Masterx1220's GameSpot Friend's Reviews Masterx1220's GameSpot Friend's Reviews Masterx1220's GameSpot Friend's Reviews en-us Copyright (c)1995-2013 CBS Interactive. All rights reserved. http://www.gamespot.com 20 Thu, 23 May 2013 03:20:10 -0700 GameSpot Masterx1220's GameSpot Friend's Reviews http://img.gamespot.com/gamespot/shared/promos/misc/gs_logo.gif http://www.gamespot.com 135 40 Thu, 16 May 2013 20:23:03 -0700 naju890_963 reviewed Metal Slug 3 for the PlayStation 2... http://www.gamespot.com/metal-slug-3/user-reviews/811398/platform/ps2/ ...and gave it a 8.0.

Metal Slug, a series best known for it's frantic gameplay and challenging difficulty. SNK's third outing in the franchise, Metal Slug 3 is critically acclaimed and loved by many fans of the series and it's deemed to be the best game in the franchise. While I personally never played a Metal Slug game before this one, I can't deny that MS3 is incredible. Metal Slug 3 was originally released in the arcades on the NEO-GEO MVS hardware which was a dominant force in the days of the arcades. Along the years it has been ported to many different systems, including the Xbox, PC and PS2. The one I'll be reviewing is the PS2 version.

Metal Slug is a series that has always thrived on ridiculously frantic gameplay and Metal Slug 3 doesn't fail to deliver. It's as frantic as ever. It does have a few new additions since Metal Slug 2/X. While no new weapons were added, SNK brought in a couple of new vehicles. One of these vehicles is an ostrich with a machine gun mounted on it. That's why I love this game. It's just goofy, the whole series has a great sense of humour. Apart from a few changes, Metal Slug 3's gameplay is still classic Metal Slug. That's not a problem at all. Metal Slug is one of those games were it is easy to pickup but hard to master. It can really get overwhelming sometimes and death can become unavoidable. Metal Slug 3 has four playable characters, which all play and feel the same. Their's also some backstory, which I wasn't bothered to read because personally I come to Metal Slug for one thing, gameplay. But it might interest some die hard fans of the series.

Gameplay wise, MS3 is very similar to previous entries in the franchise. Almost identical actually, except for a few new mechanics. Levels can actually branch out and can be played differently each time. This adds a lot to replay value. Metal Slug is all about non stop action. I love how it keeps at it all the time and rarely let's down. Most of the time, the screen will be filled with gunfire, soldiers and gigantic bosses. Speaking of gigantic bosses, these are probably the craziest bosses you'll ever see in a 2D run and gunner. They take a lot of hits too and most of the time there are standard soldiers running with them. The bosses don't require much strategy but they are still challenging none the less. A few gimmicks are present in some levels. In a particular level if the player dies, he'll be transformed into a zombie were he is immune to gunfire but still can die if other zombies attack him. I feel like they are a worthy addition and can help break up the gameplay at times. Weapons remain unchanged but I don't feel like that's a problem because they are all fun to use. SNK compensated for that and brought in a couple new Metal Slugs.

Metal Slugs resemble tanks but way wackier. Most of them have machine guns mounted on them, but some might have some special secondary weapons. They'll offer extra protection too. There is one metal slug available for each level. Their isn't much to say about the controls, they work great for the most part but I have a small gripe with them. In one level in particular I found myself on a platform with enemy soldiers underneath me. But for some reason it doesn't allow me to shoot below me which was a real pain as I had to restart the level and take them out first before proceeding upwards. It's nothing to cry about but it did manage to bother me for a while. Graphically it looks very close to the MVS version, I personally see no difference and it's a well done port. Metal Slug features that iconic announcer, you know the one.

The soundtrack rocks too, perfectly fitting. The console versions feature two bonus modes that can be played after finishing the main game. They are fun to play for a while but I didn't find myself going back to them nearly as much as I did with the main game. I would definitely recommend this version for anyone who hasn't played Metal Slug 3 but for those who did play it, I'd see no reason to buy this version except for the bonus modes which aren't that special to begin with. Overall I found Metal Slug 3 to be fun as all hell, fans of 2D games must check this one out.

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"naju890_963 reviewed Metal Slug 3 for the PlayStation 2..." was posted by naju890_963 on Thu, 16 May 2013 20:23:03 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/metal-slug-3/user-reviews/811398/platform/ps2/ Fri, 03 May 2013 04:19:30 -0700 naju890_963 reviewed Sonic the Hedgehog for the Genesis... http://www.gamespot.com/sonic-the-hedgehog/user-reviews/810955/platform/genesis/ ...and gave it a 8.5.

The Sonic the Hedgehog series has been running since 1991 when the first game debuted on the Sega Genesis. This was Sega's idea of a mascot. A blue hedgehog, with spikes on its back and red shoes. Sega created a platformer with this character, made him run very fast in colorful levels with lots of enemies, power-ups and bosses. This was a winning formula. It was the game that got the Sega Genesis up on its feet. Nowadays Sonic is on par with Mario when it comes to popularity but in the last 10 years we have seen a decrease in quality when it came to Sonic games. None the less, Sonic is still loved by many and his old games will always be cherished by Sega fans everywhere.

Sonic The Hedgehog was the first 2D platformer to feature a character so fast. At the time, Genesis owners were amazed at the speed that Sonic ran. He still runs fast nowadays but it won't blow your mind like it did back in the 90s. This contributed to fast platforming and an incredible flow that made Mario and other platformers seem sluggish. The main antagonist is Doctor Ivo Robotnik who was snatching animals and transforming them into evil robots. It's up to Sonic to defeat Robotnik and save the day. Sonic 1 features 6 zones with 3 acts each. This means that it has 18 playable levels with a special stage that can only be accessed in the first two acts of every zone. While most of the levels are pretty solid, I found the pacing to be poor. Let's see. The game starts of with the infamous Green Hill Zone. It's a fast and short level just like it should be. The second level is called Marble Zone. This is a platform heavy zone, so it's naturally quite slow. I personally find it fun but Sonic is not about slow platforming. All of the levels after Green Hill except Starlight Zone don't capture the feel of speed the first zone manages to achieve. Even so the platforming in these levels still managed to keep my attention and are pretty challenging.

Every zone has a boss of its own. The boss is always Robotnik with a new machine wreaking havoc upon Sonic. Once you get the patterns down, the boss fights are laughably easy, they're still fun to go through though. The levels are packed with rings, enemies and power-ups. Rings are very important. Sonic doesn't have the usual health system found in most platformers. If Sonic doesn't have any rings and gets hit by an enemy he will die. But if Sonic has one or more rings on him and gets hit, Sonic will simply drop all his rings. It's a great system and it helps keep the action fast. There are other things that the rings can do. If Sonic collects a 100 rings in one act than he gets an extra life. Rings are also necessary if the player wants to access the special zone. If Sonic collect fifty rings, a giant ring will appear at the end of the level. When Sonic jumps through it he'll be teleported to the special stage. Sonic will need to traverse a maze with multi-colored blocks while collecting rings. Collecting another hundred rings here will grant the player an extra life and a continue. But the main reason why the special stages exist is the Chaos Emeralds. If Sonic collects all the emeralds in all the special stages, a different ending will play instead of the normal one. These special stages get annoying sometimes, although the background and the music are kinda trippy. Keep in mind that special zones are not available at the end of act 3 of every zone, as a boss is present.

A bevy of power-ups are available, they can usually be found in computer monitors. There is the Super ring, which rewards Sonic with 10 rings, the Speed shoes, which make Sonic run even faster, a shield which grants Sonic an extra layer of protection against enemies, Invincibility, speaks for itself and a 1-up, extra life basically. Also keep in mind that invincibility won't help if Sonic falls on spikes or a pit. Sonic has a few attacks up his sleeve. He can jump on enemies or use the spin attack in which Sonic rolls up into a ball and charges his enemy. Speaking of enemies, theirs a plethora of enemies which are all Robotnik's robots. Theirs a couple of annoying enemies here and their but I think they look cool and most of the time they're fun to stomp on. Sonic has very simple controls, D-pad for movement and the A button for jumping. Simplicity at it's finest. The 16-bit sonic games are all beautiful to look at, and this is no exception. The colors are simply amazing, everything just pops out of the screen. It's ironic that a game this old can still wow gamers with its colorful graphics while newer games like Battlefield 3 can bore me to death with its various shades of brown. Also the infamous soundtrack for Sonic, unbelievably catchy and just a joy to listen too, truly a gem.

What can I say more? The original Sonic the Hedgehog is something that everyone must play, most of you must have already played it. It's available on tons of platforms but if you want to be a purist and buy it on the original console then it's not a problem at all. The Sega Genesis or Megadrive, depending on where you live is very easy to find, the sonic games are quite easy to find aswell, they were best sellers on the console after all.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"naju890_963 reviewed Sonic the Hedgehog for the Genesis..." was posted by naju890_963 on Fri, 03 May 2013 04:19:30 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/sonic-the-hedgehog/user-reviews/810955/platform/genesis/ Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:44:00 -0700 naju890_963 reviewed Duke Nukem 3D: Atomic Edition for the PC... http://www.gamespot.com/duke-nukem-3d-atomic-edition/user-reviews/810705/platform/pc/ ...and gave it a 8.5.

It's time to go back to Duke's glory days. As you may know, Duke's latest game, Duke Nukem Forever was a flop. It was an outdated mess that made Duke look pathetic. DNF went through countless development cycles and it was basically a big old mess. But let's forget about that for now and go back to the time when Duke was still a force to be reckoned with in the gaming industry.

Duke Nukem 3D originally came out on MS-DOS back in 1996. This was back when games were harder to boot up than launching a rocket in space. But thankfully nowadays we have procedures that are much easier. There are numerous versions and ports of this game. The one I'll be reviewing is the Atomic edition. This contains another episode with eleven levels. You can try being a purist and buying the original DOS version but that would be a big pain in the ass. The easy way is to buy it off gog.com or get the Megaton edition from Steam. Let's dig in.

Duke Nukem 3D is an old-school FPS, were you control the always charming Duke Nukem. There are four episodes in total with eleven levels each, except for the first episode that only has seven levels. A multiplayer mode was also available but that is long gone. After the events of Duke Nukem 2, Duke finds himself back on earth. He finds out that an unknown force has taken over earth and it's up to Duke Nukem to save the day. It's a very simplistic storyline, although it doesn't really show itself throughout the game except at the occasional cutscene peppered throughout the episodes. But I believe that a simplistic, cliché storyline like this goes perfectly with Duke's outrageous character. Speaking about Duke, he's one hell of a character. Firing one liners at every opportunity he gets and blasting aliens without remorse, that's Duke alright. Duke is as two-dimensional as it gets. Nowadays characters in video games are more realistic and most of today's games have abandoned these macho one man army's with no soul, like we used to find in games like Doom or Wolfenstein 3D. I can't imagine what kind of controversy this game sparked up back in 1996. Why you ask. Well Duke 3D features strippers, (probably the first game to do it) and countless more nods to pornography.

Now that we have covered the setting and story, it's time talk about the gameplay. First of all, this game runs on the 2.5D build engine which is similar to the engine that Doom uses. Moving and shooting feels a lot like other 2.5D FPS's. It can be pretty weird to control Duke for players that never played a 2.5D game before. Unlike 3D shooters, the player is only allowed to look left or right. Eliminating enemies that are standing above or under the player can be done by shooting in the direction that the enemy is situated in. Unlike shooters of today, Duke 3D doesn't try to be realistic by giving the player only two weapons to use at a time, no it lets the player use the full arsenal once you unlocked them all obviously. Speaking about weapons, theirs a bevy of fun weapons to choose from like the chaingun, shrink-ray, microwave expander and others. It's so refreshing to play a shooter that doesn't have the usual military weapons like the M4, AK-47 and so on. Not to mention that all these weapons feel very different from each other. Theirs also an inventory system which is used to store items like Holodukes, health packs and steroids. To be honest the inventory is a bit of a pain to use and flip through items. I really like the levels in Duke 3D. I think that the level design is very clever at times. There are multiple routes to take to get to the objective and tons of secrets and easter eggs to find. The levels look awesome and the environments are very interesting to explore. These levels are filled with fun things to do like, tipping strippers, pissing in toilets and lots of other things to interact with.

