Mikadok's GameSpot Friend's Reviews Mikadok's GameSpot Friend's Reviews Mikadok's GameSpot Friend's Reviews en-us Copyright (c)1995-2013 CBS Interactive. All rights reserved. http://www.gamespot.com 20 Sun, 19 May 2013 11:03:19 -0700 GameSpot Mikadok's GameSpot Friend's Reviews http://img.gamespot.com/gamespot/shared/promos/misc/gs_logo.gif http://www.gamespot.com 135 40 Sun, 30 Sep 2012 18:28:17 -0700 armyman_22 reviewed Tekken Tag Tournament 2 for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/tekken-tag-tournament-2/user-reviews/800699/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 9.0!

OVERVIEW

It has been a good number of years since the first Tekken Tag Tournament, but here comes Namco firing back with this great follow up. The last time a Tekken Game came out I was fairly disappointed. Tekken 6 was a bleak and horrible let down compared to the previous games in the series. I dare say it was the worst of the bunch. With that being said Tekken Tag Tournament 2 made sure to get everything right this time around and in the process return the King of Iron Fist Tournament to its full and rightful glory. If you have never played Tekken I dont think you can call yourself a fighting fan (LOL!) Tekken (like many other fighting games) is about a group of fighters from around the world lured into a tournament to not only gain fame and riches, but ultimately to prove who the best is. This time they do it tag team style, and with great success.

GRAPHICS

Once you fire up the game youll see that TTT 2 doesnt waste time proving its graphical prowess. The series has always impressed in the sight department. The game gives you lush and rich CGI segments for the opening sequence and for each fighters prologues and endings. It goes above and beyond with excellent fighter models, beautifully designed costumes, brilliant menu designs and layout. Fighters perform their moves with a visual flair no other fighter this generation can touch (Sorry SSF 4). Hair flows, water splashes, and dust and rocks are kicked with great accuracy. There is no clipping, no draw in, and best of all very few drops in frame rate. Add to all of that that there maybe four fighters on screen at any given time, and things still dont wavier. Needless to beat this horse to death, the graphics more than achieve the desired effect.

STORY

Fighting games or fighters as they are called usually follow the same trend. Some all powerful guy or corporation has a nefarious plot and in order to achieve its lofty goal sets up an elaborate (and often empty) fighting tournament to lure the greatest fighters from around the world to compete. Tekken is no different and has the aforementioned corporation and the evil guy to boot. The King of Iron fist tournament once again calls the names of great fighters to compete. This time around it seems to be about finding out whos the best and ties into some crazy side story about nature. The other story (oh did I mention that there are sort of two of them?) encompasses a complex tutorial which tells the story of Lee Chaolain (AKA) Violet trying to build the ultimate fighting robot named Combot You may remember Combot from, previous installments of the game. Lee or Violet is trying to make the ultimate fighter to over throw the Mishima Zaibatsu Corporation ran by Heichachi, Kazyua, Jin, and Jinpachi depending on what previous squeal was played. You play though 5 main stages and train Combot towards this lofty goal all the while learning the most basic of moves up until you are performing like a prohopefully. This mode is often silly and nonsensical as Lee and his female assistant say and do crazy things while having Combot fight strange and sometimes familiar fighters who may or may not be from the Tekken series. Over all its a good distraction and a fun way to teach newbies the ropes.

GAMEPLAY

The game performs like its predecessors and in that case it works great. This game is one of the closest to real fighting styles that you will come across. You have the face buttons which operate youre for limbs: Right punch, Left punch, Right kick, and Left kick. Put them all together and you will be doing combos in no time. The fighters move great as they can dodge, walk up and down the 3D playing field, jump, run, and roll. Throw in a tag button and your partner is there to back you up at a moments notice. Matches are fought in the traditional best 2 out of three set up although you can change this along with the time length of the match. TTT 2 also has varied modes of play too. Standard tag in which you can fight two on two. You can switch that up and fight one on one. Furthermore, you can fight 2 on 1 if you need help and vice versa if youre just that dang good! Couple that with the different modes of: Arcade, time attack, team battle, survival, and practice. You should be busy for quite some time. A side note worth mention is that you can practice online with a friend and just mess around like that. This hasnt been done before to my knowledge and adds a wealth of depth to the game. The roster of characters in the game is staggering clocking in at around 40 with more coming via DLC. I think almost every character to ever appear in a Tekken game is included which is nothing short of amazing.

SOUNDS

Awesome, awesome, and more awesome as every blow, yell, shout, and bone crunching sound effect is put out there like sweet music to your ears. Speaking of music the stage and back ground music will have you humming the tunes and wanting to go back just to listen to them. Aside from that the voice acting is great and most fighters speak in their native dialect which would only make sense.

CONTROL FACTOR (REPLAY)

The replay factor or the things that will have you coming back for more are endless. After all this is a fighting game and no two fights will ever be the same right? The aforementioned variations of game modes alone will give you reasons to keep playing. There is a great rank up mode, and items to unlock so you can customize your characters if youre into that type of thing. There is also the online mode which as everybody knows is the real money maker.

ONLINE

I really dont play many games online, but Tekken tag not only feels good online, but it performs well. Although it takes a while to find an opponent in some cases the games solves this by letting you practice with your character while its looking for someone for you. Fighters are always matched to their relative skills and if the game figures that you are out of each others leagues it solves this with point awarding. You wont get a lot of point for beating up on lesser fighters and likewise you wont get point for beating more skilled players. It pushes you to play those more your equal which is great. Whereas Street Fighter 4 did a poor job in this area this system may solve those cheaters or those guys who like to find lesser fighter and beat up on them. I can see this game earning its due through online play just fine.

CLOSING

If you arent into fighting games I think youd be hard pressed not to at least try TTT 2. With its ease of controls, diverse roster, and fun play style I dont see how you wouldnt like it. If you are a fighting fan and furthermore a fan of Tekken this is the fighter to own!! I mean that in a big way. The developers thought of almost everything for this game. With customizable characters, lush graphics, easy to play tag system, and the list goes on and on. This could be the consummate fighter on PS3 and Xbox 360, and with games like SSF 4, Street Fighter X Tekken, and Mortal Kombat out there that is saying quite a lot. Its not big on story like MK, its not as flashy as SSF 4, and it may not be as bouncy a DOA 5, but if you want a game that performs as a fighter should then this is the one for you. Pick up this game today!! I would have to give this game a resounding 9 out of 10. The King of Iron Fist is back, and in a huge way babyenter the Tekken TODAY!!

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"armyman_22 reviewed Tekken Tag Tournament 2 for the PlayStation 3..." was posted by armyman_22 on Sun, 30 Sep 2012 18:28:17 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/tekken-tag-tournament-2/user-reviews/800699/platform/ps3/ Thu, 27 Sep 2012 17:18:05 -0700 armyman_22 reviewed Max Payne 3 for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/max-payne-3/user-reviews/800540/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 8.0.

OVERVIEW

Max Payne is back for his third and hopefully not his final installment of what is a tortured and almost always hard luck story. For the uninitiated Max Payne is an ex-cop based in New Jersey whose tragic story began with the death of his wife at the hands of drug dealers. In the third chapter Max leaves behinds those roots while still continuing his hard luck life.

GRAPHICS

Lets face it, after a while when consoles, and or PC games have been around for a certain number of years games wont pop like they initially did. With that in mind Max Payne 3 is no visual tour de force, but it does a fantastic job of giving you what you need and want: Carnage! Bullet time has your bullets whizzing at enemies with awesome trails showing velocity. The bullets fired at you also come through and are clearly visible. The violence is just right and not over done. Enemies vary and are not just cookie cutter. There is a visual presentation for the stories once done in a cartoony graphic novel style in his previous games, and now are done in cut scenes which blend into the game itself. There is zooming for sniper rifle bullets, and my favorite when the last enemy is dispatched the game freezes and shows you taking him or her down in slow motion and can be controlled by the gamer to view as long or short as you want to see the kill. In this area the game once again delivers.

