hopefailshearts' GameSpot Friend's Reviews hopefailshearts' GameSpot Friend's Reviews hopefailshearts' GameSpot Friend's Reviews en-us Copyright (c)1995-2013 CBS Interactive. All rights reserved. http://www.gamespot.com 20 Thu, 23 May 2013 20:44:54 -0700 GameSpot hopefailshearts' GameSpot Friend's Reviews http://img.gamespot.com/gamespot/shared/promos/misc/gs_logo.gif http://www.gamespot.com 135 40 Wed, 02 Jan 2013 13:13:00 -0800 dholmes19 reviewed Ghostbusters: The Video Game for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/ghostbusters-the-video-game/user-reviews/805660/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 8.0.

I am surprised by this game, it plays pretty well, plenty of upgrades to get for each type of "stream" and what not. I like it so far and follows the movies as well as a few extras thrown in there. Some parts are harder than others to figure out but nothing that requires throwing the controller at the TV. Graphics are excellent and the game play is smooth. I haven't had any issues playing other than if you die, it takes a little while to reload the scene instead of just respawning at last checkpoint. But other than that it is a fun game
You have to use your "Tobin Spirit Guide" to give you clues to what weapon works with each type of ghost if your having trouble. I like being able to access the Guide as well as all the items you have found/have in your inventory. All the items are well detailed with information Pretty easy to play and figure out once you start blasting ghosts and fun too! Its easy enough for the basic gamer and hard enough to keep the hardcore guys/girls occupied.
Overall I recommend this game to anyone, especially if you loved the movie! It will keep you busy for hours! I haven't beaten it yet but im sure im getting close. I usually play games through once before I read a walk through. Then I play it on the hardest setting and try to get all the Trophies. I haven't had a chance to play online so I can't review that at the moment.

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"dholmes19 reviewed Ghostbusters: The Video Game for the PlayStation 3..." was posted by dholmes19 on Wed, 02 Jan 2013 13:13:00 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/ghostbusters-the-video-game/user-reviews/805660/platform/ps3/ Thu, 11 Oct 2007 19:49:12 -0700 dholmes19 reviewed Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas for the PSP... http://www.gamespot.com/tom-clancys-rainbow-six-vegas/user-reviews/505278/platform/psp/ ...and gave it a 7.5.

When I first learned that the Tom Clancy series would be coming out with a game for the PSP I was excited and hesitant all at the same time. I wasn't quite sure how the controls would work, the frame rate, gameplay and story line would follow along with the Xbox 360 and PS3 version. I loved MGS: PO and I was hoping that this game would be just as great. So when I picked it up and started playing I felt a little dissapointed in the misleading title. It says VEGAS and there was not one ounce of any Vegas type of content in this game other than a few screenshots and loading screens. The enviroments seemed a little bleak during the first few levels and got a little more advanced in the latter, not by much but noticeable. Don't get me wrong its still pretty darn good considering it is on a portable device. Each mission has 3 or 4 levels that have save checkpoints so you don't have to start the whole mission over once you are killed, which seems to happen quite a bit since there is no health pickups or extra ammo laying around. You have 2 operatives, each with a handgun and your choice of flash bangs or grenades, and each op has either a rifle or sniper rifle. Once you figure out what weapon to use for the tangos in the diffrent locations, you should not have to worry about running out of ammo ( I seemed to use my handgun a majority of the time with decent headshot kills.) A lot of the strategy is using cover and shooting instead of the run & gun. I guess thats why they call these Tactical shooters! The controls were pretty simple utilizing the joystick and the X-Tri-O-Square pad together as dual analog sticks. I thought it was a pretty good idea and well executed. The only real problem I encouterd with the controls was when there was multiple enemys and trying to switch between them. I took some getting used to and by the time I mastered it, the game was over. The overall length of the game was very short and I breezed through it one night. I have yet to play any multiplayer missions but from what I hear they are so-so and not the greatest. Once finished with the Single player campaign there are other options of play, like terrorist hunting where you can go to any level and basically just hunt down the terroists untill all are dead or you run out of time. It's decent enough and can help you learn all the nooks and crannies and doors for each level. There is 3 types of difficulty - normal, hard & elite. The only thing I found different in elite mode than the others is that it takes quite a few rounds to put the tangos down and if you get hit just a couple of times....back to the checkpoint for you! other than that the number and location of tangos tend to be in the same position making some of your sneak attacks already pre-planned. Overall I thought this game was a great addition to the PSP and definatly worth playing. Its got 1st person and some 3rd person views and will keep you playing for quite a while. I just wish the next games in the Tom Clancy series have a little more depth and maybe more resemble the title as I thought this was more of a letdown with a cool place like VEGAS!! Anyways I rated it as a 7.5! Hopefully you enjoy this game and liked my review! -dholmes19

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"dholmes19 reviewed Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas for the PSP..." was posted by dholmes19 on Thu, 11 Oct 2007 19:49:12 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/tom-clancys-rainbow-six-vegas/user-reviews/505278/platform/psp/ Wed, 29 Aug 2007 06:04:55 -0700 DurhamNC reviewed Two Worlds for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/two-worlds/user-reviews/490377/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 8.0.

