ilikemuffins000's GameSpot Friend's Reviews ilikemuffins000's GameSpot Friend's Reviews ilikemuffins000'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 15:11:31 -0700 GameSpot ilikemuffins000's GameSpot Friend's Reviews http://img.gamespot.com/gamespot/shared/promos/misc/gs_logo.gif http://www.gamespot.com 135 40 Fri, 17 May 2013 08:27:42 -0700 pigfish2 reviewed Tomb Raider for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/tomb-raider/user-reviews/811411/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 9.0!

It is easy to say that hitting the reboot button is the easy option with a franchise as it enables the developers to start from scratch once more. However in reality it is a difficult task to pull off. Make it too similar to previous iterations and people will wonder why you bothered but make it too different and existing fans will be up in arms. Thankfully with Tomb Raider, Crystal Dynamics has for the most part got the balance right, albeit opting for more that's different than the same.

Being a reboot, the game casts you as a young Lara Croft setting out on her first adventure. Lara and the entire crew of the ship The Endurance are shipwrecked on the island of Yamatai and as Lara you must uncover the islands mysteries, defeat a crazed cult and find a way to escape. All in all the plot and characters are pretty generic with some clichéd dialogue at times but it is the strength of characterisation put into Lara that stands out. She begins as a naive and frightened girl but over the course of the game develops into a strong and confident woman willing to do whatever it takes to survive. Her character development is handled well and is the stand out feature of the game. Most games allow you to advance in terms of abilities and weapons but it is rare for a developer to attempt such a degree of character development. Crystal Dynamics have pulled it off though. This is helped by capable voice performance by Camilla Luddington as Lara. Of course Lara also advances in terms of abilities which are earn using skill points and weapons which can be upgraded using salvage. Just like with the development of Lara's character these are satisfying. They also enable more tasks to be completed and improved combat capability but crucially without making the game too easy as you progress.

Gameplay can be split into three main types. Firstly there is combat. Whilst not groundbreaking the cover system is well implemented and useful in what are some pretty intense firefights at times. The enemy AI is competent too with foes hiding behind cover and making themselves difficult to take down. The combat is very much like that of the Uncharted series, which Crystal Dynamics have clearly taken a number of cues from for this reboot. This can be seen in the second type of gameplay, the exploration and platforming. Lara is just as acrobatic as Nathan Drake and makes use of whatever she can to climb and explore. Jumps and climbs are easy to perform and satisfying to pull off. In another cue taken from the Uncharted series, the scenery will often collapse as Lara climbs it, leading to a scramble to hang on and grab something else. This forms part of the game's edge of your seat tone. Set pieces abound and the game maintains a fast pace as Lara rushes to escape collapsing buildings, is swept down rushing rivers and much more. This lends the game a strong cinematic feel with Lara as the heroine of the piece. The fast pace works well due to the strength of its execution but at times it could do with slowing down. This pace is occasionally broken up the third gameplay type; puzzles. I was disappointed by the lack of puzzles in the early stages of the game and whilst they do increase in number as it progresses, I still would have welcomed more to slow the game's breakneck pace at times. The puzzles that do exist require some thought but none are likely to leave you stumped for long. Overall I feel the gameplay balance is about right though and the difficulty is appropriate too. An omission that fans of the franchise might find hard to take is the lack of tombs. There are seven, short optional tombs, hidden away to find but none that are compulsory for completion. This doesn't detract from the game's quality but existing fans could be left disappointed. It is worth noting though that despite its fast pace and lack of tombs the game is surprisingly lengthy, clocking in at over ten hours.

Graphically, Tomb Raider is not spectacular but it is a good effort. The dark colours and foreboding locales instantly set the island out as a place to be feared and lighting is effectively used to enhance the sense of unease. The music is well chosen and complements the graphical choices in making you truly believe that this is a scary place that Lara is desperate to escape from. In addition to the use of sights and sounds to create a dangerous atmosphere, the game includes a large number of collectibles that flesh out the islands backstory. These are genuinely compelling to discover and extend the games already generous run time. Relics reveal the islands physical history whilst documents are used to portray the experiences of individuals who have previously had the misfortune of ending up on Yamatai. I often find collectibles to be in a game simply for the sake of making it seem to have more value but the Documents and Relics as well as GPS caches (which reveal two secret documents if you find them all) actually complement and enhance the story of the game. Tomb Raider also features online multiplayer in an attempt to further enhance the experience. It is a woefully lacklustre though. Lag is commonplace and it is quite simply boring. As an additional feature that is entirely separate of the main game it can gratefully be ignored though and does not detract from what is a top draw adventure.

Multiplayer aside, Crystal Dynamics' reboot of the Tomb Raider franchise has done what it set out to. It successfully reinvents Lara Croft with a strong level of character development and a fast paced adventure full of memorable moments. Tom Raider has been brought up to date and whilst it may take many cues from the Uncharted series it stands out as a fantastic game in its own right and re-establishes Lara Croft at gaming's top table.

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"pigfish2 reviewed Tomb Raider for the PlayStation 3..." was posted by pigfish2 on Fri, 17 May 2013 08:27:42 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/tomb-raider/user-reviews/811411/platform/ps3/ Sun, 28 Apr 2013 03:20:10 -0700 pigfish2 reviewed LEGO City Undercover for the Wii U... http://www.gamespot.com/lego-city-undercover/user-reviews/810781/platform/wii-u/ ...and gave it a 8.0.

