outrigger_boy's GameSpot Friend's Reviews outrigger_boy's GameSpot Friend's Reviews outrigger_boy's GameSpot Friend's Reviews en-us Copyright (c)1995-2013 CBS Interactive. All rights reserved. http://www.gamespot.com 20 Fri, 24 May 2013 12:12:56 -0700 GameSpot outrigger_boy's GameSpot Friend's Reviews http://img.gamespot.com/gamespot/shared/promos/misc/gs_logo.gif http://www.gamespot.com 135 40 Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:33:36 -0800 Bioshockraptor reviewed Assassin's Creed: Revelations for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/assassins-creed-revelations/user-reviews/786358/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 7.5.

'If it aint broke don't fix it,' is the first thing that comes to mind when playing Assassin's Creed: Revelations, as not only are its fundamentals and core gameplay almost identical to the previous games, the structure of the story draws parallels, but unfortunately the story itself isn't quite up to par.

Once again, Desmond is in the animus reliving the adventures of Ezio Auditorre, now a more elderly man. It takes place in Constantinople, the Ottoman Empire, and Ezio is on a quest to locate keys that will grant him passage to Altair's Library of secrets in Masyaf. The story has a slow and somewhat confusing start, but the game is quick to introduce new characters giving reasonable character development.

Despite its name (Assassin's Creed: Revelations) from the beginning to the end there is little to learn about as Desmond's story doesn't seem to take any motion forward, instead what we have learnt from previous games, is what we leave with at the conclusion. The playable Desmond sequences just aren't nearly as interesting or enjoyable as the rest of the game which is a bit of a disappointment. The story is usually the driving point for the series, and unfortunately feels lackluster in this game.

Constantinople is not as memorable as Florence, Venice or Rome, and feels very dull and dry compared. While there is a good flow storytelling and a good variety of story missions and locations, it's not as memorable as AC2 or AC: B, nor as exciting, and the game fails to offer a satisfying conclusion, in respect to Desmond's plot.

Though the story is a disappointment, considering what we've seen in previous games, the action and combat are both top notch and together with the freerunning aspect makes some of the most impressive action we've seen in the series. The game has excellent pacing and amazing set pieces, inspired by other popular titles, which are really fun to play. In between sequences (acts) are playable missions, pulling you into the past to play as Altair, a master assassin. These missions are fun and once again offer more variety to the story and gameplay.

The addition of the hookblade and bombs, with bomb crafting, are interesting though the mechanics of each are quite bare and neither really impact the game. The new Tower Defence game that is playable after an attack on an Assasin Den is not really that bad and is a welcome addition, but if you become invested in the RPG elements of the game, consequently building up your Assassin forces, there is only one time in the game you will be forced to do a tower defence game.

The RPG aspects are back and are as fun as ever, once again with the ability to recruit Assassin's and train them, sending them on missions, gaining levels and XP, and even opening up Master Assassin missions that are up to par with some of the story missions. Initially, the areas are controlled by the Templars, and killing the Templar Captain of each zone will improve Assassin influence, creating new Assassin headquarters', eventually giving you the option to assign Master Assassin's to a den and area of your choice. This is entirely optional, and along with buying weapons, pouches, items, bomb ingredients, dying Ezio's clothes, and many more cool little features, make for a very immersive experience that you really feel you have control over. Without spoilers, Constantinople is not the only place you will go.

The city itself is very immersive and authentic, with a lot of respect and effort put in to create it, though is something we have come to expect from the AC games, so it's not as impressive. The game is technically and artistically beautiful, and the soundtrack is once again fantastic. I have only positive things to say about the game's presentation, but it's more of the same, and whether that's a good or bad thing is up to you.

Assassin's Creed: Revelations is a strong step in the right direction in terms of story pacing, mission variety and awesome, cinematic set pieces, but unfortunately lacks in story. While we have the progression of Ezio, with his story of finding love and answers filled with emotion and growth, a treasure hunt just isn't as interesting as a tragic tale of revenge, redemption and strength through trials and we fail to see anything significant from Desmond. Slightly disappointing, but successfully gives a fix for Assassin's Creed fans who either want to explore more beautiful cities, employing RPG elements to gain influence, or want to continue to live out Ezio's final adventures. Good, but not great.

Story – 3/5
Gameplay – 4/5
Presentation – 4/5

Overall Score (not an average):
7.5/10

*Note: I haven't played Multiplayer, my final score is for the Single Player package*

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]]> http://www.gamespot.com/assassins-creed-revelations/user-reviews/786358/platform/ps3/ Sun, 22 Jan 2012 23:53:14 -0800 Bioshockraptor reviewed Homefront for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/homefront/user-reviews/786256/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 4.5.

Homefront (PS3/Xbox 360/PC – 2011) Review

An interesting concept that lacks direction and emotion, only taking advantage of its setting a minimal amount.

The year is 2027, and North Korea have occupied the United States, fuel and supplies are scarce, and the US military are scattered. You play the silent Jacobs, a fighting soldier for the Resistance. While the set-up is interesting, nothing really happens over the course of the game. The story could be summed up as your squad moves from point A to point B, eliminating their enemies for the greater good of the Unite States. The deaths of characters mean very little, because of how shallow these stereotypes are, and how lackluster the character development was.

There are a few emotional and memorable moments in the slower areas of the game, with the game taking the Korean occupation to advantage, but these impactful moments are very few in number and the incredibly short campaign does nothing to help this.

It's a First-Person-Shooter inspired by other popular titles, which is very apparent, right down to the control scheme. Unfortunately Homefront is held back in many different areas, such as overly annoying and frustratingly dull gunfights, unsatisfying guns feeling plastic and unrealistic, a straight and narrow path, with dull set pieces, and worse of all, the fundamental gameplay is just down-right boring.

The AI is terrible, and I found myself at times having to wait at doors for your dumb team mates to open it, breaking whatever flow there was in the combat, and to make matters worse your character is standing right in front of the door, and your team mates are on the other side of the map, waiting for their arrival, only for you to be blocking their path to the door, being unable to move out of the way because they're blocking your only way out of theirs!

While there were some memorable moments, a lot of the slower moments lack feeling, and it quickly returns to the gloomy gunfights between nameless enemies, and respawning enemies in an area you need to run through – is not acceptable! Checkpoints in the dedicated sniper level are harsh considering the objective is clear, yet somehow the mission is easily failed due to pathetic AI. On the flip-side, even if you sprint right behind them, an enemy will only notice you if you open fire, run within a few metres in front of them, or if it's a scripted event where they're supposed to find you.

Second part of the sniper level offers some fun and mixes up the pacing. I have to give credit to the final stage which is actually pretty fun, not considering it being a carbon copy of stages we've played in other popular games, hitting the high-octane action the game intended to all throughout, though unfortunately the rest falls short.

The bright and colourful settings look quite good, but really don't fit the mood or tone of the game, which likewise misses out on escalating the feel of terror of the Korean occupation. To put it simple; the graphics are ugly, it suffers from a poor frame rate at times, and the game freezes frequently. While there is some nice lighting, the tree and grass textures are some of the worst seen as of late, some geometry just does not want to load, even with the long loading screens. There are really silly death animations, especially from knife kills, though the gun reloads are quite realistic and smooth. Seeing characters walk through water is laughable, and there is an extreme case of jaggy edges on every model, moving or not, and a lot of noticeable pop-in. It could be said this is a broken game.

The only redeeming quality of this game, in my opinion, is the multiplayer which has some good ideas, such as point streaks and interesting vehicles, but is essentially the same thing we've seen coming from bigger titles for years, but with the developer's own spin on it. There is some fun to be had in the multiplayer, especially if you're willing to put in the time to become invested in it, but there isn't a whole lot of content, even with the 4 hour campaign, there is little value in this title unless you're looking for an alternative to Call of Duty or Medal of Honor, but want the same fundamentals and feel.

Homefront is an incredibly mediocre and dull game, with no real driving force or feeling. It's only features that pop-out in the overly saturated Modern-military-FPS market are its somewhat-original Multiplayer features. Nitpicking aside, this game is just boring and I can only really recommend this to people interested in its multiplayer, or want a quick game to finish over a weekend for achievements or trophies. It's not that Homefront is overly terrible, it's just plain and its flaws stick out so much when there are so little highs to cover it. Hopefully Kaos Studios can redeem themselves with the inevitable Homefront 2.

Story – 2/5
Gameplay – 1/5
Presentation – 1/5
Multiplayer – 3/5

Overall Score (Not an average):
4.5/10

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"Bioshockraptor reviewed Homefront for the Xbox 360..." was posted by Bioshockraptor on Sun, 22 Jan 2012 23:53:14 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/homefront/user-reviews/786256/platform/xbox360/ Sun, 22 Jan 2012 23:49:49 -0800 Bioshockraptor reviewed Homefront for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/homefront/user-reviews/786255/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 4.5.

The year is 2027, and North Korea have occupied the United States, fuel and supplies are scarce, and the US military are scattered. You play the silent Jacobs, a fighting soldier for the Resistance. While the set-up is interesting, nothing really happens over the course of the game. The story could be summed up as your squad moves from point A to point B, eliminating their enemies for the greater good of the Unite States. The deaths of characters mean very little, because of how shallow these stereotypes are, and how lackluster the character development was.

There are a few emotional and memorable moments in the slower areas of the game, with the game taking the Korean occupation to advantage, but these impactful moments are very few in number and the incredibly short campaign does nothing to help this.

It's a First-Person-Shooter inspired by other popular titles, which is very apparent, right down to the control scheme. Unfortunately Homefront is held back in many different areas, such as overly annoying and frustratingly dull gunfights, unsatisfying guns feeling plastic and unrealistic, a straight and narrow path, with dull set pieces, and worse of all, the fundamental gameplay is just down-right boring.

