. Some of them have even lasted through many different genres of consoles. It's always nice to see new realities/mythologies being born from the imaginations of gaming developers. Being able to experience these mythology based games provides an escape from everyday life for many video game enthusiasts such as myself. I often feel as if I'm a part of the world's, and mythologies that game developers create and enjoy the artistic trip that ensues. Recently I got the opportunity to play, and review an indie game that had it's own "Brand" of mythology. Nine Dots Studio, the developer behind the indie game "Brand" has brought their own mythology of sorts to the XBLIG library in an entirely new way. The game revolves around a quest to make a sword that's worthy for a king by completing side quests that involve ancient creatures called Troglodytes.

Brand is definitely a game with it's own mythology, but that mythological history is mainly depicted through some impressive art, and informative intermissions. The plot of the game involves a hero who has been sent on a quest to make the ultimate sword that's worthy of his king. Immediately when you begin the game you are given a simple sword that you must augment through three different swordsmiths (Blacksmith, Chemist, Mage). Each of the three swordsmiths will send you on various mission based errands in three different areas (Necropolis, Castle, Mine) in order to gather materials, and kill certain creatures (Troglodytes, Chewters ...) so that your sword can be enhanced. There are a variety of sword enhancements that can be gained/used including refining, sharpening, strengthening, elemental attributes, alchemist abilities, and magical powers.

The graphics in "Brand" are somewhat oldschool with a Playstation type of appearance. The level layouts have a semi-3D look to them, and the core gameplay is based on 2D gameplay mechanics. The character design in "Brand" is pretty impressive for the most part. The mythological creatures involved have their own unique look that stay true to the game's mythology. The only downside I found to the characters were that there was only a handful of different creatures. The enemies/creatures that were harder to defeat in the game are basically color palette swaps with a few detail alterations. Aside for that the game is pretty solid, especially when it comes down to architectural details. There were also some fairly notworthy special effects in the game concerning the sword, and it's augmentations (Flames, Darkness, Sparkles ...).

The controls in "Brand" are easy to pick up on. As the sword wielder you have a heavy, and light slash. The light slash is performed by pressing the (X) button while the heavy slash is executed by pressing the (Y) button. Both types of slashes can be done while jumping in the air. Learning how to attack more efficiently will help you survive longer. Jumping in the game is simply done by pressing the (A) button. Aside from slashes, and jump buttons the sword wielder also has a dash attack that can be performed by pressing the (B) button. The dash attack can also be used during mid-air jumps like the slashes. Using this ability is the key to make it past certain enemies, and hard to reach areas. Another feature that is very important in surviving the game's fairly hard difficulty is the ability to block. The block maneuver can be performed by holding down the (Right Trigger). For movement you can use either the (Left Thumbstick), or the (D. Pad). If you ever need to figure out the controls while playing the game there is a controller layout diagram available that explains everything quite well.

In conclusion I thought "Brand" was fairly impressive. The graphics were old school, but I liked how the game looked overall. It had it's own unique, and artistic theme/mythology that really brought the quest to make a worthy sword for the king to life. As a platformer "Brand" was presented fairly well. The controls were responsive for the most part, but the gameplay itself was awkward at moments. The fact that your character would be turned around abruptly when hit by enemies unnecessarily complicated things. I also found that sometimes I'd be bounced all over the place when accidentally landing on top of enemies/creatures. The loading times were also an issue for me. Every time you started a new level/quest there was a loading screen that took a little too long to progress. It actually got kind of annoying at times. Aside from those complaints the game seemed alright to me. The fact that the developer allowed the player to use their Xbox LIVE avatar instead of the pre-made sword wielder/character was a pretty cool addition. I think that "Brand" is one of those games that some gamers will like, and others will hate. If you don't mind long loading times, and a little awkwardness when it comes to controls then this game would be a good game to get. If you hate those sort things then I'd skip it.

*NOTE*: "Brand" will be available for 80 msp until March 3. After that it will be sold for 240 msp!!!

Soul Calibur V - "The Lowdown On The Beatdown"

2012-02-03T15:34:00.000-05:00

I'm a gamer who takes things seriously when it comes to fighting games. I have actually spent most of my gaming career playing fighting games. I've enjoyed everything from 2D fighters to the latest 3D oriented fighting games. To cut straight to the point though, I have noticed a bad trend going on with next-gen fighting games and "Soul Calibur V" is sadly no exception to that. The following article is going to be about my experience with the latest installment of the Soul Calibur series, Soul Calibur V. I have a lot of things I feel I need to address about the game, and some things gamers need to be aware of if they are thinking about buying this game ...

I have played every installment of the Soul Calibur series. I witnessed it's humble beginnings at the local arcade, and enjoyed the following releases on various gaming consoles. If you are a stranger to the Soul Calibur games, then I can easily sum it up for you. The Soul Calibur series is a 3D fighting game series with weapon based combat. It followed a similar path as the Tekken series, but took that idea to new heights with an intriguing story that spanned the ages. The combatants in Soul Calibur ranged from a knight, to sub-human characters like Lizardman, and Voldo. Each game in the Soul Calibur series featured a wide assortmant of weapons, and a unique cast of playable characters. The thing that really got me hooked though was the backdrops, or level designs. Each level had a platform, or piece of land that was surrounded by a pit. The pit/trenches were used in the Soul Calibur games as a means to finish off your opponents quickly. I think that Soul Calibur was the first game to include "Ring Out" finishes, but I can't be for sure, because I have played many other fighting games that used the same idea. There's a lot of things I could tell you about Soul Calibur, but it's something that's best experienced first hand so I'll leave it at that ...

Soul Calibur V is why I made this article, and that's what I'm going to address. It's time I gave you the lowdown on what I've found out so far ...

