sh811a's GameSpot Friend's Reviews sh811a's GameSpot Friend's Reviews sh811a's GameSpot Friend's Reviews en-us Copyright (c)1995-2013 CBS Interactive. All rights reserved. http://www.gamespot.com 20 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:04:49 -0700 GameSpot sh811a's GameSpot Friend's Reviews http://img.gamespot.com/gamespot/shared/promos/misc/gs_logo.gif http://www.gamespot.com 135 40 Sat, 15 Jun 2013 19:05:24 -0700 kbaily reviewed Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/sly-cooper-thieves-in-time/user-reviews/812458/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 8.5.

Sly Cooper never had the major stardom on the Playstation as Ratchet, Sackboy or Jak and for a while some of us wondered if he'd ever show up on the PS3 especially when Sucker Punch moved onto the Infamous series.

Thankfully Sansaru, who brought the Sly collection to us, wanted to pick up where Sucker Punch left off and I must say, they did a good job. The new Sly feels familiar but combined the elements from past games to make a great new adventure that I feel is the best in the series.

Picking up where "Honor Among Thieves" left off. Sly has given up his master thief life, pretending to have amnesia so he can live happily with his cop girlfriend, Carmelita Fox. Bentley is living with his girlfriend Penelope tinkering with machines and Murray is enjoying the demolition derby circuit but soon Sly finds himself itching to return to his old life and soon gets word from Bentley that pages of his family history, The Thievius Raccoonus are disappearing. Turns out a villain named Le Paradox is traveling back through time with his henchmen kidnapping Sly's ancestors and trying to ruin the Cooper family reputation as master thieves. Bentley has made his own time machine and the old team reunites to set things straight. The plot is pretty entertaining for what is essentially Assassin's Creed for kids but has all the charm of a Saturday morning cartoon. Seriously why isn't Sly a TV show? I'd watch the hell out of that. Also missed opportunity for "1.21 Gigawatts into the Flux Capacator" quote. Come on guys.

Sly's 4th outing takes the best aspects of Sly 2 and 3 and combines them. This time around Sly travels to five periods in time in attempt to find his ancestors as well as find the criminal who's gone back in time to try to change history. You enter each stage in a big open world with missions but you can waste a lot of time hunting around for bottles, treasures and masks that unlock all sorts of in game goodies as well as cash to upgrade your characters.

Along with Sly, you once again get to play as Bentley with his various computer hacking mini games, Murray, who's mission mostly boil down to mindless button mashing brawls, Carmelita who has a few third person shooting missions and each time period has a Cooper ancestor to control. With the exception of Bob the Caveman, most of them control like Sly with one extra ability. Rioichi has a shadow dash, Tenessee Kid can shoot a gun, Sir Galeth has a charge jump and Salim Al Kupar can dash up chains quickly. Only Bob feels totally different being a big lumbering caveman who can climb up ice walls.

Sly himself takes a cue from Mario donning special costumes to give him new abilities. Samurai Armor protects him from fire, the jailbird gives him a big heavy ball to attack with, the archer lets him shoot arrows and the Arabian thief was clearly inspired by "Prince of Persia: Sands of Time" allowing Sly to slow down time. Sadly most of these are used a couple times in their respective time periods and aside from opening special treasure doors, you won't be using them as much as you'd hope.

Graphically they kept the colorful, cell shaded look in tact and it's nice to see an HD game do something besides gray and brown realism. Though there were a few times when I was detected by enemies and got chased that slowdown got real bad. I also will say this fourth installment had the best voice acting as well. They found a voice actress for Carmelita that can actually emote and Sly's relatives are a lot of fun.

If I had a complaint, it's that the game is overly easy. You're better off sneaking up on enemies to attack then trying to combat them head on. Boss fights boil down to watching patterns. Checkpoints are often making death more of a quick detour then a penalty and the final boss fight boiled down to nothing more than a series of quick time events. The hardest bits come with the few times the game decided to implement sixaxis controls because Sansaru forgot it's no longer 2006 making Bentley's one hacking game extremely frustrating.

But overall the game is a solid experience. You can spend a lot of time going back to find all the extra goodies and the ending leaves it open for a sequel. It released at a cheap $40 and probably cheaper now so it's worth picking up.

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"kbaily reviewed Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time for the PlayStation 3..." was posted by kbaily on Sat, 15 Jun 2013 19:05:24 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/sly-cooper-thieves-in-time/user-reviews/812458/platform/ps3/ Tue, 04 Jun 2013 08:44:00 -0700 benleslie5 reviewed Metal Gear Solid HD Collection for the PlayStation Vita... http://www.gamespot.com/metal-gear-solid-hd-collection/user-reviews/812038/platform/vita/ ...and gave it a 9.0!

It's been over 10 years since Metal Gear Solid 2 was released back in 2001 and almost 9 years since Metal Gear Solid 3 was released in 2004. During those years when the PlayStation 2 was around both games were summed up to be the best games to experience on its story, gameplay and memorable moments. Now you can relive those memories again in HD, Metal Gear Solid Collection was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and then a few months later got released for the PlayStation Vita.

Both games still play well and nothing has really changed from its gameplay, if you've played both titles back on the PlayStation 2 nothing much has changed, but do note that you'll be using the left analog stick to move and holding R button and Square to fire your weapon. Instead of using the shoulder buttons to select back and forth weapons and items, on the PS Vita you are using the touch screen to select weapons and items like you would do on a DS handheld or a touch screen mobile phone.

In Metal Gear Solid 3 you can use the touch screen to patch up Snake if he's badly injured during gameplay or getting rid of gunshot wounds. Apart from that nothing hasn't really changed much on its gameplay it is trying to be more touch screen related for the handheld version.

