The Consuminator

Movie Review: The Amazing Spider-Man (Guest Submission By Matt Petras)

2012-07-09T19:17:00.000-07:00

Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy is fantastic - especially the stellar second film - but when I saw the trailers for The Amazing Spider-Man, I started to question why I even enjoyed Raimi's films. The trailers for the new film, from director Marc Webb, promised a sweet new suit, a potentially enthralling subplot about Peter's parents, a Spidey who's more spry and cheesy than Toby McGuire ever was, a villain who felt missing from Raimi's universe, and the beautiful Emma Stone as the love interest.

I had very high hopes going into The Amazing Spider-Man, and I wasn't disappointed. The latest obligatory superhero flick is tons of fun and serves as a better start for inevitable sequels than Spider-Man did back in 2002.

Spidey's new suit looks sweet.

The Amazing Spider-Man takes basic Spider-Man plot threads and makes them much more contemporary, delivering a relatable Spidey for the current generation of kids and an interesting take for those already familiar with one version of Spider-Man or another. The lives of his parents before they passed away, the rise of this film's villain, and how Peter gets the powers of a spider all cleverly intertwine, forming a strong basis for this new universe. The brilliantly written and impressively acted characters takes that basis and runs with it.

Peter Parker - played by Andrew Garfield - is still a science wiz and a photographer but he's really more of a hipster than a nerd, considering his skateboard, arrestive glasses, tight jeans, stupid haircut and youthful good looks. He's a great character but he simply oozes with charm during the romantic scenes with his love interest Gwen Stacy, played by the aforementioned Emma Stone. The progression from awkward spurts of conversation to holding each other in their arms is gold.

The romance is very strong in this film.

Peter's lovable Uncle Ben sets the thematic framework of the film. The classic "With great power comes great responsibility" line is further explained in this movie, when Ben says that Peter's father lived by the notion that anyone with the potential to do great for the world has a moral obligation to do so. It's no wonder that just about every take on Spider-Man uses this motto: It's an excellent angle for a superhero movie to take.

This motto is of course what compels Peter to make use of his new-found superpowers when he eventually is bit by the spider and becomes a masked vigilante. We see Peter defend what he has become with his Spider-Man persona through arguments with Gwen's dad, who also happens to be the Chief of Police. This leads to a compelling relationship between a man who believes in order versus Peter who merely values good. Garfield under the cowl as this film's Spider-Man is more-or-less flawless: He's sarcastic, funny, heroic and looks great in his yellow-eyed, spandex costume. There's a hilarious scene in which he mocks a crook he finds on the street and completely dominates him, showing off how fun he is, and a touching scene in which he removes his mask for a scared little boy in danger before saving him, which shows off the more nuanced emotional angle of the character.

This is all great, and I think they nailed Spider-Man as a character, but my biggest issue with this movie can be seen through two scenes pertaining to his origin. These two scenes show Peter using his new found abilities in public, unmasked, turning what could have been clever ways to introduce his powers into frustrating scenes that had me scratching my head wandering how these didn't lead to him being discovered. One of these was so bad that I was practically praying in the theater for it to be a dream.

The villain in The Amazing Spider-Man is Dr. Curt Connors, played by Rhys Ifans. He begins as a scientist who follows more-or-less the same motto as Peter, attempting to use cross-species genetics to the medical benefit of the world. Connors crosses himself with the genetics of a Lizard, seeking regenerative powers to fix his crippled arm. The side effects are too strong and he soon becomes corrupted by his new reptilian influence and attempts to evolve the city past humanity into the monster that he has become. It's a typical mad scientist character, but it still manages to be absolutely entertaining due to Ifan's endearing performance as the human that turns into the hulking, creepy monster.

Curt Conner before his transformation into Lizard.

The action is never as thrilling as the final act of The Avengers or the train sequence in Spider-Man 2, but it's still very impressive. Spider-Man flinging himself about, fwipping webs at his foes, as well as Lizard throwing himself around, smashing walls like they're made of paper never disappoints. The set pieces displaying Spider-Man and Lizard duking it out are all entertaining, but none particularly blew me away mostly due to their lack of creativity. What did blow me away, however, was the very striking stereoscopic 3D, which looks especially good when Spider-Man is swinging around the city.

The Amazing Spider-Man nails pacing. I don't remember a single part of the movie that isn't important, and never did I feel like they dragged anything out. The movie masterfully balances drama, comedy, and action, make me choke up, laugh, and smile respectively.

The movie ends with a series of well-done dramatic scenes followed up with a clever last-line that introduces a dilemma that will no doubt be tackled in future films. I would prefer a more positive spin than what was provided, as this was, throughout, more of an exciting film than a serious one, but it does a great job of opening up for a new film on a very dramatic note.

The Amazing Spider-Man succeeds as a fun superhero flick that's more than dramatic enough to keep viewers invested in what's going on. Spider-Man's secret identity isn't protected as much as it should be, and the ending is a little harsh for what is mostly a vivacious ride, but the movie remains successful. The characters are excellent, the action is entertaining, the drama is moving and the romance is lovable. What's almost certainly going to be a series of films is off to a solid start.

***

This is a guest submission from Matt Petras. You can find him at the following venues:
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Yes, This Blog is Still Alive!

2012-07-08T21:10:00.001-07:00

I've actually started getting questions on why this blog has not been updated since February 2012. People who follow me on Twitter and here on Blogger will recall a time when I used to post weekly, but the well has long since run dry. There is really only one reason for this, and that's simply that my writing focus has been diverted, though I feel you deserve a more detailed explanation.

In March, I was brought on as a writer for a video game website called RipTen. Having done various blogs over the years and always remained independent, this was my first opportunity to write for an established site. RipTen is an independently owned and operated gaming site dedicated to publishing news stories, game reviews, special features and interviews with industry personalities. This opportunity came out of the woodwork because I have known the managing editor on Twitter for some time, and he caught wind of the fact that I'm into game writing. I was brought on, eased in gently and I have been a regular contributor ever since.

This is a move that I have not regretted. The larger audience for my writing, access to review copies of games and the possibility of attending industry events part of the media are fantastic perks. Even better, I am part of a team of very dedicated, very talented writers who believe in the site and work long, hard hours to keep the content flowing. However, being part of this also requires a few sacrifices. The time commitment you make when working for a gaming website is a more than you might think, and personal endeavours like blogging will inevitably fall by the wayside.

This leads to the next point I wanted to make, which is the future and direction of this blog. Despite my lack of recent efforts, this blog is still something I am still passionate about, and my heart's wish is to get it up and running again. My outside endeavours prevent me from committing to a minimum amount of content, but even having semi-regular posts is a step back in the right direction. I have also had a few people approach me about writing articles and reviews for this blog, and the first of those is a movie review that will be posted tomorrow (July 8).

The long-term changes I plan on making are to the name and design of this blog. "The Consuminator" is a catchy name, however it no longer reflects my goals as a writer, nor does it reflect the core focus of the blog. The design also needs a fresh coat of paint, since the "paint-by-numbers" layout that I have adhered has long since gone stale. However, my focus now is getting my blog running again and keeping the content consistent. Re-branding and re-designing the site are back burner priorities, but still very much a part of my goal.

In the meantime, if you want to follow my writing on RipTen, click HERE for my author page. To everyone reading this, a million thanks for your continued patience and support. My output may have slowed down, however I have not completely fallen off the map and this blog will come back, hopefully bigger and better than before.

Until next time, stay thirsty my friends!

Ben

Review: Alan Wake's American Nightmare (Xbox Live Arcade)

2012-02-29T14:44:00.000-08:00

The original Alan Wake was released in 2010 and was met with a mixture of positive critical reviews and a somewhat lukewarm reception from gamers. As a third person shooter with horror elements that were equal parts Stephen King and Twin Peaks, it provided a fun story-driven experience with a haunting atmosphere that kept you on your toes the entire time. Nearly two years later, we have been given Alan Wake's American Nightmare, a downloadable title that is not so much a sequel but rather an episodic mini-game that connects loosely to the original. While it lacks the immersive story of the original and seems to end just as it gets interesting, there is still enough substance here to appease the Alan Wake fans who have been hoping for more of the same.

Two years on from the events in the first Alan Wake, we find ourselves playing as Alan in an episode of the Night Springs TV show, a Twilight Zone-esque supernatural drama that was prominently featured in the first game. The premise is that Alan must fight the darkness to stop his evil doppelganger, known as only Mr. Scratch, from continuing his killing spree. Throughout the game, Alan meets various people around the Arizona town where he has landed and works to bring light to the down and drive away the darkness. All the while, Mr. Scratch taunts Alan by showing up in various TV programs, often in the process of killing his victims, and occasionally in person. The premise is fairly simple and each scene is book-ended by a narrative by Alan, sometimes highly descriptive and other times frustratingly cryptic. The story never soars above this premise and it feels weak compared to the original, however the smartly-written dialogue makes up for this somewhat. For those who have not played the original Alan Wake, there is a dearth of expository dialogue and absolutely no recap of what happened previously. As such, newcomers will be less likely to get the full enjoyment out of this game and it seems to be largely aimed at fans of the original.

Alan Wake's American Nightmare adopts the same fluid third-person shooter mechanics of the first game, with little deviation outside of a few new weapons. Your main enemy in the Alan Wake universe is the darkneess, which takes the form of poltergeists that assault you with environmental objects, as well the murderous "Taken", townspeople possessed by the darkness that assault you throughout the game. The light is their weakness, so your most vital tool is the flashlight that will break through their defenses. Once the darkness has been broken, your selection of pistols, shotguns, automatic weapons and the like are there to finish the job. One new addition to Alan Wake's American Nightmare is how the collection of manuscript pages affect the game. In the original, they were collectables that fleshed out the story, however they are now a requirement for unlocking new, more powerful weapons. This is more of an annoyance than anything, since nothing is more frustrating than finding a weapon drop and discovering that you lack the required pages. In some games, this is a fun way to encourage exploration but it is used to poor effect here.

The combat has a rhythm that feels familiar to fans of the original Alan Wake, but still maintains the same sense of tension and dread. Since the enemies are very strong and brutally accurate, effective use of your flashlight and weapons is essential to survival. As a protagonist, Alan may be a lot of things, but a quick and nimble superhero he is not. He is rather sluggish and easily-winded when running away from enemies, and getting him to move at a reasonable speed during the more intense moments is a bit of a struggle. This led to increased difficulty spikes in the original Alan Wake, however the difficulty in this game has been toned down considerably. Also detracting from the tension is the predictable placement of enemies, since your missions in this game boil down to fetch quests and guessing when the enemies will pop up is fairly easy. Higher-powered weapons and frequent re-spawning ammo drops ensure that death is a rare occurrence. Still, you can end up on the business end of an enemy's blade if you're not careful.

The story mode in Alan Wake's American Nightmare is fairly short, as one would expect from a budget-priced downloadable game. To add some replay value, we are also given a fun "Arcade Mode" that is akin to the Mercenaries mode in Resident Evil and the Horde mode found in the Gears of War series. It doesn't play as well as the aforementioned titles, however Arcade Mode is one experience in the game that is not to be missed. The goal is simple; survive waves of enemies for as long as you can hold out and rack up a high score in the process. You build up a score multiplier by effectively killing and dodging enemies, so this provides more opportunities for strategic combat than you might think. Since combat is one of the key strengths in the game, this is a fantastic addition and one that you will likely get the most enjoyment and replay value out of.

The original Alan Wake was a visually appealing game that used dark and light effects to build an effectively chilling atmosphere, however this feels dumded down in Alan Wake's American Nightmare. The new Arizona setting lacks the creepiness and sense of foreboding that Bright Falls had, and it ultimately feels bland and tired by genre standards. However, this is not to say that this is a bad game by any means. The graphics are still good and the character animation and cut scenes still convey the effectively creepy Twin Peaks vibe, however they lack the impact of the original game. The voice acting and soundtrack are also top notch, so the shortcomings mentioned above can easily be overlooked by some.

Overall, Alan Wake's American Nightmare succeeds in a few areas and stumbles in others. As a downloadable game with a $15 price tag, it is easy to forgive the shortcomings and take it for what it is; a fun, albeit brief action/suspense adventure. The story mode itself will take around five hours to complete, while the arcade mode will definitely add some replay value. The story may be relatively weak and the difficulty and tension that made the first game so memorable has been toned down, however Alan Wake fans should be well serviced here. Now we can only hope for a proper sequel.

Rating: 7 out of 10

New Podcast: The Radical Rascals

2012-02-17T20:24:00.000-08:00

This is just a quick entry to plug a new podcast endeavor that myself and a good friend of mine, Andy, have undertaken. Andy and I are both avid video game fans as well as connoisseurs of nerd culture in general, so it seems fitting that we should be doing a podcast together. The podcast is called "The Radical Rascals" and the title is reference to our rather strong and and somewhat mischievous personalities. The main focus of the podcast is video games and the gaming industry, however we break out of that mold and discuss other topics such as books, movies, TV shows and basically whatever else we are into. Done in loose but structured style, we aim to keep the podcast focused and relevant, however we allow plenty of room for side-tangents and deviations. In short, it's basically two cheeky chappies sitting down and having a chat...via Skype and about 5 hours apart since I am in Canada and Andy is in the UK. You get the idea.

If you just want to delve right into the good stuff, here is the first podcast that we posted on YouTube:

The direct link to our YouTube page can be found HERE. You can also find the podcast on iTunes by clicking HERE, or if you prefer the podcast in MP3 format, mosey on over to HERE and download it directly. Future episodes will also be uploaded in these places, so pick your poison and subscribe to be kept up to date on our content. If you are on Twitter, follow us on by clicking HERE. That's the last of the links, we promise.

It should be noted that this is an uncensored podcast and our tendency to use naughty language and sexual innuendos is out in full force here. If you are easily offended or object to politically incorrect and often crass humor, it goes without saying that this is not the podcast for you. It is also worth noting that this is, at least as of this blog posting, our first episode and there is obviously room for improvement. Some areas we are aware of and are hoping to tweak in future episodes, others we glean from feedback provided by the communities.

For the time being, that is all. As noted above, we depend on listeners to tell us what they think, so we welcome any and all feedback whether it be positive or negative. We will also be posting regular questions for discussion topics, so do follow us on Twitter to take part in that, and we will be looking at bringing on guest once we get settled in.

Until next time, The Radical Rascals signing out!

The Most Anticipated Games of 2012.

2012-01-30T13:49:00.000-08:00

Along with the typical year-end "Best Of" lists that pepper the internet, the new year brings about a sense of anticipation in all gamers as to what goodies are in store for the year ahead. At the risk of sounding cliched, I will say that 2012 is shaping up to be every bit the banner year that 2011 was, with a plethora of new games to complement some returning favorites. Note: As my focus these days is mainly on console games, this list does not cover any release for the Playstation Vita or the Nintendo 3DS. I don't currently own either system and I have no immediate plans to purchase them.

Without further ado, here is the list of the games I am most looking forward to in 2012. As time passes and other games get announced, this list could grow substantially.

Bioshock: Infinite

The original Bioshock is one of the benchmark games of this console generation and the 2010 sequel definitely did it justice, however it's time for a change and the newest installment in the Bioshock series takes us somewhere completely different - a city in the clouds. The core gameplay elements from the first two games are intact, however the new setting opens up a world of possibilities.

Released: 2012 (Exact date TBD)

Platform(s): Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC

Xenoblade Chronicles

Gamers in Europe and Japan received Xenoblade Chronicles in mid-2011 and North American RPG fans have been chomping at the bit for it ever since. Well, we are finally getting a release of what is considered to one of the best action RPGs to come about in the last few years, and certainly the best that the Wii has to offer. With the impending release of the Wii U, this may very well be the last game that Wii owners deem worthy of a purchase and I am stoked to finally have a chance to play it.

Released: April 2, 2012 (North America)

Platform(s): Nintendo Wii

Borderlands 2

Like many gamers, I have poured an obscene amount of hours in the the original Borderlands, and I personally consider it one of the best games of this console generation. The follow-up promises all-new characters, new abilities and new weapons, however the RPG elements, insane amount of guns to loot and strong emphasis on co-op will still be intact. Anyone who has played the first game will know why this is one of the absolute "must have" releases of 2012.