When I first began playing "Soul Calibur V" I was seriously impressed. The game had so much content I didn't know where to begin. This time around I decided to start with the character creation though. I had watched videos on the character creation mode before the game had been released, and I was psyched. In the end the character creation in "Soul Calibur V" went way beyond my greatest expectations. It was truly the best character creation mode I have seen in any fighting game. After creating my first character (that was named after my pet dog LuLu) I set out to try the other modes. The next mode I encountered was "Arcade". I had expected it to be like a story mode with CG endings, but sadly it did not have any such endings. This time around the CG sequences were saved for the game's main story mode.

I have currently only experienced a fraction of what "Soul Calibur V" has to offer, but I've seen enough to understand that there are some things seriously wrong with the game. Most of you that are currently reading this article are wondering how the online is. In response I can tell you that even when you play against a player from the same region (with a 4 bar connection) there are delays with the control inputs. This makes for some desperate fighting situations that often times leave the player to receive punishment at the hands of their online opponent. The delays are significant enough to cost even the best player a match. With that being said delay isn't the only issue plaguing the online modes. If you happen to have played "Soul Calibur V" online you'll find that a majority of players tend to play as either "Siegfried", or "Knightmare". The reason for this is that these to characters are now both fast, and powerful. If you ever played "Soul Calibur 2" you'll likely recall that "Siegfried" & "Knightmare" were both slow characters. The reason for this is that they had massive weapons, and it made the game more realistic. It wasn't until I began playing "Soul Calibur V" online that I realized that the characters were no longer slow like they once were. Obviously the developer behind the game wasn't thinking properly when they gave "Siegfried", and "Knightmare" the speed/agility of the fastest characters in the game.

I have played several matches online lately, and I always find someone playing Siegfried, Knightmare, Ezio, or other quick spammable characters such as Maxi. Unfortunately this is something that plagues "Soul Calibur V" at the moment. I actually mentioned something about these circumstances in my previous article about the state of online gaming. Players have become so eager to win that they'll do so by any means necessary, and that includes using the cheapest character available. There's no longer a fair fight when it comes to fighting games, and "Soul Calibur V" continues that trend. I know many of you were curious as to how Ezio played, and I have to honestly say that he is the cheapest character in all of "Soul Calibur V". His crossbow can take you out really quick without giving you the chance to get close enough to attack. It's sad to think that the developer opted to have the most anticipated character in the game to be the cheapest.

I'm gonna stop the article here, and likely pick up on it as I play more of the game. I will let everyone know what I find as I continue to play. I would like to take a moment to answer that question that so many people are asking though, and that is "Is the game worth buying?". My answer is simply no. Unless Namco can release some patches that effect Siegfried's, and Knightmare's speed as well as fix the input delays then this game isn't worth having. With that being said it is an awesome offline game. If you have friends, or relatives readily available that you can play with then this game is definitely worth having. If you're all for the online then skip it.

Magic Racing GP 2 (XBLIG): " A Highly Customizable & Realistic Indie Racing Game"

2012-02-01T13:49:00.001-05:00

I absolutely love games that have a lot of customization options. Such details allow the gamer to make the experience of a video game more personal. In "Magic Studio's" latest release of "Magic Racing GP 2" they not only give the gamer a lot of customization options but deliver them in a fashion that makes the overall game experience more realistic than most mainstream racing games available today. In fact the developer's attention to details in the game are so impressive that I tweeted them a message complimenting them on a job well done. In the following review I hope to cover as many details as possible with out overdoing it. Sometimes a reviewer such as myself can lose his audiences' attention with too many details, and I don't want to do that. The fact of the matter is I could go on for many paragraphs about the details of the game since it has so much to offer, but I'll try to narrow it down without leaving out significant info on the game.

Magic Racing GP 2 is a larger than life, and smaller than mainstream grand prix racing game. The game features a impressively wide variety of tracks, and customization options. It has a massive singleplayer mode that gives you the option of playing various types of single races (Fast Race, Time Trial, Fastest Laps, Quick Race & Single Race), or the option to play through an entire season of racing that spans 20 tracks from various locations all over the world. The game also features a local (System Link), and online (Xbox LIVE) multiplayer with leaderboards that constantly update as you top your best scores. Every track within "Magic Racing GP 2" has amazing details (people, crowds, vehicles, buildings, various terrains ...) that are displayed from an aerial (top-down) view. The maps themselves mirror actual tracks that exist in our world today (I verified this fact with the developer). Features like weather conditions (rain percentages), fuel, car damage, and tyre (tire) conditions will challenge the gamer to adjust to each race in a realistic manner.

The controls in "Magic Racing GP 2" aren't like your standard arcade style racing game. The developer/s went out of their way to make the game look, and feel realistic. As you race through each track in the game you will notice how much controlling the car feels like a "Gran Turismo (PSOne)" game. If you're unfamiliar with that game I'm simply saying it feels like you're controlling a real car. When you turn curves you'll have to brake as you would in a real race. You'll find that being hasty will often cost you the race. The fact is that constantly accelerating will get you absolutely nowhere in this game. It's definitely not an arcade style racing game like the previous one I reviewed in that sense. With that being said the game offers fully customizable controls that you can assign to suit your preferences, or you can use the default settings as I did.

The customization options in "Magic Racing GP 2" are the most detailed I've seen in any game to date. The gamer has several different menus that deal with the various settings in the game. To start off with you have some default settings that allow you to pick your driver (from a roster of 20 preset drivers), and various other condition settings (race length, #CPU, rain %, fuel consumption, collisions, car damage, tyre consumption, kers, race speed % & dynamic brake signal). When it comes down to making the game really personal there is an 'Editor' menu that allows you to rename, and change the settings (nationality, car functions/details, car parts, pit stop & points) of things pertaining to the driver, racing team, and even the game's point system. If I were to go into detail about every single option, and customization setting available in "Magic Racing GP 2" it would be a college essay's worth of info. It's really that detailed. The good thing is that all this information is made easily available, and understandable through the game itself. There's no need to worry about not knowing what to do.