Yet both games do look impressive when they are in HD both cutscenes look very well detailed to look at on your PS Vita. The voice acting is still the best as it was over 10 years ago and the soundtrack makes a great a touch when you're playing both games when you are out and about either on a bus to work or hanging out with your friends. If you have a PlayStation 3 you can transfer both saves back and forth to your console and to your PS Vita, the only downside to the Vita version of Metal Gear Solid HD Collection is that it does not contain Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker in the collection.

Not only that the HD Collection also contains both MSX titles Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2 which makes another good feature being added into the collection also including the VR missions as well. Trying to obtain all trophies will be a challenge for trophy collectors, as a Metal Gear Solid fan I would recommend the HD Collection if you have played the games before or new to the series it's worth the purchase if you want two of the best stealth action games that made the series is memorable and great for what it is.

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]]> http://www.gamespot.com/metal-gear-solid-hd-collection/user-reviews/812038/platform/vita/ Sat, 01 Jun 2013 18:12:08 -0700 pokecharm reviewed Hitman: Absolution for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/hitman-absolution/user-reviews/811971/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 7.0.

The Hitman franchise was one of the first stealth games I'd played when I got my PS2. The worlds were fairly open. You could move around and find a variety of ways to eliminate your targets. The AI was robust. The environments were varied. The story was passable. Some things haven't changed, while others have changed quite a bit. This is the first Hitman game on the next gen console, and the most noticeable difference is the polished graphics and environment. I never felt limited by the Playstation controls, but I didn't feel like there was a great leap in technology from the previous games, though my memory isn't what it used to be.

The game begins with Agent 47 on a mission to eliminate someone who worked within the agency and has seemingly betrayed them by kidnapping a valuable asset, a girl. When Agent 47 infiltrates the compound and has her in his sights, she divulges her reasoning for doing what she's done and the onus of the mission shifts to Agent 47. Once this shift occurs, Agent 47 must protect this girl and keep her from the clutches of the Agency. The two are separated and she is taken by a third party who has little to do with the Agency, but knows the value of the girl. Agent 47 must battle the crazed kidnapper and the Agency as he must go to great lengths to protect the girl and save her from a fate she didn't choose.

The game is broken up into sections, each one having a very different look and feel. The graphics are quite breath-taking, as I've discovered seems to be something Square Enix takes great pride in. What stunts the otherwise stunning visuals are the glitches that are far too frequent. Both the AI and Agent 47 seem to move through solid structures. Though the detail is clear in most environments and items, the detail doesn't surpass either Tomb Raider or even Deus Ex.

The voice acting is decent. The story isn't stellar, but the actors seem to do the best they can, playing up the stereotypical bad people they all portray. There was little depth in either the stories or the characters, no clear reason anyone was doing anything, other than because the story told them to. In many ways, it made the entire game seem inauthentic and difficult to feel invested in.

What keeps you playing, or at least kept me playing, was the game play. It wasn't amazing, it didn't do anything I hadn't seen before, but it made the game fun. There were a variety of ways to eliminate targets, in most sections and the gamer was rewarded for being creative and for not being discovered. I've always been a fan of stealth games, thank you Metal Gear Solid. And while this one doesn't bring much new to the concept, it brings just enough that I couldn't put the game down until I'd finished it.

The one thing I must comment on, the reason for a lower score than perhaps the game may deserve, the AI was predictable and yet unpredictable. At times, the game didn't seem to reset and I'd have to restart checkpoints to get the game to stop looping. It could have been me playing the game incorrectly, but the game should work and shouldn't glitch. This wasn't a terrible glitch, but it was frustrating at times. This is actually a very decent game, and for a lower price, well worth playing.

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"pokecharm reviewed Hitman: Absolution for the Xbox 360..." was posted by pokecharm on Sat, 01 Jun 2013 18:12:08 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/hitman-absolution/user-reviews/811971/platform/xbox360/ Sat, 25 May 2013 18:43:18 -0700 pokecharm reviewed Saints Row: The Third for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/saints-row-the-third/user-reviews/811721/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 6.5.

Saints Row the Third has been compared to Grand Theft Auto, but silly and crude. That assessment, from what I can tell, is about right, though it doesn't give the game nearly enough credit. In Steelport, the Saints are a famous gang, one that does drugs, gets into trouble, shots up the place and generally carouses throughout the city. The game starts off with a bang as the leader of the Saints commits sepuka by taking an entire plane down to save the rest of the gang. You play the character that is then the de facto leader, or at least this was what I pieced together while only paying some attention.

Though it is perhaps not a fair comparison, Saints Row does remind me a great deal of Grand Theft Auto. The world is open, you can run around and to what you like, though there are always repercussions to your actions. The police and other gangs are looking for reasons to attack you. The controls are easy to understand, for the most part. There are variable rules, it seemed, for the controls of weapons while in a vehicle. Some vehicles came with weapons, some do not. When you have a gang member with you, they control the mounted guns, making some larger battle sequences amazingly frustrating because they don't shot or shot at nothing. This was the one down-side I found to the otherwise simple to use controls.

The colours, graphics and overall feel of Saints Row was authentic to the kind of city and atmosphere the game aims for. It does remind me of any big city with good and bad parts of town. Each gang had a different colour scheme, which helped slightly in understand what group you were challenging by driving through their area. The city is beautifully rendered, especially as the area becomes more Saints controlled and the royal purple surfaces more and more. Much like with the other open-world games, as you control more of the map, more of your supporters pepper the map, making it feel more homey.

The story was hilarious, I can't be more clear than that. I found it absurd, comical and a ton of fun. The voice acting made the outlandish plot that much more fun. My personal favourite was Shandi and the star-struck actor Josh who loved her. Silly and funny, and it doesn't take itself too seriously, which makes the whole game one that shouldn't be missed.

