Ventus09630's GameSpot Friend's Reviews Ventus09630's GameSpot Friend's Reviews Ventus09630'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 03:44:47 -0700 GameSpot Ventus09630'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 17:24:48 -0700 The_Last_Ride reviewed Transformers: Fall of Cybertron for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/transformers-fall-of-cybertron/user-reviews/811396/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 8.5.

The game Fall of Cybertron takes place after the first game that tells the ending of the war between the Autobots and Decipticons. You take control of both sides and getting a deeper perspective from both sides.
There is a multiplayer in this game that has a progression system. There are also several classes to choose from enabling the player to explore more than one way to play.

The Bad:
There is a certain level that totally has a harder difficulty then the others. This is totally different then any of the other levels. The enemies are way harder, and more then the other levels. It also gives you little oppertunity to get more health and ammo. Making it hard even on normal and easy diffuculty. This is something the developer should have taken notice before launching it or fixing it after release.
The campaign is also a little on the short side. There is also little replaybility to the campaign other than trying to get achievments or trying to do it on harder difficulty. It is a shame it is so short, because the story is actually pretty good. Feeling they could have explored the game more with characters. The characters have little screen time other than the many known ones.

The Good:
Even though the story is short and not fully using the potential some of the stories could have had, it is by no chance bad. The story is really well paced and has enough actions and cutscenes to immerse the player in the experience.
The characters are colorful and well written. You never feel dull in the singleplayer experience. With funny and serious moments through the whole campaign makes it a really great game. Great characters and great story.
The gameplay itself is really solid. With a heavy gun and light gun and special abilities for each of the characaters. Examples are Stealth that gives you the ability to actually sneak up on enemies. The really great thing about this is that the level design actually makes you benefit when you use the ablities and it doesn't feel forced in any of them and go with them without any problem. This makes the gameplay even more diverse and giving players more variation. The player can also transform into a vehicle that makes the gameplay even greater, leaving the player to choose either form and playing as you see fit. Some stages in each level might be better to use in one or the other form. They never feel forced and gives the player the option to play how they want. The player also gets to upgrade weapons, perks, abilities, buying perks, etc. And gives a sense of depth to game.
The multiplayer is really good and gives the player the choice of making the robots to look how they want, giving them different weapons and in the end a lot of choice how they want to play it. There was no issue with lag when i played this.
The graphics has its own style and does stand out to the eye. It really is amazing at times. Especially when looking at cities and the horizon of large buildings. Just showing how great the world looks like.
The voice acting is really good. They really bring the characters to life and brining old actors back from the animated series is also a great plus for fans of the series. The guns sound also really authentic and makes you want to shoot a robot right in the face with great results.
Overall
With players given the choice between abilities, lots of weapons, transforming, great story and just a lot of choice for the player. The story might be linear, but they player gets to choose how they want to play. It never truly feels like you are just passing through and actually experiencing a greay game. If you can look past a few flaws, it is a really great game to have in your library

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]]> http://www.gamespot.com/transformers-fall-of-cybertron/user-reviews/811396/platform/xbox360/ Thu, 16 May 2013 06:25:07 -0700 pokecharm reviewed Where's My Perry? for the iPhone/iPod... http://www.gamespot.com/wheres-my-perry/user-reviews/811368/platform/iphone/ ...and gave it a 6.0.

The Where's Perry app was the free app of the week at Starbucks this past week, so I took the time to sift through a little bit of it after playing the free version months ago. The principle of the game appears simple at first. The goal is to get Agent P, Perry the Platypus, through the tubes to thwart Doof by clearing the way of water through tunnels. The first few levels are simple, by using your finger, or a stylus, you clear the rubble away. Amongst the rubble are also secret agent files and other items as well as gnomes that can be collected. The water has to douse the gnomes in order for them to be considered collected.

The game is actually quite addictive. I played about 20 minutes yesterday, but thought it had only been five or less. The graphics are quite good, I'm using an iPad 2 and the voices, Major Monogram and Dr. Doofenshmirtz are spot on. There are, so far, no appearances of Phineas or Ferb as of yet. The unlockables as you move along are for either other agents, some seen in various episodes of the show. The other unlockables are for Dr. Doofenshmirtz's inators, which are also very amusing.

Though this game won't ever garner great recognition, it is a fun game, perfect for a tablet or phone. For the price, I believe $3 only, it is well worth the purchase.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"pokecharm reviewed Where's My Perry? for the iPhone/iPod..." was posted by pokecharm on Thu, 16 May 2013 06:25:07 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/wheres-my-perry/user-reviews/811368/platform/iphone/ Wed, 15 May 2013 07:45:17 -0700 pokecharm reviewed Bulletstorm for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/bulletstorm/user-reviews/811333/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 6.5.

Bulletstorm starts off with a bang and doesn't slow down, despite a heavy dose of sophomoric dialogue and meandering story. The game is a first-person shooter (FPS) style that follows Grayson Hunt who is the leader of a special operations unit. Within the first five minutes of gameplay it is soon discovered that Hunt and his team have been deluded and decide to take action against the man who set them up to kill innocent people. What follows is a quick game of shoot anything that moves with any variety of weapons.

What Bulletstorm lacks in story it more than makes up for with easy controls and game play. The weapons are varied and you're able to swap them in and out at regular intervals. The enemies are only slightly varied as you move through the game, but the way you interact with each does change based on what weapons you have and what is lying around. The game awards points based on skilful ways of killing people. If you just shoot them down, 10 points. If you use a piece of the environment, you can get 100 or more. This added element encourages you to use things around you and not just run and gun, as most FPS games do.

The voice acting goes only as far as the story will allow it. The story is predictable, but yet it doesn't feel stagnant. I didn't feel bored at any point even though I could have guessed what would happen next. The dialogue was purposely childish, pandering to the lowest common denominator for the target audience, yet I didn't find it nearly as distracting or disgusting as I thought I would. The fact that the story resolves itself in decent fashion makes the lacklustre story worthwhile.

The graphics were actually decent, not great, but decent. A had a few screen issues and once had to restart a checkpoint because I was lodged inside something. With no jump button, it made movement very linear. The sound was spot on, especially for most of the explosions that occurred throughout the game.

Bulletstorm will never be up for a Game of the Year award. What it lacks in story it more than makes up for in easy game play and just plain fun. The game is a hidden gem, one I acquired for a cool $2 used, no, I'm not kidding. For that price, I can't be disappointed with any of the game. There was a good variety of things to do and achievements to unlock. The game wasn't too hard, but did require precision at some points. Overall, if you can get it used, it is well worth getting.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"pokecharm reviewed Bulletstorm for the Xbox 360..." was posted by pokecharm on Wed, 15 May 2013 07:45:17 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/bulletstorm/user-reviews/811333/platform/xbox360/ Tue, 14 May 2013 16:20:52 -0700 AQWBlaZer91 reviewed Tales of Phantasia for the PlayStation... http://www.gamespot.com/tales-of-phantasia-1998/user-reviews/811304/platform/ps/ ...and gave it a 8.5.

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Game Title: Tales of Phantasia
Platform: PSOne
Developer: Wolfteam
Publisher: Namco
Genre: Action Role Playing Game
Age Rating: Cero: A, ESRB: T for Teen (Rated by Fans)
Original Release Date: December 23rd 1998
Translation Team: Absolute Zero/Phantasian Productions
Fan-Translation Patch Release Date: Absolute Zero: 25th December 2007 Phantasian Productions: 31st December 2012
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Game Score: 8.8/10
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Summery:
If you're still into old school style RPG's then Tales of Phantasia for the PlayStation is one RPG that is both impressively remastered and still enjoyable after a long while.
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Looking at your old dusty Gray PlayStation game console, you only played it every now and then today cause you only missed playing all our favourite games such as Resident Evil. Gran Turismo, Sypro, Crash,, Final Fantasy and the legendary Metal Gear Solid. Nearly towards the consoles timeline had been ended mostly RPG's helped keep it going for a short extra while. How about this, a fan translation group called Phantasian Productions independently worked on a English translation patch for the 1998 PlayStation enhanced remake of the original Tales Of title that started it all as well as it's counterpart Absolute Zero who released their English Patch of the game in 2007. It did took Phantasian Productions 12 long years for their project to start in it's beta stages, getting the right men and time to get to work on translating and adding some new features to make it feel as if Namco would have localised this game instead of the inferior GBA version.

For those who have not seen the original version nor played the GBA version, Tales Of Phantasia was originally released on the Super Nintendo in Japan of 1995, it was Namco's first entry into the popular running RPG series and it showcased 48 bit capabilities for it's impressive graphics and a powerful soundchip which allowed voice samples and tje opening song being played in the intro. Three years later it got remastered for the PlayStation and thanks to the translation efforts, it's one of, if not the best version of the game we can get our hands on.

Tales Of Phantasia follows teenage swordsmen Cress Albane (whose known as Cless Alvein in this version) who sees a mysterious spirit who lives inside of a withered tree. Cress returns to witness the destruction of his village and the death of his parents. Cress embarks on a journey which transcends him from space and time to stop an evil lord known as Dhaos who's intends on eliminating anyone related to the power of magic. Tales Of Phantasia's story wasn't anything as gripping as Square's Chrono Trigger but however the game has solid writing for both fan-translation patches and enjoyable characters that still make them as engaging as they were back then. Characters such as Chester Burklight who is Cress' bast friend and archer, Mint Adenade a Cleric, Claus F Lester a summoner and Arche Klaine a magic user. The English fan-translation patches does an excellent job of translating the dialogue even if Phantasian's is sometimes complex to read and Absolute Zero having only a few translation liberties. Dispute this it's still excellent writing and on top of that there are also some new cutscenes as well as some anime sequences that add more tension to the story.

Tales Of Phantasia started of the Tales formula so you'll feel right at home if you've played future titles in the series. However in the PlayStation version the game includes brand new features on top of the games original content. The game goes by the series pacing, if you haven't played any game in the series then simply it's an Action RPG where you wonder through the world map where you can go into dungeons, move on from one town to the next for the next part in the story while having to fight off against a group of monsters along the way. Towns serve as your resting points and you can interact with NPC's and you can visit shops to purchase items and better gear. In Dungeons there are some puzzles that require you to press switches, pull statues or rocks out of your way or to other spots on the map which are needed to open doors to the next area. Later on you'll acquire an accessory called a Successor's Ring which can shoot fireballs at switches from afar. At the end of each dungeon there will be a challenging boss battle to fight off against and then it's back to town to rest up and move on to the next portion of the game. Tales Of Phantasia keeps it's pacing balanced in between cutscenes and gameplay so that you never waste to much time doing one thing at once. Tales Of Phantasia also has a few minigames that you'll find in between and of course the game has it's original side quests on top of the brand new content.