Graphically it looks dated by today's standards, but it's totally playable. Even though graphically it looks dated it has this charm to it that makes everything all the better. As far as sound goes, everything sounds retro and awesome. To be honest some sounds from the alien enemies really creeped but I guess it's just me. I almost forgot to mention that the main theme is incredible. It's so awesome in fact that Megadeth actually made a cover for it. Duke Nukem 3D manages to still retain its charm after all these years and clearly stood the test of time. I doubt that you'll find an FPS as fun and creative as Duke 3D.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"naju890_963 reviewed Duke Nukem 3D: Atomic Edition for the PC..." was posted by naju890_963 on Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:44:00 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/duke-nukem-3d-atomic-edition/user-reviews/810705/platform/pc/ Mon, 22 Apr 2013 00:05:18 -0700 Blueguy93 reviewed Paper Mario: Sticker Star for the 3DS... http://www.gamespot.com/paper-mario-sticker-star/user-reviews/810541/platform/3ds/ ...and gave it a 8.0.

I have a bad habit of reviewing games I got for Christmas in April. Better sooner than later! Anyways, as a huge fan of the Paper Mario series, I got Paper Mario Sticker Star for Christmas, and have never been so disappointed with a Nintendo game in my life.

Sticker Star returns to the series roots with its "go anywhere" style, and the battle mode is back. This time around, you have to collect stickers that can act as power ups, and this is key to beating bosses and various enemies. You can collect new pages for every boss you beat, and you can use an innovative "paperize" mode to put certain items in front of things to help you out. For example, in the windmill level, you can plant flowers in a garden with the paperize mode to get cool items. It's a very awesome feature, and is very critical in pretty much every situation. A new "Battle Spinner" lets you choose how many attacks you can have, and the amount you can get depends on how many of the same icons you can match up. The goal is when you get a sticker star, and I like how you can get coins after you beat it.


Sticker Star had all the promise in the world, but falls completely flat of being a classic. In the first three Paper Mario games, they featured interesting worlds to explore, plenty of cool and funny partners, and a progressively dark storyline for every new game. In Sticker Star, you don't get partners, the storyline is practically non existent, and the bosses are lame. Basically, Mario (back in paper form again, go figure) has to save Peach (again) from Bowser (yet again). This is pretty much the last you'll hear from Peach and Bowser until the game, and the fact that you can't play as Peach or Bowser this time around is a crime, considering the first three games let you do those (the first Paper Mario didn't let you play as Bowser though). Your sole partner, Kertsi, is a silver crown who can help with paperizing and your battles, but she's annoying as hell.

As well as a lack of storyline/different characters to play as, Sticker Star's battle mode is weak as well. For some reason, you gain no experience points or level up during these battles, and the only thing you get out of it is coins. Great. No flower points or badge points. While the battles are nicely designed, it feels unnecessary most of the time to battle, especially since you use up a lot of your stickers for nothing. The boneheaded designers also inexplicably required you to get stickers for your NORMAL ATTACKS!!! That's right, even if you have a normal jump and hammer, you still need stickers for these, otherwise you can't attack at all. WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?!!!!

But what really kills this game from greatness is the fact that exploring every single inch of the game is REQUIRED. In the forest world, you are forced to go through all 9 levels just to find a stupid Wiggler. It's one thing to explore every inch to find all of the secrets, but for some reason some of the branching paths are critical in finding key items to advance to the next level. WTF?!!! You'll have to travel all over the kingdom for what this game calls "things", and you'll never know which item you have to use because the game doesn't give you any hints. How was I supposed to know I had to use a GOAT TO EAT GARBAGE?!!! Better yet, the bosses become tediously long fights to the death if you don't have the right item to use, so it's very fortunate that you can even run away from bosses this time! I can't say how many times I've had to search for FAQ's for every level. Speaking of which, when you do try to run away, it does it at random. There's no meter you have to run pass this time, the games decides whether you can leave or not. It's a total pain in the ass. Also, how come the game has SIX WORLDS?!! SERIOUSLY?!! The first three had at least 7 in each, so how come they downgraded it here??? The final level is lame, and fighting Bowser as the final boss is torture. The build up for the final battle can't even touch what the previous three games did!

As flawed as Sticker Star is, it still somehow packs a punch in terms of fun. The levels are imaginative and I love using an overworld map to travel from place to place. One new feature I like is finding heart points hidden in various levels, allowing you to gain more heart points. I also love the branching levels, so you can find different goals in each level that are hidden. Some of the levels are very memorable, such as the waterfall level where you try to escape from a giant man eating Cheep Cheep. The door items are also cool, as they can get you secret items and even hidden spots. It's very fun to collect new "things" and activate them in battle, as you'll have no idea what to expect. You can even try and grab Luigi in a few levels, though it adds to nothing in the end. Some of the uses of the items are clever, such as using a bowling ball to knock pins (with a cool replay feature I might add), and using a baseball bat to knock out a giant Pokey.

Graphically, Sticker Star is the best I've seen in the series. The framerate is a little slower, but the levels are nice and colorful, and the 3D effect makes levels more fun to explore, and even helps determine your position. Come to think of it, Paper Mario is perfect on the 3DS because it reveals a more paper like world with the 3D effect on. I like the jazzy atmosphere of the music better than Super Paper Mario's music, and while most of the tunes are great, some just suck.

Overall, I was hooked at first, but Paper Mario Sticker Star isn't even as fun as Super Paper Mario, let alone the N64 and Gamecube versions. It's ambitious in some respects but totally derives from some of the things we've come to know and love about the Paper Mario series, like the story, ability to play different characters, the battles, and the exploration. It feels like a rush job in the end, and not being able to tell what to do next 99.9% of the time is disappointing. The humor is watered down and it just feels unsatisfying. Paper Mario Sticker Star, at the end of the day, is a quality game, but its design flaws prevent it from reaching the classic status of the first three games. For the best RPG fun on your 3DS, stick with Fire Emblem Awakening.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"Blueguy93 reviewed Paper Mario: Sticker Star for the 3DS..." was posted by Blueguy93 on Mon, 22 Apr 2013 00:05:18 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/paper-mario-sticker-star/user-reviews/810541/platform/3ds/ Sun, 14 Apr 2013 00:04:46 -0700 naju890_963 reviewed Killzone for the PlayStation 2... http://www.gamespot.com/killzone/user-reviews/810217/platform/ps2/ ...and gave it a 6.0.

Killzone is your typical Sci-fi FPS series, nowadays the 2nd and 3rd game in the franchise are very popular on the PS3. But let's take a look at the first game in the franchise, Killzone. Killzone is set during a Helghast invasion on earth. Helghast are basically the main baddies of the franchise. They wear their signature helmet which makes their eyes glow red. Basically Helghast are invading earth and the ISA, earth's defense force must save the day. I can't say much about the plot as it's pretty generic and uninspired.

Killzone takes itself very seriously and that's one of the things that I personally dislike about it. The setting and story are too boring to be taken seriously and therefore isn't fun to experience. Comparing KZ1 to shooters of this era is a bit unfair so I'll be going a little bit soft on it, so to speak. KZ is pretty standard when it comes to content. It packs a single player campaign that lasts around 10-12 hours which is pretty average for shooters these days. It also features a Multiplayer mode which is quite barebones when compared to today's robust multiplayer shooters.

Now let's talk about the campaign. First you'll be greeted by a character select screen. For now you'll be only able to choose one character but the others will be unlocked throughout the campaign. The only thing that differentiates these characters from each other are the weapons that they use. There are also a lot of cutscenes scattered throughout the campaign missions backed up by some solid voice acting. But as I said before, Killzone takes it self too seriously and personally I found these cutscenes to be quite boring. The controls are very problematic, they feel heavy and trying to aim can be annoying. This could be intentional. Lots of "realistic" military shooters like to incorporate these type of controls which feel a bit more realistic. While these type of controls work on games like battlefield, sadly they feel like crap on Killzone. Now let's talk about another important factor in an FPS game, the levels. KZ tries it's best to be a gritty realistic shooter and it definitely shows. While I would normally be against visuals like these, I have to honestly say that these type of visuals fit KZ perfectly. As I said before as a game that wants to be taken seriously, gritty visuals are a no brainier. But sadly everything looks drab and boring, level's aren't any fun to explore as everything looks the same.

Oddly enough, even with all these problems, I can't deny that KZ can be very fun at times. I don't know if it's the way that the Helghast collapse when shot or how the weapons feel but there is something very satisfying. Speaking about the weapons, they are standard fare and fun to use most of the time. Both factions (ISA and Helghast) have their own set of weapons. Most of the time I found myself sticking to one assault rifle because most of them feel similar. Level design isn't bad for the most part but in some levels I found myself lost because I couldn't tell which way I should be going. It could be better but the basic design gets the job done. The AI could use some tuning for both friendly and enemy. They both suffer from the typical AI problems, like getting stuck or being dumb in general. From time to time my squad AI would actually do some work.

This one thing annoyed me throughout the course of my playthrough, the frame rate. It's plan awful. It's choppy as hell and frame drops are very common. Now I'm not saying that Killzone is unplayable, no. It normally holds up but in moments when a lot of things are going on the frame rate just drops very low. I understand that the PS2 isn't the most advanced system of all time but they still could have done better. Also I already talked about the artistic style and how drab it looks but I haven't touched on the technical side of things. I guess it looks quite good for a PS2 game, character models look decent, same for the gun models.

What about the multiplayer. Well unfortunately the official servers were closed down long ago so Online play is cut off. Their's still offline multiplayer though. You can either play on your own with bots or with a friend. It's very barebones and it's what you expect out of a 2004 FPS. If you enjoyed the core gameplay in the singleplayer than you will most likely enjoy the multiplayer aswell. All in all Killzone is a decent at best shooter, I won't recommend this for anyone who's looking for your average FPS, there are much better offerings on the market today. But for those who are fans of the series, I'd give it a shot.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"naju890_963 reviewed Killzone for the PlayStation 2..." was posted by naju890_963 on Sun, 14 Apr 2013 00:04:46 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/killzone/user-reviews/810217/platform/ps2/ Wed, 10 Apr 2013 23:59:18 -0700 sonictrainer reviewed Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity for the 3DS... http://www.gamespot.com/pokemon-mystery-dungeon-gates-to-infinity/user-reviews/810093/platform/3ds/ ...and gave it a 7.5.

The Pokémon Mystery Dungeon series is normally one of my favorite Spinoff titles for the Pokemon Franchise. With the recent jump from the DS to the 3DS, the Mystery Dungeon formula has gotten some changes. However, can too many changes improve the gameplay or make things worse?
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The Story
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If you've played any of the previous PMD games, the story is pretty much the same as Red/Blue Rescue Team and Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky. The player is a human who somehow became a Pokémon. However, instead of getting complete amnesia like the past game, you are specifically asked by some unknown source to save the world. After getting a Partner Pokémon, you travel through Mystery Dungeons, mysterious places that contain treasure, Pokémon in danger, and answers to saving this Pokémon World from some sort of crisis.