The AI is terrible, and I found myself at times having to wait at doors for your dumb team mates to open it, breaking whatever flow there was in the combat, and to make matters worse your character is standing right in front of the door, and your team mates are on the other side of the map, waiting for their arrival, only for you to be blocking their path to the door, being unable to move out of the way because they're blocking your only way out of theirs!

While there were some memorable moments, a lot of the slower moments lack feeling, and it quickly returns to the gloomy gunfights between nameless enemies, and respawning enemies in an area you need to run through – is not acceptable! Checkpoints in the dedicated sniper level are harsh considering the objective is clear, yet somehow the mission is easily failed due to pathetic AI. On the flip-side, even if you sprint right behind them, an enemy will only notice you if you open fire, run within a few metres in front of them, or if it's a scripted event where they're supposed to find you.

Second part of the sniper level offers some fun and mixes up the pacing. I have to give credit to the final stage which is actually pretty fun, not considering it being a carbon copy of stages we've played in other popular games, hitting the high-octane action the game intended to all throughout, though unfortunately the rest falls short.

The bright and colourful settings look quite good, but really don't fit the mood or tone of the game, which likewise misses out on escalating the feel of terror of the Korean occupation. To put it simple; the graphics are ugly, it suffers from a poor frame rate at times, and the game freezes frequently. While there is some nice lighting, the tree and grass textures are some of the worst seen as of late, some geometry just does not want to load, even with the long loading screens. There are really silly death animations, especially from knife kills, though the gun reloads are quite realistic and smooth. Seeing characters walk through water is laughable, and there is an extreme case of jaggy edges on every model, moving or not, and a lot of noticeable pop-in. It could be said this is a broken game.

The only redeeming quality of this game, in my opinion, is the multiplayer which has some good ideas, such as point streaks and interesting vehicles, but is essentially the same thing we've seen coming from bigger titles for years, but with the developer's own spin on it. There is some fun to be had in the multiplayer, especially if you're willing to put in the time to become invested in it, but there isn't a whole lot of content, even with the 4 hour campaign, there is little value in this title unless you're looking for an alternative to Call of Duty or Medal of Honor, but want the same fundamentals and feel.

Homefront is an incredibly mediocre and dull game, with no real driving force or feeling. It's only features that pop-out in the overly saturated Modern-military-FPS market are its somewhat-original Multiplayer features. Nitpicking aside, this game is just boring and I can only really recommend this to people interested in its multiplayer, or want a quick game to finish over a weekend for achievements or trophies. It's not that Homefront is overly terrible, it's just plain and its flaws stick out so much when there are so little highs to cover it. Hopefully Kaos Studios can redeem themselves with the inevitable Homefront 2.

Story – 2/5
Gameplay – 1/5
Presentation – 1/5
Multiplayer – 3/5

Overall Score (Not an average):
4.5/10

Get the full article at GameSpot

"Bioshockraptor reviewed Homefront for the PlayStation 3..." was posted by Bioshockraptor on Sun, 22 Jan 2012 23:49:49 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/homefront/user-reviews/786255/platform/ps3/ Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:56:55 -0800 Bioshockraptor reviewed inFamous 2 for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/infamous-2/user-reviews/786176/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 8.5.

Infamous 2 is a more enjoyable and exciting game than its predecessor. There is much more mission variety, with vast amounts of content. The gameplay is immensely satisfying, and as fun as ever, but is the comic book-like story, filled with twists and winds, up to par with the original, or is it as generic and dull as it sounds?

Picking up a couple months after the first game, the protagonist with electrical super powers, Cole, is still preparing for an abomination of animosity and colossal destruction known as The Beast. Cole's plan is to head to the fictional city of New Marais, gain new powers, to become strong enough to face the beast. That description could be shortened to; "Cole goes to a new city to get new powers," and it could be inferred that Cole's battle with the beast will either take place during the climax of the game, or in the sequel.

Luckily, it's quite different, as the Beast makes a surprise appearance far earlier, destroying a large proportion of Empire City, and later the east coast of the US. The first gameplay of the game will have you fighting the Beast itself. Newer enemies pop up and it's Cole's job to stop them. The story ultimately turns up the volume later on, taking some very surprising twists, introducing new characters that turn, what may sound like, one of the game's weak points, into one of its strong points.

The cutscenes and in-game dialogue are enjoyable due to the deep personalities of each of the characters. We see the good, bad and ugly sides of each member of this remarkable cast, who each have a true story arc, starting in one place and ending in another, giving an extremely natural and realistic feel to the lively and believable characters – a huge improvement over the previous game.

The ending itself felt very rushed, but leading up to that felt natural and just like the original game. The morality system is nice but the game definitely isn't built around it, despite being two endings to the game (which depend on your moral alignment). The course of the story is quite straightforward, so the good and evil side to things really only change mission objectives and your powers. That can be taken as a good or bad thing, but just like the original the only reason to choose the evil path is to be more destructive and try different powers.

The powers are fun to use, and there are lots of new abilities, ranging from all-new electrical moves, to the improved combat system, to ice or napalm focused powers – which you will gain depending on how far you upgrade Cole and if you chose the good or evil karma path. Upgrading Cole is fun and provides a good reason to play the side missions to those who just want to breeze through the story.

Where it was a struggle for me to grind through the extremely familiar missions of the first game during a second play through, Infamous 2 is riddled with new and exciting missions that feel fresh and even as the game goes on, still feel original. Boss fights are noticeably missing, which in the first game helped the pacing of the story. A bit of a disappointment.

Cole's attacks are devastating and destructive or strategic and precise, once again depending on your karma, and different strategies need to be applied to different types of enemies with their own weaknesses. Ultimately the gameplay is satisfying, fun and intuitive – running, jumping, gliding, climbing, shooting, throwing all provide variety to every enemy encounter.

The pacing of the missions feels fairly well done, and the ability as a player to create missions yourself is a great addition, even though the side missions their selves are up to par with some of the story missions.

The city of New Marais is beautiful with the New Orleans-inspired city structure and building architecture, with distinct districts and swamps, which really help the city feel alive – even in its darkest of times. The colours of the city, along with Cole's fireworks, create a beautiful and lively canvas. The music helps the comic book-styIe feel of the game too, and the overall presentation of Infamous 2 surpasses that of its predecessor.

With solid gameplay, smooth pacing, and fun new powers, Infamous 2 is a satisfying game that appears as a generic sequel due to its boring pitch but shines bright amongst its open-world rivals, offering quality content, and plenty of it, but also a strong story involving some of the most realistic characters seen in a super-hero game. This is an easily recommendable game to anyone who enjoys open-world games, with players given the opportunity to become engrossed in the rich city, upgrading Cole's powers, or just breeze through, and whatever path you take; this is a great experience that should not be missed.

Story – 4/5
Gameplay – 4/5
Presenation – 4/5

Overall Score (Not an Average):

8.5/10

Get the full article at GameSpot

"Bioshockraptor reviewed inFamous 2 for the PlayStation 3..." was posted by Bioshockraptor on Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:56:55 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/infamous-2/user-reviews/786176/platform/ps3/ Sun, 01 Jan 2012 20:06:53 -0800 Bioshockraptor reviewed Gears of War 3 for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/gears-of-war-3/user-reviews/784850/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 9.5!

'Gears of War 3' doesn't reinvent anything for the gaming industry or third-person-shooter genre, nor does it go for a completely new approach to the series. Instead, it improves on every aspect that made the previous game great, focusing on polish, immersion and emotion, proudly and successfully presenting a satisfying and action-packed conclusion to a great series.
Story

The COG has been disbanded, the Locust are supposedly defeated, and groups of human survivors scattered over Sera are defending their selves against the lambent. The player resumes the role of Marcus Fenix once again, as he and his allies fight for their lives, while also attempting to rebuild their civilization on a remote island, two years after the end of the previous game.

This time around, Gears of War embraces a more sympathetic, thoughtful and exciting story. We see emotion with character history, adding to the sense of desperation and it really shows the personalities of the three-dimensional characters - in their best and worse. Even with the macho-man, action-movie clich–'s, the story is genuinely interesting as it is dark, gloomy, gritty and, at some points, even depressing. The character's feel like real people, and seeing them collapse with emotional grief really makes you feel something.

Gameplay

The core gameplay remains exciting and satisfying, and while the pop-in and out mechanic and strategy of the gunfights hasn't changed, there are a few additions to keep the combat fresh with each enemy encounter, including new weapons, but also new executions, with each weapon having a different one.
There is plenty of enemy variety; Marcus will go up against the cIassic drones, new lambent variants, and even lambent humans. Gunfights are no longer typically spent in cover shooting at enemies shooting back; the new enemy types will force you out of cover with their close-range dangers, while the smaller enemies will flank attacking from behind, all the while taking fire from drones, boomers, archers, and so on.

Presentation

There are some great set pieces in the game, which is greatly complemented by the outstanding visual design, riddled with variety. Rich and detailed environments, ranging from eerie abandoned towns to locust-infested desert areas, the locations visited throughout the campaign are filled with variety. Even the darkest and greyest of environments are either technically or artistically beautiful, these superb visuals coupled with the great original score makes for some very memorable moments.

Technically, the presentation is remarkable, with the game offering breathtaking vistas, landmarks and lighting, with very minimal pop-in, just a shame pre-rendered cutscenes are as low quality as they are – making the transition from gameplay to cinematic feel a little jarring. We've come to expect this however; it's just the game looks so beautiful it's hard not to feel a little shaken with the transition.

