sora_heart's GameSpot Friend's Reviews sora_heart's GameSpot Friend's Reviews sora_heart's GameSpot Friend's Reviews en-us Copyright (c)1995-2013 CBS Interactive. All rights reserved. http://www.gamespot.com 20 Sun, 19 May 2013 14:07:20 -0700 GameSpot sora_heart's GameSpot Friend's Reviews http://img.gamespot.com/gamespot/shared/promos/misc/gs_logo.gif http://www.gamespot.com 135 40 Thu, 09 May 2013 09:04:49 -0700 xDanny123x reviewed Fire Emblem: Awakening for the 3DS... http://www.gamespot.com/fire-emblem-awakening/user-reviews/811146/platform/3ds/ ...and gave it a 8.5.

*Warning! This Review contains Spoilers, if you do not want to get spoiled then I suggest you finish the game or don't read the Review. Curious to know the Score just Scroll all the way down*

Fire Emblem a SRPG series of learning and planning your soldiers on the field because they will matter and affect your game and you in general. Wasn't a huge fan of Fire Emblem mainly because there are only 5 games (I think) ever to be release outside of Japan out of the 13(?) games out there, I've only played Fire Emblem (sacred stones?) on the GBA, Shadow Dragon on the DS, Path of Radiance on the Gamecube and I believe that was it. They are fun and great but wasn't into it for some reason but Awakening has... well (warning for cliche quote) awaken me to the series. And unlike the other series you create your main character and is part of your story too, but you are not the lord.

The Story:
You and a man name Chrom is fighting a man name Validar a dark sorcerer and then killing him, but after that a strange event occurs where your vision changes and hearing a strange voice in your head, when Chrom asks what is wrong where you then stab him killing him and an evil laughter comes out from you. You then wake up at a field where you see Chrom and a girl Chroms little sister Lissa greeting you asking where you are from and why were you sleeping in the middle of the fields when then you do not remember nothing who you are, where you come from but the only thing you know is who Chroms name is. A knight named Fredrick doesn't trust you one bit asking if he was some kind of spy when you know nothing but Chrom (I mean hell I didn't even trust me), so then Chrom takes you in as a Tactician where you must strategize whom goes into battle and where to move and whom to attack whom to pair with and what weapons to attack with. Oddly enough your a pretty smart person for someone with amnesia but visions and a strange voice keeps popping into your head, where and whom this is, is a mystery even for you. Until you meet Marth killing zombies who are called the Risen (undead soldiers) who came out of no where and started attacking villages, the question is where in the world did Marth come from if his death was thousands of years? Here is my main problem with the game it is another timeline game where your future is in ruins after Chroms death and when an ancient dragon named Grima has reawakened from the dead and destroys and kills everyone from the present (now) time. Marth is actually a girl name Lucina who comes from the future who is actually Chroms daughter (and your daughter if you decided to marry Chrom as a Female MC or whom you can actually marry too if Male MC) who tells Chrom the future begins because of his death from his Best and Most trusted friend which happens to be you but doesn't remember it (or happens yet). Validar knows of the outcomes of the to be future because he has someone who tells him everything, his son who is another you (you from another timeline) which means Validar is your father. I've had enough of the timeline games I've played a few of them lately with Bioshock Infinite and Virtues Last Reward and out of all of them Virtues Last Reward is the better choice. But it has it's moments like Emmeryns Death and towards the final chapters nearly the end of the wars.

The Gameplay (w/ game mechanics):
The gameplay is where it is at. I've had more fun with this game than I've had than most AAA games that have been out. You recruit soldiers into your army and not only there is the main story you can go into side stories to recruit more. You can only sent out a limited number of soldiers into battle so pick out your best soldiers and pair them with each other (depending on whom you want to boost their stats). When pairing them together (varies not all can have support with one another) you can bring their support with each other like you and Chroms support will raise increasing stat boost when paired and increasing the odds of team strikes, and blocking partners attacks. If paired (varies) with one male and female you and bring their support to S rank they will get married, and their future child can be recruit-able and can be used in battle and can also and weirdly enough be married by the MC. The Child can gain the stats, class, hair color (believe it or not), and skills depending on their parents (inheritance) so don't jump the gun just yet, because your children (everyone else) can become your strongest. You can change also change any characters Class example you begin as a Tactician but with a Second Seal you can change your class to a Mage, or a Myrmidon, or a Cavalier, or well you get the point, except for special classes like Lords or Manakete. Master Seals can change your class to higher classes like GrandMaster, Sage, Knight etc. and once your at the highest level (20 or 30) and like your class you can use the second seal to keep your class and stats and gain more can also be use as a higher class too. There is a new mode called Casual mode where if your soldiers lose all their HP they will retreat from battle and can save anytime during battle. But this is Fire Emblem Classic mode is where it is at, once your soldier losses all their HP they WILL DIE, never to be used again except for you or Chrom any one of you dies in battle Game Over.

The Sound (sound effects, voice acting, etc.)
The Music is good but forgettable, not going to lie it is good hell great at certain points in the game like when Emmeryns death, and battle against important characters (like Walhart) or you or Chroms Death in battle. But other pieces can easily be replaced. Voice acting is great each character sounds great and I can fell the emotion in them (kinda) and others sounds kinda generic hell my only complaint would be if there was more of them instead of the little clips we hear. Sound effects sounds the same, swords, spears, axes, bows, etc, and spells and staffs sounds the same too.

The Graphics (w/ concept):
This I love the most, this game looks beautiful, easily one of the most beautiful games I've played in a long time. I love the visuals, the 3D works really well with this game, the cut-scenes are anime-style 2D yet 3D art style and it is beautiful. During battle it is sprites, but during fight it is 3D modules and you can change the camera angles to auto new style, first person view, and classic style, and can change the speed of the battle, normal, slow, fast, and stop to watch it in beautifully done 3D. Character modules looks great not the best looking ones but great for the 3DS. My only complaint would be the cut-scenes we need more much much more of them in the future.

The Controls (w/ presentation):
The game is an SRPG so not much to say about controls you move towards your destination and attack and watch the fight in the beautiful cut-scenes. Can use the touch screen to see stats or change camera angles or speed during fighting scenes. The boxart is freakin amazing, it is one of the best I've seen, it is what it is. The manual is colored but not much. The start up screen is the two Falchions and the mark.

I cannot stress out how much this game amazed me in so many levels but of course it has it's flaws but never the less this game surprised me in so many ways and here I thought I wasn't into video games as I used to like games like Bioshock Infinite didn't bring me up but here Awakening has brought my light back up on video games.

Overall:

Story: 7.5
Gameplay: 10
Sound: 8.0
Graphics: 9.5
Controls: 9.0

Overall: 8.8

Get the full article at GameSpot

"xDanny123x reviewed Fire Emblem: Awakening for the 3DS..." was posted by xDanny123x on Thu, 09 May 2013 09:04:49 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/fire-emblem-awakening/user-reviews/811146/platform/3ds/ Thu, 02 May 2013 15:55:54 -0700 NeonNinja reviewed Ys I & II Chronicles for the PC... http://www.gamespot.com/ys-i-and-ii-chronicles/user-reviews/810943/platform/pc/ ...and gave it a 9.0!

Ys I and II Chronicles is a history lesson from the 1980's worth discovering for the first time for those who have never played the games. The story of Adol Christin, the ancient land of Ys, its twin goddesses and the people of Esteria makes for excellent fiction and one of the best action RPGs, Ys I and II sets a template that would later be followed by more popular titles, including Secret of Mana. The bundle of games tells two halves to a shared story and should be played by fans of the genre and the 1980's era of gaming.

As a series, Ys is very focused on combat and intense boss battles and the tone is set in the first two games nicely. Combat in Ys I and II is based on the "bump" system. You run Adol into enemies and he automatically attacks with his sword. There is some strategy involved to it though based on your angle of attack as head-on attacks will allow enemies to attack Adol as well. In Ys II combat is further developed by giving you magic abilities. Only one of them is an offensive spell however, but it allows you to attack enemies with fireballs from a distance to chip health away as they close in on you.