Released: September 1, 2012 (Tentative)

Platform(s): Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC

Mass Effect 3

With the sequel Mass Effect 2 pushing the series to the top tier of the RPG genre, expectations for Mass Effect 3 are suitably high. The next installment promises that your decisions and actions will have a greater impact on how the story plays out than they did in the previous games, thus making your decisions even harder. The core gameplay will also be more combat-intensive and further refinements have been made to the combat system. Overall, this is shaping up to be an intense and emotional ride and I am excited to see how it all plays out.

Released: March 6, 2012 (North America); March 9, 2012 (Europe)
Platforms: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC.

Assassin's Creed III

Outside of the game being confirmed by Ubisoft, nothing is known about which direction the third "proper" sequel will take. The plot lines introduced in Assassin's Creed II and further explored in Brotherhood and Revelations had gamers enraptured, so the prospect of a new assassin, new setting and new time period has drawn a mixture of excitement and unease among fans. More will be known as we get further into the year, but it goes without saying that this will be one of the games I will be keeping a keen eye on.

Released: November 2012 (Speculated)
Platform(s): Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Wii U, PC (Speculated)

Tomb Raider

If you've ever played a video game in your life, the chances are good that a Tomb Raider game has crossed your path once or twice. Once the benchmark of platform action gaming, the series has stagnated in recent years and the 2012 reboot aims to bring Laura Croft back into the limelight. Presenting us with a more raw, more visceral Croft and a gorgeously developed world, Tomb Raider is sure to be one of the benchmark releases of 2012.

Released: Mid-2012

Platform(s): Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC, Mac

Silent Hill: Downpour

Making it's return to the consoles, the Silent Hill series is reported to be the creepiest and most intense game in the series thus far. While the seven previous installments have progressively diluted the impact somewhat, it's hard to deny that Downpour looks like a fantastic game with plenty of tense and bone-chilling moments. WIll it live up to this hype? Time will tell, but in a year with another Resident Evil game also seeing the light of day, it's a good time to be a survival horror fan.

Released: March 13, 2012 (North America)

Platform(s): Xbox 360, Playstation 3

The Last Guardian

When it comes to testing the patience of their fans, Team Ico has it down to a science. With an

absurdly long development period, constant delays in the release date and information coming out at a trickel, fans of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus have been itching to get their hands on this game for some time. The third-person action and puzzle solving makes the game stand out as a successor to Ico, so the fanfare is definitely understandable. Whether or not it delivers on what fans expect is another matter entirely. In the meantime, the recently-released Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection will have to tide us over.

Released: 2012 (TBD)

Platform(s): Playstation 3

Darksiders II

Little is known about the sequel to 2010's Darksiders, a game that I still maintain is highly underrated and criminally overlooked. Combining the hack-n-slash combat elements of games like God of War and Devil May Cry with the dungeon exploration of the Zelda games, the original game gave us the best of both genres without seeming like a tired retread. Hopefully the sequel embodies these same qualities and kicks it up a notch.

Released: June 2012 (projected)

Platform(s): Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Wii U, PC

Max Payne 3

The original two Max Payne games are still among my favorite games from the Playstation 2 era and the sequel on a current generation console is long overdue. With the weight that Rockstar Games carries, it's assured that the production value will be high and everything will be cranked up to 11. A game long in gestation tends to breed unrealistic expectations, but I feel safe in assuming that I'll enjoy this game immensely.

Released: May 15, 2012 (North America); May 18 (Everywhere Else)

Platform(s): Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Wii U

Twisted Metal

I have never been a die-hard fan of vehicular combat games, but I have very fond memories playing the Twisted Metal games on the Playstation and Playstation 2 back in the day. The 2012 release, simple titled Twisted Metal, boasts gorgeous graphics, an impressive roster of vehicles and a strong multiplayer focus, this is going to be one of the games that will give Playstation 3 owners bragging rights. Like Tomb Raider, it's good to see an old classic come back with a new coat of paint.

Released: February 14, 2012 (North America), February 17, 2012 (Europe)

Platform(s): Playstation 3

Sly Cooper: Thieves In Time

The Sly Cooper series was left dormant after it's heyday on the Playstation 2, but the 2010 release of The Sly Collection, a compilation of all three games in the series, reignited interest and reminded gamers of how good this series was. Included in the collection was a teaser for Sly 4 and we will finally see it released in 2012. As the title suggests, the element of time travel will be included and the old favorites from the original series will return as well. For fans such as myself, this is going to be a must-buy, and it's going to be another quality exclusive in the Playstation 3's cannon.

Released: 2012 (TBD)
Platform(s): Playstation 3

Resident Evil 6

The release of the trailer for Resident Evil 6 was big news, even for those who, like myself, have lost interest in the series and moved on. My chief complaint was the combat controls, however it has come to light that Capcom has listened to fans and revamped the controls to minimize frustrations. This includes actually being able to move and shoot at the same time. The game carries on the tradition of creepiness that fans have come to love, and with the controls being less of a headache, I am definitely willing to give the series another chance.

Released: November 20, 2012
Platform(s): Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC

The Witcher II: Assassins of Kings

Up until this point, the excellent story-driven action game The Witcher (and the sequel respectively) was only playable by those with a PC powerful enough to handle it, but now the sequel is seeing a console release. Fans of the PC game will likely scoff at this and list the ways that the port is inferior to the PC version, and they'll probably be right, but I don't really care. I've wanted to play this game since it was released in May 2011 and I'm glad to finally have a chance to do so.

Released: April 17, 2012 (Xbox 360 version - PC version already out)

Platform(s): Xbox 360

Prototype 2

The original Prototype was hardly a favorite game of mine, but I certainly enjoyed it despite it's shortcomings. The ability to free-roam New York City and cause damage was fun for a while, but the story is what ultimately held my interest. The sequel looks to address many of the design quirks that people disliked in the first game and, from what I have seen, this game looks downright epic. Three years is a good amount of time to hone and refine a sequel, so hopefully part 2 lives up to these expectations.

Released: April 24, 2012 (North America), April 27, 2012 (Europe)

Platform(s): Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC

The Darkness II

The original "Darkness" is a brilliantly intense, story-driven shooter that has some of the most unique elements and plot twists ever seen in the genre. After nearly five years, we finally get a sequel which, if the gameplay videos are anything to go by, will bring the series in line with the best of it's class. This is an early 2012 release that is not to be missed by any shooter fan.

Released: February 7, 2012 (North America); February 10, 2012 (Europe)

Platform(s): Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC

The Last Of Us

I fell in love with this game from the moment I read about it. Naughty Dog has made a big name for itself in recent years with the Uncharted series, and they are giving us a unique take on survival horror. The game seems as enigmatic as the plot and I can't wait to see what this game delivers. I haven't heard many people talking about this game, but I am anticipating that it will be one of the sleeper hits of the year.

Released: Late 2012
Platform(s): Playstation 3

The New Xbox To Restrict Used Games? It Could Happen

2012-01-26T12:14:00.000-08:00

An interesting article on the Wired magazine website came to my attention today, and it presents an interesting topic of discussion among gamers. For a while now, it's been known that the gaming industry, namely the developers and the publishers, absolutely despises the used game market. The hate it with a passion and have taken steps to limit content to first-time buyers or people willing to pay extra for a DLC code if they purchase the game second-hand. Opinion is divided on whether or not this is a good move, however there is speculation now that the next generation of the Xbox console will restrict, if not totally lock-out, used games from the console. Rather than discuss the article in detail (you can read it here), I will simply weight in with my thoughts on the matter.

If the rumors turn out to be true, the new Xbox (or "Xbox 720" as some are calling it) will either require games to have one-time use DLC codes to access the full game, or they may circumvent the physical media by releasing full games as digital downloads that are only usable on one console. The Wired article points out that the new Playstation Vita has already adopted this practice and is offering all games in both physical cards and lower-priced digital downloads. The Xbox Live service currently offers a selection of games exclusively online though the Xbox Live Arcade, with full retail games coming up later on it's "Games On Demand" service. Given the prevailing desire on the part of consumers to go all digital, as they have with music and movies, it is not a far leap of the imagination that the same will apply to video games. While it is unlikely that physical game media will die out altogether, the shift of focus to downloading may prove to be a win-win for the game developers and Microsoft. Lower overhead, faster access for gamers and money that would have otherwise gone to used game retailers lining their coffers. For gamers, this is a dubious proposition.

As a gamer myself, the ability to purchase video games used means that I can purchase more games and save some money. Like many people, spending $60 on every new release is not something that I can afford to do, so the used game retailers fill this void nicely. There are also games that go out of print or become rare, so buying them used is often the only option available. By having the games move to digital format, we would be limited to what is available online and shopping around would not be an option. We have had no choice but to accept that content will be held back via online passes and DLC codes, however restricting an entire game pretty much puts us at the mercy of Microsoft and the game publishers.

Once I read the article, I did an informal survey of my Twitter followers (follow me here) and found opinions to be mixed. One one hand, some people are adamantly against it and view it as Microsoft "shooting themselves in the foot" and "screwing over gamers". Others concede that the used game market brings in millions and developers should be entitled to some of it, and some are indifferent because they don't purchase used games. From my perspective, I get it as a capitalist, but I bemoan it as a gamer. Every used game was purchased at full retail at some point, therefore the publisher and developer received the money they are entitled to for the sale of that game, as well as any subsequent DLC that is purchased. The used game market represents potential income that they are only just starting to tap into. Musicians don't get royalties from used music, authors don't get royalties from used books, and car companies don't get royalties from used car sales. You could argue that used game sales are a different matter because of the money they bring it, but I think the same principles still apply.

On the side of being a capitalist, I understand why they are doing it. This is a case where the game developers found a way to hold back content for those who either buy new or are willing to pay extra. If Stephen King held back the last few chapters of his new book and limited it to only those who purchased it from the Kindle shop, I imagine people would be far less tolerant. The game companies will have you believe that used game sales "cheat" their bottom line and they are suffering big losses, however the losses come from money they could be making instead of projected revenue they have lost. As the Wired article also pointed out, used games are often sold or traded-in to fund the purchase of new games, so the used game market does have an oblique benefit in the grand scheme of things. Having said all that, game companies exist to make money and this is their way of making more. As a business model, this is hardly unique and I can't completely fault them for it.

So the big question is whether or not these rumors about the next Xbox console are true. It's way too early to tell and Microsoft has a policy against commenting on rumors and speculation. Based on the steps already taken by the gaming industry to curb used game sales, it is definitely possible, however the risk of jilting gamers in the process is strong. Adding to the potential risk of such a movie is whether or not the competition follows suit. If Microsoft adopts this policy on the new Xbox but Sony does not with the next Playstation, the scales of consumer confidence can radically tip in one direction. Also of interest will be the response from retailers like Gamestop who will no doubt be affected. Love them or hate them, Gamestop is a main distribution stream for both used and new video games, so drawing their ire is a risky proposition. Either way, these are all "what if" scenarios at this point. More information that confirms or denies this news will only come with time.

Review: Rayman Origins (Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Wii, Nintendo 3DS, Playstation Vita)

2012-01-24T12:57:00.000-08:00

When I was writing out my Top Games of 2011 entry, it occurred to me that I had missed out on many of the fan favorite games that were released over the past year. Given the shockingly high number of "must have" releases and my own financial limitations, some games had to slip through the cracks and Rayman Origins was one of them. Having never played a Rayman game in the past, I didn't feel any urgency in picking this up and I started to regret this after many gaming friends started raving about it. Having taken the plunge in making this my first game purchase of the new year, I can easily say that my hesitation in getting it was ill-advised. Had I played Rayman Origins at launch, it would have easily been near the top of my list for the best games of 2011.

For the uniitiated, Rayman Origins is a 2D platform action game that harkens back to the glory days of the 8-bit and 16-bit era, with the focus being less on fully-rendered 3D environments and more on challenging side-scrolling action that becomes increasingly more difficult as you progress through the levels. As is the custom for games like this, the story is cutesy, cartoonish and about as dense as helium, but the characters and overly stylized settings will have you smiling all the way. In a nutshell, the story involves the efforts of Rayman and his colorful friends to rid the Glad of Dreams from an evil army of nasties unleashed by an evil Magician and the nightmares of the Bubble Dreamer. These said nasties are called the Darktoons and they have captured the Electoons, and you are tasked with freeing traversing the dangerous levels in order to free them. Play through the levels, kill enemies, free captured friendlies and repeat. That's Rayman Origins in a nutshell. Other nuances exist in the story to keep the player engaged, however the platforming action is clearly the star of the show. You won't feel bogged down with lengthy cinematics or overly complex storylines woven throughout the game, and it's all the better for it.

Each level is divided into separate stages, each one offering a mix of environments and level designs to offset the tedium that some gamers might find with the "point A to point B" objective. The standard level-based platforming stages are complemented by areas where you must swim underwater, or take control of a giant mosquito that can both fire projectiles and suck up enemies like a vacuum. Similar to other platformers like Super Mario Brothers and Donkey Kong Country, the locales are also nicely varied, with lush jungles, levels in the clouds, wintry stages covered in ice and scorching deserts, just to name a few. Each level is beautifully hand-drawn and rendered, and Rayman Origins stands s a testament to how effective and striking a 2D platformer can be. The animation of the characters, the enemies and the backgrounds in the environments is also top notch, as is the wonderfully cartoony sountrack. Simply put, Rayman Origins is a colorful and beautiful feast for the senses, and proof that a game that pays homage to an older gaming style can still dazzle a new audience.

The gameplay in Rayman Origins emphasizes a mix of precise platforming and fast forward momentum. Some levels allow you to take your time and source out ever single collectible, while others feature dynamic environments that require you to keep moving without stopping. This is not to say that you are ill-equipped for the challenges you face. Rayman and his friends have a variety of melee attacks such as sucker punches and body slams, while releasing captured electoons affords you special abilities such as swimming, running up walls and hovering, all of which have must be used to get through certain stages. The object of each level, outside of simply passing it, is to collect colorful "Lums", which function as the games currency of sorts. You need to collect Lums to earn medals at the end of each level, and a certain number are required to unlock new areas. This leads to one of the games few weaknesses; the need to backtrack. Players who take the fast track through earlier levels will find themselves at a shortage of needed Lums, which will require you to replay levels that have already been completed. The upside to this is that each level is packed with secret areas, hidden skull coins, and hidden cages where pink Lums (more valuable) are held in large numbers. Replaying areas can seem like a chore, but there are enough rewards for repeatedly playing a level to make it worthwhile and feel like less of a grind.

While Rayman Origins looks approachable and simple in concept, it must be said that it can get very challenging at times. Many of the levels have dynamic environments that crumble around you, and some that continuously move forward, requiring you to think and use your abilities quickly. You also don't have a lot of health, so running into enemies or attacking certain ones head-on can lead to numerous deaths, as can misjudging a jump or moving too slow as you level makes a beeline for the right. As challenging as it can be, the frequent checkpoints and unlimited lives ensure that there is no harsh penalty for dying, however certain achievements and level bonuses do require you to make it through without dying or taking damage. To get the most out of your experience with Rayman Origins, replaying multiple levels is required as many secrets and rewards are easily missed on your first run-through. With the sheer volume of things to discover, there is plenty here to satisfy the completionist within. Rayman Origins also supports up to 4 player local co-op which, similar to New Super Mario Brothers Wii, can get incredibly chaotic and ridiculously fun or frustrating depending on how everyone plays.

For those who remember playing 2D platformers on older consoles, as well as those new to the experience, Rayman Origins is a game you need to have on your radar. The strikingly beautiful graphics, the intuitive and occasionally punishing level design and an incredible sense of reward and discovery all combine to make this one of the most satisfying and addictive games in recent memory. If you overlooked this game when it was first released or have been on the fence about getting it, believe me when I say that you owe it to yourself to pick it up. Rayman Origins combines some of the best elements that we love in video games and gives it you in an experience that is not to be missed.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Note: The Playstation Vita and Nintendo 3DS versions are both scheduled for release in March 2012. No PC version has been confirmed.

The Top 11 Games of 2011 (Because 10 is not enough!)