When players first start up the game, I should note that they don't have to do a Personality Quiz to decide who their Starter Pokémon will be. In the past, this was one of my few complaints for this series and I'm glad that they finally fixed this. However, the downside to this is that you only have 5 choices of Pokémon to choose from: Pikachu, Axew, or the Unova Starters. Compared to past PMD games, where you could choose from any Gen's starters to a couple fan favorites, this is kind of a letdown.
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Mystery Dungeons
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After watching some cutscenes, you will enter your first Mystery Dungeon. While the dungeons are now in 3D, they still play in the same as before. Normally, players travel along the floors of each dungeon while trying to get to the Stairs and get to the next floor. You can move the Team Leader Pokémon while the other members follow behind it. You still can't control your teammates directly but you can choose which moves they use and what they do through "Team Tactics". If an enemy Pokémon appears, you and your teammates move first before they do. If you can defeat an enemy Pokemon in battle, you gain experience, any items the enemy Pokemon were holding, and sometimes enemy Pokemon may ask to join your team. However, if your Leader Pokemon or Partner Pokemon's HP goes to zero in the dungeon, you will "White Out" and be sent back to base (unless you have some Reviver Seeds). In past PMD games, this also means losing half your money and items but this has been altered in "Gates to Infinity" to only affect your money until later dungeons. You could also get a friend to come help you out, which will allow you to continue from where you got defeated. Unfortunately, instead of sending out an SOS using a Wi-Fi Connection, and having your friend go into the same dungeon and climb up to the point where you got defeated, in Gates to Infinity, you have to use StreetPass and hope that the other player put "Reviver Seeds" in their Mailbox for you to use.
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Post Town
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"Post Town" is this game's Shopping District and one part of the Hub, where you can get items and talk to the NPC Pokemon who live in the town for news and tips. There is a "Deposit Box" that replaces the formally known "Kanganstan Storage" and banks from past games, where players can store their items and money. There's still a Kecleon that owns a shop but now works alone. He can sell you health items, Orbs, and sometimes TMs. Rampardos can open any "Treasure Chests" you find, which are sometimes dropped by enemies in the dungeons. There are different kinds of treasure chests that have different kinds of items. In Gates to Infinity, there are 3 New Shop Businesses in this game:
-At "Cinccino's Gift Shop" you can create "Gifts", which are items that can make it easier to recruit enemy Pokemon into your team. However, you need specific items to make certain Gifts.
-At "Glorious Gold", you can trade any "Gold Bars" you find in dungeons or get from Treasure Chests for money or rare items.
-The last shop is randomized and is normally an area you can create in the "Pokemon Paradise."
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Pokemon Paradise
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The "Pokemon Paradise" is the main area of the game's hub. The best way to describe the "Pokemon Paradise" is that it is a combination of the "Friend Areas" from Red/Blue Rescue Team and the "Join Avenue" from Black 2/White 2. After a certain point in the game, you can do missions that reward you with "Materials" and increase your "Paradise Rank". After collecting certain "Materials" and saving money, you can transform the wasteland surrounding your Team Base into areas for your team members to live and have Gurdurr create special places within these areas. Later on, you can even customize and upgrade areas with different Materials. Here's what you can have in your Paradise:
-Specialty Shops: You can create shops that provide different items for you to buy, sell, or trade. Some even provide special services and minigames
-Fields: Want more Berries and Seeds? You can create fields where you can grow and plant them, giving you more items and saving you money
-Dojos: Want to improve the power of your moves? You can now create your own Dojos to train specific Pokemon-type moves
-There is also mention of a dungeon possibly being in the "Pokemon Paradise" but I haven't discovered this yet.

Outside of the "Pokemon Paradise" are default areas:
-The Mission Board can be found in the "Pokemon Paradise". In "Gates to Infinity", you can now hold on to up to 16 Missions at a time instead of just 8 like in past games. When you're ready to go on a Mission, talk to Azumarill at the "Request Counter" to open the "Request Gate". However, once the "Request Gate" is open, you can't go into the Friend Area parts of "Pokemon Paradise" or go to "Post Town" unless you talk to Azumarill again.
-At "Quagsire's Assembly", you can change your Team Members. Like the past games, you can only have 4 Pokemon on your Team at a time. Quagsire also has his own shop similar to Kecleon's.
-At "Scraggy's Savvy Moves", you can have your Pokemon forget and remember old moves like the Move Relearner in the main games.
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New Mechanics and Changes
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Now that's I've covered the basics, let's go over some of the major changes in the game.

"Move Growth": After your team becomes official and gets their Team Badges, you'll be able to do activate "Move Growth". As your Pokemon Team uses Physical and Special Attacks, each individual move will grow in Level. For example, if Pikachu and any of its teammates use Thunderbolt multiple times, eventually Thunderbolt will level up and become Thunderbolt Level 2, increasing its Power, Accuracy, and PP usage. Regardless of who knows the move, all Pokemon's moves are at the same level. For example, since Pikachu's Thunderbolt is now Thunderbolt Level 2, Emolga and Blitzle's Thunderbolt are now Thunderbolt Level 2. Also, "Move Growth" does not go down, so you can delete "moves" and not have to worry about moves going back to Level 1.

"Team Attack": After your team becomes official and gets their Team Badges, you'll be able to do a Team Attack, which is a powerful technique that your entire team can use to attack all enemy Pokemon in a room regardless of position. Even if it doesn't defeat enemy Pokemon, it can cause status effects to suspend them, giving you time to plan your next move. As powerful as it is, it does takes time to charge up depending on the amount of Pokemon you have on your team in a dungeon.

"Team Skills:" The IQ system has been changed into "Team Skills". In the past, Pokemon could eat a Gummi, specific to their Type, to increase their IQ and unlock special skills that could help in different ways. In "Gates to Infinity", you can now unlock "Team Skills" which are skills that can help your entire team and not just 1 individual Pokemon. "Team Skills" can be found in treasure chests.

"V-Wave:" The "V-Wave" is a special upgrade that changes everyday and affects a specific type of Pokemon for that day.

"Companion Mode:" Need a break from the game's Story? In "Companion Mode" you can play as your teammates instead of just your Starter and Partner Pokemon. This is also a Multiplayer segment, although at the time of writing this I have not experienced multiplayer first hand yet.

Experience: Each time you go into a dungeon with a Pokemon that hasn't been on missions in a while, ALL of the experience points that have been collected by your Starter and Partner will go into the Pokemon after taking 1 step.

Evolving: As soon as your teammates are ready, they can evolve after reaching certain conditions. Of course, you still have to beat the game to evolve your Starter and Partner Pokemon. In some dungeons if an enemy Pokemon defeats your teammates and gain experience, they can evolve as well so watch out!

Bosses: When you reach the end of some dungeons, you may have to fight a Boss Battle. Like in Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky, you will have to fight 2 or more enemy Pokemon in a majority of the story dungeon boss battles. The only difference is now you can use Orbs in Outlaw and Boss Battles, which can make things a little easier.
-------------------------------
Magnagate Dungeons
-------------------------------
Don't want to play in Story Mode or Companion Mode? Try out the Magnagate Dungeons which are completely random, down to the Pokemon you get to use to explore the dungeon. To open a Magnagate, find a well lit, circular object in real life and hold up your 3DS in front of it. If it works out, you will enter the dungeon with a random Pokemon Team.

Other Information about Magnagates:
-Magnagate Dungeons normally are the best to get free TMs.
-Magnagate Dungeons vary in length and difficulty
-enemy Pokemon are randomized. I'm not even sure if you can recruit them
-the objective of the Magnagate Dungeons is to go through all of the floors and defeat the Boss Pokemon waiting at the end
-after clearing a Magnagate, all items and money go into the Deposit Box and the Pokemon you used can be used again when you revisit Magnagates you've cleared or attempted
-------
DLC
-------
You can download more dungeons for this game to get certain Pokemon (like the Unova Starters and Pikachu), some cool items, and some extra challenges.
-----------------
Complaints
-----------------
While I welcomed some of the changes to the Mystery Dungeon formula with open arms, some of the design decisions are questionable and ruin the experience for me.

One them is the "Gridless Floors", which are areas of a Mystery Dungeon where your Leader Pokémon and Teammates can walk in any direction, like in "Post Town", "Pokemon Paradise", or Rest Stops. However, if your Leader Pokémon or Teammates touch an enemy Pokémon, the field will turn into the regular Grid Layout. Once the battle is over, the Grid disappears again. While this may seem cool, there some problems. First off, "Gridless Floors" are extremely easy to get through. Sure you have to watch out for enemy Pokémon but only 2 to 4 enemies appear and the areas are so wide, you can easily bypass them. Not to mention sometimes enemy Pokemon are asleep and are stationary. Another problem is that "Gridless Floors" make the dungeons shorter. Each area takes up at least 1 floor of a dungeon, or in some cages, split dungeons up into mini sections. One dungeon, if you take out the "Gridless Floors" only has 3 Floors. Finally, even though the "Gridless Floors" have puzzles, they're ridiculously easy. From pressing a switch to knocking down logs to form bridges, you shouldn't have trouble during any "Gridless Floors". When revisiting old dungeons during missions, "Gridless Floors" can ruin the flow of the game.

Remember how I said you can hold up to 16 missions instead 8 now? Well, you only choose to go on 1 mission at a time, even if multiple missions take place at the same dungeon. This is a major setback because choosing how many missions you can do on 1 trip was part of the challenge of the past games.

Speaking of missions, their only purpose is to supply you with "Materials" and money. I'm not sure if you can get new recruits anymore by clearing missions, which is another letdown.

A big thing that's a lot of people have discussed about this game is the Pokemon Selection. IIRC, there are 151 Pokemon, out of the currently known 649 (not counting anything from the upcoming X and Y games), in this game. Most of them come from Unova, with the rest being small portions of non legendary Pokemon from Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh. Normally, the Pokemon Spinoff games only have 200 known Pokemon or more but Pokemon Mystery Dungeon was the exception because it had every Pokemon plus easter eggs of upcoming new Pokemon.

Another problem is that the "Post Game's Story" is shorter than the past games. Red/Blue Rescue Team had multiple story related things you could do after beating the game while Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky had an entire 2nd arc set up for the post game. "Gates to Infinity" does something new but it's extremely short compared to the last games.
-----------------
Conclusion
-----------------
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity is still a fun and addictive game but I feel like they overdid changes to the formula and should have added more Pokemon.

My final score for this game is a C+ or 7.5 out of 10.

If you've never played a Pokemon Spinoff before, I would recommend this game.

If you've only played Red/Blue Rescue Team, I would recommend getting Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky or rent a copy of this game.

If you're like me and have played all of the previous installments, I would also recommend renting this game.

There is a demo of the game at retailers and the Nintendo E Shop. The E Shop demo allows you to play through the story past the first 2 dungeons, access to Magnagate Dungeons, and allows you to use your Demo Data to continue where you left off if you actually buy the game.

Get the full article at GameSpot

]]> http://www.gamespot.com/pokemon-mystery-dungeon-gates-to-infinity/user-reviews/810093/platform/3ds/ Wed, 27 Mar 2013 10:30:46 -0700 naju890_963 reviewed Crysis 2 for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/crysis-2/user-reviews/809444/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 7.5.

Games made by Crytek are infamous for their jaw dropping graphics and Crysis 2 doesn't disappoint in that regard. But Crytek games are not all about graphics, Crysis 2 has a fun but short singleplayer campaign which tells the story of Alcatraz were he fights the CELL corporation and the Ceph. A race of aliens which was explored in the other entry in the series, Crysis. Crysis 2 also features a multiplayer mode, which left me a bit disappointed but more on that later.

Crysis 2 picks up were Crysis left off. This time the suit is given to Alcatraz a soldier that has been reduced to a bloody pulp. He's kept alive thanks to the suit. Later in the story, more characters are introduced and more enemies roll out. It's interesting enough to keep you going along. It's recommended that you play the original Crysis if you want to get the full backstory that is. The nanosuit is a very important gameplay element. It allows Alcatraz to survive ridiculous amounts of damage and gives him the key to several abilities. The two main abilities the suit houses are the "Armor" and "Cloak" abilities. The armor ability gives the player an extra layer of protection against damage and can help in desperate situations or for straight up rushing, while the cloak ability makes the player invisible which helps a lot for stealth gameplay. While using this cloak ability, the player will be exposed if he chooses to attack. Keep in mind that when using these abilities they will be draining from the suit energy. This is necessary to balance out gameplay. You can really feel that Alcatraz is helpless without his suit because when he is out of suit energy, he can barely run and can die easily.