The boss battles in particular are the highlight of the two games. Bosses often have attacks that spread across a wide area that you have to dodge before attacking. In Ys II the majority of bosses must be defeated by magic, as simply trying to attack with your sword will cause the boss to inflict massive damage on Adol. The boss battles in both games are excellent finales to each section you play through.

Unlike many RPGs, the first two Ys titles each take under ten hours to complete, bringing rough completion time to around sixteen or so hours for both games. However, the narrative told across the two games manages to tell a story that never deals with the padding, filler and fluff of many role-playing games. You still travel between various towns and speak to NPC characters, but you are never saddled with silly fetchquests or objectives that fail to add to the game, you simply handle your business as it comes to you. Because of both games' focus, grinding is a non-issue as you generally will be at a sufficient level to progress by simply playing.

The graphics are sprite-based and filled with some of the most beautiful art of the time. From the animated introduction sequences to the labyrinthine layouts of levels, Ys I and II are absolutely beautiful games. But the highlight of the series for many folks is the music. The tracks are absolutely stellar, and help give that nostalgic vibe of the 8-bit era that stands the test of time. The greatest part though is that you can change the music at any time from one of the three options, the 1987 and 1988 versions of the audio, the 2001 Complete version or the 2009 Chronicles version. Similarly the graphics can be slightly changed as well for the anime designs of characters you speak to, although it doesn't effect enjoyment of the game nearly as much as the music options.

I personally find it very hard to understand how Ys never gained popularity outside of Japan. These first two games are an excellent, almost Zelda like adventure. They tell a story that feels ahead of its time for when it released and features timeless game design that never feels broken or cheap. Prior to this year I had never played an Ys title before, but Nihon Falcom, and the talented localization team at XSEED, have provided some of the greatest games ever made. Ys I and II are classic and timeless games that should be played by anyone who has an interest in gaming's history and the Chronicles package on PSP and PC is an excellent way to experience these two stellar titles.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"NeonNinja reviewed Ys I & II Chronicles for the PC..." was posted by NeonNinja on Thu, 02 May 2013 15:55:54 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/ys-i-and-ii-chronicles/user-reviews/810943/platform/pc/ Sat, 27 Apr 2013 08:54:13 -0700 xDanny123x reviewed BioShock Infinite for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/bioshock-infinite/user-reviews/810740/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 8.0.

*Warning! This Review contains Spoilers, if you do not want to get spoiled then I suggest you finish the game or don't read the Review. Curious to know the Score just Scroll all the way down*

Bioshock was one of my most memorable games I have ever played and one of the best FPS games I've ever played. After the abomination of Bioshock 2 I longed for that same feeling Bioshock gave me. When announced Bioshock Infinite I was ready for that feeling and with a new setting and all the hype it is getting I was even more pumped for it.

The Story:
Columbia a city floating in the sky where people are free and living happily among each other but slavery was also among them treated wrongly and put to work. Under the sky a man named Booker travels to a lighthouse island to talk to someone about a job he accept to do only to find out no one was there (well except for a few dead people). Booker then reaches the top of the lighthouse and rings the three bells in a specific order and thus finds a chair in the middle decides to sit on it (why? plot) and launches to the sky and into Columbia where his real job begins, finding a girl and bring her to his client. After an hour of wandering around the city where a type of festival is taking place you'll notice a lot of signs and announcements about the false Shepperd and should be killed for his crimes who you can tell has a sign on his hand that says AD and luckily for you, you have an AD on your hand. Then you enter a raffle which before two people whom you keep coming across tells you not to open door number 777. When the raffle is done by drawing a 777 you win a chance to throw a ball at some of the slaves or choose to throw the ball at the white announcer, but either choice gets you caught as the false Shepperd and thus the journey begins. Ok I can see why people love the story but I got to be honest I already knew most of the ending, except for what the AD meant on Bookers hand only to find out it meant for Anna Dewitt (duh should have gotten that one) but anyways the reason I wasn't so surprised is because the story was so similar to another game I've recently played months ago called Virtue's Last Reward for the 3DS where the main character was some kind of time traveler but doesn't know it or remember and the main villain who is called Zero was actually him in another timeline, hence Booker is Comstock in another time era and Elizabeth is Booker's daughter Anna, not to mention how Booker called Elizabeth Anna at times kinda gave it away. Like I said I wasn't too surprise but for others I can see why they love it.

The Gameplay (w/ game mechanics):
Ok now the main problem is the gameplay. I must be honest here I was somewhat bored of this game, I felt nothing fun from this game as I did with the original Bioshock, as a matter of fact throughout the game I kept telling myself "when will this game end already?" possibly due to me wanting to find out the "mind blowing" ending already or due to lack of excitement. This game feels like a generic FPS game like every single one of the rest maybe that's why but still it was fun to some extent. Guns are everywhere whether you kill and enemy or finding them around places or when using Elizabeth's tears (she can also find useful stuff for you like ammo, health, money or salts) so don't be afraid to use up a lot, but bad news is you can only carry up to two guns so choose wisely. Vigors are the Plasmids of this game, basically the same thing just different name. Some are very useful like the shock jockey and the bucking bronco and others are useless like the charge and the murder of crows. One thing I love about this is the Sky-lines those are fun as hell and real easy to use too you can still shoot from the and reload somehow while on them but you cannot use vigors while on them but you can do an assassination strike from them when targeting an enemy. Elizabeth can do what is called a tear where it is pulling something from another dimension to your current dimension and can be used too for cover, hanging using the sky-hook, or even guns and health.

The Sound (sound effects, voice acting, etc.)
The Voice acting was good but at times was pretty dumb, like was that suppose to be believable? or that was laughable. Also there are some audio errors when they are talking, like they don't talk at all or they clip through each other or when in gun fights you don't hear the guns being shot or explosions too while they are talking. Guns sound pretty sweet and nice, using vigors sound real nice, and enemies sound like asses but great sounding ones, the patriots I really like, they sound awesome and each of them too. Explosions sound the same sadly, tears I really can't judge much since only Elizabeth can do them so I can't say much. The Songbird sounds amazing as well as the screech it does. The Music varies in some timelines where you hear music from different eras and I really like that.

The Graphics (w/ concept):
Graphically it looks great, not the best like people claim it to be, but great. Character modules is what drove me away they look meh, even Elizabeth (thou she is still beautiful). I didn't really enjoy Columbia as much as I did with Rapture but it was still enjoyable and looks great. Vigors looked great but most gun modules look plain to me like I have to stare at this gun for awhile since it will always be in front of me.

The Controls (w/ presentation):
It is a FPS game not much to say about the controls really, moving around with the left stick and aiming with the right. You can use vigors and shooting at the same time like Bioshock 2. When using the sky-line you aim towards the line and press A to do a super jump to it. You can only equip two vigors but can switch them any time, and you can only keep two guns so drop some to trade for some when finding them. Boxart looks meh to me, just Booker not even Elizabeth is on it only the back... and to much of a manual anymore since everything is all "digital".

Overall:
I can see why people love this but I believe it is over exaggerated and I'm not afraid to speak my mind out loud it's called an opinion. I would have probably enjoyed this more if it wasn't for the false hype I've been getting for this or maybe if I were to waited for at least a year to play this, but still it isn't a bad game just an overly hyped one.

Story: 8.0
Gameplay: 8.0
Sound: 9.0
Graphics: 7.5
Controls: 7.5

Overall: 8.0

Get the full article at GameSpot

"xDanny123x reviewed BioShock Infinite for the Xbox 360..." was posted by xDanny123x on Sat, 27 Apr 2013 08:54:13 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/bioshock-infinite/user-reviews/810740/platform/xbox360/ Wed, 24 Apr 2013 20:20:16 -0700 NeonNinja reviewed Ys Origin for the PC... http://www.gamespot.com/ys-origin/user-reviews/810641/platform/pc/ ...and gave it a 9.5!