Most notably is the redesigned graphics and improved soundtrack unlike Square's PS1 versions of the old Final Fantasy and Chorno Trigger games. The characters as well as the locations have been redesigned with new signs and different colour palette which look more impressive then did look back then. Characters are still pint sized but however do they have additional and smoother animations that make them more cleaner. The World Map has also changed into 3D and it's castles, mountains and towns have all received a bump up in detail and they look way more shaper then the original and later GBA releases. The Soundtrack itself has remixed tunes as well the opening music track that plays in the opening intro which are great with one exception. The track that plays when you fight against a summon spirit called Fighting of the Spirit has perhaps one of (if not) the best remix version that is ever heard in games in the series ever, it was so fantastic that when I took on my first summon spirit I actually paused the game for a few minutes just to listen to it. To fans including myself this track is simply that powerful.

Tales Of Phantasia on the Super Nintendo was the first game in the series to introduce the Linear Motion Battle System, however this version of the game uses an updated system that was used in it's 1997 instalment Tales Of Destiny. For those who never heard of the system, simply battles take place inside a small side scrolling battle arena where characters and monsters engage each other in real time combat. You control Cress in battle while your allies are controlled by the AI, you can have up to 4 members of your party to fight together but however you can switch Cress out and play as other characters if you want. The controls for battle are Circle or regular attacks, Cross for your abilities known as Artes, Square makes your character black incoming enemy attacks and Triangle brings up the battle menu where you can change party members behaviour in battle, use items, change formation and set your abilities whilst you can also do these outside of battle. You can use the D-pad and Circle to do different main attacks such as Down+Circle for a Thrust attack or Up+Circle for an upward slash. L1 reverses your party formation if incase the enemies surround you and you can switch between different different targets on the screen with the R1 button. There are 3 different battle controls that you can use. Auto allows the AI to take control of your party members, Semi Auto allows you to control your character but not fully while Manuel mode allows you to fully control your character. Phantasian Productions has given Cress an accessory called the Technical Ring when you start the game, this will give you the Manuel Control option. When equipped which allows you to freely move around the Battlefield without constantly returning to your standard position.

Regardless of what the game says on the back of the box, you can actually get a second player to control another character by plugging in a controller and equipping a second character with a Channelling accessory. You can also plug in a PlayStation Multitap to allow up to 4 players each equipped with Channelling accessories to be able to play together locally.

Characters have their own abilities that are called Artes which are basically skills of strike and magical attacks which are used to take down powerful enemies in the game. It's easier to combine Strike Artes with Magic Artes as they do more damage then standard attacks. Artes can be learned by levelling up while some others such as Magic Artes and also Arcane Artes can be purchased b NPC's while summon spirits are earned through battles with them. They can be turned off in the Artes menu or can just assign your teammates to use them Manually or shortcut buttons.

For characters styles of fighting, Cress relays on his weapons such as Swords, Axes and Spears. Cress' attack has two different attack stats that represent one for Slash and one for Thrust. Swords doing all round damage, Axes are better for Slash while Spears are better for Thrusting. Chester Burklight is an Archer who shoots arrows at enemies and in this version Chester can now have his own Artes which makes a useful Long Range character in battle unlike in the SNES version. Mint Adenade is the party's healer and can use a variety of healing and support spells to keep your members alive when injured or inflicted with status aliments. Claus F Lester is a summoner and can summon beasts that you've earned from beating them in battle while Arche Klein is a magic user who can conjure up deadly spells like Ice Tornado, Eruption, Thunder Blade and advanced spells like God's Breath, Fire Storm and Indignation. The updated battle system offers plenty of depth and rebalance as well as tweaks such as removing Mints Valkyrie spell and Arche's Extinction. Boss battles are cool and challenging and also Phantasian Productions has also added additional difficulties which can make the game almost impossible and must only be attempted by masters of the game due to the aggressive AI and uneven stats each monster has. Ether way it's an amazingly addictive combat system but it's understandable that it isn't as advanced as future titles.

For the most part the battle mechanics have improved quite a lot from it's SNES counterpart but however there is one issue, the random encounter frequency. Random battles are triggered every few steps on the world map and in dungeons, the problem with that is that it tends to bother you when you're solving a puzzle which becomes aggravating. However it is important to grind because bosses do tend to put up a reasonable challenge and later enemies can really mess you up and put you in a disadvantage.

In addition to the updated battle system, there are numerous new features to the game that are added in this version while others not seen in the later GBA version. First up is cooking, it allows you to cook recipes for your party members to recover HP, TP and other status elements. You've seen this idea in perhaps later Tales Of games like Eternia, Symphonia, Abyss and so on as this proved useful in keeping your party members healthy even if the ingredients became expensive.

There are around 25 recipes in the game to find in towns as they each have what's called a Wonder Chef. Another new feature is titles which some can think as achievements but however it's for characters for completing certain actions in the game, some of these are acquired through levelling and story while you can get others through sidequests.

Speaking of which are also some new sidequests in this version as well as brand new areas and dungeons. New areas involve the updated shadow dungeon and the extended Treant Forest which can be difficult to go through. There is a brand new minigame where you play as Arche in a Horizontal 2D shooter as you use both front and backward attacks to take down everything on the screen, there is also one sidequest following a young ninja girl named Suzu Fujibayashi where you need to help her find her parents and doing so will allow her to join you in battle. She uses her Ninjitsu to rapidly cut down enemies, throw fiery shurikens and summon a mighty giant frog that can breathe fire, yes it can breathe fire...just don't ask how.

If you're still into old school style RPG's then Tales of Phantasia for the PlayStation is one RPG that is both impressively remastered and still enjoyable after a long while. With improved mechanics, brand new extra content as well as great storyline and characters make it the best version of Tales Of Phantasia available to English speaking gamers. You will be held back by the Phantasian Productions patch's issues with the collector's book and looking at one location on the map, it also has a major issue if ran on the PS2 where you get up to the final boss and then crashes. It's more playable on PS1 Emulators and modded PS1 Consoles but at least you can use Absolute Zero's patch which at least has no issues. If you can ignore those issues and want the additional difficulties then go with Phantasian Productions but otherwise stick to the Absoulte Zero English Patch which came before it. Tales Of Phantasia is now 18 years old and thankfully for the title in the series, it's tale has aged wonderfully.
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The Good Points:
1. Improved Battle Mechanics and also has 4 Player support
2. Several new additions such as side quests, replacements and improvements in-which some of them where not seen in the later GBA version
3. Phantasian Productions Patch provides new difficulty settings (when unlocked) and also has the options to have Artes named differently
4. The best version of Fighting of the Spirit heard in any version, Ever
5. Characters still engaging and enjoyable and also the added cutscenes and some Animé sequences add more to the story

The Bad Points:
1. Awkward random encounter frequency
2. Phantasian Productions English Patch has a few minor bugs
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Reviewed by: Anthony Hayball (AQWBlaZer91)
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"AQWBlaZer91 reviewed Tales of Phantasia for the PlayStation..." was posted by AQWBlaZer91 on Tue, 14 May 2013 16:20:52 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/tales-of-phantasia-1998/user-reviews/811304/platform/ps/ Sun, 12 May 2013 14:12:36 -0700 The_Last_Ride reviewed Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-2/user-reviews/811234/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 7.5.

Modern Warfare 2 continues the campaign and the pushes the franchise forward in the modern setting even further. The multiplayer returns as we are used to in the series.
Spec Ops is a nice change of pace making Co-Op avaliable over internet and locally. This mode contains of waves of enemies coming against you and trying to survive with a friend on your side. There are three difficulties for each map, and you are able to test your skills how much you can plan and use skills to get through the waves of enemies.
The multiplayer is also back with new perks, weapons, and levels. This time around there are 10 prestiges to do. If someone wants a real challenge and try to level up again 10 times with all the challenges and weapons, it's a nice change of pace.
The Bad:
The singleplayer is as forgetable as ever. The player takes control over several persons through the campaign and gets you a perspective of things. This had worked, if the story had some sort of depth. But all it really is, is a shallow attempt at an action movie. Some might also be shocked from the infamous airport level, but this game is also labeled as mature. The plot tries to take itself seriously, but when you eventually see plot twists coming from a mile away and all of the levels being very linear. When i mean linear, it's basicly either a stand off trying to survive enemies, escort missions, corridor shooting or simple running from A to B. There are no alternative ways to actually engage the enemy when the actual fire begins. Everything is control with smaller quick time events and very scripted events through the whole story. There are no alternate ways to play the levels. There are intel packs to be collected in each level, but there is barely any exploring. It does not give the player any creativity when it comes to the gameplay itself. The whole singleplayer is basicly just point and shoot with cinematics explosions with forgetable dialogue and characters.

The graphics on the console aren't as good as the pc counterpart, and it shows if you have seen the pc version. Some framerate issues can be seen on the console version.

The Good:
The gameplay is very solid, making tweaks to make it more solid. The gameplay mechanics really shine through in the multiplayer where you can choose your own weapons and perks to your liking and play the way you really want to. The multiplayer has enough depth and options to give the players of this game a good reason to play it.

The sound of the gun mechanics and the game itself are solid, and don't have any real flaws. The guns sound good enough to make the player believe the gun sounds coming out of the actual guns when shooting them.

Spec Ops gives the player also a reason to try out the Co-Op part of the game with several difficulties. Makes it possible to have a friend locally or over internet to play with you. These levels are well designed and could give players that want to explore this part of the game much fun to be had.

Even though most of the singleplayer is plain, the voice actors make it relevant to even take notice of these shallow characters. Making them believable and humane. If there is anything that is good about the singleplayer it would be the voice acting, even though the story and the way the character progress is really shallow.

Overall:
It's a good multiplayer game for those that want either a Co-Op experience or a massive online expeience, then this should be in your collection. But if you want to get this game for it's singleplayer, you should stay away from it. Because it has nothing of depth in there or even worth exploring.

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]]> http://www.gamespot.com/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-2/user-reviews/811234/platform/ps3/ Sat, 11 May 2013 04:28:33 -0700 Spinnerweb reviewed Angry Birds for the iPhone/iPod... http://www.gamespot.com/angry-birds/user-reviews/811201/platform/iphone/ ...and gave it a 2.0.

"Angry Birds is so cute!" "Angry Birds is so awesome!" "Little birdies, take wing..." How many times have you heard sentences like these in the past half-decade? I would guess around 950, 000 times.