Apart from those two major suit abilities there are also a variety of more passive abilities that can be unlocked with currency dropped by the ceph. These abilities aren't essential but they do help at times. The AI is surprisingly good. Enemies are often hard to hit and can often outsmart the player. There is also a weapon customization system which works well but I often forgot about it during gameplay. Weapons are fairly standard and nothing special but they do get the job done. A big change from the original is the level design. Crysis used to have more open world levels, were you could formulate your own path to the objective. On the other hand Crysis 2 is a much more linear game. I personally find the linear level design to be better as it shows the player what the developer really wanted out of the level. Like most FPS campaigns these days, Crysis 2 has a lot of set-pieces. These set-pieces love to show what the Cry Engine can do. But that's really what set pieces are all about, they look really cool though. There are also a couple of collectables scattered about in the game's levels, they're fairly standard and their sole purpose for being there is probably for the achievements.

Graphically Crysis 2 looks amazing. I didn't really have to say that, it speaks for itself really. I was surprised that the console versions looked pretty good and played at a decent framerate. As for sound design the same can be said. As I said before Crysis 2 also features a multiplayer mode. Basically it plays it safe by incorporating the CoD formula into it's multiplayer. It has the usual class system, challenges, prestige modes and the usual multiplayer modes. I hate how every FPS has to do this. I played atleast 5 hours of the multiplayer and I got bored out of my mind because I experienced the same type of multiplayer on plenty of other shooters. The only thing that Crysis implements In it's multiplayer to try and differentiate itself from the other countless CoD knockoffs is the power system. But this barely changes anything. At the end of the day you're still gaining XP to unlock new weapons, perks and other multiplayer stuff.

I had my share of fun playing Crysis 2, the campaign while short had it's moments and the good pacing made it even more enjoyable. While the multiplayer is a shameless CoD ripoff, it is fun for those who still enjoy multiplayer shooters but it's nothing to write home about.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"naju890_963 reviewed Crysis 2 for the PlayStation 3..." was posted by naju890_963 on Wed, 27 Mar 2013 10:30:46 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/crysis-2/user-reviews/809444/platform/ps3/ Fri, 22 Mar 2013 18:14:16 -0700 naju890_963 reviewed Altered Beast for the Genesis... http://www.gamespot.com/altered-beast/user-reviews/809218/platform/genesis/ ...and gave it a 6.5.

Altered Beast was originally an arcade game which was ported over to several home consoles including the Sega Master System, Famicom, ZX Spectrum and obviously the Sega Genesis. By far the best home console version was for the Genesis. This was one of the many reasons why gamers loved Altered Beast at first because it had shown the potential that lies in the Genesis. It was also a pack in with early Genesis models so it's rather easy to find and cheap to purchase in cart form nowadays.

You're basically controlling a warrior that has been resurrected by Zeus and commands him to save his daughter and defeat the evil Neff. It's a pretty barebones plot but what do you expect from an arcade game. The story is not the only thing that's barebones in this game. The gameplay is very shallow offering no depth at all and can get very tedious after playing for a few hours. The gimmick that Altered Beast boasts is the beast transformations. By collecting orbs from dead wolves, your character will get stronger and stronger until he eventually transforms into the designated beast for the level. As I said each level has it's own beast.

Their are five beasts to transform into. A werewolf, dragon, bear, tiger and a golden wolf. They don't differ from each other that much but they are great fun
when experienced for the first time. Although these transformations help the flow of the gameplay it still feels weary after a while and the light platforming doesn't help either. The bosses aren't very challenging especially the final boss which is a complete joke. Graphically it looks the best out of the console versions and it looks quite good for a game this old. The soundtrack is decent aswell and some tunes match the style of the game greatly.

It's a worthy pickup for any Sega fan or collector but don't expect any complex level designs or anything like that. At it's core, Altered Beast is a drony side scrolling beat em up with a gimmicky transformation system that makes the game worth a try. This can be easily found in most Sega compilations and it's also very easy to find for the original system too.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"naju890_963 reviewed Altered Beast for the Genesis..." was posted by naju890_963 on Fri, 22 Mar 2013 18:14:16 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/altered-beast/user-reviews/809218/platform/genesis/ Sun, 24 Feb 2013 14:32:54 -0800 Blueguy93 reviewed Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why'd You Steal Our Garbage?! for the 3DS... http://www.gamespot.com/adventure-time-hey-ice-king-whyd-you-steal-our/user-reviews/807951/platform/3ds/ ...and gave it a 9.5!

I happen to be a big Adventure Time fan. The show combines bizarre and outrageously funny humor with surreal fantasy animation. What's even better is that this 3DS game not only captures the spirit of the show, it's actually one of the best games on the 3DS!!! Everyone I know has Adventure Time merchandise, from a hat of Finn the human or a Jake The Dog t-shirt. If you think Adventure Time: Hey Ice King! Why'd You Steal Our Garbage?!!! is a generic beat 'em-up or a generic 3D plat former, you really need to think again. This actually plays like a Zelda II tribute, which is refreshing considering every other Zelda inspired game takes from Link to The Past or Ocarina of Time.

The game's hilarious plot involves Jake and Finn trying to get their garbage back from the Ice King (duh). To get it back, you'll have to travel all across four different kingdoms, including the Candy Kingdom and the Ice Kingdom. Unlike some of the more recent Zelda games, Adventure Time on the 3DS does NOT hold your hand throughout the game. There are hints scattered throughout the game, but you have to find everything on your own, which is a nice change of pace in today's age of gaming and harkens an old school vibe seen in the 80's and 90's. At first your main attacks are with your fists, but once you find your sword, this is where the fun begins. The hack and slash action is satisfying as hell, and I love how you can attack enemies in the sky by jumping and slashing, as well as applying low slashes to small enemies like the singing worms.

Exploring this game seems overwhelming at first, but as it turns out, it's pretty straightforward. Like Zelda II, you travel through kingdoms via an overworld (there's even those annoying enemies on the overworld that force you to battle if you touch them), and the game goes to a 2D point of view when you travel dungeons, or in between kingdoms. Unlike Zelda II, however, the game allows you to level up your speed, attack, and health, via certain treasure chests scattered throughout the levels, which is an innovative and cool feature! Also, you can store items in the bottom screen, and you can even combine some of them! Just make sure you know that you will gain so many items immediately. I also love how you can save at "fountains" with babes right next to it. After you beat bosses, Jake will be able to learn cool moves such as FARTING to destroy giant walls, or stretching himself out to form a bridge (much to his dismay).

This game really succeeds in the exploring department. It's fun to solve problems for people, including saving a baby from one million years Lemongrab's dungeon, which is UNACCEPTABLE!!! Also great is finding Princess Bubblegum's pantyhose (????). The dungeons are some of the best moments in gaming history, with excellent ominous music in the background. The dungeons include some fun puzzle solving and new moves for Finn to learn. The memorable boss battles include fighting a chainsaw wielding bear, fighting 100 clones of the Ice King's best friend Gunter The Penguin (with the last clone being the toughest to beat), Marceline the vampire who attacks with her guitar, and finally the Ice King (and later Lumpy for the final boss, spoiler alert).

The graphics for Adventure Time are very understated and old school, and are very faithful to the show. Some of the layering of the background and foregrounds are very impressive. The 3D effect is also a plus, giving the game a nice popped up feel. The music is lo-fi, but is amazing, some of the best I have heard on a handheld game.

If I had one complaint, it's that the game is pretty short, and the bonus quest is the same, except with tougher enemies, but it's no big deal. Adventure Time on the 3DS has a ridiculous title, and a great one at that. The game is challenging and very fun. I haven't really played a game as addictive and unique as this in a while. If you are an Adventure Time fan wanting to purchase a great game based on the show, then this is the most math game you will ever play!

Gameplay: 10/10
Graphics: 10/10
Sound:10/10
Value: 9.5/10

Final Score: 9.6/10 (A)

(NOTE: This game is also on the DS)

Get the full article at GameSpot

]]> http://www.gamespot.com/adventure-time-hey-ice-king-whyd-you-steal-our/user-reviews/807951/platform/3ds/ Sat, 26 Jan 2013 14:48:31 -0800 Blueguy93 reviewed Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D for the 3DS... http://www.gamespot.com/pro-evolution-soccer-2011/user-reviews/806778/platform/3ds/ ...and gave it a 9.5!

I have never played too many soccer games, but I know a good one when I see it. And this 3DS edition of Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 (which was released as one of the launch titles for the system) isn't just good, it's amazing! Seriously, I absolutely love how this game was ported on the 3DS, and it's one of the best games I've played on the 3DS.

Obviously, this is a soccer game, and if you didn't realize that, you need some counseling. My copy of the game came in a 3D holographic label, which is pretty cool, and reminds me of the same cartridge label on Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (N64). When you turn on the game, you can choose exhibition, a tournament mode, and some online modes. And wouldn't you believe it, Konami squeezed hundreds of actual soccer teams on to a tiny 3DS cartridge! My favorites are some of the obvious ones, the USA, England, and South Africa. Really, we all know England's the best, because they have Wayne Rooney, who's fast as hell in this game! In some games he was the only guy that scored on my team, and he only scored a measly EIGHT TIMES!!!!

Right off the bat, this game is addicting and fun as hell. It has a nice arcade quality the more realistic Fifa games from EA lack, and really no matter what team you use, it's always easy to pick up and play. Scoring is abundant in this game, and executing all the crossovers, one time shots, headers, and long kicks is a breeze (I've played soccer for years, and my college at Akron has a really good soccer team . I really can't explain in enough detail how much fun it is to score in this game, and the fantastic replay system that kicks in right after you score a goal lets you revisit your spectacular goal. Even better is when your opponent misses a close goal, and the replay humiliatingly shows him missing. The touch screen is dedicated to a little map of the field, as well as some strategies for your players (similar to the 3DS edition of Super Street Fighter IV), such as pressuring the offense. As you might guess by now, the controls are excellent, and though some of the player movements are stiff (such as running from an angle), there's really not a lot to complain about. This is soccer gaming at its finest.

As great as the game already is, it truly shines in the tournament mode, where you'll get to use all the kickass clubs form each country. I haven't checked if Manchester United is in here, but the next time I play this, I will. Anyways, it's addicting as hell to climb to the top in the tournament mode, and my defense was so good, we only allowed ONE GOAL TOTAL in the tournament. Nothing is more awesome than winning the championship in the tournament mode, and I mean nothing (well maybe Katherine Webb, but that's a secret between you and me).

The graphics themselves are nice. Some of the cutscenes between the game are choppy, but in general the game looks great and some of the player celebrations look very realistic. I also dig the look of the stadiums, especially Wembley Stadium, and it's fascinating to play in many of these stadiums with the city skyline in the background. The house music on the menu is good, but even better is the commentating in the game. Though repetitive, Konami clearly hired some experts, and we have Jon Champion and Jim Beglin. Champion's lines are very amusing, and include gems such as "Oh dear oh dear it's beginning to look more and more like shooting practice," and "He scored, and even the manager is now smiling at the touchline." It's very entertaining after you score a goal, and it adds to the realism. Hell, they even point out a goal scored by THE OPPOSITE TEAM ON THEIR OWN GOAL!!! How cool is that?!!!

If there's one complain I have, it's that penalties are sometimes called where your player is offsides, but it doesn't look anywhere close to that on the replay's view, even when they highlight it. What's that all about? But Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D is a fantastic game. If you haven;t played the other two 3DS PES games, you need to start out with this game first, and it's totally worth it. In fact, this game is so good, it makes me want to get back into soccer again!!!