Ys Origin is set 700 years before the events of the first two games in the Ys series. As demons swarm the land of Ys, the two goddesses, Reah and Feena, raise Solomon Shrine into the sky. But just as quickly, the demons build a tower to try and reach the heavens. As the tower nears completion, Reah and Feena leave Solomon Shrine without saying a word. Once it's discovered that the two goddesses are missing, a search party of twelve is sent down to the surface, composed of sorcerers and knights. As they descend, a powerful force attacks the group and they scatter. And like that, you begin a journey to scale the tower and find the goddesses.

Ys Origin features three playable characters, Yunicah Tovah, Hugo Fact and a third character that is unlocked after completing the game once. It is worth mentioning that each character has a very specific story. All of the narratives follow the same basic structure of scaling the tower and rescuing the goddesses, but each one features variations on boss battles and dialogue. And to be clear, the third hidden character is the obvious canon entry. But to get the full understanding of various character motivations it is recommended that all three stories are played through, and in the specific order of Yunicah, Hugo and the hidden character. Not doing so will definitely dampen the experience at large.

This is a problem I have noticed with the reviews for the game, and even many of the discussions. They seem to be based on a single playthrough and not the full experience. However, Ys Origin deserves to be played through three times, if not more. Each character brings a different style of play to the experience, Yunicah is the traditional warrior class, she attacks with a battle axe, Hugo is our mage and attacks from distance and moves far slower. The third character is a lightning quick berserker who has to get in close for damage. Each one has different abilities in combat as well. For instance the wind power for Yunicah allows her to whirlwind into battle, attacking enemies on all sides. Meanwhile for Hugo it becomes a forcefield that negates damage as he fires from a distance. So the difference is in both gameplay and narrative.

At its most basic level, Ys Origin is a dungeon crawler, but it stands head and shoulders above any one that I have ever played. This is a better and more fully realized game than any of the Diablo or Torchlight titles. Despite the copious amounts of loot in those games they lack the basic feel of progression in Ys Origin. This is a better game than Bastion, which despite its innovative use of narration, lacks the replayability of Ys Origin. Playing through Ys Origin is a delight each time, and that I found myself compelled to do it back to back to back should say plenty about the game's quality. Barring a hatred of RPGs, there really is no reason to not play Ys Origin.

Combat is the meat of the experience and involves basic attacks, magic attacks and the boost ability, along with some platforming sections. It's your job to determine what attacks enemies are weak against and to exploit those weaknesses. Some may be resistant to magic and require the basic attacks, others may be resistant to physical damage, and of course Boost amplifies your abilities greatly for a short period of time. Interestingly, unlike other dungeon crawlers that simply place new power after new power in your hands, Ys Origin opts to let you upgrade your powers instead, so there is a feeling of true progression for players that explore. You will want to max out the potential of your weapon and magic abilities, while expanding on other skills like boost recovery and MP usage.

Ys Origin's roots in Japanese design are obvious as well since many enemies, particularly bosses, litter the field with patterned projectile attacks that you have to dodge or counter. Some of the bosses literally scream danmaku in their attack patterns. But it's fresh and exciting to fight bosses that are more than tanks and require you to spawn town portals to survive. Ys Origin is a game of skill, moreso than Diablo and Torchlight, moreso than Bastion and moreso than the majority of the action RPG games available.

The boss battles in particular are absolutely stunning! Running across the backside of a giant centipede, hacking away at its armor to reach its head is as exciting as it sounds. Foes are enormous and their attacks can take up the entire screen at times. But the frantic pace of combat makes it all feel like more than window dressing like many games and actually makes them impactful and threatening.

There are five difficulty levels in all, Normal and Easy are the two I recommend for first timers. The main difference in challenge is based around how much damage enemies do and how much experience you gain from combat. So grinding is generally a non-issue unless you go for the higher difficulty levels. I found Easy more enjoyable as I rarely went back to clear out rooms of monsters unless I wanted to.

The game's level design is spectacular. You spend the entire time scaling the twenty five floors of the tower, but nothing feels cheaply placed. Everything flows and powers, from dashing to double jumping become available at a pace that keeps you coming back for more. Levels range from the basic tower design to water, fire and desert sections only to then hit the more demonic sections of the game.

Each playthrough of Ys Origin takes roughly eight hours, and in those eight hours Ys Origin packs a far more meaningful and interesting narrative with actual character growth and villains with true motives than the majority of the 60 to 100 hour long role-playing games on the market. There is no filler at all, everything makes sense and clicks together. And while the narratives each work as standalone stories, you should still play them all. Yunicah and Hugo both have interesting character arcs and narratives. But the final hidden character's story uses events and character motivations that occur to those two as you scale the tower on your own. So skipping one of the first two to dive into the third one may have you questioning why a certain character acts one way or another. The final story is also just too entertaining and features one of the coolest character arcs to come from a Japanese RPG in some time. And of course, the true ending is as poignant and beautiful as I could have hoped for it to be.

Ys is a series most famous for its music, and I have to agree with all of the praise. Ys Origin has such a cool soundtrack I'm almost tempted to call it one of the all-time greats. The music I heard in the trailer afterall is what tempted me to purchase the game and right down to the final events in the game the music is actually used as diegetic sound. It's spectacular and catchy and just gets you pulled into the experience at large. The audio track played for the 25th floor of the tower is by far the singular achievement of the soundtrack and helps to end the experience on a powerful high note, leading up to the biggest and most exciting showdowns against rival characters before hitting the summit.

The graphics are basic, yet beautiful. The art design is very much Japanese in nature, with anime styling all over the game. The tower itself is wonderfully realized and enemy designs are spectacular and often imposing despite the dated look of the visuals. It's hard to imagine this as a 2006 PC release when American developers were releasing games like Gears of War and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. But it takes more than pretty graphics for a game to shine and Ys Origin stands head and shoulders over those two games, and many more, in pure quality.

While it took six years after its Japanese release for Ys Origin to makes its way to North America, it remains as proof that excellent gameplay design can make a six year old game feel better than the majority of modern game releases. Ys Origin is the best dungeon crawl I have played yet and it succeeds because it nails every element a game needs in order to succeed: its fun to play, is spectacularly designed and features some great writing and characters that you will care about. The combination of the beautiful soundtrack with all of these elements helps solidify its place amongst the RPG greats.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"NeonNinja reviewed Ys Origin for the PC..." was posted by NeonNinja on Wed, 24 Apr 2013 20:20:16 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/ys-origin/user-reviews/810641/platform/pc/ Wed, 17 Apr 2013 04:44:42 -0700 00Joseph00 reviewed The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim/user-reviews/810324/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 10.0!!!

I knew the formula would be mostly the same as the Oblivion formula since it worked so well. But the setting and locale differed so much that the experience was fresh and new. And it works in the long run, so Oblivion doesn't feel like it was cheaply copied. If you want to experience the same type of game you know and love like Oblivion, but with a different story, new characters, and a fresh environment, Skyrim has all the above. The Skyrim has lots of improvements overall to the coding and RPG play style as well, and it still pulls off the highly addictive questing and dungeon-adventuring, if not better than Oblivion did.

I'm done comparing to Oblivion. They are both great games and compliment each other. Skyrim presents an awesome 1st-person experience (I rarely tried the 3rd person view during my 300 plus hours) and the bugs are few enough in this enormous game that they are easily forgiven in the long run.

Expect lots of immersive story-driven quests narrated by characters, with considerable options for the player to pick what to say and do in response to many dialogues and situations. The beginning orients the character in a very linear way, and allows you to construct a character starting with a choice between various humans, elves, orcs, and humanoid lizards and cats. Then you can change their name, sex, and looks, all of which will be permanent... (not entirely permanent if you purchase the Dawnguard DLC and follow a certain rumor heard from shopkeepers). After the tutorial-based intro, you can start the sandbox adventure on your own terms or follow a couple of the main storyline presented to you.

That is basically what you need to know as far as gameplay, the only other way to find out is to go play it and experience the addiction for yourself!