Lego City Undercover marks the first entirely original game in Travellers Tales series of Lego games that began with Lego Star Wars back in 2005 and for the most part its better for this. Much of the charm of the Lego games is the way they poke fun at characters you know but free of the constraints of a familiar franchise the developers have kept the series' trademark humour intact with their own cast of likeable and funny characters. The story goes that as legendary cop Chase McCain you have returned to Lego City after two years away to help return the notorious criminal Rex Fury to prison. Undercover is still heavily indebted to films though with countless nods to and parodies of classic movies throughout. One of the best is a construction worker who is clearly a parody of Arnold Schwarzenegger. The game is light-hearted in tone as you expect from a Lego game and genuinely amusing throughout with full voice acting for all the major characters. Said characters are for the most part well characterised but sadly Rex Fury is criminally underused with little explanation of his motives. All in all it is very much what you expect from a Lego game on the exterior but delve deeper and there is some noticeable tinkering and additions.

Lego City is fully open world and you can make your way throughout the entire city with no loading screens. This sense of exploration fits well with Lego and is improved further by the ability to take control of any of the over 100 types of vehicles dotted throughout the city. Impressively each vehicle has its own unique handling, which is an extra level of sheen than you would expect. The 15-20 hour story involves both exploration and completing goals in the city and 15 special assignments set in self contained levels. This works well and introduces variety to proceedings. The chief gameplay mechanic is the ability for Chase to switch between a number of disguises ranging from burglar to fireman. Each disguise once unlocked provides its own unique abilities for solving different puzzles. This is a good way of keeping the Lego games character swapping intact whilst casting you as a single character. One free play mode is unlocked you can use any of the games 290 disguises that there are to collect. These disguises include all of the games major and minor characters and beyond and fit into categories based on the disguises Chase can use in the story. Gameplay involves a mix of fighting, platforming and puzzle solving and whilst for the most part these are all simplistic they are nevertheless fun. In terms of gameplay there is little change from what you expect from the tried and tested Lego formula. The game is rarely challenging, but that has never been the point with the Lego games, instead it offers relatively easy childlike enjoyment.

Graphically the game is not groundbreaking but holds up well with minor blemishes only noticeable when the camera moves in close. The voice work for the game is well recorded and the sound work in general is good. The music whilst decent quickly becomes irritating though as the game only has a few tracks that constantly repeat. One area where the game falls down is in technical details. The loading times when starting or finishing levels, and entering the police station are horribly long and clock in at a minimum 40 seconds each. This can be in part understood by the huge open world nature of the city but nevertheless it is an irritating waste of times. More worryingly the game at times suffers from freezing and other minor technical problems but these are rare. Lack of multiplayer in such a family orientated game is another drawback. The gamepad is well implemented if hardly original, with it serving as a communicator, scanner and map.

Undercover is a fun, if hardly exceptional game that offers plenty of hours of enjoyment. The story can be finished in 15-20 hours but with loads to collect and unlock beyond that and a huge city to explore there is plenty of value to be had. It is one of the best games in the Lego series that benefits from being unchained by the absence of a license and whilst it may not be a classic, it is a welcome addition to the Wii U's library.

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"pigfish2 reviewed LEGO City Undercover for the Wii U..." was posted by pigfish2 on Sun, 28 Apr 2013 03:20:10 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/lego-city-undercover/user-reviews/810781/platform/wii-u/ Fri, 30 Oct 2009 01:20:54 -0700 pigfish2 reviewed Animal Crossing: City Folk for the Wii... http://www.gamespot.com/animal-crossing-city-folk/user-reviews/689396/platform/wii/ ...and gave it a 9.0!

If you've played an Animal Crossing game before then you know exactly what to expect from Lets Go To The city. Anyone looking for a radical change to the series is going to be left feeling disappointed but fans of the series who just want more of the same will find plenty to like here.

As in previous titles in the series LGTTC has you playing as a human who has just moved to a town completely inhabited by animals. The game has no real objective and you are left to live your life in the town as you wish. The freedom this gives you is the real beauty of Animal Crossing because there's always plenty to do such as fishing, bug catching, shopping and helping out your fellow residents. The concept may seem thin and as if it will lack real lasting value but I constantly find myself coming back day after day to check up on the most recent goings on in my town.

The main draw of Animal Crossing that enables it to be so effective is the characters that live in your town. All the animals are charming and genuinely interesting to chat to. Up to 10 can live in your town at once and there's also a town hall, shop, tailors and museum for you to visit. It would have been nice to see some more places added to the town to make it more different from previous titles but this gripe is sorted out to a certain extent by the games one main addition, the city.

You can travel to the city by bus every day and once there you'll find a lot to do. This includes a salon, up market clothes store and much more, It's also a great place to meet animals who don't live in your town. Adding the city does increase the variety of the game however a lot of the shops were in the older games in the form of visitors to your town. Having the city in the game means that you get fewer visitors to your town but you still get the odd travelling carpet seller ot artist to mix up the game a little.

It would have been nice to see some improvements made to the graphics and sound of the game because both seem to be lifted from the DS title just with a little extra sheen for the Wii. These aren't crucial to the enjoyment of the game though and the graphical style is still the perfect fit.

Animal Crossing is also one of the few Wii games to incorporate Wii Speak communication. When visiting a friends town or vice-versa over Nintendo Wi-Fi connection you can chat to each other in real time which is a big improvement over the DS games text based chat. If you don't have Wii Speak then text communication is still available though. Visiting each others towns is just as enjoyable as it was on DS and is a great way to see how other people have decorated their houses and to meet even more characters. Sadly you can't visit the city together which isn't a major issue but would have been nice.