Multiplayer

The multiplayer took a strong step forward, with many improvements absolutely filled with content. The beta really helped the multiplayer for this game. Dedicated servers offer no lag, and the inclusion of AI bots in the casual competitive mode allows the opportunity for lesser-skilled players to find games easily and enjoy it without too much competition or frustration.
Horde and Beast mode can offer hours upon hours of additional gameplay. Horde 2.0 introduces fortifications, which, along with being able to build and repair turrets, sentries, barracks, decoys, silverbacks, etc, adds to the strategic element of the exciting experience. Beast flips roles, playing as the locust executing COG forces and stranded civilians, and while the mode is short, with only 12 waves, it's a great addition.

Every game mode can be played with friends online or off. Campaign, standard or arcade, can be played with up to 3 other players, the Horde and Beast modes can be played with 4 other players, and the competitive multiplayer varies.

Overall

From the story and action pacing, to the story climax, to the smooth, rich and sharp technical and artistic graphics, to the little improvements to gunfights, to the hours upon hours of additional, polished and quality content, Gears of War 3 has an immense value giving a satisfying and action-packed conclusion to the series. The campaign is more grounded and has great direction; no part feels out of place or simply filler. The larger focus on character development and emotion managed to make me feel something for the seemingly-indestructible characters we have grown to admire with their witty dialogue, as their three-dimensional personalities showed how different they can be in desperation. The multiplayer is well-refined and the option to play any mode co-operatively adds to the experience and replay value. The gameplay of the campaign and various multiplayer modes offers strategic yet fun action. The conclusion to the series is an immersive, emotional and highly rewarding and satisfying experience.

Bottom Line

Gears of War 3 is easily the best in the series, taking no steps backwards in any area; the campaign is amazing and the multiplayer is easily distinguished from previous games. This is not only one of the best games of the year, but also one of the best shooters of this generation.

Story – 5/5
Gameplay – 5/5
Presentation – 5/5
Multiplayer – 5/5

Overall Score (Not an average):

9.5/10

Get the full article at GameSpot

"Bioshockraptor reviewed Gears of War 3 for the Xbox 360..." was posted by Bioshockraptor on Sun, 01 Jan 2012 20:06:53 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/gears-of-war-3/user-reviews/784850/platform/xbox360/ Sun, 06 Nov 2011 01:48:57 -0700 Bioshockraptor reviewed Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/uncharted-3-drakes-deception/user-reviews/779003/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 9.0!

For the enjoyment aspect and overall fun factor, Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception is an easily enjoyable game that offers countless thrills across many real-world locations with a continuous "wow" factor involved, in a formula we have grown accustomed to. I can recommend this to anyone who enjoys third person action-adventure games. If you're someone who is looking for a great action-packed experience you will be pleased. The last game in the series, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves was a revolutionary game that not only passed every expectation as a sequel, but raised the bar immensely for all third person action games. The question is, does Uncharted 3 reach that bar, and if it does, is it raised even higher?

Story

I'd like to start off by saying while I'm not disappointed in the slightest; the formula of the game doesn't feel as fresh and amazing as it did in the previous game. There were in-game real-time set pieces with an immense scale that didn't even seem possible on a console, running smoothly with no slow down, while still giving the player control. What Uncharted 3 does is great and kept me on the edge of my seat almost the whole time, but those amazing set pieces are somewhat expected this time around, therefore the "wow" factor leaves just a little to be desired, because this is the second time around. That said, if you're wanting just another really good Uncharted game – you're going to get another really good Uncharted game.

The story picks up some time after the second game, with the usual cast of characters involved in a plot that takes them right across the world on a globe-trotting adventure to uncover yet again another lost secret. As you might be able to tell from the sub-title of the game, it focuses a little more on the relationship between Drake, his friends, and what his life decisions are about. We also look a little into Drake's past. I was sceptical at first as to whether or not Naughty Dog could pull this off – but the game does a fairly good job at involving the player in a story that takes some much unexpected twists and turns and as a whole is largely ambitious and captivating.

I did find Chloe and Elena a little underutilised, and they feel more like a cameo than well-developed main characters, despite helping Drake on his quest. I found that the Chloe-Elena-Drake love triangle in the second game really made the characters feel as though they emotionally and mentally progressed throughout the story, adding to the three-dimensional personalities. There is still a side of emotion in Uncharted 3, but I felt it didn't match its predecessor. This definitely has the weaker story of the trilogy.

There were a few small ideas in the game that seemed to be dropped later on, making the story feel just a little incoherent towards the end. I think that the story really could have improved if the characters showed a just a little more emotion during and after the climax, and if game went for an extra hour, being able to resolve some unexplained bits and pieces, and also giving the characters just a little more emotion towards the end. The later stages of the game, in terms of story, feel the slightest bit rushed but it doesn't really bring the story down very far as it's still captivating and provoking. The story has its problems, but they're small in comparison to how fun the gameplay is.

Gameplay

Across the 7 hour story mode, granted the default mode is chosen, Drake will be running, jumping, climbing, punching, shooting and solving puzzles on his quest to uncover Sir Francis Drake's secret. The game is paced fairly evenly, with perhaps a platform section followed by an intense shootout, slowing down, leading to a puzzle. This keeps the pace of the game fresh and the game handles these sections in different orders, to avoid repetition creating some unexpected events.

The shootouts are tense and you will need to think about positioning and prioritise which enemy to take out, and you will always need to be on the move, as you won't find success in holding down one area in every gun fight. There is now a throw-back option for grenades tossed by enemies which drastically helps the gun fights. The aiming at first can feel clunky but it's adaptable and I didn't find myself having any problems with the aiming after the first quarter of the game. Enemies have different fight styIes and patterns, some will flank, some will rush, some will pop in and out behind cover, and some will blind fire. I recommend playing on the easy difficult for newcomers to the series because shootouts can get overwhelming and frustrating at times if you're expecting to pick enemies off from one position.

There is a much bigger emphasis on hand-to-hand combat, which has been improved, involving counters in similar fashion to the combat system found in Batman: Arkham Asylum and Arkham City. You're able to grapple enemies and even interact with the environment while fighting them, using a glass bottle or a bench to your advantage. Unfortunately you'll find yourself doing the same exact fight with the stronger goons, kicking him in the crotch and pummelling him in the head, for him to get up and do the same dance with Drake over again until he goes down.

The levels and locations are just as varied as Uncharted 2, and the final act in this game I actually liked more than the final act in the previous two games. I don't want to give anything away but there was one part I wish lasted longer but unfortunately only had one or two chapters to it. There is an absolute intense chase scene later on in the game that I do not want to spoil for you. The game starts out slow, with its first shoot out an hour or two in the game, but after the first few chapters the game kicks into cIassic Uncharted mode, with brilliant pacing and set pieces that are awesome and kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time.

If I had any problems with the gameplay, it would be that the enemies still take far too much damage for my liking, hand-to-hand combat is extremely repetitive in regards to heavies, sometimes the game doesn't recognise headshots, I had some issues getting in and out of cover and some stages towards the end were frustrating. I expected these problems, while small and somewhat insignificant, to be resolved by the third game – of which they aren't.

Presentation

The presentation on the other hand has greatly improved, and there are definitely noticeable enhancements in the lighting, scenery, textures, facial animations and body movements, and that's not all. While there is a little pop-in during some in-game cutscenes they aren't incredibly noticeable or jarring. The great voice acting helps brings the incredibly realistic characters to life, and the atmosphere of the entire game is outstanding. The audio design is authentic and from the voice acting, to the technical and artistic graphics, to the very small touches of detail that goes into the game, it's obvious from the presentation alone Naughty Dog put their whole heart into this game, with a strong level of polish.

The locations visited by Drake are beautiful and some of the more calm sections of the game feature some of the best scenery, which is where the presentation shines the most. Where the game slips up just a little in the story, it more than makes up for it in the presentation, which in the Uncharted games has always been top-notch, continuously improving, and Uncharted 3 is a great example of an evolving franchise.

Multiplayer

The Multiplayer returns once again with refined co-op and competitive modes, featuring in-game treasures, the option to spawn on a buddy assigned before the match, and a kill streak-like system offering speed boosts, power weapons, and many more. Originally it may feel like the multiplayer is a superfluous and tacked on experience, but after levelling up and getting into it there is lots to offer. The co-op story and arena modes allow you and two other players to tackle either challenging story missions, or a horde-like mode with missions including capture the idol, survive the wave and only kills from a predetermined territory, count.

To me, the multiplayer definitely does not feel tacked on, and will give hard-core players and casuals alike, that extra incentive to continue playing after the single player. It definitely passes as a genuinely fun experience while it's not as in-depth as a more multiplayer focussed game like Battlefield and Call of Duty is, there's still hours of fun to be had with not only the multiplayer, but also in the single player, with the return of treasures and trophies. It's not like you can compare Uncharted with Battlefield or Call of Duty, they're two complete different genres, but for those fans that want to continue playing in the Uncharted universe, they will be pleased.

Overall

The answer to whether or not Uncharted 3 meets the bar of what is a good action adventure game is a definite yes, as evidenced by the improvements in combat, little tweaks to shoot outs, the remarkable presentation, and an attempt to go deeper into the personalities of the characters we have grown to love. The answer to whether or not uncharted 3 raises the bar for the genre is a simple no. But it doesn't need to. It is better than Uncharted 2, in regards to gameplay, presentation and multiplayer, but it doesn't have such a big impact on the genre because for the most part it's been done before, and we are expecting huge set pieces with awesome shoot outs.

For those who skipped to the end

While there are a few nitpicky complaints I had with the story and the combat, it's hard finding flaws that impact the game greatly, and to be honest, these "complaints" are so easily forgiven because of what the game tackles and how greatly it presents it. Newcomers are most likely going to enjoy this game as much as the fans of the series and you owe it to yourself to play one of this year's greatest games.