2011-12-28T11:59:00.000-08:00

It's becoming something of a cliche to say that 2011 has been a terrific year for gaming since almost every prior year boasted a terrific roster of both AAA releases and hidden gems that make our love of video games worthwhile. This has been mainly a console year for me, since I did not purchase a 3DS and I have barely touched my existing handhelds, so the majority of the games on my list were played on either the Xbox 360 or the Playstation 3. Either way, with the steady stream of quality games and the deluge of "must-have" titles that landed later in the year, having to select only a few games as my favorites was very difficult. I feel this list properly represents the best gaming moments of 2011 for me, but I am cognizant of the fact that some great titles have been left out.

Before I get into my list, a few things need to be mentioned. As with any such list, this is subjectively based on the games that I had the most enjoyment out of in 2011. It's not a list made to please the masses and accordingly there are some of the "usual suspect" games that will not be appearing here. Games like Saint's Row: The Third, Catherine, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword and Battlefield 3 are not here because I haven't purchased them yet. Gears of War 3, Portal 2 and Dark Souls also fall into this category. Other games I do own, like Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, are not on the list because I haven't played them enough to properly assess, or I didn't enjoy them as much as other games. Such is the peril of having to limit your choice to only a small selection of games.

Anyway, without further ado, I give you my Top Eleven Games of 2011.

11. Bulletstorm

The first-person shooter genre has gone well beyond being saturated and it's refreshing to see a game that provides some unique twists on a now-tired formula. Bulletstorm combines classic FPS mechanics with a "kill with skill" focus in the gameplay. Rather than the traditional "run and gun" approach, you are rewarded for finding the most creative ways to kill your enemies and I had hours of fun combining my skills to pull of some incredibly awesome, and gruesome, kills. Fast, furious and dripping with attitude and sexual innuendo, this is the game that those disappointed by Duke Nukem: Forever should be checking out.

Available On: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC

10. Dragon Age II

While fans of Dragon Age: Origins haven't warmed to the more streamlined approach that the sequel takes, I personally found Dragon Age II to be an engaging and highly enjoyable action RPG experience. The main character Hawke, who rises to fame and power throughout the course of the game, is a more interesting protagonist than in the previous game and I found myself caring more about the outcome than I have with most RPGs of late. The open-world feel and other intricacies may have been dumbed down in order to make the game appeal to a mainstream audience, but the fascinating story and stellar battle mechanics in Dragon Age II more than make up for this.

Available On: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC

9. Shadows of the Damned

You have to admire a game that makes no apologies for it's crassness, so it goes without saying that I had a fantastic time playing Shadows of the Damned. The product of the minds behind Resident Evil and No More Heroes, this is a third person shooter that involves a protagonist descending into the depths of hell in order to rescue his nearly-dead girlfriend. Hell has never looked or sounded this absurd. The solid shooting and fun variety of weapons is complemented by a constant stream of profanity, toilet humor and sexual innuendos. Not every joke hits the mark, but anyone with a sense of humor along these lines will get a kick out of the game. There are few games I enjoyed more this past year, so it's place on this list is well deserved.

Available On: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC

8. Crysis 2

With other first-person shooters already appearing in this list, and other high-profile ones being absent altogether, my selection of Crysis 2 might seem somewhat illogical...unless you have played it. Simply put, this is one of the best looking and smoothest FPS titles I have ever played, with graphics and animation that pushes the limits of the current generation consoles. Crysis 2 isn't all flash, since it boasts a meaty and satisfying 10 to 12 hour campaign and a focus on tactical gunplay. The addition of the "Nanosuit", an augmented suit that grants you certain powers and tactical advantages, adds another layer of intricacy to the beautifully created set piece battles. This is yet another game that went unnoticed in 2011, however it's one that is definitely worth playing if you're looking for something a different and unique.

Available On: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC

7. F.E.A.R. 3 (F3AR)

Being a fan of the first two F.E.A.R. games, my anticipation for the third installment was very high. Despite some shortcomings including a shorter campaign, streamlined level design and overuse of screams and squeals, it delivered on most fronts, provided you are familiar with the story of the first two games. The standard-but-serviceable first-person shooter mechanics are complemented by classic "freak out" moments and panic-inducing moments where the infected run at you with alarming speed. The ability to play co-op with the game's antagonist, who boasts his own special powers, breathes fresh life into the series. F3AR is not the best or brightest of the FPS genre, but it succeeds in what it seeks to accomplish - to provide an unsettling gaming experience.

Available On: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC

6. Rage

A Bethesda game in which you play a survivor in a post-apocalyptic wasteland and you must help people, join factions and kill roaming nasties. Sound familiar? While it may share some aesthetic similarities to the Fallout series, Rage has far more in common with games like Borderlands and Bioshock. The quest-based storyline is littered with interesting objectives and a fair few fetch quests, however the combat and corridor shooting is among the best in class for the genre. The other central focus of Rage is vehicular combat and this provides some of the most intense and satisfying moments in the game, especially in the area battles, races and the online multiplayer. Rage is a game that many people overlooked but one that I highly recommend trying out.

Available On: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC

5. Dead Island

At first glance, Dead Island seems deceptively like Left 4 Dead transplanted on a tropical island with the guns traded in for wooden planks. In truth, Dead Island is a stellar first-person action/survival game that combines plentiful zombie-killing action with a Borderlands-style questing system. The focus on melee combat and the tendency for the zombies to gang up on you really makes this a tense and frantic experience, one that is unmatched by other games in the genre. The long and satisfying campaign is accented with a strong emphasis on co-operative gameplay, and it goes without saying that Dead Island is best enjoyed with a few friends playing along for the ride.

Available On: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC

4. L.A. Noire

In the months leading up to it's release, I openly stated that I had very little interest in playing L.A. Noire, mainly because I have not been a fan of Rockstar's offerings of late. Come launch day, I took the plunge on impulse and was very glad I did. This is not a 40's-era GTA clone, rather a deeply involved crime saga that boasts an immersive story, rich characters and some impressive facial capture technology that is pivotal in successfully interrogating a suspect or a witness. It's a different kind of game than some expected, one that makes you use your head and powers of deductive reasoning, and many people didn't like it for that reason. However, it hit all the right notes for me.

Available On: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC

3. Assassin's Creed: Revelations

The yearly release of a new Assassin's Creed title may have diluted the appeal of the franchise to some, however the titles have been nothing if not consistent in their quality. Assassin's Creed: Revelations is a wonderful bookend to the current saga, wrapping up the storyline of Ezio Auditore, the protagonist from the previous two games, and connecting it with that of Altair, the central character in the first game. The new setting of sixteenth-century Constantinople provides a fresh environment, while the open-world gameplay that the series is best known for is still intact and as enjoyable as ever. Some may bemoan the lack of innovation between installments, however there is still something comfortable and satisfying about playing an Assassin's Creed game and Revelations is a fitting installment and a satisfying (albeit bittersweet) conclusion.

Available On: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC

2. Dead Space 2

The first Dead Space is considered by many to be one of the best games of this console generation, and definitely a landmark game in the survival horror genre. The sequel kicks things up a notch by giving you a more diverse (and creepy) setting and fleshed out story for the unfortunate protagonist Isaac Clark. While the first game took place on a deserted spaceship, the sequel gives you an entire space station to navigate, offering some genuinely inventive and creepy locales. However, the limb-severing Necromorph genocide you commit is still king. Dead Space 2 is everything a sequel should be, and even the addition of a superfluous and totally forgettable multiplayer doesn't bringing it down.

Available On: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC

1. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

If this list of games could be likened to a baseball team, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is the bench-warmer who goes on to hit a grand slam at the World Series. Not being a fan of Bethesda's earlier offerings, I didn't approach Skyrim with the highest of expectations, however it completely blew away all of my preconceptions. Skyrim is a wonderfully realized world filled with an engaging story, interesting characters, challenging enemy battles, plentiful missions and gorgeous scenery. It would be hyperbole to say that it's the best RPG of all time, but it can be said that this is one of the best RPGs of this console generation and easily my favorite game of 2011.

Available On: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC

Looking ahead to 2012, the confirmed titles such as Bioshock: Infinite and Mass Effect 3 are already on my radar, and the rumored titles such as a third Dead Space, another Assassin's Creed, the yearly release of another Call of Duty and a host of other goodies will no doubt lead to plenty of late nights and wallet-emptying excursions to my local game shop. Needless to say, there is plenty to look forward to.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Review: RAGE (Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC)

2011-12-20T11:33:00.000-08:00

Bethesda Game Studios has been one of the critical darlings of the gaming industry, with landmark franchises such as Fallout and The Elder Scrolls under their belt, however I have never been particularly fond of their offerings. Save for the recently released Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, their games have not moved or engrossed me in any meaningful way and I have often considered them to be overrated. Rage treads familiar territory with it's combination of first-person shooter mechanics and RPG questing and exploration, and despite a few noticeable drawbacks, it has enough strengths to appeal to fans of both gameplay styles.

Rage takes place in a world that has been ravaged by an asteroid blast, rendering the terrain a post-apocalyptic wasteland in which pockets of survivors have formed factions in order to survive and control the flow of scarce resources. You play as someone known only as The Ark Survivor who, after emerging from an underground settlement, is rescued from a bandit attack by a friendly settler and then the game begins in earnest. After a few simple fetch quests, you learn that a hostile faction called The Authority is looking for you and they are known for performing a variety of bizarre experiments on other survivors. The plot goes into further detail as the game progresses, however your sense of purpose comes in the missions you do for various people in towns and the surrounding wastelands. The plot goes into further detail with conspiracies and weird science, but the "meat" of the story is really resisting factions fighting back against The Authority. The plot is neither deep or original, but in the context of a game like this, it's serviceable. All told, you should expect about 20 hours from the main single-player campaign and variable mileage in the multiplayer.

Given the focus on questing and helping others out, you might expect Rage to be an RPG in the style of Fallout, however the focus is on first-person corridor shooting and vehicle combat. The core weapons are the usual assortment of pistols, shotguns, assault rifles and explosives, however there is some variety in the unique weapons you are given. You have a crossbow that allows for stealth kills, remote controlled RC cars that explode, and my personal favorite, the Wingstick. This boomerang-like blade propeller deals instant death to all but the toughest enemies and is easily one of the best weapons in the game. The combat experience is characterized by waves of enemies and the occasional boss battle, both of which provide only fleeting challenges. Since the wastelands are expansive and patrolled by roaming bandits, vehicles play an important part in your travels and they can be customized with better parts and more powerful weapons. In addition to combat, your vehicles are used for winning races and completing challenges scattered throughout the game. The controls in both the shooting and vehicle handling are as tight and responsive as you would expect, however the game's default sensitivity is extremely high and some tweaking may be required depending on your preferences.

Despite the post-apocalyptic setting and emphasis on questing, Rage has very little in common with the Fallout series. Character customization and levelling up is virtually non-existent and the linear path the game follows inhibits any meaningful exploration. As such, the first-person shooter and vehicular combat hybrid puts Rage more in line with games like Bioshock and Borderlands. Rewards come in the form of money and new missions being unlocked, the former being used to buying new weapons and supplies and the latter progressing the plot. Those who enjoy levelling, customization and assorted perks will probably find Rage to be a shallow experience, especially by Bethesda's standards, however I feel the action and thrilling combat makes up for these shortcomings.

In addition to the single-player experience, there are two multiplayer modes that may feel limited to most FPS fans, however I found them to be enjoyable for the time spent. The better of the two is called Road Rage, which is a vehicle-based and offers a few different modes that include checkpoint-races, demolition races and an area battle that functions as a team deathmatch of sorts. You earn points and level up based your skill and accuracy, and this levelling unlocks perks such as vehicle upgrades and more powerful weapons. The second is called Legends of the Wastelands, a surprisingly fun two player co-op experience that has you playing through missions similar to those found in the single-player campaign. The focus is achieving high scores and completing challenges with a limited arsenal of weapons,which provides some of the more frantic and intense moments in the game. Both multiplayer are fun, however they lack the variety and lasting appeal of other games in the genre, therefore it is doubtful that it will sustain an active online community. Having said that, Bethesda is usually generous with the DLC and the experience may be expanded in the future.

The Xbox 360 version is spread over a whopping three discs, two for the main game and the third being exclusively for the multiplayer. Given the smooth framerate and polished graphics, it is clear that Rage is more than the aging console can handle at times. However, the game looks fantastic, from the detailed wastelands to the unsettling indoor environments, and the framerate never stutters even during the most hectic of battles. Unlike the muddy and murky environments in Fallout, the wastelands you frequent are more along the lines of the arid deserts and rocky terrain of Borderlands. Having said that, Rage is not exactly a best-in-class shooter since other games like Crysis 2 look far better. The sound in Rage is also decent but unexceptional, with a practically muted soundtrack undermining the intense action. However, the sound during battles, from the gunshots to the squishy sounds of enemy limbs being severed, are particularly well done.

As with most of Bethesda's titles, the problems with the game become apparent early on and some are definitely more of a hindrance than others. By far the biggest issue is the broken save system, which makes auto-saving infrequent and manual saving an absolutely necessity, lest you lost significant progress when you die. The manual save does allow you to save wherever you like and pick up from exactly that point, however this is still unacceptable when regular auto-saving is the standard in most other games. The technical demands of the game also incur lengthy load times that will test your patience after a while, and there is even an in-game prompt that recommends installing the game on your hard drive for the "optimum experience". However, I did not deem it worth the aggravation given the amount of space the game takes up and the length of time it would take to install it. The third issue is more of an all-round lack of investment that you will feel in the story. There are few memorable characters, the plot is convoluted and the missions rarely rise above area-clearing and fetch quests. Even the more dramatic story missions fail to make you feel that you're accomplishing something great, and the boss battles are unchallenging and more a test of patience than skill. Having said all of that, these are not issues that entirely killed the experience for me, however they might for you depending on what kind of experience you hope to get out of the game.

When all is said and done, the main indicator of a game's quality is how much fun the player has with it. I certainly did. Rage is a solid action game that combines some of the best elements of the first-person shooter and vehicular combat genres, however it doesn't prove to be a landmark for either due to a lackluster plot and a lack of any emotional investment you'll feel in how events play out. It should be taken as an action game and enjoyed as such, so in that respect, Rage is a great title to have in your collection. Fans of the aforementioned Bioshock and Borderlands will probably enjoy Rage the most, however fans of Bethesda's other games are best advised to rent this game before paying full retail. Regardless, this is my kind of action game and anyone who enjoys shooters and/or vehicle combat games will enjoy the experience it has to offer.

Rating: 8 out of 10

A Gentlemen's Agreement

2011-11-29T11:29:00.000-08:00

For almost three years, I have been an active member and moderator of Pete's Game Room Forum, a video game-related forum created by Pete Dorr, Youtube gaming guru and current co-host of the All Gen Gamers podcast. It's a nice forum that started as a meeting ground for other gamers who run a Youtube channel but has since blossomed into a large community of video game enthusiasts from all corners of the globe. We meet, we chat about games and we generally have a good time. As a moderator, I am one of a few people tasked with keeping the forums free of trolls and spammers, which can sometimes be a hectic task but one that ultimately feels very rewarding.

Anyway, one brilliant idea thought up by forum member and Twitter rascal Andsy was the idea of a "Gentlemen's Club", a fun little endeavor in which the entry requirements are very simple. You must submit a list of unstarted or unfinished games and you are paired up with another member, who has also submitted a list. You then select a game from the other person's list and task them with the duty of completing said game within the next two months. This is a great idea because not only is it a fun and friendly competition, but it also encourages you to go back and play a game you might have otherwise kept shelved. The fun part comes with the choice of games, since you can either pick a great game you know the person will like, or if you're feeling impish, a terrible or overly difficult game that could send them into fits of rage. Cruelty of this nature is not only allowed but it's encouraged. Anyone entering into such an agreement does so with a certain amount of risk, but given that the game selection is limited to what's on your list, you can leave out anything you seriously don't wish to play.