The game uses the clock and calender from your Wii which gives it the unique feature of having a full 365 day year with specific events happening on certain days such as Christmas and Easter and certain species of fish and bug only available during particular seasons. This gives the game real life span because you really do have to play the game for a full year to see everything it has to offer.

If you've already played an Animal Crossing game then you'll know what expect here and your enjoyment of that game will be enough to let you know if you want a slightly refined and improved but largely the same experience on the Wii. However for newcomers to the franchise it's the perfect place to start, whether you want to shop, collect or just chat to the locals there's always lots to see and do but beware, because it may just take over your life.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"pigfish2 reviewed Animal Crossing: City Folk for the Wii..." was posted by pigfish2 on Fri, 30 Oct 2009 01:20:54 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/animal-crossing-city-folk/user-reviews/689396/platform/wii/ Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:59:49 -0700 agturboninja reviewed Call of Duty: World at War for the PC... http://www.gamespot.com/call-of-duty-world-at-war-2008/user-reviews/681975/platform/pc/ ...and gave it a 7.0.

Call of Duty World at War by Treyarch is a good game. It's better than decent. The only thing World at War has over Modern Warfare is the Nazi Zombies mode.

The single player does have some intense moments, but is a significant letdown from COD4. Call of Duty World at War tries to be a COD 4 game in a world war 2 setting, but the intensity falls flat. The sniper mission "eviction" is no where as cool and paced well as "All Ghillied Up" in COD4. On easy or regular settings, the enemies throw a truckful of grenades which kills you once every 5 minutes.
The single player Campaign feels like a Call of Duty 0.8 to 2.2 at best. I remembered playing Call of Duty 1 and being blown away by the Stalingrad charge in the Russian campaign. What made it feel like a huge rehash was there was a mission you drive a tank, which in the COD 1 & 2 games. The final single player mission was taking over the Reichstag which was the exact level and ending from Call of Duty 1. Like all COD games, you cannot open doors. The melee animation is the exact same like in COD4.

For the multiplayer, its just like Call of Duty 4 only in a world war 2 setting. Overall its cheap. The dogs are more cheap than matyrdom. One pounce and your dead, you can't even snap their necks.

What makes COD WaW good is having 4 player online co-op and 4 play co-op nazi zombie mode. The zombie mode is a fun mode like Horde in Gears of War 2 and survival in Left 4 Dead.

I won this game for free in a twitter competition for Direct2Drive during their Tuesday Trivia. If I paid $25 I would have had a sense of disappointment. Overall if you love COD4 and don't really care about the World War 2 setting, do not get World at War.

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"agturboninja reviewed Call of Duty: World at War for the PC..." was posted by agturboninja on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:59:49 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/call-of-duty-world-at-war-2008/user-reviews/681975/platform/pc/ Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:01:01 -0700 agturboninja reviewed FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage for the PC... http://www.gamespot.com/flatout-ultimate-carnage/user-reviews/670477/platform/pc/ ...and gave it a 8.5.

FlatOut Ultimate Carnage is a fun arcade racing game. It has some similarities with Burnout, but has its own style.

The game boast over 39 tracks, but it is 6 environments with somewhat different tracks. The ramming and crashing into other cars is fun, and more flushed out compared to the Burnout games. There is slam, power hit, and blast-out. At blast-out, the driver flies out of the car. That is very fun and enjoyable. It's a shame drivers don't fling out of their windshields when they get go front first in a brick wall. FlatOut Ultimate Carnage copies the Burnout 3 Takedown mechanic of causing damage/skills/tricks for boost, which just about every arcade racing game since September of 2004 has done.

The single player consists of two modes. FlatOut and Carnage. Carnage mode has a lot of fun minigames such as stunts and carnage racing which is causing as much damage as possible. The stunts consists of building up speed and launching your driver to hit targets. Which is a fun and creative minigame. The developers BUGBEAR Entertainment had a lot of creative ideas, and they were implemented well.

For racing, driving into objects actually lowers speed. Unlike most games when you run into breakable telephone poles, the car loses like 5 to 10 mph, but it FlatOut Ultimate Carnage the car loses 15 to 20 mph. For some of the races you cannot hug the rails, and nitro to the end. For some of the tracks there is the one rock, that if you hit it, the car rolls and flips.

For online, no one plays online.

Overall it's a good arcade racing game that can hold its own against Burnout Paradise.

Disclaimer/Warning Get a Games for Windows account before you play.

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"agturboninja reviewed FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage for the PC..." was posted by agturboninja on Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:01:01 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/flatout-ultimate-carnage/user-reviews/670477/platform/pc/ Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:52:56 -0700 agturboninja reviewed X-COM: UFO Defense for the PC... http://www.gamespot.com/x-com-ufo-defense-1993/user-reviews/662248/platform/pc/ ...and gave it a 10.0!!!

X-COM UFO Defense is the greatest turn based squad strategy game on computer. My dad first played this game when I was 6 years old and thought it was really cool. I'm now 19 and this game still is cool.

X-COM has good squad mechanics, the graphics to this day are pleasant to look at. The sound is very atmospheric. The game is extremely difficult, so to make it a bit easier you can use hexadecimal editing to make the game a lot easier. The interface is simplistic to use. When I was little I thought the X-COM intro was the coolest intro ever.

What makes X-COM great is the turn based combat, and the resource management of your bases. The nice thing about resource management is that the game is in pause so it you don't feel rushed, and you don't lose because you didn't click fast enough. Another fun thing is you can name your squad.

For the battles, the map changes due to where you are in the world. For example if its night time its dark. If your in the mountains, the terrain is more varied. The different terrains bring a new approach of attacking.