In conclusion I found "Magic Racing GP 2" to be a truly amazing game. I could tell that the developer/s (Magic Studios) really went out of their way to impress the gamers, and deliver a game that pays tribute to real world racing. The visual details that are displayed with each, and every race track in the game are of impressive quality even though the game is shown through a more simplistic top-down view. It honestly looks like something you'd see if you were flying over a race track in an airplane. One thing that I failed to mention earlier in the review is that the developer included some music from various languages in this game. I really enjoyed listening to the game's soundtrack as I tried out the different modes. The soundtrack complimented the game quite nicely. The only fault I found with the game was that there was no one playing online. I would have loved to have tried it out with someone, but I was unable to find anyone else playing through Xbox LIVE. I would really love to see the online multiplayer pick up so I could easily find a race. Other than that I think this game is awesome! It's definitely a game worth having, and if you're a hardcore racing fan then it is even more so.

*NOTE*: The developer has told me that there will be an upcoming patch (v1.3) addressing issues with the game. Those details can be found through the following link: http://www.magicstudio.eu/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=92

Diamond Digger (XBLIG): "A Truly Challenging & Entertaining Puzzle Game"

2012-01-30T13:57:00.001-05:00

In early 2011 I got the chance to review "The Cannon" by "Elemental Focus (The Developer)". It was a game that used shmup style gameplay in a new, and innovative way. As a reviewer, and gamer I loved their approach to game design. It's always nice to see a game developer who goes out of their way to make something new that gamers like myself haven't seen before. I'm definitely glad to see this developer return once again with a game that's equally as unique as their first. The game I'm speaking of is a puzzle game called "Diamond Digger" that utilizes a greater than, and less than gameplay mechanics. It features a puzzle solving system comparable to "Ro-Sham-Bo", or as you may be more familiar with, "Rock-Paper-Scissors". By basing their game on this basic theme the developer created a game that goes beyond what traditional puzzle based video games such as "Tetris" offer. Their brilliantly designed levels make the player actually think about their objective instead of blindly rushing forward through the game. It's a game that's definitely geared towards the more intellectual gamers out there, but that can be enjoyed by any gamer who wishes to challenge themselves.

Diamond Digger is a fairly straightforward puzzle game with some complicated twists added to it. As the gamer it is your goal to get the diamond/s within each level to drop past the bottom line of blocks into a blackened area. This simple goal is complicated by the fact that each block in the game has a different numerical/physical property. This is where the "Rock-Paper-Scissors" gameplay mechanics come in. There are a variety of block types (Glass, Wood, Stone, Metal ...) in "Diamond Digger" that are either weaker, or stronger than the other blocks above/below them. The diamonds in the game which are valued as (1) can only pass through stone which has a numerical value of (2). The other materials/blocks also have a numerical value that respond in the same manner. The numerical value of the blocks can be displayed by pressing the (Y) button. This allows the player to see which blocks will pass through which with greater ease. Blocks can be set to pass through other blocks in ascending, or descending numerical order through start menu settings.

This game isn't only about diamonds passing through other blocks. It also contains some unique power-ups (Lava, Crumble, Anti-Crush, Earthquake, Dynamite ...) that extend the challenge of completing each level. These power-ups effect the game in various ways. You can clear surrounding blocks with the dynamite power-up, shuffle the blocks with the earthquake power-up, Clear the bottom row of blocks with the crush power-up, reverse the order in which blocks can pass through one another with the anti-crush power-up, and clear an entire vertical row of blocks with the lava power-up. There are a total of 40 levels/puzzles in Diamond Digger's puzzle mode, and two additional modes (Timed & Endurance) that add a certain amount of replay value to the experience. The "puzzle" mode is the first available mode that you can play, and has 40 puzzles that must be completed in order to unlock the other two game modes. The "Timed" mode is exactly as it sounds, but features a different type of puzzle that mainly focuses on getting as many diamonds to the bottom of the screen as possible within a given amount of time. The "Endurance Mode" is pretty much a survival mode that keeps track of how many diamonds you have gotten past the bottom blocks before running out of moves.

In conclusion I found "Diamond Digger" to be a very challenging puzzle game. It isn't really the sort of game that I'm into. I guess that's mainly because I like action oriented games such as FPS, and fighting games. With that being said, "Diamond Digger" isn't a bad game. It offers unique puzzle challenges in a new, and somewhat entertaining way. It also has P2P (player to player) highscores, and local leaderboards which are a plus. The music in the game is also quite catchy. I found myself humming the delightful tune as I did my playthrough. If you're looking for a solid/challenging puzzle game that's extremely affordable, and has a lot to offer then this game is definitely worth it. I also have to mention that according to the developer there will be additional levels added as more units of the game are sold. This is definitely an incentive for future buyer's of the game. For every 1,000 copies of the game sold (up to 5,000) there will be an additional 12 puzzles added according the developer's own website.

http://www.elementalfocus.co.uk/blog/?cat=16

Little Racers STREET (XBLIG): "Micro Street Racing At It's Finest!"

2012-01-29T16:33:00.000-05:00

There are only a handful of highly recognizable indie game developers on the Xbox LIVE marketplace, and "Milkstone Studios" just happens to be one of those developers. In the past year I've had the privelage of reviewing some of their extremely noteworthy games. They have yet to let me down with any of there releases, and "Little Racers STREET" is no exception to that. This latest top-down racing title has all of the bells, and whistles (features) that you'd expect from an XBLA game, and will possibly have more features added as more purchases of the game are made. I did a thorough playthrough of the game today, and experimented with all of it's features so I could give you (my readers) the lowdown on what the game is all about.