Get the full article at GameSpot

"00Joseph00 reviewed The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim for the Xbox 360..." was posted by 00Joseph00 on Wed, 17 Apr 2013 04:44:42 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim/user-reviews/810324/platform/xbox360/ Wed, 10 Apr 2013 23:54:33 -0700 xDanny123x reviewed DmC: Devil May Cry for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/dmc-devil-may-cry/user-reviews/810092/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 4.5.

*Warning! This Review contains Spoilers, if you do not want to get spoiled then I suggest you finish the game or don't read the Review. Curious to know the Score just Scroll all the way down*

Devil May Cry is a series that started with a guy name Dante who is a demon slayer and he is half-demon, half-human and had an evil twin brother named Vergil who kills Dante in Devil May Cry 3 thus awakening Dante's Devil Trigger. But enough trivia DmC Devil May Cry is a reboot of the series and reboots never tend to do well but can Devil May Cry work?

The Story:
You play as Dante a sex deviant who lives in a trailer off the pier of a town called Limbo City. And tends to have sex a lot apparently. The story begins with a man (or a Demon King) named Mundus who wants to kill Dante due to him being a Nephilim which in this world Dante is half-demon, half-angel. After talking a-bit it cues to Dante with two girls have sex. After all that Dante is greeted by a girl name Kat and during this scene Dante is naked. After talking a bit Kat tells Dante that he is being hunted and thus Dante is attacked by some demon hunter and Dante dodges (while naked) and puts on his rob and gets his Rebellion (his sword) and proceeds in the other world Limbo. The story is short and boring as hell, I'm sorry but the only thing that interest me the most was the end fight with Vergil because this time Dante was the evil one (sort of), and Mundus was just talk, Lilith was disgusting, Kat was boring, and Dante was laughable, Vergil was the only interesting one since he had his own ideals to protect all humans but Dante wanted to free them. Dante's Hair throughout the game becomes whiter after awakening his Devil Trigger and gets even more once he finds his true self which is becoming evil. Everything in this game; the sex and the swearing mainly was unnecessary seriously nothing about all that bring the games story and the bosses are terrible especially the Succubus: disgusting. Oh and the dialogue was pathetic couldn't care what anyone said and bored me to hell.

The Gameplay (w/ game mechanics):
Now Devil May Cry is about the combat, the combos and the weapons and DmC does not fail to deliver. One of the great this about this game is the weapon variety, you want to use an axe we got one, want to use a scythe we got that too, want to use the fists (called differently in various games) we got that, guns? no problem. I love it actually but problem is the game doesn't have the combos, sure you can do tons of aerial combos by switching weapons but that doesn't justify the fact that most of those combos are mainly triangle, triangle, triangle, triangle, circle/square, triangle, triangle, triangle, triangle, circle/square etc. no matter what weapon it is. The game plays terribly platforming was not made for this game, Dante jumps are uncontrollable even worse with angel flight and this game makes you jump a lot. There is also a whip-like weapon where you pull enemies towards you or pull towards the enemies which can also be used during the platforming sessions of the game. Once going into Devil Trigger mode you make all enemies (except bosses) float and do more damage, get higher scores, recover a bit and attack faster. But Devil Trigger runs out fast so use it wisely. It can be recovered by attacking or Devil stars. Another problem was this game was WAY to easy, never died once so never got a real challenge and never will know what the game over screen is like either (lol).

The Sound (sound effects, voice acting, etc.)
Music is pretty bland, I couldn't hear most of it due to all the stuff going on with the game, but some I couldn't bare hearing and some are pretty good. The voice acting is beyond terrible, I couldn't fell any emotion into the characters and they all sounded pretty boring and laughable at times. The sound effects are ok but they all sound the same even the enemies attacking sound the same. Devil Trigger somewhat silents everything and hearing a faint Dante scream which was pretty cool. Problem is the sound will often cut off at small times but a lot made me notice and was pretty annoying.

The Graphics (w/ concept):
The graphics... holy hell they are terrible. It looks ugly, characters look ugly and not just Lilith either. The game doesn't run too well either, beyond horrible screen tearing, character modes glitch during cut-scenes and Vergil's model and Doppelganger during the final battle glitches as well (turns out he was too badass for this). I live the idea of Limbo but problem was the whole game you play is Limbo, would have been better if you go into Limbo at times during the real world but I still liked it but since you constantly go to Limbo throughout the game you get use to it and gets annoying and boring real quick.

The Controls (w/ presentation):
Controlling Dante is hell, he is not too responsive when attacking, dodging, or jumping (especially jumping), and moving wasn't a problem most of the time. Switching weapons took me awhile to get use to as well as equipping them too, but oddly enough pulling off combos were well responsive... Camera wasn't a problem most of the time but since there is not lock on button (which was weird) so finding flying enemies at times might get annoying but what's even weirder is Dante is auto locking which gets annoying when trying to attack certain enemies. The games boxart is interesting Dante in Limbo and the game doesn't come with a booklet manual since most companies are trying to save money (greedy bastards) by going digital.

To be honest I saw no potential with the game to begin with and more over didn't get my hopes up, but my god it was a terrible experience for me to play. Other players seem to enjoy this game as for me I did not which is why we call these opinions. I wouldn't recommend this game to anyone but if you want to try it out to see for yourself borrow this game instead.

Overall:

Story: 2.0
Gameplay: 8.5
Sound: 6.5
Graphics:1.5
Controls: 5.0

Overall: 4.7

Get the full article at GameSpot

"xDanny123x reviewed DmC: Devil May Cry for the PlayStation 3..." was posted by xDanny123x on Wed, 10 Apr 2013 23:54:33 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/dmc-devil-may-cry/user-reviews/810092/platform/ps3/ Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:27:41 -0700 xDanny123x reviewed Hyperdimension Neptunia Victory for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/hyperdimension-neptunia-victory/user-reviews/810044/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 9.0!

*Warning! This Review contains Spoilers, if you do not want to get spoiled then I suggest you finish the game or don't read the Review. Curious to know the Score just Scroll all the way down*

When I first saw this series I didn't know what to say, girls representing video game consoles and beating the crap out of each other? I first started the trilogy only a couple of months ago from today and man I got hooked for some reason, I just find this trilogy (soon to be a series) go funny and fun and really cute. After finishing mk2 (and I really enjoyed that one) I was looking forward to Victory and I pre-order the limited edition too, but can it live up to mk2?

The Story:
The story this time unlike the first neptunia takes place I believe two years after mk2's true ending and it begins with a brief of mk2's events and then to a fight with the 3 CPU's against Purple Heart and of course you lose like the other games and thus killing her. Then cuts to the real world as they were playing a game... they were all relaxing after defeating Arforie the deity of sin, but relaxing a bit too much. They were lazing out for years and Nepgear (Neptune's little sister) spoiled her too much and shares have been low for Planeptune (of course) and Histoire starts getting angry and thus lecturing Neptune and Nepgear and sets them to go and investigate some kind of protest going on. After going on for a bit they find a woman name Rei Ryghts who is kind of a push over and apologies for literally everything she does wrong. She was apparently handing out flyers for a meeting of some sort for a world without CPU's and thus Neptune and Nepgear runs her out. Rei then runs into an alley and a mysterious girl who resembles a dark version of Histoire talks to Rei and gives her a dark matter. After that Neptune wanted to lazy it out but Nepgear tells her no more being spoiled and to try to motivate her she ignores her until she works. Neptune then runs through quests and runs into Rei who was apparently lost and then gets angry finding out a CPU saved her and then traps her and transports her to a new dimension, not only that she is in the past as well 1989 to be exact and thus Neptune's new adventure begins in the past of a whole (similar) new world. I really enjoyed the story finding new faces and old faces, new like Plutia the CPU who represents Planeptune who is so adorable and old like IF, Compa, and Histoire but this time they are young! You first see IF and Compa as babies with a new baby name Peahsy and that was cute, and Histoire is tiny and adorable. Of course there are some predicable things like who Yellow Heart was and Rei was the mastermind behind it all but what I didn't foresee was Rei being the very first CPU, for some reason I never assume that when it was pretty obvious and slowing getting why when going through the true ending. What I didn't like is when they kept up with Iris Hearts BDSM talking, it was funny at first, then it got weird, then got really annoying. As well as the whole fourth wall breaking contently, funny at first then really annoying.