For my agreement, fellow member and Twitter buddy Mike Dunbar has assigned me The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion on the Xbox 360. This is a game that I have tried no fewer than three times to get into but I have yet to find enjoyment with it. I have found the game to be glitchy and plodding, coupled with the clunky combat and abysmal inventory management system, have made me give up on all three occasions. Having said that, the game has a strong following and has received almost endless acclaim, so I suspect it's a game I will grow to enjoy if given the time. Hence, I am delving into it on Mike's recommendation as he thoroughly enjoyed it, and it seemed appropriate given the hype that currently surrounds The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. For his end of the bargain, I have tasked him to complete L.A. Noire, one of my favorite games to be released this year and one of the better Rockstar games to come along. It's not for everyone, but I personally loved the 40's setting as well as the emphasis on finding clues and interrogating suspects. In addition to completing said games, we both have an additional task that must be fulfilled. On my end, I must complete the "Hackdirt" side-quest that you come across at some point in the game, while Mike has to complete all cases with a 5-star rating. This is going to be interesting to say the last.

My typical "nerd rage" reaction to playing Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

So what is the prize if you complete your challenge? Nothing, except for the satisfaction of having completed a game and succeeded in a challenge, which is really the essence of why we play video games. On the forum, you can brag about being part of the Gentlemen's Club and joke about donning your smoking jacket and monocle and twiddling your fine moustache with price. It's a good time had by all. If you don't succeed, in the words of Andsy, you will be declared a rascal forevermore and thus not a fine gentleman. At the end of the day, it's a fun, free and fiercely competitive challenge that definitely gives us incentive to game harder.

Both Mike and I will have until January 31, 2012 to complete our respective games and secure our high-backed plushy chairs in the gentlemen's lounge. Personally, I think Mike got the better end of the deal since his game can be beaten in about 15 to 20 hours, while Oblivion can easily take dozens more. Either way, I have accepted the challenge and will give it my best. Who knows? I might actually find something in this game that I finally enjoy.

Click here to view the official thread in the forums and see what other participants have chosen for each other.

Review: Assassin's Creed: Revelations (Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC)

2011-11-20T14:01:00.000-08:00

The Assassin's Creed series has been one of the benchmarks of this current gaming generation, combining an innovative parkour-style gameplay and stunning open-world gameplay. Yearly releases may have dulled the sense of wonder and discovery, but fans of the series have consistently been treated to a strong, story-driven experience that has remained consistently strong over four games. Assassin's Creed: Revelations attempts to bring the characters and events of the first three games full circle. Does this conclusion to the Assassin's Creed storyline do the series justice, or is an ending on a low note? Read on.

The plot in Revelations brings together all three main characters from the series; Ezio Auditore De Firenze, Altair La-Ahad and Desmond Miles, the modern-day protagonist whose ancestral memories you have explored in the previous games. Taking place immediately after the events of Brotherhood, Desmond is trapped in limbo in the Animus where his conscious mind has crumbled and left him in a comatose state. In this nebulous state, he must find keys to link memories of both Ezio and Altair and attempt to return himself to a conscious state. The Ezio storyline make up the bulk of the game and this time we see him in sixteenth century Constantinople (now known as Istanbul, Turkey) during the rise of the Ottomans. Ezio, three decades older and infinitely wiser, is drawn into the war between the Assassin's and the Templars and attempts to end it by unearthing a powerful artifact hidden by Altair. Throughout the course of the game, Ezio must unearth artifacts that unlock Altair's memories in order to find this artifact. In all the flip-flopping between different storylines, the plot does get somewhat muddled and you will find yourself confused at various points. However, it is not so obtuse that it detracts from the enjoyment the game provides.

The gameplay in Assassin's Creed: Revelations is virtually unchanged from the previous two games. Like Rome, Florence and Venice before it, Constantinople is a huge city filled with plenty of rooftops, tall structures and faithful recreations of real-life architecture, most of which can climbed. Ezio, despite his advancing age, is still as agile as ever and the free-running parkour is still the game's highlight. The notable addition to Revelations is a new gadget called the Hookblade, which allows for Ezio to both zipline across strategically-placed ropes that connect fooftops, plus it provides a few extra inches of reach that allows for longer jumps. This is a welcome addition because it helps prevent falling to your death if you misjudge a jump or fall short on reaching a target. The economy also plays a pivotal role, as buying shops not only unlocks new items but also increases the amount of money that you earn, which is accrued and deposited into your bank every 20 minutes. With enough shops purchased, you will quickly find yourself with more money than you can spend. The missions you undertake are also identical to the previous games in the series. The bulk of the assignments involve finding and killing a target, sneaking into an area occupied by the Templars and steal something, or run through setpiece action segments that usually tie into a big event in the game.

One of the most common complaints about the Assassin's Creed series is that there is little innovation between installments, and the same can be said about Revelations. The same elements introduced in the second game, such as an economy, guilds and tomb-raiding for artifacts are still intact. Key features introduced in Brotherhood, such as the ability to recruit assassins and taking over parts of the city, are also present here and they serve more or less the same function. In Brotherhood, you were responsible for burning down Borgia towers and overthrowing their control over a district. In Revelations, you must take over Templar dens and drive them out in order to claim their land for the assassin's guilds. The twist is that the Templars are stubborn and will attack your dens, requiring you to engage in a tower defense-style game in order to protect your strongholds. Another new addition is the ability to craft various bombs that can aid you during missions. You will acquire various recipe items throughout the game and the function and purpose of the bombs you craft will depend on which combination of ingredients you use. Another twist is the levels in which you play as Desomd trapped in the wastelands of the Animus. By collecting data fragments, you unlike levels in which you play as Desmond in a first-person puzzle platforming game. These segments will remind you of a less puzzle-focused Portal and they are surprisingly enjoyable, plus you will get more exposition on Desmond and his life.

The single player experience can easily consume 20 hours, possibly more if you're a completionist or achievement/trophy hunter. Whether you liked it or not in Brotherhood, the multiplayer has returned in Revelations and a few changes that are largely cosmetic. Once again, you are tasked with assassinating an assigned target, while at the same time another player has been assigned to kill you. The frantic cat-and-mouse chases can be tense and exhilarating, and those who found Brotherhood's multiplayer limited will like the expanded maps, game modes, class customization and ability to create guilds. Despite the improvements, the multiplayer does have some issues such as slow pacing and unbalanced player match-ups. The benefits and perks are definitely slanted in favor of high-level players, so new players will find themselves getting killed quickly and often. The multiplayer in Assassin's Creed was a novel idea in Brotherhood and it provided a few hours of enjoyment, but it gets stale rather quickly and it is questionable if it will sustain a solid online community. It should also be noted that the "Uplay Passport", Ubisoft's answer to the online pass, is required to access online multiplayer and this comes included when you purchase the game new. Despite the novelty and the fact that it's something different, the multiplayer still feels somewhat tacked on. If I was required to pay extra for this mode, I would pass.

As fans of the series have come to expect, Assassin's Creed: Revelations is a fantastic looking game. Constantinople is a culturally rich city and the game developers have done an excellent job in bringing it to life. The crowds of people going about their business, the day-night cycle and the little touches such as birds flying around and leaves blowing through the air give the game a sense of immersion that is rarely seen in video games. The character animation is fantastic, and while the combat is virtually unchanged, the ways in which you kill enemies are a grisly treat to enjoy. Special mention also needs to be made of the music and voice acting, all of which is up to the standard that the series has set. The subtle, Middle Eastern-themed soundtrack is fantastic and it sets the right mood, and the voice acting is first rate. With four games under their belt, the developers of the Assassin's Creed series have remained consistent in giving us a stunning world in which to do our killing.

For all the things that Assassin's Creed does right, there are still a number of missteps that can range from minor quibbles to severe annoyances. As great as the game looks overall, it is riddled with visual quirks included people and sometimes entire buildings popping in, sketchy facial animation and noticeable screen tearing during cutscenes. Given the size and scope of the game, this can be forgiven, however there are some issues with the controls that are harder to ignore. Having Ezio free-run across rooftops and through tombs is generally fluid and rather enjoyable, however this does not always hold true when precise platforming is required. There were many occasions where Ezio missed a ledge he was clearly running towards, he jumped in the opposite direction that I had intended and when I missed a ledge when chasing someone. Most of the time, you will be able to rebound and get back on track, but there were a few occasions where the controls didn't work and a mission desynchronized. Another issue is with the gameplay additions specific to Revelations. As novel as the idea of playing tower defense and being able to craft over 300 different kinds of bombs might be in theory, they are rather boring and time consuming in practice.

While Assassin's Creed 2 was the home-run success for the series and it remains the best in my opinion, the subsequent games have done a great job of fleshing out the plot and delivering a consistently engrossing and enthralling gaming experience. Revelations is the conclusion to the current storyline and also the last one to be set in the Renaissance era, so it will be interesting to see what the future holds for the series. As a swan-song, Revelations delivers in more areas than it stumbles, and while not every addition is a good one and some lingering issues abound, there is still no other game series like this. If you're a fan, your time spent delving back into the fray will be very well spent indeed.

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Retro Review: Super Castlevania IV (Super Nintendo)

2011-10-24T15:06:00.000-07:00

The original Castlevania series has long been regarded as one of the strongest franchises in Nintendo's cannon and deservedly so; beautifully designed platforming action, a gothic horror setting and perhaps the best balance of challenge and reward ever seen in a video game series. The Castlevania games have since strayed from their platforming roots and settled into an RPG format that fans have grown to love, however the games from the 8-Bit and 16-Bit Nintendo era still reign supreme in my mind. From the time I played the first game in 1988 to that pivotal moment when Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse won my heart in 1989, these games were the benchmark of my gaming youth and the arrival of a fourth installment on the new 16-Bit Super Nintendo was something I eagerly anticipated. Needless to say, I was not disappointed and Super Castlevania IV remains not only one of the best games on the SNES, but one of the best platforming games of all time.

Super Castlevania IV landed under my Christmas tree, along with the console itself, back in 1992 and I remember the feeling of euphoria when I unwrapped this beast and saw the screenshots on the back of the box. Keep in mind that this was an era before the internet, so there were no gameplay videos we could turn to and we had to rely on small pictures of the gameplay on the box and in video game magazines. Playing a game sight-unseen was part of the risk and reward that we had to contend with, but I was confident that I would love Castlevania IV without having even laid eyes on the gameplay. When everything was hooked up and I started the game, I was immediately blown away by the graphics and the music...and this was just on the title screen. For me, this was the moment of revelation when I saw how the 8-bit era transitioned to 16-bit and just what the new technology was capable of. Given that I was such a fan of the first and third Castlevania games on the NES, being able to play a new installment with enhanced graphics and sound completely blew my 12 year old mind.

The plot essentially follows the same thread as the first game on the NES, with Simon Belmont on a quest to kill Dracula, though the world in which you play has expanded somewhat. Whereas the original game took place entirely in Dracula's castle, part IV incorporates additional stages that take place outside the castle and add some much needed variety. Unlike Castlevania III, which allowed you to play as four alternate characters and choose branching paths, part IV is a return to the linear levels and single character experience of the first title. This is not a bad thing since, like any platformer, the gameplay ultimately determines the experience and this is where Super Castlevania IV really excels. The same platforming elements of the NES titles is still intact, however many welcome refinements have been made to allow for better controls and a more even difficulty level. This incarnation of Simon Belmont is easily the most agile with his whip and is able to shoot in eight different directions, allowing you to whip diagonally to take out enemies that would have previously killed you. Every aspect of Super Castlevania IV feels like a refinement over the previous entries in the series.

This precision in the controls also extends to the jumping and platforming, allowing you to move mid-air and adjust your jumps to prevent the cheap deaths and instant kills that were the bane of my existence in previous Castlevania games. The difficulty has also been tempered to the point where it offers a challenge without feeling punishing or cheap, though you will still die often but due more to your own error than faulty design. The additional buttons on the SNES controller are also put to good use, with an intuitive button layout and the additional weapon being mapped to the right shoulder button. Anyone who has played the game knows how comfortable the controls feel and the game is still easy to pick up and remember, even if it's been years since the last time you've played. I own both versions of this game, the original SNES cartridge and the downloadable ROM on the Wii Virtual Console, and both look and play identical, though the Wii Classic Controller is a requirement if you want to play the latter version.

Discussing graphics and sound in a game that is 20 may seem pointless given how far gaming technology has come since, however it cannot be overstated how great this game looked at the time of release. Super Castlevania IV was not a launch title for the SNES, however it was released early in the system's life-cycle and it was one of the games that really showed what it was capable of. The enhanced graphics showcased a leap forward in character animation and environmental design, with lush detail and beautifully rendered scenery proving a treat for the eyes. The stereo-quality sound was also a highlight and it gave a boost to every aspect of the game, from the sound that your character and the enemies make to the beautiful music that plays throughout the levels. The music itself is a mix of new tunes and re-imagined classics from the first three Castlevania titles, making this the perfect fan-service game for those who love the old school entries in the series. As a 12 year old who was weaned on the Atari 2600, Colecovision and the NES, the impact this game had on me cannot be overstated. It was a great feeling of revelation and giddy excitement that has rarely happened since.

The Castlevania series has taken on a new life since leaving the 16-bit era, including the very good (but somewhat overrated) Symphony of the Night on the Sony Playstation and the downright abysmal 3D games on the Nintendo 64. Subsequent releases on more current generation consoles have pushed the series away from the standard "A to B" platforming of the early games, to the point where only remnants in the music and the occasional character cameo remain. For me, the original NES and SNES Castlevania games are what the series is all about and part IV is where it hit the apex, making one of the most enduring and memorable games of that era. I have fond memories of playing through it several times over and I still have fun whenever I go back to it. If you have never played this game, consider it a high recommendation from an old school gamer. The cartridge is easily obtainable and the downloadable version on the Wii Virtual Console is well worth the small investment, so there is really no reason not to give this a try. A great time for anyone with even a passing interest in the genre or retro games is guaranteed.

Games In The Pipeline - My Fall and Winter 2011 Video Game Buying Guide

2011-10-17T14:51:00.000-07:00

For most gamers, the fall is an exciting time for new releases, one in which we see new titles coupled with returning favorites. As was the problem in previous years, deciding which games to get and which ones to pass on is rather difficult, especially in a year like 2011 in which so many A-list tiles are coming out in a relatively short period of time. Since I lack the funds and the time to play all of the games available, I have had to make a list that separates the "need to haves" from the "nice to haves". This is not meant to be an extensive list of all the new releases come out between now and the end of the year, but rather a list of the ones I am anticipating getting on release and which ones I am likely to hold off on getting until the price drops. As with any list of this kind, priority given to certain titles or titles completely omitted might offend your gamer sensibilities. Keep in mind that this is based solely on my opinion and personal taste. Anyway, here goes...

The "Definitely Must-Buy" Titles

Below is a list of games that I definitely plan on picking up, either on release day or very shortly thereafter. Some of the titles listed have already been released and they are on my radar, while others will hit the shelves before the end of the year. To say that it's going to be a busy fall gaming-wise is perhaps an understatement.

Gears of War 3

I was not previously a fan of the Gears of War series, however my recent experiences with playing cooperatively have succeeded in winning me over. Mindless bloody action and frantic cooperative and competitive gameplay is what makes the Gears series so appealing to people, and the third installment offers a richer story that has so far been leaving fans very satisfied. My main motivation in getting this game is the numerous people online who I have to play with, since this is currently the game everyone is playing. I am also hearing that it's the best game in the series, so it's perfect for a recently-converted fan lie me to delve into.

Space Marine

I admittedly know nothing about the Warhammer 40,000 universe, however the gameplay footage I have seen and the positive reviews have really elevated my interest in getting this game. It looks like your typical third-person action game that utilizes both melee attacks and gunplay, and the gameplay style is very similar to Gears of War minus a cover system. However, I love the futuristic style and the enemies look amazing, so this is one I'll definitely pick up once the price drops a little.

The Ico & Shadow of the Collosus HD Collection

I played Ico extensively back when it first came out on the Playstation 2 and I loved the mix of puzzles and platforming, however I never really got into Shadow of the Colossus for some reason. Most gamers nowadays would flame to back to the stone age for making such an admission of gaming guilt, but it's true. Long-delayed and eagerly-anticipated, this collection is the perfect way for veteran players and newcomers alike to discover these unique titles, especially with copies of Ico on the PS2 being rather rare and expensive. Like all of Sony's HD collections, this one comes with enhanced visuals, extras and trophy support for both games.