STORY

Max finds himself in the middle of South America where he is now a body guard for a rich and powerful family of three brothers, and their associates. As usual what starts off to be simple becomes quite complex as Maxs special skills, and dead pan humor are put to use, but sometimes fail in his new career path. Max starts off protecting the wife of his new employer with a degree of success, but what ensues is a repetitive and escalating plot against the family as a whole. By the end of his new adventure he as revisited his past, become plagued by his present, and reached redemption so to speak by the tales end. Max is forever haunted by his aforementioned past (which fits nicely into his new tale, but doesnt become over done), and all the while fights it off with a what else can I do? flair, and attitude. The story is done in a gritty style often through flash backs that connect quite well. It doesnt require playing his past two games to understand, but having played them would bring a better appreciation of the characters tortured tale. Great presentation and a surprisingly fresh take on an old character.







GAMEPLAY

This volume doesnt stray too far from its roots as a third person, bullet time, visceral shooter. Max is a bit tricky to maneuver as you may have to press up to three buttons at once to get him on target, but his bullet time mechanic works like a charm. It works particularly well when he executes single leaps and jumps. The buttons all respond well, and Max never feels overwhelmed with the task at hand. He is also never left wondering where to go next, or a lack of enemies to tackle. Even on its easy setting you will be given a challenge, but with time and mastery of his controls you can beat the hardest of settings. Max can twist and turn in multiple angles to reach his target; creating a very nice style of play. Those points aside his biggest enemy is the camera. As it is in most games the camera has a pension for zooming in at wrong angles and trapping our hero in the wrong place at the wrong time. There is a cover system present, but could us some work as you may be shot even when behind solid objects. Bottom line is that the controls accomplish their goal and give you an overall satisfying sense of fun and mastery of your character.

SOUNDS

From the music used to the sound effects to the brilliant voice acting this is one of the best areas. The music keeps your blood pumping and kicks in at just the right times. Every gun pops with an almost real quality. The sound of the rounds firing gives you that feel of being there just as they should. The voice acting is brilliant and at no time corny or B-list like. Max is awesome at delivering his deadpan and often grim humor. My favorite line of his, I may have written the book on bad ideas, but my partner sure wasnt afraid to quote from it! Along with a plethora of other lines he delivers ensures you know that this is his game. The supporting characters give their lines with the needed vigor, but none shine as brightly as Max himself. Not for the lack of trying, but Maxs voice actor just nails him to a Tee. Put it all together, and you cant beat this area.

CONTROL FACTOR (REPLAY)

Next to Game play this is probably the most important area of a game, and Max Payne 3 doesnt disappoint here either. The main story may clock in at about 9 hours which isnt a lot these days. Factor in that he can find Gold Gun pieces, New York minute mode, and varying degrees of difficulty ensuring you wont be lift high and dry with the single player mode. Now take all that and put it into the online modes which lets you use bullet time in a fair and manageable sense and you will be coming back for more and more with this title. Max Payne 3 can keep you busy easily until the next big thing arrives.

CLOSING

Once again the guys at Rock Star Games have put together a title not only deserving of their brand, but a quality Max Payne title as well. In an age of rehashed, money hungry and time crunched unfinished sequels I think Max Payne stands out nicely. Gamers will have fun with this title and it is not for the mamby pamby weak hearted gamer. While not heavy on story it gives you that awesome mix of great game play, excellent controls, and replay ability that most gamers seek. With that being said I would give Max Payne three 8 out of 10.

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"armyman_22 reviewed Max Payne 3 for the PlayStation 3..." was posted by armyman_22 on Thu, 27 Sep 2012 17:18:05 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/max-payne-3/user-reviews/800540/platform/ps3/ Mon, 13 Aug 2012 21:22:39 -0700 Killermonkey97 reviewed Botanicula for the PC... http://www.gamespot.com/botanicula/user-reviews/798583/platform/pc/ ...and gave it a 7.0.

An army of pitch black, leeching, spiderlike antagonists threaten the life of a giant magical tree, along with its diverse residents of anthropomorphic insects, plants, fungi, and whatever other small thing generally appreciated within the community. Of these terrorized, a group of five friends--a little lantern seed (the "chosen one" of the bunch), a stick, a feather, a mushroom, and what I can best define as "bulky fungus guy"--act as the tree's peace brigade and attempt to save the day in Amanita Design's Botanicula, a development team whose previous adventure game was the well-accepted Machinarium. Yeah, very industrial villa to magic tree: it is about as conflicting of environment change as two projects by the same people can probably get. But fans of Machinarium will not be disappointed in Botanicula's whimsically oozed aesthetic and sense of wonder that can be every bit as refreshing and unique in comparison, and can especially be a choice welcome to most newcomers of the genre in general.

Machinarium was at times a fairly intuitive game in its puzzle designs, not really asking for much more than what the game asks you to do. Granted, it still required a pulsing noggin and somewhat decent scavenger hunting skills at times, with a helpful hint system thrown in for good measure just in case. However, Botanicula takes it to even less subtle extremes, stripping any actual sort of inventory-mixing ingenuity and relying often on simply clicking matters of interest once or more and seeing what happens as a result. That is the ideal strategy here, and while it may change a little bit for, albeit, a satisfying variation's sake (one requires the guidance of a ball around a steamed contraption via dragging the mouse), it might as well be nothing for a smart lad or lass like you to solve, especially if you are familiar with adventure games that have fashioned the likes of puzzles involving pulleys and rubber chickens in the middle of them. Those seeking a demanding challenge, something to really stop you in your tracks, and little else might not be well-fulfilled in the highs that Botanicula offers: not meaning to compare the experience to a walk on cake, but the toughest ruts you might get yourself into only resolve in a couple of minutes maximum of "guess and check."

I will go as far to say the cakewalk cliché I mentioned a sentence ago is, in fact, an unfair definition for Botanicula because assuming that this game is trying to rattle your brain misses the adventure's point altogether. This time 'round, the style is the substance. Interacting with the tree's silly and cute inhabitants (if not, then maybe quite off-kilter fits) drives the five little heroes' journey throughout. Coming in contact with these buggers might as well be what you would call the game's rewarding system, with quite a few viewable virtual cards behind each that are clicked toward, and serving as the basis behind practically the entire set of its Steam achievements (if bought under the Steam online store, that is). With this in mind, Botanicula delivers in how it aims to entertain. The adventure unfolding is amusing thanks to these zany critters your crew deals with, and the iOS-styled simplicity of guiding from scenery to scenery via a mouse-click helps give off a flow that makes the experience just as easy to sit back and enjoy its romp.

The goofy happenstances would not be as near of a hook if not for the gleeful camp Botanicula fashions. Luminescent tree-veins and deep shades of solid olive-ish colors shape much of the setting and background, while Photoshop-inspired cut-outs expressed with Flashplayer-style animations are what much of the designs behind the characters seem to be influenced by. Color me surprised that such seemingly amateur graphics turn out to perfectly give the fairy tale an appropriate kindergarten accent. Special props should also go to the music department for further emphasizing the way the game looks and feels, with a kind of energetic score that thrives on cute, having times of the equivalent of an indie band shouting nonsense in tribal fashion, and occasionally with a whimsically-sounding string section to top off (a Czech, more juvenile-intended Sigur Rés with comparably cheaper equipment comes to my mind).

Be laid-back about it and savor what you can, for Botanicula certainly will not take you much longer than two or three hours. It is enjoyable once, but because we are not only dealing with an adventure game but a fairly easy one, it is not all that likely for you to replay it anytime soon, even if you missed a couple of cards. I compared the way it plays to an iOS game earlier in this review, and it might as well be on an iPad or something similar, since it has the perfect meat of that kind of game. It is only ten dollars regularly, which is still cheap, but when competing with games that have more complex mechanics going on at the same price, I can see one considering this purchase perhaps risky. That said, a strong presentation and a pick-up-and-play scheme makes Botanicula a worthy adventure game to put alongside Machinarium, even if both play a little differently. If you are intrigued at what it offers, then this product will certainly be a decent investment.

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"Killermonkey97 reviewed Botanicula for the PC..." was posted by Killermonkey97 on Mon, 13 Aug 2012 21:22:39 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/botanicula/user-reviews/798583/platform/pc/ Tue, 19 Jun 2012 18:24:44 -0700 wmg1299 reviewed Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/ratchet-and-clank-all-4-one/user-reviews/796108/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 7.5.