There hasn't been many games that have imitated X-COM which doesn't make the game feel old. X-COM UFO Defense is like if Doom came out and there wasn't a FPS in 17 years that out did it.

You can get a copy at fileradar website.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"agturboninja reviewed X-COM: UFO Defense for the PC..." was posted by agturboninja on Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:52:56 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/x-com-ufo-defense-1993/user-reviews/662248/platform/pc/ Tue, 02 Jun 2009 21:40:08 -0700 agturboninja reviewed Gears of War for the PC... http://www.gamespot.com/gears-of-war/user-reviews/662126/platform/pc/ ...and gave it a 8.5.

Gears of War is a great port to the PC. Gears of War is takes place in a post apocalyptic alien invasion. Gears of War has a good background story as in why humans have a authoritarian government because of the alien invasion, unlike Halo and other shooters with post apocalyptic settings. The main story is not that interesting since it is plant the resonator and blow up a bomb to destroy the Locust.

The graphics and sound is amazing. The game chugs if you do not have a good hardware. The weapons are very balanced, and the active reload is a good mechanic that makes the game more intense in close firefights. The controls and camera are very smooth. The only problem with the sprint button is you automatically take cover if you run near a wall or object of cover. This makes the game more difficulty on harder difficulty settings and in multiplayer. The singleplayer squad mechanics are useless, but really doesn't matter.

The co-op is well done, and works quite well in the game. Co-op is necessary for higher difficulty levels and for the boss battles. For the final boss, its close to impossible beating him by yourself.

The multiplayer in the game is fun and brutal. The chainsaw is overpowered in close firefights. One reason is because in 3rd person mode you can see the opponent charge you when your behing a wall. Due to this, you wait for them to turn the corner and cut them up. So it's a cheap chainsaw camp. Too bad there is no chainsaw dueling like Gears of War 2. Cutting up people in half with the chainsaw and curbstomping downed enemies is very satisfying. Lag is very noticeable, because of this, you miss out on close combat kills with a shotgun.

Other parts

When you first get the game, sign up for a games for windows live account first, and get the Gears of War drivers If you don't you can't play the game at all. It took me about a week to find out what to do in order to play the game. Now very few people play Gears of War multiplayer and co-op.

To type to other people press ~key type "say" then type what you want to say.

Overall Gears of War is a great shooter game, with a minor flaw here and there. If you like action I recommend you to get this game. My games for windows live account is AGTURBO9000 if you want someone to play co-op or multiplayer with.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"agturboninja reviewed Gears of War for the PC..." was posted by agturboninja on Tue, 02 Jun 2009 21:40:08 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/gears-of-war/user-reviews/662126/platform/pc/ Wed, 27 May 2009 23:48:42 -0700 pigfish2 reviewed Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 for the Wii... http://www.gamespot.com/pro-evolution-soccer-2008/user-reviews/661194/platform/wii/ ...and gave it a 9.0!

There have been countless football games released on almost every formtat going over the years and most have stuck to the same play mechanics because after all it's football, what can you change? Step up Konami and Pro Evolution Soccer 2008.

The game has a new control scheme specifically tailored to the Wii's unique controls. Rather than simply pressing a button to pass you point where you want to pass with the remote and then press B to execute the pass. Sprinting is controlled by dragging your player with the A button and this also controls their direction. The nunchuck is still used for movement at all other times though. You can also drag the other players on your team into space with by using the pointer and the A button to move them where you want them to run. Shooting is contolled by shaking the nunchuck and works well however the lack of a power bar is a negative because it means shooting feels a little out of your hands at times.

The offensive controls work perfectly and so for the most part do the defensive controls however sometimes you feel powerless to stop the oppositions attacks and luck can play a part. You drag your defenders in the same way as you do offensively and can slide tackle with a shake of the nunchuck, play the offside trap with a shake of the remote and close the player in possession down with a click of the Z button whilst pointing at them. The defensive controls are effective but it would have been nice to have more control over defenders because you can't actually control a specific defender with the control stick etc. All in all the controls are a real step forward for the genre though and for a first effort are fantastic.

Moving on from the gameplay and controls and on to the modes. The game doesn't have Pro Evolution Soccers usual master league but instead replaces it with Champions Road. You still start with a team of nobodies and by winning matches you can take players from the teams you defeat. However you don't know which player you are selecting to take and only a little hint gives you any clue as to their identity. The mode is great fun and very lengthy so will keep you entertained for many, many hours.

The usual modes are also included such as exhibition, league and cup. There is also a Wii exclusive Mii mode which is great fun to play. It takes the form of a usual match except all the players have Mii heads from your Mii channel. It plays just as well as the normal matches but does feel at a different pace. It's good to see the developers have even included some depth in a throwaway side mode.

As for teams leagues the game has every premier league team from the 07/08 season(sadly most are not licensed so you'll be Merseyside Red not Liverpool for example) as well as every licensed Serie A and La Liga team from the season and many many more. All the players are real except some for international teams have a different name for licensing reasons.

Overall the game is a really good first effort on the Wii and the controls feel perfect and are revolutionary. Only a few minor drawbacks hinder the game such as the lack of a power bar and very limited editing functions(team and player names only). I can't recommend the game highly enough for football fans who are interested in experiencing the genre in a whole new way.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"pigfish2 reviewed Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 for the Wii..." was posted by pigfish2 on Wed, 27 May 2009 23:48:42 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/pro-evolution-soccer-2008/user-reviews/661194/platform/wii/ Fri, 22 May 2009 23:48:53 -0700 pigfish2 reviewed Battalion Wars 2 for the Wii... http://www.gamespot.com/battalion-wars-2/user-reviews/660370/platform/wii/ ...and gave it a 8.0.