The Gameplay (w/ game mechanics):
The gameplay is basically mk2 with improvements over it. The world map is like mk2 icon 16-bit Neptune over the world and go into dungeons, lands, towns, etc. and same when in towns, icons to talk to, shops, item synthesis, guilds (quests), and new modes like CPU rooms to look at videos, cgs, music, and talking to the CPUs or histy. A new mode called scouting has been added and man I love this system. You can send people into dungeons to find items, changing the dungeon rules like more exp, more credits, different gatherable items, or even making stronger enemies appear. You can choose to accept or deny the info why? because sometimes it doesn't always turn out to be good information, example exp change can go with more exp or sometimes less. A new system called disc development, with this you can create your own games (not playable games) but games you can equip with the girls to boost up performances like more exp or take less damage with certain enemy types. To get more disc type items you must kill trouble enemies or risky enemies by triggering a flag (that can be found in dungeons) to stand or break and sending scouts to that dungeon. The fighting system is like mk2 but a bit different. When killing an enemy you lose that characters turn, when canceling an attack you lose that turn, when using a SP skill you used your turn, you cannot regain SP by attacking or getting attack, only by items or leveling up so you can stay in HDD form unless you get virus of course or turning it off, but instead you have a new system called EXE drive where you can use the characters most powerful skills or team skills by attacking or being attack to fill up the gauge, thus making the game more far and harder than mk2. There is also a challenge system, doing small requirements for bonus stats like traveling a certain amount of distance as that character, or jumping a certain amount of times, symbol attacks, item gathering, dying, healing, reviving, etc.

The Sound (sound effects, voice acting, etc.)
Music is hella good and what I heard is Nobuo Uematsu composed this game and man a lot of great people are helping this game out like Keiji Inafune and Endo Masanobu and yet this game is still under appreciated here (I don't know how this game is doing in japan). Anyways music is godly and sound effects sounds about the same as mk2 (reused more like it) and voice actresses (and actors) are pretty damn good still and still get their characters right on spot since they used the same actresses, but when in battle or out some of the voices are reused from mk2.

The Graphics (w/ concept):
Graphics are improve from mk2 making the game look gorgeous and pretty. New character models look great and so do the new characters too. CPU models look great, character portraits look great like how they looked in the first neptunia. Still got to love the whole CPUs representing game consoles and the new girls Yellow Heart who represents PC's and Rei (don't know her CPU name) represents Atari. And I love all the references from other games and even anime like Puella. Skills look pretty, and EXE skills look grand especially the team skills or hell even the weird skills (you know what I'm talking about. What I like most is the game runs smooth didn't see any bad runs at my gameplay.

The Controls (w/ presentation):
Controls are sharp and responsive and cameras were not a bother and traveling is pretty efficient. Attacking is sharp and like the other games can be modified to be better. The game case I love, front has Purple Heart, booklet has Iris Heart, and game disc has Black Heart on it, verity! And I'm glad this has a booklet unlike other games now and days even if it's black and white. Since I got the Limited Edition I got all the goodies and game with a time capsule (which to me it looks like a lunchbox) which is suppose to be like the games setting taking place in the past, and the art book which is pretty small, the soundtrack and a smaller time capsule (lunchbox).

Man this game is like a 9 to me but others might not agree which is why this game should only be for the target audience but honestly I've had more fun with this game than most games being released lately but that doesn't mean those games are bad, plus I've already put nearly 50 hours in this game on my first play through and I can't say that many games can make me put that many hours into it without getting everything else too. But like I say this isn't for everyone, if looking into the series try mk2 first since the first neptunia has NOTHING to do with mk2 or victory and if you like it try the first but I wouldn't recommend that only to the hardcore.

Overall:

Story: 9.0
Gameplay: 9.5
Sound: 9.0
Graphics: 9.0
Controls: 9.5

Overall: 9.2

Get the full article at GameSpot

]]> http://www.gamespot.com/hyperdimension-neptunia-victory/user-reviews/810044/platform/ps3/ Mon, 08 Apr 2013 21:56:49 -0700 NeonNinja reviewed Evoland for the PC... http://www.gamespot.com/evoland/user-reviews/810029/platform/pc/ ...and gave it a 5.5.

Evoland is the definition of a guilty pleasure. It is one of the most unremarkable games I have played, and yet I am so pleased that I played it. The game chronicles the evolution of the action-adventure genre. What that translates to is that Evoland literally brings back the 90's era of gaming for one more run.

Much like the name implies, Evoland evolves, starting with a black and white world with 2D sprites, but as you play the game new features are introduced from music to color to different battle systems. The game begins as a 2D Zelda game would, but as you play and eventually unlock an overworld (and later the Mode 7 graphics) random encounters are introduced and the ATB battle system of the Final Fantasy series is brought in.

The game never sticks to one style of game however. There is a dungeon that you will play in a 2D RPG style, another that is a Zelda-inspired dungeon, and another that takes after Diablo, and so on. Evoland is like a sampler platter of the oldies. It can never replace them, nor pull off any of their elements nearly as well as the original games did. But it still has its charms.

Your main character is Clink, a mix between Final Fantasy's Cloud and The Legend of Zelda's Link, in terms of his character design. For each little moment that Evoland produces, from familiar boss battle designs to its satirical stance on many of the RPG and action-adventure genre's clichés, it still feels fun. The game never asks for you to take it seriously, only that you take it for what it is.

Evoland's main issue is its length. The game takes anywhere between three to four hours to complete. The short length means that none of the various elements are given time to actually develop some depth to the experience. There is one section that is absolutely inspired, however. The game takes a Zelda-like design and has you switching between 2D and 3D graphics in order to solve the environmental puzzles necessary for you to advance. And the Diablo section is charming as well, with humorously placed loot drops that serve no purpose and items that literally have no effect. And yet I found myself constantly fighting and picking them up.

Evoland exists solely for the gamer that loves Final Fantasy and The Legend of Zelda as they are the biggest influences on the game, although bits of Diablo, Dragon Quest, Super Mario and others are plain to see, the majority of the game goes for the two most obvious influences. At Evoland's price you could very likely purchase one of the older Final Fantasy or Zelda games and come away with a deep and fulfilling experience. But if you don't mind a goofy little game that never takes itself seriously than Evoland is worth checking out for fans of those games. Not necessarily at its $10 asking price, but it's worth checking out.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"NeonNinja reviewed Evoland for the PC..." was posted by NeonNinja on Mon, 08 Apr 2013 21:56:49 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/evoland/user-reviews/810029/platform/pc/ Fri, 05 Apr 2013 14:36:19 -0700 NeonNinja reviewed BioShock Infinite for the PC... http://www.gamespot.com/bioshock-infinite/user-reviews/809913/platform/pc/ ...and gave it a 9.5!

BioShock Infinite is not the game that I thought it would be, nor is it the game that I wanted. Before diving into this shooter a few things need to be made clear: BioShock Infinite has very little of importance to say on the matters of racism and racial purity, overzealous nationalism and religious extremism and the various social issues that are present in the game. They are merely window dressing in order to tell a character-based fantasy story. They have their moments in the narrative, but are far from the main focus. For those who may have held onto the hope that BioShock Infinite would make a significant social statement, temper your expectations.

But as soon as that disappointment wore off, the game had me. Those that are looking for the best first-person shooter released to market in years are going to be in for a treat, and should also avoid reading everything there is on this game until they complete it. Cast as Booker DeWitt, you begin the game with a goal, "Bring us the girl and wipe away the debt," and an unimaginably beautiful place, Columbia, the city in the sky. Both that opening line and the city are two of the driving forces behind the game. BioShock Infinite is a game of absolute cohesion, and it never breaks from what it sets out to do.