As a long time fan of this series, I always greet news of a new Ratchet & Clank game with a great deal of anticipation. Unfortunately, most of the offerings for the PS3 have led to at least some degree of disappointment. All for One is no exception.

Anyone else who has been playing the Ratchet games since the PS2 has become quite attached to the familiar control scheme. I was particularly fond of the traditional weapon upgrading and purchasing system as well. All for One apparently tried to "dumb down" both the control and weapon systems to make the game more user-friendly to first-time players. I cannot say if this tactic worked on new adopters, but I feel pretty sure that it was not well received by most of the hardcore fans. I constantly found myself entering the weapon selection mode when I meant to move the camera, which is now completely fixed.

As a parent of young children, I was excited about the idea of multiplayer gameplay. The approach developers took in All for One tends to ensure that all players need to individually contribute to accomplish objectives. This takes away the option of having one strong player (i.e. the parent) cover for and carry weaker players (i.e. children). This may be a plus for many gamers, but it was a negative for me.

I do not consider All for One to be a bad game by any means, and I support the idea of four player co-op. Standing on its own, I would rate the game much higher. Unfortunately, it just does not live up to the high standards of the franchise and lets down legions of loyal fans.

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"wmg1299 reviewed Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One for the PlayStation 3..." was posted by wmg1299 on Tue, 19 Jun 2012 18:24:44 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/ratchet-and-clank-all-4-one/user-reviews/796108/platform/ps3/ Sat, 16 Jun 2012 12:06:07 -0700 wmg1299 reviewed LEGO Battles: Ninjago for the DS... http://www.gamespot.com/lego-battles-ninjago/user-reviews/795946/platform/ds/ ...and gave it a 3.0.

My wife and I bought this for our 6 year-old son. He likes the Ninjago cartoon, and has many of the Lego toys. Seeing as how he is capable of following intricate instructions to build large Lego creations, we figured that he would be able to play a Ninjago themed game. From the start, our son found the game boring. After completing the entirely too long startup process, he found the rest of the game too difficult. We purchased this game for $9.99 on sale, and still feel that we did not get our money's worth. If you have young children, definitely skip this title. If your children are old enough to understand this game, then they are most likely too mature to have any interest in a kiddie-themed game.
This one simply misses the mark in every way. Hopefully, Lego will do right by their younger fans and release a more action-oriented platformer or an easily understood fighting game. At least Cartoon Network has some on their website.

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"wmg1299 reviewed LEGO Battles: Ninjago for the DS..." was posted by wmg1299 on Sat, 16 Jun 2012 12:06:07 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/lego-battles-ninjago/user-reviews/795946/platform/ds/ Sun, 11 Mar 2012 23:53:27 -0700 WicthBalder reviewed Street Fighter X Tekken for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/street-fighter-x-tekken/user-reviews/789659/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 8.5.

First off I would like to point out the positive, the graphics in this game are impressive, Yes it looks alot like Street Fighter 4 but it fits the tekken fighters just right. I'm more of a street fighter player and i like how they have added special moves and super combos for the Tekken characters. The Trials and mission mode is enjoyable.

And now for the bad, For a good game like this one there are some problems. Some of the characters have to be downloaded through DLC, on-line mode is choppy, but that's beside the point. My personal complaint of this game is the lack of colors for characters and there's no gallery mode. I would have given this game a very high score but because the release of this game got off on a bad start it loses some points.

However, if you love Street Fighter 4, then you will like this game. That's all i'm saying.

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"WicthBalder reviewed Street Fighter X Tekken for the PlayStation 3..." was posted by WicthBalder on Sun, 11 Mar 2012 23:53:27 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/street-fighter-x-tekken/user-reviews/789659/platform/ps3/ Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:47:27 -0800 alichino reviewed Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/scene-it-lights-camera-action/user-reviews/786462/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 7.0.

For a game based on a board game that is turn is played with the help of a dvd player it turns out to be a good port of the idea into a full out video game. But there are some things about this version that the board game has and this game is missing.
There is a certain sense of camaraderie that exists when a group of people sit down to play a board game. For example, when landing on a space and having the opposing team pull the card, read the question, and the teamwork to find the answer before the sand runs out is highly motivating and fun. Yet, having to read the questions yourself and attempt to buzz in quickly in order to get a better score is more like taking a test in high school. Or even if you did any drinking back in the 1990's when bars all had that trivia game with the portal boxes and nationwide score. This doesn't mean that it's not fun, but at the very least it should read more of the questions to you.
I play this game for three days with my family and we kept seeing the same clips from movies. The DVD version hardly ever did this, which makes me wonder at how much data there really is to chose from.
Also there a couple of games that seem a little misleading. One comes to mind where you're on the backlot and they are rolling out backdrops, although the backdrops actually have nothing to do with the game, but you instead need to read the words printed on them. Really? The creators had a chance to do something unique by including actual background footage from movies and make an interesting and probably difficult game, but they chose the cheap and easy way out.
In fact that is what a lot of this game feels like: cheap and easy, as if the development team was trying to get it out quick.
That said, it does have some good points, including the four colored controls.
There is one game where you have to figure out the titles based on a section of pictures (e.g. a picture of a screw + a baseball = screwball) which was quite fun (yet again, never saw that game in the long game only in party mode).
And the questions seemed to be mostly random, hardly ever coming back into the same question.
It is a fun party game with a little drinking involved, but probably not a fun game with a lot of drinking involved.

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"alichino reviewed Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action for the Xbox 360..." was posted by alichino on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:47:27 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/scene-it-lights-camera-action/user-reviews/786462/platform/xbox360/ Sun, 06 Mar 2011 18:28:52 -0800 mrsxbox reviewed ilomilo for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/ilomilo/user-reviews/757533/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 10.0!!!

This is my favorite XBOX Live arcade release and my favorite action puzzler to date!

Who am I kidding, it is one of my top 5 of all time based on pure enjoyability! It makes you feel like a kid again and not many games can truly do that.

Ilomilo is charming, with a lot of heart. Sure some might tremble at its sickly sweet flavor among friends, but when alone they will smile and giggle softly with child like delight. If given the chance your family and friends will too!

The simple story keeps it family friendly. You can play it with your children, like a parent searching for a lost child, with a friend, with family, or in a cozy romantic setting. It is heart warming and team building, reminding even the harden of hearts that, in this case at least, we all need someone.

The graphics are perfect, like a seamless storybook.

The challenge is perfect, you build up your skills and problem solving abilities, often depending on your local co-ops perspective. It is a great feeling to accomplish the puzzle, whether you did it alone, or because of someone else. It is high five excitement!

The music is simply perfect, so suitable and uplifting to any atmosphere. It makes you excited to play!

The additional characters offer humor and sadness, one moment you are laughing trying to make sense of it all, the next you feel a little sad for all those trapped in this strange little world and want to know more.

Check out the trailers, it will tug at your heart strings, and just let yourself have a little fun simply for the sake of it.

The game seems short if you "get help" via walkthroughs, but if you play it for yourself it will take awhile to figure out all the puzzles. Also it has a lot of re-playability because you figure out new ways to lower your score and fight for the leader boards. Plus you can earn a few neat achievements (200 but more coming soon). They are also releasing two new chapters on March the 9th, so I have my fingers crossed for even more expansions in the future.

At 800 credits (roughly $10) Ilomilo is a major bargain!

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"mrsxbox reviewed ilomilo for the Xbox 360..." was posted by mrsxbox on Sun, 06 Mar 2011 18:28:52 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/ilomilo/user-reviews/757533/platform/xbox360/ Thu, 18 Nov 2010 12:30:06 -0800 LivleyLegend reviewed Left 4 Dead 2 for the PC... http://www.gamespot.com/left-4-dead-2/user-reviews/745504/platform/pc/ ...and gave it a 9.0!

***Note***
I'm basing this review through the console version on Steam. If something I says doesn't apply to the regular PC version, that's why.