Forza Motorsport 4

I have never been a fan of racing simulator games, since fine-tuning my cars and building a garage full of them takes away from the enjoyment of racing on the tracks, hence why I passed on Gran Turismo 5. The Forza series, on the other hand, has struck the right balance between simulation realism and arcade-style racing and I especially enjoyed part 3 for it's excellent controls and varied tracks. The forth installment promises more variety in the tracks and the car selection while still keeping the game accessible for casual racing fans, so it's almost guaranteed that I'll love it. There is also support for the Kinect, however I cannot imagine playing a racing game without a controller. How good that feature works remains to be seen.

Rage

I have been intrigued by this game since it was announced and the comparisons to Borderlands have further piqued my interest. Rage is a first-person shooter with an equally divided emphasis on gunplay and vehicle combat, with simplified RPG elements thrown in for good measure. The post-apocalyptic wasteland setting has been overused and games like Fallout 3 have probably used it to greater effect, but this looks like my kind of game and I look forward to picking it up soon.

Batman: Arkham City

When Arkham Asylum was released in 2009, it not only exceeded everyones expectations - it blew them completely out of the water. Engrossing story, fluid and engaging combat and a host of secrets and goodies to collect, it stands as the quintessential superhero game of this generation. By all accounts, the follow-up Arkham City looks every bit as promising. Expanding from the relatively closed quarters of the asylum into a whole city is a big leap forward and one that offers a host of new possibilities, Including the ability to play as other characters including Catwoman. The abundance of side-missions available also serve to flesh out the story and extent the game's length, so this seems like an overall bigger and better package than Arkhamd Asylum offered.

Assassin's Creed: Revelations

Ubisoft has pulled a "Call of Duty" by releasing three Assassin's Creed games one year apart from each other and many are starting to feel that the series is beginning to recycle itself. Being a big fan of Assassin's Creed II and Assassin's Creed: Revelations, I don't see this as a bad thing and I am looking forward to seeing how the third game ties together all three of the main characters from the series; Altair, Ezio and Desomd. New additions will include a new hookblade that acts as a zip-line and the ability to craft bombs, and the multiplayer mode returns with new enhancements that should keep social gamers happy. All of this amounts to a new coat of paint being slapped over an old idea, but this is hardly a downside for fans of the series like myself.

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

The Uncharted series has kept me engaged and enthralled since the first installment, and the second game was a masterpiece by any standard. Given that this is the flagship series for the Playstation 3, it's fair to expect great things from the third installment and this is a definite day-one purchase for me.

Battlefield 3

Although the first-person shooter market is crowded with games that essentially do the same thing, I have been especially fond the the recent Battlefield games. Bad Company and Bad Company 2 offered extensive single-player campaigns and the latter offered an immersive online multiplayer component that focused more on teamwork as opposed the free-for-all that most FPS titles have. I definitely can't wait to see what Battlefield 3 has to offer.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

Yes, it's another Call of Duty game. Yes, it will probably be the same as the last one (or three). Yes, buying it mainly for the single-player campaign because I suck at the multiplayer is not a good value. And yes, I don't care. For all the reasons people dislike the Call of Duty franchise, you are still assured a thrilling and cinematic gaming experience, which is why we play games in the first place. I have never regretted purchasing a CoD game and I don't think I will with this one either.

Need For Speed: The Run

There is no racing series that comes to mind that is more prolific that Need for Speed, now eighteen games strong with the inclusion of their newest title, The Run. With the release of 2010's Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, I felt that they finally got it right, and The Run promises the same style of gameplay but with a story to bind it all together. Admittedly, the stories that are incorporated into racing games are usually paper-thin and little more than a diversion to be enjoyed between races, however The Run puts some effort into making it interesting. We'll see how this pans out.

Metal Gear Solid: The HD Collection

The Metal Gear Solid series is another fan-favorite that I am glad to see returning in an HD collection, though the selection of games is a little strange. You have enhanced versions of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty and Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, both highly regarded PS2 games, and the formerly PSP-exclusive Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker. The first game in the series is absent, most likely due to the fact that it's available as a $10 download from the Playstation Network. No matter, this is a perfect opportunity to get re-acquainted with the earlier games in the series. It's been years since I've played the second game and I can't wait to see how the HD transfer turns out.

The "Maybe I'll Get Them" Titles

Let's face it, unless you are independently wealthy or willing to go into debt, there is no way that you can purchase all of the games that are coming out. This requires one to be selective in their purchases and unfortunately some games must fall by the wayside. This is not to say that they are bad games, however with current titles going for $60 each, some sacrifices need to be made. The games below are, at least in the short term, ones that I am less likely to get at launch unless exceptional circumstances compel me to do so. Having said that, I will very likely get them when the price drops or if they go on sale after launch. You never know.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Whenever I tell people that I didn't enjoy Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, their reactions range from being puzzled to being downright hostile. How dare I not like such an amazing RPG, but the truth is that I have tried several times to get into Oblivion and it has yet to click with me. Say what you will, it's just not the game for me. However, Skyrim boasts a new gameplay engine and refinements that might make it more enjoyable for me, and the gameplay footage I have seen looks fantastic. It's still going to be a massive open-world game that you can sink hours, days and even weeks at a time into. I will give this game a chance to see if it wins me over, however it's unlikely to be a full-price purchase.

Driver: San Francisco

After playing the demo and being very unimpressed, I wrote off Driver: San Francisco and didn't give it a second thought. However, a few trusted game critics have been praising the game extensively and, upon viewing more footage, my opinion has softened a little. The game has smooth driving controls and an interesting system where you can telepathically take over other drivers, so I might end up loving this game after giving it more of a chance. Definitely not a full-price pick-up, but one I'll get when the inevitable price drop comes along.

Dark Souls

Demon's Souls was a game that tormented me in ways that no video game should. Acclaimed for it's innovation and eerie gothic horror setting, this was off-set by absolutely punishing difficulty that completely turned me off. I don't mind a challenge, but Demon's Souls pushed the difficulty to the point where it became inaccessible for some and grinding for hours with almost no progress became a serious frustration. Dark Souls is, by all accounts, harder and more unforgiving, so I am passing on this for now despite how great the game looks and how glowing the reviews have been.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

The console release of a brand new Zelda game is always a big event for Nintendo fans, however I am not as hyped for this game as I initially thought I would be. Chalk it up to the fact that the game relies heavily on motion control, which I'm not a fan of, or the fact that I lost interest in modern Zelda games after Wind Waker on the Gamecube. However, it's a Zelda game and I know I will end up buying it eventually. The game looks fantastic and I'm sure I'll get used to the motion controls, though support for the classic controller would have been nice.

Goldeneye 007: Reloaded

I may be in the minority, but I actually enjoyed the release of Goldeneye on the Wii and I felt that it was a quality first-person shooter that the Wii badly needed. People expected too much and were hoping that it would either be a revelation in FPS gaming as the original N64 was, or a nostalgic trip that brings the original game into the new generation of gaming. Neither happened and people, very unfairly in my opinion, wrote this off as a failure. The "Reloaded" edition is an HD remake of the Wii game and I'll most likely buy it, but not on release. Too many other games take priority over this.

Saints Row: The Third

There have been many series that I didn't get into until a sequel came along that sparked my interest and I have the feeling that the third installment in the Saint's Row franchise might be one of them. I have yet to play the first and second games in the series, mainly due to my being tired of Grand Theft Auto-style sandbox action games, however everyone I know speaks highly of them and I have been meaning to delve more deeply into Saint's Row universe. From the coverage I have read and the footage I have seen, the third installment looks insanely fun and incredibly perverse...early previews indicate that you can use a dildo as a murder weapon, for example. With a new game on the horizon, I have at least been enticed to go back and try to first two games, if not start with the third and work backwards. Given that even non-GTA fans consider this to be a great series, I feel like I'm missing out on something.

Review: Dead Island (Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC)

2011-10-13T12:55:00.000-07:00

For video games and anything else involving zombies, the well of creativity and originality has long since run dry. These undead monstrosities have been shoehorned into countless games and movies to the point where they feel almost stock, therefore you couldn't be blamed for not being particularly excited when Dead Island finally hit shelves. While the story ultimately feels inconsequential and technical issues abound, Dead Island is a lively, intense and additively enjoyable zombie-killing experience that benefits from an open-world design and a strong emphasis on cooperative gameplay.

While most first-person zombie-killing games take place in dark corridors and urban environments, Dead Island opts for a lush tropical island of Banoi, a fictional resort island off the coast of Papua New Guinea. It's beautiful beaches, turquoise waters and lush tropical jungles would make it an idea vacation destination, however there is a small matter of a zombie epidemic to contend with. You play as one of four survivors who wake up on the resort after a night of partying to find the resort in shambles and hordes of the undead roaming about feasting on the bodies of dead vacationers. After a brief respite to gather your bearings, you learn that you are among the small number of people immune to whatever caused the outbreak and you must spend the game finding both other survivors and a way off the island. Each of the four characters has a backstory that is fleetingly interesting, however their personalities are never fleshed out enough to make you care what ultimately happens to them. Your objective in the game is to find survivors, do quests and advance to other parts of the island and ultimately find a way out. In doing so, you must fend off a seemingly endless parade of the walking dead that get progressively harder to kill as you level up. The enemies are also varied, with the standard slow-moving and fast-running zombies being complemented with more difficult enemies that require better weapons and more tactical skill. With the fun that you can have killing them en masse, the story seems like an afterthought that barely binds the game together. It picks up steam in the latter parts of the game, however it never feels particularly interesting or dramatic.

At first glance, Dead Island might strike you as a first-person shooter in the vein of Left 4 Dead, however melee combat is the order of the day here. Firearms and ammunition are rare and expensive, so the majority of your kills will be dealt by blunt or edged instruments, with incendiary and explosive weapons occasionally coming into play. You begin the game using stocks, boat oars and pipes to fell the undead, however hammers, knives, machetes and other instruments will come in your possession and these can be upgraded and augmented as you progress in the game. The combat controls are intuitive and responsive, and the weapons are very satisfying the weird. In combat, skill must be employed to ensure you don't take critical damage, which can happen very quickly in the more difficult missions. Targeting the limbs with a blunt instrument can cause them to break, while using an edged weapon can sever them completely with a satisfying geyser of blood. Doing this is especially important when faced with a tough opponent like a "thug" or a group that swarms you all at once. Similar to Borderlands, dying carries a monetary penalty where you lose 10% of your available money, however you re-spawn close to where you died and any damage your inflicted upon enemies will still be intact. If all else fails, you can run past the zombies or get in a car and run them over, so you have plenty of options on how you want to tackle your objectives.

The gameplay consists of travelling to various parts of the island, finding survivors and completing various quests. The main objectives keep the story moving, however there are numerous side-missions that you are given by various people you meet in the island, people who seemingly lack any ability to do things for themselves. Most of these missions boil down to simple fetch-quests that can get very repetitive, however you'll want to do as many of these as possible in order to gain experience points and money, which are essential to surviving in the latter parts of the game. Despite the apocalypse, cash is still king on Banoi Island and everything you do costs money. Since your weapons take damage with each blow delivered, ultimately rendering them useless, you will need to constantly pay to repair and upgrade them if you plan on keeping them. As your loot and collect items, weapon upgrades such as weight damage, electricity charge and even explosive augments will become available for certain weapon types. Money can be obtained by looting houses, scattered luggage and even the corpses of the zombies you kill, however you will earn the bulk of your money and experience points by completing missions. Some NPC allies will also give you better weapons and weapon upgrades for completing quests, so taking some time to complete these before advancing in the main story is well worth it.

Dead Island can be played solo and it provides a fun and engrossing experience, however the game really comes alive with the online four-player cooperative mode. Three friends can join your game and play through the missions cooperatively and the enemy difficulty will scale depending on the number of players. If you don't have friends available to play with you, Dead Island integrates an interesting system in which you can drop in and out of another players game while others can do the same in yours. Whenever a player near your level is present in the same general area, you are alerted to this and given a chance to enter their game and assist them. You can opt-out of this feature if you do not wish to come into contact with random players, however this can be very useful in the more difficult missions since other players can trade weapons with you and assist in battles. Additionally, if you have the online settings on "Cooperative", other players will be unable to hurt you or steal your loot. Similar to the aforementioned Borderlands, playing cooperatively helps to increase the sense of fun and reward that the game has to offer.

In the audio-visual department, Dead Island has many strengths and more than a few wrinkles that are common in sandbox-style games. The island of Banoi looks fantastic and a lot of work has been put into selling it as a tropic paradise gone wrong. The gorgeous beaches are tainted with dead bodies, looted luggage and garbage everywhere, while the empty streets give you a sense of foreboding as you anticipate the next wave of zombies coming towards you. The character animation is plagued with doll-like facial expressions and poorly-synced voice acting, the environments have constant draw-in and screen-tearing, and the character animation of the zombies is jerky and glitchy. These happen too often to go unnoticed and they will prove distracting at times, however they are not a severe hindrance to the overall experience. Anyone who is used to playing large, open-world games knows by now to expect graphical hiccups and these are definitely present here. The best part of the game, visually speaking, is the gruesome and inventive ways you can dispatch the zombies. Bones snap out of place, limbs fly and blood flows in seemingly limitless quantities, and you'll spend hours eviscerating the undead with a big smile on your face.

Outside of the aforementioned visual bugs in the environment, the game features various glitches that can range from amusing quirks to quest-ending annoyances. Even a moderate amount of time spent on Dead Island will reveal enemies and even their body parts dangling in mid-air, loot disappearing and even instances where your character gets stuck in or even falling below the level geometry. The two biggest issues noted on my end were problems with the in-game map and with the driving controls. The mini-map is meant to act as an on-screen prompt that shows you both what's of note in your immediate area and to point you towards your next objective. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work. There were several instances where it did not register that an objective had been completed and I was left wandering aimlessly, and other times when it gave wrong directions and pointed me towards an objective in an inaccessible area. The issue with the driving in the game is a mix of stiff controls and environmental shortcomings. The narrow roads on Banoi make maneuvering your vehicle difficult and turning around almost impossible at times, while severe annoyances such as your car getting stuck in the environment and being unable to move are commonplace. The vehicles are mainly there to lessen travel time and to quickly dispatch enemies, but the controls are so haphazard that travelling on foot will often be preferred.

Whether or not Dead Island is a game worth playing depends on the type of game you are looking for. If you want a streamlined corridor shooter with defined parameters and levels that emphasize survival over story, then the free-roaming gameplay and RPG elements such as leveling and fetch-questing will likely be a turnoff. If you are able to look beyond the flaws and enjoy zombie-killing, looting and progressing through a thin story to ties it all together, then Dead Island might just be the game for you. However, the game is best enjoyed with three friends tagging along for the ride, so a rental is recommended before purchase if you plan on going solo.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Second Time's A Charm: Re-Discovering Mass Effect 2

2011-09-29T09:31:00.000-07:00

Have you ever played a game that everyone has been raving about, only to find that it doesn't live up to your expectations and you end up shelving the game? That's been the story with many A-list titles that have come out over the past few years. For every over-hyped game like LA Noire and Dead Space 2 that I love, there are games like Red Dead Redemption and Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion that I don't. This has nothing to do with disliking mainstream or successful titles, since there are many that I have played and thoroughly enjoyed. It's more a matter of some games not clicking with me due to the frame of mind I was in at the time, what else I was playing that divided my attention or simply because I didn't enjoy them. Hey, everyone is entitled to their opinion and there is no such thing as a game that -everyone- loves. Up until this past weekend, the Mass Effect series has been the epitome of games that everyone raves about but I simply do not get. I played the first game and very quickly got bored of the slow-moving plot and clunky combat controls, and after hearing great things about part 2, I gave it a try and felt much the same way about it. Both games were shelved and subsequently forgotten amidst the numerous other games I was playing.

Fast forward to this past weekend. I was feeling under the weather and decided to randomly go back to a game that I haven't played in a long time. After staring blankly at my shelves for a while, I decided to pick Mass Effect 2 even though I haven't played it in well over a year, and even then I didn't get more than an hour into it. Good sense told me that starting with the first game would be a better idea, but remembering how much I disliked the combat controls pushed me towards the sequel. After fumbling with the learning curve for about an hour, I got more into it and I eventually hit that "eureka!" moment where I found myself thoroughly enjoying the game in ways I never did before. Every gamer knows this feeling and it's one of the main reasons why we are so passionate about this hobby. Given that I was sick and had absolutely no responsibilities to anyone that weekend, I ended up investing over 30 hours into not only the campaign but the side-quests as well. Recruiting new and interesting characters into your party, doing side-missions to gain experience and the loyalty of your crew, and mining planets for minerals became my addiction and I could spend hours just getting immersed into the Mass Effect universe.