But Angry Birds is the Justin Bieber of video games. It's undeservingly popular and is potentially dangerous. Some of the birds are cute, and that's about it. It's a game where skill is thrown into a lake of carnivorous piranhas and all you do is pull the birds back on the slingshot and kill annoying green pigs.

There's only one tune in the whole game (not counting the tune that plays when you beat a level, which is almost the same and lasts, oh, half a second), and it's very annoying. The birds make noises when they launch and when you tap the screen to use their special ability, like the yellow bird can speed up, but that's all there is to it.

The visuals are decent - compared to most iPhone games anyway - but the game isn't enjoyable. It's nothing but pure frustration. You pull the birds and launch them repeatedly just for the heck of it. You become the Rambo of video games. You don't even look if you're hitting the pigs, all you want is to beat the level just so that you can get the hell out of here.

I don't know why this game is so popular - yes, the birds are cute, but then babies are cute and yet except for Charlie in the 'Charlie Bit My Finger' video none of them became exactly famous. Maybe it's because some people don't know what games are. They think they're just crap like this where you just exercise your index finger and leave smudges across your iPhone screen.

One of the worst, no, THE worst because of its undeserved popularity, casual games of all time.

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"Spinnerweb reviewed Angry Birds for the iPhone/iPod..." was posted by Spinnerweb on Sat, 11 May 2013 04:28:33 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/angry-birds/user-reviews/811201/platform/iphone/ Sat, 11 May 2013 04:12:07 -0700 Spinnerweb reviewed Resident Evil: Deadly Silence for the DS... http://www.gamespot.com/resident-evil-deadly-silence/user-reviews/811200/platform/ds/ ...and gave it a 8.0.

Resident Evil: Deadly Silence is a port of the original Resident Evil on the PS1. What's truly impressive is that everything - the FMV cutscenes, the gameplay and the sound - all of it from the PS1 is intact. This is an amazing achievement for a DS game.

It's the same story, which means it's very good. The graphics are almost identical to the PS1 version except for some effects, and there isn't any slowdown which is a problem in quite a number of 3D games for the DS.

There's more - a new Rebirth mode, which can be called something like, 'Resident Evil Remixed.' Enemies are at different locations from the original version, and it's slightly harder. There are new puzzles, and it makes use of the DS's touchscreen and microphone.

The cutscenes are fully voiced, and the FMV cutscenes are all there and haven't been dumbed down. The game plays quite well with the DS's controls, and best of all, Resident Evil is finally portable.

Any horror game fan with a Nintendo DS would do well to play this.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"Spinnerweb reviewed Resident Evil: Deadly Silence for the DS..." was posted by Spinnerweb on Sat, 11 May 2013 04:12:07 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/resident-evil-deadly-silence/user-reviews/811200/platform/ds/ Sat, 11 May 2013 03:07:00 -0700 Spinnerweb reviewed Facebook for the BlackBerry... http://www.gamespot.com/facebook/user-reviews/811198/platform/blackberry/ ...and gave it a 1.0.

Facebook... Why is it so successful? Because it encourages people to waste time. It is a menace to society. People visit it, everyday, posting things like, 'Brushing my teeth', 'having my breakfast' ... I mean, who cares?

The only beings it makes sense for is the older generation. Like, can't-get-out-of-my-wheelchair old. They can talk to their friends and it'll be like old times again.

But oddly, young 'uns use Facebook the most.

And it's glitchy. Every page you go to, it says, "Oops, ironing out a few kinks." There are awful waste-your-time online games like YoVille, FarmVille, ZooVille, CityVille and a possible AssVille.

I urge everyone to stay away from this.

It does nothing but create a bunch of narcissistic self-obsessed attention seekers, and I wish for a crushingly violent punishment for the assclown who came up with the idea of Facebook.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"Spinnerweb reviewed Facebook for the BlackBerry..." was posted by Spinnerweb on Sat, 11 May 2013 03:07:00 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/facebook/user-reviews/811198/platform/blackberry/ Fri, 10 May 2013 22:42:33 -0700 Spinnerweb reviewed Tomb Raider: Underworld for the DS... http://www.gamespot.com/tomb-raider-underworld/user-reviews/811192/platform/ds/ ...and gave it a 6.0.

It's easy to see that unlike other developers, Santa Cruz really did try (a little) to make this a good handheld version of a console game. But for whatever reason, whether out of laziness or because it was rushed to meet the release date, they didn't succeed. The end result is a game that is impressive in terms of visuals, but a mixture of too-easy gameplay and choppy sound results in a game that is disappointing and doesn't last very long.

One feat that I would commend the developers for is that the FMV cutscenes are all here, and all are intact, without any loss in quality. That is something that induces a 'wow', but let's get onto the actual game. The story is the same as the console version - in other words, it's very good, but after that it's downhill.

The graphics, like I said before, are amazing for a DS game. There is no slowdown like in other 3D games on the Nintendo DS, and the lighting is great. The character models aren't HD, of course, but they look very good on the DS.

The gameplay is on the easy side. Like, disappointingly easy. Sometimes you die because you don't expect it to be so easy and overshoot. Unbelievable. And there is no increase in difficulty as the game goes along.

The game plays like a 2D side scrolling platformer, but with 3D character models and environments. You use the touchscreen for the inventory. And man, the screen is dark! You'll only be able to see everything if you play on a DS Lite on the highest brightness setting. It's easy, even though Lara has all her moves from the console games like hanging from ledges, swinging around poles and using her grapple, because it's side scrolling. You can't fall off because you jumped a little too much to one side.

It should take an average of less than six hours to beat this game. So what good you can take from this game, can be taken from its screenshots - the graphics. Aside from that, unless it's your life's goal to collect every Tomb Raider game on every platform, or you don't have any other console to play this on except the DS, I would dissuade you from playing it.

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"Spinnerweb reviewed Tomb Raider: Underworld for the DS..." was posted by Spinnerweb on Fri, 10 May 2013 22:42:33 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/tomb-raider-underworld/user-reviews/811192/platform/ds/ Fri, 10 May 2013 21:12:33 -0700 Spinnerweb reviewed Tomb Raider: Underworld for the PlayStation 2... http://www.gamespot.com/tomb-raider-underworld/user-reviews/811190/platform/ps2/ ...and gave it a 9.0!

Poor Lara. While I enjoyed every single Tomb Raider game in the original series, her popularity has been plummeting for a while now. People just can't be satisfied that easily. So what do the developers do? Do they just put in revealing costumes and a cover starring her midriff and hope it'll sell? Of course not. They do that, but they make a great game as well.

Underworld continues the story where Legend left off, and the story is very good. If this had to be the end of the series it's very satisfyingly so. My greatest fear, however, was that the game would be half-assed on the PS2 and the developers would give all the attention to the seventh generation version. But right from the start, Underworld restored my faith in developers. The FMV cutscenes are excellent, and amazingly the in-game graphics are comparable to the PS3 version - this isn't a joke. Whether it's because the PS3's version's graphics are bad or the PS2 one's are very good, depends on whether you see the glass as half empty or half full.

The gameplay is very similar to Legend, but it's more non-linear. You can do more stuff now - shift along small ledges just by moving the analog stick rather than taking a risky jump, and there's an obligatory bike in one level. There's also a 'realistic' factor that makes it more believable through animations and excellent graphics - when standing near a fire in the first level, Lara will raise her arms in that direction to protect herself from the heat. After climbing out of water, Lara's clothes will be drenched. Yes, the latter also happened in Legend and Anniversary, but I never stopped being amazed at how much the developers did on the PS2 in the matter of visuals. The music is good, and the voice acting is well done. There is some minor slowdown in the gameplay of the second level (the one with the giant squid in it) but it never amounted to excessive frustration.

Of course, it's still a PS2 game, so the developers had to make some sacrifices - namely, the double auto target mode from the PS3 version isn't here. Ah well. Who wants that, anyway?

Overall, the now-bankrupt developers did a really good job with it and it's a shame the series was rebooted, though it couldn't have gone on forever obviously and over a decade is a nice long run for a series... but Underworld is a very satisfying end to the original series whichever platform you play it on.

... Except the Nintendo DS, of course.



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"Spinnerweb reviewed Tomb Raider: Underworld for the PlayStation 2..." was posted by Spinnerweb on Fri, 10 May 2013 21:12:33 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/tomb-raider-underworld/user-reviews/811190/platform/ps2/ Tue, 07 May 2013 08:26:26 -0700 The_Last_Ride reviewed Assassin's Creed III for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/assassins-creed-iii/user-reviews/811091/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 8.0.

In this sequel to the Assassin's Creed games, we visit early colonial America. It starts with Haytham Kenway and him making his way to the new America to search for where his relics may be of use. He is also searching for clues left behind by Minerva and Juno that both Assassin's and Templars are looking for. This part of the story is very linear and serves as an origin story. There is a little plot twist after you are done with his story. After a few hours in you take over Connor, Kenway's son and continue the story from there.
There is a new setting setting in this game never shown before with the forest and animals being a part of the game. Hunting and skinning animals are also part of the game. This game does not have any upgrades when it comes to the home where the character is settled.
The whole setting takes the whole american revolution and takes the fictional characters such as Haytham and Connor and puts them right in the middle of them. They also have real characters such as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and other known persons from that era.
The gameplay and combat itself has been changed a little bit. The counter system has been worked on and needs more timing than before. This can make confronting larger more challenging

The bad:
Something that sticks out right away after the beginning is that guards recognize you immediately if you just have one on your notorious level. You get recognized faster when you are on rooftops, it does not give you any incentive to actually climb the houses in the cities of New York and Boston. The posters for you to get noticed less is even removed from your map entirely making it harder for you to lose your character getting noticed by guards.

The modern part of the story also has a bigger role in this, which isn't bad. But the sour note the game. With the game ending on the biggest cliffhanger in the entire Assassin's Creed series. The other ones in the series, might not have a a real ending except for Revelations ending Ezio's and Altairs story. They just leave one big question mark and break the entire series with such a an ending. It will be a big dissapointment for those that have played all of the games and might even anger some.

The new homestead isn't upgradable and doesn't really give you any incentive to go deeper. It gives you more story to some characters if you are invested in the game and want a little more story to it. Some are interesting, but they consist mostly of fetch quests and mostly consist you doing the same with helping them with something they can't do themselves. They can be really tedious to do if you can't get invested in the characters. The upgrades and shipments you do with the homestead are pretty much useless and doesn't really give any depth to the game. Looking at the result of this design decision it is not clear what was suppose to be the meaning of this whole system.

The counter system doesn't always respond the way you want it to, and get often hit even though the timing is good.

The good:
The graphics of this game are a really big upgrade to the previous games in the series, and it is really stunning to watch, wether it is the cutscenes or exploring the world. It is truly beautiful to look at.