+++Good Points+++

+Excellent multiplayer
+New weapons including the new gory melee weapons
+Source engine still looks great
+Controls are very easy and comfortable
+Good use of co-op gameplay
+A lot of replay value

---Bad Points---

-Even with all the new weapons, still feels like there could be more
-AI is horrible and makes single player not fun to play
-No real story

Left 4 Dead 2, released a year after the critically acclaimed first one. So what did you get in this sequel? Well, you got a new cast of characters who are just as good as the first one's, you got new weapons including the awesome melee weapons, new game modes, new special infected, and you get 6 all new campaigns. Now, people may be wondering if they should get this even though they have the first because the gameplay is so similar. You can read this review more and see the detailed answer, or you can stop here and take this short one word answer. The answer is: YES.

The gameplay is one of the highlights of the game for me. You have your standard Valve controls ASDW for your movement, your mouse to shoot and melee them with your gun, and various other keys for jumping, crouching, switching guns, etc.. What makes the gameplay so nice? Well, it's very easy to pick up and IMO it's so much easier to aim with a mouse than this or FPS in general on the 360. The melee weapons, which are the new addition, are very fun to play with but don't just serve a gory new toy to play with. They're very useful because its easy to clear out swarms of zombies around you a melee weapon than with a rifle, pistol, and sometimes a shotgun. Reasons why are because they have no reload, and they make a nice wide swing that can take down numerous zombies in one swipe. Overall, the gameplay is very smooth, and is very nice.

Graphics and audio are a huge plus too. The great thing about the audio is the voice acting is excellent and the characters have nice conversations that have some comic relief to lighten the mood in a zombie apocalypse. The sound effects of zombies falling or screaming is chilling and sounds great. Now graphics IMO are very good too. People complain saying the Source engine is outdated, and while maybe it is, I still think it looks great and really helps get the job done visually. People who complain about the graphics are just shallow idiots who only look at the visuals and not the gameplay. And don't worry, the graphics are more than fine if you worry about them.

The story of the game is very simple, it's just about the 4 survivors having to travel south to avoid the infected zombies. It's very simple, and there aren't any real cut scenes. This is a little disappointing though because a few cut scenes to tie in the campaigns would've been nice, but I guess it's the gameplay that does the talking for L4D2.

Some of the highlights of the game are the excellent multiplayer and co-op experience it provides. No game to this day is better played with friends than this game is. Smash TV and Zombies Ate My Neighbors came close to taking that title, but mostly because those games are fun alone as well unlike L4D2 became the deciding factor. Basically, you can get incapacitated or a special infected can get you (such as a Hunter pouncing on you and scratching at you on the ground or a Charger running into you and slamming you onto the ground repeatedly). Because of this, you MUST stick together as a team because if one person goes off by his own, he's bound to die quickly. Losing just 1 player is enough to make you fail. Having 4 people is almost a necessity because just 3 people is difficult to pull off. That is why this game is so fun with people, because it's great to communicate with friends or players to win (especially in versus mode). Valve is a master of making games be forced to be played as a team, and it's evident in this game and also Team Fortress 2 if you've played that (another excellent game I'll review soon).

Even with all the good things about this game, there's a few flaws. First off, this is more of a personal opinion, but there's not enough guns for me. Yes you have 5 rifles (3 if you don't include snipers), 4 shotguns, 2 pistols, and about 10 melees, but that really isn't a lot. Yes I understand this is a survival game and not CoD, but I think about 5 more guns would've been nice. Also, this game is terrible to play single player or with AI because they play so dumb and never move forward by themselves and only follow you. Now this isn't too big of a deal because this game is so much better with real players, but it's annoying when someone leaves your game and you're forced to deal with a bot (this is most annoying in versus mode). All in all, the games flaws don't hold it back from being a great game, but they are noticeable enough to annoy you.

***Conclusion***

L4D2 is a zombie fan's dream. It's a fun and addictive game that's best played with friends that not only makes it fun to play, but fun to play socially with friends as you yell at each other for wasting the last molotov. It's highly replayable, and with the free DLC from Valve, there's always hope they can add new features such as the new Sacrifice campaign and the re-release of No Mercy campaign from the first game. You'll have loads of hours playing L4D2 solo online or with friends. If you don't want to pick it up from Steam for $20, you can get it for your 360 (if you have one) which is just as good but it doesn't contain free DLC like Steam does. Overall, a very fun game, and worth every penny for it.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"LivleyLegend reviewed Left 4 Dead 2 for the PC..." was posted by LivleyLegend on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 12:30:06 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/left-4-dead-2/user-reviews/745504/platform/pc/ Wed, 10 Nov 2010 10:10:46 -0800 WicthBalder reviewed Fist of the North Star: Ken's Rage for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/fist-of-the-north-star-kens-rage/user-reviews/744360/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 8.0.

At long last, North America gets to play a Fist of the North star video game in their video game consoles. There were so many fist of the North Star video games that should have arrived to the U.S. like the fighting game edition of Fist of the North Star for the ps2 version.

I saw videos of these on you tube for the japanese version and i was amazed. I was even more amazed when i found out that this game was coming to canada. I don't know much about the Dynasty Warriors series, but as i've been playing this game, it gets quite entertaining.

Gameplay: It feels a little slow at first, but once you get to level up. then you can actually start to enjoy beating up 100 people at once. Performing special moves is very enjoyable.

Graphics: The graphics are pretty cool for a next gen video game. I was shocked and amazed when i saw the cutscenes looked like in HD. I love the cutscenes, short or not there fun to watch.

Sound: The sound is not bad. The main theme of the game is now one of my favourite songs. I was very impresed with the english voice actors who helped with this game. In fact they should use those voice actors to voice the five recent Fist of the North Star OVAs that they have in Japan.

You could even get all the Trophies in this game. I know that some people are giving this game 5 out of 10, but you know what. Even if this game can't please everyone, at least this game faithful uses the source material. It not perfect, but it deserves respect.

Get the full article at GameSpot

]]> http://www.gamespot.com/fist-of-the-north-star-kens-rage/user-reviews/744360/platform/ps3/ Sun, 18 Jul 2010 07:51:44 -0700 LivleyLegend reviewed Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars for the SNES... http://www.gamespot.com/super-mario-rpg-legend-of-the-seven-stars/user-reviews/729437/platform/snes/ ...and gave it a 9.5!

***Note***
This review may or may not contain spoilers about the game, story, plot, etc.. You've been warned.

+++Good Points+++

+ Jaw-dropping graphics - easily the best graphics on the SNES
+ Gameplay is smooth and 4 button layout in action scene is perfect
+ Nice cast of characters from essential Mario figures to some new ones
+ Some nice off-beat moments and mini games are a nice addition to RPG action
+Exploring/navigating with world map is easy

---Bad Points---

- Only 5 playable characters; 2 of which aren't Luigi or Yoshi
- Enemies seem to do a lot of damage; stats don't seem very balanced

Here it is, the very first Mario RPG to ever grace the world. At the time, people didn't know what to expect, Mario in an RPG? They thought it would probably be to out of place for him, boy were they wrong. Teaming up with Square, Nintendo produces out of the most recognizable and best game let alone RPG. The game is loads of fun whether you hate RPGs or love them. One of the best games the SNES has.

The story of story is a typical Mario game. There's these 7 stars and they get stolen and you have to save them in addition to taking out your new nemesis. And yes I said new nemesis, Bowser isn't your enemy in this game. Anyways the story is really detailed and it'd take me awhile to explain the whole story, but you'll have to play yourself to find out.

Let's start off right with the gameplay. Let me just say it's the best gameplay in a SNES RPG. Most turn-based RPGs just let you choose your attack and wait for it to happen. Mario RPG adds some innovation to and lets you hit the action button at the proper time while you hit an enemy to allow more damage to be done. This is where the game requires some timing and a little skill in order to be able to trample your enemy. Another thing I loved was how the action buttons were set up. During a battle take the 4 buttons on the front of a SNES controller and give them all an action (A - fight, B - ETC., Y- special, and X - items). Just press the button of the action you want and there you go, let the game do the rest. It's nothing spectacular, but it's a little thing that I personally like and it's better than scrolling up and down through your options like Chrono Trigger or Final Fantasy VI. Other than those 2 things, the gameplay is pretty ordinary for a RPG.