Battalion Wars 2 is the console spin off from the popular handheld franchise and like the original Battalion Wars offers a more action orientated version of the strategy franchise. It has strategy elements but is very much more geared towards the action side of things. Improvements over the original include online play and the introduction of naval units.

The game is set in a world divided by war and features six nations with each one being based on a real life country. The factions are the Western Frontier(America), the Anglo Isles(Britain), the Solar Empire(Japan), the Tundran Territories(Russia), the Iron Legion(an old Germany only playable in missions set in the past) and Xylvania(Germany). The games five campaigns see you use each faction and the story is well paced. However it does become difficult towards the end. Although nothing a seasoned gamer shouldn't be able to handle. The story is fun but you won't be likely to find yourself replaying it. Well animated cut scenes tell the story and they feature some excellent production values and memorable characters such as Colonel Windsor of the Anglo Isles. Yes the game is very much built on popular stereotypes.

Something I would like to have seen is faction specific units. Each faction has the same units just in different colour schemes. It's only a minor drawback though and doesn't detract from the quality of the game. There are four kinds of units, infantry such as grunts and Flame vets, ground vehicles such as recons and heavy tanks, air units such as bombers and gunships and naval units such as battleships and submarines. To succeed you'll need to utilise the strengths of each unit at your disposal because mistakes can be costly. For example make sure you've cleared the enemies anti-air units with infantry and ground vehicles before sending in your air units or they'll be slaughtered.

The games controls hold up well and the simple interface makes it easy to use. You can select individual units, types of unit or all your units at once. Swapping between which unit you are personally in control of is as simple as a button press as well. The controls work well for combat although the lock on can be a bit dodgy at times, however for the most part it works fine.

Aside from the campaign the game also boasts a variety of online modes. These are skirmish, assault and co-op and all three can be played with friends or strangers over Nintendo wi-fi connection. Skirmish is just a straight out fight to see who can get the most points in the time limit by killing the enemy, co-op tasks both players with working together to complete all th objectives within the time limit and assault sees one player defending and the other attacking. If the attacking player completes all their objectives within the time limit then they win but the defender wins if he can hold out for the time limit. Online is the heart of the game and offers a varied and enjoyable experience that unlike the campaign you will keep returning to again and again.

To conclude Battalion Wars 2 is a simple, fun game that whilst not offering anything groundbreaking provides an enjoyable experience especially online. If you can't get to grips with more in depth strategy games or if you simply want a change then Battalion Wars 2 is as good a choice as any.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"pigfish2 reviewed Battalion Wars 2 for the Wii..." was posted by pigfish2 on Fri, 22 May 2009 23:48:53 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/battalion-wars-2/user-reviews/660370/platform/wii/ Tue, 19 May 2009 09:16:18 -0700 pigfish2 reviewed Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure for the Wii... http://www.gamespot.com/zack-and-wiki-quest-for-barbaros-treasure/user-reviews/659757/platform/wii/ ...and gave it a 9.0!

Zack and Wiki might not sound like the name of a challenging, innovative and simply fun to play videogame but don't let it fool you. It is one of the most unique and charming games not just on the Wii but on any format.

The game places you as a young pirate named Zack with his flying monkey friend Wiki and using the games fantastic point and click control system you have to complete each level to open the treasure chest at the end and collect all the parts of the legendary pirate Barbaros. The game is a lot harder than it's graphical style suggests and some levels offer a real challenge that will have you failing time and time again. However it never feels unfair and always encourages you to try again. If you're genuinely stuck then you can purchase an oracle ticket which will give you a hint about what to do next. Platinum tickets can also be purchased and these serve as extra lives.

The games cel-shaded graphics are a true joy to behold and may not be anything special on a technical level but are artistically of the highest quality. The sound effects and music also work really well and complement the games style. Zack and Wiki makes excellent use of the Wiis controls and has countless ways of using the remote which you need to utilise to complete each level. This ranges from pulling levers to balancing objects and much more besides. Wiki can also be used as a bell which when shaken will turn enemies and creatures into useful items to help complete the levels.

The level designs are varied and enjoyable and every level feels fresh and different. All the aspects of the game such as the graphics, level design and controls blend together perfectly to create a top draw package that you'll struggle to put down from start to finish. It's a sadly overlooked gem that you simply need to play.

Get the full article at GameSpot

]]> http://www.gamespot.com/zack-and-wiki-quest-for-barbaros-treasure/user-reviews/659757/platform/wii/ Sat, 16 May 2009 23:37:57 -0700 pigfish2 reviewed Mario Kart Wii for the Wii... http://www.gamespot.com/mario-kart-wii/user-reviews/659443/platform/wii/ ...and gave it a 9.5!

Mario Kart Wii is the latest installment in the long running Mario Kart franchise and continues in the vain of it's predecessors by being easily accessible and highly playable yet decidely tough to master. For those who don't know Mario Kart is an item based kart racing game set within the Mario universe. This version contains 32 tracks, 16 new and 16 retro and a multitude of characters including experienced racers such as Mario and Yoshi and new entrants like King Boo and Rosalina from Mario Galaxy. You can even races as your Mii once you've unlocked it.