The reasons why Mass Effect 2 reeled me in are down to simple elements that every game should have; good story-telling and great gameplay. You can't spend this length of time in the game without getting attached to your characters, and the story is progressed largely through dialogue that you select. Playing it nice with people earns their loyalty and "paragon" points, while those wishing to play it nasty can have a different experience and gain "renegade" points. How you conduct yourself and the decisions you make ultimately shape how the game plays out and it's impossible not to feel emotionally invested. The gameplay, and in particular the combat, is where Mass Effect 2 really shines. Fashioned as a third-person, cover-based shooter, the combat has been refined to make it more fast-paced and more accessible to fans of games like Gears of War and Dead Space. The controls feel natural and intuitive, and the guns feel meaty and powerful. Given that Mass Effect 2 is an RPG at heart, there are layers of complexity when it comes to developing skills, weapons and ship upgrades, however the game is more streamlined and accessible than it's contemporaries. Those wishing to micro-manage their game will not take well to this approach, but more casual RPG fans will welcome the simplicity. In short, Mass Effect 2 hit all the right notes for me and it's a classic example of how revisiting games that you -thought- you didn't like can yield unexpected rewards.

Now that I have played through and beaten Mass Effect 2, including the DLC, I feel compelled to go back and pay the first game, however I am aware that I may be spoiled by the improvements made in the sequel. In addition to that, I am also feeling inspired to re-visit some games that I previously dismissed. These games include Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Fallout 3. The latter game I revisited recently and experienced the same problems that I originally had; clunky combat system, poor controls, ammo shortages, frequent deaths and occasional freezing and crashing. I last game save also was at a point where I was down to my last two bars of health, only five bullets remaining and a bunch of enemies just outside the door. Not a good situation to find yourself in, so I am going to start a brand new game and grind away to ensure I am properly levelled. If there's anything I learned from Mass Effect 2, it's that patience can sometimes be rewarding, so I hope to continue this trend of finding new appreciation in games I had long since written-off.

Mass Effect 2 is available in Xbox 360, PC, and an enhanced version has since been released on the Playstation 3.

Review: Earth Defence Force: Insect Armageddon (Xbox 360, Playstation 3)

2011-09-21T12:01:00.000-07:00

Some games challenge you with punishing difficulty, others wrack your brain with complex puzzles, and others have only one simple requirement - check your brain at the door and have fun. Earth Defence Force: Insect Armageddon falls into that third category and it delivers exactly what it promises; a third-person action game with tons of high powered weapons, destructible environments and all the giant bugs your could possibly kill. It's very hit and miss as a game, but chances are that those purchasing it will know exactly what to expect and will love every minute of the experience. It's not a great game, but it generally does more right than wrong.

Given that the game is an arcade-action experience, the story is as thin and transparent as cling-film. You play as one of four soldier classes in the elite Earth Defence Force unit, a band of gun-toting misfits that takes the alien invasion and resulting apocalypse in stride. The aliens have landed, unleashing waves of giant insects and arachnids and your only objective is to learn which end of the gun the bullets come out of and then kill them all. There are four soldier classes in the unit; "Battle" which is big and strong but slow as molasses; "Jet" which is fast-moving and able to fly but relatively weak in combat; "Tactical" which provides support by laying down turrets and "Tropper" which serves as the class with a balance of skills. Most of the games I have played were either as Tactical and Trooper and they suit my gameplay preferences, though others will definitely find their preferred class after a few rounds. That's EDF:IA in a nutshell - pick your class, decide if you're going to play solo or in co-op and let it rip. The enemies you fight are comprised of giant insects, alien ships and giant, screen-filling bosses. The insects come in waves and the difficulty increases with each level, so some tactical prowess coupled with smart choices in your weapons will serve you well.

EDF:IA plays like most third-person shooters and almost identical to the previous game in the series, though the controls feel more refined and less glitchy. The "run and gun" controls are smooth and fluid, helping you move quickly and maneuver to avoid the incoming swarms of insects. The flight controls as "Jet" and handling some of the weapons will take some getting used to, however repeated plays will ensure a rather short learning curve. The open level design also gives you a lot of freedom to decide how you want to go about tacking your objectives, which include planting explosives, destroying buildings and rescuing your human and NPC teammates from the brink of death. The destructible environments also allow for some creativity in how you tackle the waves of enemies, since destroying a bridge and having it crush a cluster of giant ants is infinitely more satisfying than just shooting them one-by-one. The weapons you start with are fairly standard and underpowered, however you unlock a variety of new weapons and weapon modifications as you progress in the game, adding a great sense of reward and incentive to play more.

The game allows you to play solo through the campaign with AI-controlled allies, however the real meat of the experience comes when playing cooperatively with up to two friends over PSN or Xbox Live. Given that the levels and enemies don't vary much outside of the ramping difficulty, EDF:IA will begin to feel very repetitive very quickly, so having a couple of friends along for the ride helps keep the tedium at bay. Blowing up waves of insects as a group is wickedly fun, however the experience will feel dry and rather dull if you're playing on your own and this is one area of the game that feels rather unbalanced. In addition to the campaign, you can play a survival mode of sorts, in which you fight off waves of enemies and last as long as you can. For a budget-price title, it packs a lot of gameplay and plenty of reasons to come back if you're playing co-op. A single play-through of all levels will last up to six hours, with little incentive to replay unless you're into achievement hunting.

Being a budget-price title, the fact that EDF:IA suffers in the audio and visual department should come as no surprise. The open environments and enemy designs are impressive, but a host of framerate issues, glitches and poor hit detection of larger enemies will grate on your nerves. Disappearing health and ammo drops, enemies getting stuck in walls,and one particular moment where my character got trapped in thin air also added to the annoyances. However, these issues are ultimately forgivable to anyone who is a fan of these types of games. It may look like a late-generation Playstation 2 game, but the fun and absurdity of the game does compensate in some ways. Fans of bigger budget or story-driven games will likely find plenty of nitpicks and even the most hardened EDF fan will grow tired of it, but those looking for some mindless fun will be well serviced.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Impressions: Sony Playstation 3D TV Bundle (Demo)

2011-09-15T12:04:00.000-07:00

During the last weekend in August, my good friend Lori and I had the pleasure of attending the FanExpo in Toronto, a big convention thart celebrates sci-fi, horror, comics, anime and gaming. Vendors sell their items, people come either as themselves or in cosplay, and you get to meet various celebrities from the genres we love. It's basically our answer to Comic-Con. One pivotal part of the expo is the gaming booths that are set up and I saw impressive showings from Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo and Ubisoft. Of particular note was the Sony booth in which they were allowing people to play the Uncharted 3 multiplayer and they were demoing the much-hyped Sony Playstation 3D TV Bundle, which I got to experience and my impressions will be the focus of this article.

For those unaware, the Sony Playstation 3D Bundle is a low-cost 24-inch 3D television that comes packaged with one pair of 3D glasses, an HDMI cable and a pre-installed game, originally slated to be Resistance 3 but has since been changed to Motorstorm: Apocalypse. The cost of this entire bundle is $500 and it represents a great value for those jilted by the high cost of other 3D television sets on the market. My friend and I were able to demo this TV while the representative from Sony explained some of the features and perks that it offers. Below are just some of my impressions based on my time spent with the unit.

The TV itself is 24-inch 1080p flat panel LED television set that will seem rather small to those used to playing their games on big screen LCD television sets, so this presents some obvious drawbacks from the beginning. If you are planning on using this set in a small room, as a back-up television or as a computer monitor, then the size should be a non-issue. However, if you are considering this as your main television for movie watching and game playing, it will definitely feel like a downgrade if you are used to a bigger screen. Having said that, the price of the unit and the extras that are included are made to represent value over being technically superior, so sacrifices in size needed to be made. The picture is crystal clear and the 240 hz refresh rate ensures smooth picture quality when gaming without the annoying "ghosting" that you get with some other televisions. I was very impressed with the quality and clarity of the picture and the vibrant colors, so those who are concerned that the lower price means sacrificing quality need not worry. At it's core, this is a quality television that will satisfy those looking to dip their toe into 3D, and it provides a solid 1080p HD experience to please everyone else.

Speaking of the 3D, one of the main innovations being touted is the full-screen local multiplayer option. This means that you can both be playing a game in the same room, on the same television, and both be able to see your respective games in full-screen as opposed to the split-screen that is currently the standard. This is achieved by overlapping the two game screens and letting the 3D glasses separate them, so two pairs of glasses are required in order for this effect to work. You also need to ensure that both players are wearing the correct pair of glasses so that they are seeing the correct game screen, so this feature will take some getting used to. Attempting to play without the glasses will reveal a blurry image with two overlapping game screens, so people purchasing this bundle and planning on using this feature will need to purchase a second pair of glasses. It's a small inconvenience but it's ultimately forgivable. To sample the 3D gaming, we played some Wipeout HD and effect in terms of depth of feel was impressive, definitely adding an element of immersion to the gaming experience. The glasses are relatively light but they still feel bulky, and because they are slightly tinted, the colors are not as crisp and vibrant when using them. This is an issue common to 3D TVs and it remains so with this unit as well.

The biggest barrier-to-entry for 3D televisions thus far has been the price and it's fair to assume that the aim of this new bundle from Sony is to widen that market. Personally, I am still not won over by 3D movies and gaming and have resisted buying into the technology, however this might bring me around and help me see the benefits. The TV is small and obviously not intended for hardcore gamers who want the home theater experience, however it's perfect for those looking for an affordable HD television that offers 3D as an option, and even better for those who have small living spaces and want to still enjoy HD and 3D movies and gaming. At only $500, it's a given that it will sell very well and I might consider getting it when the time comes. Overall, it was an impressive demo and I think those looking to buy this set at launch will be pleased.

As of this writing, the projected release date for the Sony Playstation 3D TV bundle is November 26, 2011. This is subject to change.

Review: Blur (Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC)

2011-09-13T15:34:00.000-07:00

One particular genre of video games that has always held a special place in my heart is racing games. Every since first playing Enduro on the Atari 2600, I have played countless racing games on countless consoles, ranging from simulators like Gran Turismo and Forza to the more arcade-style racers like Ridge Racer and Need for Speed. Sadly, the market for these games has become saturated with a seemingly endless parade of racing games that look, feel and play almost exactly the same. Consequently, a few great games get lost in the shuffle and Blur is one such title. Highly regarded by critics and racing game aficionados but overlooked by pretty much everyone else, Blur is a fast-paced, frantic and highly addictive arcade racer that offers both a lengthy and satisfying campaign and a quality (and still very active) online multiplayer component.

Most modern racing games involve either a convoluted story that thinly binds the races together or simply opt for racing action with some objectives to keep you playing. Blur falls into the latter category, with several themed levels, each with six events and a "one-on-one" race with opponents that serve as bosses of sorts. The objective is to win races and gain "fans", which function as experience points that allow you to level up and unlock better vehicles. The events in Blur are broken up into three distinct categories; "Checkpoint" which requires you to hit a certain number of checkpoints before the timer runs out, "Destruction" which involves wrecking as many opponent vehicles as possible, and "Race" where you face off against up to 20 other AI racers. The races take place in various locations around the world, however there are only 15 different tracks and you will often see the same tracks repeated.

What makes Blur a frantic and sometime chaotic racer is the addition of "power-ups" which are similar to what you would find in a Mario Kart game. Each power-up is used for either
damaging and slowing down your opponents or defending and repairing your own vehicle. The power-ups are as follows: a "Nitro Boost" that gives you a burst of speed, "Barge" which allows you force-push opponents away from you, "Shock" that creates pools of lightning on the track, a "Bolt" attack that functions as a three-shot projective and a "Shunt" that hones in one and blasts your opponents. Also included are two defensive power-ups, a "Shield" that protects you for a short period of time and a "Repair" that allows you to fix damage to your vehicle. The challenge in Blur is knowing which power-up to use and at which time. Both your NPC opponents and online rivals have the ability to use power-ups on you, so a good defense is important to ensure you don't get slowed down or wreck your car.

As you play through Blur, your "Fan Level" will increase and better vehicles and power-up modifications will become available. To help you level up faster and provide reasons to replay races, each level has a set of "Fan Demands" that require you to perform certain tasks like winning a race without crashing, using two specific power-ups together, etc. Satisfying these demands will increase your Fan Level faster and allow you to progress, and some of these actions are required before you can tackle the "one-on-one" races at the end of the level. Some are fairly easy to pull off while others do feel like a grind as you play through the same race multiple times. However, this is something endemic to most racing games and it doesn't reach the levels of tedium that I often find in simulators like Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport.

The most important aspect of any racing game are the controls and this is something that Blur delivers in spades. All of the vehicles handle extremely well and the controls are incredibly tight, save for the occasionally stiff drifting mechanic. As with most racers, you are given a variety of vehicle classes such as sports cars, street vehicles and SUVs, each one appropriate to certain tracks and locations. Your AI opponents do a good job of trying to run you off the road and you very often find yourself the target of a Shunt, but Blur thankfully lacks the rubber-banding problem that a lot of racers seem to have. Being in first place makes you a big target, but the game never feels unfair and you always have a fighting chance to take back the lead. This also holds true in the online multiplayer, which is still well populated even a year after release. Online players rank up in the same fashion as the single player and the modifications can be better customized to suit your playing style; people who are hell-bent on wrecking everyone have plenty of mods available, while more defensive drivers can mod their vehicles to have better shields and recover from crashes faster. The single player campaign can be lengthy and the multiplayer will keep you coming back for sure.

Graphically, Blur follows the formula of Need for Speed and Burnout in that it has the right amount of realism combined with solid arcadey visuals. Racers that move incredibly fast tend to suffer with their framerate, however this was never a problem I noticed in Blur. The occasional glitch and car getting stuck in a wall did occur, but not often enough to make it an issue. The only area that Blur does suffer is in the audio department and especially in the music. Similar to Forza 3, the background music is faint and nondescript, adding little more than white noise to the races. More presence with the music and a better licensed soundtrack would been a great improvement.

Blur is one of those racing games that not many people I know have played, mainly because it suffers from the "just another racing game" stigma that the genre has garnered in recent years. This is unfortunate because it is one of the best racing games to come along recent years, well paired with Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, another fantastic racer that shares many similarities with Blur. Fans of technical simulators and those who want to customize every detail of their vehicles might not warm to Blur as much as fans of fast-paced and frantic arcade races, so how much you enjoy this game will depend on your taste. However, as much fun as it must be to build your car from the ground up in a simulator, the ability to shunt an opponent off a cliff is way more fun in my books.

My Generation's Future Nostalgic Games (Guest Article by Matt Petras)

2011-08-31T19:19:00.000-07:00

As a young gamer who spends a lot of time watching gaming vlogs on Youtube, listening to gaming podcasts, and other things of that matter, I get subjected to a lot of older people reminiscing over games of their childhood. Super Mario Bros. 3, Mega Man 2, The Legend of Zelda, Sonic the Hedgehog, Pac-Man: They go on and on. This got me thinking: What are my generation's nostalgic games going to be? What games are MY generation going to tell their kids about and rummage through their garages to find?

I have created a list of the top ten games that will most likely be my generation's most nostalgic games, throughout childhood and teenage years. These games are not what I think I'm going to look back on, but rather my generation collectively. I'm 15, soon to be in 10th grade, so let's just say today's High School crowd. Within the next couple years this may change just a bit, but I think that this list is going to stay rather unchanged.

#1: 7th Generation Call of Duty Games
Can I hear a "Mr. Obvious!"? Call of Duty hit the teenage demographic and it hit it hard. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was by far the biggest first-person-shooter to release after Halo 3. It seemed as though if you were a teenager back in 2007, if Halo 3 didn't hook you, Call of Duty 4 did: Many got addicted to both. And if you hadn't tried either of them yet, your friends were begging you to. Once Activision cast its rod with Call of Duty bait, most of the teenage fish kept biting over and over again with World at War, Modern Warfare 2, Black Ops, and, after November 8th, most likely Modern Warfare 3.