Graphics and audio is probably the highlight of the game. Don't get me wrong, I don't believe a game with good graphics makes a game good, but Mario RPG just has stunning graphics. They're amazing, and they're in 3D! You may not think 3D graphics is such a big thing, but keep in mind, this is the SNES and the PSX and N64 were just coming out so this was amazing. Anyways the graphics are great and all the places you explore are detailed and nice to look at. Now music is just amazing as well, you're not only treated to some nice happy tunes, but there's some darker songs and everything in between. The music always sets the mood whether you're in a dark scary cave, or strolling along clouds (and yes there's a part of the game where you are walking on clouds). All in all, graphics and audio, big, big, big, big, plus.

Even though this game is great and everything, there's a few things that annoy me. For one, although the characters are nice with a nice balance of old and new characters (Geno FTW), there just didn't feel like enough. I would've liked to see Luigi and Yoshi in there because I felt them and Mario, Peach, and Bowser, are all essential characters you think of when you think Mario. Geno and Mallow are awesome too, but I can't help to feel there should be at least 1 and maybe 2 other characters that are new. 5 characters feels a little short-coming, but maybe there wasn't enough room on the SNES cartridge to handle, but it still annoys me. Fortunately, Yoshi at least makes a nice cameo.

Another thing that annoyed me about this game was how much damage enemies did. One thing I think is weird is how your characters don't seem to get a lot of HP. In most RPGs by Square my characters got a good amount of HP (e.g. Chrono Trigger - my characters reached highest HP at 999; Final Fantasy VI - I have characters over 1000 HP), however in Mario RPG none of any of my characters got above 200 HP. This is a problem when a lot of enemies can do a good amount of damage and you have to constantly east mushrooms or use Peach to heal your players. Towards the end of the game, it becomes essential to have Peach for healing reasons which annoys me because I like RPGs where any party selection you have should be ample to fight enemies/bosses. This is probably the biggest flaw in the game for me, but I look past it because the game is really fun and the gameplay is great so I just am optimistic about the situation.

All in all, Mario RPG is a fun and classic game. The game has a nice story with excellent gameplay and nice graphics and music on top of it all. It's one of the best games on the SNES and many fans of this game (like myself) always come back to playing it again to enjoy the fun it brings and to see some old characters like Geno and Mallow who will probably never see again. But seriously get this game. And Nintendo, bring Geno back.

Get the full article at GameSpot

]]> http://www.gamespot.com/super-mario-rpg-legend-of-the-seven-stars/user-reviews/729437/platform/snes/ Thu, 24 Jun 2010 17:03:44 -0700 wisecrack57 reviewed Fallout 3 for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/fallout-3/user-reviews/725988/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 9.5!

Fallout 3 has given me a new standard of gaming. If I attempt to compare it to other games, they frequently fall short.


POSSIBLE SPOILERS

Starting Fallout 3, there is a bit of a learning curve. I had a bit of trouble figuring out how to use the invaluable Pip-Boy 3000, however once you do figure it out, it is as simple and easy to use as if it were strapped to your own arm.

The story of Fallout 3 starts out a bit slow, and you are confined to the contents of Vault 101. However, because you start off in this very little playground, when you actually leave the vault, it makes the immensly vast world of post-apocalypto DC seem that much more grand by comparison, and that much more intense.

Vault 101 is basically the training wheels of Fallout 3, and you should definately use them wisely, because once you leave that vault, you are not only taken off your kiddy bike, but you are then put on a nice big Harley Davidson instead. The amount of choice you have in where you can go and what you can do is baffling. You could walk for literally miles and never reach a point where you are stopped by some in-game wall or barrier.

The graphics in this game are some of the best I've ever seen, (especially in comparison to the multitude of Nintendo systemsin my posession). In the vault they are not really that amazing, due to the fact that you are confined to dimly late halls in a metallic box. As soon as you leave the vault, it's like a breath of fresh air. The bright, wasteland sun poors down on the baked, scorched earth of the tarnished enviornment. It is truly amazing.

The audio in the is fantastic as well. Every item you use sounds exactly the way it would in real life. Your BB sounds like a BB gun, the bat sounds like a bat, etc. Although, one of the best thing about the sound, is the radio stations. You can tune in from you Pip-Boy into radio stations within range, and it really gives you the sense that this is a (barely) living, breathing world. From the classic 30's tunes that give the game a very bizarrely realistic tone, as if the world were destroyed in the 30's, but in the future at the same time. To the propaganda filled voice of Presedent Etin, who is trying to bring back "America". Presedent Etin is actually so realistic in his creepiness, that my mother and sister, who are not gamers at all, but are sometimes in the room while I play, are incredibly freaked out by it and say that he's really creepy. He's that good.

The story of the game is fantastic. At this point I actually don't know too much, but it slowly unveils itself like an onion, coming off in little layers. This is one of those games where you want to learn about the story. So every little bit of information you get you want to take a look at.
This game is amazing. Anyone that enjoys FPS', RPG's, or just a great game at all, should get this game. I highly recommend it.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"wisecrack57 reviewed Fallout 3 for the Xbox 360..." was posted by wisecrack57 on Thu, 24 Jun 2010 17:03:44 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/fallout-3/user-reviews/725988/platform/xbox360/ Tue, 27 Apr 2010 21:03:41 -0700 WicthBalder reviewed Super Street Fighter IV for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/super-street-fighter-iv/user-reviews/718637/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 9.0!

After Playing Street Fighter IV i was convinced that this was a fun way to bring back street fighter to it's former glory in the video game industry. Adding more fighters. more ultras, more rival battles and beeffing up online play has made this game very fun to play. However, the replay value is not as great as the original street fighter iv. In the first game, both the intros and endings were animated but the intros for this game were just still images.

This game would have gained a 10 out of 10 mark from me, but because there's no replay option for the endings and that the time and survival trials are gone this game feels a little bit of a let down. Unless, Capcom had decided to make those trials as downloadable content that would be a great idea especially since not everyone play online. But Playing this game is very fun non the less.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"WicthBalder reviewed Super Street Fighter IV for the PlayStation 3..." was posted by WicthBalder on Tue, 27 Apr 2010 21:03:41 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/super-street-fighter-iv/user-reviews/718637/platform/ps3/ Sat, 24 Apr 2010 23:02:55 -0700 FartSlash reviewed Final Fantasy XIII for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/final-fantasy-xiii/user-reviews/718308/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 7.0.

FFXIII is a fun game, but it pales in comparison to earlier entries in the series. I feel that square is taking the series further and further towards automation which kind of defeats the purpose of the "game."

Let me explain. I really enjoyed the battle system. Switching paradigms was a good way to keep me entertained and on my toes. The problem lies with auto-battling which optimizes your action queue and unleashes it on whatever target you chose. Because of this, there's very little thought action to action. Fights are more "big picture" and focus on the paradigm thing which is really disappointing since it kind of takes you out of the experience (especially since you can retry after a lost battle and respawn right in front of the enemy that beat you).

That being said, my biggest complaint is the hand-holding you've probably heard so much about. That's right, you don't get 3 party members until 20 or so hours of gameplay and you've met the entire cast in less than 10.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"FartSlash reviewed Final Fantasy XIII for the PlayStation 3..." was posted by FartSlash on Sat, 24 Apr 2010 23:02:55 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/final-fantasy-xiii/user-reviews/718308/platform/ps3/ Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:05:40 -0800 LivleyLegend reviewed Zombies Ate My Neighbors for the SNES... http://www.gamespot.com/zombies-ate-my-neighbors/user-reviews/710262/platform/snes/ ...and gave it a 9.0!

+++Good Points+++

+Great co-op
+48 levels (55 including bonus levels) that never get old or boring
+Wide aresenal of weapons including squirt guns and rocket launchers
+Good challenge
+Password feature is rediculously short

---Bad Points---

-Controls aren't bad but can be annoying in certain situations
-Some level designs are rediculous and require certain weapons to be able to complete

Zombies Ate My Neighbors is an awesome shooter that is fun for everyone. The game is appealing to video game fans, and fans who love horror movies. Like the title says, there will be zombies and plenty of them, but in addition to zombies we also have giant babies, martians, Jason, vampires, mummies, blobs of goo, man-eating plants, psycho killing dolls, and many more horror movie killers. Overall the game is very underrated and never given the credit it deserves and should be on more top SNES games.