Story – 4/5
Gameplay – 4/5
Presentation – 5/5
Multiplayer – 5/5

Overall: 9.0/10
(Not an average)

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]]> http://www.gamespot.com/uncharted-3-drakes-deception/user-reviews/779003/platform/ps3/ Wed, 24 Aug 2011 02:39:25 -0700 Bioshockraptor reviewed Portal 2 for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/portal-2/user-reviews/773100/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 8.0.

Portal 2, PS3, Xbox 360 and PC, released April 2011 by Valve, the same developer who brought us the Half-Life series, Team Fortress 2, Left 4 Dead, and many more. Portal 2 received generally positive opinions from game critics, with a 93-95% rating on Gamerankings, and 95% across the board on Metacritic, but I'm here to give you my opinion on the game, what I liked and what I didn't. intriguing


First and foremost, this is a fun and interesting game to me. I'm someone who mostly plays fast-paced adrenaline-filed action games, like Call of Duty for example, but being slower-paced and a more intellectual game, Portal 2 really appealed to me. On the outside it's a first-person-perspective puzzle game, which doesn't sound like it has much depth, but in similar fashion to the first game, which I enjoyed also, the story starts off slow, which by no means is a complaint, and works its way up to something really interesting and a story you will definitely want to see the end of. And I certainly was not dissatisfied with the ending.

If you haven't played Portal 2, it's an adventure-puzzle game set in a massive facility and your character, Chell, has a Portal gun, which can shoot two portals, and you're attempting to escape. Moving through one portal will lead you out another. While Chell doesn't talk, the characters around you do, and are funny at times as there is a lot of comedic relief which helps the flow of the game, especially in slower parts.

The gameplay itself is fun and challenging, but definitely not difficult. No matter what level of intelligence someone has, it's still enjoyable and shouldn't take longer than 15 minutes to figure out even some of the later puzzles. The Single Player story can be completed in around 6-8 hours, but even after that there is a rich co-op experience just waiting, with over 35 levels to enjoy with you and a friend.

The biggest problem I had with the game was the loading times. In between rooms, with tension building, a 30-second long loading time will often take the player out of the immersion and breaks up the pace and flow of the game, which was a bit disappointing.

If a player were to struggle, there isn't any in-game help but I don't really see this as a negative because the fun of it is figuring it out for yourself.

It's difficult to pick out flaws with this as there isn't really anything else to compare it to, aside from the original game, which this definitely lives up to in my eyes. It's funny, intelligent and fun. It has clear graphics and a smooth frame rate, and is a neatly polished package overall.

If you haven't played Portal 2 and are looking for a unique game that sets its own standards, give it a go. I can't personally tell you if you are going to like it or not so you'll need to check it out for yourself. If you're not really interested in this game that's okay because it's definitely not for everyone, so don't feel forced to try and enjoy it.

-

Story: 2/5 - Though not really needed

Presentation: 4/5

Gameplay: 4/5

Multiplayer: 4/5

-

Overall: 8.0/10 (Not an average)

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"Bioshockraptor reviewed Portal 2 for the PlayStation 3..." was posted by Bioshockraptor on Wed, 24 Aug 2011 02:39:25 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/portal-2/user-reviews/773100/platform/ps3/ Wed, 15 Jun 2011 03:19:02 -0700 Bioshockraptor reviewed L.A. Noire for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/l-a-noire/user-reviews/767569/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 8.0.

L.A. Noire has a very familiar layout, it's an open world game with set missions and a large map to explore. There are 21 assigned cases across five desks, patrol, traffic, homicide, vice and arson, and 40 street crimes, small action oriented tasks.

You play as Cole Phelps, a cop rising through the ranks of the 1940s LAPD. Throughout the story you will find lies and deception; which is a core element of this game, being able to tell if a suspect giving you information is lying, telling the truth, or if you're not sure if they're lying but don't have any evidence to back up an accusation.

The story includes some quite memorable characters, all with stellar voice acting and facial animations. The story as a whole is homage to cIassic noir films, I won't spoil it for you if you haven't played it, but to some people the ending might seem unsatisfying and even disappointing.

L.A. Noire is a very well paced game, offering shootouts, chases, on both car and foot, interrogations, and investigations. It is an extremely immersive game, from the cars to the music to the clothes and housing designs; the atmosphere and presentation is stellar.

The game can feel slow at times, which is by no means a complain, but this is definitely not a game for everyone. I didn't really have many complaints with the game aside from the poorly-written story, while the characters can make it feel like it can be an emotional ride, it never achieves that because of the poor story pacing. The pacing of the gameplay was perfect to me, but the story definitely needed more work, and that does become really apparent in the later stages of the game when it tries to be emotional and dramatic. Without spoiling anything, it was hard to feel involved when we weren't attached to it in the first place.

With that being said, there is a lot of character development for our main character Phelps, so it's not all bad. Finding clues and interrogating might sound unattractive at first, but there is no possibility of getting lost as there are multiple music chimes that sound when you're near a clue, if you've found all the clues, and if you are heading the right way in solving the case. There are even intuition points that you gain from levelling up that you can use if you are feeling lost and don't know what to do.

Aside from the main story and the street crimes, there are outfits to unlock, hidden cars to find, and you even get a rating out of five at the end of each case. To do most of the objectives in L.A. Noire would take around 20 hours. Some people say they would have liked it better if you could have pulled out your gun and shot random civilians, but I believe that would've ruined the immersion and even so it's not Grand Theft Auto, even though it feels similar.

Overall I really enjoyed this game, it's not perfect but no game is. It started off very promising, but towards the end the story felt a little dragged out and uninspiring, though the authenticity and atmosphere of the world is beautiful for a city game. It was long with a lot of variety in the missions and there are a lot of crafty elements we hardly see in games.

I don't see myself really going back to it, as much as I would a multiplayer game, but it's definitely worth a purchase if you're wanting something new.

-

Story: 3/5

Presentation: 5/5

Gameplay: 4/5

Multiplayer: N/A

-

Overall: 8.0/10 (Not an average)

Get the full article at GameSpot

"Bioshockraptor reviewed L.A. Noire for the PlayStation 3..." was posted by Bioshockraptor on Wed, 15 Jun 2011 03:19:02 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/l-a-noire/user-reviews/767569/platform/ps3/ Wed, 01 Sep 2010 03:40:30 -0700 illmatic87 reviewed Angry Birds for the iPhone/iPod... http://www.gamespot.com/angry-birds/user-reviews/735485/platform/iphone/ ...and gave it a 7.0.

This just isn't fair. A review is intended to provide an overview and serve as a buyers guide; But for a fun and addictive game--one of which I have dropped 16 and counting hours mind you--to cost only $1.19, is just not fair game on my critical end. I should just FORCE you to buy Angry Birds, It also may as well be the new minesweeper – compulsory, and if this game isn't somehow sitting in your app library after seeing the screenshots and that price-tag, you should be punished by a fatal barrage of bird droppings.

Hopefully I have already convinced you and if I had a choice I would shut you off right now and just fill the rest of this review with youtube video links of birds that happen to have made its way into indoor space causing all sorts of shenanigans, unfortunately I am here to criticize, so for those that are still cautious (I bet its those that haven't tied their iTunes to a credit card), this review will serve as a forewarning; yes a warning, on whether or not it is 'worth' drilling your time into.

On paper Angry birds will really win you over, I mean, look at it – launching odd looking birds from a slingshot for some colourful destruction against a piglet kingdom, a vivid warner brothers colour palette that is pleasant to look at, an accessible core objective; what is not to like?

Lets just get the most perceptible qualities out of the way – Angry Birds is an exceptionally polished game, you probably wont find an Appstore game at this price with such attention to detail and as clean as this; Sprites and animations are crisp, , the physics act in a logical smooth manner, camera control is fluid, menus are simplistic with a sense of character and good lord, there is even an opening animated cartoon introducing its story which is ingeniously as well as seamlessly accessed externally through a friggin full-screen youtube link, brilliant.

Look at the screenshots. If you haven't figured out from the screens (and two would be enough), Angry Birds follows your 2D ballistic ammo to target mechanic seen in games like Worms and Gunbound (it is even aesthetically similar to those two), however here is the switch, environments aren't destructible and wind isn't the thing stopping you, rather it's a set of physical obstacles and structural compositions that stand in the way of your sheltered objective, thus transforming Angry Birds into a puzzle game, figuring out and exploiting weaknesses.

You have six different kinds of birds to launch by simply using Mr. index finger or Dr. Greenthumb to drag out the slingshot back towards an angle and at a velocity, actually, scratch velocity because anything under full velocity is hard to accurately get right, most of the time I would just go full force at different angles as it just seems more accurate that way. The four birds have their own uses and abilities which is activated by a tap on the screen once the bird is in flight, you have your standard bird, your high speed bird, a cluster bird, a vertical drop bird and an exploding bird (no reference to feeding birds Panadol unfortunately). Each bird also has physical properties; say for example the cluster bird can rip through Ice blocks, the high speed bird can plough through layers of wood blocks, the bomb bird can pummel through almost anything - until it detonates, a green bird which acts as a boomerang and the red bird is well, your useless bouncy one.

(in time of writing, they have just updated in a new big red bird)

The variety of birds offered contributes to the levels puzzle solving as you have to decide what to hit, exploiting weaknesses in materials with the pre-determined birds you are given. It does sound great but it is often frustrating how you can't choose what birds to tackle a specific level or at least set the order of your given 'ammunition'. This means you're left to solve a problem their way instead of yours and if you happen to use your way, expect to not be rewarded with a high score. It doesnt help that the majority of the levels become somewhat formulaic and repetitive; there are levels that trigger off entertaining domino-style set pieces similar to ragdoll blaster 2 and on top of that there are secret golden egg levels that blend in timing, physics and accuracy quite evenly, but don't expect a good number of these to be seen and the latter you have to work for.