When you first land on Columbia a sense of sheer wonder begins to flood over you as you explore the city and take in the sights. Exploration is ultimately so enjoyable that I found myself wishing that BioShock Infinite was a non-combat game, and instead a puzzle-based adventure where I could explore the sights, rescue the girl, use vigors to help get us out of the city with wits, and deal with the racist population and their extreme religious views. I wanted ammunition to be limited so that if I had to kill someone it would take a toll on Booker and Elizabeth. That fantasy of the game I wanted quickly came to an end of course, as I was typically forced to view the world of Columbia down the barrel of a gun. You get what you pay for however, its hard to condemn a first-person shooter simply for being a first-person shooter, and BioShock Infinite is one of the best in years.

The quality of exploration is spectacular, all due of course to the magical feel of Columbia. But the same issue arose in the first BioShock, where exploring Rapture was a joy, but combat was rather dull. Thankfully that is not the case this time around. BioShock Infinite is a spectacular combat experience that has you utilizing your weapons, vigors, gear that you have found and the verticality of the battlegrounds to defeat your opponents.

As with any first-person shooter, the main method of combat will likely come by firing your weapons. Most of the guns have two weapon types with the exception of the RPG and Sniper Rifle. I did however have certain preferences, so it was nice to have the ability to run with a machine gun that I actually enjoyed using. The shooting is nowhere near as floaty as in the first BioShock, this time around it feels weightier and more substantial. Weapons have the ability to be upgraded just like in the first game, although this time around the design of the guns does not change into the elaborate models of the first game.

Vigors, essentially Plasmids from the first BioShock, are an important part of combat as well. You can play the game without really using them, but it would be unwise to do so. There are eight vigors in total that allow you to possess enemies, use the elements, and for reasons unknown, launch crows from the palm of your hand. Each of the vigors can work in tandem with one another, for instance, shocking mechanical enemies with electricity to stop them, while possessing a rocket turret that will blast them from behind is as cool as it sounds.

Gear is a little off in BioShock Infinite, however. For reasons that never make any sense, you can wear pants, hats and other articles of clothing that will aid you in combat. Sometimes by letting you reload faster, other times by causing a fiery explosion every time you land from a skyline. It is an immersion breaker; however, you will quickly find your favorites and stick to them. There are many variations to be found, for instance, those more focused on aiming down ironsights will prefer a hat that gives them added damage when they aim, but gives reduced damage when they fire from the hip. None of the gear is upgradeable so it is simply a matter of finding the pieces that work with your playstyle.

The most impressive part of combat however is the level design. Skylines connect various parts of the game world together and let you get a jump on your enemies or escape from difficult situations to catch a breather. Enemies can be above or below you, not just in front of you, and dealing with that verticality is the key to survival. However, you are not the only one who can use the skylines, so be prepared for a few rollercoaster like chases in larger encounters.

Enemy AI is a bit improved from the first BioShock, but much of that is due in large part to the more open level design. Thankfully, enemies do not become more powerful as you progress through the game. This was an issue in the first BioShock where you would shoot an enemy with your shotgun and they simply would not die, despite upgrading the weapon. That sort of level scaling is not present here. Enemies remain the same, so when you upgrade the damage of your weapon, your opponents wont be negating the effects you paid for.

BioShock Infinite also understands when to utilize enemies. The first BioShock had you facing down Splicers and Big Daddies. The Big Daddies were meant to be enemies that would produce a sense of fear, but it ultimately failed because you fought them so frequently. They just felt like beefier opponents, albeit ones with a very sad backstory. BioShock Infinite avoids that hurdle, often forcing merely human opponents and mechanical presidents to do battle against you. But it also saved the imposing enemies for a select few encounters. The use of the Handyman in BioShock Infinite is spectacular. There are only a handful of encounters with this opponent and each of them feels like true mini-boss battles that get you on edge. The design is not nearly as iconic as the Big Daddy, and in terms of narrative they dont necessarily work as well as the Big Daddy, but in terms of gameplay, each encounter with the Handyman is a thrilling battle.

Columbia is a rich and beautiful game world with quite a bit of darkness to it. The beauty of this game lies in how dreamlike the city feels. You almost expect a whimsical journey to take place. The way the clouds float across the city, to the architecture and design of Columbia itself. If anything can be criticized about the game's graphics it is the repeated character models for NPCs. There aren't enough unique bodies and it is a little silly to sometimes see an entire group of characters having a discussion, all with the same character model. Another thing is how every NPC magically disappears during combat, rather than having to deal with the horror of seeing murders take place in front of them. But that is more than made up for with the beauty of the environments you will explore, as well as the beautifully animated Elizabeth, who simply comes to life on-screen.

BioShock Infinite also has some of the finest sound mixing and editing that I have heard. Most games in the genre tend to go for explosions, but BioShock Infinite utilizes audio throughout the game perfectly. In one scene you are trying to talk to a teller to get tickets to an airship. But as the conversation progresses, the music and dialogue die down and the ticking of the clock picks up. The audio mixing creates a sense of place, and most importantly, paying attention to the audio will begin to give you clues to the narrative as well. BioShock Infinite is a game that is at its best when it is listened to, and this rarely applies to the majority of videogame releases. Combine this with one of the most beautiful soundtracks composed for a shooter and BioShock Infinite is an absolute joy to listen to.

BioShock Infinite is a game best played at your own pace. While combat is fast-paced, the explorative gamer will see and hear things that the objective-focused gamer will miss out on. The audio logs are spectacular, the kinetoscopes are fantastic pieces of propaganda and seeing and hearing each of them is vital to enriching an already fantastic experience. Average playtimes of BioShock Infinite seem to take about twelve hours, however, my playthrough took almost twenty hours, and I still missed out on some of the kinetoscopes and audio logs. If you have not played the game, than by all means, avoid reading any of the discussions on the game, avoid listening to overly excited friends who want to boast about what they have experienced, and just go dark. It is the best way to experience BioShock Infinite. While it is a shame that the narrative is not the meaningful experience I had hoped it would be, it still provides an excellent fantasy story that will have you hooked to see more of it, and almost without a doubt, ready for a second run through it all again.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"NeonNinja reviewed BioShock Infinite for the PC..." was posted by NeonNinja on Fri, 05 Apr 2013 14:36:19 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/bioshock-infinite/user-reviews/809913/platform/pc/ Thu, 21 Mar 2013 21:24:12 -0700 NeonNinja reviewed Mark of the Ninja for the PC... http://www.gamespot.com/mark-of-the-ninja/user-reviews/809186/platform/pc/ ...and gave it a 9.5!

When was the last time that a game based entirely on stealth was released? Certainly not Metal Gear Solid, or Deus Ex: Human Revolution, or even Dishonored. In these games stealth tends to be an option, but not a requirement to survive. And so it is that Klei Entertainment have released one of the few, true stealth games of this generation with Mark of the Ninja. The game's design in every aspect from audio to visual to level design is so well-done that by the end of the experience you will be hard-pressed to have a legitimate complaint about the game.

Mark of the Ninja is one of the most intelligent games released in a long time. The game is set on a 2D plane with linear levels and yet there are various paths that you can take to your destination and even more ways to figure out how to solve your problems with the gear you carry. Mark of the Ninja never patronizes the player, it is a game with a set of rules and you play by those rules throughout. Each section plays like a challenge room, or a puzzle of sorts. There are guards, switches, lights, lasers and booby traps. How do you want to solve the problem to continue? And the decision is yours. The game is about you exploiting your environments to your advantage with the equipment you have and the abilities you choose to invest in. Avoid detection and go for the highest score you can, unlocking more and more rewards as you play through the game.

Mark of the Ninja does not punish players for choosing to play lethally or non-lethally. Those who choose to avoid detection will be given less points in-game, but there is a large no-kill bonus that evens out the score, while those that play lethally will be able to score points for each kill and for hiding the bodies (if it warrants being hidden).