Gameplay: 10/10
Graphics: 8/10
Sound: 9/10
Value: 10/10
Final Score: 9.6/10 (A)

Get the full article at GameSpot

"Blueguy93 reviewed Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D for the 3DS..." was posted by Blueguy93 on Sat, 26 Jan 2013 14:48:31 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/pro-evolution-soccer-2011/user-reviews/806778/platform/3ds/ Fri, 25 Jan 2013 22:49:20 -0800 Blueguy93 reviewed Heroes of Ruin for the 3DS... http://www.gamespot.com/heroes-of-ruin/user-reviews/806748/platform/3ds/ ...and gave it a 8.5.

It's refreshing to see a game like Heroes of Ruin, in other words, something that isn't a remake or a sequel (not that that's a bad thing), but rather a new game. And this comes from the Gods of the RPG genre; Square Enix (Final Fantasy VII, Chrono Trigger, etc.), in a Diablo-esque adventure. And it's actually a blast to play!

Heroes of Ruin basically deals with you trying to save this dude named Ataraxis from a horrible curse, in which he looks like a giant lion on acid or something like that. You can travel to four worlds through the WORST LOOKING HUB WORLD IVE EVER SEEN IN A VIDEO GAME (AKA Nexus)!!! Seriously, this place literally looks like a dump! It's not even the least bit fun to explore itself, unless you're looking for potions, items, or side quests. The levels themselves are maze like, and thanks to your map's "draw in," going through each level requires trial and error, which is annoying, even though you can find side quests and other characters here. You get four levels in all the worlds (except the last one), and later on you have to visit them all a fifth time. Joy!!!! The storyline itself sucks, and at the end of the game, there are a few twist endings (in a row I should add!!!!) that aren't anything special.

You'd expect a game like this to suck based on what I've previously stated, but in fact this is a really fun game! It's satisfying as hell to destroy all the enemies, which include walking crabs, grim reapers, and goblin scientists. Adding to replay value, you can choose one of four characters, including a vindicator (lion), a gunslinger (dude), an architect (elf), and some weird savage guy (beast, duh). Each has their own unique abilities, but I enjoy using both the vindicator and gunslinger the most, because their special weapons are the best to use. Speaking of which, once you level up, you can buy new attacks such as curative magic, spinning attacks, and bullets that fire everywhere. These are really fun to try out and use, and you customize your attacks on the main four 3DS buttons at any time. Thanks to the enemy variety and crisp controls, fighting is always fun and never boring. I love the sidequests too, and (I swear to God) one of them is named "Save our Swag." I kid you not. What, did Soulja Boy make this game?!!

The best part about the game are the boss battles. These are very memorable and some of the openings took me off guard thanks to their impressive 3D effects. These boss fights include a giant water snake that fires deadly toxic water across the battlefield, a freak ghost, and a bear that catches on fire. These encounters are challenging and make this game very fun. Checkpoints are also evenly spaced, so that's a good thing. Each level also has secret treasure passages that allow you to get some cool weapons. You will find a lot of armor, so make sure you trade and sell some so your capacity isn't overfilling. The game also has a sick sense of humor as well!

The graphics in Heroes of Ruin are a mixed bag. The forest and snow levels look interesting, but the caves and floating castles look boring. Also some of the scenery looks flat and uninteresting. At first, I thought the 3D effect was lame, but actually does a great job, giving the game some depth and making some of the set pieces pop up. Hell, dripping water and shining lights pop up with a very impressive 3D effect! Still, it makes the game very choppy and many points (especially Nexus), and it's better to just turn it off when there's so much clutter on the screen. The music is nice and the voices are hilarious. I love the vindicatior's lines such as "Taste steel," "I AM HEEEAALED!!!" and "Evil has no need of this." It's the little things that count (that's what she said to you), and Heroes of Ruin has plenty.

I've heard many people say this game is too easy, but don't believe it. In fact, during many of my fights and boss battles, I used up many of my health and magic potions when I was almost out of life, and you'll go through it quickly because you'll receive so much damage! Heroes of Ruin is challenging and fun, and a great addition to the 3DS library. It's short, not really varied in terms of places to go, and has some flaws, but it's still that good of a video game for me. Besides, that's what sequels are for.

NOTE: this game has multiplayer, and I tried it but didn't get enough detail of it.

Gameplay: 8.5/10
Graphics: 6/10
Sound: 9/10
Value: 8/10
Final Score: 8.6/10 (B)

Get the full article at GameSpot

"Blueguy93 reviewed Heroes of Ruin for the 3DS..." was posted by Blueguy93 on Fri, 25 Jan 2013 22:49:20 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/heroes-of-ruin/user-reviews/806748/platform/3ds/ Mon, 21 Jan 2013 13:21:37 -0800 Blueguy93 reviewed LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game for the 3DS... http://www.gamespot.com/lego-pirates-of-the-caribbean-the-video-game/user-reviews/806563/platform/3ds/ ...and gave it a 9.0!

The Lego video game series has been around for quite a while, but I don't think it's gotten any better than Lego Pirates of the Caribbean. Think about it; the Lego games usually involve collecting, and pirates are associated with collecting treasure. And since I enjoy the movie franchise, it's even a sweeter bonus! This 3DS edition is especially great because it's a bit easier to pick up and play, and the 3D makes it look even better.

Lego Pirates features gameplay from all four movies (!!), so basically you get 16 levels in total (do the ridiculously complicated math to see how many levels are in each movie). As you might expect, the game is extremely faithful to all four films. You get the fight scene with Jack Sparrow and William Turner from the first movie, the wheel from the 2nd movie, the final fight with Davy Jones from the third movie, and the hunt for the holy grail from the fourth movie. And in between, there's plenty of puzzle solving, fighting, and treasure collecting. It's always fun to solve puzzles and see the outcome of what happens next. For example, in the first level, riding a donkey in a circle will reveal a path that goes to a fight against Jack Sparrow. Each character also has unique abilities, such as Will Turner climbing walls with two swords, or his dad going through holes in the floor (which for some reason look like BOTTLES), and even Elizabeth swinging across gaps with her trusty catapult hook. I also love occasionally swimming underwater to solve even more puzzles.

As I stated before, Lego Pirates is heavy on item collecting, and for good reason too! It's a pirate game, DUH!!! One red block is carefully hidden in each level (unlocking cool cheats such as huge heads and banana swords for you to buy in the hub world), and getting some of the other items might require you to row boats, control toy boats, and roll dice (the last one is really boring). There's a lot to explore in this game, and there are a few side-quests such as collecting ducks, crabs, pigs, and even destroying totem poles. At first, the 3D didn't do much for me, but in retrospect, it makes the game look a lot better and does help in terms of judging your position, since this is a 3D action adventure game. At first, some of the items and areas are locked, but once you unlock new characters, you'll be able to use their abilities to get there again. My favorite is Jack Sparrow's "cursed mode," where you go under mysterious looking light and use it to break down strong barriers. You even get to use animals such as a dog, monkey, and a bird to get items you couldn't normally get.

The game is extremely faithful to the franchise, and even makes fun of it in a few situations. For example, in the ending cutscene for Dead Man's Chest, Jack Sparrow grabs a hairbrush (!!!) and jumps into the Kraken (where in the actual movie the Kraken attacked first and he had a sword), and then the ship is hilariously sunken into the sea so quickly that I was literally rolling on the floor with laughter. The cutscenes are pixelated and hard on the eyes, much unlike the console versions, but let's be thankful they're here in the first place.

So how is the fighting action? Not very good. In fact, it's boring somewhat. Sword fighting is basically limiting to hearing clanks of swords and then your enemy finally going down with one hit. Some characters have guns, which is more fun to use, but the controls for aiming are slippery and you'll often get hit trying to shoot down foes. And if it's one thing I absolutely despise about this game, it's the boss fights. These appear more appropriate for a Disney on Ice show for God's sake!!! There are quick timing button presses, but these fights go on for far too long and I'd rather skip them if I had the option! In most cases, you'll have to fight the same enemy twice (Crap!)!

Graphically, this game is a beast. There's some slowdown with the 3D on (such as the fort level in Dead Man's Chest), but in general with or without 3D, the framerate does an excellent job. Complimenting the smooth framerate is fantastic scenery taking you from tropical jungles, to the beach, to foggy forests, caves, and even underwater! These are fascinating to explore, and even better to look at in 3D! The music is lifted from the films, and it's freaking awesome. The only problem I have with the otherwise excellent audio is that when Jack is moaning, it sounds like he's thinking about SOMETHING ELSE....I'll leave you to debate what I meant by that.

Despite a few flaws, I really enjoyed Lego Pirates on the 3DS. The game is generally easy. In fact, there are hearts scattered everywhere, but you almost never need them! I guess the easy difficulty makes the game more compelling to play, and it does. It's really fun to play, and if you ever need a game to play on the go where you can say "This is the day you'll remember as the day you almost caught Captain Jack Sparow," then this is your game. No questions asked.

Gameplay: 9/10
Graphics: 10/10
Sound: 9/10
Value: 9/10

Final Score: 9.2/10 (A-)

Get the full article at GameSpot

]]> http://www.gamespot.com/lego-pirates-of-the-caribbean-the-video-game/user-reviews/806563/platform/3ds/ Sun, 23 Dec 2012 13:13:00 -0800 Blueguy93 reviewed Steel Diver for the 3DS... http://www.gamespot.com/steel-diver/user-reviews/805100/platform/3ds/ ...and gave it a 7.5.

I remember when Steel Diver was bashed by critics and audiences upon its release as a launch title, mainly because it was based on a tech demo for the original DS. It's undeserved, because not many people give this game a chance, because it's actually a neat little addition in my 3DS collection.

Steel Diver is a 2D action game where your goal is to simply guide your submarine to the end of the level. Of course, there is a plot, and like most action games, it's absurd! Anyways, you actually don't control your sub using the circle pad or the d-pad. Instead, Nintendo demands you use the touch screen controls to determine how fast and where you are in the water, which is a cool idea. As a result, this game has more in line with a simulation game than an arcade style shooter, which will turn off gamers with shorter attention spans.

So how is the actual game itself? It's good but not great. I enjoyed the challenge of the game, especially when you're trying to avoid the sea floor, mines, and fight off enemy subs and bosses. The levels aren't so bad once you get the hang of the controls. You get three subs to choose from (each adding to the replay value). I chose the tan colored sub because it's the easiest to control, and considering what type of game this is, that's saying a lot! Also cool is how sometimes you can use the stylus to "plug" in leaks. Pretty innovative!

I found this game somewhat compelling, probably because of the underwater theme. I also enjoyed the varied scenery, including the middle of the ocean, underwater caves, jungles, and even a volcano! You also get some fun periscope bonus challenges after you beat a level, where you need to sink as many enemy ships as possible. This takes place in a first person mode, where you can use the 3DS gyroscope to tilt your handheld to find enemy ships to sink. It's very well designed, and I love unlocking some of the power-ups acquired by sinking these ships. There's also a time attack mode as well, and I can say that it's certainly tough to beat some of the later records.

The main problem with Steel Diver is that its replay value is limited. You can shoot enemies, but your missiles take forever to get to the enemy, and the fact that you need to fire two missiles to sink them is especially annoying. I really also wish there could've been some shortcuts to spice up things a bit, because the levels do get old after a while. And you'll die a lot, by the way. Worst off, when you die, you start from the beginning of the level (sorry, no checkpoints)!!!

Graphically, the game doesn't look bad at all, but it's not up to the standards I've seen with the 3DS. Still, I enjoyed the scenery, and the 3D effect is nice and gives the game some depth, especially underwater. The audio is perhaps the best aspect of the game, with some excellent music and amazing audio effects. Earphone approved, my friends.

Steel Diver isn't the most addictive game on the 3DS, but this is a fun game that is unfairly turned down. Given a try, you might find something to like here. There are better action games on the 3DS, but this is one I'll probably pull out from time to time just to play once more.

Gameplay: 7/10
Graphics: 7/10
Sound: 10/10
Value: 7/10
Final Score: 7.4/10 (C)


Get the full article at GameSpot

"Blueguy93 reviewed Steel Diver for the 3DS..." was posted by Blueguy93 on Sun, 23 Dec 2012 13:13:00 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/steel-diver/user-reviews/805100/platform/3ds/ Sat, 22 Dec 2012 12:52:48 -0800 Blueguy93 reviewed Banjo-Tooie for the Nintendo 64... http://www.gamespot.com/banjo-tooie/user-reviews/805061/platform/n64/ ...and gave it a 10.0!!!