The characters of this story are strong, some might be used to the idea of a character of the likes of Ezio and Altair. They have to keep in mind that this is a whole new character, with his own story and problems. The voice acting is great, and give depth to the characters and the story itself. Even though that i have mentioned that the "modern" ending for the game ends on a big cliffhanger, doesn't mean that this game doesn't have a good story. Connors and Haytham's story through this game is really good and worth experiencing.

The audio and sound effects are well made and the mood it sets when traveling in the forest is really important, could have felt really empty if this wasn't case.

The gameplay has also improved. The climbing has never been this fun, even though the game does not give you any real incentive to actually climb and explore the rooftops because of troops, doesn't mean the mechanics for it are bad. Far from it, it's never been this much fun to actually climb which is really sad when the notorious system undermines this mostly.
The combat is more realistic and requires the user to time the counters more, it can be really fun when have a few opponents and really dominate them, but when you have several enemies against you it can work against you.

Overall this is a mixed bag, there is enough though to actually play this game, even though some might be dissapointed with this being the biggest and best in the series, it is far from being a bad game. It is worth a shot if you are an Assassin's Creed fan, but also keep in mind, this might not be the overall best game. I did not encounter many bugs in my Xbox version, but that doesn't mean this is free of bugs and glitches.

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"The_Last_Ride reviewed Assassin's Creed III for the Xbox 360..." was posted by The_Last_Ride on Tue, 07 May 2013 08:26:26 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/assassins-creed-iii/user-reviews/811091/platform/xbox360/ Sun, 05 May 2013 16:44:24 -0700 pokecharm reviewed Resident Evil: Revelations for the 3DS... http://www.gamespot.com/resident-evil-revelations/user-reviews/811037/platform/3ds/ ...and gave it a 7.0.

Resident Evil Revelations was the first game that drew my attention to the 3DS. The story is just as derivative as you would expect with a series that has such a lengthy history, at points you're not sure which was is up, and I strongly encourage you watch through the credits for any hidden pieces.

The story follows various different characters, two familiar to long-time fans, Chris Redfeild and Jill Valentine. With those two, you also pick up a bevy of new characters who are both memorable and forgettable. My favourite is the kid paired with Qunit who's name escapes me. The story is set between Resident Evil 4 and 5, placing this after Leon's adventure and by far my favourite of all the RE games. Jill and Chris are separated for the beginning of the game, introducing two new characters, Parker and Jessica. Neither are all that memorable, but at the same time, I did feel like they were very dynamic characters, their motivations and dialogue leading you to believe they were real people and not flat characters as you would see in a Gears of War like game.

The story gets dizzying at times, but what stood out for me the most was the variety of weapons. You start off with a pair of standard weapons and one melee weapon. As you move through the game and go into different areas, as you get more items, you get more and more powerful weapons. Upgrades are found that can be swapped in and out of each weapon. Much like the recent change to Dead Space, you can apply an addition to each weapon, if you don't like how it works, you can swap it to another with no penalty. I ended up sticking with the shotgun and machine gun as my most favourite weapons, putting the most powerful upgrades in each.

The game is featured on a smaller console, and while I could tell the difference in the 3D, once again, I can't say I was overly impressed by the 3DS display. The cut scenes were decently rendered, but the actual game play graphics are limited by the tiny 3DS screen and the passable 3D graphics. I do wonder how they will upconvert the graphics with the console cousin coming out soon.

The controls and game play were easy to pick up and understand. During some of the boss battles, things would seem get frustrating, forcing you to press a certain button repeatedly to get up or force you to press the reload button when your character should auto-reload when you ran out of ammo. There was very little dodge to the dodge button, which also made some sequences tough. At varying points, you couldn't avoid hits from the enemies, making boss battles especially challenging.

The length of the game was appropriate given that it is a mobile game. I finished the game over the weekend, putting in less than 10 hours. While this isn't the best RE game I've ever played, it is the best one I've played in recent memory. The game does feel a lot like RE4 in both controls and story. It is well worth playing, though perhaps not for the full $40 I paid when it was released.

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"pokecharm reviewed Resident Evil: Revelations for the 3DS..." was posted by pokecharm on Sun, 05 May 2013 16:44:24 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/resident-evil-revelations/user-reviews/811037/platform/3ds/ Sun, 05 May 2013 08:10:02 -0700 Spinnerweb reviewed Way of the Samurai 2 for the PlayStation 2... http://www.gamespot.com/way-of-the-samurai-2/user-reviews/811025/platform/ps2/ ...and gave it a 6.0.

Samurai. The legends of Japan. People who would commit suicide instead of surrendering, if my history book told me the truth.

Way of the Samurai 2 is not about samurai. That may be surprising, but it seems the developers have never seen a history textbook. In this game, you create a character, and you're a bum with a sword in feudal Japan who is starving when a little girl gives him a rice ball to eat, at the start of the game. Guess that makes you a samurai? Anyway, the story is not so great, and given how short the game is you would have thought the developers would have put more work into the story. There are multiple endings, but all but two of the story paths have the same ending. And none of the endings are good.

You can make choices on what to say which sometimes affects the story, and you can do stuff to prolong your story, but mostly it makes no difference. None of the characters are likeable - a dumb girl who the townspeople call 'No-name' (but you can find her real name by teaching her to read and write), a woman who runs some kind of business, a few side characters and Hanzayaman Takamura who is the 'rebel leader' of the town of Amahara.

The gameplay - you walk around town but there's rarely ever anything to do except go in the shops for doing stuff like eating to restore health or drinking alcohol which increases your energy but loses you some health. And you never need the shops because it's too short. You can talk to people, but nothing they say is interesting. If you kill even one person (except thugs), all the shopkeepers kick you out of their shop when they see you. Honestly, what else is there to do in free-roaming except kill a few people? You can visit a dojo where they teach you how to fight, but you learn as much on the fly.

There are different types of swords like 'Ore' and 'Ninja' and the swords break if you use them too much without pausing between attacks. You can collect items like scrolls which power up your swords and food items which restore health. You can roam around, sleep in your house, etc. Just pass the time. There isn't much to do.

The graphics are not very good, and all battles have the same music - which is decent but gets repetitive. The voice acting is poor, but the sound effects are good. There aren't that many options in create-a-character mode, which means whatever you create, you won't like in the least.

Overall, the developers really could have put together a good game here, but they didn't even bother to do a little homework. Even after playing through all the story paths and watching all the endings, I wasn't all that satisfied. Way of the Samurai 2 is historically inaccurate, gameplay-wise and graphically average, and the voice acting will hurt the ears of anyone with functioning aural cavities. It's really disappointing what the developers came up with when they had such a good premise to go on. I wanted to like this game, but it's hard to. Overall, this is not the best samurai-based game.

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"Spinnerweb reviewed Way of the Samurai 2 for the PlayStation 2..." was posted by Spinnerweb on Sun, 05 May 2013 08:10:02 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/way-of-the-samurai-2/user-reviews/811025/platform/ps2/ Thu, 02 May 2013 09:07:07 -0700 pokecharm reviewed Tomb Raider for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/tomb-raider/user-reviews/810933/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 8.5.

When it was announced that Tomb Raider would be re-released, I yawned. I had never played any of the previous games and hadn't thought to watch the Angelina Jolie movie either. I now consider myself thankful that I didn't besmirch this franchise when I get to have a fresh take that few gamers can boast, or perhaps be embarrassed about.

The game starts off with a tutorial, as most games do, introducing the gamer to the controls. The action genre doesn't get a great addition through the game play, but the controls are easy to understand and manipulate as the story charges forward. Simple button presses get you through QTE scenes, but there aren't so many that you get frustrated that you're hardly playing. The combination of melee and weapons worked well with the controls make combat quite fluid.

The sound quality was done well throughout. There are sections of the story where the voice acting felt forced, as the story seemed shaky in the middle. The notes that are found throughout the world were interesting, revealing more of the story, but now that I've seen that in so many games, it almost feels very done. The background noise for the game were accurate. If Lara forged through a forest, you could hear the grass. If she jumped into a body of water, you could hear the splashing. It felt very real and authentic.

The graphics were amazing, for the most part. I did suffer from occasional glitches, AI and Lara going through solid objects, most notably when I was falling off of great heights. The cut scenes were really well done. The people looked very real, hair still seemed slightly off. The weapons looked realistic to a degree. The modifications that Lara was able to make were not nearly as detailed.

Speaking of weapons, I have to say, though there were basically only four types of weapons, I loved the variety they managed to work into those four weapons. It was fun adding new things, the only disadvantage being once you added something. You'd spend the salvage points and couldn't try something else if that didn't work. That was one area where I would give Dead Space some credit. If something didn't work, you could remove it from the weapon and try it somewhere else.

The game was very linear, and while there were a lot of things you could pick up and find, it didn't really add a great deal to the story. Lara grows up in this game, and it is great to play. The trouble is that 'the coming of age' story isn't anything new, certainly not for gamers. The fresh take on the series is well done by Square Enix. I realise I've never played Lara Croft game, but this one sucked me in from the beginning and while I can't say it blew me away, I kept wanting to come back, I kept wanting to play more, to see how the story would end. And that, that my friends, is what makes a good game. Though we can argue about this to the end of time, the newest Lara Croft game is a good game. It keeps the gamer engaged from beginning to end and adds variety in every few chapters to allow you, and Lara, to grow and learn something new. Though Square Enix didn't consider this game a success, I really enjoyed it.

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"pokecharm reviewed Tomb Raider for the Xbox 360..." was posted by pokecharm on Thu, 02 May 2013 09:07:07 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/tomb-raider/user-reviews/810933/platform/xbox360/ Sun, 28 Apr 2013 00:22:13 -0700 ShadowsDemon reviewed Sleeping Dogs for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/sleeping-dogs/user-reviews/810774/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 8.0.