When it comes to micro racing games there have been quite a few titles released on the XBLIG marketplace. Little Racers STREET takes all the goodness of that genre, and amplifies it in so many ways. The way the developers incorporate the street racing style in a simply controllable way is truly brilliant. The game features detailed customization options (color, emblems/decals, stats) as well as a dynamic visual display that is truly impressive for an indie game of this sort. It also features various weather/track conditions (snow, rain ...) that effect how the game plays, and how the cars react. Cars in the game will take damage as you run into obstacles, and other vehicles. The damage to the cars can be tracked by an onscreen meter as well as the nitrous that the cars use for boosts. There are a total of 30 (if memory serves me correctly ...) different cars available for purchase with in-game money as well as some that are unlockable through various challenges within the game. You begin the game with enough money to purchase your first car ($30,000), and can earn more through the races you compete in. The higher you place in the race the more money you will score. Little Racers STREET also features many different tracks that are organized by car rank level (E - A). The tracks vary in length, and structure as well as laps that must be completed.

There are two types of modes currently available for play within "Little Racers STREET". The first mode in the game's starting menu is the "Quick Race". From what I could tell the quick race mode was just a random race in which your car was chosen for you as well as the track. I can't actually recall any options available for that particular mode. The second mode called "Career" is where all the action really is though. In this mode the game keeps track of your progress and worldwide rank (leaderboard) as you complete all of the races that are organized by corresponding (E - A) ranks. Career mode also features a "garage", and a "shop" in which you can customize/paint your cars, purchase upgrades for your cars, downgrade your cars, and sell your cars for money. The tracks in either mode have a specific amount of laps that must be completed in order to place in the end. All of the tracks feature neon blue directional arrows, and glowing red blockades to guide the player where to go.

The controls in "Little Racers STREET" are easy to learn, and execute for the most part. There is a slight learning curve to the game, but if you've played games like "Gran Turismo" then the game's mechanics will be easier for you to adjust to. The breakdown of the controls are surprisingly simple for a game of this type. For car movement you will use the (Left Thumbstick). The nitro/speed boosts can be used by simply holding/pressing the (X, Y, or B) buttons when your nitrous meter has filled up. Since the game is street racing oriented there are some drifting elements to the game and this can be done by pressing/holding the (A) button as you turn curves. Accelerating in the game is done by pressing/holding the (Right Trigger), and braking can be done by pressing/holding the (Left Trigger). These are the only buttons you'll use in the game, and while my description may confuse you a little the game does an excellent job of explaining everything for you.

In conclusion I found this game to be worthy of a five star rating. It's literally one of the best racing games I've played in a long while. I could tell that the developers went out of their way to impress with this XBLIG title. The attention to details such as tracks design, car customizations and weather conditions really prove that they were looking to make an affordable game that gamers could enjoy over and over again. I don't think I found any visual hiccups, are frame rate flaws as I did my playthrough of the game which is a truly impressive accomplishment on the developers' part. The game looks brilliant, and plays equally as brilliant. If you haven't already purchased this game then I highly recommend that you do so. I heard a rumor from a credible source that "Milkstone Studios" may include an online mode if the the game sells well. I'm definitely hoping to see that online mode soon!

The Fall Of Gods (XBLIG): "Code Giveaway!!!" (CLOSED)

2012-01-26T17:01:00.002-05:00

It was recently brought to my attention from Stephane Royer of 'Geex Games' that there were some significant changes to "The Fall Of Gods (XBLIG)" game. The most significant of those changes would likely be the price drop. Originally the game was selling for 240 msp, but that has been lowered to 80 msp! There were also some in-game changes that involved movement speed control, a sneak mode, new spells, new items and new animations. Along with this good news Stephane Royer (Geex Games) has also given me one code for the game to be given away to one of my readers. This of course means a contest!!! Stephane actually set the rules for the contest, and as such I will abide by them. The first rule of the contest is you must have downloaded the trial of "The Fall Of Gods (XBLIG)", and have played it. Secondly you must answer a question about the trial version of the game. The first person to reply to this post with the correct answer wins the code. Please be sure to leave your twitter username, or email in the comment so that I can give you your prize. On that mercenary note, let the games begin!!!

QUESTION:

"What was the main characters birthday gift, and where was it located in the game?"

Avatar Grand Prix 2 (XBLIG): "Party Style Multiplayer Racing With Xbox Avatars!"

2012-01-25T14:36:00.003-05:00

I've had the opportunity to review a few avatar based games in my time as an XBLIG reviewer, but I think "Avatar Grand Prix 2" is the first racing game of that type that I've had the chance to review. Unknown to most of my online friends I used to play a lot of racing video games including popular titles like "Super Mario Kart", and "Gran Turismo". I'll be honest though, and say that racing games aren't exactly my favorite genre. Whenever I do play them though I kind of enjoy it. They definitely offer a break from the more violent game genres that I play. With that being said I think 'Battenberg Software' did an excellent job in developing/producing this indie game for the Xbox 360. With all the cool features you get with this game it's definitely worth the asking price. You'll be surprised to hear about how good the online mode actually was when I discuss it later on in this review.

There are many features available in "Avatar Grand Prix 2", and hopefully I won't leave anything out in describing them to you. To begin with the game features a total of 12 different tracks that range from larger than life areas to tracks in the sky, and in outer space. My favorite track was a space based one with retro 2D video game icons suspended in the air. I'm pretty sure there's a track to suit everyone's tastes. Aside from the rather impressive number of tracks the game also offers splitscreen modes for up to 4 players. I ended up going the lonely route, and only played singleplayer, and online modes though. If I can remember correctly there are 4 different modes. There's the 'Quick Race', and 'Grand Prix' modes that can be played with up to 4 players locally via splitscreen. For the players who wish to better themselves, and improve their times there is a 'Time Trial' mode. This mode is only singleplayer though. The true icing on the cake (metaphorically speaking) though is the online mode which can be played with up to 8 players via Xbox LIVE.