Two Worlds shipped in the third week of August, late in the summer, after a number of fairly highly publicized delays. For the moment, it's playable only on PC and the 360, but there's at least some rumor, supported by reps from Topware Interactive, that the game will eventually make its way to the PS3. The main story in the game centers on a mysterious bounty hunter whose sister has disappeared - presumably kidnapped. A lengthy, in-engine cut scene at the beginning of the game introduces you to this mysterious figure and establishes the game's conceit pretty effectively. At this point, however, one of the game's failings is exposed. It's the dialogue, which can be a painfully over-the-top. Over-use of words like 'mayhap' and 'forsooth', meant to reinforce a sense of medieval fantasy, have just the opposite effect and may challenge the willingness of your suspension of disbelief. Unfortunately, the voice actors don't do much to compensate; they're not often convincing and the dead-pan tone adds little to the game-play experience. On the plus side, though, the game's dialogue has been voiced-over in its entirety, which adds a lot to the next-gen experience.

The player character in the game's story-mode is fixed only in-so-far as he's a male and human. The bounty hunter class you play as is malleable, based on skills a player elects to advance, skills purchased as the game progresses, and the style of play (stealth, tank, magic) preferred. Game-play in Two Worlds has frequently been compared to Bethesda's Elder Scrolls IV. The comparison is a sound one, though, only in that the game offers a free-roaming RPG in a fantasy environment. Yes, Two Worlds is, in its visual style, reminiscent of Oblivion, but while Bethesda's game is best experienced from a first-person perspective, Two Worlds simply is not. A first-person mode exists, but is not combat-enabled. The hybrid third-person and true third person perspectives are where game-play works. Players of TESIV:O know that that game is optimized for first-person play. Two Worlds draws on a number of RPGs for its experience, but to my mind, the best single comparison, in terms of game-play proper, is made with Diabolo II. Character advancement and item drops (what rare will I find this time?) are particularly Diabolo-esque. In addition to the story mode, Two Worlds offers players an online experience that many will find compelling. There are both PvE and PvP game-play modes and in both players can create their own character and class. The PvE allows players to experience the RPG with friends or random players. (In the 360 version, achievements are turned off.) PvP, on the other hand, is simply a competitive variation of this and feels tacked-on. Two Worlds has been criticized for being buggy and, in particular, for issues with frame-rate. I have seen bugs: two trees that seem to fizzle in and out of existence, and a boulder in the middle of a field whose physical properties were clearly defined, but whose graphical presence hadn't been rendered. On one occasion, as well, a horse I was riding got caught, literally, between a rock and a hard place and, unable to turn around or move out, I was forced to reset. The frame rate I've noticed lagging at times, but typically only when a lot was going on (eight or ten monsters chasing me, rain falling, etc.). The biggest frustration I have is the load times that are necessary when moving great, long distances across the map, but this is forgivable and, I think, inevitable. Two Worlds is enormous - easily as big as TESIV:O, and with an extensive underground world, as well. I can't imagine the 360's cache being able to hold it all and still perform acceptably. Two Worlds looks good, it sounds good, and it plays well. The sandbox environment in which players can freely roam is enormous, full of interesting things to see and full of quests to take on. A great deal of effort has clearly been put into making the environment varied: caves, forests, lakes, settlements large and small, mysterious towers, cities of the walking dead, graveyards, encampments, and places of magic and ritual are all here to find and explore. The story-line, too, if a player chooses to follow it, is interesting in its own right. Item stacking and potion creation add an element to game-play that many will find interesting and useful, but for those who prefer a more straight-forward action RPG, that experience is here, as well. Two Worlds has a lot to offer to just about any RPG fan. There are many haters out there: what this game needs, though, is players willing to take the time to learn it. Those who do will be rewarded with dozens of hours of addictive RPG fun.

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"DurhamNC reviewed Two Worlds for the Xbox 360..." was posted by DurhamNC on Wed, 29 Aug 2007 06:04:55 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/two-worlds/user-reviews/490377/platform/xbox360/ Mon, 04 Jun 2007 22:35:47 -0700 dholmes19 reviewed Hitman: Blood Money for the PlayStation 2... http://www.gamespot.com/hitman-blood-money/user-reviews/460166/platform/ps2/ ...and gave it a 9.4!

When I first played this game I was sure I would like it as much as the previous ones, but this one was the best so far. The gameplay is very smooth and solid, Locations are awesome and you can kill very violently or very quietly and still get the job done. There are many excellent scenarios throughout this game and each one is better than the next. By the end of the game all your skills you have developed will have to be exercised. My personal favorite level was "Dance with the Devil" as you had to visit both Heaven & Hell and find different outfits for each one. Some of the guards pack some heavy heat so it is crucial to either be very stealthy or lure them away enough to get a clean kill, otherwise they will pretty much make swiss cheese out of you. I was very impressed with this game as it was one of the few games that captured my full attention. I strongly encourage anybody and everybody to pick up this game and hopefully enjoy it as much as i did. "two thumbs up, way up!"

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"dholmes19 reviewed Hitman: Blood Money for the PlayStation 2..." was posted by dholmes19 on Mon, 04 Jun 2007 22:35:47 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/hitman-blood-money/user-reviews/460166/platform/ps2/ Tue, 10 Apr 2007 11:01:29 -0700 xhellcatx reviewed Fear Effect for the PlayStation... http://www.gamespot.com/fear-effect/user-reviews/443101/platform/ps/ ...and gave it a 9.6!