It does please me to say that Angry Birds is quite challenging; consistency? or a logical difficulty curve is absent here however. The difficulty comes from its restrictions, you have a finite amount of birds to use in order to wipe the area clean of piglets, so there are brief moments of tension and weight for your remaining bird to hit the final piglet. On top of that there are certain milestones/achievements that are awarded on how well you completed the level – the more birds you've spared and the more destruction to the level the better.

By design, Angry Birds is a perfect fit for the iPhone, it literally IS pick up and play; the zoom and pan controls are tacit/identical with the general interface functions of the iPhone so users are instantly familiar with it and each level can easily carve a space right into whatever else you're doing on the go as there are zero load times. Also there is no background music, besides the ambient bird and piglet sound effects, so you can play this in unison with your MP3 music library and even during an incoming call provided you have a hands-free set.

Angry Birds essentially bundles up into a single coloured ball of yarn. You would pull the same long string and it will stay the same shape, slowly reducing its size. But if you have nothing else to do and you see a fleck of string poking out, you'd might as well pull, and keep pulling until you've had enough of what is nothing short of a mere distraction. Unlike a ball of yarn though is value that is too good to dismiss and chances are, you're friends will have it, which will add a layer of competition with its online leaderboards and social media integration using facebook as well as twitter.

At 30MB you could have easily downloaded and played a few levels in the time of reading this review and since you made a choice to read this far after the first paragraph, hopefully you can decide whether or not all 180 levels of Angry Birds and constant added content updates is worth your time. The one thing that is for certain though is that when simply looking at the pictures, numbers and popularity alone, the choice in whether or not to purchase Angry Birds on the iPhone is the easiest one to make

7/10

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"illmatic87 reviewed Angry Birds for the iPhone/iPod..." was posted by illmatic87 on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 03:40:30 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/angry-birds/user-reviews/735485/platform/iphone/ Sat, 21 Aug 2010 19:04:10 -0700 Bioshockraptor reviewed Red Dead Redemption for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/red-dead-redemption/user-reviews/734218/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 9.5!

A rich, enjoyable free roam action adventure, with a tense and very satisfactory story. As John Maston, a former outlaw, you are sent by the Government to hunt down and kill your former gang members. It is set during the start of the industrial age for the Western Border, 1911. This adventure leads you from New Austin, the wild west of America, to Mexico, to the Great Plains and snowy mountains. Marston is a gunslinger, so when you're not travelling on your horse, you will be popping in and out from cover shooting bandits, wanted gangs, and many enemies that cross your path. This is definitely action and adventure at it's finest.

As you progress in the game you gain new weapons and access to new territories. Marston starts out in New Austin, where it will feel comfortably like a cIassic western, he will be greeted by the southern accents, the dry grass and the saloons. When you leave for Mexico, it feels like a different game, the landscape is different, with potholes and canyons all over the state, and almost everyone speaks with a Spanish accent, if they speak English at all.

Throughout the game you will need to journey with Marshalls, Bandits, Rebels, The Mexican and American Army – you name it. There is an abundance of objectives to do, or so it will seem when you start out in New Austin. The player can choose to do main missions, which helps Marston progress in the story and will take you to new places. They can choose to help out strangers who will ask you to do a side quest for them, or to simply protect them from bandits. The player can opt to guard ranches and settlements as a night watcher, go hunting animals, duel other gunslingers, take up bounties and track down wanted criminals. You can even clear out gang hideouts and complete challenges involving picking flowers or shooting birds out of the sky.

Most of the amusement of the side quests wear off after a less considerable amount of hours, and the player will be more inclined to complete the story, unless they want to unlock many of the outfits Marston is presented.

There are thirteen outfits offered on both consoles, a fourteenth is accessible if you create a Rockstar Account and join the Social Club, a fifteenth if you bought the game on the Playstation 3 System, and a sixteenth if you pre-ordered the game. Some outfits grant Marston special abilities or let local bandits or the law treat you as one of your own, until you turn aggressive. Each outfit requires you to complete a task, or multiple tasks. Gang outfits will require the player to find around six different scraps. They are located or found, even sometimes without notice, by clearing gang hideouts, completing mini-games in a certain location, bringing back a bounty alive, and so on. Some outfits require you finishing a certain main mission or are simply given to you as a souvenir.

Each objective, ranging from minor to major, will grant you money, fame and honour. With money you will be able to purchase weapons, houses, ammo, and will also be able to bribe law officials, pay off a bounty on your head, or have a stage coach driver take you somewhere in the land. As Marston gains more fame, strangers will intercept you more often, and ask for help. The law will be more lenient to your crimes if you are well-known amongst the people. The NPCs will also react with you more, calling you by your name, even if you haven't met them before. Honour will increase or decrease, depending on what the player's actions are. If Marston is given the choice of killing and robbing an innocent beggar or giving them some money, the honour will rise or fall accordingly. If you are well known for being evil, prices will be lower in stores because the owners fear you, but if you are well known for being good, prices will be lower still, but only because they believe you are a great man.

Being dishonourable and honourable will change a few in-game elements, but nothing in the story will change. As a wild gunslinger, doing all of these objectives, the player has the advantage over enemy NPCs by using Dead Eye. This is triggered by pushing in the right analogue stick, and slows down time and enables the player to choose who to shoot during this short burst, which can help strongly help if Marston is in a tight situation. There are three levels to dead eye, which are unlocked the further you progress in the story, and are a crucial component if you are being gunned down by a group of enemies. The second and third stages of Dead Eye will allow Marston to pain targets on the enemies, giving him the opportunity to shoot down multiple enemies.

There is a vast array of weapons to use, ranging from fire bottles and dynamite, to pistols and revolvers, to sniper rifles and repeaters, to shotguns, knives and even a lasso. Each weapon has its strength and weakness, both of which are represented by a chart that is accessed in the menu.

Throughout many missions you will be shooting away at enemies and hiding behind cover. If Marston is hit, a short time beneath cover will get him back up to speed. Moving in between cover feels smooth, and you can always count on it. There are different difficulties for aiming, ranging from casual which will lock onto a target, to expert, which will force the player to aim themself. If there isn't a gunfight, Marston is on his horse, riding from destination to destination. Of course there are other alternatives to travel, including coaches and trains, but riding horseback is by far the most enjoyable.

The controls of the horse will feel very unresponsive at first, which requires the player to get used to them, but after a few hours of playing it will feel familiar and is easy to get the hang of. If you are being chased on a horse you can draw your weapon and shoot just as easy as on foot.

The atmosphere of the overall game is breathtaking and the landscape is beautiful. The buildings are authentic and the whole world's visuals are spectacular. The character models themselves can be good at times, but there is also a high chance of there being an almost-broken visual, which might include a jittery character in the background or an indefinite pop-up in the landscape. Despite these visual bugs, there is nothing completely broken about them, given this is a massively open free roam adventure with no loading times between areas, unless you are starting a mission. There will also be the occasional freeze, and a few frame rate issues if there is a lot going on, but give it time and it will fix itself. No bug in this game is game-ruining, unless there is dust in the console.

Autosave is enabled, but if you want to save it manually, houses are available to rest in, and will also put the in-game clock 6 hours forward. The game itself has a full 24-hour cycle, complete with rain and sunshine.

The sounds are tremendously good, from the animals to the characters, the voice work is superb and the characters are very easy to grow attached to. The game is emotional at times, but overall it's an action packed experience that will leave you wanting more.

This desire for more will lead you into the multiplayer, which hasn't been fully developed in the sense that it doesn't have an emotional narrative, such as the single player, and it is quite empty after all is said and done. The multiplayer will put you straight into free roam where you can clear gang hideouts or do challenges, similar to the ones in single player. Everything you do will give you experience points which will level up the player's character and will earn them new weapons, mounts and skins. You can jump into a match, such as Hold Your Own, Capture the Bag, and various shootouts at any time. Join a posse in free roam and tackle anything you want with up to eight other players. There is also a co-op mode that was delivered in a free DLC pack that includes six missions ripped from the single player, playable with up to four players. This co-op mode, while short and small, gives a tactical element because of the cIass specific abilities, of which you chose before you start the mission. The multiplayer should be more fleshed out after the new DLC packs are out.

Overall this is a very enjoyable game with a well presented and very emotional narrative and wholesome gameplay that will keep someone going for more than twenty hours, at least, in the single player alone, and a few more in online multiplayer. It has its glitches and bugs, but considering the vast open world and variety in mission structure and objectives, then all is forgiven. Here lays a pure experience that is sure to entertain hardcore and casual gamers alike, and has the elements and potential to be the game of the year.

I haven't covered everything in this review, because there is just so much more to the story, and you will need to experience it yourself if you want to understand.

-
Story: 5/5

Presentation: 5/5

Gameplay: 5/5

Multiplayer: 3/5

-

Overall: 9.5/10 (Not an average)

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]]> http://www.gamespot.com/red-dead-redemption/user-reviews/734218/platform/ps3/ Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 -0800 reviewed for the ... http://www.gamespot.com/downloads/ ...and gave it a .

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" reviewed for the ..." was posted on Wed, 31 Dec 1969 16:00:00 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/downloads/ Sat, 01 May 2010 07:12:14 -0700 illmatic87 reviewed Ragdoll Blaster 2 for the iPhone/iPod... http://www.gamespot.com/ragdoll-blaster-2/user-reviews/719002/platform/iphone/ ...and gave it a 8.0.