The quick race mode is for those players who want a short fun game with, or without friends. It's name pretty much sums up what the mode is about. The 'Grand Prix' mode is a lengthy set of races that span through the game's entire 12 tracks, and requires the player to run a trial course for placement in the race. In the end there are only 3 winners who are each displayed on the winners' podium after you've completed all 12 races in this mode. The online/Xbox LIVE mode can pretty much be played for as long as the other players decide to stick around. In the online mode you have the option to choose the racing speed (50CC, 100CC ...), the track, and the map layout (normal, mirror, reverse, reverse mirror). You can also set how many players you wish to join (1-8), and whether or not you wish to have private slot allocated.

All of the tracks available in "Avatar Grand Prix 2" are beautifully rendered with 3D style graphics. The tracks are mainly land, and air/space based with a variety of interesting themes. Some of the available tracks include features such as giant dominoes, giant picnic items, and even giant sports related things. I'm not sure what all of the track's names are, but they are each assigned a name and a specific theme. As far as the race cars go they're all pretty much the same except for the colors. The developer did add some cool decals that include the players' Xbox LIVE profile picture, and their gamertag. The entire game from start menu to the actual in-game tracks are accented with fun music. I think the music changes with each track, but I'm not 100% sure?

Avatar Grand Prix 2 takes a similar path as the "Donkey Kong Racing", and "Mario Kart" series took. In that sense the game is actually more combat oriented than race oriented giving it a competitive edge. Like those previously mentioned games this one also has it's share of power-ups/weapons. If you've ever played games like "Mario Kart" then you'll be very familiar with the power-up setup. Basically you run into a 3D multicolored box in order to obtain a power-up item. These power-up boxes are lined up at various points on the tracks, and the first player to get one gets it. It's an advantage sort of scenario. Once you have obtained the item (through random selection) you can use it by pressing the (A) button. The various types of power-ups available in the game include a missile, a homing bomb, a spike ball, lightning, a shield, and a magnet. I may have actually left one or two out of that list, but you get the idea.

I would like to begin this final paragraph by thanking (GT: RUUSUN) for being such a good sport during the online matches. They kept on playing the game with me even though I won nearly every match we played. Thank you! ... In conclusion I found "Avatar Grand Prix 2" to be a top notch title with a rather impressive online mode. I actually tried out the various modes in "Avatar Grand Prix 2", but the lag free online was definitely the highlight of the game for me. Any game that can provide an online game that plays as smoothly as this one did definitely has my approval. With that being said I did only play against one player so there may possibly be some lag if more racers are involved (I'm not sure about this, but if you experience any lag feel free to leave a comment below).

Overall "Avatar Grand Prix 2" offers solid gameplay throughout that can be experienced alone, or with friends/online players. Any fan of the "Mario Kart" series could definitely enjoy this title. It has similar gameplay mechanics that will feel familiar to all those old school gamers out there. It also comes with a cheap price tag of only 80 msp ($1). Out of all the good things about this game there is one bad fault that I must mention before closing the review though. That fault is the awful whining sound that the race car makes as you are driving it around. It gets rather annoying, because it lacks any variation. With that being said I still recommend this game for purchase.You definitely get your money's worth, and then some with this indie game.

Block Zombies! (XBLIG): "A Voxel Zombie Shmup With A Plot Twist"

2012-01-25T06:58:00.001-05:00

These days you can find a new zombie based video game for almost any console. They are just like the undying creatures they are based on. For the most part you'll find that most zombie games follow a similar pattern with a horror-survival theme. Some zombie game developers have even taken the shmup (shoot 'em up) route. It's nice to see that there's still room for creativity in the genre though as 'Nostatic Software' has proved with their latest game "Block Zombies". Block Zombies combines both horror-survival elements, and unique objective based shmup style gameplay with a story unlike any zombie game I have witnessed thus far. With that being said I do realize that I'm a little late getting the review out there, and once again it's due to my way of contacting the developer. I still hope you enjoy the review, and that it gives you enough insight on the game to allow you to make an educated decision as to if it's the kind of game you'd like to own or not.

Block Zombies is a semi-overhead shmup with voxel style graphics. It follows the simple story of a girl who awakens to a large crash outside her house. What she finds is a glowing crystal, and an end of the world scenario that could easily be described as an alien invasion. The girl wakes up ready to fight as she goes outside to check on the ruckus with her father's pistol in hand. This is where the story ends, and the action begins. Once outside you take control of the voxel girl as she tries to destroy all of the glowing green crystals, and protect herself from the zombified citizens. Your goal as the voxel girl is to rid the world of the crystals, and ultimately save the day. You (the gamer) accomplish this by completing objectives in order as they appear on the map's display. The objectives include destroying crystals, and then killing alpha zombies with acquired weapons. Doing this will eventually lead you to the main source of the alien/zombie mayhem, and allow you to complete your quest of saving the world.

Gameplay in "Block Zombies" is easy to pick up on, but does require some getting used to. The control scheme isn't your basic shmup (dual thumbstick) setup. Instead the controls are a little more complicated, and use nearly all of the controller's buttons to operate. I'm not going to go into detail about the controls simply, because I'd probably confuse you. The good news though is that the game offers a good controller diagram with button descriptions/functions. Aside for the controls the game also offers a small arsenal of available weapons, and upgrades that can be obtained through dropped items from the zombies. You actually begin the game with only a pistol (infinite ammo), and acquire new weapons after you kill a certain amount of zombies. If I remember correctly the game has five guns (pistol, shotgun, SMG, flamethrower, RPG), and three types of sub-weapons (flare, grenade, mine). All of the weapons can be upgraded in various ways (power, clip size, fire rate, effectiveness) by obtaining dropped weapons parts. Ammo can also be collected by picking up red, and blue voxels in the same manner. Health als plays a huge role in the game. You have a health meter that lowers in level as you get hit. There are health refills that can be gathered the same way as the ammo, and weapons parts though.