Fear Effect. I say that name and think 'man was that game fun to play!' It had a ton of twists, had you at the edge of your seat, was intense, and Id say it even connected with you the player on some sort of level. Its definitely not been recognized like it should, as one of the best games for the ps1. Its right up there with FF VII for me. I loved the characters, I loved the story, and I just loved playing this game. I love when a game can come right out and surprize the socks off you, its refreshing, and exciting. This game definitely delivers!

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"xhellcatx reviewed Fear Effect for the PlayStation..." was posted by xhellcatx on Tue, 10 Apr 2007 11:01:29 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/fear-effect/user-reviews/443101/platform/ps/ Tue, 27 Mar 2007 10:34:58 -0700 DurhamNC reviewed TMNT for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/tmnt/user-reviews/437903/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 6.9.

On the heels of the XBLA release of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and given its relative low price point (49.99), I picked this one up without much hesitation. And yes, I had read the reviews. The question is, though, is it really all that bad? In a word, no. It does, however, smart a little bit to shell out fifty clams for a game that last about 5 hours. Graphically, the game is on par with current gen consoles. It's not impressive, mind you, but at least TMNT doesn't look like an unoriginal port from a Gamecube or PS2 version of the game. TMNT is structured around a comic book narrative: the four turtles and Splinter tell you about a few remarkable events in their recent past while you, as one of the turtles, act out those same events. Cut scenes between levels intersperse some FMV, but mostly focus in on panels in the comic book that's serving as an anchor for game play. The dialogue is uninspired and the highly repetitive stock phrases the various turtles spit out as you jump around the city and lock weapons with various gang members and foot clan drones actually detract from game play. Almost immediately, you'll be struck that a game about ninjas downplays combat. When you do engage an enemy, probably 2 to 5 times a level (levels, incidentally, take between 10 and 20 minutes to complete; longer if you die frequently), they come at you fast and hard. In just a minute or two, though, you'll have defeated them all and then it's straight back to platforming. For me, this was the great disappointment of the game, its limited and repetitive combat. Add to this the fact that bosses are rare and those interested in kicking and smacking may want simply to queue this one up at Gamefly, or avoid it all together.

There are two types of coins to collect in each level. Silver ones are scattered regularly throughout a given level and serve as a useful guide to help you sort out where you need to jump next. To encourage you to replay levels, gold coins can be collected your second time through and these can be used to unlock extras: making the turtles' heads bigger, changing the look of their weapons, etc. You don't have to replay to earn coins though; it simply quickens the pace for you to unlock the added content. Obviously I didn't hate this game. I don't regret playing it and, although short, it was pretty fun for the five hours it took me to get through it. If you're interested in achievement points and don't mind feeling dirty about how you get them, TMNT is a will reward you with 1,000 of them basically for playing the game through. It's not a great a game and I don't regret dropping 50 dollars on it, but if I had the chance to do it all over again, I'd rent this one.

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"DurhamNC reviewed TMNT for the Xbox 360..." was posted by DurhamNC on Tue, 27 Mar 2007 10:34:58 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/tmnt/user-reviews/437903/platform/xbox360/ Tue, 27 Feb 2007 10:33:25 -0800 DurhamNC reviewed Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters for the PSP... http://www.gamespot.com/ratchet-and-clank-size-matters/user-reviews/427853/platform/psp/ ...and gave it a 8.7.

So let's just get it out there: Ratchet and Clank is a short game. Not disappointingly short, I don't think, but short enough that you notice it's over before you'd like it to be. Playing for an hour and a little more a day, I made my way through the game in just over a week. Here's the thing, though: your character evolves and develops; so do his weapons. And when you've finished the game the first time, you can begin again just as you ended off. There are a number of mini games, of the racing type (on a hover board), a tonne of hidden items, from armor upgrades to collectible titanium bolts (these are used to unlock character skins). On top of that, just about every weapon you have has add-ons you can purchase, and when you've leveled one up to its maximum (level 4), you'll have the option to purchase a more advanced version. All of this gets rather costly, and saving up the bolts for these purchases can be time consuming, but you can earn multipliers based on enemies you defeat. It's an added level of challenge, though -- when you're hit, the multiplier resets to 1 9from a max of 12). The great strength of the game is the variety of weapons and gadgets it offers. Some will get used far more than others; some you might not use at all. But there's an abiding urge you'll feel, whether you use a weapon regularly or no, to enhance it -- to buy everything you can for it and to level it up as high as you can. Ratchet and Clank isn't an action RPG, obviously not, but it offers enough by way of character and weapon development to keep the game play interesting. As with any platformer of this kind, the camera can be a little frustrating. Jumping around and knowing where to jump isn't usually a frustrating experience, but when you miss and fall not so much because of your timing as because of a camera problem, the experience can be frustrating. So, to sum it all up: this is a fun platformer that offers a great replay value, that constantly varies it's play style (from mini-games of the hover board type, to levels where you fly around in space as a giant version of clank and blow up alien technomite ships), and that rewards you for time spent re-visiting planets and destroying enemies. There's a good deal of unlockable content and a fair number of hidden areas and hidden items. Plus, the game looks great. This is a fun and interesting game, worth the hard-earned dollars you'll spend on it. If you have a PSP, you need to play this game. The only question I have left is what are you waiting for?