I absolutely love Banjo Kazooie (N64, 1998) like crazy. It played just like Mario 64 but with more of everything; bigger levels, dynamic music, great humor, awesome secrets, fantastic graphics, and pure exciting gameplay. As you can imagine, I really wanted to play the popular sequel, Banjo Tooie, which was released two years after Banjo Kazooie. My friend Jon fortunately has a copy of the game, which I rented for a little while. At first I didn't really enjoy it at all, mainly because I was so confused on where to go. Once I finally figured out, however, and once I finally started collecting the Jiggy's (which you must give to a Jiggy monk to unlock later levels), I was having a ball.

Getting the plotline out of the way; Gruntilda the witch is back (and she doesn't rhyme anymore!!!), she wants to kill Banjo and Kazooie, and she kills Bottles (who comes back to life at the end of the game) to show that her evilness is back.

Banjo Kazooie brought us more of everything from Super Mario 64, and Banjo Tooie gives us MORE OF EVERYTHING from Banjo Kazooie! Banjo Kazooie's worlds were big, but the ones here are TWICE AS BIG. The first level, Mayhem Temple (appropriately Mayan themed), kicks the crap out of Mumbo's Mountain (first level in Banjo Kazooie) in terms of size. And it doesn't just beat it in level size, it beats it in moves learned. As well as all the moves from the first game, you get to learn a bunch of new moves from Bottles' military involved brother Jamjars (speaking in hilarious sergeant gibberish), and you can even separate both Banjo and Kazooie so they can walk around on their own! You even can have the option of traveling to each world via a train. This feels like a gigantic RPG than a 3D plat former!

Mumbo is back, but he doesn't give you spells this time. He is a playable character that can cast spells on certain parts of the scenery, such as making a Mayan statue walk around breaking huge doors, and even increasing the size of dinosaurs! This time, though, the spells are given to you by Wumba, a female Indian who gives these spells to you if you bring her Glowbos, conveniently located around her huts. You can transform into a Taxi to deliver a fat polar bear (one of the kids from the original game by the way), a stone statue, a submarine, and even my personal favorite, a T-REX (little or giant)!!!

The levels were amazing back in 2000, and they still look spectacular today. I actually learned that the Mayan scenery of Mayhem Temple was supposed to look dark and take place in a forest. And yes, it looks big, and awesome (that's what she said). Witchyworld takes place in a theme park, and the boss fight with the giant inflatable dinosaur Mr. Patch is one of the game's more memorable moments. At first, Jolly Roger Lagoon is restricted to a small pond and a bar, but once you become a submarine, you'll discover the other 75% of the level (I think) is underwater! While the game is choppy at moments, it looks way better than Banjo Kazooie did, with even better lighting effects and much, much more detail in the scenery. There are loads of surprises here.

The level objectives are even improved here. Notably you can use Kazooie as a gun in first person shooter mode to fight the boss of Mayhem Temple! Since the levels are at least twice as big as those found in Banjo Kazooie, there are now warp pads that can take you around the huge worlds. The game is also slightly more forgiving, as the duo now has infinite lives this time around. As if this weren't enough, the game gives you a full MULTIPLAYER MODE!!!

The graphics and sound rank as some of the best I've experienced on the N64. The game looks so good, despite some framerate issues, and it doesn't even use an Expansion Pak at all (the game is bigger than some of the games that REQUIRE THE EXPANSION PAK!!!), a testament to the greatness of Rare. As good as the soundtrack to Banjo Kazooie was, the music in Banjo Tooie is even better. Really it doesn't get much better than this.

All in all, like the game, this review of Banjo Tooie is huge. There is just so much to do in that game, and the game at least ranks in the top ten for N64 games. My only complaint comes from the level design. Sometimes I had to pull out a FAQ! But overall I had a blast with Banjo Tooie. The game is darker, funnier, the puzzles are more intelligent and clever, the gameplay is more varied, the graphics are amazing, the music is awesome, and the game is huger. Banjo Tooie is one of the many reasons why Rare had a spectacular track record from the mid 90's to the early 2000's. Everything they touched turned into something more than gold. If the first Banjo Kazooie game was an A, Banjo Tooie is an A+. And that's an understatement at best.

Gameplay: 10/10
Graphics: 10/10
Sound: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Final Score: 10/10 (A+)

Get the full article at GameSpot

"Blueguy93 reviewed Banjo-Tooie for the Nintendo 64..." was posted by Blueguy93 on Sat, 22 Dec 2012 12:52:48 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/banjo-tooie/user-reviews/805061/platform/n64/ Sun, 09 Dec 2012 14:16:10 -0800 sonictrainer reviewed Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/sonic-and-all-stars-racing-transformed/user-reviews/804467/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 9.0!

For a while SEGA has done a series of games where Sonic and other SEGA game characters have gotten together to have fun and enjoy some competition.

The most recent game was Sonic and SEGA All-Stars Racing, where they all got cars, trucks, planes, motorcycles, and other modes of transportation and did some Super Sonic Racing.

While players of the past were worried because of failed attempts with Sonic and Racing with Sonic Drift, Sonic R, and Sonic Rivals. However, SUMO Digital was able to make the concept work and the game was awesome.

Now for the sequel of All-Stars Racing they decided to take an idea similar to Diddy Kong Racing: What if your car could transform into a boat and plane during the race?

This is where Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed comes and changes things up a bit.


*Gameplay*

Controls
----------------------------
Even though we have now have cars, boats, and planes, the controls are the same for all 3 and haven't changed much since the last game.

You use the Left Analog Stick to steer, you use the RT to accelerate and keep your vehicle moving, use the LT to drift, and the Right Analog Stick to perform stunts.

If you drift for a long time or pull off a certain number of stunts, you can do Drift Boosts and Stunt Boosts. However, if you drift into a wall or miss the landing on your stunt, you'll lose both boosts and slow down.

You use the A Button to use and fire weapons in front of you. If you hold the Left Analog Stick down and press A you can drop and fire some items behind you.

Press the X Button to have the camera quickly change to a Back View, putting the camera right in the front of your car so you can see who's behind you.


Transformations
----------------------------
During the races, all Vehicles will transform for certain segments of the Locations and during certain Laps. This will automatically happen when you go through the big spinning Transformation Gates.

As mentioned before, the controls are the same for all 3 transformations. However, there are differences with the boats and planes.

While in a boat, you'll sometimes be able to do stunts off of waves depending on how big they are.

Planes are faster than cars and boats, although there's a lot more stuff to dodge and look out for. For some Plane Tracks, if you don't position yourself properly when getting close to a transformation gate, you can crash into something and get stuck or miss the gate completely, in which the game will treat it like you fell off a platform, like in a car, and reset your position.


Racers
----------------------------
The first game had 21 Racers, which includes extra characters like Avatar. This time around we have about 24 characters, although some characters have been swapped out:
-Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Shadow, and Eggman return with Metal Sonic once again being DLC while Big leaves the roster
-B.D Joe returns from Crazy Taxi
-AiAi returns with newcomer MeeMee from Super Monkey Ball
-Beat returns with newcomer Gum from Jet Set Radio
-Ulala returns with her rival, Pudding, from Space Channel 5
-NiGHTS gives his Flagman role to Ristar and joins in the race with his twin, Reala
-newcomer Vyse from Skies of Arcadia joins the race
-newcomer Gilius Thunderhead from Golden Axe
-newcomer Joe Mushashi from Shinobi
-your Xbox Avatar and Miis can once again join the race
-there are some secret characters but I won't spoiler them here...8)

There's a special reason why the word "SEGA" has been taken out of the title of the game: special guest characters, like Banjo in the Xbox 360 version of the last game, will appear to race with everyone else. We have Ralph from the brand new Disney/Pixar movie "Wreck-It Ralph" and Danica Patrick who is a Nascar Driver IRL.

Although people have complained about the new character roster, since a lot of favorites either got removed or didn't appear this time around, I personally think it's nice to see some more female racers and not just have 1 of each character from a specific universe while Sonic is the only one to bring friends. That and I'm happy NiGHTS is at least playable this time around.

The Stats System has been upgraded with a Mod and Experience System. Every time you use a character in an Event, they'll receive Experience Points based on different criteria. When your character levels up, it unlocks a new Mod, which can increase and decrease stats, for that character. Each character has 6 unlockable mods.

Finally, all racers this time around are balanced. In the first game, characters that had a motorcycle (*cough*Shadow*cough*) dominated the races. This time around you can pick any character and have a chance of winning...depending on how well your own skills are.


Locations
--------------------------
While the character cast is debatable, the Locations in Transformed are more diverse than the original.

This game has 16 brand new tracks based on different games and franchises from SEGA's history and 4 returning tracks from the first game.

Some of the Tracks include:
-Ocean View, a track based on Sonic Heroes' Seaside Hill
-Samba Studios, a track based on Samba the Amigo
-Carrier Zone, a track based on After Burner: Climax
-Dragon Canyon, a track based on Panzer Dragoon
-Temple Trouble, a track based on Super Monkey Ball
-Galactic Parade, a tracked on Sonic Colors' Starlight Carnival
-Seasonal Shrines, a track based on Shinobi
-Rogues' Landing, a track based on Skies of Arcadia
-Dream Valley, based on NiGHTS
-Chilly Castle, based on Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg
-Graffiti City, based on the level from Jet Set Radio
-Sanctuary Falls, based on Sonic & Knuckles' Sky Sanctuary

All Tracks have segments and Laps where the course transforms adding Transformation Gates, except for the 4 returning tracks which are the Car Only Tracks.

For example, on Ocean View, the first 2 Laps start out in your car but in Lap 3, the platforms at the starting line lower into the water, starting up the Boat segment.

On the Carrier Zone course, you'll change from Car to Plane to Car to Boat to Plane and Car again all in 1 Lap, all 3 Laps.

Also, as you continue to play different tracks, the courses get harder. Not only do the Laps change up the paths but different obstacles will start to appear each time.

Once you've unlocked all the Courses, you'll also unlock the Mirrored Tracks, which are versions of the original tracks that have been reversed horizontally and some cases you go through the original course backwards.



Items and Weapons
--------------------
This time around we have some new creative items, some which can be fired forward and backwards like the first game

-Boost: Moves you faster
-Glove: Acts as a shield that catches any other item meant to hurt you and allows you to use it
-Hot Rod: A engine that makes you go faster and explodes into a small range attack depending on when you press A. If you wait too late, you'll get hurt instead
-Rocket: Basic projectile, that can bounce off the sides of the course
-Blowfish: Similar to Rocket, except that it can also be used as a land mine
-Drone: creates a mini remote control version of your racer that homes in on other racer and blows them up
-Ice: snowballs you can shoot at other racers. If you have 3, you can shoot them all to temporary freeze a player
-Sky Tigers: Sends a group of hornets in front of whoever's in first place or behind you that grow into giant obstacles. They can be dodged though.
-Twister: This causes a racer to turn backwards, causing the controls to reverse for the Left Analog Stick (I hate this with a passion)
-Tokens: These are Star Coins that appear on the track. Collecting these power up your character allowing them to do an All-Star Move (not sure how many is needed or if it's the same for every character) and allows you to use Casinos/Bonus Chances

Before a race starts, you can use Tokens in Casinos to get a Bonus Chance, which are slot machines that can give you special effects depending on if you can get 3 in a row. For example, you could get an item early in a race or have a certain item be not as effective when you can get hit by it. These only last 1 Event and not easy to get.



All-Star Moves
----------------------------
All-Star Moves are each character's special attacks they can do after collecting a certain amount of Tokens and touching an Item Box. Unlike the first game where Sonic and Shadow turn Super, most of them have been changed.