Critical Highlights: Perfect review scores from GameInformer, Official Xbox Magazine, and more; Mark Bozon on Modern Warfare 2: "...one of the best first-person shooters out there..."
Sales Highlights: Black Ops is in 1 out of 8 US Households; Modern Warfare 2 made over 550 million dollars within the first five days of release

#2: Grand Theft Auto Series
When I was making this list, I almost forgot about Grand Theft Auto: Silly me! Grand Theft Auto was very appealing to guys around my age because, when the PS2 GTA's were coming out, we were still kids: Not teenagers yet. "There's a game where we can deal drugs, kill tons of people, and steal cars?! Count me in, but please don't tell my mom!" Other than the obvious appeal of playing a naughty video game, open-world games seemed to hit a sweet-spot for kids around my age. Not just the PS2 titles, but I think GTA4 as well as the GTA games on PSP are also going to be rather nostalgic for my peers down the line.

Critical Highlights: Perfect scores for GTA3 from Eurogamer, G4 TV, Official US Playstation Magazine, and more; Hilary Goldstein of IGN: "Without question, Grand Theft Auto IV is the best game since Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time."
Sales Highlights: 158, 000 units sold in first month for GTA Liberty City Stories on PSP; GTA Vice City has sold 17.5 million unites (as of March 2008)

#3: 7th Generation Halo Games
Being the first home console of the 7th Generation, the Xbox 360 was off to a good start. It was more powerful than any other console on the market, and had a very well-received online infrastructure. The PS3 was priced out of the market, Wii's were too hard to find, and Halo 3 was coming to the console. Halo 3 released and was a huge hit, both commercially and critically. Halo 3 was the first major first-person-shooter of this generation, and the general consensus is that it's very well-made to boot. The online multiplayer was what really hooked teens, and what kept them buying new Halo's as they released.

Critical Highlights Perfect scores for Halo 3 from GamePro, G4 TV, 1UP and more; Chris Watters from Gamespot: "...Halo: Reach is a towering achievement that delivers an enormous amount of engaging content that players will no doubt be enjoying for years to come."
Sales Highlights 170 million dollars made off on Halo 3 on day one; 2 million units of Halo ODST sold within first 24 hours

#4: Wii Sports/Kinect Sports/Sports Champions
Remember how huge the Wii was when it came out? "You wave your hand with the controller and the game picks up your movement?! Crazy!" Everybody wanted to try out the Wii, and the first game that most people tried was Wii Sports. The Wii and Wii Sports did so well, that the competition took note, with Microsoft creating the Kinect and Sony creating the Move. When you tried out the Kinect, you probably played Kinect Sports first, and if you tried out the Move, you almost certainly played Sports Champions. Motion Control has become, by far and large, the most successful new idea of this generation of consoles, and these three games showed people why.

Critical Highlights: Arthur Gies of IGN on Kinect Sports: "As an example of what Kinect can do, and as a point of entry for gamers and casuals alike, Kinect Sports delivers an easily accessible but surprisingly nuanced game."; 9/10 from Nintendojo for Wii Sports
Sales Highlights: Kinect Sports has sold 3 million units worldwide, as of August 19th, 2011; the Wii has sold 87.57 million units worldwide, each console including Wii Sports

#5: Spyro/Crash Games on PS1
The first home console I ever owned was a PS1. For most of my classmates, the PS1 may not have been their first, but it was certainly one of their firsts. And the two series that appealed to my demographic at the time the most were Spyro and Crash. These two action-platformers were colorful, kiddie, and well-respected. My classmates still to this day talk about their love for these two series and their lust for a true sequel for either series. The Spyro and Crash games are the Super Mario Bros. of my generation.

Critical Highlights: Perfect scores for Spyro: Year of the Dragon from GamePro, Official US Playstation Magazine, and more; Johnny Ballgame from Gamepro on Crash Bandicoot: Warped: "If you own a PlayStation, you're a fool if you don't buy this game!"
Sales Highlights: The Crash Bandicoot sereis has sold 34.4 million units on the PS1; The Spyro the Dragon series has sold 20 million units

#6: Jak and Daxter/Sly Cooper/Ratchet and Clank
When the PS2 was in its prime time (first 5 or 6 years), people my age were in the 9-12 range. The Jak and Daxter, Sly Cooper, and Ratchet and Clank games were geared right at that age demographic, and they did very well. Pull a male, high school student out at random and I guarantee they've played a game from one of those three series on the PS2. Many have probably played games from two of the series, some all three. These action-platformers were just mature enough to be raised above "kiddie" to be "cool" in the minds of my peers. I often hear my classmates talk about these games even today.

Critical Higlights Perfect score from Official US Playstation Magazine for Ratchet and Clank; Perfect score from FHM for Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
Sales Highlights All three Sly Cooper games received a "Greatest Hits" re-release; Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal sold 207, 500 units within first month

#7: Tony Hawk/Skate Series
Tony Hawk was the first skateboarding series that mattered. The series was a success with games across numerous platforms, such as the PS1, PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PC, and Game Boy Advance. Skateboarding hits the 10-17 age group, so naturally it's the roughly the same for the Tony Hawk games. Many of my peers got addicted to the Tony Hawk games on the PS1 and PS2 in particular: I, myself have memories of playing the games at a friend's house and having a blast. The Skate series was the next big thing for skatboarding, with a revolutionary dual-stick control scheme. Once Tony Hawk got old, teens and kids moved onto Skate. I still have friends who love to play the Skate games, and even I had a good time with the first Skate.

Critical Highlights: Perfect review scores from Gamepro, Gaming Age, and more; Tony hawk's Pro Skater 2 on PS2 received perfect review scores from Gamespot, Games Radar, and more
Sales Highlights: Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 was the third-best selling PS2 game of Novemeber, 2001; Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 sold 5.3 million copies by 2007

#8: Guitar Hero/Rockband
The three Guitar Hero games on PS2 became successful quickly after they released simply because of how original they were. There was nothing else like the the plastic guitar-strumming music-rhythm gameplay that the games provided. Rock Band was just as successful, adding drums and vocals to the mix alongside bass and guitar. My generation will look back on the battle between Guitar Hero and Rock Band, super-difficult songs like Through the Fire and Flames, and good times playing the games with friends fondly.

Critical Highlights: Perfect review scores from 1UP and G4 TV, among others; Hilary Goldstein on Rock Band 2: "...music game fans would be absolutely crazy not to buy Rock Band 2"
Sales Highlights: Guitar Hero 3 is the best-selling US video game since 1995; Rock Band DLC sports over 28 million downloads as of December 2008

#9: Super Smash Bros. Series
Like the GTA series, this is another one I nearly forgot. While the N64 original may be a bit too old for my generation, Super Smash Bros. Melee and Brawl were a big hit for my peers and I. If you owned a Gamecube, you owned and were addicted to Super Smash Bros. Melee: Simple as that. The hype leading up to Brawl was overwhelming, and the final product didn't disappoint. Smash Bros. is, at least to me, the ultimate multiplayer game.

Critical Highlights: Perfect review scores from Nintendo Power, Gaming Age, G4 TV, and more; Matt Cassamassina on Brawl: "one of the great multiplayer titles of the generation and simply not to be missed."
Sales Highlights: Melee is the best-selling Gamecube game; Brawl sold over 500 million units on day one

#10: World of Warcraft
I know a lot of people around my age that play WoW: They ADORE the game. They pay monthly for it and never complain. They're close to exploding when each new patch for the game releases. And you know what everyone else's reaction to the game is?: "Ha, that game is so nerdy!". Making fun of World of Warcraft is just as prevalent as the people who play it. Because of this, World of Warcraft is a game that will never leave the minds of my Generation.

Critical Highlights: Perfect review scores from G4 TV, Gamespy, Gameshark, and more for original World of Warcraft; Dustin Quillen from 1UP on WoW Cataclysm: "...I'm enjoying Cataclysm quite a bit -- more so than any other Warcraft expansion to date, in fact."
Sales Highlights: 8.6 retail units sold in US for all versions of World of Warcraft, as of July 2009; 4.7 million copies sold of Cataclysm within first month

Honorable Mentions:
Uncharted Series
Gears of War Series
Left 4 Dead Series
Super Mario 64
Borderlands
Madden
NHL
Super Mario Sunshine
Little Big Planet
God of War Series
Mario Kart Series

This is a highly-debatable topic, so please, sound off in the comments with your take!

This article is a guest submission by video game blogger Matthew "matt456p" Petras. If you enjoyed this article, please be sure to check him out at the following sites:

His Blog: http://station456.blogspot.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/matt456p

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001866071692

Tumblr: http://station456.tumblr.com/

Guest Submissions

2011-08-24T12:48:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

I have been toying with the idea lately of networking with other video game bloggers and setting up a collaborative network of sorts, one in which we write for and promote each other's blogs and we mutually benefit from it. I have submitted guest articles to a few blogs out there, but I have only just started accepting guest submissions for my own blog.

The kind of guest submissions I would be looking for, and interested in writing myself in return, are as follows:

Video game reviews. I mainly stick to recent, current-generation releases, but I am also interested in games from past generations, rarities, imports and hardware reviews. In short, if it's gaming-related, I'm interested.
Opinionated articles and rants, provided they are well presented and backed-up with factual points.
Industry news, gaming news and other topical discussions that are of interest to the gaming community.
Lists (such as "Best Of" and "Top 10") that cover any aspect of gaming or gamer culture.
Buyer's guides to a particular series, genre or gaming platform

So what is the benefit of collaborating? Well, networking with other bloggers is a great way to gain exposure to your own blog or website and have some fun meeting like-minded people in the process. Similar to other venues like Youtube and Tumblr, promoting other people's work and having your own work promoted helps both parties gain exposure and a greater following. It's win-win.

If you are interested in writing for my blog and/or having me write for yours, hit me up in the comments below or through a direct message on Twitter (@browland1) and we can discuss possibly working together on something. Please include a link to your blog or website so that I have an idea of what kind of writing you're into.

That is all for now. Thanks for reading and supporting my blog!

Ben

Review: Shadows of the Damned (Xbox 360, Playstation 3)

2011-08-22T11:45:00.000-07:00

The combination of video games and comedy is a mixture that doesn’t always work, since for every laugh-out-loud hilarious game like Conker’s Bad Fur Day, there is the painfully unfunny Leisure Suit Larry and Naughty Bears. There is often a fine line between the effective use of toilet humor and sexual innuendo and drowning the gaming experience in a sea of groan-worthy jokes that ultimately kill the experience Thankfully, Shadows of the Damned fall into the latter category and succeeds at giving us a playable, if unremarkable, third-person action game that combines equal parts Resident Evil, Alan Wake and a very adult sense of humor. Be warned, this game is not for everyone, but read on if you’re intrigued.

The story for Shadows of the Damned concerns a demon hunter named Garcia Hotspur, a gun-toting ruffian who is as quick with the sexual puns as he is with his guns. The game begins with a confrontation with the demon lord Fleming in which Garcia’s girlfriend Paula is killed and taking through a portal into the depths of hell, and Garcia being a pillar of male bravado, jumps in after her and spends the rest of the game trying traversing the nightmarish levels in an effort to save her. This being hell, the rules of light, dark and logic do not apply. At various points, your surroundings are plunged into a thick darkness that drains your health, forcing you to light goat-head lamps to dispel the darkness and the creatures lurking within it. Aiding Garcia in his travels are two friends, the very aptly named Johnson and Big Willy, and they provide much of the comic relief throughout the game. Johnson is a floating skull with a British accent who transforms into the various guns that Garcia must use, plus he provides tips on how to use your weapons and get through the environment. Big Willy is a floating creature that marks your checkpoints with flaming piles of excrement, which sounds ridiculous but you will often be very glad to see him once you have gotten through a particularly difficult area. Connecting the story and the characters is a Grindhouse-style of storytelling that gives the game a cinematic feel that works for the most part, although the dialogue and it’s abundance of sex jokes and foul language is definitely not for every taste.

The story is told in a very straight-forward manner and the game plays out in a very linear fashion as a result. Throughout the various pits, caves, towns and houses, you are given a minimal amount of freedom to explore and find hidden items, such as red gems that upgrade your items, liquor bottles to boost your health and ammunition for your weapons. However, this is really were the freedom stops as there is only one right path to get through the levels and the game keeps you moving towards these bottlenecks at a good pace. To prevent backtracking, paths close behind you, doors lock and even ladders you just climbed become inaccessible, so take a little extra time to explore before moving onto the next area. Similar to Resident Evil, the levels are broken up in stages and chapters, each containing one or more boss battles. To break up the “rinse and repeat” monotony, you are given various levels that break the “A to B” level design, such as a shooting gallery level, a side-scrolling shooter level and a few puzzles that add variety. These provide some whimsical fun but are little more than diversions you’ll neither be frustrated with or blown away by.

Those familiar with the Resident Evil style of gameplay will immediately feel at home with Shadows of the Damned, as it controls very similar to latter entries in the series. All of your guns have a laser-like aiming system that takes a little getting used to, but unlike Resident Evil, you are able to move around while aiming and shooting and I see this as an improvement on the old formula. The guns are stylish implements of hell but they function as three different weapon classes; the pistol, shotgun and machine gun. These guns are upgraded as you acquire blue gems throughout the game and each gun has two kinds of shots, the standard rounds and a burst of light that is used to light lamps and weaken creatures shielded by the darkness. The weapons feel meaty and powerful , and the pistol (called the Hot Boner) even shoots sticky rounds that explode. As you can tell from that last sentence, everything about this game is a sexual innuendo of some kind. The difficulty level here is moderate and most gamers will only find certain areas frustrating, however the boss battles generally will not be among them. Most bosses follow the “shoot the red area until the creature dies” formula and well-timed shooting and dodging pretty much assures success in most battles. The frustration comes in levels where you need to be either very quick to get away from certain creatures or very accurate in shooting. To divulge more would be spoiling plot points, but you will know what I mean when you play the game.

The graphics and sound production is fantastic and, similar to my opinions on Alice: The Madness Returns, they save the game from being another garden variety third-person action game. The game takes place in hell and this has given the developers license to make it as twisted as possible, though it is not done to quite the same effect as Dante’s Inferno. Environments are well detailed and full of subtle touches that will likely escape notice on the first playthrough, but the variety in the levels also serves to keep monotony at bay. Hell in this game is a mix of caverns, Victorian houses, swamps and other nasty places that are more creepy than nightmarish. There are some levels, such as a super-dirty vision of the Las Vegas strip and the haunted library, that provide the real eye candy. The aforementioned side-scrolling shooter level is done in a strange cardboard-cutout style that isn’t as impressive or quirky as the designers likely intended, but it’s one level and it’s over fairly quick. The dialogue between the characters, both the protagonist and the enemies, is one of the key selling points and they lay on the toilet humor very thick. This could work against most games, however Shadows of the Damned is so self-aware of its own ridiculousness that you’ll more often be laughing with the game than at it. Not every dick joke is a winner, but there were very few moments where I shook my head as one would at a bad comedian tanking in front of a crowded bar.

Shadows of the Damned was made to appeal to third person action fans with an irreverent sense of humor and it succeeds very well at giving you a fun diversion for about 8 hours. Stripped to its bare essentials, it’s a playable action game with familiar controls and gunplay mechanics, and the style elevates it to something rather unique. Personally, I have fallen out of love with the Resident Evil games over the years and it is refreshing to play a game that combines elements of that series with newer action games like Alan Wake. However, my initial caveat stands – there is nothing about this game that is remotely tasteful, so don’t buy this for your kids or for anyone whose sensitivities might be offended. For those like myself, with a cheeky grin and a gutter-bound mind, this is definitely a game for you to check out.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Review: The Last Rocket (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad) - Review by SplatterTrigger

2011-08-17T15:26:00.000-07:00

Very rarely do I come across a game that pulls at my nostalgic video game roots at the way that The Last Rocket did.This is an iOS puzzle/platformer that is only available for your iPhone,iPAD and iPOD Touch. Gleaming with 8-bit charm and catchy chip tunes I instantly fell in love with this enjoyable game. But before I continue to gush about it let's clear up the basics.