Gameplay in this game is good but is one of my biggest problems with the game. First off the controls go like this Y - shoot, X - secondary weapon, B - switch weapon, A - switch secondary weapon, L and R - switch radar on and off, START - pause, SELECT - nothing, and the D pad moves you. So what's wrong with that you might ask? Well using your weapon of course. Keep in mind, this game is a top down view and isn't like Contra where you just use the D pad to point where you shoot, so in this game you shoot in the direction your facing. That can be a problem because enemies come at you in all directions and you're likely to hit cause you have to be constantly moving and turning to kill enemires. This how the controller layout should be: Y - shoot left, B - shoot down, X - shoot up, A - shoot right, L - switch weapons, R - switch secondary weapons, START - pause, SELECT - secondary weapon, D pad - move. And instead of being able to switch the radar on and off, just keep it on permantently on the side with a health and weapon info like the Genesis version. The game would've been better if it was designed with controls like Smash TV was for the SNES. But don't get me wrong the game is still fun with the flawwed controls.

Graphics and audio are good too. While graphics aren't anything flashy, they get the job done. They're bright and colorful and are pretty detailed that are nice to look at. They're no Donkey Kong Country, but they're certainly good. Audio is awesome to me. If you're a huge horror film fan like myself, this soundtrack is perfect for you. The music is very similiar to old 30's and 40's horror films mixed in with some "horrifying" sound affects such as Jason's chainsaw or the sound of your soda grenades blowing blobs of goo up. The game is full of musical goodness.

Weapons in this game is probably the highlight of the game. Zombie games now are all about the biggest guns and shooting the brains out of zombies, whereas Zombies Ate My Neighbors is completely different. Here you'll find weapons like squirt guns, popsicles, silverware, plates, fire extinguishers, bazookas, soda can grenades, weed wackers, and much much more. Also, you'll collection secondary weapons like chests that kill enemies, health packets, keys, skull keys, and other stuff. The game hides these weapons in trash cans, drawers, dressers, on the ground, and other places.

Other things I like about this game is the password feature. While usually most games with passwords kill you with those long-ass passwords that are like 20 characters long, Zombies Ate My Neighbors treats you with passwords that are only 4 characters long. It's less stressful and they're easy to remember. One thing I hate is, you only get passwords every 5 levels instead of every level. It's not a big flaw but it's noticeable and can be annoying when you don't have time to finish the level. And there's 48 regular levels so, you're gunna need a password to beat the game unless you plan on playing the game all day.

While the main objective of the game is to collect your neighbors in every level, they can die and you can just continue on the level not collecting them. However, continuing on from levels can be a pain with my next complaint. Some levels require certain weapons and items to complete and it's annoying. And while most games have this feature, Zombies Ate My Neighbors pissed me off about it. There's one level you need a skull key to continue on and I swear to God I can never find it and I have to save a skull key from another level to beat the level, that's just abd game design. Also, there's a man-eating plant level where you can only kill them with a weed wacker. That's fine, except I already used all my weed wacker ammo on the mummy level and now I'm ****ed. They couldn't just give you an ammo supply of it? Was it that hard? Also, certain parts like the weed wacker, you need certain weapons to not get hurt, like in Dracula's castle when you have to go through the fireplace, better have a fire extinguisher or you're losing health. I mean the game isn't bad cause of this, but it pisses me off sometimes and causes me to not wanna play it.

All in all, Zombies Ate My Neighbors is a great game and a SNES essential. While my problems in the game (bad level designing and bad gameplay) may seem like the essentials to make a game playable, don't take them away from the game. Sure they're annoying, but the game is still fun nonetheless. I mean, I still play this game all the time even though I have those big problems with the game. The game is awesome and especially fun with a friend. You should really pick this up because it's full of charm with it's horror movie references and the sheer funness of busting a cap in a zombie.......with a squirt gun. Overall, this game is superb, and shouldn't be overlooked.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"LivleyLegend reviewed Zombies Ate My Neighbors for the SNES..." was posted by LivleyLegend on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:05:40 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/zombies-ate-my-neighbors/user-reviews/710262/platform/snes/ Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:12:38 -0800 LivleyLegend reviewed Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 for the SNES... http://www.gamespot.com/ultimate-mortal-kombat-3/user-reviews/708974/platform/snes/ ...and gave it a 9.0!

+++Good Points+++

+Tons of characters including many returning classics
+New tournament and 2 on 2 matches
+Multiplayer never gets old
+Controls are perfect
+Noob Saibot and Rain are nice additions

---Bad Points---

-Audio is missing from aracade version
-1 player is fun but computer is rediculous
-Graphics are ok but not nearly as good as arcade version
-No Raiden?

UMK 3 is often looked upon as a good game, but merely a quick cash scam from MK 3. Many of you who probably played MK 3 for the first time remember the shock of seeing no Scorpion, Sub-Zero (ninja version), Reptile, Raiden, or Johnny Cage. How could they do that they were some of the best characters, instead we're introduced to a new batch of unknown characters: WHICH WE NEVER HEARD FROM IN FORVER. Don't get me wrong MK 3 was awesome, but the character selection was very poor. Howeverm this review is of UMK 3, the version I find much better and satisfying. Sure Raiden is still missing but I'll rant about that later. The bottom line is, this game is fun, but there's obvious flaws that make it overlooked compared to MK II.

First off, gameplay in this game is perfect. The SNES controller layout is perfect with your 4 primary attacks (high and low kick, and high and low punch being A, B, X, and Y) were all perfect. Then the L and R buttons were geniously used as Run and Block. Although the Genesis version might be argued to be better due to the fact that the 6 button controller resembles the aracade more but I prefer the SNES version. Second off, I don't know why, but I hated the arcade versions cause of joysticks were hard to pull off special moves and fatalities, but the D pad on the SNES will give you no problems. Again the D pad on the Genesis maybe argued to be better for jumping/flipping but it's all about personal preference. Not to mention, the combos and special moves are rediculously easy and really is one of the reasons UMK 3 is my favorite fighter/MK game.

Graphics and Audio is probably the weakest part of this game however. Graphics aren't bad, but compared to the arcade version well theyre......ummm.....ya they're pretty bad. Also, audio in this game is weak. I mean don't get me wrong the music is kick ass and sounds great but WTF, where's the announcer saying FATALITY. I mean I understand they only had so much space to work with the SNES cartridge and maybe I'm being unreasonable, but when there's a brutality just why the **** does the guy say fatality when the screen clearly says BRUTALITY. That's just bad game designing. Also, the announcer doesn't announce your characters names *sigh*.

Like I stated before this game is really flaw and right here I'm just gunna let loose on all of my issues. First off, like I said graphics and audio are annoying but I'll clearly look by that because of the amount of room they had to squeeze material on. However, I'm pissed off that there's no Raiden, not so much Johnny Cage cause I thought he was a *****, but no Raiden, he's the ****in thundergod for Christ's sake. Also, why is the AI so impossible at times. Like seriously there's times whenever you do a certain mover EVERY TIME, and believe me every time where the AI jsut does the same move to counter attack it. Ask anyone whose played the game. There's fights where you can't touch the person cause they have an impossible pattern and you can't touch them. Play this game and you'll know what I mean. Also, my other problem with not necesarily UMK 3 but the series in general is, why the **** were so many characters in this game we never heard of again til Deception or Armagedon. I mean Nightwolf, Kabal, Sindel, Stryker, Ermac, Jade, and many others not included in 4 or Deadly Alliance. Some of those characters are absolute classics. Also, to add to that, why was Baraka in MK II and never in like any other MK games until MK Deception (I'm not counting Gold cause not too many people have played it), it's the same thing with Baraka in MK II as all the characters I mentioned in MK 3/UMK 3.

However, the game also has some really cool aspects and hidden treasures I love about this game. First off, the fatalities are not dissappointing and I'm still debating if they're better than MK II's because MK II was full of classics (Liu Kang's Dragon, Kung Lao's Body Slice, Raiden's Electrocution). Also, in addition we're treating to new Friendships, Babalities (kinda dumb), Anamalities (funny and clever), and Brutalities. Every character has their own unique one of those (except for Babalities they're all essentially the same), and 2 fatalities. Also, stage fatalities are given for certain stages such as uppercutting people into lava in Scorpion's Lair. Another thing I always liked but isn't that great was Smoke turning into Human Smoke. It wasn't that cool but it was a little charm that was cool to me. Also, new password cheat codes are added before entering a multiplayer match. All the cheats are pretty dumb but there's 2 or 3 good ones. All in all, UMK 3 is full of surprises.