The game features objective based gameplay that will have you heading to certain spots on the map in a specific order. When the game begins you will take out the first crystal that is nearest to your home, and then the alpha zombies that are located nearby. The game follows this same pattern of taking out a crystal, and then killing the alpha zombies throughout the entire game. You will continue to do this same pattern of gameplay until you reach the final set of crystals, and end the game. As simple as this may sound it isn't that easy. You'll encounter hordes of various/unrelenting zombie creatures that come in different shapes, sizes, and that even move in different speeds. Learning how to utilize your weapons in the best manner will save you a lot of trouble and dying. With that being said there's really no game over within "Block Zombies". You simply return to the last crystal you destroyed. This can definitely prove to be a hardship though since sometimes the next objective is a good distance away from the last crystal you destroyed.

The graphics in "Block Zombies" has a sort of retro feel to it. At one point during the game's menu screen it even has that classic grindhouse screen filter going on. For the most part though the game is built entirely of voxels (3D pixels). Even details like the flames from the flamethrower are made of voxels. I definitely like the approach that 'Nostatic Software' took. The voxel appearance really made this game stand out from the other zombie shmups I have reviewed. The overall look to the game definitely suits the story that is being told. The sound effects included in "Block Zombies" are simple but accent what's going on quite nicely. The zombies moan throughout the game in various tones, and the explosions/gunfire even have their own sound effects.

In conclusion I found "Block Zombies" to be a thoroughly enjoyable game. It offered escape from the normal zombie titles that plague the video game marketplace. I ended up doing a playthrough in one sitting (about 2 hours), but I definitely had a fun time doing so. With that being said the game isn't without flaws. Often times I found some serious lag when I destroyed a crystal, or finished of the last alpha zombie for a given region. It didn't hinder gameplay, but it was very noticeable. Considering that it didn't really effect the outcome of the game, I could easily overlook that flaw. I also found the game to have a little replay value. This mainly involved acquiring the game's 18 trophies, one of which is a mystery. In the end I think "Block Zombies" is worthy of a purchase. While it's not a lengthy game, it does offer a quality gaming experience.

"The State Of Online Gaming"

2012-01-21T17:33:00.001-05:00

I have had this topic on my mind for a long while now, but the status of online gaming has really pushed me to do this article now. Many of you know first hand how cheap online gameplay can become. There are kids & adults out there so desperate to win that they'll do so by cheating, hacking, or spamming their way to glory. This is definitely not how games used to be, and I'm seriously beginning to think it will spell doom for the success of video games in the future. The fact of the matter is that about every online game you'll find in the market today is vulnerable to exploits, and hacking. If developers do not figure out a way to secure a game from these "threats" then all hope is gone.

Early this morning I was getting in my routine fighting game session with some random online players. I know my friends say don't play with randoms, but I don't have many friends who play fighting games. As I began playing some 'King of the Fighters XIII' online I began to notice an all too familiar trend starting to happen. Nearly every player I went up against was spamming the heck out of projectiles, or using various exploits to ensure their victory. I had actually had high hopes for the game after having some really good matches a couple of days ago, but once I realized it was like every other fighting game I own I was truly saddened. The sad fact is that nearly every online fighting game that has been released so far is overrun by sorry players. I'm in no means exaggerating when I say this either. Many of my friends will definitely agree with me on this.

I have been keeping my watch for the release of a new fighting game titled "SkullGirls". It's a fighting game that is addressing the issues of spamming, and specific exploits that currently haunt the fighting game genre. My last hope for the fighting game genre lies with this yet to be released game. If it doesn't live up to the hype then I'm seriously thinking about giving up on fighting games. Developers need to read my article, and take a hint. The developers of 'SkullGirls' are at least addressing some of the issues that plague the fighting game genre, and I think it's time that others followed suit. With that being said fighting games aren't the only video games that have serious online issues.

It was just about an hour ago that I dusted of 'Gears of War 3', and played it a little while to soothe my heart that was broken from this morning's gaming encounters. I'm not the best Gears player out there, but I can hold my own as team support very well. As I played some round of 'Team Deathmatch' I began to notice something about 'Gears of War 3' that I hadn't noticed before. There was actually some serious camping going on! For those of you who have no idea what "camping" is it's simply the act of staying in one place for extended periods of time to get cheap kills from certain vantage points. I do realize that hiding is necessary in 'Gears of War 3', but it got to the point that it was utterly ridiculous. Camping also plagues the 'Call of Duty' series, but as most gamers I have become used to the bad gameplay in it. This too is a sad fact of the condition online gaming has taken. When things like "camping" have become the norm then developers don't bother to fix the said issues, because the gamers just don't care anymore. This results in a bunch of crap titles being released on the marketplace. It's a problem that definitely needs to be addressed if video games stand a chance of being as great as they once were.

In conclusion I simply want to say that I'm sick, and tired of the way online gaming has become. The lack of security is unnecessary, and the the lack of anti-exploit systems is even more so. Wake up all ye developers out there!!! If you don't do something about these issues now then your companies will ultimately be doomed to failure. That's a fact, and not me just speaking out my arse. I think I've said about everything I wanted to say on the subject. I'm hoping that games like "SkullGirls" will open up developers eyes to new ideas about making online gaming better. I do apologize to my readers for ranting & raving, but it's just something I needed to address.

Octopede (XBLIG): "Something Borrowed, Something New"

2012-01-17T09:44:00.000-05:00

Recently 'Orbital Games' released their XBLIG title "Octopede" on the Xbox LIVE marketplace. I didn't really know much about the game until after the developer contacted me about doing a review. This is the way it sometimes goes. After being contacted I ended up watching some gameplay footage from aaronthesplazer's youtube channel. My first impressions were that the game looked like a new take on the old snake game. I thought it would be something I might enjoy playing. Once I got the code from 'Orbital Games' I downloaded it, and waited until this morning to try it out. I found some interesting gameplay features, and some not so user friendly features. I wound up having to wing it when it came to figuring out the controls to the game, but being the video game master that I am I was able to do so fairly easily. The following paragraph/s will detail what I found while playing "Octopede" ...