You play as Wei Shen, an undercover cop in the Triads. This open-world game set in the crime-ridden city of Hong Kong lets you experience the best of both worlds and how Wei struggles within both sides.
Single-player:
Let's get one thing straight before we even begin guys. Not only is Sleeping Dogs is everything that Grand Theft Auto should have been, it excels and dwarves almost every single open world game out there (excluding RPGs of course). It's one of those games that you'll be able to play endlessly, and never failing to be amazed at its stunning and brutal world.
So, what's the whole background of Sleeping Dogs? Well you play as Wei Shen, an American-Asian police officer who has been assigned with infiltrating the Triads of Hong Kong, called Sun On Yee and take them down. The plot sounds simple, but in reality it is anything but. Wei becomes engaged in brutal war that involves multiple gangs within the Triads such as the Water Street Gang, the Jade gang, racers, drug dealers, the police and more. It's a complex tale that has you question your original assumptions of good and bad once you realise that they aren't really so clear-cut as you believed them to be. As you continue through the story, and grow found of characters such as Winston Chu and his crazy mother, Jackie Ma, Uncle Po, your multiple girlfriends such as Amanda Cartwright (voiced by The Amazing Spiderman's Emma Stone) you'll discover their secrets, passions and goals, and you'll see that they aren't all the typical gangsters you'd automatically perceive them as. It's sobering to know that these people are regarded as evil when subjects as such family and honour mean so much to them.
The story interweaves between multiple objectives set you to by friends, the triads, police and alike. Even though most of the missions are similar, they have a distinct feel to them, and allow you to delve a little deeper into the world of Hong Kong's Sun On Yee and its complex members within.
The best thing about this game is the atmosphere. It's delicious and steamy layout does the inside of Hong Kong justice, and as a person who has visited the island, I can vouch for its authenticity. You can wonder into the night market, and rub shoulders with the locals as you hear their broken English and fluent Mandarin as the shopkeepers cry out and beg you to shop at their stall, which they insist is 'da best place you can buy, sir, I show you, yes', despite pretty much all the shops selling the same clothes. You can pick up a new mattress for your apartment, some pets and more. You can stop by the many food-stalls and buy delicious Asian food such as Pork buns and fish curry balls. Feeling tired? Go for a massage. In the mood to win some cash? Gamble your money on cock-fights. Now before you all buy the game, it's cocks as in chickens, thus chicken-fights.
All this adds up to make one of the most atmospheric games in recent memory. The rich neon lights that hang over you as you explore every inch of this city is a blast. There's also sightseeing to do, the malls to visit, and karaoke to sing. If you're feeling religious, you can even pray at the many shrines around the city, which will also increase your health. Even when bumping into people on the street, their irritated cries and curses in broken English assist in making Sleeping Dogs a genuinely immersive game that you can easily get lost in. It's stunning production values and variety of quests, missions and objectives keep the game from going stale. Unlike so many other games like it, Sleeping Dogs goes into great detail with everything, from the smallest rooms to the city view at night. You can tell that the developers made a real effort to make their game as tangible as possible, and that's something you cannot possibly deny.
The world of Sleeping Dogs is brutal, violent and complex, but in despite of that it manages to create a compelling narrative in an immersive world. This is everything that Grand Theft Auto should have been, and thus is one of the best single-player campaigns you'll come across this year.
Gameplay:
The gameplay in Sleeping Dogs allows to do anything at any given time, each other crazier than before. Are you in a high-speed chase? You can jump from one car to another as you speed along the highway. Are you getting pursed, by either the triads or the cops? You can shoot out their wheels, and then observe the carnage in slow-motion. You can do the same when in a gunfight, the slow-motion battle feeling as awesome as it is brutal. If you've played Vanquish, you'll feel right at home here.
But the best part of Sleeping Dogs where gameplay is concerned is the combat. Very much like Batman: Arkham City, you'll face off in some cases over a dozen thugs with brutal moves and techniques. However, unlike Arkham City, you can actually kill your opponents, and sometimes with the aid of the environment. One of the best (and most gut-wrenching) environmental kills comes from forcing the heads of your enemies over a burning furnace, and then watching as they burn to a crisp. Other options, such as throwing them in garbage bins, smashing them against walls and fans, not only look awesome, but earn you face points as well, which can then be used to deal extra damage to your opponents, and force them to cower in fear.
You have a number of unique moves at your disposal, increasing as you complete a particular side quest. The unparallel violence is enhanced through the slow motion kill cams, as the blood sprays, bones break and the screams of pain are heard. Even better, you can equip a weapon such as a tire-iron or kitchen knife é which can be dropped by your opponents é and use them to your advantage.
But that's not all you can do, however. In the game's many thrilling car chases you can hijack the cars, meaning you can jump from one to the other within seconds, and take control of the cars. It's the sort of work that gets your blood pumping and has you craving for more. The game of course has guns, and has been tweaked to feel surprisingly meaty and effective, unlike so many other third person shooters. It's not that all realistic, considering you can simply pick up a shotgun and let it rip, but the way in which the game allows you to shoot, especially when in slow-motion, gives a sense of gory satisfaction and weight. I will, however say that in the midst of these gunfights, the controls become clunky and unresponsive, especially when trying to duck for cover or run away. You end up feeling like an idiot as the enemies puncture you with bullets.
The AI aren't exactly smart enough to all gang up on you, such as in the game like The Witcher 2, but they know when to strike, and when your back is turned in combat. They even position themselves in such a way that makes your escape even more difficult, and they will pull you out of cars if you é like me é decided that running them over instead of fighting them would be an easier solution. They become even smarter in gunfights. They only fire when it's possible to hit you, and they won't spray either. They'll duck for cover and then only peek out to fire a couple of rounds é all together, might I add.
The gameplay in Sleeping Dogs is brutal, weighty, and satisfying. It's got everything you could want from an open world game, from brawls to car and police chases to minigames like karaoke and gambling, and everything the game does do it does smoothly. The gun fights leave a lot to be desired, but the game fulfils your expectations from the first moment to its last.

Presentation:
The virtual version of Kong Kong is utterly drenched in detail and brilliant design. The city and markets come to life with huge neon signs and lit up buildings. The many shops have aisles and stacks of products with writing you can read. The fluent Mandarin spoken by the locals is often hilarious and thoughtful, especially when you bump into them. The visuals shine both technically and artistically, though a little weaker on the artistic side. Regardless, this is one of the best open world games you'll be coming across, and it damn sure looks sweet.
The voice acting is solid, with hundreds of hours of genuine Mandarin script and voices with use great gusto such as Mrs. Chu, Wei Shen and Winston. Sleeping Dogs does everything it can to make this world feel real, and it does so to its best extent.
Another praiseworthy aspect is due with the radio stations. Many real bands such as Queen appear on the radio, along with advertisements and radio shows, both in English and Mandarin, adding yet another layer of complexity to the game.
Trophies:
The Sleeping Dogs isn't that hard, it's merely time-consuming, but in a good way. You'll need to win a certain amount of cash at gambling, kill any enemy with each type of gun, among other things. Regardless, Sleeping Dogs provides an enjoyable, albeit long, journey to its platinum trophy.
Conclusion:
Sleeping Dogs provides you with a complex story, a dark world in which two sides blend into one, brutal combat and gunplay, brilliant design and fantastic replay value. It'll take ages to complete and find everything, and you'll enjoy every moment of it. Sleeping Dogs is not only one of the best games of the year; it's one of the best open world games of all time. It's everything that GTA should be and more. This is one adventure you don't want to miss out on.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"ShadowsDemon reviewed Sleeping Dogs for the Xbox 360..." was posted by ShadowsDemon on Sun, 28 Apr 2013 00:22:13 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/sleeping-dogs/user-reviews/810774/platform/xbox360/ Sun, 28 Apr 2013 00:21:08 -0700 ShadowsDemon reviewed Final Fantasy XIII-2 for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/final-fantasy-xiii-2/user-reviews/810773/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 7.5.


FF13-2 is one of those titles that's exactly the same as it's prequel in some areas and the complete opposite in others. The gameplay is somewhat similar, with the battle system containing 6 roles, ATB bars and micromanaging your own spells and abilities. This time around though you have the opinion to change your party leader, even in the midst of a major battle. You can also "tame" your former enemies, getting them to fight at your side in battle. There's nothing better than working with a chocobo to slain a monster 100 times bigger than you. The trouble with the game though lies within the story. There's a lot going on with time, paradoxes, seeing the future and in short what's happening around you. It's a well done tale with a lot of twists along the way, but you'll be confused for the most part for where exactly you want or need to go. You'll be given multiple time gates that allow you to travel back and forth é like using the ship in the old FFs in a way é and doing this over and over again gets confusing to say the least. Not to worry though, it's as fun as ever.
The technical side the game has dramatically suffered with Square deciding to squeeze the game onto a single disc for the 360 unlike for the last game. The graphics aren't quite as crisp as they were previously, and there's a lot less of those stunning CGI cut-scenes to gawk at. The soundtrack also suffers. A strange blend of metal, techno and party music does little to suit the atmosphere in some cases. Even small quirks like enemies becoming one with the battlefield and popping up randomly is a sign of a drop in quality. However, the gameplay is more enjoyable and complex in battle. You'll have a blast, and with the linear aspect completely gone FF13-2 has an extremely enjoyable, albeit a short, single player experience.
FF13-2 doesn't quite match up to FF13, even though the gameplay has improved and the linear aspect done away with. It's still a fantastic title however that is well worth your time.

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"ShadowsDemon reviewed Final Fantasy XIII-2 for the PlayStation 3..." was posted by ShadowsDemon on Sun, 28 Apr 2013 00:21:08 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/final-fantasy-xiii-2/user-reviews/810773/platform/ps3/ Sun, 28 Apr 2013 00:19:56 -0700 ShadowsDemon reviewed The ICO & Shadow of the Colossus Collection for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/the-ico-and-shadow-of-the-colossus-collection/user-reviews/810772/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 7.0.

Overview: It's been six years since we mustered up the courage to slay 16 shadowy monsters as big as mountains to save the life of a loved one back in 2005. Now we get the chance to re-experience the glory in HD. Will Shadow of the Colossus maintain its memorable gameplay and stunning presentation on the PS3, or will it just turn our nostalgia sour?