Across the dozen or so levels the game offers, the design never falters. There is nothing that feels unfair, nothing that feels poorly paced and nothing that feels out of place. Even the boss battles, few as they are, which felt jarringly out of place in a game like Deus Ex: Human Revolution, are treated like environmental puzzles in Mark of the Ninja. How can you dispatch certain foes to use the environment to kill an opponent, whether a boss or an elite enemy? Do you choose to hide? Distract guards with your gear? Sneak behind enemies and silently kill them? The options for each encounter in this game are numerous.

The game's characters and story serve only as the glue to connect each level, but never elevate beyond anything more than that until the final scene. But waiting that long takes away any true narrative impact that could have been felt. But this is a game steeped in player input, not story-telling and so Mark of the Ninja does not suffer for what it never presents to you.

Mark of the Ninja is the true definition of an interactive audio-visual piece of entertainment. Control is always in the player's hands, but it uses its visuals so expertly to let you know at any given point in time when an enemy can see you, when you will be hidden and when you will be exposed. There is never any confusion about that and it is thanks to the expert art design. The art itself is also rather nice to see in motion, with sharp animation reminiscent of cartoons like Samurai Jack. The art style is wonderful, but it is elevated to higher levels in how well it is used to convey information to you at any given point in time.

The visuals combine with the audio as well so you always know when you are too loud, when an enemy can hear you, when a device will be able to sense you. The music works perfectly, never getting in the way of what you need to hear, but always at just the right pace to get you going for different situations.

Mark of the Ninja stands not just as one of the greatest stealth games ever released, but it is an achievement in game design executed so well that it might as well be called perfect, and if not perfect than at least as close to perfect as any recent game has come in years.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"NeonNinja reviewed Mark of the Ninja for the PC..." was posted by NeonNinja on Thu, 21 Mar 2013 21:24:12 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/mark-of-the-ninja/user-reviews/809186/platform/pc/ Sun, 10 Mar 2013 21:33:52 -0700 NightFox313 reviewed Resident Evil 2 for the PlayStation... http://www.gamespot.com/resident-evil-2/user-reviews/808642/platform/ps/ ...and gave it a 10.0!!!

Resident Evil 2 is a spectacular experience. It feels so much like a movie, that you nearly forget it's a game. Franchises such as Metal Gear Solid, Ace Combat, and Resident Evil all pretty much pioneered the cinematic vibe of video games. If Resident Evil 1 was a B-movie and Ace Combat was an air show, Resident Evil 2 was a Hollywood action title - before Hollywood action titles in the late 2000s were starting to get stale.

In other words, Resident Evil 2 carries on the survival-horror DNA of its predecessor - along with pretty much everything else that made that game so great. This game is not an experience to be missed, and anyone with even the slightest interest in zombies, a cool cop and a biker chick will sure enjoy Resident Evil 2.

A history lesson to note, for those not familiar with Resident Evil: the whole franchise revolves around zombies, or any life-form that comes in contact with the virus that causes organisms to become "zombified". Just putting that out there, in case you thought this was some sort of slasher film. It also revolves around conspiracy, and uncovering the mystery behind the shady Umbrella Corporation. If there's a zombie outbreak, someone's got to be responsible.

The story in Resident Evil 2 does walk across that familiar line of the storytelling aspect of the series, but it does things differently this time around. You play as two characters, just like in the first game, except Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield aren't back for this one. This time around, the main characters are Leon S. Kennedy - a rookie cop on his first and only day as a Raccoon City police officer, and Claire Redfield - the sister of Chris. I'm not going to spoil much, other than the fact that they get separated in the beginning. This is where the innovative "Zapping System" breaks the mold. The Zapping System is a Resident Evil invention - if I may put it that way - and it works with two playable characters that both have to be played as to understand the whole story. For example, if you play through the game as Claire, you might find out hidden plot details you didn't know about when you played as Leon. Several actions within the game that you make as one character can affect the conditions of the next character on the next playthrough. If you open a locker with a submachine gun as Leon, you can choose to take it with you or save it for Claire - should she ever find it.

I'm just letting you know that if you've played any Resident Evil title after the second one, you're missing out on some serious story here. Many characters from the later games have their origins explained here.

The gameplay's relatively the same as well, though more additions have been added to make Resident Evil 2 a much more immersive experience. For one, the pre-rendered backgrounds are of a much higher caliber than the previous game, and character models look sharper and details on zombies have been increased - from blood stains on their shirts to missing limbs. Other changes have been made as well. If your character is hurt (in this case, Leon), he'll start attempting to clot open wounds by putting his arm to his stomach. If he's seriously wounded, he'll start limping and his running speed is greatly decreased. This all adds to the realism of this game, and the feeling of eluding a zombie whilst limping and hoping to get away is chilling. Many mechanics from the first game, such as the use of herbs to recover health, and the puzzles have returned in this installment.

In the sound and music department, Resident Evil 2 is flawless. The gritty sound effects of zombies moaning, the tinkering of shell cases on the ground and the crackling flames of the grenade launcher are all believable. Music-wise, Resident Evil 2's soundtrack is Hollywood-worthy - especially in the ambient and action sequences of the game. Moody and minimalist dark tones set a great mood for an unfortunate police department that got overrun by zombies, and heavily orchestrated music gives the Hollywood feel to the more fast-paced setpieces. Many complain about the crummy voice-acting of the game, but I found it rather forgivable. The script was at least better-sounding than the first one.

The game is scary as hell, and numerous times throughout the game I was caught off-guard by the more jumpier moments. The obscure camera angles hide what's around the corner, and the sound of a zombie moaning around the corner and not being able to see it is terrifying. Each and every zombie looks realistic for its time and the animations for them are enough to give you nightmares - even daymares. It isn't limited to humans either - even animals such as dogs and birds seem hostile, and mutated experiments are ferocious. The first time I found the game particularly frightening, but the second time around playing as Claire, I felt even more afraid. Because the game expects you to know what scares await from the experience as Leon, the game finds different ways to scare you. Very few games succeed to provide an even more enjoyable experience the second time, especially in the horror genre.

Long after both playthroughs are completed, it isn't over yet. There are two scenarios for each character, which could potentially mean four playthroughs, and unlockables such as extra missions and gameplay options elongate the replay value of this already-massive game (depending if you have the DualShock version). An unforgettable story with believable characters, a disturbing atmosphere coupled with unsettling music makes Resident Evil 2 the best Sony PlayStation game I've ever played. Few words can describe the genuine survival-horror feel of Resident Evil 2.

I could go on and on, and continue praising this masterpiece. But I can't write forever. So I'm going to let Resident Evil 2 speak for me.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"NightFox313 reviewed Resident Evil 2 for the PlayStation..." was posted by NightFox313 on Sun, 10 Mar 2013 21:33:52 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/resident-evil-2/user-reviews/808642/platform/ps/ Sun, 03 Mar 2013 18:15:15 -0800 danwarecritic reviewed Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/mortal-kombat-vs-dc-universe/user-reviews/808220/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 8.0.

Mortal Kombat is a popular, well-known fighting game series known for its graphic violence and over-the-top gore. However, for this crossover with the DC Universe, the development team was forced to tone down the violence to meet DC's standards for licensed media. Even without the gore, Mortal Komabt Vs. DC Universe is still a very fun game, but its simplistic special moves may be off-putting to more serious fighters. The gameplay doesn't feature the same level of depth you would see in say, Tekken, Soulcalibur, or even Street Fighter for that matter, and the combos function as simplified versions of the typical "Hadoken" or "Sonic Boom" specials of Street Fighter. Even so, Mortal Kombat Vs. DC still has some degree of challenge to it, especially as you progress further into the Arcade and Story modes, and characters still have complex move lists that are rewarding to practice and learn. The characters are very fun to play as. Some characters, like Jax and Lex Luthor, are best played aggressively, while others, like Shang Tsung, Scorpion, Raiden, and The Flash are perfect for more casual or strategic players. The game is great for multiplayer and if you have a few friends that are into Mortal Kombat, DC, or both, then you can have a reallly great time with this game. Now, you might be wondering what potential problems for the game might be. In this case, allow me to explain that the button-mashing minigames that sometimes pop up in the middle of a fight can be really annoying. Freefall Kombat might be tolerable to an extent, but Test Your Might is like trying to take on an arm wrestling machine that's beaten you fifty times in a row. Not that I've ever done that, mind you. Furthermore, if you're used to your Mortal Kombat games being really brutal and gritty, then you will be disappointed. If you don't care about that, though, you're guaranteed to enjoy MK Vs. DC. The story for the game is simply an excuse to see all these characters together, but on the other hand, why would you play a fighting game for the story? -Dan

Why You Should Care: The game is simple and accessible, but also deep and challenging.