UMK 3 although is definately flawed and it's noticeable it's still a fun game. Having said that you're porbably wondering why I gave it a 9 after all I've *****ed about. Well to be honest the flaws really piss me off, but the game itself is just so fun and addicting. Sure I hate the lack of audio and the graphics, but the game is still awesome. I mean honestly, the flaws I mentioned are mostly due to the technology of the arcade version and the technical limitations of the SNES cartridge. It's still a great game and worth getting. Although people say MK II is better I disagree, MK II is great don't get me wrong, but after playing UMK 3, MK II's gameplay feels slow and boring. UMK 3 is a cult classic and is still popular on the 360 online arcade. If you see this for SNES or Genesis get it (preferably the SNES version), or get it on the X Box arcade cause you can play online and it's the actual arcade version. Beware though if you play the version on the 360 online against people and you're new, you'll get owned and killed in less than 10 seconds. All in all though, UMK 3 is a great game and on of my favorites for the SNES.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"LivleyLegend reviewed Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 for the SNES..." was posted by LivleyLegend on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:12:38 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/ultimate-mortal-kombat-3/user-reviews/708974/platform/snes/ Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:17:35 -0800 LivleyLegend reviewed Chrono Trigger for the SNES... http://www.gamespot.com/chrono-trigger/user-reviews/707943/platform/snes/ ...and gave it a 10.0!!!

+++Good Points+++

+Unique battle system
+Probably the best story in a SNES game
+Addicting
+Multiple endings

---Bad Points---

None

Chrono Trigger is one of the best games ever and probably in the top 3 for best SNES games. I'm not the biggest fan of RPGs and I know other people who aren't RPG fans really either and we all agree Chrono Trigger is amazing. It's a unique RPG that even RPG haters would like. It's pretty linear which I personally like cause I hate RPGs where you don't know where you're going, but Chrono Trigger has a good linear system but has the occasional moments where you have to think to go somewhere.

The storyline in Chrono Trigger is one of my favorites in a video game. It's like reading a book or watching a movie but more interactive. Without giving away anything too much the main story involves the main character Crono as him and a girl he meets Marle see Crono's friend's invention whose name is Lucca, and it sends them back in time. After series of events, you find out this alien Lavos is going to lead an apocolypse in the future and it's up to Crono and the friends he meets on the way to save the future. Sure the story sounds good but not great, but trust me I'm being very, very, very vague and there's many details that make the story much, much, much more interesting and really sucks you in.

The gameplay of this game is just excellent. It's a mix of turn base RPGs with an active meter determining when you get to attack. You can also do techs which are basically special attacks and magic. The thing that makes Chrono Trigger's battling so unique and fun for people who hate RPGs is, you can do double and triple techs where you and other allies do dual or tri attacks that do a lot of damage. It's fun and very cool to see all the different kinds of attacks and certain enemies/bosses you need to use certain moves that harm it more. Also, all the enemies are on screen or most enemies, so there's no random battles which is great. There's an occasional random battle here and there, but they're not common. The fighting the game is all around awesome and never boring.

Graphics and audio is also excellent. Graphics are great, not the best on the SNES, but they're still charming and very good which showcases the SNES' capability. The audio is awesome too. I mean, there's a great mixture of music. The Prehistoric age has very upbeat music which really sets the mood. The Futuristic age is all depressed and gloomy and the music really gives you the empathy of the atmosphere. Also, the battle sequence music is catchy too, and I find myself humming it here and there. Sound effects also great from Crono's sword slashing, to Magus' Dark Bomb magic spell. Overall, Chrono Trigger doesn't disappoint in the sound and graphic area.

The great thing about Chrono Trigger is, not only is it fun to play the first time, but also it's just as fun to play after you beat it. Features like the new+ game (which is where you start a new game with all the stats and items you had from your other game) and the 14 different endings you have in the game just all make it worthwhile to play again and again. I just beat the game yesterday, and I'm already on planning on playing again after I beat my Secret of Evermore file, Super Mario RPG file, and Secret of Mana file (which I will review all when I beat them).

There's very few criticism for Chrono Trigger however. It's criticized for being easy for an RPG. While I kinda agree with that statement as it isn't difficult and it's not challenging like the first Final Fantasy where you have no idea where to go, but the game has some hard boss battles and isn't too easy that makes it boring to play. Also, people criticized it for being too short. Well I don't really agree with that, because it's a SNES game and I spent almost 21 hours on it (including 6 out of the 7 side quests) which I think is a good amount of time. I beat this game in 8 days exact which is good for a SNES game considering I spent 3 days where I played non-stop. Overall, the VERY few criticisms Chrono Trigger receives, takes abosolutely nothing away from the playing experience of the game.

Overall, Chrono Trigger is one of the SNES' finests. The game is highly addictive and is very fun. The only drawback about the game is, you're gunna have to spend around $40 for this game is good condition which is a little pricey. Although, the price of new games are even higher than that, and I think this game can compete with the new games, so don't be hesitant to pay the extra money for a SNES game, it's worth your money. Also, if you have a DS, I recommend this, I don't know if it's any worst or better than the SNES version, but I'm positive you won't be disappointed. All in all, Chrono Trigger is a must have, an ABSOLUTE must have for you SNES collection.

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"LivleyLegend reviewed Chrono Trigger for the SNES..." was posted by LivleyLegend on Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:17:35 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/chrono-trigger/user-reviews/707943/platform/snes/ Sun, 14 Feb 2010 10:48:01 -0800 Mafia217 reviewed Mass Effect 2 for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/mass-effect-2/user-reviews/707278/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 9.5!

Back in 2007, I never was aware of the game Mass Effect until it released. At first I was skeptical since I wasn't well informed about Bioware and all it's successful games back then. Heard the game was good and decided to buy ME1. When I played it, I was thrilled and it was the first time I experienced a game/movie with decisions and actions that could affect the outcome of the entire game. Now in 2010, two years later, ME2 comes around with even better stuff.

So released in January 25,2010, ME2 arrives on shelves and every Bioware fan gets their hands on a copy, just like me. Days after the release, ME2 gets awesome ratings from both critics and players. Now what makes this game so good? I'll guide you through some elements that makes ME2 stand out.


Gameplay: The gameplay in ME2 changed alot from ME1. Now, taking cover is more easy to do and with the press of a button too. In ME1, taking cover was only running up to a wall and the character would automatically take cover. This was annoying as sometimes, the player didn't want to take cover but because he ran up to a wall by accident he wastes time getting out of it. Each gun has now an important role in combat. Some example would be, a heavy pistol is better used against enemies with armor since it's effective against them. In ME1, you could use any weapons and run through a level without the need to think. In addition to all these, your character's shield will go down faster than ME1, which may find some players with no patience annoying. But I find it excellent as it makes take precautions and the use of distraction. Another thing that was added in ME2 was the thermal clips/ammo in weapons. ALOT and I mean alot of players are constantly whining how thermal clips/ammo ruined the combat scenario of the game. I myself find this better, now you can't have the "easy mode" that players missed in ME1. Also, having ammo/clips makes the game fell more shooter than anything else and makes you think twice before throwing yourself against an enemy. Now, this does not mean you are handicapped, the enemy also has to "reload" in order to keep fighting, so there's a little hint of strategy involved.
Also, something that every ME player is grateful is that Bioware took the Mako exploration away in ME2, and we are glad not because of the Mako, but because planet exploration was dull and boring, specially if you are the type that does every planet in multiple walkthroughs. Now in ME2, we get planet scanning which is a bit better. Planet scanning consists of , well, scanning planets for resources or anomalies which is easy. The scanner reticule in the Xbox 360 is a tad slow, so you'll need to be patient. In the PC version, the scanner reticule's speed is the same as the mouse, so it's WAY faster and better than the 360. There are other features in the game that have improved, but I won't spoil anymore for you.