Races involve 3 laps around the track with up to 12 competitors at a time and as you would expect the first to cross the finishing line is the winner. However it's not as simple as just being the fastest because techniques such as pulling tricks, popping wheelies and powersliding need to be mastered for the best results. The items are what really mix up the racing though. For example you could be at the back and seemingly out of it but pick up a Bullet Bill and you could soon be right in the action again. Likewise you could be streaking out ahead and a blue shell could come your way and send you toppling down the order. These and many other items serve to make the action exciting and allow for veterans and newcomers alike to be in the thick of the action. One criticism could be that at times the items can feel a little unfair or too powerful but it's the same for everyone and no-one has an advantage in the item stakes.

Mario kart Wii allows for a number of ways to play to fit each players driving style. You can use the packaged wii wheel, classsic control, gamecube pad or wii remote and nunchuck. Personally I prefer the wii wheel because it provides a fluid way to race and melts into your hand seamlessly. If you want the best time trial times and to really master techniques like powersliding I'd recommend the classic control or amecube pad though. There are two ways to race as well. Automatic means that you can't powerslide and the game will handle it for you however this forfeits the speed boosts powersliding can give you. Manual is harder to master but gives you boosts for succesful powerslides around corners. It comes in very handy against stiff online opposition.

If it's modes your looking for then Mario Kart Wii has them in abundance. Offline theres 2-4 player splitscreen, time trials, vs race, battle mode and grand prix. The main mode offline is grand prix. Winning the 8 different cups on each difficulty unlocks new racers and vehicles. Each racer is given a cateogry small. medium or large and which category they are determines which karts and bikes they can use. I feel this is a step back from Mario Kart DS though where each racer had their own unique vehicles. It's only a minor criticism though and can easily be ignored.

Now onto the online portion of the game which is where Mario Kart really comes into it's own. There's online vs race against friends, other players in your continent or other players worldwide, online battle mode with the same choices, time trial leaderboards, ghost races and competitions. The game is easily the deepest online offering from Nintendo to date and I'm writing this review over a year after it's release. The online vs race for up to 12 players is the best mode on the game and lag is virtually non-existent. It is so addictive that you will lose so many hours online without even realising it. I'm still playing it now and I've owned the game for 13 months. Online battle mode is also a joy to play and likeoffline battle mode can cater for up to 12 players split into two teams in either balloon battle or coin runners. Ballonn battle involes trying to pop the other teams balloons by hitting them with items and coin runners is a battle to collect the most coins. It's not quite as addictive as racing but still a fun mode. There's so much more I could talk about regarding the online portion of the game but you'll just have to discover it for yourself.

Finally I will discuss the games graphics, sound and presentation. The game has good, colourful graphics as you'd expect from a Mario game and is free from any glitches and they never falter online or off. The sound is fantastic from the sounds of the characters and vehicles to the nostalgic Mario music it's all perfect. As for the presentation the menus are easy to navigate and it's all bright and cheerful so nothing to complain about there.

To sum up Mario Kart Wii is the best Mario Kart yet and continues the tradition for the series with ease. The online is the best yet on any Nintendo console and newcomers and Mario Kart veterans alike will simply adore the game. If you haven't played it then you're missing out and I couldn't recommend it any more highly. A true classic.

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"pigfish2 reviewed Mario Kart Wii for the Wii..." was posted by pigfish2 on Sat, 16 May 2009 23:37:57 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/mario-kart-wii/user-reviews/659443/platform/wii/ Fri, 15 May 2009 23:40:30 -0700 pigfish2 reviewed Endless Ocean for the Wii... http://www.gamespot.com/endless-ocean/user-reviews/659302/platform/wii/ ...and gave it a 8.0.

A game that's sole premise is to go deep sea diving and swim with a variety of ocean creatures might not seem like the best gaming material but Endless Ocean is much more than what it first seems. There's so much more to do in the Manurai sea than it first appears such as treasure hunting, diving tours and even a rather interesting story which I won't spoil.

Graphically the game is one of the best on the system. The lighting effects and the pure detail put into every creature makes the game completely immersive and life like. You can literally spend minutes just following one beautifully crafted creature to catch a glimpse of every little aspect of it. Anyone who knocks the graphical capabilities of the Wii will have to think again after seeing Endless Ocean.

Endless Ocean is ultimately a relaxing and enjoyable experience and one to be savoured not rushed through. The story can draw you in and keep you interested for hours and finding every creature in the vast Manurai sea offers a real challenge. Add into the mix all the other elements that the game brings to the table and you've got a really well rounded game which is truly unique and different to anything else on the market. So if you're looking for something that offers a change to the often stale procession of shooters then look no further than Endless Ocean.

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"pigfish2 reviewed Endless Ocean for the Wii..." was posted by pigfish2 on Fri, 15 May 2009 23:40:30 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/endless-ocean/user-reviews/659302/platform/wii/ Thu, 30 Apr 2009 18:21:21 -0700 agturboninja reviewed Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box for the PC... http://www.gamespot.com/burnout-paradise-the-ultimate-box/user-reviews/657146/platform/pc/ ...and gave it a 9.5!

Burnout Paradise is a great racing game. Burnout Paradise has an open city, like Midnight Club and all the Need For Speeds since Underground 2. While having a open city environment is nothing new, the whole city is accessible from the beginning. This sets Burnout Paradise apart from all the other open city racing games. The game encourages exploring by trying to find super jumps, smashes, and billboards.

The graphics are crisp and the motion is fluid. It's a pleasure to the eyes. There is no speedometer is this game, which is odd at first, is easy to get use to. The crashing looks cool, I wish I could skip out of it. The sound is great, but the soundtrack has a lot of filler songs I don't care about.

Road Rage is the most fun of all the event modes, since it involves crashing and taking other cars down. The racing AI is not that bright, but since they crash into many cars, it makes it tougher to win races. Crash mode is replaced with Showtime, which involves crashing into as many cars and buses to get the highest score. It would have been nice if crash mode was kept.