Having said that, the number of glitches I encountered were too many to count, and this is the major detraction of the game. When you have to stop playing, reload missions or shut the console down and still can't get things to work, the fun of the game becomes more frustrating than enjoyable. Some of the 'find' missions were just plain broken. I'm not sure how many times I attempted one of the vehicle thefts, but after an hour plus, I just gave up. The map, oftentimes, wouldn't work or display an actual direction, as if it didn't realise I was in the water and kept telling me to get on land or the other way around. Only when I was in the air did it seem to recognise that was where I was. The in-game GPS was like the one I have for real, for no particular reason, it would lead me to the longest, most convoluted ways around the map, purposely throwing me in the face of cars that materialised out of nowhere. Glitch after glitch after glitch and I finally couldn't take it anymore and burned through the last few missions just so the game would be over.

This is a fun game, no question about it. But technical issues, especially for a game that has been out for two years, is not acceptable. In retrospect, I might not have picked this game up at a low $30 had I known. And now that I've had this experience, I'm reluctant to drop money on a pre-order for the next one.

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"pokecharm reviewed Saints Row: The Third for the Xbox 360..." was posted by pokecharm on Sat, 25 May 2013 18:43:18 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/saints-row-the-third/user-reviews/811721/platform/xbox360/ Mon, 20 May 2013 15:11:47 -0700 benleslie5 reviewed BioShock Infinite for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/bioshock-infinite/user-reviews/811535/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 10.0!!!

It's never easy to find the best first-person shooter game out there on any platform there's been some classics in the past like Goldeneye and Timesplitters 2. BioShock Infinite is one of those that should be highly recommend to any gamer out there, if you haven't played the series before or you have played BioShock 1 and 2.

Set before the 60's during the events of BioShock 1 and 2, Infinite takes place in 1912 where Booker DeWitt heads to the lighthouse which transports him to Columbia with the mission from Luteces to "bring us the girl and wipe away the debt". Elizabeth plays a very important role throughout the main story; she is not like other people you'll meet in Columbia. Throughout the story you'll be escorting Elizabeth and finding out what is really going on its story.

Gameplay: Like the past two BioShock games if you've played them do feel a little similar on its first-person shooter with a mix of RPG elements you've still got your standard weapons like the pistol gun, machine gun and shot gun, you'll also get other guns which you'll use later on through various parts of Columbia. You'll also get to use the grappling gun which you can either attack against enemies or grabbing on railways connecting to buildings called skylines where you can ride your way around the city feeling like you're on a roller-coaster.

The fun part is when riding the skyline and shooting at enemies at the same time, you can also grab on to hooks which can help you get across various building and areas you can't reach; you can also assassinate your enemies from above if you see a star icon when they are not looking.

Another feature in Infinite by pressing L1 you can use powers and abilities using vigors, which is similar to BioShock's plasmids and tonics. You can burn your enemies by insinuating them or murder of crows can summon a swarm of crows to attack enemies. You will get more powers later on in the game and some of the powers are pretty cool to use, when you finally rescue Elizabeth she can help you lock-pick through certain doors and padlocks, she can also help you find money and items. You'll have a health bar and salt bar for powers, you'll find cash machines where you can purchase stuff and upgrade weapons and powers to help you get through the game. If you're not sure where you suppose to go you can press the up button where a green arrow will tell you where you need to go.

Graphics and Sound: BioShock 1 and 2 were setting in an underwater city, in Bioshock Infinite the floating-city of Columbia is set in the skies which feels more like a Steampunk game with it being set during the early 1900's. The stunning visuals and environments are extremely impressive to look for a first-person shooter; it does feel more like an open world game where you can go anywhere you like around Columbia.

The animation for the characters are very done and could have been perfect for an animated film if it ever happened despite the amount of violence and blood you'll see throughout the game. You can easily get yourself lost around the city if you're not too careful, and as I mention on the gameplay section riding the skylines do make it feel like you're on a roller-coaster ride making you feel that you're riding it.

Troy Baker does the voicing for Booker and Courtnee Draper does the voicing for Elizabeth, both actors have really much made this game perfect for its fine voice acting and also the same with the rest of the characters you'll meet in Bioshock Infinite with the setting being set in 1912. You will hear some remix music from the 80's and 90's but being done in the setting around that time making it more impressive to listen to.

Overall: I really don't want to spoil the ending or the main story for Bioshock Infinite you'll also hear some of the best quotes and see some of the most memorable moments in gaming. Clearing the game on your first play through can take you at least 20 hours or more pending on if you want to try and collect everything including audio tapes. There is trophy support if you want to collect trophies, there's even quite a few easter eggs being added in fans will really get a laugh out of it.

Unlocking 1999 mode after your play through is the biggest challenge with it being on the hardest difficulty setting making it more rewarding to play the game again and again. I rarely play first-person shooters but this one is highly recommended to any gamer out there for their collection.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"benleslie5 reviewed BioShock Infinite for the PlayStation 3..." was posted by benleslie5 on Mon, 20 May 2013 15:11:47 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/bioshock-infinite/user-reviews/811535/platform/ps3/ Thu, 16 May 2013 06:25:07 -0700 pokecharm reviewed Where's My Perry? for the iPhone/iPod... http://www.gamespot.com/wheres-my-perry/user-reviews/811368/platform/iphone/ ...and gave it a 6.0.

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

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

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

Get the full article at GameSpot

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

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

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

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

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

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

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"pokecharm reviewed Bulletstorm for the Xbox 360..." was posted by pokecharm on Wed, 15 May 2013 07:45:17 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/bulletstorm/user-reviews/811333/platform/xbox360/ Sun, 05 May 2013 16:44:24 -0700 pokecharm reviewed Resident Evil: Revelations for the 3DS... http://www.gamespot.com/resident-evil-revelations/user-reviews/811037/platform/3ds/ ...and gave it a 7.0.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get the full article at GameSpot

"pokecharm reviewed Resident Evil: Revelations for the 3DS..." was posted by pokecharm on Sun, 05 May 2013 16:44:24 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/resident-evil-revelations/user-reviews/811037/platform/3ds/ Thu, 02 May 2013 09:07:07 -0700 pokecharm reviewed Tomb Raider for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/tomb-raider/user-reviews/810933/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 8.5.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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"pokecharm reviewed Tomb Raider for the Xbox 360..." was posted by pokecharm on Thu, 02 May 2013 09:07:07 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/tomb-raider/user-reviews/810933/platform/xbox360/ Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:26:37 -0700 kbaily reviewed Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two for the Wii U... http://www.gamespot.com/disney-epic-mickey-2-the-power-of-two/user-reviews/810869/platform/wii-u/ ...and gave it a 5.0.