Overall, the gameplay is just better than ME1 by miles. It has everything a player needs and it looks like Bioware has indeed heard player discussions that they went as far as to satisfy us all.

Graphics: Ok, the graphics here are stupendous, better than ME1. It feels much smoother and there's no sign of graphical bugs or anything. Though to be honest the graphics in the PC version are WAY better and smoother, that is IF you have a really powerful PC. One thing that Bioware added to the characters are the tears(crying), which adds more depth to the tragic background info of that character.

Overall the graphics are a heavy improvement compared to ME1.

Music: The music in this game is a masterpiece. Every scene you are always in awe specially when mixed with the music. When you go into a bar and hear the loud "BOOM" from the bass in the speakers to the majestic and yet terrifying sounds in an isolated station. Every musical piece left me with goosebumps, and that's hard to achieve in a game. It felt more than a movie. Trust me when I say all these things, I mean it.

Overall, the music is heavenly, you will enjoy it along with the gameplay and scenes.


Replay Value: Ok, most people are going to be interested in this little section. The replay value in this game is perfect, I've played the damn game 4 times already in different difficulties and I've yet to feel either tired or burned out from it. It's true go ask any other player. I've yet to find the variable that makes this formula of perfection succeed, but you won't regret buying and playing this game.

Overall, the re playability of this game is good, more than good, it's excellent!

In conclusion Mass Effect 2, has gone a complete overhaul from ME1, and by doing so it has created an even better result which every ME fan has always wanted. There's report that there's a few bugs, but nothing that can ruin the gameplay, trust me(it has happened to me too and I've yet to feel anger for it). This game is very recommended to any players and you won't regret once you buy the game. Instead you WILL regret not buying it. So what are you doing reading this, get your butt over and buy yourself a copy!


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"Mafia217 reviewed Mass Effect 2 for the Xbox 360..." was posted by Mafia217 on Sun, 14 Feb 2010 10:48:01 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/mass-effect-2/user-reviews/707278/platform/xbox360/ Sun, 07 Feb 2010 06:28:14 -0800 LivleyLegend reviewed Contra III: The Alien Wars for the SNES... http://www.gamespot.com/contra-iii-the-alien-wars/user-reviews/706021/platform/snes/ ...and gave it a 9.0!

+++Good Points+++

+Fun action shooter that never gets old
+New weapons
+Hard game so you have to try
+Controls are perfect
+Co-op just makes the game better in every aspect.

---Bad Points---

-Way too hard at certain parts
-Top-View stages aren't that fun
-Too short

Contra III is another one of Konami's masterpieces. I have to say anything by Konami during the 8 bit and 16 bit era is great. I've yet to play a bad game by them and they're are always some of my favorite games. If you ever see a sticker on the label of game with Konami GET IT. Konami was THE BEST video game company during the NES, SNES, and Genesis era. Anyways back to the game, Contra III is a classic that should be in any SNES collection.

Gameplay in this game is just perfect. The controls are perfect with every move being responsive and very well designed. L and R are great for the top-view levels controlling the camera, and using R to use precision shooting on the sidescrolling stages was a nice addition. The controls are easy to pick up and help make the game very fun and enjoyable.

Graphics and audio are great too. The graphics are spot on with explosions and stuff blowing up everywhere never looked so good. Speaking of explosions, the sound effects are spetacular and the music is also catchy and upbeat and creates a good mood for the game.

Also some great things about this game is the weapons and the co-op gameplay. You have all your basics likes the Spreader, Flamethrower, and Laser (which the laser is decent this Contra game especially the top-view levels). Also, added to this game is a rocket launcher, a heat seaking rocket launcher, and grenades. Also this game starts you off with a machine gun which is actually a good gun. Also, you can hold up 2 guns so don't feel the need to have to pick just one gun because you can pick 2 great guns. Also, co-op in this game makes the game easier and more fun. The game is fun 1 player but adding another player makes the game more fun and strategic talking to your friend where to kill enemies.

However, with all the great things about this game, there's some problems that many people will agree with me on. For starters, I like hard games and Contra games have never been easy, but this game at parts is just to rediculously hard. I'm pretty good at games and I can only beat this on easy and can't even come close on normal or hard without the help of my Game Genie. Also, the top-view levels are cool for the SNES but they're not that fun and are difficult. The sidescrolling aspect of this game is the reason everyone loves Contra and have the top-view levels is a nice addition to keep it fresh but they just aren't that fun. Also, everyone always complains about this and I do too: the game is just too short. I think the first 2 Contras are longer than this game. And while the game does feature 6 action-packed game, seeing another 4 or at least 2 would've been nicer, but the game has so much replay value that it's still fun to play the 6 only levels.

Overall Contra III is a fun game and one of the SNES best games. It is a classic in every perspective, and is fun to pick up. However, I recommend getting a Game Genie if you want to beat this game on Normal unless you're God at games because this game is extremely hard. All in all though, it's a fun game and you'll spend loads of hours playing it.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"LivleyLegend reviewed Contra III: The Alien Wars for the SNES..." was posted by LivleyLegend on Sun, 07 Feb 2010 06:28:14 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/contra-iii-the-alien-wars/user-reviews/706021/platform/snes/ Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:10:41 -0800 LivleyLegend reviewed Doom for the SNES... http://www.gamespot.com/doom/user-reviews/705814/platform/snes/ ...and gave it a 7.5.

+++Good Points+++

+The granddaddy of FPS is now on SNES
+Fun action game that is still fun to play to this day
+Super FX chip shows its potential

---Bad Points---

-Graphics are bad making the game hard
-Controls aren't bad but feel stiff
-No save feature or even a ****in password system?

Let me start off saying Doom is awesome and definately one of the best FPS that is still fun to this day. It's a classic and every aspect and never gets old. The bad thing about Doom for the SNES is, it just doesn't have that same feeling the PC version has and doesn't feel as classic but still a worthy game in your SNES collection. And the red cardtridge is badass to add.

Gameplay in this game is probably the weakest part in this game. The controls aren't that bad for the SNES speaking in the way the controls are set up. However, the controls seem delayed when you press a button and the straffing seems hard to control. Overall gameplay isn't terrible, but it's not great and its definately noticeable but you will adjust to them eventually.

Graphics is another problem in the game. While the Super FX chip shows it is very strong to show the "3D" stages of Doom, but the game would've been better if they could've somehow designed the game with 2 FX chips. While graphics aren't terrible, they are very hard to see and can be an eyesore. Also, the game can be really hard because you can't see enemies clearly and not to mention the weak controls make it harder to kill them. Audio however, makes up for it in some way. The audio on Doom is just great and is a great example of the SNES capability to produce a good soundtrack. Doom is a heavy metal kind of music which is perfect for me cause I love that kind of music and Doom is also good for other music fans. Also, the music really sets the mood for the creepiness of the game.

This game also features some great guns. While the pistol you start off with sucks, the shotgun and chaingun you get along the way are good additions. The Godly BFG 9000 is another addition that makes the game awesome. Overall FPS games are usually have some of the best weapons in games and Doom is no exception which helped set the bar for FPS games for the future.

Another thing about Doom on SNES is it's impossible to beat. While the game IMO is a good difficulty, it is a pretty long game and impossible to beat in one sitting. So what did the PC do? It added a saving system of course. However SNES Doom didn't have that which is understandable because I mean the cartridge is already filled with a FX chip just to run the game. So a password feature would be nice but WTF? No password feature is just absurd and really pisses me off cause I love this game but I just don't have the time or have the patience to beat the game in one sitting and I'm sure many others feel the same way as me. Also, who wants to keep replaying the same first easy levels just to get back to where you ended the other day, I mean just the idea pisses me off and it's rediculous that there's no password feature.

Overall Doom is a good game and is still fun to play to this day. However, the technology of the SNES really stopped it from being as good as it was on the PC. While the game may be flawed in terms of graphics and controls, but the real kicker for me is no password or save feature really bringing this games rating. Overall a good game that is worth taking a look at, but it doesn't compare to the greatness of the PC version.

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"LivleyLegend reviewed Doom for the SNES..." was posted by LivleyLegend on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:10:41 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/doom/user-reviews/705814/platform/snes/