The motorcycles are a nice addition, but all you can do is beat time attack scores for daytime and nighttime.

For computer, the controls are odd since it mainly revolves around F1 F2, and num lock numbers rather than arrow keys and enter. To restart a race, you need num lock on and press 6 or 2 to restart last event. The biggest flaw of Burnout on the PC version is the menu controls, besides that the game is the best arcade racer on the market.

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]]> http://www.gamespot.com/burnout-paradise-the-ultimate-box/user-reviews/657146/platform/pc/ Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:05:02 -0700 Thorpe89 reviewed Flight Control for the iPhone/iPod... http://www.gamespot.com/flight-control/user-reviews/656693/platform/iphone/ ...and gave it a 9.0!

Such a simple concept works great with an iPhone and iPod Touch. Flight Control isn't complicated at all. In fact, it's rather easy to get into and gradually you'll find things get more intense but the concept remains the same. Whilst a typical game may only last me maybe five or ten minutes (until I can actually really master this), I am wanting to replay and beat my high score. It's the perfect app if you're on the go. At a special offer price of 59p on the iTunes (UK) store, this is quite the game and certainly worth it.

The game sets you out on a mission to direct flights to their appropriate landing points. There's a long runway (pink) for the bigger planes, a small runway (yellow) for the small planes and a helipad. You direct these to the correct landing points. Simple. Doing this is done by placing your finger on the plane and then dragging (this forms a line) to the path you want it to go at. Connecting your path to the correct point will allow for it to eventually land. For every landing, you get a point and as you progress things become more hectic. It is important to pay attention to everything, plan the routes and ensure there are no collisions in the airspace.

There are small things I like about Flight Control. Notice how some of the bigger planes are faster? So, if you've got several planes all going for the runway, you need to take into consideration what one should be directed first and try to direct others away if they are getting too close. Planes getting close is never a good thing. Thankfully, you are alerted quite clearly to the ones that are in close proximity. If you're quick with the finger, you can direct planes away from each other and somehow get them to eventually land. There are planes and helicopters popping up all over. They come from any of the four sides and are indicated, to let you know you've got something on the way. Things tends to be a little tricky when the airspace is becoming limited due to the amount there is. Helicopters often spawn near the helipad I find and so they're not usually the victims of a crash. It's the smaller, slower planes that can often wreck your game and make you a little mad. However, it's a quick outburst for me and I am back replaying, hoping to beat my previous score. This is what makes this so addicting.

Whilst I only have 65 points, I shall sometime beat that I hope and maybe even break into the hundreds. It does seem limitless and I would be curious to know what the top scores are. On the current version, you only have access to your own stats (planes landed, average, type of plane that crashes the most, high score) but in a future update, there will be some needed enhancements. One of those being the online leaderboards. It would be cool to have some different maps, a mode where you are given more than one chance and the ability to keep helicopters hovering for a while, whilst you clear the others. Flight Control works very well and I would see no reason why this couldn't work on other platforms, such as the Nintendo DS also. It has a neat art style and some great stock sounds. I do fairly good with music off during the gameplay but maybe something in your library could go well with Flight Control. Buy this - especially if it is on special offer. It's a simple masterpiece that will have you playing over and over.

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"Thorpe89 reviewed Flight Control for the iPhone/iPod..." was posted by Thorpe89 on Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:05:02 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/flight-control/user-reviews/656693/platform/iphone/ Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:50:39 -0700 agturboninja reviewed Left 4 Dead for the PC... http://www.gamespot.com/left-4-dead/user-reviews/648800/platform/pc/ ...and gave it a 9.0!

Left 4 Dead is a fun zombie first person shooter to play with friends. Having to shoot at hordes of sprinting zombies is very exhilarating. This game stresses teamwork because, one special infected zombie such as the hunter or smoker can kill the survivor, unless another survivor helps out. The ability to reload while using melee is nice. The AI Director making items be placed in random locations adds to the excitement of the game.

The versus mode is extremely fun being a zombie, and trying to pin down the survivors. While not having as much health, you have to work as a team to defeat the survivors. The only problem of being a zombie is you have to wait 20 seconds to respawn.

The only flaws with this game is lack of weapons. There is only 7 guns, and then grenades and gas cans. Also their is only 4 campaigns and all of them are very short. Overall Left 4 Dead is an amazing game.

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"agturboninja reviewed Left 4 Dead for the PC..." was posted by agturboninja on Tue, 10 Mar 2009 19:50:39 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/left-4-dead/user-reviews/648800/platform/pc/ Fri, 26 Dec 2008 22:56:57 -0800 scarface46 reviewed Call of Duty: World at War for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/call-of-duty-world-at-war-2008/user-reviews/634208/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 8.5.

Gameplay: 8
Graphics: 10
Sound: 10
Value: 8
Tilt: 8

World at War is the 5th installment in the Call of Duty franchise. In 2007, Call of Duty 4 was released and for the first time in the series it was placed in modern time. Still today thousands of people are playing its incredible online multiplayer. So how does World at War measure up to Modern Warfare? In my opinion, World at War is an amazing game, however as many predicted, it would not be as good as its predecessor. Moreover, the campaign was superb, with an outstanding and thrilling story which can be played through four player co-op. The cooperative mode consists of two modes, co-op and competitive co-op, which give you points for every kill, revive, etc. The online multiplayer, is great as well, but not as addicting as Modern Warfare. The weapons are quite similar, except for the flamethrower and bayonets. You still have nearly all the same perks, weapon add-ons, challenges, and game types. Overall, Call of Duty has returned to WWII in Call of Duty: World at War but it definitely is an amazing game; with many memorable firefights and some impressive new features, such as tanks in the multiplayer and the nazi zombie mode, which starts out slow but then turns insane.