Octopede seems to be a mash-up of classic video games. It features shmup style gameplay with mechanics that seem to mirror classic games such as 'snake', and the old millipede/centipede games. The graphics are nicely polished with a sort of neon appearance, and has an arcade cabinet style surrounding. The music is energetic, and quite enjoyable to listen to. It definitely reminded me of the old 8-bit arcade cabinet game's music from back in the day. There are many different ways to score in 'Octopede' but the main focus is on keeping your snake's/octopede's length intact. You'll encounter various shmup style power-ups, and weapons in the game. You'll also find that the game has obstacles (walls), and enemies that change in appearance and number as you make progress. Aside from all of those fine details the game also has a leaderboard, but I'm not sure if it actually works since I was unable to get my name placed on it.

Gameplay in "Octopede" revolves around the old 'snake' game mechanics, and shmup style action. As the gamer you control a blue square (octopede) that gets longer in length as you collect green circles that are placed randomly on the square shaped playing field. There are also power-ups that can be picked up in the same fashion as the green dots. The various power-ups offer different ways of protecting your octopede including land mines, different shots, and different weapons. The object of the game is simply to last as long as you can, and get as many points as you can. This task is complicated by the fact that there are walls, and enemies (shaded in red & orange) constantly moving, and changing position on the playing field. As the octopede you can blast through walls, and enemies considering that you have some length to your tail and that you have the power-ups to back it up. As you collect more, and more green dots your tail will grow, and the enemies/obstacles will become increasingly more difficult to avoid. Once you get a "Game Over" you will be prompted to input your name for the leaderboard via the Xbox keypad.

I'm not going to be able to give accurate details to the controls in 'Octopede' simply because the developer made the game's tutorial almost impossible to read. In fact this is the not so user friendly feature that I mentioned at the beginning of this review. The words in the tutorial's description are too small, and the gameplay diagrams just don't explain what's going on in the game very well. With that being said I can still give you the basics of the control layout. To begin with the (Left Thumbstick) will be used for movement. You can move your snake/octopede in all directions including diagonal if you set it to do so in the options menu. The only other buttons I found that you can use involve different shmup style attacks. These buttons include the (Left Bumper, Left Trigger, Right Bumper, and Right Trigger). I do know for certain that the (Right Trigger) fires shots, and the (Right Bumper) fires special weapons. As for the (Left Bumper & Left Trigger) I'm not entirely sure, but I do know they control mines and movement in some way. Not having a proper control layout/diagram really complicates my job of delivering the details to you.

In conclusion I found this game to be fun, and somewhat frustrating. The game is definitely fun to play, but it isn't without flaws. I found that the tutorial was useless, because the words were too small to read. The gameplay diagrams didn't offer much help either. I also experienced some lagging during the game especially when the screen was full of activity and numerous enemies/obstacles. The lag was definitely there, but it wasn't as bad as I've seen in some indie games. Aside from that the game offered a solid arcade style gameplay experience. It was a neat concept that borrowed from past video game ideas, and was presented in a visually impressive fashion. In the end I do wish the developer would patch the tutorial though, and make it readable. If this was done I'd definitely say that "Octopede" was a game worth adding to your library. I also think it would be great if online leaderboards were a part of the game. I'm not quite sure if the leaderboards work at all after doing my playthrough of the game which is another concern I have.

AMY (XBLA): "A Stealth Horror-Survival Game"

2012-01-13T06:46:00.001-05:00

I followed the progress of "AMY" through trailers on Youtube long before it was released. It was a game that looked very promising to me. In fact I wanted to review it so bad that I sent in my review request early. I had kind of lost hope that I would get a response from 'VectorCell/Lexis Numerique (the developer)' after not hearing from them for an extended period of time. Fortunately I finally got the response I was looking for a day before the game was scheduled to be released. I was truly excited to be honest. After downloading the 1.55 GB game I began my attempt to complete the game, but as it sometimes happens I was unable to do so due to various factors concerning the game's gameplay mechanics. In the end I made it to chapter/level 2, and was unable to complete it. In the following paragraphs I will give you the basic story behind the game as well as the faults I encountered while attempting my playthrough ...

AMY is a horror-survival game that utilizes stealth, and combat gameplay. The story revolves around a mysterious young girl named 'Amy' who has special abilities. These special abilities aren't made apparent initially, but become more recognizable as the game's story unfolds. The game itself begins with a train ride in which 'Lana (Amy's caretaker)' is desperately trying to get Amy away from a facility in which she was being held. Her goal is to get Amy the help she needs through a female contact she knows. Unfortunately for Lana, and Amy the train ride comes to a sudden and unexpected end as they crash into a security facility that is overrun with infected people and creatures. When Lana awakes from the concussion she received she finds that Amy is missing. She immediately begins her search for the lost child among the train wreckage, and ultimately throughout the location she finds herself in. Lana ends up finding out that she is not alone in her search for Amy, and that there's a more sinister evil out to get her. The apocalyptic tale is told through Lana's perspective as she tries her best to save Amy from those who would use her for evil purposes.

The gameplay in "AMY" is one point where the game truly falls apart. To start off with the game's controls are overly complicated, and feel awkward at times. Movement in the game feels clumsy, and sneaking past certain areas in the game can become a chore. The stealth, and survival aspects of the game were both poorly executed. I ended up having to repeat certain areas in the game simply, because I was unsure how to complete them. Often times I found myself wandering aimlessly trying to figure out where to go, and what to do next. The only navigation system in the game involved finding the correct DNA scanner sequences, and it was totally unreliable for the most part. In chapter two I made it close to the end, but spent about an hour trying to find the correct DNA sequence to open a security door. It was at that point I gave up on any hope of completing the game.