Gameplay:
If you ever want to set yourself a messy and difficult job, you could try to describe the gameplay of a game that's from the last generation and compare it to the video games seen in recent years. It's about as simple as nailing jelly to a tree. But I'll try to do my best.
Over the years video games have dramatically changed in terms of gameplay. The reactions are sharper and less clunky; there are less glitches and more flexibility. As these elements continue to improve we strive forward in the world of electronic games and achieving near flawless results as we enter the realm of a masterpiece. But then what if we look back and see just how far we've come?
When Shadow of the Colossus came out é it was like nothing that had come before it in terms of gameplay. With your bow and dagger you toppled beats as big as mountains. We were blown away back then, and it's something that will always be remembered. Then suddenly here comes the catch: with the gameplay seen today how well does SotC hold up?
One could say that it is near impossible to compare the two generations, and it is. But with the HD remake hitting the shelves the page is ready to be written on. SotC appears deceivably simple at first. You ride your horse around a deserted land (you might want to adjust the button configuration before heading off. Yes, it's been that long) and hunt down the colossus with your weapons.
The colossus's seem simple enough to kill to start, but then you'll find that you'll need to make use of the environment in order to topple them. In some cases you'll need to hide yourself and climb up its beard when it searches the cave for you. In other instances the only way to get the better of them is by waiting until they climb up on the wall of a building and then knocking them down. This added element of complexity increases with nearly every encounter. Part of the thrill of slaying these monsters is by discovering their weak point by means of a sophisticated way and then plunging your dagger into them.
Doing this is by no means easy. You are rarely given clues or hint how you can get the better of them, and even when you do the clunky controls will frustrate you more times than you'd like. We just have to remember how long ago it was in comparison to the games we get treated with today. However that won't be too likely as you fall of a colossus once again because you accidently let go. Climbing the colossus shouldn't be this much off a chore, and as you constantly fall off or press the wrong button your patience may give in too soon. Of course, everyone who played the game when it came out is expecting this. Newcomers might be disappointed and unpleasantly surprised at the game's harshness.
It's great to know that the using your weapons is spot on in terms of smoothness. As you plunge your dagger into the colossus's weak points and aim your bow there's a feeling of strength and accuracy. Riding your horse and aiming at the same time with your bow bonds the hunter and his horse a realistic and pleasant way.
You may find yourself getting continuously irritated at the dated, clunky controls, but you have to remember how excellent it was back in 2004. This HD remake will shock first timers until they slowly adjust to the game and appreciate it's art, whilst those who had played the game on the PS2 will be right at home.
Single Player:
At the start of the game you see Wander come into the Shrine of Worship and lay down a person wrapped in white sheets. Without spoiling too much, if you want to bring your loved one back to life then you must kill 16 giant colossus that roam free in the area, and destroy the 16 statues in the shrine. You then set off on your quest with nothing but a dagger and a bow to slay these beasts the size of mountains.
The story isn't memorable to start, and often you'll be wandering..sorry..wondering if this is all there is to it. The area of which the colossi roam free is completely devoid of other life sources apart from a few scattered lizards, birds, fish and your single trusty horse é Argos. It feels lonely and empty; somewhere you'd rather not be in as you seek to bring your loved one back. The story isn't a main factor in this game, and you'll wonder why it's even there to start with. By the time you reach the end the story takes you by surprise as you await the shocking ending that you probably knew was going to have to happen.
Other than hunting and toppling the colossi there's absolutely nothing else to do in this world. You can eat fruit off the trees and lizards to increase your stamina and health, but there is literally nothing else in the world of any interest for you. It increases the sense of isolation and exploring the unknown that some may find appealing. If you had to explore a magical kingdom populated with towns, castles and bustling people then this game wouldn't be the same. There's no inventory, no sense of progress or interaction. It's just a Wander, his horse and the massive colossus.
Looking at the glass half full there are no distractions or branching options that draw you away from your main quest, giving you the sense of little time left as you seek the next boss after the other. It's not something everyone is accustomed to, and will unquestionably leave a lot of people underwhelmed. Then again it's extremely effective in terms of creating a brilliant atmosphere and environment for you to explore.
It's a very different aspect to consider, and will leave a lot of people asking that age old question: "What were they thinking?" It also provides you with a mysterious story, an isolated and shadowy land and a unique environment. It's an acquired taste, and those who don't have the stomach for it will possibly be turned off until the spirit of emptiness summons them to return once again.

Technical:
This is where it becomes extremely difficult: how do we compare the graphical and technical presentation of the HD remake of a 2004 game? To say the least even with an expensive makeover the technical side hasn't fared well. Characters appear to be no more than cardboard cut-outs at times, and trees seem to be second-dimension at times. This is strangely the polar opposite of the artistic side of the game, despite the land sometimes being one gray corridor after another or shape lumps of rocks jutting out of nowhere. You really get a massive scope of the land and it's emptiness by gazing at its clever art design. It's excuse for running short on the technical side is of course that the game was originally on the PS2, and when it came out on the console at the time it blew everyone away. This is what we'll remember for years to come é when we gasped at the unbelievably visuals back in 2004. Strangely enough the visuals in with the HD remake look half baked at times é though this is often seen in open world games.
But what it disappoints in visuals in makes up in audio. The sound design is brilliant as is the soundtrack, sending chills of nostalgia tingling down our spines as we yet again get treated to one of the most astounding soundtracks in gaming history. It may be impossible to ever top SotC's mighty soundtrack, and if it's one thing we'll remember the game by it's from its audio and soundtrack. It's a shame the visuals don't match up to our expectations but the soundtrack will never let us down, and will be the benchmark for all future gaming soundtracks that many developers have strived to match.
Trophies:
The trophies in SotC aren't difficult, but merely time-consuming. Multiple playthroughs will keep your entertained as hunting for all the fruit and lizards will. Granted it's not a weekend platinum and will often frustrate you at times, but SotC contains a trophy set that is mildly challenging but takes a fair amount of time.
Closing Thoughts:
Shadow of the Colossus is an extremely difficult game to review, especially in comparison to how we viewed it on launch and how we view it today. Those would played the game back in good ol' 2004 will be right at home here and will love the game just as much as they previously did. Those who haven't will unquestionably be shocked by the clunky controls and tattered visuals until they get a grip and see the brilliant works behind this ancient masterpiece. It doesn't matter if you've been eagerly waiting for a shot of fresh nostalgia, waiting to get your teeth into the game once again, or a newcomer who wants to see what the hype is about, Shadow of the Colossus is a game that everyone should try for themselves and see what's behind the curtain. Some will be turned off by its dated and unusual gameplay and tale, but that's a judgment you'll come to make for yourself.

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]]> http://www.gamespot.com/the-ico-and-shadow-of-the-colossus-collection/user-reviews/810772/platform/ps3/ Sun, 28 Apr 2013 00:18:49 -0700 ShadowsDemon reviewed Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/ratchet-and-clank-all-4-one/user-reviews/810771/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 4.0.

Overview: Our old Lombax friend, his robotic sidekick, the green clown in green and evil genius with a few screws loose all team up in the latest Ratchet and Clank game from Insomniac. Has this game lived up to its worthy predecessors, or has it taken the evitable turn for the worst?
Gameplay: Ratchet and Clank is probably best known for its meticulous and ridiculously fun gameplay. After taking a dab in the shooter genre with Gladiator, the gameplay continuously kept improving from Tools of Destruction, before giving us the innovative Clank time mechanics and more in A Crack In Time. Where does that lead up to in R&C A4O?
You basically get a similar experience for the most part that you got in the previous games; you bought and upgraded bizarre weapons, you solved puzzles and leapt across bottomless pits, and you used as many gadgets as you could possibly handle. It's all here in Ratchet and Clank: A4O, but it doesn't do it quite as well as it did in the previous games. The camera angle continuously struggles to keep with you and your buddies, for instance. It'll be jerking all over the place, and you'll be unable to focus on your objective simply because you cannot get to it. Even as the AI characters will be busying doing something else that they happen to believe is more important than the situation or objective at present.
The controls also infuriate you time after time. You'll often clear a gap and then suddenly slip off for no apparent reason. Other annoying quirks like getting the aim and select weapon analog sticks confused are more plentiful than they should, and will most likely turn you off after a short while.
Never the less, the gameplay is as fun you'd expect it to be, and with the classic bolts, creates and more, A4O does at least do the franchise dignity by supplying us with enjoyable gameplay and co-op craziness. Now that you're able to play with a total of four people you'll have action and carnage a plenty as you all rush to the bolts or rescue a friend from a close shave with a razor saw. As expected, many puzzles and bosses can only be beaten with steady co-operation from all four players. The sense of victory achieved from pure teamwork is well worth the effort in every instance. Having a few buddies over or playing with other gaming dweebs online is a blast. The clunky controls are slightly less noticeable in co-op, which is a great thing as there are enough problems playing co-op as it is thanks to the jerky camera angles.
Thankfully for previous entries in the series brushes with glitches have been kept to a minimal. All 4 One has obviously decided to make up for it, as the glitches are worse than they should be at any rate. You'll regularly die expectedly; the enemies will be un-killable or certain section nigh-on impossible unless done with fewer or less people. The Ratchet and Clank franchise has built itself on tight controls and ridiculously fun gameplay; and whilst it still has that the game feels as if it's been rushed and dumbbed down.
Ratchet and Clank: A4O's gameplay is close enough to the core to remind us of its origin, but simultaneously it's too far to match up to any other previous installment on any scale. The glitches are also more than annoyance, but you can get by for a good amount of the time.
Single-Player:
Our two heroes can never seem to catch a break, can they? From stopping Dr. Nefarious' plan to turn the universe's inhabitants into robots and being held hostage by an organization baying for blood, to running from a certain Cragmite and racing against time, Ratchet and Clank have always had their more than fair share of action and adventure in a (mostly) light-hearted universe. The stories were always comical and intriguing, particularly A Crack In Time which possessed the most powerful and awe-inspiring stories ever created by Insomniac Games. Plenty of replay value and goodies always kept you coming back for more through the fantastic campaign.
So what went wrong this time?
Ratchet and Clank have finally decided to retire from playing the roles as heroes, but the universe has other plans for them. Captain Qwark and Dr. Nefarious are also thrown into the confusion as the four are marooned in foreign territory and struggle to find a way back home. Now, as if this didn't sound tacky enough as the four work together to get home they come across Ephemeris the Creature Collector and have to save the universe once again. This sounds the standard procedure for Ratchet and Clank, but in truth it's anything but. The story gets no form of attention or care of any sort. You wouldn't be able to care less about our heroes or what they're getting up to this time. There's nothing to hold your interest or imagination. You'll trudge through the levels continuously without even noticing them slip through your fingers, and then you'll come to the end of the single-player in near to no time at all with a story that is underwhelming simple and poorly constructed.
Even the level design is simple and straight forward. You'll clear gaps, fire your guns, solve simple puzzles and plod along with barely anything holding your interest. It's tragic that Insomniac had to soil the franchises reputation for their lengthy and enjoyable single-player campaigns. Instead they give us the complete polar opposite. Avoid like verenal disease.
Multiplayer:
If there's one area where R&C A4O shines the most it's in the co-op without a doubt. Solving puzzles, leaping across gaps and exchanging insults with three other buddies is a pure blast. It's enough reason to play the game alone; not that there's many other reasons at all that this.
As enjoyable as it may be é the server issues cause a severe headache. Constant lobby crashes, excruciatingly long loading times, connection errors and more will send you into an occasional fit. Even when you've created the lobby the game will freeze suddenly when someone wants to join. You'll be unable to exit out as they attempt to join the lobby, and then in the end they won't end up joining. Even finding a lobby that isn't full can prove to be a challenge, and for some reason people seem to be fighting over Ratchet é which cuts down the available lobbies even more so.
But when you do happen to find a lobby that you can have a game in é or get three friends to share with the tiny couch with at home, you'll enjoy the co-op even more so. Firing your guns rapidly together to create an explosive effect and working together with each of your unique abilities is somewhat similar to LittleBigPlanet, albeit a much timid version.
The multiplayer is enjoyable, explosive and will get a few good laughs out of you. The many problems with match making and alike will frustrate you, but for the worst part it's worth putting up with it until the end.
Presentation:
Rich and deep colours inspired the artistic visuals behind R&C A4O, as well as a silky smooth framerate and very rare moments of slow-down or texture pop-in. They aren't as smooth as R&C ACiT, nor are they as technically outstanding, but they do a fine job regardless.
The soundtrack is designed by Boris Salchow, the same mind behind the works of ACiT's soundtrack. Comical and light-hearted tunes occupy your mind as you play through the game; though it's noticeably less brilliant than ACiT's. The audio design is above average at best, neither being particularly poor nor fantastic.
Closing thoughts:
Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One shows us exactly what happens when you turn a series into something that is the complete polar opposite of the previous games. It's almost as if Insomniac Games wanted to disappoint their fanbase. A4O doesn't feel like a feel Ratchet and Clank game, and if it weren't for the title name the game would be called back off the shelves. The comical humour and enjoyable co-op do ease the pain of seeing this franchise hit rock bottom, but maybe this is just another lesson learned; and our creative designers at Insomniac have humbly released their mistake and will bring the real franchise and its dignity back.
You got what you deserved Insomniac.