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"DurhamNC reviewed Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters for the PSP..." was posted by DurhamNC on Tue, 27 Feb 2007 10:33:25 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/ratchet-and-clank-size-matters/user-reviews/427853/platform/psp/ Tue, 27 Feb 2007 10:13:37 -0800 DurhamNC reviewed Viva Pinata for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/viva-pinata/user-reviews/427847/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 7.8.

Viva is a good game. Period. Graphically it's stunning. The game play is smooth and enjoyable. The challenge is just right, for the kind of game it is. Depending on who you have on your friends list, you may, like me, get the occasional message that reads something like: I can't believe you're playing pinata! Or That games for babies and sissies. You just have to suck it up, and remember that the same guy sending you that message probably just spent the last 8 hours playing through Gears for the umpteenth time, because he'd rather do that than play some Viva. If you're interested in achievement points, and who isn't these days, Viva will reward you with a pretty consistent stream of achievements. Not so many that you bur them all up after 5 or 6 hours of play, but not so few that you're playing for five or six hours before you get one. But what about the game itself? It's about gardening, attracting wild pinatas to your garden, and getting them to take up residence there. As your garden develops and the number of residents increase, the land your allotted will increase, as well. Viva, if nothing else, is about change -- about finding new seeds, growing new plants, and altering the status quo in your virtual world. But it's also about freedom. You can do pretty much whatever you want, whenever you want. You can be a slob one day, raze the entire garden to the ground, and start over the next day as fastidiously as you want to be. Tired of certain pinatas? They're just paper -- it's okay to break them. Viva offers a lot to all kinds of players, young and old. You do yourself a disservice if you refuse to play, simply because you think its only for kids. You may not be able to chainsaw the Buzzlegums or Sparrowmints, but you can buy them a house and breed them. If you haven't already, give this game a try.

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"DurhamNC reviewed Viva Pinata for the Xbox 360..." was posted by DurhamNC on Tue, 27 Feb 2007 10:13:37 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/viva-pinata/user-reviews/427847/platform/xbox360/ Tue, 23 Jan 2007 11:36:44 -0800 DurhamNC reviewed Call of Duty 2 for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/call-of-duty-2/user-reviews/415835/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 7.0.

CoD2 is a pretty good game. The graphics are fine, the frame rate's pretty consistent, the game play is smooth. If you're an achievement points addict, though -- I'm not, not really -- the game will break your heart. The only way really to rack up the points is by playing the hardest difficulty setting. And hard, dear friends, it certainly is. Hard to the point of frustration. Hard to the point of wanting to cut your heart out with the dull edges of the 360 controlled. So hard that I wouldn't wish it upon even my worst enemies. But that's only if you're addicted to points. If you like FPS and if you like real-world, historical settings, this is a good game. Not great, mind you. But definitely good. Considering that it's been out for a year and most places selling used games are selling for about 30 bucks, it's definitely worth the investment.

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"DurhamNC reviewed Call of Duty 2 for the Xbox 360..." was posted by DurhamNC on Tue, 23 Jan 2007 11:36:44 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/call-of-duty-2/user-reviews/415835/platform/xbox360/ Sun, 21 Jan 2007 07:44:06 -0800 DurhamNC reviewed Gears of War for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/gears-of-war/user-reviews/415098/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 9.2!

Gears, GOW, GeOW, GoW -- however you spell it, however, you abbreviate it, this game is one game you should own. It's easy to pick up and play, but with difficulty setting increased, can be almost impossible to beat: there is as much challenge as you need to keep this game interesting even after you've finished it. The story is great, the graphics a truly prodigious accomplishment. When you have finished the story -- or even if you haven't -- the varied maps available in online matches keep things interesting. Gears sets a standard for current gen. consoles that won't easily be overtaken. If you haven't played this game yet, you need to. Whether you're a shooter fan or no, the only thing you'll regret when you finish this game is that it doesn't go on any further.

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"DurhamNC reviewed Gears of War for the Xbox 360..." was posted by DurhamNC on Sun, 21 Jan 2007 07:44:06 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/gears-of-war/user-reviews/415098/platform/xbox360/ Sun, 21 Jan 2007 07:24:58 -0800 DurhamNC reviewed Phantasy Star Universe for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/phantasy-star-universe/user-reviews/415090/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 8.1.

In Story Mode, PSU is a pretty mediocre game, to be perfectly honest. It's action is repetitive, it's delayed by long and tedious cut scenes, peppered with absurdly unlikable characters, and simply doesn't meet the graphical standards of current gen. consoles. That said, if you're into them, it's a fairly short route to 1000 achievement points. The real value of this game is its online play -- put simply, it's game play is fun and addictive. Experience is much harder to come by, and the process of earing gold, at least at first, is slow to the point of frustration. Here's the thing: a lot of people play this game and most of them are fun to play with. The same repetitive game play applies, but with the added social aspect and the addictive nature of character advancement -- advancement of a character and type you choose (somewhat different from the Story Mode) -- the result is a great game that really lasts. PSU, most people with point out, isn't a true MMO, but for the moment it's the closest and best you'll find on the 360.

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"DurhamNC reviewed Phantasy Star Universe for the Xbox 360..." was posted by DurhamNC on Sun, 21 Jan 2007 07:24:58 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/phantasy-star-universe/user-reviews/415090/platform/xbox360/ Sat, 20 Jan 2007 07:43:05 -0800 DurhamNC reviewed Lumines II for the PSP... http://www.gamespot.com/lumines-ii/user-reviews/414728/platform/psp/ ...and gave it a 8.3.