You'd always begin to wonder who (or what) comes up with these situations, it was only last week when I thought about it; between then and in time of writing I have come across launching space cows, angry projectile birds, suicidal ninja robots, flying combat hammers and Niko Bellic. I would stick with 'what' as opposed to whom came up with the ideas though; and my only conclusion points towards a hat, yes a hat with words you pick out --- 3 of them actually, filled with an array of adjectives and nouns written by a group of 5th graders. If it was my hat, I would probably be reviewing a game based on an epic journey of the inanimate carbon rod or reviewing Worms Armageddon again, but unfortunately the latest hat offering finds myself reviewing a puzzle game about helpless ballistic ragdolls (yes it was that smart asian kid that put the ballistic word in).

First thing you will notice about Ragdoll Blaster 2 is its rather brown steampunk aesthetics--cogs, gears, levers, wood and more brown colours; it is a complete backflip from the original Ragdoll Blaster which served up the indie game clich– of stick figures and pen and lined paper drawings. The primary objective is the same as the original Ragdoll Blaster and for those new to the party, Ragdoll Blaster--it is simple, you are some sort of cannon mounted or on wheels, you aim, point with your finger on the screen with the indicated crosshair, launch a ragdoll through the physics based puzzle and hit a target. It is a very tacit control interface---the further you aim the higher the velocity of the ragdoll. As simple is it is, it is not perfect; most often your velocity is restricted by the size of the screen and tied down by the proximity of the cannon to the edge (especially if you're firing from the top edge) a zoom-out would have been neat or a velocity flick alternative. In general the controls just all up feel rather responsive as you could easily keep up with the physics in action and unlike the popular Angry Birds - low velocity shots can be executed quite meticulously.

The main attraction here is the puzzle variety on offer and there are 135 of them to be exact; they rarely ever repeat themselves but rather add new twists altering either gravity, working with force, icy surfaces, adhesives, portals, twisting pipes, working in reverse by moving the target to hit a well placed ragdoll, experimenting with mechanical contraptions and even hitting the target through some familiar scenario eg. The game interpets ski jumping, breaking the snooker triangle and sky diving which really adds an action/reflex element on top of its puzzle-solving, experimentation, minor calculation of physics and precision. Not all puzzles are picture perfect with its execution though, as clever as some are, there are a handful of force and wheel puzzles that feel rather tedious and slightly overstay its welcome. There are loopholes to be exploited and some puzzles are really just about getting the obvious orders right.

It is strange how they separated the puzzles into 9 rooms spanning 15 levels each---there really is no underlying theme or character that separates each room from each other and difficultly is somewhat rampant from the fourth room onwards; which gives no sense of progression. No puzzle will give you difficulty however and the more 'challenging' levels are found after the first 45 levels or so. The clue or puzzle titles also give the key to the puzzle away; crikey! there is even an unlimited use of ragdolls provided; it sure makes the game more experimental as opposed to difficult or tense and sometimes you can just mindlessly fire away and you'll succeed; Whether or not this makes the game somewhat cleaner is quite tentative but one thing is for sure is that solving these puzzles aren't all that satisfying. It is not like you cant fail here (and there is a level that points the 'fail' out) messing up a contraption; losing a target or your cannon falling means you have to try again by pressing an onscreen reset button to start the puzzle again. My goodness! it resets instantly, it is the next best thing behind ctrl+z (take that Mac OS) and there is no seeing the puzzle title intro again or figuring out whatever that coffeebreak clue that was given in Scribblenauts was about. But of course the less ragdolls you launch the better and to add to some production values, there are online leaderboards, personal bests and plus integration to compare with friends to compensate for its difficulty.

What surprises me though is how charming the game is for something that puts the browns in Gears of War to shame; it does it effortlessly through its puzzles too, sure the music is charming, the sackboy like ragdolls make elmo (who is in the middle of getting beaten up) sounds, but it is how the physics and puzzles present themselves that provides the most laughs. The puzzles are just stupendously clever that part of its charm is not knowing exactly what will happen -- then seeing the puzzle work its wonders and set-pieces, I cant even give examples I'll only just spoil it for you; it is much like the first 20 levels of Crayon Physics deluxe or the first level of each world in Braid--Ragdoll blaster 2 tries to showcase something new throughout the whole game. It is also the simple things like seeing the ragdolls flail around in the air, pile on each other, being squeezed between sets of gears, watching it float around in space-like gravity, even a slow rolling target falling and tapping an inanimate ragdolls head lightly to pass a level bought a slight laugh.

On the technical side it runs well, sometimes you'll see slowdowns when ragdolls and objects crank around simultaneously, but the technical performance will never punish your own 'performance'. Despite the small objects in the game, they contain some detail that really characterises them, cannons are detailed, portals can be identified and the ragdolls have eyes and a mouth despite its small size. For those with an iPhone that value the battery power, Ragdoll Blaster 2 doesn't chew up all important phone and music time either.

Radgoll Blaster 2 Is one of those games that could be summed up in a sentence, because the heart of the game is to simply 'launch ragdolls from a cannon and hit the target' but that just wont do this game justice. At approximately two Australian cents a puzzle, it really is a platform of the clever interaction of physics, mechanics and its unadorned charm; Despite the slight sense of developer Backflip studios showboating their clever charming ideas over providing some degree of challenge found in most puzzle games denies this game from its 9--which is where it should be, but to its credit its flaw is one indicator that the people behind Ragdoll Blaster 2 was not just there to bring you a game but to provide you with some guaranteed smiles too.

8/10

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"illmatic87 reviewed Ragdoll Blaster 2 for the iPhone/iPod..." was posted by illmatic87 on Sat, 01 May 2010 07:12:14 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/ragdoll-blaster-2/user-reviews/719002/platform/iphone/ Sat, 27 Mar 2010 03:24:20 -0700 Bioshockraptor reviewed God of War III for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/god-of-war-iii/user-reviews/714393/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 9.0!

I finished the story for God of WarIII this week and was very satisfied with the overall game. It's the third and final installment in the God of War trilogy, concluding the adventures of the freightning and powerful Kratos. The story picks up exactly a few seconds after the second game following Kratos in his quest for vengeance. The only emotion that drives him is revenge, and the player is definately a part of that. The game feels quite linear and simplein terms of story but it takes a few changes, for the better, towards the end. The ending itself was something I was unsure about at first as I thought it was quite mediocre and not what I was expecting, but after some more consideration I've come to like it a little more.

The core gameplay is similair to other action games but this is very unique in it's own way, like it's predecessors. During the game Kratos encounters many different enemies, weapons and moves. It's not as diverse as, say, Bayonetta but it never lets up it's satisfying gory combat. Another thing that went into consideration was the graphics, especially the sense of scale. Holding onto the titans climbing up the mountain with the view is breathtaking. The first scene of the game is a massive view of mount olympus as the camera pans from Hades all the way to the top, it'd be impossible to not appreciate the huge effort gone into creating an amazing opening such as this.

The music is as great as it was in the first two games, feeling very appropriate for the tone set. The facial emotions of Kratos are really focused while the others aren't as distinct, it is obvious that Kratos was the main priority in creating, and it shows as they had to completely rebuild him from the start of development as the Playstation 2 figure was too hard to work with if they wanted to make it look as great as it turned out to be. Some of the dialogue is questionable but one big flaw that I found in the game was the audio and cinematics ruining each other. I think it may just be my copy as no one else has had this complaint; during a cutscene when a character wasdoing a monologue it would skip to the next part, so the character would be saying two different sentences at the same time. Also, it froze for a few seconds sometimes and returned to normal but the audio wouldn't have slowed down, causing the lip synching to be completely off.

Neither of those complaints have anything to do with the core gameplay, which is the big focus of the game aside from story. There are some great puzzles that break up the action and you're not exactly thrown into them as you might think, but splitting up the pace feels rather subtle and very much needed. They don't feel as significant as God of War II's puzzles even if they are much more memorable, for myself anyway. The voice acting is superb and they have really nailed it with actors like Rip Tor and Kevin Sorbo. The boss battles are much more grand this time around and each finisher becomes more gory and satisfying as you progress throughout the game. The characters aren't the ones that you'd feel attached to, and the developers attempt at creating an emotional series of eventsin the game turned out faily mediocre.

All together this has come to be a very fun game with a lot of great aspects and if you're looking for an astounding action adventure game that is paced successfully with breathtaking visuals, a unique design andgreat gameplay withfair varietythen God of War III is one that is not to be missed. It may be a little on the short end, landing in under 10 hours, but it concludes in a way that will leave you wanting more, but at the same time a very satisfying feeling.

-

Story: 4/5

Presentation: 5/5

Gameplay: 5/5

Multiplayer: N/A

-

Overall: 9.0/10 (Not an average)

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"Bioshockraptor reviewed God of War III for the PlayStation 3..." was posted by Bioshockraptor on Sat, 27 Mar 2010 03:24:20 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/god-of-war-iii/user-reviews/714393/platform/ps3/ Sat, 30 Jan 2010 23:48:47 -0800 Bioshockraptor reviewed Devil May Cry 4 for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/devil-may-cry-4/user-reviews/704970/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 8.0.

Just a few thoughts on this game after completing it.

You play as Nero hunting down an assassin that murdered your religious leader, which opens up to many different plot holes. The gameplay is just like the first 3 games; hack 'n' slash. They introduce a new element in the fighting which is the devil bringer. This is a demonic arm that Nero uses to grab enemies from afar.


The music is as great as the last games, and the pacing is pretty good. The cutscenes and graphics are up to standard too. Overall this was a tiny bit more than I was expecting, while also being less that I expected. It's a great action game in it's own rights, but just doesn't seem to go well with the originals on PS2. There are a few things I can nitpick at, such as: If Capcom had made Dante the character from the beginning it would have been much more familiar.The story is interesting at the beginning but turns slightly mediocre and it suffers from graphical hitches, but the great thing is the gameplay makes up for it all.I didn't like Nero, the new character that you play as for more than half of the game, at all, and certainly didn't miss him in the later stages of the game.There is only one level in the game that you actually only play once, all the other levels are played through once and then backtracked all the way through the second time as a different character, same with the bosses, which you battle 3 times each.