You play as Flip,the Last Rocket,and your goal is to collect scattered memory bits. The scattered memory bits will aid the on board Autonomous Mechanical Intelligence (AMI)escape before a ship tumbles into a star.The story does take a backseat somewhat but you can get different endings depending on how you complete the game. Each level takes up a single screen with a combined number of 64 levels with 8 per stage. A puzzle in essence is the level itself. Honestly figuring a majority of them out isn't to much of a challenge (until the later stages). Trying to collect all the gears (some are hidden)in each level; along with mastering a great deal of coordination and reflexes; is were the true challenge lies. And believe me you WILL be challenged! But not to the point of complete frustration. One of The Last Rocket's charm is the ability to frustrate you but not to the point of tossing your iOS device away. For some reason you'll find yourself diving right back in after a death.

Controls are handled by a simple touch or swipe to move Flip.Swiping will cause Flip to side step; to a limited degree; depending on the environment's restrictions. By a simple touch Flip will blast off the surface. Touching again will send Flip in a reverse direction. Using these two mechanics is key to solving the games puzzles and collecting the gears for AMI. Mixing them in with moving platforms,spikes,air vents and flame jets ,to name a few, only heightens your precise timing.

8-bit graphics bring a very retro feel to The Last Rocket. Especially to those of us that hail from the 8-bit gaming generation. Original chip tunes also add to the retro feel. Shaun Inman did an incredible one man job(and YES he did the music as well) of creating The Last Rocket.For $2.99 this indie video game is a steal in my opinion.

Now only to to better my time.....

Check out The Last Rocket here

This review is a guest submission by video game blogger and Youtube personality SplatterTrigger. If you enjoy his reviews, please be sure to check him out at the following sites:

Main Website: http://www.splattertrigger.com/

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Nintendo's Predicament - Shrinking Sales and Salaries

2011-08-07T13:07:00.000-07:00

Nintendo has been in the headlines of the gaming world a lot lately, due to positive factors such as their showcasing at the E3 expo and the hype surrounding their next console, as well as less-positive factors such as the 3DS hitting below projection and the revelation that Nintendo is reporting a staggering 50% loss in earnings over the same quarter last year. The 3DS is the likely culprit and Satoru Iwata, president of Nintendo, has taken "personal responsibility" and a 50% cut in his salary. This has many gamers thinking that Nintendo is on point and making amends in a classy and sincere way, however I am looking at this more as a PR move to save face and shift more units.

To address the first point about the loss in earnings, it is indeed disheartening that Nintendo, which has dominated console sales in recent years and has long since owned the handheld market, is losing steam. The Wii and Nintendo DS has sold phenomenally well, however both have since slowed down as the other consoles have caught up. The 3DS launch was lukewarm because, in my opinion, the high price combined with the paucity of A-list titles available. Like many people, I was disappointed that the launch didn't include games like Kid Icarus, Starfox, Mario and Zelda. Some quality games were made available, but certainly not enough to entice me to shell out $250. Nintendo has blamed a "changing market" combined with stiff competition from Apple as factors in the 3DS not hitting sales projections, however I think the outcome would have been different had better titles been available right out of the gate and the price slightly lower. That's my take on it, anyway.

The second point is the controversial price cut for the 3DS, which occurred within the first few months of the system's like and jilted those who paid full price. Nintendo has apologized for this and offered some compensation, but I believe the price cut to be strategic as well. Knowing Nintendo, being a business like any other, they would sooner drop a system altogether instead of selling it at a loss, so the price cut is a move to shift more units in a shorter period of time, especially with the holidays only being a few months away. While Nintendo might not make as much money per unit, the real money is in the game sales and this is really the sweetest plum. The purchase of the console is (one would hope) a one-time investment and it's the software titles and the DLC that keep the money flowing, so more units sold means more games sold. Added to which, the sales of games from the Nintendo online store and the virtual console will pad the coffers nicely. Make no mistake, Nintendo is not going to sell the 3DS at a loss or lower the price only to see increasingly diminishing returns - this is all strategic and I hope it works. Heck, the price cut has enticed me further, especially with better games on the horizon.

The last point and one that I've seen some very interesting discussion on, is the paycut that Iwata and the other executives at Nintendo have taken. Some feel that this is an altruistic move that shows both that the humble brass at Nintendo has heart, and an exemplification of the cultural difference between the Japanese business ethics and the greedy, money-grubbing American executives. Others, myself included, don't doubt that it's well intended but we view it more as PR stunt to save face and restore some consumer confidence. Iwata was making, with conversion, close to $2 million and his paycut now brings that down to less than $1 million. This seems like a lot and one could argue that other CEOs get paid many times that much, but what has not been published is how much Iwata makes in stocks, shares and bonuses. This is based on pure conjecture on my part, but I'm willing to bet that anything he loses in salary will be made up for in his other interests in Nintendo.

Believe it or not, it is very common for CEOs and other company executives to have low salaries because they are often big shareholders. For example, Steve Jobs of Apple only makes an annual salary of $1.00. That's right, one measly dollar. His millions come from shares in Apple that have rocketed in recent years thanks to the iPod and iPhone and the growing popularity of Mac computers. Similarly, Eric Schmidt of Google took home just under $315,000 in 2010 while Jeff Bezos of Amazon.com made less than $2 million (Source). Given that these are massively profitable companies, certainly leaps and bounds ahead of Nintendo, you would think their CEOs and presidents take home massive paychecks...and you'd be right, just not in the sense of where the money actually comes from.

My point in this article is that Nintendo seems to be going into panic mode at the first sign of shrinking profits, and this is understandable given how well they have performed over the past years. This is a sign of changing times in the game industry and Nintendo is feeling the pain like so many others, but I hope people understand that they are still a business whose primary objective is to make money and they will adjust their business model accordingly. The 3DS price cut and the PR machine kicking into hyperdrive is just the first wave.,

The 3DS Price Drop - Is This a Good or Bad Thing?

2011-07-28T18:30:00.000-07:00

The Nintendo 3DS represents a mixed bag of emotions for me. On one hand, I've been a Nintendo fan for well over 20 years and have seemingly bought every generation of every console they ever released. The Wii was a slam dunk for Nintendo because of it's then-innovative motion control scheme and it seemed that they were onto another winner with the 3DS. As the launch drew near and more details emerged, the palpable excitement from fans and the innovations from Nintendo nearly pushed me to getting one. What held me back? The lackluster launch titles. The games we were tantalized with prior to launch such as Kid Icarus, Starfox, Super Mario 3D, and of course, an enhanced port of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time were not ready at launch and we were instead left with a few decent but more than a few mediocre titles At $249.99, the price was too much to pay for a system that held few interesting games.

Some have written the 3DS off as a failure despite the fact that it has sold well, albeit below projections, but the news that greeted me today is something that is likely to put the 3DS in a very positive or very negative depending on which way the winds of consumer confidence blow. The price will be reduced from $249.99 to $169.99, a cut almost unheard this early in a systems life. On the positive side, those who were jilted by the high price of the system at launch will have fewer reasons to hold out, plus let's not forget the fact that the 3D technology and the system itself is still good. The 3D effect is not used to it's full potential yet, however it's still early and we often don't see the truly ground-breaking games come out until well into a system's life cycle. Simply put, this will shift more units, as it historically has with all gaming platforms that have experienced price cuts. Additionally, the recent E3 announcements have shown that Nintendo is putting their full support behind the console and finally releasing the games that Nintendo fans have been craving. The Nintendo haters who were hoping the 3DS would be another repeat of the follies of the Virtual Boy are likely to be disappointed. The other positive side is the likelihood that Nintendo is feeling the pressure from the upcoming Sony Vita which will also retail for $249.99 and boast a substantial number of features that gamers will likely flock to. The price drop represents a move by Nintendo to secure as much of the handheld market while they are the only kids in town. Historically, Nintendo has dominated the handheld market despite a strong play by Sony with the PSP, however times have changed and Nintendo knows it.

The downside of this price reduction exists for people who bought the 3DS at full price and who are, understandably, hurt to see it go down in price that quickly. Every new technology always has the early adopters and this is one of the pitfalls they face, especially when we all know that the prices will eventually drop and the technology will improve. Purchasing a console at launch means you're getting the most expensive, least feature-packed and sometimes the buggiest iteration of the system. Subsequent generations usually iron out these issues and offer greater value, so there are benefits to waiting. However, I also understand wanting to be first out of the gate and the excitement that comes with that. So yes, a price drop this early is a bad thing for some people, however Nintendo has softened the blow by offering 3DS owners 20 downloadable games from the eShop if they own the system prior to August 12, 2011, so all is not lost for the early adopters. The other potential downside comes from consumer confidence in a product that has seen a dramatic price cut after only a few months on the market. In most cases, and this is at least partially true for Nintendo, this is a sign that the system is not selling well and the company is verging on selling their stock at a loss. This is something that is not sustainable and could, in the eyes of some, be a sign of the 3DS being a sinking ship. If Nintendo is not hitting their target profits, who should they continue to support it? This perception might hurt 3DS sales somewhat, but it remains to be seen.

So will I be purchasing a 3DS with the newly reduced price. In short, not now but possibly later. I have never purchased a system during the first run and this is a move that has always paid off. I bought the DS Lite, a big improvement over the clunky original, and I have an Xbox 360 that is far less likely than the launch models to get the dreaded Red Ring of Death. I'm content to wait and my hope is that the second generation of the 3DS will see improvements in how DS games look, the placement of the stylus pen and the battery life, which is the biggest bone of contention for many 3DS owners and it's a problem that almost always improves with newer generations. Added to which, by that time, better games will be out and I'll have a vast library of quality titles to choose from. $169.99 is a good price, but I want to wait to see if these improvements will come.

Review: Alice: Madness Returns (Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC)

2011-07-11T16:02:00.000-07:00

American McGee’s Alice was a personal favorite of mine back in 2000, presenting us with a visually stunning and wonderfully twisted interpretation of Lewis Carroll’s classic tale Alice in Wonderland. Following over a decade after the original game’s release, Alice: Madness Returns captures the same demented vision of Alice’s adventures down the rabbit hole and brings it into the current console generation, the original having only been available on PC and Mac. Does it succeed at doing justice to the source material, or is this a franchise that should have been left to languish in the depths? Read on to find out.

Alice, the titular character from the original game, returns to us over a decade after the original game ended with her being released from an insane asylum. We quickly discover that the years since have not been kind to her or her fragile psyche, having endued the death of her family in a house fire and being rendered an orphan in Victorian London with her troubled past still haunting her. It doesn’t take long for us to realize that her past is not so easy to purge and Alice slips from the bleak reality she lives in back into the once-fantastical world of Wonderland, only to find it in shambles from the last time she visited. In order to save herself, her sanity and the wonderland of her own creation, she must traverse the nightmarish landscapes in an effort to purge the monsters that inhabit it. The cast of characters that anyone familiar with Lewis Carroll’s story will know and love returns, albeit as twisted caricatures in a demented pantomime that provides some of the most amusing and also the creepiest imagery in the game. The Cheshire Cat and Mad Hatter are unsettle to say the least, but they also provide some of the best dialogue in the game. Throughout the lengthy single player-only experience, Alice slips back and forth between the bleak, Dickensian reality of her life in London and her imagination in Wonderland, and while the story strays from the original source material, it still remains true to the style and spirit of the previous game.

At it’s core, Alice: Madness Returns is a simple third person platformer that is elevated above the ordinary by its creepy sense of style. The fantastical wastelands of Wonderland give way to some immersive platforming in which you traverse industrial ruins, frozen tundra, underwater shipwrecks and a floating world made of playing cards. Alice herself is equipped with the ability to double-jump and float, which is key to getting across the wide chasms that litter the landscape. The controls are smooth and intuitive, and despite some control and camera hiccups that will sometimes have you falling to your death, the platforming is not overly challenging and you will easily find you next objective without effort. The combat is easily one of the main strengths of Alice: Madness Returns and it is a welcome relief from the typical button-mashing that usually accompanies games like this. The enemies are a wonderfully macabre mix of goo-dripping ghouls, demonic teapots, flying bolts and demented fish that spew ice, among many others. Throughout the game, various weapons befitting the Wonderland setting are made available to you, including the classic butcher knife, a teapot, detonating bombs, a pepper grinder that is the games equivalent to a gun and a “hobby horse” which acts as a sledgehammer of sorts. All of these weapons are upgraded by cashing in teeth from your slain enemies, which functions as the game’s currency. Since different weapons achieve different results, figuring out which weapon to use on which enemy is part of the thrill of combat and it keeps the tedium of button-mashing at bay. Since several different enemies can surround you in a single fight, you will often use a combination of weapons and doing so is essential to surviving the sometimes chaotic battles.

Despite the attention paid to making the environments as outlandish as possible, Alice: Madness Returns is a very linear game that allows for a limited but satisfying amount of exploration in which you can uncover hidden rooms that house various collectables, including memory items, bottles, and hidden rooms where you undertake challenges in order to obtain vials of red paint that your life meter. Your weapons can be used to blow down rubble and Alice also has the ability to shrink herself to fit through small keyholes that lead to hidden rooms. Shrinking yourself also turns the environment purple and exposes hidden writing that will direct you to secrets and collectables. As an added surrealist touch, the levels are also littered with flying pig snouts that you must blast with your pepper grinder in order to expose other hidden areas in the environment. Each level has a determined number of hidden items and pig snouts and collecting them all fleshes out the story and also contributes to getting achievements and trophies, so there is plenty of incentive to replay completed levels to find all of the secrets. Despite the collectables and hidden areas, it is impossible to stray far from the beaten path and there is very little guess work in figuring out where to go next, so those hoping for a more challenging open world experience might be disappointed. However, Alice is a game that requires linearity in order to keep the story moving, so this is very forgivable.

From a graphical standpoint, Alice: Madness Returns is a stylish game that makes great use of the story elements to give you a unique and twisted gameplay experience. The environments are characters unto themselves and you will find yourself quickly immersed and sometimes entranced by your surroundings. Aside from the creative environments, the game lacks polish in other areas such as the cutscenes in which Alice looks like a lifeless doll, and in the numerous graphical bugs and camera issues I encountered. Less concerning are things like screen tearing and draw distance issues, which happen too often to go unnoticed but are ultimately forgivable. However, there are a number of game-ending bugs, including the game not registering that I completed a level objective, teleporting enemies, disappearing platforms, and a few occasions where glitches caused Alice to get stuck in or below the level geometry and thus causing the player to restart from the previous checkpoint. The other issue is the camera, which can be your worst enemy during hectic fights and tight platforming sections. There were occasions where the camera zoomed away from the enemies that were attacking, leading to some cheap hits, and other times where the camera went spastic and caused a missed jump and ultimately death. These instances happened a little too often and will definitely prove annoying and frustrating, so let’s hope that subsequent patches will fix these issues.

Since American McGee’s Alice never saw a console release, the powers that be at EA have included the original game as part of the Online Pass feature, so those purchasing this title new will be given a code to download it for free on Xbox Live and the Playstaton Network. For those purchasing Alice: Madness Returns used, you do have the option to download the game from the online store for a fairly reasonable price and this is highly recommended. Even by today’s standards, the original game holds up very well despite having rather fidgety controls and not being remastered. The game will look and feel dated, but those who played it back in the early 2000’s, or those who loved Alice: Madness Returns and want to see where it all started, will definitely want to check this out. For achievement/trophy hunters, note that this game is required if you want to achieve 100% completion as there are specific achievements and trophies designated for it.

Alice: Madness Returns is a game that the developers clearly had a great time making and it shows in the wildly inventive environments, the twisted humor and blood-drenched battles. In short, this is definitely not the story as Lewis Carrol intended but it gives mature gamers an interesting twist on an old tale, so both fans of the story and those new to it will have a lot of fun. Take away the style and you have a standard platformer that provides no innovation on an old formula, and the plethora of glitches and camera issues did prove problematic on a regular basis. Despite these issues, Alice: Madness Returns does more right than wrong and it is a thoroughly enjoyable experience that lasts for a solid ten hours. Those who take the plunge down the rabbit hole are unlikely to be disappointed.

Rating: 8 out of 10