This is the sequel to a remarkably popular and wildly addictive little puzzle game that represents the same kind of hallmark for the PSP that Tetris did for the Gameboy all those years ago. With tonnes of unlockable content and a number of interesting variations on its block-making theme, this installment is definitely worth picking up. Video streams in the background and some great club-style music keeps you entertained as the blocks fall. The graphical improvement is the most noticeable change and one that updates the game to take better advantage of the capabilities of Sony's powerful little hand-held. The only question remaining is why you haven't yet picked this game up.

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"DurhamNC reviewed Lumines II for the PSP..." was posted by DurhamNC on Sat, 20 Jan 2007 07:43:05 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/lumines-ii/user-reviews/414728/platform/psp/ Mon, 25 Dec 2006 09:45:27 -0800 Energenix reviewed Advent Rising for the PC... http://www.gamespot.com/advent-rising/user-reviews/403487/platform/pc/ ...and gave it a 9.6!

First of all, I would like to say that I was utterly disappointed when I saw that Gamespot's stance was 6.3 on this title. There seem to be countless people comparing this masterpiece to Halo, which is impossible. Not only does AR boast a much better, involving and emotional storyline, but the gameplay and combat style are truly satisfying and unique.

Gameplay:
Initially, I bumbled around a bit and couldn't quite figure out the scheme for the controls. It took me about a half-hour to really get a good feel for how the weapon system works, and I say its one of the most innovative and fluid combat systems ever devised for a game, end of story! The mouse wheel targeting is perfect, and greatly enhances your ability to switch targets on-the-fly while never taking your finger off the trigger. You can either wield dual weapons, or, later in the game, equip a mixture of weaponry and superhuman powers. Most weapons (human and alien) and powers also have alternate fire modes and can each be taken to higher levels of mastery providing enhancements, adding to the complexity of attacks you can execute and allows for customization of combat style. Also, any weapon an enemy drops, you can use. Halo doesnt have nothing on this! As you progress through the game, you'll find your character discovering new and increasingly powerful abilities to add to your arsenal, and make it possible to further customize how you fight. Should you find yourself without a weapon or low on ammo, you can resort to powers and hand-to-hand melee fighting.

Story:
At first things move somewhat slowly, but after the first half hour, I was completely hooked. It was like living an Orson Scott Card sci-fi novel, which says a lot. The character of Gideon Wyeth evolves so much in the span of this title. From a cocky and complacent military officer and pilot, to a man who has lost almost everything and has the responsibility of trying to save humankind from extinction, at the expense of all other considerations. You will experience hardship, death, personal loss, and a host of other emotions as you guide this unfortunate soul toward his destiny. This is one of the few games, if any, I have ever been emotionally attached to. The screenplay and scenario are set forth in such a way to actually make you care about what is happening to Gideon and his comrades, something most other games cant begin to touch!

Sound:
Of utmost importance in a story-driven game is a great and well-implemented soundtrack. I am happy to say that Advent Rising delivers in this department as well. Every track seems to fit the environment, and the battle and boss fight music is terrific - sent chills down my spine the first time I heard it! Truly great material. Weapon sounds, voice acting, all the audio was very well implemented, and was never out of sync or felt misused/misplaced. Graphics:
This is the one area that could have used some improvement, however I feel it was their goal to present this title with a certain distinctive look that could only be accomplished with the art and animation style the developers chose. While it isnt great by, say, Doom 3 standards, it doesnt have to be. And every fan of a good author like OSC knows that somethings are better left to imagination. And while the graphics arent anything special, they dont undermine the game as a whole and are quite acceptable.

Overview:
I love this game! I am so glad I picked it up online. I had browsed by it countless times, without giving it a second thought. But one day I decided to take a chance and see what kind of game this is - it was the best game purchase I have ever made and ever will make unless GlyphX finishes the trilogy! 6.3? I dont think so...

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"Energenix reviewed Advent Rising for the PC..." was posted by Energenix on Mon, 25 Dec 2006 09:45:27 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/advent-rising/user-reviews/403487/platform/pc/ Mon, 11 Dec 2006 04:56:12 -0800 Energenix reviewed Fable: The Lost Chapters for the PC... http://www.gamespot.com/fable-the-lost-chapters/user-reviews/397558/platform/pc/ ...and gave it a 8.6.

Fable: TLC is one of the few games that I knew would be great from the moment I began playing. All RPG fans, and most likely those who frequent other genres, will most certainly find something enjoyable in Fable that will keep them hooked from beginning to end. Like most games, it has its slow-moving parts and some redundant aspects. However, overall it is a masterpiece and truly worthy of consideration by all gamers, young and old alike.

For starters, the opening cut scene and accompanying Main Theme, composed by Danny Elfman, do a great job of establishing the mood for the game. As the story begins, you find yourself in the shoes of a young man who resides with his family in the quaint village of Oakvale, a seemingly ideal and pristine community with no worries of any sort. Immediately you get to experiment with the different controls and adventure through town, and are also given your first of MANY quests by your character’s father, to buy a birthday gift for your character’s sister (Fable’s story is entirely quest-driven). After this introductory quest, a kind of tutorial that teaches you how to interact with people and find your way around town, the story finally kicks in a little. Oakvale suddenly finds itself under attack, but there are no warriors in the community who could defend against such an onslaught, so it is burned to the ground by the horde of bandits. The citizens are ruthlessly murdered and your family is, as far as you know, slain along with the townspeople. The cut scene to illustrate this attack contains many foreshadowing elements that begin to piece together later in the game.