Some Examples:
-Sonic's All-Star has him in his plane, home attacking anyone in front of him
-Tails' All-Star has him shoot missiles in a straight line in front of him
-Knuckles' All-Star has him use the Master Emerald to do small short range explosions
-Shadow's All-Star has him doing Chaos Blasts
-Amy's All-Star has her chunking multiple hammers at people in front of her
-NiGHTS' All-Star has him go into his regular form and fly around and Drill Dash like in his games

Also, multiple characters can use their All-Star Moves at the same time. However, trying to get your All-Star is hard because any attack from a weapon or obstacle will make you drop your Tokens.



Career Mode (1-2 Players)
------------------------------
This is basically a more organized Mission Mode. Here you'll play different kinds of Events on 6 different Tours (which are on maps that remind me of the Super Mario Galaxy 2 Galaxy Maps) which will gain Experience for your characters, Locations to race on in Single Race and Time Attack, and unlock Stars, which can be used to unlock Gates to progress the Map, 9 more characters, and the exclusive Console Mods.

Speaking of the 9 characters, which are Amigo, Shadow, and most of the Newcomers, Career Mode is the only way to unlock them in the game. Also, as you get further, the unlockables become more expensive. To unlock NiGHTS, you'll need about 80 Stars. The last character needs 165.

You'll be able to get more Stars after you unlock Expert Difficulty, but that also means having to replay certain Missions again.



Match Making (Online Multiplayer)
----------------------------------
At the time of this review, I have not played in the Local Multiplayer.

As for the Online Multiplayer, you have 3 choices:
-Race: Here you can have regular 3 Lap Races with 9 other players
-Arena: Here you can play in 2 different battle style arenas
-Lucky Dip: A combo of the first 2, allowing different kinds of Races like the Boost Races and Battle Races

While in the waiting rooms, you pick your character (Avatar is the only character that can be picked by multiple players), wait for the Event to start, and get to it. After Events are over, players must vote on 1 of 3 choices, randomly chosen by the computer, for the next Race or Event. Also, each player has a rating that gives you some sort of idea of how good they are.

Online Multiplayer is pretty awesome. I used it to help get some Experience for some of my characters and unlocked courses that I had raced in. Also, if 1 or 2 people decide to leave during an event, the Computer will take control of their characters.


Bonus Edition DLC
------------------------------
If you download this DLC, you will unlock Metal Sonic, Outrun Bay's regular and Mirrored Course, and bonus stickers for your Sticker Collection. Metal Sonic starts out with all his Mods unlocked which is nice. The Outrun Bay stage switches between Car and Boat and may remind you of SEGA's Arcade Time Attack games that you could find in an arcade back in the day or at Chuck E Cheeses'.


Complaints
------------------------------
Now that I've talked about some of the games' features, here are some problems I found that may or may not affect others as well.

First off, unlike the first game, there is no tutorial. I was able to get into the game easily because I played the first one and the controls are virtually the same, but if you haven't played the first one you may have to practice on Easy Difficulty until you can understand how the game works.

Second, the collisions between racers is randomly chaotic. Having another racer slightly touch you can cause you to slow down, get a random speed boost, or randomly come to a complete stop. In some cases, you can actually knock someone into an obstacle or off the course into a pit.

Third, in Multiplayer, you no longer have any control over the Location, Event, items, or the number of Laps for each race. The only thing you can control is your character. If you want a race without Items, you can do this in the Boost Races but you have to wait to see if you get the event in Lucky Dip.

Another problem in Multiplayer is the Lobby rooms are smaller than in the first game. Basically, you may get stuck with the same number of people in the Lobby for different races, even if you leave and come back in.

Finally, if enough people quit the game during a Multiplayer Race or Event, you'll get thrown out. While this doesn't affect your rating, you won't get Experience for your character. Also, if you're playing a course you've never been on before, you won't unlock it.

Besides these 5 problems, the game is doing pretty good.

Overall Gameplay Score: 9


*Graphics*
The characters and courses look awesome. The idea of each of the courses being represented by floating islands is brilliant. The art direction reminds me of Sonic Generations in that they brought back old levels and remixed them in new ways.

For example, even though Ocean View is basically Sonic Generations' version of Seaside Hill, they added an giant Octopus Robot in the Boat Segment.

Overall Graphics Score: 9


*Speed*
In the game, speed is determined by the racer's stats and the location you race on. Obviously, Sonic is one of the fastest characters here as well as some others.

However, there are some things that will slow you down like the awkward collision physics, hitting the railing or crashing into something, or getting hit by weapons.

Overall Speed Score: 9


*Sound*
Besides the character's sound bytes, every Location in the game has a remix of 1-3 songs. Each Races starts with a Intro Theme and goes into its main theme during the entire race.

Some Examples:
-in Ocean View, the Intro starts out with the Japanese "Sonic CD" Title Screen Theme and the race theme is a mix of Seaside Hill and Sonic R's Super Sonic Racing
-in Sauntuary Falls, the Intro starts out with the "Sonic and Knuckles" Title Screen Theme and the race theme is a mix of Sky Sanctuary and Sonic R's Regal Ruin music

During the All-Star Moves, different remixed themes will play as well:
-Sonic's is "Reach for the Stars"
-Tails' sounds like the Sonic Adventure Invincibility Theme
-Knuckles and Amy have their Sonic Adventure themes
-Eggman and Metal Sonic have their Sonic 4: Episode 2 Boss Themes

While it would have been nice to have a Sound Test area, it was mentioned by a SUMO Digital worker that it might not make it in.

Overall Sound Score: 9


My Final Overall Score for the game is a 9.

Keeping the first game's philosophy of using your skills to win instead of just item spamming and adding new features like the boats and planes, Mods, and new characters makes Transformed a must have sequel for people who played the first game. However, the game's difficulty may not be for everyone. Whether, it's racing, tennis, or something brand new, I can't wait to see where Sonic and the All-Stars go next.

Get the full article at GameSpot

]]> http://www.gamespot.com/sonic-and-all-stars-racing-transformed/user-reviews/804467/platform/xbox360/ Tue, 27 Nov 2012 15:15:49 -0800 Blueguy93 reviewed New Super Mario Bros. 2 for the 3DS... http://www.gamespot.com/new-super-mario-bros-2/user-reviews/803871/platform/3ds/ ...and gave it a 8.5.

The New Super Mario Bros. series has received a bit of criticism for not being as innovative as the 80's and early 90's 2D Mario's, as well as the 3D Mario's from the mid 90's to the present. If you're one of those people, New Super Mario Bros. 2 will do little to change your mind. In fact, it feels like DLC to New Super Mario Bros. Wii, which is surprising when you consider the innovation of most Mario games. Still, this IS Mario, so it has to be good. And it is.

What New Super Mario Bros. 2 DOES do differently is focus a lot more on coin collecting. You can turn enemies into gold by passing through golden rings, throw golden Koopa shells to create lines of coins, and even become gold. The brand new Golden Flower is one of the coolest power ups ever, because anything can be transformed into a coin. Making it even more special, it's rare in most levels until you beat the game. The Tanooki Suit is back as well, and unlike 3D Land, you can fly in the air! There's actually plenty of secrets in this game, and I love finding hidden pathways leading to new levels, and it seems to occur a lot more in this game! You can also use cannons to go between levels, like before but this time you need to run through an obstacle course, making it a lot more challenging than usual.

The coin collecting aspect results in more 1-ups and easier gameplay, but even at that this is still great. The trademark hop and bop gameplay feels good on the 3DS, though not as comfortable as the Wii Version in my opinion. A Coin Rush mode is included, and while I dismissed it before, it's actually a hell of a lot of fun, and I enjoyed using streetpass to compete with other Mii's.

New Super Mario Bros. 2 is also disappointing, however. This feels exactly like New Super Mario Bros. Wii, though not as fun. Showing this claim is music that is COMPLETELY RECYCLED from New Super Mario Bros. Wi and Super Mario 3D Land, with extremely annoying "bah bah bah" music. Usually I enjoy Mario tunes, but not when it was clearly stolen from a previous Mario title. The levels aren't nearly as imaginative, and feel like outtakes from the DS and Wii versions. Bu worst of all, this doesn't even feel like a 3DS game. Super Mario 3D Land worked because it felt like one. This doesn't. Nintendo could have added some of the elements of 3D Land into this game, but they didn't, which is a crime in my opinion. Even the final boss fight seems uninspired.

The graphics are generally good, and the visuals are smooth and a lot faster than 3D Land. I actually like the 3D effect, unlike most people, and I like how it blurs out the background, as if the focus was on the foreground. The music, however, sucks.

I found New Super Mario Bros. 2 to be a wash, but if it's a wash, then it's a wash worth waiting in line for. No matter how much I criticize it, notice that this is still a high quality title that kicks the crap out of most of the modern 2D platformers. Nintendo should have done a lot more to this game, but in the end, it continues the hot streak of classic Mario titles. The coin rush mode boosts the grade by a little for me, by the way, because it's so damn fun!

Gameplay: 9/10
Graphics: 8/10
Sound: 4/10
Value: 8/10
Final Score: 8.8/10 (B+)

Get the full article at GameSpot

"Blueguy93 reviewed New Super Mario Bros. 2 for the 3DS..." was posted by Blueguy93 on Tue, 27 Nov 2012 15:15:49 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/new-super-mario-bros-2/user-reviews/803871/platform/3ds/ Tue, 30 Oct 2012 09:46:53 -0700 Blueguy93 reviewed Mario Tennis Open for the 3DS... http://www.gamespot.com/mario-tennis-open/user-reviews/802252/platform/3ds/ ...and gave it a 8.0.

Critics have shown big disappointments for Mario Tennis Open, but I don't think it's all that bad. Granted, I'm a huge fan of Mario Tennis (N64, 2000). That game nearly perfected arcade style tennis gaming, and lining up your character for a smack was pure fun. With the exception of Virtua Tennis, no other Tennis game could even touch it. Surprisingly, I still prefer the original by far, but even so, Mario Tennis Open is a trip.

The annoying power shots from Mario Power Tennis are gone, replaced by chance spots. These are the same from the N64 version, except now you get chance shots for lobs and soft serves. Hitting one of these spots while pushing the correct button makes your shot more powerful (shot could be faster, higher, softer, or even curve at an amazing rate). These make the game a riot at first, but then you realize lining up to these eliminates any skill. The original N64 version worked perfectly because you actually had to skillfully get the shot past your opponent. No such case here.

Even so, Mario Tennis Open remains fun. Why? Because the control scheme is awesome, and the matches, though based less on skill, are intense. There's two styles of controls. You can use the touchscreen or the buttons. I prefer the buttons, but I would occasionally use the touch screen to control my chance shots. Like the original on the N64, your player's stats vary, but surprisingly not as much. I really enjoyed unlocking Metal Mario (my favorite character in the game) with a secret code, but the other ones are awful (different colored Yoshi's?!!!). The tournament mode is awesome, and you get 8 championships to play in. The stages themselves are standard Mario like courts, ranging from the sandy courts of the desert, Bowser's Castle (actually a court, not a mini game), and an icy court. The second variation of the Galaxy Arena court actually changes its shape depending on what shot you use. All these are quite good, though not as much fun to play on as the ones in the N64 version. You can also get another camera mode by holding the 3DS closer to you (from right behind Mario), but it's useless because it moves for you, and the 3D effect is turned OFF (worst idea ever, Nintendo).

Mario Tennis Open get's bonus points for its customization (unlocking all the stuff is freaking awesome) and mini games, primarily Super Mario Tennis. This game is highly original: combining tennis with the original NES classic. It's a hell of a lot of fun, and I prefer it to the actual game! The mini game with Luma is also awesome, because you have to hit on the squares that don't lead to the black hole, and take risks by collecting star pieces to get more points! Like I said, the customization feature (similar to Mario Kart 7) lets you buy extra gear from the store for your Mii (sorry, not for Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, etc.), enhancing the replay value.