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"scarface46 reviewed Call of Duty: World at War for the Xbox 360..." was posted by scarface46 on Fri, 26 Dec 2008 22:56:57 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/call-of-duty-world-at-war-2008/user-reviews/634208/platform/xbox360/ Fri, 26 Dec 2008 22:26:03 -0800 scarface46 reviewed Battlefield: Bad Company for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/battlefield-bad-company/user-reviews/634199/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 7.5.

Gameplay: 7
Graphics: 8
Sound: 9
Value: 7
Tilt: 8

Battlefield: Bad Company was an explosive experience. With solid firefights, the single player was fun. There were many vehicles to drive including humvees, tanks, helicopters, and boats. Also, there is an amazing variety of weapons including the AUG and SPAS15. Yet the best part of bad company was the ability to demolish anything and everything in your way (well mostly). Other than that the experience fell short. The story was okay and the graphics were fine. The voice acting was done well, where the soldiers on your squad acted like actual people with personalities. The multiplayer, on the other hand, is not for me. The maps are way to large for such a small amount of players. Overall, Battlefield: Bad Company is a good experience for fps fans and definitely for fans of the previous Battlefields.

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"scarface46 reviewed Battlefield: Bad Company for the Xbox 360..." was posted by scarface46 on Fri, 26 Dec 2008 22:26:03 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/battlefield-bad-company/user-reviews/634199/platform/xbox360/ Sun, 21 Dec 2008 20:27:05 -0800 agturboninja reviewed Stranglehold for the PC... http://www.gamespot.com/stranglehold/user-reviews/633044/platform/pc/ ...and gave it a 7.0.

Stranglehold is a nice looking game. It has good graphics and sound, and the presentation is nice, but is a bit of a letdown.

The gunfights are nice as in using carts and banisters to slide down to shoot bad guys, chandelier swings and other things in the environment. The special power ups are a little to powerful such as the barrage where you are invulnerable and have infinite ammo and shoots faster for 10 seconds. The stand-off is neat, but gets old.

Even though the gunfights are nice, its the same thing over again. Shoot 10 guys and go in a large room. After that shoot at least 20 to 30 dudes. The boss fights get insane since they can at least take 50 bullets to the head. The AI is nothing special, they just can take more bullets in the head later in the game.

The biggest problem I had on the computer was the camera and mouse control. The camera didn't move fluently compared to other 3rd person shooters like Hitman 47 games and Max Payne.

Overall it has some fun things, but it doesn't last for long. It's best to buy for under $20, or rent it, if there is any store that rents computer games.

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"agturboninja reviewed Stranglehold for the PC..." was posted by agturboninja on Sun, 21 Dec 2008 20:27:05 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/stranglehold/user-reviews/633044/platform/pc/ Sat, 29 Nov 2008 19:59:23 -0800 agturboninja reviewed Assassin's Creed: Director's Cut Edition for the PC... http://www.gamespot.com/assassins-creed-directors-cut-edition/user-reviews/627849/platform/pc/ ...and gave it a 7.5.

Assassin's Creed could have been an amazing assassin stealth game. It is unique for taking place during the Third Crusade of the Holy Land. There is 3 large cities to free roam and the countryside.
The graphics are beautiful, and each city has its distinct architecture.

The game consists of ten assassination mission. The missions are fun, most of the game involves free roaming and side quests, The side quests and audio seems to be on loop. The climbing view points, saving citizens, and collecting flags are boring. Also there is no prize for collecting all the flags or killing all the Templars. Which other games like Grand Theft Auto at least gave the player an award for collecting all the packages and getting 100%. It would have been nice to get a repeating crossbow or something along those lines.

The last levels get ridiculous, since you have to slay at least 100 dudes with your sword.

Despite its flaws I still enjoy the game. If you're not sure buy it when it is in the bargain bin. Best Buy had it on sale this Black Friday for $10.

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]]> http://www.gamespot.com/assassins-creed-directors-cut-edition/user-reviews/627849/platform/pc/ Sat, 29 Nov 2008 19:53:21 -0800 scarface46 reviewed Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/tom-clancys-rainbow-six-vegas-2/user-reviews/627844/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 7.5.

Gameplay: 7
Graphics: 8
Sound: 9
Value: 8
Tilt: 8

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 is not the best sequel made, yet it is still a great tactical shooter. Definitely not better than the first of the Vegas series, Vegas 2 recycles the same weapons and gameplay that we all loved, but I would of liked more new weapons, attachments, etc. Though now you can create and customize your own soldier not only for multiplayer, but now for the single player as well. As you rank up, you will gain new camo, body armor, clothing, and much more. The challenging story is well thought out and consists of a surprising twist at the end. Terrorist hunt is back with new maps and if you download the free fan pack, you will receive some old maps, such as calypso's casino and some other gameplay tweaks. The multiplayer is not that great, especially because you don't have an aimer, unless your standing still or in cover. The co-op is a good addition but i would of liked to have the ability to revive my partners. The audio is superb and the graphics are o.k. (pop-in texture problems). Overall, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 is a great game, however, it did not feel so much like Vegas, as you will be mostly in or outside many warehouses and malls.

Get the full article at GameSpot

]]> http://www.gamespot.com/tom-clancys-rainbow-six-vegas-2/user-reviews/627844/platform/xbox360/