Ok I'll be honest. I liked the first Epic Mickey. It was an ambitious idea and despite some issues with the clumsy camera and wonky combat, I found the story compelling enough to work through it.

I was really hoping when the sequel was announced that perhaps they'd be able to fix the issues with the first and make a better game. Sadly this is not the case. You know a game is bad when the multiplatform sequel sells LESS than the Wii exclusive first game. I really get the impression that Warren Spector wanted to improve the game but the heads at Disney wanted to rush out a sequel to make money off kids before they forgot or lost interest. So much of this game reeks of that.

Ok the story this time is Wasteland is rebuilding itself now that Mickey destroyed the phantom blot. Suddenly mysterious quakes start occurring and the Mad Doctor shows up and sings about how he's changed and wants to help. Oswald goes with him while Ortensia and Gus the Gremlin wire up a TV to bring Mickey back. The first game's story felt compelling because you wanted to see where Mickey and Oswald's dynamic was going to go but here, they're all friends on an adventure and it's dull. They even have full voice acting and yet I find myself wishing I could go back to the grunts and squeaks of the first.

Gameplay is a mess. First of all they still didn't fix the camera which was the biggest issue many had with the first game. Also Mickey still lacks any sort of lock on for his paint attacks so fighting baddies is a test of patience. To make things worse, this game decided that having 2 player co-op was the way to go and like Resident Evil 5, your AI partner is incompetent. Oswald carries a remote to use on various items as well as he can fly to carry you over gaps but getting him to do stuff tries your patience further. There's no online co-op so if you can get a friend to help you, do so. Otherwise you'll be waiting forever for Oswald's brain to work and he activates the thing you were standing beside for 5 minutes. Despite trying to bring in new elements like magical ink or not focusing quite as much on the good/evil thing, you'll mostly find yourself just trying to move on to the next thing and not even bothering finding all the collectables.

Also this is the first time ever where playing with the Wiimote(or Move) controller is BETTER than a traditional one. Why? Well when using the regular controller, you have to move the brush reticule with the right analog stick so if you have the Wiimote or Move, you're better off with that.

Also the game is glitchy as I'll get out. I'm talking Sonic '06 levels of glitchiness. Load times are long, slow down shows up when too many baddies are on screen and at one point I actually fell through the floor and got stuck. I can't believe how unfinished it feels. Not to mention a lot of areas from the first game have been reused.

This is just disappointing. There was so much potential for this as a series. It could've been a great game for parents and kids to play together exploring a fun Disney world but nope, the corporate heads saw a big pile of cash and said "screw it kids are dumb, just crank out a half assed sequel and we'll make easy money."

What a shame.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"kbaily reviewed Disney Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two for the Wii U..." was posted by kbaily on Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:26:37 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/disney-epic-mickey-2-the-power-of-two/user-reviews/810869/platform/wii-u/ Tue, 23 Apr 2013 01:11:04 -0700 kbaily reviewed Paper Mario: Sticker Star for the 3DS... http://www.gamespot.com/paper-mario-sticker-star/user-reviews/810571/platform/3ds/ ...and gave it a 7.5.

I'll be honest, like most of you, I wasn't thrilled with the choices of this Paper Mario installment. Super Paper Mario tried using the environments and such for a platformer which wasn't bad but not overly endearing and this one sort of returns to the turn based combat and yet doesn't.

As Paper Mario goes, this one has a pretty weak story especially when compared to Thousand Year Door and Super. It's the Mushroom Kingdom Sticker festival celebrating the arrival of the Sticker Comet when Bowser shows up and steals the power of a Royal Crown Sticker that makes him all shiny. He grabs Peach, leaving the festival in ruins. And that's it. Mario of course has to go to the rescue but yeah, no fun new characters to meet, except for a lovably simple Wiggler, no side story with Peach or Bowser and what they were doing while Mario was running around. You're only new friend is Kersti, a bossy silvery crown sticker who will go down in the annuals as one of the worst Mario characters ever. Fi was more useful than her. So yeah where Paper Mario was known for mixing up the tired "Bowser kidnaps Peach formula" this one almost reverts back to the first Paper Mario taking place in the good old Mushroom Kingdom with the usual grass, desert, forest, ice, etc. levels. Though it still tries to have that self-referenial sense of humor.

So this is how the combat works now. It is back to turn based but instead of having a menu of attacks, you collect stickers scattered throughout the levels and purchase in shops then select them in battle. So your book will be full of jump shoes and hammers. Also scattered throughout the land are "things" which are random items like fans, staplers, cats, that can be converted into stickers and these work as suped up attacks, though many times I found myself hoarding these things for boss fights. They also have special functions elsewhere in levels to open new paths or clear out roadblocks giving this more of a Zelda or Metroid feel of gameplay. The nice thing is, once an item is found, you can repurchase it at a store in town as opposed to hunting around for it again.

Kersti's one useful thing she does is "Paperizing" where she lifts you off the page and this is used to place stickers and scraps in places in order to progress.

So since battles no longer increase HP or attack power, why not bypass them, well as you find out later, battling gets you coins and in many cases stickers which you do need. At first having only a couple album pages limits you but towards the end you'll have more pages then coins to buy stickers to fill them. To fill more attack slots Kersti will let you spin for 3 coins to increase your attacks per turn and like with other Paper Marios, learning to time attacks and blocks is crucial to success.