The main thing that personally semi-ruined it for me was as if Capcom thought of two great ideas and decided to mush them together. Did it work? Just. It's worth the small amount of money if you can find it for a small price but unless you're a big DMC fan you may think of it differently. I liked it, but hopefully next time Capcom won't be so lazy in levels and stick to their main man. 8.0/10

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"Bioshockraptor reviewed Devil May Cry 4 for the PlayStation 3..." was posted by Bioshockraptor on Sat, 30 Jan 2010 23:48:47 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/devil-may-cry-4/user-reviews/704970/platform/ps3/ Sat, 02 Jan 2010 14:20:06 -0800 Bioshockraptor reviewed Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-2/user-reviews/700551/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 8.5.

Second Opinion: I have played more than 500 hours of MW2's online and a little more on the single player. The online is full of inconsistent weapons and mechanics and the story is packed with plot holes that I once overlooked. This is by no means a bad game, but it has it's flaws, which include massively overpowered weapons/perks/killstreaks rendering other weapons/perks/killstreaks worthless. Enjoy my dated review.

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 is the sequel to Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare. The first game set a new and higher bar for first-person-shooters, which a lot of games failed to achieve. Now that the sequel is here, is an even higher bar set?

The second game picks up 5 years after the last, the S.A.S. member you played in the first game has now been promoted and works as the captain of Taskforce 141. This militant group is consisted of hand-picked elite soldiers from factions such as the CIA, Special-Operations and Navy. There are a variety of characters to play, none of which are really explained, but help you feel more immersed in some aspects. As you go through the game you experience a stunning game in visuals, controls, storytelling and multiplayer.
The graphics have been improved, not just in the character models or lighting, but in essentially every detail. The environments range from deserts to snowy mountains to cities, and each have been dealt with very carefully.

Some characters models have been recycled, in particular levels, but it's not that evident when you're mostly focusing on playing.The close-ups have been improved, and there are rarely any hiccups in the game, but some of the close-ups suffer from dodgy shadowing – where maybe a character might be standing still and if you go up to them, the shadow will be edgy and bouncing all up and down their face. This is a really small complaint though, especially since the overall graphics, specs and designs have been updated and improved since 2007's blockbuster hit.

The control scheme is pretty much the easiest, and most forgiving, that you will find in an action game. Unlike other FPS games like Halo, you are given the ability to aim down the sights, which we have been seeing more and more in games. The ability to ADS gives you an easier view of the battlefield, helping you aim down and spin up quickly to help dispatch enemies – which can really help when you're playing on a harder difficulty. The game will force you to take cover (unless you want to die) and snap onto enemies in a rush. This isn't a complaint, because it draws you in and takes you for a wonderful ride, and a brutal battle.

The voice acting and musical score are both absolutely astonishing with celebrities like Kevin McKidd (GTA:VC, Rome) doing voice work for your new, yet old, captain, John MacTavish and returning actors like Craig Fairbass (COD4, The Bank Job). There are a bunch of new voice actors, with an appearance of famous movie and musical stars. None of these voices sound stale or recycled, but fresh. The presentation of this game is amazing, it seems that Infinity Ward have succeeded in making an immersive sequel to the stellar game of '07.

There was a small loose-end from the first game that was tied up in the second, but it has now created a newer plot, with an even bigger plot-hole, that is evidently setting up the third game in the series. Occasionally a game comes around where you simply can't explain how epic, how awesome, how amazing the single player experience is. It has twists that you never saw coming, and some that you did. It was just crisp and ripe – it felt fresh, as if you had never played anything like it. Well, that is how I feel about Modern Warfare 2.

The campaign is a 5 hour experience, but during my first play through I could have sworn it felt more or less 10 hours. Why is that? It's not that it dragged on, and it's not that it was boring. It grabbed onto me and didn't let go, the amount of sheer astonishment and accomplishment that I felt throughout the game tricked me into believing that it was longer than it already was.

The closest thing to a cinematic is the mission briefings in between levels. Some of the information can be unclear and will need to be concentrated on. There are many great locations you and your taskforce are able to visit, such as Rio De Janeiro and Russia. A lot of people have said they don't want to pay so much for so little of a experience but I can't stress how much quality there is in one little 5 hour package. But, that is not the only reason people continuously play this game.

There is a strong argument between the multiplayer surpassing it's predecessor or falling short. That can be decided for you, but this time around there are 19 maps with many weapons, newly refined perks and customisable killstreaks. Out of all of the maps a few of them seem to have been made perfectly, which most people love to play. Some of the other maps just scream camping and can never fit one's play styIe.

There are 10 prestiges once again, and this time 70 levels to achieve. There are the old game types with a few others, mostly revolving around team objective matches. There are variations of some, but you will soon decide which your favourite is. Despite people thinking there is little content, the multiplayer action never gets old. Some games can make you want to stop playing while others can make you want to never stop playing. There is a lot of content and players will need to figure out if they want to grasp the full experience or not.

There is also a bonus called Spec-Ops – making up the third game in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. With 2 players, offline or online co-op, you and a friend can go through single-player inspired and all-new levels in three difficulties earning stars. There are 23 levels with 69 stars to collect all up. The missions range from survival to VIP extractions to simple getting-to-the-end game types. These are not as well polished or exciting as the other two game modes (online and campaign) but offer a great extra in a video game that is refined and improved in every way.

Do yourself a favour and play this game, I can guarantee you'll enjoy at least one aspect of it.

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]]> http://www.gamespot.com/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-2/user-reviews/700551/platform/ps3/ Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:03:20 -0800 Bioshockraptor reviewed Mario Kart Wii for the Wii... http://www.gamespot.com/mario-kart-wii/user-reviews/693896/platform/wii/ ...and gave it a 7.0.

Plus: Cheap blow the player coming first
Minus: Cheap blows occur every time you are coming first
Interesting: Cheap blows are what makes it fun

Mario Kart Wii is the next game in the mario kart series, first on the NES/SNES, then Game Cube and now the Wii. The graphics have been revamped and, if you haven't played the DS version which came out before, then you'll have a blast playing through the new stages.

The thing is, there are essentially no new stages in the Wii version. There is the new addition of bikes and an extra character, but the overall game feels just like a revamp. Don't get me wrong though, because this revamp is for the better.

All, or most, of the cIassic courses are here and the 'childish' animations and graphics make it feel immersive. This is a racing game that you can play with up to 4 players locally, and a few more online. It makes great use of the Wii remote but there are other control opitions, including the cIassic controller.

The Grand Prix, the 'campaign' mode, has three different dificulties and 8 cups to play in. The more championships you win the more characters and karts you unlock. It can feel repetitive so it's best not to spend that much time on it during a small span or time.

The story is really, not there, and the replay value is just the same as the value the game gives during the first playthrough, but with new characters. The really big thing that infuriates people are the power-ups. They change the course of the race, in terms of positions, but can still add a new level of entertainment.

Some of the power-ups you get damage the first player, sometimes so hard that they can go from first to last in a matter of seconds, but depending on the difficulty you can easily fly to the start of it - granted you don't get frustrated and throw the controller.

Grab yourself this game, grab yourself a few buddies and play it to death. Just, make sure they're not hardcore gamers.

It's best to think of this as a non-serious game, because that's what you're most likely going to be feeling in the heat of battle. Don't take losing seriously in this racer, because the enjoyment overpowers the frustration.

Story: 1/5
Gameplay: 4/5
Graphics: 3/5
Multiplayer: 5/5
Replay Value: 2/5

Overall Rating:
7.0 - Good

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"Bioshockraptor reviewed Mario Kart Wii for the Wii..." was posted by Bioshockraptor on Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:03:20 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/mario-kart-wii/user-reviews/693896/platform/wii/ Sat, 24 Oct 2009 01:39:09 -0700 Bioshockraptor reviewed Prototype for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/prototype/user-reviews/688333/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 8.5.

Plus: Endless Fun
Minus: Mediocre graphics
Interesting: Think Assassin's Creed, Crackdown and 28 Days Later all combined


Prototype is an action-adventure game in which you take the role of Alex Mercer. He's a mysterious shapeshifter on a quest to find out how he became what he is now. Not much is known about him, but by the ending, everything unfolds. Along the way you will meet up with some of Alex's known friends, but the focus is definately on him.

The storytelling is well done, but there is a lot of other media in which they use this virus scenario so it may just seem like a drag in the beginning. It's not towards the last parts of the game where the story picks up and shows of how it is unique.

The pitch for this is an infection virus has been released in New York, transforming everyone and everything around you, and you want to know how it happened. For the most part of the game, you will be jumping, gliding and slashing your way through Manhattan. There are your basic controls, a strong and a weak attack, a jump and a grab. The main focus of this game is the shapeshifting. You gain a ring with icons in which represent some way you can change your body. It may be thermal vision, it may be claws, it may even be a body of armour. This gives you endless ways to dispatch and carry out your enemies and objectives.

If you don't want to go all-out you can take the a stealth way. Mercer has the ability to absorb others. He can also take on the form of the last person he absorbed. This adds a whole other element to the gameplay, but if the military see you transforming or gliding, they will know you who are.

The AI is intellegent enough to understand who you are, and by the final stages of the game they will be able to uncover you a lot easier. Speaking of the enemy, there are essentially two types. The military/blackwatch who carry basic machine guns, drive tanks, etc. Then there are the infected, with different levels of strength. The military have their base and the infected have their hives. Take them out and you're rewarded.