Shortly thereafter, you are found and ’adopted’ by a strange-looking mage who calls himself Maze, who takes you to a place called the Heroes’ Guild, where you are to be trained in the arts of combat and magic, or in this case ’ Will, and serve the guild (headed by the nameless Guildmaster) as a Hero. At this point, the story jumps ahead and you see your character evolve from a young child to a promising adolescent, midway through the Guild’s training program. You have a little more freedom to explore and learn, dig through shops, learn archery, magic, and melee combat, and explore the Guild in its entirety.

[[ I must stop here to say that every action you perform in this game, whether good or evil, is counted towards you alignment meter. The more murderous, treacherous, and villainous you are, the more evil and foreboding you will appear, and people in general will begin to fear you and run away upon laying eyes on you. However, the opposite is true for being virtuous, kind, and noble. Your appearance will be brighter, more inviting, and more people will find you attractive (perhaps attractive enough to ask for a wedding ring). Many other things can also affect your alignment, such as new spells or different makes of armor and weaponry.]]

Once you have past the Guildmaster’s final test to graduate, you are given the title of Hero, and freed to perform any tasks which are offered to you through the Guild, or quests you may discover while adventuring. There are many side stories in Fable, but somehow they correlate wonderfully with the main storyline and never interrupt to the point where you find yourself aimlessly wandering (which you have the freedom to do if you so desire). Almost every aspect of your character is customizable, everything from equipment, spells, physique, skills, alignment, attractiveness, and finance. You can be an evil tyrant who murders innocent villagers, steals from shops, specializes in ranged weapons, is lewd in public and hits on the girls. On the other hand, you can be an admirable and respected knight who saves traders from roving bandits, recovers stolen goods, specializes in close-quarters melee weapons and magic, and is a great landlord. Yes, you can buy and rent out houses, or live in them with as a single man or a husband, if you can discover what drives the village women mad for you!

Overall gameplay is very solid and enjoyable. For its time, the graphics are superb, from player models, items, environments and lighting. The music is very well composed and fully orchestrated, which is extremely flattering to the games impression and plot line, especially the main theme by Elfman, which resurfaces in a few other tracks.

At the center of this masterpiece title is the mysterious, world-renowned Hero, Jack of Blades. The name is simplistic; the character anything but. Over the course of many quests through the guild you will discover who this ’man’ is and his true motive, what actually happened to your family after the Oakvale massacre, and who in the Guild is really on your side. In the battle between Evil and Good, which is ever present, which side will you serve? Will you blindly adhere to the whims of the Guildmaster and his band of noble heroes, or trade your soul to gain the power that only comes from serving the darkness. After all, it is totally up to you’

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"Energenix reviewed Fable: The Lost Chapters for the PC..." was posted by Energenix on Mon, 11 Dec 2006 04:56:12 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/fable-the-lost-chapters/user-reviews/397558/platform/pc/ Sat, 25 Nov 2006 01:45:18 -0800 Energenix reviewed The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion for the PC... http://www.gamespot.com/the-elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion/user-reviews/390246/platform/pc/ ...and gave it a 8.6.

Graphics:

Utilizing the some of the newest and most innovative middleware available (the Gamebryo graphics engine, Havok physics engine, SpeedTree, and FaceGen) Bethesda set out to greatly improve upon the appearance and versatility of Morrowind. If you have been going by screenshots to judge the visual sophistication of Oblivion, you will never fully appreciate the masterpiece Bethesda constructed until you play it for yourself on a high-end system.

The first impression that I got during the opening cutscene was one of astonishment. Though the in-game graphics don’t match the quality of the intro FMV, they come pretty darn close. The environments, both interior and exterior, are lush and full of life, texture, and substance. NPCs are especially impressive ’ lip-sinking is near perfect, and facial expressions are very life-like and convincing. Occasionally, however, some characters eyes will ’disappear’ at certain angles when talking up close, leaving either a black whole or the environment behind the character visible. This can be particularly annoying in an important conversation, or an encounter intended to be emotional or important to the progress of the story. Lighting was most impressive, especially with HDR enabled. Your frame rate will take a slight hit, but it is well worth seeing the province of Cyrodiil in all its glory as it was intended. The graphics tweaking ability is average; the sliders for Character, Land, Grass etc. distance are especially nice, allowing you to pull back on the reins a bit if your machine isn’t up to spec. But with all options maxed out, Oblivion truly is beautiful to behold.

Gameplay:

The first-person POV works very well for this game. If you want, you can also switch to third-person view, which often multiplies the difficulty of most tasks, most notably combat. First-person view provides you with a crosshair to assist you in targeting your enemies and also provides much better depth-perception and perspective while battling others. The ’Journal’, or in-game character menu, is quite functional and easy to navigate after learning where everything is. Being designed for a cross-platform release and keeping controller navigation in mind, some elements of the journal layout may appear overly simplified or ’dumbed down’. It would be difficult on a console to navigate a full-screen multithreaded character menu, so it is understandable why they choose to compress the layout. The menu is mainly divided into categories for Character Status, Weapons, Armor and Clothing, Alchemy, and Misc. items, which are all arranged in a tabbed menu which is easy enough to navigate. You can quickly view your health, magicka, and fatigue status via the HUD.