I kept going back and forth on this game. For a while I stopped playing it altogether getting annoyed at Kersti waiting until half way through a boss fight to tell me that if I had "this" item I could beat it easily. Hunting around for additional exits and being forced to fight enemies with no purpose. But I went back and gave it another chance and found myself getting into it. It's not a horrible game especially if you judge it on its own merits instead of trying to compare it to the rest of the Mario RPGs. And I found myself addicted to filling up the sticker museum.

Much like NSMB2, it's perfectly servicable, plays well and can be fun if you let it and don't expect too much but I really hope the next Paper Mario installment steps it up a bit.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"kbaily reviewed Paper Mario: Sticker Star for the 3DS..." was posted by kbaily on Tue, 23 Apr 2013 01:11:04 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/paper-mario-sticker-star/user-reviews/810571/platform/3ds/ Tue, 23 Apr 2013 00:51:24 -0700 kbaily reviewed The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX for the Game Boy Color... http://www.gamespot.com/the-legend-of-zelda-links-awakening-dx/user-reviews/810570/platform/gbc/ ...and gave it a 8.5.

Despite being a Zelda fan, somehow I missed Link's Awakening the first time around. Probably because I was a stupid child who owned a Sega Game Gear instead of a Game Boy so it eluded me for years.

Thankfully the 3DS came along with the Eshop and this was one of my first purchases as this and the two Oracle games are the only Zeldas I haven't played (at least until the new 3DS title comes out).

Much like Majora's Mask, Link's Awakening is more a spirtual, personal journey for Link. Following the "Dead Link" timeline after the Oracle games (according to Nintendo's Zelda timeline), Link is sailing the high seas training for the return of Ganon when a storm leaves him shipwrecked on a strange island. A young girl named Marin finds him on the beach and Link awakens and learns that if he wants to leave this island he must find 8 magical instruments to awaken The Wind Fish, a creature who sleeps in a giant egg on top of the mountain. Ok then. There is no Zelda, no Triforce and no Ganon and unlike MM, no real threat of the world ending.

One of the more unique aspects of this title is the Mario character cameos. One of the first folks you meet is a pudgy mustachoied man named Tarin who's running around the woods looking for mushrooms and turns into a racoon. (Mario be trippin) But also a local resident has a pet Chain Chomp and various dungeon enemies resemble Mario baddies and even Wart, the one time villian of SMB2 makes a cameo as the frog king as well as Kirby and Dr. Wright from the SNES SimCity. Makes for what could almost be an amusing crossover.

Gameplay is pretty standard Zelda fare you've come to know using the template setup by it's predecessor "A Link to the Past." You have eight main dungeons as well as the added "Color Dungeon" for the DX version which allows you to enhance your attack or defense. You have an easier time getting around the island thanks to phone booths placed around where Urial will give you hints as to which way to go. Also you have a few worthwhile side missions like a long trading sequence that will get you a super powerful boomerang and collecting seashells to make your sword more powerful. While Kolohint Island seems small, there's a fair amount of stuff crammed in here but never feels like it drags on too long.

If I had any complaints is that some bosses feel a bit too easy. Many bosses I was able to beat within seconds of them appearing on stage. Of course getting the boomerang really makes the game easy especially the final boss. Also the last two dungeons are somewhat overly complicated in their design. They involve way too much backtracking and doing things in a certain order. I had to take a look at zeldadungeon.net to figure out how to finish them at one point.

But still I got a good sense of satisfaction once I did finish the game and experience the rather bittersweet ending. If you're looking for something to download to your 3DS, this shouldn't be missed.

Get the full article at GameSpot

]]> http://www.gamespot.com/the-legend-of-zelda-links-awakening-dx/user-reviews/810570/platform/gbc/ Sun, 21 Apr 2013 20:07:19 -0700 benleslie5 reviewed Wreck-it Ralph for the Android... http://www.gamespot.com/wreck-it-ralph/user-reviews/810529/platform/android/ ...and gave it a 7.5.

If you've been playing video games when you were a kid, then it's likely you've already seen the movie Wreck-it Ralph. Based on the movie you're in Game Central and you can hop into three challenging arcade games on your mobile phone.

The first game is Fix-it Felix Jr. which looks a little similar to games like Donkey Kong, Ralph is wrecking buildings and it's up to Fix-it Felix Jr to fix the broken windows by climbing, dodge and using magic hammer your way to a high score which you can upload which you can share with your friends or post on Facebook.

The second game is Hero's Duty which does look a little similar to games like Dead Nation. Suited up and play as Sergeant Calhoun and getting rid those cy-bugs which will pop out of every corner. You'll get to analog sticks and hold your phone like a handheld console set on a 3rd-person shooter above. And using the right analog stick to fire your weapon, there are other weapons and upgrades you can use to take out the cy-bugs.

And the last game is Sweet Climber which is a lot like Doodle Jump, playing as Ralph in an endless climbing game. Tilt your phone left to right to climb to the top, fizzy jet packs can give you a boost, jump from candy stalk to candy stalk, but watch out for weak branches.

All three games overall are very short but can be a little addictive, like I said before the higher score you get in any of those games you can share that score with your friends online. There might possibly be more updates for it later in the future, but it could have been nice if it had a little story-plot for the mobile phone version of Wreck-it Ralph. You get to hear various quotes from the movie but you don't get much of a soundtrack or see mini clips from the film.

For the price you pay is very cheap around 65p on Android or 69p on IPhone, buts worth the purchase if you want to play some short and simple mini games on your phone.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"benleslie5 reviewed Wreck-it Ralph for the Android..." was posted by benleslie5 on Sun, 21 Apr 2013 20:07:19 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/wreck-it-ralph/user-reviews/810529/platform/android/ Mon, 15 Apr 2013 23:13:34 -0700 pokecharm reviewed Gears of War: Judgment for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/gears-of-war-judgment/user-reviews/810293/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 6.0.