The graphics look nice, but the 3D effect is terrible. I'm not sure what Nintendo was thinking, but there's barely any depth at all, and I could hardly tell the difference. It is tennis, but it would've been nice to have 3D that doesn't suck. It's the main feature for your handheld besides gameplay, and you choose not to use it? Nice one. The music is excellent, and even features a remixed song from Wario Land 3!!! Most of the sound effects are recycled from the Gamecube version (yawn).

Mario Tennis Open would be a huge letdown for me, but thanks to the customization mode and mini games, it's better than it should have been. Without it, I could've given this game at least a 7/10. It's a shame Nintendo seemed to not put any effort in the core gameplay. Still, the tournament mode is great fun, and the extra modes of gameplay breath new life into this 3DS title. Overall, an enjoyable trip.

Gameplay: 8/10 (Thanks to the extra gameplay modes)
Graphics: 8/10
Sound: 9/10
Value: 7/10
Final Score: 8.1/10 (B-)

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"Blueguy93 reviewed Mario Tennis Open for the 3DS..." was posted by Blueguy93 on Tue, 30 Oct 2012 09:46:53 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/mario-tennis-open/user-reviews/802252/platform/3ds/ Tue, 16 Oct 2012 15:30:03 -0700 Blueguy93 reviewed Shinobi for the 3DS... http://www.gamespot.com/shinobi-2011/user-reviews/801569/platform/3ds/ ...and gave it a 5.5.

I happen to be a big fan of Shinobi III on the Genesis. One of the greatest ninja games ever, it proved a really fun arcade style action game thanks to its detailed scenery and easy to grasp controls. So imagine my surprise when I see a 3DS Shinobi, even in 2D! Also take in how extremely DISAPPOINTING it is in the long run.

Shinobi 3D shows that it plays a lot like the classic 80's and 90's Shinobi's. When playing the game you'll notice its unique visual style. The backgrounds have a nice artistic quality, and though the ninjas look a little blocky, the movements are sweet and smooth. You'll get all the classic moves, such as the "send blades in all directions" move, and the air kick. You can even sneak behind an enemy and perform a cool "quick button" attack! The scenery of the fiery doomed first level is amazing, but futuristic levels are not as interesting. Still, the game includes quick scenery changes much like Shinobi 3. You'll go from a hillside to a snowy mountain, and then into a cave! You can even use your trusty steed, and the game has a lot of variety, from boat rides to airplane battles, and even submarines!

Unfortunately, the developers had NO idea how to program well designed levels, and as a result the fun factor of Shinobi 3D is brought to a collapse bigger than the Washington Nationals (ouch)! The early levels aren't so bad, but later levels prove otherwise. I normally don't have a problem with long levels, except in this case. There's hidden goodies to explore, but since you're constantly getting hit by enemies while trying to make an effort to reach them, you'll die a lot, and that's a shame. Enemies will occasionally fly out of nowhere and knock you off a cliff (NO!!). The game lets you continue...at the BEGINNING OF A LEVEL!!! This flaw alone drastically waned my opinion of this game, since the continue is rendered useless (pretty much the same thing as entering a level when you turn the game on, why not at a checkpoint?). Getting back to where you died is tedious as hell, and even the earlier Shinobi games didn't have these problems (despite their challenging approach).

To even get a chance to see the later levels, I had to dumb the difficulty down to beginner. Even then it's brutally difficult, and unlimited lives makes it even more unsatisfying. I found myself avoiding exploring the levels in an effort to FINISH the level! One of the last levels involves floating dojo mazes, which is one of the worst ideas ever. At least the bosses are original, including a hair whipping ninja and robots that resemble Transformers meets Power Rangers. That said, you'll die so much you'll want to move on to something else. The very last boss (which looks like that blue guy from Prometheus) turns out to be the guy narrating your progress, and he is probably the hardest boss ever. You'll think you've beaten him and then he increases his life at the last second while you can't. Even worse, he has THREE TRIALS!!! This is just an example of how cheap and frustrating this game is. It makes you eat its dust but doesn't even let you enjoy it! The game also has a tendency to overkill blind spots as well. The power ups are interesting, but don't really do much in the later levels, which sucks.

Like I said earlier, the graphics look great. The music and audio is also faithful to the 2D Shinobi's. That's all I can say for the game's benefits. Although very fun from the beginning, Shinobi 3D's levels after that kill the games fun factor. I honestly wish I could like the game, but its flawed difficulty level and brutally long levels prevented me form enjoying unlocking the bonus content (Including achievements that even make fun of you). My score for this was first a 9, then an 8, then a 7, then a 6, and now a 5.5. Shinobi diehards can rent this game, but it's nowhere near as good as it should have been.

Gameplay: 5/10
Graphics: 9/10
Sound: 9/10
Value: 5.5/10
Final Score: 5.5/10 (D)

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"Blueguy93 reviewed Shinobi for the 3DS..." was posted by Blueguy93 on Tue, 16 Oct 2012 15:30:03 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/shinobi-2011/user-reviews/801569/platform/3ds/ Tue, 09 Oct 2012 17:44:50 -0700 Blueguy93 reviewed LEGO Racers for the Nintendo 64... http://www.gamespot.com/lego-racers/user-reviews/801180/platform/n64/ ...and gave it a 5.0.

It's hard to find a game I've been less interested in than Lego Racers for the N64. I love N64 racers with a passion, but this kart racer is just pathetic. What's even more heartbreaking is how sweet the license is. We all grew up with Lego's, but this game is nowhere near as enjoyable as those things.

Lego Racers does have a few things going for it. I like how visually the game tries to look like a Lego world. At first I noticed that some of the set pieces in the backgrounds look closer than they should be, but then I realized that they're supposed to look like that, because after all, this is a Lego game! It does look like a Lego universe after all! You can also customize your kart as well, which is a nice feature. I also like the amount of shortcuts this game features. The powerups are awesome (including the traditional speed boost, but also a hook that can move you closer to your opponents, and bombs!), and you can even use white Lego's to increase their capabilities. Using this with green lego's is especially awesome, because you can create a huge shortcut when you have three white lego's!

You'd think all of what I stated would make this awesome, but unfortunately, Lego Racers is as bland as they come. I like the amount of tracks available. If only the game was fun to play! Many of the tracks themselves are boring. Why? It's because unlike Mario Kart 64 and Diddy Kong Racing, there's not a whole lot of interaction with the scenery as there is in those games, only straightforward racing. That's not necessarily a bad thing in most cases, but in a kart game it's unacceptable. Granted, that's not the case with every track, and I enjoyed the snow and moon tracks. But the game really falls flat in design in general. The bosses tend to be really cheap, and their "strategies" are simply finding powerups that make them utterly cheap, making the circuit mode frustrating from the get go. Even the shortcuts are lame. Some are cool, such as in the desert level and snow level, but most don't even offer that much of an advantage. But what really kills the game is that you need ALL THE MEMORY ON A CONTROLLER PAK TO SAVE THE CIRCUIT MODE!!! It's bad enough most sports games on the N64 did that, but in a kart racing game, it sucks. What were they thinking?! This flaw alone dropped my enthusiasm for this game by about two letter grades. The controls are okay, but considering what I've previously stated, it doesn't even matter.

The graphics for Lego Racers are good, but not great. The framerate remains smooth, but the design is boring in general, despite being faithful to the look of a Lego universe. The sound effects are so-so, but they're godly in comparison to the music.

The music in Lego Racers is so HORRIBLE, I need to dedicate a whole paragraph to justify how I feel about it. Clearly an attempt to match the cute music of Mario Kart 64 and Diddy Kong Racing, it falls flat completely. Most of it sounds like outtakes from a Mario Party soundtrack, except random as hell, and NONE of it is memorable at all. I actually had to turn the music off while playing this game, which is something I don't usually do in a video game. Yes folks, the music is THAT atrociously bad.

In conclusion Lego Racers is a poor Mario Kart clone. It's not the worst racing game I've played, but it's nothing besides being boring. If you're looking for a fun kid themed racer for your N64, stick with Mario Kart 64 and Diddy Kong Racing. Lego Racers is the equivilant of stepping on a Lego block in real life. It's that much fun to play.

Gameplay: 5/10
Graphics: 7/10
Sound: 1/10
Value: 5/10
Score: 5.3/10 (D-)

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"Blueguy93 reviewed LEGO Racers for the Nintendo 64..." was posted by Blueguy93 on Tue, 09 Oct 2012 17:44:50 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/lego-racers/user-reviews/801180/platform/n64/ Sun, 07 Oct 2012 13:03:54 -0700 Blueguy93 reviewed Nano Assault for the 3DS... http://www.gamespot.com/nano-assault/user-reviews/801071/platform/3ds/ ...and gave it a 9.5!

Since December of LAST YEAR, I wanted this game. In July, it took me forever to find it. My local Gamestop did not have a copy, so I had to resort to a Gamestop near Cleveland. I finally found a used copy for only $12 bucks! It's a huge steal, not just because of the price, but because of how surprisingly GREAT this game is!rnrnA sucessor to the two Nanostray games on the DS, Nano Assault gets its influences from games like Super Stardust HD, Super Mario Galaxy, and Star Fox 64, but this game goes further by focusing more on exploration. You'll need to collect three DNA samples in each ground level to open more levels, and you can also collect blue gems to buy bonus lives and yellow gems to give your secondary weapon power. One hit and you're dead, which makes this pretty tough to beat.rnrnSo how is the game? Really good. The game is challenging and the shooting action is addictive and really fun. I love collecting blue gems, and exploring each stage is great but never boring. The stages evolve from simple circular stages to more complex planet like designs. The imaginative enemies include a mine like plant that fires laser beams when killed, and flying caterpillars.You can even switch the angle of where your shots go! Gradually you get secondary weapons in the game. My favorite is the yellow shield to rotates around you and kills any enemy that makes contact with it! The boss fights are actually the best part about this game. These sequences are creative as hell, and include awesome fights such as an organism that drills his head at the front of the screen, a spike like creature that fires from all angles of its body, and a four legged worm that walks backwards while firing everything it can at you! Each of these boss fights is incredibly unique because of the different angles and gameplay mechanics, and leading up to these fights are tunnel sequences that bring to mind Star Fox 64. They're really fun and I like how losing all your lives when getting to the boss allows you to continue fighting the boss. The game also features unlockables such as a nanopedia featuring descriptions of enemies in he game and buying songs. The Arcade Mode is a sweet bonus because of the chain reactions of scores in the game and the missions you need to complete. I like the tilt controls in the game, but just be sure to turn the 3D effect off, as it will blur and distract you.rnrnThe graphics in Nano Assault are STUNNING. The detail is amazing and the organic level design looks beautiful. The backgrounds look ominous as well. Making it even better is a fantastic 3D effect that gives the game HUGE depth, and it even helps judge the position between you and enemies in the tunnel sequences. There is a little bit of slowdown with the 3D effect, but usually it maintains an excellent 60 fps without the 3D effect. Complimenting the visuals is a spectacular electronic soundtrack that pumps you up! Abyss is my favorite track. The sound effects include moaning bosses and crisp explosion sounds.rnrnIf there's one complaint I have with Nano Assault, it's that the final boss is kind of easy. Also, whatever you do, DO NOT open up the leaderboards in the game, because it will freeze your file whenever you try to save or beat a level. That sucks, but Nano Assault is still a fantastic and under-appreciated gem in the 3DS library. I played this game until my thumbs were sore, and it'll be tough to find a better shooting game than this one. Highly addictive and technically impressive (especially in 3D), Nano Assault deserves to be in everyone's 3DS library.rnrnGameplay: 10/10rnGraphics: 9.5/10rnSound: 10/10rnValue: 9.5/10rnScore: 9.6/10 (A)

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"Blueguy93 reviewed Nano Assault for the 3DS..." was posted by Blueguy93 on Sun, 07 Oct 2012 13:03:54 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/nano-assault/user-reviews/801071/platform/3ds/