You will find the opportunity to embark on a multitude of side-quests during Oblivion, many of which you will enjoy far more than the main quest. Though there are a very few bugs to be worked out, these quests are often a welcome relief from the main story, and often provide you with special or unique items, armor, or weapons that can’t be acquired elsewhere. Side-quests also provide your character additional opportunities to advance in level and attributes.

Music/Audio:

First and foremost, the soundtrack, which was composed by the talented Jeremy Soule, opens up a whole new dimension in the game. The bombastic opening title, a further revision of the Morrowind theme, foretells the impressiveness and wonder of the world you are about to explore. Every theme fits its situation, and each piece is quite moving and somehow allows you to easily ignore the repetitive elements of adventuring.

Sound effects and character voicing are also superb. Though sometimes the voice actors for NPCs ’over-act’, they provide a generally impressive and satisfying performance. Environmental sounds are also very well done, and are as realistic as they could be.

Overview:

A triumph for Bethesda, and a long-awaited adventure for gamers, Oblivion brings the Elder Scrolls series to life in a way that was previously impossible. While the game has its shortcomings, they are more than made up for by the outstanding graphics, voice acting, musical score, and engrossing story that takes you to the far ends of Cyrodiil and plunges you into the depths of Oblivion.

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"Energenix reviewed The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion for the PC..." was posted by Energenix on Sat, 25 Nov 2006 01:45:18 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/the-elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion/user-reviews/390246/platform/pc/ Sat, 28 Oct 2006 09:14:41 -0700 DurhamNC reviewed Meteos for the DS... http://www.gamespot.com/meteos/user-reviews/377607/platform/ds/ ...and gave it a 7.3.

Meteos comes to us from the same people who brought Lumines to the PSP and the XBL Arcade. Three's the magic number in this puzzler, which is one part tic-tac-toe, one part Tetris, and one part bizarrely quirky. The question remains, though, is it worth while? Anticipating myself a little, I'd say yes, but look for it used or in a bargain bin. As a puzzler, Meteos is fairly intense. Players bring falling blocks into horizontal or vertical groups of three using the stylus to move a given block up or down within its column. Blocks don't move horizontally. When three like blocks come together, rockets fire and those meteos, along with any that have piled up on top of them blast towards the top of the screen. The barrage from above is ceseless, though, and new metoes falling onto the screen will often weigh down the blocks as they rocket off, causing the group to descend slowly back to where it started. The trick at this point is to creat additional matched groups and aplly some added boost.

Metoeos is a fast-paced game. If the more relaxed pace of Lumines or tetris is your stlye, you may not enjoy this game. I can lay back on the couch with Tetris for an hour; playing Meteos, though, I'm always sitting up, tense, trying to figure out which blocks to move next and watching the screen quickly filling with new pieces. One flaw in the Meteos mechanics I noticed, one that will rarely work in your favour in games like Tetris or Lumines, is that under high-stress situations, when a games nearing the end, randomly drawing the stylus up and down the screen can do a lot to save you. Easily saps the challenge out of the game, but can be hard to resist when your screen's nearly full. Meteos is a good game. It's perfect for short bursts of DS entertainment. The audio is fairly mediocre and the visuals aren't stunning (think GBA quality), but it's exactly the sort of game this console needs. Should you buy it? Not at the 29 dollar price-point, I don't think. But for 17, which is what I found it for at a local GameStop, the price was right.

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"DurhamNC reviewed Meteos for the DS..." was posted by DurhamNC on Sat, 28 Oct 2006 09:14:41 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/meteos/user-reviews/377607/platform/ds/ Thu, 19 Oct 2006 17:00:59 -0700 DurhamNC reviewed Justice League Heroes for the DS... http://www.gamespot.com/justice-league-heroes/user-reviews/374495/platform/ds/ ...and gave it a 4.2.

Justice League Heroes for the DS isn't strictly a port, though its uninteresting gameplay and slipshod presentation might have you thinking otherwise. Somewhat in the spirit of the Xmen Legends games before it, Justice League Heroes brings the other major comic franchise to the gaming world, but the DS version offers little. Characters do gain experience and additional abilites are unlocked over time, as levels increase. The number of abilities, however, is small and the process of character leveling offers gamers no degree of customization. A further frustration arises as experience is acumulated with not parirty for unplayed characters. If you use Wonderwoman solely throughout the beginning of the game, the Flash is left at a sever disadvantage, having acquired no experience or levels himself. Gameplay, which happens from a top-down perspective, is intensely repetitive and the graphical presentation dull. The DS is cabable of brilliant colours and animations, but what appears on the dual screens from this game leaves you wondering why you didn't simply buy the GBA cart. The well animated introduction and backstory to the game leave you a bit incredulous that the cut scenes are portrait only and lack any voice acting. The environment in which gameplay takes place is an interactive one -- virtually every object you come upon is destructable. As with the enemies you encounter, though, these objects quickly become repetitive and uninteresting. You'll may find yourself wondering why the heck there are, yet again, three wooden boxes in the road next to the mailbox. The game makes little use of the unique features of the DS console. I'm thinking here, obviously, of the touch screen. The upper screen is ocupied by the level map, the lower one with gameplay. You can leave your stylus sheathed. Not to stand out in any way, the sound is similarly disappointing. Though the score that plays in the backgorund is well done, what few audio effects there are sound tinny and repetitive. So, is it a game worth buying? Probably not. Even for hardcore JLA fans, this one's hard to swallow. Rent, try it, sure. But save your shekels for the XBOX or PS2 versions of the game. Or better yet, go out and buy Ultimate Alliance.