Gears of War is known for its multi-player and cover shooting mechanics. That is to say, the story isn't at the forefront, and this is no exception. The game progresses exactly as you'd expect. The story is almost laughable, something out of a B action movie with overpaid actors and little substance. The cover shooting is as exceptional as ever, cover placed throughout to save you from using any type of skill to navigate through the game.

The controls are the thing that impressed me, if you could even say that. The controls are always very polished in a Gears of War game, since there is little else to bring you to the series. The controls haven't changed greatly since last year's entry, but at the same time, that familiarity helps you understand the mechanics and ways to take advantage of the way the game is designed. Once again I found myself not using anything other than the Lancer or Longshot, something for close combat, something for distant combat. I've never been a fan of the other weapons, the variety isn't lost on me, but the control is. I like to stick with what I know and those two weapons are my go-to weapons for Gears of War.

The voice acting was passable. The actors sounded exactly the same as they always do. With a beef cake style story, there isn't much for them to do, I imagine. The story was meandering, at best. The unlockable Aftermath was the height of pointless, adding nothing to the series. While I am happy to see another game in a long-standing series, what I don't like is something that feels like an add –on, an afterthought, and that is what this entire game felt like.

The sound and graphics were on par with other Gears games. There were no great strides forward in either, the backgrounds were decently detailed, but nothing blew me away. At rare times I did suffer some slight screen tearing and visual inconsistences, AI going through walls, but otherwise, nothing I can complain about.

Overall, the game was decent. If you ask me honestly, it isn't worth $60. The game was too short and suffered from feeling like I'd played it before. I think new entries in series should add to them in a significant way, not just be made for the money, which it is clear that this game suffered from. Even the most die-hard of Gears fans might feel jilted by this paltry entry.

I will fully admit I didn't get around to playing the multi-player, something that Gears is known for, so I can't comment on that and my score doesn't reflect that. However, I will say I have heard great things about it and expect it is as good as it has previously been, at least.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"pokecharm reviewed Gears of War: Judgment for the Xbox 360..." was posted by pokecharm on Mon, 15 Apr 2013 23:13:34 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/gears-of-war-judgment/user-reviews/810293/platform/xbox360/ Sat, 13 Apr 2013 11:12:41 -0700 pokecharm reviewed BioShock Infinite for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/bioshock-infinite/user-reviews/810194/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 10.0!!!

A highly hyped game is usually a major disappointment once I get to it, this was not the case with BIoshock. The game is all it is cracked up to be and then some. As I played the game, the thing that stuck out to me the most, that made Bioshock so affecting, was polish. The game was polished. The story was fully told, the graphics were fully realised, the voice acting was spot on. In every aspect of the game I could think of, it impressed me.

Spoliers are tough to avoid, so I'll say this about the story, the characters were well rounded. When you first meet some of the supporting characters, it would be easy to say they felt inauthentic, as the game progressed, the story resolved the issue, doling out morsel of information through the audio logs that are found throughout the world. The title characters, Booker DeWitt and Elizabeth grab your attention and make you emotionally invested in the game almost instantly. The supporting characters reveal themselves in turn, the back story is well worth discovering.

The voice acting was brilliant. The characters come to life through dialogue, and as the viewpoint of the game is first person, being unable to see Booker's expressions, his voice has to relay everything he's feeling, and it does so well. The graphics of the game were flawless. I never suffered from any screen tearing or other visual inconsistencies. The background and items you interact with are highly detailed.

The game play is a similar to previous Bioshock games. Luckily the game follows the second one in the series, allowing you to use the left and right hands almost at the same time. The weapons were varied, I ended up sticking with the shotgun, carbine and sniper rifle through most of the game, using Possession and Shock Jockey the most from the choice of vigors. The variety with both types of weapons were fun to experiment with.

The story was not as mind blowing as I may have hoped, but it was well worth the investment of time to play. The hype around the game was well earned and executed. Every little piece of the game contributed to the overall experience, including the haunting soundtrack that played through the credits. Bioshock is one of those rare games that, entry after entry, has improved the story, adapted to evolving game play and gamer intelligence. The game keeps you engaged, keeps you challenged and keeps you guessing. This is a game you absolutely do not want to miss.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"pokecharm reviewed BioShock Infinite for the Xbox 360..." was posted by pokecharm on Sat, 13 Apr 2013 11:12:41 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/bioshock-infinite/user-reviews/810194/platform/xbox360/ Tue, 09 Apr 2013 13:08:19 -0700 Eikichi-Onizuka reviewed Frogger: Hyper Arcade Edition for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/frogger-hyper-arcade-edition/user-reviews/810048/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 8.0.

Frogger: Hyper Arcade Edition is a pretty fun game that didn't really get any attention after release. The last few Frogger games really haven't made much of a splash and were poorly received. This one is actually pretty good and worth checking out. Frogger doesn't really need any explaining so lets get into what this edition brings.

Hyper Arcade Edition brings the classic game play back but with some updates. Originally, Frogger could only hop once per press of the d-pad or push of the stick, now he hop continuously in the direction that is pressed. This makes for more fluid and quicker movement that is a very welcome addition, especially for some of the new modes available. The classic controls of Frogger only jumping once per button press instead of being able to hold the analog/dpad down is also available. The classic control style actually feels a bit better for the Classic Frogger mode for me as speed isn't really needed as much there.

Aside from the control differences there are quite a few modes to chose from. One is a paint mode, where all the tiles for a picture need to be painted within the time limit by jumping on them. Another is a variation of classic Frogger where two Frogs are controlled at once. Battle Royale is pretty fun for multiplayer where you get to rescue Lady Frog and squash other players. The Challenge Mode makes use of all the gameplay modes and presents some nice challenges. Here you can unlock graphics and music from other Konami games such as Castlevania and Contra.