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]]> http://www.gamespot.com/ratchet-and-clank-all-4-one/user-reviews/810771/platform/ps3/ Sun, 28 Apr 2013 00:17:15 -0700 ShadowsDemon reviewed MotorStorm: Apocalypse for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/motorstorm-apocalypse/user-reviews/810770/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 7.5.

Single Player:
Goodbye the beautiful beaches and rainforests, hello to the crumbling cites of America, where the buildings that tear themselves away from the ground to crush you, the civilians shoot at you, and where a mistake will not only cost you the race, but your life.. Welcome to the apocalypse, baby.
What's your first thing that comes to mind when you read those words? If it's pure chaos, beautiful madness in a frenzy of cars, buggies, ATVs and monster trucks, all willing to kill to stay ahead of hell, then you've got the perfect image in mind that sums up MotorStorm: Apocalypse.
You might be surprised that this game is actually superior to its past games, considering that most of the locales aren't as varied as before. You won't be racing across beaches, lush tropical jungles, hot volcanoes and mudcliffs. Most of the racing takes part in industrial areas, the city streets and even on top of skyscrapers. While this isn't exactly for the best, the way in which it is handled causes you to wonder what you saw in the past games compared to now.
You might be surprised to learn that this game actually has a story. You play the role of three different characters, Mash "The Rookie", Tyler "The Pro", and Big Dog "The Veteran". Each of these characters offers a different perspective of the game's story as well as an altered difficultly level, which offers multiple play throughs. Instead of just selecting the levels and tracks that you choose to race in, after each race you will be progressed to the next one, with some text and dialogue that allows you to catch up on what's happening. It's a good way to get the story flowing, and the tracks that are given to you are varied and in complete different locals, which allows you to taste the full spice of life that the apocalypse has to offer. New additions include superbikes, hot hatches, and supercars, each with their own certain advantages and disadvantages. In some cases it's up to the personal player in choosing the perfect ride for themselves, or the track in-particular.
One of the best things about the single player campaign, however, is that the race track constantly changes. You might be burning your way across a certain path, but then suddenly a building collapses in front of your very eyes, forcing you to change your direction within a split second to avoid crashing. The track is completely altered, forcing you to go an entirely new direction, or in some cases drive under or above the obstacle. It's a great sensation to wonder when the track will change, offering some new burst of excitement just when you thought the track was going to get dull.
Sadly, in terms of the games' story there's no real backbone to substantiate any genuine reason to care about the tale. The story is merely a flimsy hook to hang the progression of your career and edge you along. Then again, not many racing games actually employ any form of a story at all, so the mix up is nice to see once in a while, even if you won't really be getting much out of the story at all.
MotorStorm: Apocalypse provides a great single campaign, albeit a poorly shaped story, that gives you pleasure to constantly experience. The tracks are well designed, the variety brilliantly maintained, all of it soaked in the brutal reality of a real apocalypse.
Gameplay:
If you've ever played a MotorStorm game before, then you'll know exactly what to expect. However, the way in which Apocalypse handles it is quite unique. The steering is drastically improved, the handling and way in which you maintain a steady flow throughout the race has been tweaked to be much more enjoyable. In addition, collapsing buildings, tornados that throw cars at you, helicopters, earthquakes, and gunners try to do everything in their power to turn the race into a playground of burning and twisted metal and fire. It's your job to stay ahead of that, and that element is what makes MotorStorm: Apocalypse so enthralling.
There's always something going on, be it a building collapsing, a helicopter flying through the air, or the stupid locals trying to chuck grenades at you, there's always something on the screen to entertain you that just adds to the mix of adrenaline, speeding up the race. The mix of fire and water also adds another layer of complexity, meaning that you have to be careful when to use your boost. That ledge might give you the extra height or might be a short cut, but if you're in critical mode with your boost and that "short cut" has fire scattered all over it, or some locals and a helicopter decide to fire some lead in your direction, it might just cost you the race. Be careful, and while you always want to get to the finish line as soon as possible, going too fast in some tracks can be the worst thing you could do. Unlike in previous games, Apocalypse is about so much more than just winning the race. It's about a brutal mix of insanity as you burn your way through a track that falls apart as you speed through it. And if there's three massive trucks, all trying to get in that small space that only one of you can fit in, then it's ram, or be rammed, my friends. And boy is it fun to ram and punch (depending on your vehicle and the other vehicle, of course) your opponents to a sudden crash or even causing them to fall off the building. It's hiliarious stuff, especially when you're in the middle of the air, trying to all land in a difficult spot, and you all end up totalling each other. The game often takes itself very seriously in its context and story, but in moments like these you'll realize just how much fun it can be to all crash yourself in the middle of the Apocalypse.
However, this game is significantly easier than the past entires, which is both a good and a bad thing. The learning curve is smoothed out and is a hell lot easier to get accustomed to. However, the desperation of trying to get in that first place is gone here, as the benchmark for many races is 5th place instead. Not only that, many opponents seem to slow down when you get far behind, and seem to crash more. And when you boost ahead, they seem content to let you stay in that position. And quite frankly, I highly doubt that in a real apocalypse that your opponents would be so forgiving.
Apocalypse does a fantastic job of setting the standard for racers, and is more than a pleasure to experience as you crash your way more often than not through the track. The gameplay is slick, tight, and best of all: fun.

Multiplayer:

The core element of MotorStorm: Apocalypse and maybe even the best multiplayer I have ever experienced in any online racer, it's that superb.
You can race with up to 15 other players online, and that creates even more mayhem and destruction than before, as your online opponents seem to love ramming you as much as you love ramming them.
As with every online game, there's ranks to gain, achievements and medals that you can earn that boost your stats, and even create new loadouts for your game. In fact, this is probably the closest any racer can get to have FPS aspects within its multiplayer. And boy does it work well. These loadouts can give you some extra boost, better drift, and so on. You have to adjust it to the actually vehicle that you're driving, as it would be pretty pointless to gain extra drift for a mudtruck.
In addition to standard racing there's a mode called elimination, which creates even more madness in order to struggle out of the danger zone. The way it works is by every 30 seconds or so eliminating the player in last place, and even then if the last two players are close together, it holds a "second chance" system, which will kick the player that falls drastically behind the other. It's even more fun than the standard race, and provides so much entertainment. And be wary that all the earthquakes, crashing buildings, etc, take place in multiplayer too, so if you want to time that ram of yours to send your opponent flying into hell, do it before they do. There's no mercy in the apocalypse.
Another great aspect of the multiplayer is that unlike so much games now days it provides offline, split screen multiplayer, that including
All in all the multiplayer in MotorStorm: Apocalypse is fantastically crafted and will unquestionably provide you with hours upon hours of entertainment and joy. Prepare to get lost in a realm of fun, insanity and mayhem.
Technical:
The gritty urban visuals continuously impress, and the frame-rate never fails, even when a hundred and one things are exploding in your face at once. You won't experience much é if at all é lag, even when playing online, or in the middle of a single player race. The loading times do leave a lot to be desired, however. It's a pain to just sit there and wait for the race to load when you know that it really isn't that big of a file. But regardless, the game runs smoothly, the textures are nice and crisp, and the visuals awesome. If you're one of those few people that actually owns a 3D HDTV, you can try the game in the third dimension. Sadly though, I don't have thousands of dollars to burn, so I can't deliver my own opinion on the matter. I can say, though, that the game would look awesome in 3D, which all the water getting splashed on the screen.
The audio is ace, the soundtrack less so. Thankfully, the developers decided to be smart and allow you to play your own custom music while in any race. So instead of the awful mash of random music that's carelessly slapped together, you get to listen (or at least in my case) to the likes of Metallica, Nirvana and Rise Against. It's great stuff, especially when a song equalizes in tune to the track.
Trophies: Don't expect an easy platinum, but I'd say that you can bag this one without too much trouble. At the rate of how superb the online is and how often you'll probably replay the single player, there's no reason why you shouldn't get this soon enough.

Conclusion:
MotorStorm: Apocalypse delivers a mix of a flaming ball of insanity tumbling down to a highway of superb action with a splash of a story to keep the ball rolling. Sure it isn't that good and the loading times leave a lot to be desired, but this is by far one of the best, if not the best racer that we've had in years, offline and online, and this is coming from a person who dislikes the genre. If you only buy one racer, make sure as hell it's this one.

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"ShadowsDemon reviewed MotorStorm: Apocalypse for the PlayStation 3..." was posted by ShadowsDemon on Sun, 28 Apr 2013 00:17:15 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/motorstorm-apocalypse/user-reviews/810770/platform/ps3/ Sun, 28 Apr 2013 00:15:13 -0700 ShadowsDemon reviewed BioShock Infinite for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/bioshock-infinite/user-reviews/810769/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 10.0!!!