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"DurhamNC reviewed Justice League Heroes for the DS..." was posted by DurhamNC on Thu, 19 Oct 2006 17:00:59 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/justice-league-heroes/user-reviews/374495/platform/ds/ Mon, 04 Sep 2006 06:55:54 -0700 DurhamNC reviewed Tenchu: Dark Secret for the DS... http://www.gamespot.com/tenchu-dark-secret/user-reviews/360087/platform/ds/ ...and gave it a 3.5.

Repetitive,tedious, poorly exectued. Tenchu is an example of everything that's wrong with game development. What was an okay game on a phone is a terrible game on the DS if nothing's done to meet the capabilites of the console. Sure, the graphics are okay -- but they never change. The overhead view is frustrating. You never encounter more than 2 or 3 enemies at a time. There are 2 playable characters, but only the ninja is worth bringing out: the other's just token. Supposedly better at sneak attacks, she's really just weaker and useless. Item creation, one of the game's selling points, can save you coin and even earn you some, but the items are about as useful as that second player character. So why bother? This game has no interesting or redeeming qualities. And everyone who reviews it agrees. Rent it if you're curious -- but don't shell out the clams.

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"DurhamNC reviewed Tenchu: Dark Secret for the DS..." was posted by DurhamNC on Mon, 04 Sep 2006 06:55:54 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/tenchu-dark-secret/user-reviews/360087/platform/ds/ Sun, 23 Apr 2006 12:28:04 -0700 DurhamNC reviewed Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time for the DS... http://www.gamespot.com/mario-and-luigi-partners-in-time/user-reviews/303522/platform/ds/ ...and gave it a 8.6.

Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time is a surprisingly good addition to the DS library and a happy contribution to the Mario universe. I'd hesitated to purchase the game for sometime, fearing that it's 30 dollar price tag would translate into 5 dollars of fun. Principally it was the childish, cartoonish humour that turned me off -- and, admittedly, this is to my mind the biggest drawback of the game. The story aside, gameplay is fun and quickly addictive. With experience to be gained, coins to be found, and upgrades to purchase there's a certain amount of motivation inherent in the game that keeps you playing. But, unlike say Spyro for the DS, which combines the same elements of platformer, puzzler and RPG, Partners in Time mixes up gameplay and doesn't painfully repeat itself from world to world. A sometimes frustrating, but still interesting and even fun part of the game is the importance of one's button reflexes -- more damage can be done by pushing the right buttons at the right time -- and timing is everything! Even at the most basic level, as you travel around the Mushroom world, because you control both characters at once, and because Luigi always follows Mario, hitting the buttons right makes a difference. It's a interesting element of gameplay.

Surprisingly, the game doesn't at all take advantage of the touch screen feature -- the two screens of the DS allow at times for larger, combined fields of play, and the interaction of adult Mario and Luigi on the bottom with their younger counterparts on the top, but your stylus always remained holstered. It's simply not active in Partners in Time. Especially given the puzzel-element of the game, it feels as though a certain vacuum of gameplay is created.

Without a doubt, this is the best game in the series and the best game of its type available for play on the DS. New or used, it's worth the price.

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"DurhamNC reviewed Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time for the DS..." was posted by DurhamNC on Sun, 23 Apr 2006 12:28:04 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/mario-and-luigi-partners-in-time/user-reviews/303522/platform/ds/ Tue, 18 Apr 2006 07:55:55 -0700 DurhamNC reviewed Trace Memory for the DS... http://www.gamespot.com/trace-memory/user-reviews/300674/platform/ds/ ...and gave it a 7.8.

Trace Memory is an adventure game in the tradition of Myst, but certainly not with the same falre and depth. Two draw backs: first, it's short -- 6 hours short; and second, it's too linear. When you miss something in a room, if it's not obvious you have missed it, your sometimes companion D will point out the fact.

The good: in the genre of adventure games, and especially as an adventure game on a portable, the graphics are great. The backgounds are often dynamic and the cut scenes are beautiful. Most intriguing of all though is the degree to which TM takes advantage of every feature of the DS (except the WiFi, of course). Friends may laugh at you as you play the game -- trust me.

A lot of the puzzles really are quite good, after yo get beyond the first chapter, which really just serves as a training session for gameplay (the designers clearly recognize that most gamers don't like to spend their first half hour with a new game buried in the manual). Once they're solved, though, the replay of the game is functionally lost.

The biggest drawback is how linear this game is in its presentation. That it's a bit short I can deal with. As it stands, you can usually find trace memory for 10 or 15 dollars new, much less used, and at that price it's well worth it. If you pay 30 or 35 for the game, you'll be justifiably disappointed.

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"DurhamNC reviewed Trace Memory for the DS..." was posted by DurhamNC on Tue, 18 Apr 2006 07:55:55 -0700
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