For those that played Pacman Championship DX, Frogger Hyper Edition doesn't get quite as much of a great facelift as that did but it's a fun game. Not bad at all for the $10 price tag, that I could recommend it.

Get the full article at GameSpot

]]> http://www.gamespot.com/frogger-hyper-arcade-edition/user-reviews/810048/platform/ps3/ Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:20:10 -0700 Eikichi-Onizuka reviewed Under Defeat HD for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/under-defeat/user-reviews/809816/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 8.5.

Under Defeat HD: Deluxe Edition is a pretty sweet shmup that was originally for the Dreamcast and now it's on the Playstation 3, courtesy of Rising Star Games. The budget release is only $30 comes with a soundtrack, digital artbook, current DLC from Japan, and an exclusive chopper. The soundtrack is a nice bonus since the game has some pretty good music. A smaller physical artbook would've been more nicer but to it's credit, character artwork from the game can be hard to find with a google search.

There are two modes of tackling the game. There is both New Order Mode and Arcade Mode. There really is no story, just two female helicopter pilots are apparently off to war and blowing people up. Arcade Mode is more closed in with less space to move around as in the arcade original. New Order Mode is played in wide screen mode with more room to maneuver around but also more enemies and bullets to dodge. Both modes can be played in co-op with a buddy locally(even though it's labeled as only 1 player on the case for some reason).

At first glance, this looks like a standard shmup and for the most part it is but the control scheme is fairly different and kinda hard to explain well. What is different here than in many games in the genre is that I found myself shooting at an angle for the most part because the chopper can move and shoot in different directions at the same time. This works in different ways, depending on the control option chosen. With normal, the guns will point in the direction the chopper moves in, reverse will be the opposite. Now once the x button is held the guns will lock in the position so for example I may keep shooting at a left diagonal angle while moving around the screen.

If neither of those options are comfortable, there is also the twin stick mode. Then it just controls like any twin stick shooter. I really liked the reverse control scheme the best. There is also a sub weapon which gives some extra firepower. It can be changed with pick-ups and the two options are the vulcan machine gun or rocket grenade. The vulcan machine gun works the same as the main guns and recharges quickly. The rocket grenade is stronger and has a bigger blast radius but takes a lot longer to recharge. When in a pinch, there is also the bomb. Bombs blow up and kill everything on the screen and makes the player invincible. The game starts out with three but you can get six.

The game may seem pretty hard at first unless you're really good at shmups but as more time is put into tackling Arcade or New Order mode, more and more credits are unlocked. After enough time played, infinite credits will be available. Even with lots of credits though, one boss might give a little trouble as it has some screen covering attacks and bosses do restore health when a continue is used. Once I beat the boss once and learned how to deal with it though, it was easy for the extra playthroughs.

The main game is pretty short as most shmups but has some replay value with different difficulty options. I had to play through it 12 times for the platinum as difficulty trophies don't stack and I didn't get sick of it over the two months or so that I played it. I think I would have if I rushed through it. It still would've been nice if the game had more than 5 stages though. There are also the Extra modes for both Arcade and New Order but they don't add a lot as they are the same stages again, only slightly modified.

Under Defeat HD is a great game for fans of shmups as it is very well made. For those that want to get into the genre, UDHD could be a pretty good starting point. Infinite lives aren't available from the beginning sbut I think it's safe to say that most could beat the game. The game could just be left on for hours to unlock credits if one really wants to but I think it be more fun to practice. I haven't played the Dreamcast version so I can't compare versions but can atleast say the twinstick controls have to be new since the Dreamcast controller only has one stick. The dlc choppers(which are on the disc) as mentioned earlier are quite powerful as I found out and even made my hard playthrough pretty easy. I think I only used one credit on that one.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"Eikichi-Onizuka reviewed Under Defeat HD for the PlayStation 3..." was posted by Eikichi-Onizuka on Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:20:10 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/under-defeat/user-reviews/809816/platform/ps3/ Sat, 30 Mar 2013 15:59:11 -0700 pokecharm reviewed God of War: Ascension for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/god-of-war-ascension/user-reviews/809625/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 6.5.

When I finished God of War 3 years ago, I thought, 'Wow, what an amazing ending.' When I heard about a new game coming to the series, I had my doubts. Every story has an ending and God of War had an amazing ending to the epic trilogy, not entirely counting the PSP entries. God of War Ascension adds little to the story, little to the game play and little to the lore of the series. I won't lie, it was fun to play as Kratos again, wonderful to pick up the chains of Olympus and hack and slash my way through the game, but did it add anything to the series, no.

The game play is almost exactly the same as any of the previous entries. The only addition was more QTE sequences and no inappropriate mini-games, and I use the word inappropriate to mean things that kids shouldn't play, not anything more. It was pointed out to me that the game is rated M, but this doesn't seem to stop children from playing it nonetheless. There seemed to be fewer weapons to choose from, less magic to cycle through as well. In many ways, it seemed like a watered down version of the previous games, like buying a new car but not getting any added features.

The graphics were as impressive as ever. I never suffered from any screen tearing or technical glitches that have marred other games. The environments were very familiar, but I doubt the series would ever move to a new venue given the history. The voice acting was decent, the story detracting in this area. It must be difficult for the cast to run through the same tired lines over and over again, despite what I assume to be healthy pay.

The most important thing to remember about this game is while nothing new is discovered here, through game play or story (I didn't play the multiplayer), it is still a God of War game, still a staple of the Sony flagship games and still a very well put together game. I know MP is supposed to be a major part of this game. My focus as a gamer is the single player mode, I find MP more of a gimmick than substantive addition to the game. If you're a fan of the series, this is an easy game to pick up. If you're expecting something new, something different, stop right now. If you're happy with the same old, same old, then by all means drop $60 and pick this up. Otherwise, it might be wise to wait for a price drop

Get the full article at GameSpot

"pokecharm reviewed God of War: Ascension for the PlayStation 3..." was posted by pokecharm on Sat, 30 Mar 2013 15:59:11 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/god-of-war-ascension/user-reviews/809625/platform/ps3/ Wed, 20 Mar 2013 17:32:20 -0700 kbaily reviewed Skylanders Giants for the Wii... http://www.gamespot.com/skylanders-giants/user-reviews/809122/platform/wii/ ...and gave it a 8.0.