Alex Mercer is able to upgrade his many abilities by using Evolution Points, in which he gains from evading air support, completing missions, killing enemies and destroying hives. He can also go into a Military Base and absorb the special-forces to unlock helicopter flight and tank control. There is a lot of variety in the gameplay, just not that much in the graphics.
There is your basic day, night and evening times with different textures depending on if you're in the clean or infected parts of Manhattan, but those textures look incredibly dry. Arguably, the best looking part of the game is during the night. There is a lot of blood on the screen during battles, but overall the character models and buildings are extremely recycled and repetitive.

While the main story can be rushed in under 10 hours, the full game can last more than 30 hours, even without being a perfectionist or trying to collect every item. It all really depends on your play style really, but there is strong replay value for the gamers who want to do side-missions. This is by all means not an RPG, just a game that gives you variety.

The variety may not be your taste, as a lot of the side-missions can be repetitive, but try to think past it and have a good time with it. Graphics aren't Prototype's strong point, the gameplay is. If you're looking for a brand new story and gorgeus visuals with an amazing soundtrack, you're reading the wrong review for the wrong game. If you're looking for a gory and entertaining slasher then you're very welcome. You will get annoyed and you will get frustrated, but for the most of it you will be having fun.

Story: 3/5
Gameplay: 5/5
Graphics: 2/5
Multiplayer: N/A
Replay Value: 5/5

Overall Rating:
8.5 - Great

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"Bioshockraptor reviewed Prototype for the PlayStation 3..." was posted by Bioshockraptor on Sat, 24 Oct 2009 01:39:09 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/prototype/user-reviews/688333/platform/ps3/ Sat, 17 Oct 2009 22:29:15 -0700 Bioshockraptor reviewed Call of Duty: World at War for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/call-of-duty-world-at-war-2008/user-reviews/687317/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 7.5.

Plus: A brand new 'Nazi Zombies'survival mode
Minus: US vs Japan missions aren't nearly as fun as Russia vs Germany
Interesting: First Call of Duty game with a flamethrower

Modern Warfare was out 2 years ago. Modern Warfare 2 is out in a month. What happened in the middle? A studio called Treyarch delivered the fifth Call of Duty game, set in the second world war. It's different to the Modern games but they run on the same engine. The fouth game was a world-wide phenominon and you still see hundreds of gamers logging on every night to play online. So as the next game set in an older environment and atmosphere, is it able to deliver?

Well yes and no. Storywise, it's just a bit meh. There are two story arcs. The first you play as Pvt. Miller, a US soldier fighting the Japanese on the pacific, with the second as Russian Pvt. Dimitri Penetro pushing out the Germans. It's your typical world war II shooter but with an emphasis of survival. It shows just how hard the wars really were. There are a few casualties here and there, but it's not 'till the end when you feel a great sense of achievement. The ending is by far the best part of the game, even if it only goes for a few minutes. It doesn't surpass Modern Warfare's ending, but it does come close.

Once again your characters who you play as never speak so you don't really create a bond of sort, but your leading commander in both scenarios are the 'Cpt. Price' and 'Lt. Vasquez' of the game. By the time the game's over you will either feel a sense of relief or a sense of gratitude.

The gameplay is vastly similair to Modern Warfare. The difference is the weapons. There are bayonets, there are carbines, there are rifles. The weapons aren't primitive, they're just not as powerful. You're still able to look down the sights, pop up, and so forth, there has been no modifications to how you play the game. This may be a good thing or a bad thing, but it certainly doesn't feel repetitive. Just think of this as COD4 set in world war II.

The story is old but the graphics aren't. They run on the same engine as Modern Warfare but they just don't look improved. The grass still looks tacky and the faces still look weird, but it's forgiven because it's just a game. Right?

World at War has it's standard online competitive matches, it has your Death Match, your Search and Destroy; basically everything that Modern Warfare has. What makes it different is the new survival mode called Nazi Zombies. Basically, you and up to 3 other mates can get together online, and you're thrown into a house with boarded up windows and weapons. Zombies come and try to break in, and the more kills you get the more money you get. It feels a lot like an action RPG of some sorts but it's definately the best part of the game.

The campaign is only around 7- 10 hours long, depending on your play style it could be smaller, but the real fun lies in playing with your mates against zombies. There is a lot of replay value to this new mode, as well as the standard online, but the story is probably the lesser of the three. I'm not saying it's bad, because it's really good, but the other two aspects are great. The campaign is playable in co-operative but I found that the best missions, the most inventive and fun, aren't playable with two or more players. That was one part I did not like. The US missions aren't nearly as fun as the Russian missions, but luckily the last few missions are playable in both modes; single and co-op.

In conclusion; The campaign is pretty good but can get tacky. Some scenes feel like a rip-off from Modern Warfare, especially when that was the last game you played. It even has it's own all ghilled up level . It's entertaining, though it feels just like a World War version of the game we played in 2007. Even though it was released a year after, it feels outdated. The competitive miltiplayer is pretty neat, though nothing new, but the nazi zombies is the part that you will play the most. I recommend this to gamers who are interested in the world war, but not if you're looking for a stellar sequel to Modern Warfare. You'll have to wait 'till November 10th, 2009 for that.

Story: 2/5
Gameplay: 4/5
Graphics: 3/5
Multiplayer: 5/5
Replay Value: 5/5

Overall Rating:
7.5 - Great

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]]> http://www.gamespot.com/call-of-duty-world-at-war-2008/user-reviews/687317/platform/ps3/ Fri, 29 May 2009 19:49:49 -0700 Bioshockraptor reviewed Unreal Tournament III for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/unreal-tournament-iii/user-reviews/661487/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 8.5.

This was made by the creators of Gears of War, and there are similarities. The graphics and character models are verymuch the same, although I would have to say thelargest problem is the pop-upsand performance lagging. You'll definitely notice a lot of the time the textures are blurry, but then they suddenly snap up to the real textures. This doesn't bring down the gameplay but it is an extreme case of graphic lagging.

On a good note, the core gameplay is fun. Ever played Quake? Unreal? Well this game is the same. Death Match, Team Death Match, Capture the Flag, and many more, are the modes you play. It's not a full on linear story game like the majority of games. The single player campaign does have a story, but all the matches are online-styIe games played in most FPS.

The story, on the other hand, is simple. It's set in the future, where respawners are an important asset on the battle field. Aliens attack, character's want revenge, they go out to destroy her. Fairly simple. There are 4 main characters, Jester, Orthello, Bishop and Reaper.

You can play through the whole campaign, or even just parts of it if you like, with up to 4 players online, or up to 2 players splitscreen co-op. Whatever you can do in multiplayer, you can do in the campaign, but only with 4 players. I definitely recommend this game to fans of multiplayer-styIe games and I rate Unreal Tournament 3 a 8.5/10.

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]]> http://www.gamespot.com/unreal-tournament-iii/user-reviews/661487/platform/ps3/ Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:09:36 -0700 Bioshockraptor reviewed Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal for the PlayStation 2... http://www.gamespot.com/ratchet-and-clank-up-your-arsenal/user-reviews/656285/platform/ps2/ ...and gave it a 9.0!

The story follows the first two games; Ratchet is requested for a journey somewhere in some galaxy. In this game, he returns to his home galaxy to fend of the new alien invaders.



If you have never played a Ratchet & Clank game before you will probably be weirded out. Ratchet is a Lombax, which look like over grown ferrets with huge ears, and Clank is his little robot companion. They are a team, Ratchet handles the violence and Clank handles the technological plans. Ratchet is the athletic, more physical induced one, and Clank is the brainiac, more smart and logical. They work well together, and the enemies look really cool and interesting. There are many funny and silly jokes that are cracked by the heroes and you won't see characters like this in a game. I would say a lot of effort went into creating this vast world of aliens and humans alike.

The Gameplay is simple and fun. It isn't that great or spectacular when it comes to the combos, seeing as though there is only one, which is pressing square 3 times in a row, but the platforming is great. The combat is fun with all the guns you get and use, which is basically the main way you're going to want to play;blasting enemies away with weapons.You collect money, which are bolts in this game, by destroying enemiesthen when you find a vending machine you can buy ammo and/or new weapons. There are two ways to upgrade your weapons, both of which you will end up wanting and needing to do to defeat stronger enemies. The other way to upgrade your weapons is to just use them. The more you use them the more they upgrade.

The controls are just spot on. Very simple and not dull at all. You will not be mad or disappointed playing through the game with these controls. Absolutely perfect, nothing wrong withthem at all. Another thing that'sperfect is the graphics. Think Pixar, in a video game.It's very cartoonish, but the graphics in this gamesure are good... well for it's time at least. They're notgroundbreaking, they're just smooth andhandled really well.

Back when people played the PS2 online, this game would have been played a lot. There are offline and online death match styIe matches, including Capture the Flag, etc. Offline there is able to play up to 4 players, which you canstill do. Although the multiplayer was great, the reason forplaying throughthis game is the story mode.

This is one of my favourite games and franchises and features some of the very best platforming and action you'll find in a game. It's got a great story, it will appeal to young and old audiences; old and newcomers to the series, and has really good voice acting featured in the game. The sound effects fit in perfectly and are amazing, along with the detailed graphics, planets and character models. It's just an awesome adventure game, if it was a movie it would be an instant blockbuster cIassic. Sorry if I sound like a fanboy, but this is why it is myfavourite game of all time.

Verdict:

Story - 10

Gameplay - 10

Graphics - 10

Music - 9.5

Multiplayer - 9


Overall Rating: 9.0 - Excellent

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]]> http://www.gamespot.com/ratchet-and-clank-up-your-arsenal/user-reviews/656285/platform/ps2/