The graphics in "AMY" were definitely not what I had expected. When I watched the youtube trailers the game had seemed very polished, and everything about it looked like something Capcom would have created. When I watched the initial train sequence I was thinking to myself this should have been done in a widescreen ratio similar to that of "Resident Evil 4". The characters seemed to be elongated in the intro sequence, and the interactions themselves were overshadowed by poor visuals. The voice acting was horrible in the game, and the character's mouths and facial features didn't really go with what was being said. On top of that the entire sequence had glitches, and lags. I did not see this in any of the trailers I'd watched on youtube. Throughout the game there were points where the graphics looked as if they were of "Playstation 2" quality. It kind of reminded me of some of the older "Silent Hill" games. I also found that some of the enemies/characters in the game looked terrible. Especially that giant troll-like creature you had to hide from at one point in the second chapter. Overall the game was a disaster when it came to graphics.

At this point in my review you're probably wondering why I should bother with a conclusion paragraph. I feel that my review pretty much speaks for itself, but it's best you read it from me personally ... In the end I found "AMY" to be a major disappointment. It let me down in more ways than any other game I have played. After watching the numerous youtube trailers I had expected great things from "AMY". Unfortunately games don't always go the way we hope they would. The main issues I had with "AMY" were the lack of a good navigation system, the complicated/awkward controls, and the overall graphics in the game. I wish the game would have been as good as it looked in the trailers, but that just wasn't the case. In doing this review I hope my words don't seem harsh, and that the developer doesn't take it in that context. As far as my suggestion goes I'd have to say skip this game.

"Orbitron Revolution (XBLIG) Gets Some Updates!!!"

2012-01-08T15:47:00.000-05:00

I think it's truly awesome when a developer cares enough about their fan base that they are willing to right the wrongs in their game. Last year I've seen a few developers stepping up to the plate with patches, and updates for the XBLIG titles. Some of you may shrug this off, and say "Why Bother" but some of us in the gaming community actually like the indies out there. I think it's just as necessary for an indie developer to create patches as it is for a mainstream video game developer. If you're a gamer, and you pay for a game it should be sorted out properly. I realize at this point that I'm ranting on, but what I told you is a valid point. I was definitely glad/excited to hear that 'Firebase Industries' had made some significant changes to 'Orbitron Revolution'. It definitely needed the update. With that being said 'Orbitron Revolution' was an amazing game to begin with, and is even better now that it has been patched. The visuals, and game design are beyond what you'd think an indie game is capable of. I'm going to give you a link to the developer's website below that details all of the changes you'll find in the latest update. If you already have 'Orbitron Revolution' then the update is free of charge, but if not the update will come with the purchase of the game.

http://firebase.ca/2011/12/23/orbitron-revolution-relaunched-update-changelist/

Trailer Park King Ep.2 (XBLIG): "The Redneck Hijinks Continue"

2012-01-07T15:14:00.000-05:00

In early 2011 I reviewed a game titled "Trailer Park King" that was developed by 'Freelance Games' for the XBLIG marketplace. It told an adult oriented tale about a self-proclaimed king of a trailer park community named 'Julian (aka, King)'. The art in the game was all original, and featured some very lovely (and half dressed) ladies. The plot of the first game introduced 'King' and some of his wacky acquaintances. It also told the story of how he got accused as Truck's (the bully) killer, and how he cleared his name. I won't spoil all the details of the first game in case you want to check it out, but it's definitely good for some laughs. I was contacted by 'Freelance Games' about reviewing their sequel to 'Trailer Park King' early this month (Jan. 2012). I gladly accepted, and was excited about finding what kind of trouble 'King' would find himself in this time around.

Tthe sequel to the original 'Trailer Park King' (Trailer Park King Episode 2) takes place after the events of the first game. In the beginning there is a brief flashback/dream sequence where 'Julian (King)' finds out that 'Truck' is actually still alive. He awakes from the dream, and encounters an inception type story. It seems that 'Truck' was alive, but then he died again (and so on ...). From that point on the story becomes an entangled web of mystery involving whether or not 'Truck' is really dead. All of the characters from the original story return in all of their adulterated glory with naughty bits abound. As usual the gamer must investigate the trailer park in point & click style to trigger certain events that progress the story that's being told. You will visit the different trailers as you search for items, and talk to the locals to find answers. There's a lot of hilarious dialogue to enjoy, and it's all complimented with stereotypical voice acting.

The gameplay in 'Trailer Park King Ep. 2' is exactly what you'd expect if you have played the first installment of the series. You will use the (Left Thumbstick) to move that big headed 'Julian (King)' from trailer to trailer. The (A), and (B) buttons are used to interact with objects, and characters throughout the trailer park. The interactive parts of the game can only be accessed in a certain order. The hand shaped cursor in the game will turn black when it passes over something/someone that can be interacted with. This helps the gamer get the full effect of the story without making the search fro what to do next a difficult task. The game is really simple to control, and features little action other than the controller/dialogue based interactions, and one mini-game. It's a game that's meant to be enjoyed by an adult audience for humor purposes, and not much else.

In conclusion I found 'Trailer Park King Ep.2' to be a very entertaining game. It didn't last too long before I made it to a "To Be Continued ..." screen, but it definitely had it's hilarious moments. If you liked how the first game went then you'll definitely like the direction the developer took with this installment. I would say that the second episode definitely had more humorous adult oriented dialogue than the first. There was also a good bit of bad language involved, so this game is definitely geared towards a mature audience. I was secretly hoping to see porn flash up on 'Julian's (King's)' television, but it didn't happen (^.^). If you've played the first game you'll have an idea what I'm talking about ... Overall I found this game worthy of the points the developer was asking for (if your 18+ ^.^). It offered a very funny adult oriented story that could easily be compared to the "Bill & Ted's ..." movies. If you're an adult gamer looking for a good laugh then the 'Trailer Park King' series is definitely worth adding to your game library.