Single-player:
The premise of the game alone shows you that you're going to be in for one hell of a ride. The year is 1912, and Colombia is a floating city in the clouds. You are Booker DeWitt, a mercenary who is in deep shit. Specifically, he's in debt to certain people who aren't so forgiving about forgetting to cough up what they're owed. His last chance to rid himself of the burden is to rescue Elizabeth, a mysterious girl held captive in a tower that is protected by an angry, mechanical bird, and deliver her safety to New York. It may sound deceiving simple, but in reality there is nothing 'simple' about this game and the twisting tale that it tells.
From the game's opening lines (Woman: "Do you fear God?" Man: "No, I fear you.") you know that this is going to be a game layered with religious, political, moral, and philosophical overtones. That's nothing different from traditional Bioshock lore, but the way it is hammered into your skull time and time again shows just how different Colombia is from Rapture. Rapture was mainly about "no government, no god, just people", and all that propaganda. In Colombia, signs and billboards advertising the theocratic government and system along with referring to numerous Bible texts, quotes and tales highlights just how deeply religious (and crazy) this place is. Don't worry; it just gets better from here.
Shortly after you arrive in Colombia and stumble upon a carnival show the mystifying initials "A.D" appear on your right hand. In the lore of Bioshock and Colombian culture this is equivalent to 666 or having a pentagram stencilled on your chest. You are seized by authorities and about to be taken away and killed as a 'devil' and 'false prophet' when you escape, slaughtering the police even though you have no idea why they're after you and what this 'false prophet' represents. Numerous flashbacks, subtle hints, audio logs and cameo appearances by a strange duo all do their part in leaving you itching to see what happens next and figure out the entire plot.
As before, the moral choices and different pathways are given to you, although they are not as painstakingly clear as they were in the previous games. They will, however, affect the way people see you and alter elements in the game. If you decide to blast everyone in the ice-cream parlour to hell with a shotgun and steal their cash, the police will more than likely come running. Just maybe.
A fair warning here, though; this game will possibly offend you if you're a devout, religious person or celebrate American idealism the game will likely inspire outrage and anger. Bioshock Infinite is not afraid to ask questions that revolve around the taboo and fragile subjects such as racism, religion, god, political, reality and moral perception. It's the sort of game that thrusts the questions out there and leaves us to make up our own mind concerning the various topics at hand. I have to say, though, that the game does this in a truly spectacular way. This is a tale of turmoil and strife, of lust and greed; of sin and redemption. On top of the invigorating and heady themes that the game handles, as you get closer to the end you are left with more questions than answers, and the questions that you already were posed at the start of the tale evolve and twist beyond recognition as things start to seem as if they are contradicting each other. You turn off the game with these various questions still in your mind, the gears spinning in your brain as you fall asleep. You'll be so desperate to know the end that you'll almost wish the game was shorter so you could uncover the dark and evil mysteries at the heart of this dystopic and broken city. Alas, you'll have to endure the many hours that only leave you more and more bewildered. But that's a good thing, as it makes the ending pack one **** hell of a punch. But I'll talk about that later.
One of the best things about this game is that it doesn't ever treat you like an idiot; it doesn't hold your hand down the merry lane and pointing at what you have to do and how to reach your goal. Sure, there's a waypoint, but the way you get there and what you do in the meantime is up to you. For example, I decided to plod around and visit the ladies bathroom (creepy, yes I know), and Elizabeth makes some sort of subtle joke at me being a pervert. Then I visit the mens, and then she exclaims, 'I hope you aren't expecting me to follow you in there.' It's these little, subtle touches that I appreciate. They aren't apparent at first, and reward those who seek them out. Even better, the side missions aren't slapped in your face, either. For instance, Elizabeth might remark about a bookstore, or suggest that we explore the boardwalk for a little bit before moving on. In the store I discover multiple weapons, cash registers, and more. I also discover an audio log. Listening to the audio log I figure out that someone has a listen hold in another shop, and Elizabeth urges me to discover it. I do so, and when I open up the secret hatch I find a codex book (which will assist me with another side mission) and more audio logs. In these audio logs there are references to the past games, lore, and other titbits that are useful in forming the enigmatic puzzle that the land of Colombia is.
Now, onto the ending:
It's not good. It's not great. It's not even fantastic. It's **** incredible. There is no other way to describe it. I was expecting a plot twist, but the ending to Bioshock Infinite just blew me out of the water. I can with all seriousness say that Infinite's ending will be the standard for all games to come. Each time an amazing game ends with a fantastic conclusion, it must be compared with Infinite, and even then will likely fall short in a dramatic way.
You probably think I'm exaggerating or even feigning enthusiasm just for the sake of it, but you could not be more wrong. The twists, the absolute jaw-dropping moments, the dialogue and the slow realization as you piece the ending together will stay in your mind until the day you die. It's impossible to explain why without spoiling it, and believe me, this is one game that you definitely don't want to be spoiled. It's an ending you need to see for yourself, and as the gears spin in your head long after you've finished it you will come to countless theories and alternative conclusions, and will then be discussed and dissected for years to come. The ending is completely and utterly unprecedented on every possible scale, and will find its place in your mind and hearts until the very last breath leaves your body.
Gameplay:
Bioshock has always maintained a unique, albeit clunky and awkward style of gameplay. I don't mean the gameplay itself per-say, but the shooting mechanics. They were clunky, unresponsive, and downright piss-poor. That's not the case in Bioshock Infinite. The guns are an absolute blast to use (no pun intended) from the powerful shotgun to the accurate carbine to the RPG with incredible splash damage. Ploughing through the streets of Colombia, blowing off heads and shooting off limbs has never been more enjoyable. Of course, half the joy comes from vigors. If you've played any previous Bioshock games you'll know what plasmids are, and in Colombia, plasmids are vigors. If you don't know what they are, I shall explain.
They allow you to use unique and powerful abilities to screw up, harm, confuse, possess, and piss off enemies. You can use a certain vigor to possess a machine and cause it to attack your foes. You can use the Murder of Crows vigor to send a blast of ravens at all enemies in your radius. You can fire a bolt of electricity that channels from one enemy to the other. Combined with multiple vigors and your weapons, you can a create a mini version of World War III in the streets of Colombia. They're immensely enjoyable to use, and even more enjoyable to deal out punishments with. In BioShock 2 you had a bloody big drill to use. In Infinite you have some sort of cross between a hook and a cleaver. It's good for two things; the first of which is slicing the heads of those who are too stupid to come close to you. The seconds is used for sky-lines. These massive metal railway-like poles suspended in the air can be used to travel on at incredible speeds, firing as you go and gaining access to new areas that were previously out of reach. Even better, you can perform aerial assassinations and surprise your enemies. The sensational joy of speeding along these skylines at break neck speeds never gets old. It's unparalleled joy that was never experienced in any previous games. You'll also go up against a variety of challenging enemies, the most iconic of which is named Patriot and looks suspiciously similar to George Washington. Between cries of 'may the lord guide thee' and ''tis but a scratch' and 'the lamb our saviour' he'll focus his crank gun on you until your health drops to zero. He's a challenge, but a welcome one. Just be glad that religious freaks in real life aren't equipped with crank guns. Most of them, anyway.
As with the previous instalments, you'll purchase upgrades, health and ammo from various vending machines. Unlike Bioshock 2, the vendor doesn't simply shut down after you upgrade a single weapon, so your progress is only limited by the coin in your pocket. In order to get filthy rich you'll need to explore the rich vastness of Colombia. Exploring a secret room and finding dozens of goodies will etch a grin on your face as you listen to the your latest audio log.
A new addition to this game is gear. There's four pieces; the hat, torso, pants and shoes. You'll find them scattered around Colombia, and they provide incredible help to you on your journey. Wearing certain pants give you a 40% chance of having your weapons auto-reload. Maybe a top-hat you found in a deserted garden gives you extra health when you gain a kill. These game-changing clothes allow you to make your own custom strategy and the way you play the game. It allows you to feel as if you're in 'control'. You have a choice. This alludes back to your game changing decisions and pathways that you experience, showing you that Bioshock Infinite is not just a great game where it feels it's convenient to be. Rather, it builds its entire game around a certain set of rules and never falters from the path, no matter how tempting or 'easy' it may appear to be.
That is a sign of a dedicated, firm, and quality game.
Presentation:
From lush green gardens aripe with blood-red roses and grand bronze statues, to the sweeping steam punk landscape of cranking gears and pulsing machinery, Bioshock Infinite never lets you forget where you are. In contrast to Bioshock 2, where almost every neighbour and locale appeared to be the same, each section of Infinite is uniquely crafted and never lets you forget where you are. The incredible blue sky and the golden yellow sands make each area distinct and provide their own special flavour.
Technically the visuals are stunning, and light years ahead of Bioshock 2. However, I did experience a few instances of screen-tearing, jagged edges and extended loading screens in the middle of a level. These minor faults do little to irritate, but they are noticeable. Whilst the graphics of Infinite are fantastic; they aren't ground breaking or 'next-gen'. The audio is where it really hits home, though. The dynamic and sweeping soundtrack binds you in its spell and makes you sway to its dance of beauty. The intense effects don't meet up to those in Bioshock 2's, but the overall soundtrack far surpasses anything in the last two games. Voice acting is solid and are voiced with great gusto, be it political and religious propaganda booming from the speakers, or the audio logs that you will be sure to find in the game. It's very easy to forget this is a game and not actual, genuine recordings done by people in real-life situations. Oh yeah, it's that good.
Trophies:
A lot easier than Bioshock 2's and way easier than Bioshock 1's, the trophies are challenging, but not frustrating. I achieved around 70% of trophies without even trying to earn them. Frankly, the only things that could piss you off is completing 1999 mode without using a vending machine, and finding the seemingly endless collectibles. Nothing that will have you ripping your hair out, though. Overall:
Bioshock Infinite is not a mere game; it is a work of art. It's a game that will cause your jaw to drop and turn your nights into sleepless toss-abouts as you go over the ending repetitively, spinning around in your brain like a marble in a whirlpool. The dark and devious tale will hit you at full impact, and as you think it over and come to another realisation you will be more shocked than before. You'll then want to replay the game, looking through a shaded lens that you'll never be able to un-see again. An incredible, ground-breaking and sublime masterpiece, Bioshock Infinite is nothing less than one of the best games of all time, and will be held as the standard for all games for years and years to come. It will be recalled by gamers with teary eyes, hearts filled with nostalgia and incredible memories that will linger in your mind for decades. You say I'm exaggerating do you? Play the game for yourself and see if what I say is true.
Infinite is a game that only comes once in a lifetime. There may never be a another game like it, and if there is, it must be measured to Infinite's standard as the final judgement. Infinite is not one of the best games of this year, nor it is one of the best this generation. It is one of the best games of all time.
That, ladies and gentlemen, is a fact.

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"ShadowsDemon reviewed BioShock Infinite for the PlayStation 3..." was posted by ShadowsDemon on Sun, 28 Apr 2013 00:15:13 -0700
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