Skylanders like Angry Birds, Wii Sports, Facebook games, loves to be hated on by gamers because it's popular with kids and of course it was made by the evil overlords of Activision as a way to get kids to spend their hard earned allowance money on pieces of plastic...say the same gamers who have shelves of gaming action figures doing nothing but collecting dust and ensuring they never get laid, along with a closet of old Guitar Hero/Rock Band instruments. *ahem*

So the first Skylanders came out as sort of a "reimagining" of Spyro who at that point was shell of his PS1 self and was basically slapped into Activision's new toy collecting game for BRAND NAME RECOGNITION! Though Skylanders has almost nothing to do with Spyro and probably why his name was dropped from this one's title. Despite most gamers expecting Skylanders:Spyro's Adventure to fail miserably, it instead made tons of tons of money. So a sequel seemed inevitable.

I came into possession of Skylanders Giants through a friend who won it in a raffle but already has the PS3 so this one was handed off to me. First and foremost you do not need to buy all the figures to beat the story mode. You can beat it with the starter set and if you have the first game, the "Portal Master" set is cheaper containing just the game and Tree Rex. If you want to find all the items in story mode you only need one of each element which is means you'd need 5 figures in addition to the 3 that come with the starter pack. Also all Series 1 figures work with Giants. So in short there's no need to buy every single figure if all you plan to do is play through the story mode.

Anyway the story goes that Kaos aka the love child of Darth Maul and Mini Me as voiced by Invader Zim, was banished to Earth and turned into a toy however, he breaks free and manages to return to Skylands via the in store game display. CURSE YOU ACTIVISION!! Once back, he sets out to find the lost city of Arkus, an ancient place that is said to hold the item that can control an army of giant killer robots. So basically taking ideas from "Hellboy 2: The Golden Army." The NPCs from the first game return Flynn (voiced by Patrick Warburton) and Cali gather the Skylanders along with the newly found Giants and set out to stop Kaos once more. Honestly the story while not the deepest actually has some charm and humor to it and you meet some likeable characters along the way though Flynn will start to get annoying near the end but then again that might be part of his character.

Gameplay is pretty straightforward. There's no jumping, just fighting and exploration. Thankfully the game has hard setting so if you're over the age of 8 playing this, might as well crank it up to hard. Certain types of characters can get to special places. You can just barrel though the stage or take the time to find all the hidden goodies. I do think the devs could've stepped up a bit more. I know it's a kids' game but they don't need to make it so blantantly obivious of what has to be done. I will say on hard setting the game actually does get fairly tough around the 4th level though some enemies feel a bit cheap. The addition of the giants mostly just leads to certain place that require one of the big guys to move something large or smash a wall but their larger size tends to make them slow so it's a trade off.

Aside from the story mode the game has a fair amount of content. The hub is Flynn's ship where you can participate in Battle Arenas and Heroic challenges and like Pokemon work on upgrading each Skylander. There's also multiplayer where two figures can be placed on the portal at once but sadly no online gameplay which is a shame because there's potential for a big online community and with other kids toys like Webkins, I think there was a missed opportunity.

If you can get past the whole "game that exists to sell you toys" aspect, it's not a horrible game. Not the deepest game but honestly its nice to see a developer besides Nintendo actually put some effort forth in making a decent game geared at kids.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"kbaily reviewed Skylanders Giants for the Wii..." was posted by kbaily on Wed, 20 Mar 2013 17:32:20 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/skylanders-giants/user-reviews/809122/platform/wii/ Sun, 17 Mar 2013 17:14:37 -0700 pokecharm reviewed Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/metal-gear-rising-revengeance/user-reviews/808973/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 7.0.

Metal Gear Solid Rising is the newest entry in the Metal Gear Series, but it was not helmed by Mr. Kojima directly, but by Bayonetta creator Platinum games. What the game lacks in Metal Gear mystique it more than makes up for with superb game play and stellar graphics. The game follows the escapades of Raiden, the second protagonist from the second Metal Gear game, maligned by the fans for not being Snake. Instead of focusing on stealth, as most Metal Gear games do, Revengance focuses on action and Raiden as a cyborg, of sorts. The story is weak, at times, but it still keeps you engaged.

The first thing that stood out to me when I stared playing was the graphics and how true they felt to the series. The devil is in the details and Platinum games was devilish in their execution of the storied franchise. There are little things that are hallmarks of the series, pictures of pin-up girls, cardboard boxes, massive enemies that resemble various creatures. In all of these things, Platinum games did wonderfully.

The game play and controls were confounding at times. The 'parry' system required a great deal of practice, which you got as the game went on, but the one-hit kills I never did master, despite playing and completing the entire game. Like many finesses games, this one forced you to play a certain way, rewarding you if you did things correctly, punishing you if you missed by a fraction of a second.

The voice acting was weak at times, but the dialogue was punchy, something that I have always remembered from previous MGS games. The storyline was less than stellar, but it held my interest throughout, unlike many other games. The sound was pretty spot-on, the clarity in every one of Raiden's movements.

The game was not a huge leap forward for the Metal Gear series, but I liked that the game answered some questions about Raiden and added some fun villains that you could love or love to hate. I felt frustrated at regular intervals, having to put the game down for a day to approach a difficult section after a night's rest. The game was punishing at time with the challenge, but at other times almost too easy. I won't complain about the easy stuff, but the hard sections were really maddening. If you're a Metal Gear fan, then this is worth playing, but is it worth $60? I honestly can't say.

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