Why You Shouldn't Care: Freefall Kombat and Test Your Might are friggin' annoying. The toned-down violence may turn off some MK veterans.

Get the full article at GameSpot

]]> http://www.gamespot.com/mortal-kombat-vs-dc-universe/user-reviews/808220/platform/ps3/ Sat, 02 Mar 2013 17:35:56 -0800 NightFox313 reviewed Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/resident-evil-5-gold-edition/user-reviews/808164/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 7.0.

Let me get this straight: I am a fan of the Resident Evil games, and the Survival Horror genre that it pioneered. Even though I haven't played many of the games (just REmake and RE2), I've played enough to know that this is a pretty darn good series. It's given me chills and made me uncomfortable in areas of my house that I'd usually feel safe in. That's the lasting effect of Resident Evil.

Sadly, the same can't be said for the fifth game several years down the line. The Survival Horror genre has evolved into more of a third-person shooter, and that is the central basis of this game. While it does incorporate some pretty nasty-looking enemies and while it does sport the usual blood and gore, those don't really make the game as creepy as it could've been. I've seen and heard enough of RE4 to know that ever since that game, the franchise has been leaning more towards an action-shooter.

And while this isn't a bad thing, Resident Evil 5 is pretty light on scares. However, what did save me from returning the game back to the store for a refund (or to buy a different game) was the great story and characters. Also, I was looking forward to the bonus DLC included for free with the Gold Edition of the game. So I decided to press on with a friend and experience the game for ourselves, in cooperative play.

There's the standard Resident Evil characters, who look familiar but have changed since their last appearance. Chris Redfield of the BSAA has returned, and he's pretty ripped this time around. Back in the first game, he was just a normal guy, but now his biceps can even match Popeye's. Chris is also paired with a partner, Sheva Alomar, to investigate the strange occurrences going on in a small African town. Considering how this is Africa, the things that you're quite used to from the previous games are probably subject to change. Most strikingly, the game is a stark contrast when compared to its predecessors - the majority of the game takes place in broad daylight. This completely demolishes the scare factor, but there are those moments when a zombie grabs you from behind and you never see it coming.

Resident Evil 5's story is well-written and is exceptionally well-paced. It all plays out like a movie, like all of the Resident Evil titles, and the hot and gritty atmosphere of Africa adds to the feeling that heat waves are literally burning your television screen. The voice-acting is terrific in almost every way and the cinematic music accompanies each and every action-packed, explosive set-piece. Sheva Alomar's native accent sounds impressively real, and Chris' voice sounds just right - like a standard Hollywood action hero.

Resident Evil 5 succeeds in many areas. The music is top-notch, and whether it's the ambient tapping of the African drums to the heavily orchestrated action sequences, everything sounds awesome. The sounds of the zombies screaming in their native languages seem authentic and genuine. The visuals are some of the best I've ever seen on the system, and the lighting effects from the harsh sunlight to flickering lights in the dark hallways of a deserted laboratory are jaw-dropping. Real-time shadows make up some of the scary moments, and they are all used effectively. Capcom definitely nailed it with the music/sound and visuals department. It all works so well to make such an atmospheric, creepy game - but not as creepy as it could've been.

The partner system works well, especially when a human player is controlling the other character. However, when you've got no-one to play with, the AI will take over. And let me say this: it is some of the worst AI I've ever seen. Your partner will waste bullets shooting things that are already dead, and will heal you with an herb even if you've just got a scratch. It's ridiculous, and this issue really was a let-down, considering how it was pretty cool to have someone watch your back for you.

The story - albeit short - has some good fun. Unfortunately, there's no real incentive to go back through it again. However, the extra replay value from the Gold Edition (the DLC episodes that had to be purchased on the standard edition of RE5 but can be unlocked for free when certain conditions are met in-game) does offer more to the table. The extra content varies. There's the two DLC episodes: Desperate Escape and Lost in Nightmares, and then there's the extra Mercenaries: Reunion. In addition, there's extra figurines that are exclusive to the Gold Edition. It may seem like a lot, but when you realize how fast you blaze through these extras, you'll wish there was more. The extra content should be of marginal interest to casual gamers, but hardcore fans of Resident Evil would probably want these goodies.

The game does feature online cooperative play for each mode, and there's a Versus mode that comes with the Gold Edition. Players here can either kill each other or compete for kills, if I'm correct. I never tried it - so I wouldn't know.

I just don't think Resident Evil 5 was up to par like its predecessors. It just seemed too short to me, and the disappointing extras of the Gold Edition didn't give me much incentive to play through it again. The Mercenaries mode was fun with friends, but it does get boring. Resident Evil 5's already-short length isn't really made much better even with the DLC that comes with the Gold Edition. Everything seemed too slapped-on and unimpressive when it came to the downloadable episodes and I was left wanting more. I just wish the game was a little more scarier, or a little bit longer.

Otherwise, if you're the type of person who loves Resident Evil, zombies, or action-shooters, you should probably give Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition a rental rather than a justified purchase. And if you do decide to play this game, expect you and your partner to be able to hold your own and stand your ground, and survive in Africa where your screams won't be heard.

"We're partners. To the end."

Get the full article at GameSpot

]]> http://www.gamespot.com/resident-evil-5-gold-edition/user-reviews/808164/platform/ps3/ Thu, 28 Feb 2013 11:01:02 -0800 xDanny123x reviewed Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/metal-gear-rising-revengeance/user-reviews/808092/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 9.0!

*Warning! This Review contains Spoilers, if you do not want to get spoiled then I suggest you finish the game or don't read the Review. Curious to know the Score just Scroll all the way down*

Metal Gear Solid is a series everyone should know about (well not everyone but a lot) a series that can make any player shed a man tear. Metal Gear was the first in the entire series and then Solid was the main name. Now Metal Gear is changing into Metal Gear Rising Revengeance from tactical espionage action to high speed action, but can it live up to it's name?

The Story:
You play as Raiden instead of Solid Snake (like Metal Gear Solid 2). This takes place 4 years after Metal Gear Solid 4 so in reality Solid Snake is dead by then since he only had a couple of months left to live at the end of 4. The future is bleak, cybernetic arts/parts (human replacement) is becoming more efficient/necessary to protect their society, people are trying to get back to their daily lives after the events of Metal Gear Solid 4, war was ending and the economy is getting better. Raiden became a body guard for the President who is trying to build a better future without war. After talking about it for a bit someone gets in their way and starts killing all their guards, who is also cybernetic as well as his accomplice who then captures the president. After a chase you run into a custom Metal Gear Ray. After obliterating Ray you run into a chase scene and after catching up to them you find out what their motive is: War Economy. War brings up the economy for them, apparently war isn't always a bad thing for everyone. After that they kill the president. You then fight the cyborg Sam who proceeds to cut Raidens' left eye and Raiden's left arm. All that in just the beginning of the game (Mission R-00). The story takes a weird turn when Raiden gets vulnerable when killing the soldiers when hearing their thoughts and crying out they don't want to be here or they don't want to die. Then Raiden confesses his past will never leave him and that the justice and protect the weak is just an excuse (hiding), the fact is he loves to kill no matter who it is, that he was born this way. What bothers me after all that crap they let it slide. Same with the 3 month period of Raiden when he becomes a cyborg. And the true antagonist the Senator was just bull. Other than that it's ok.

The Gameplay (w/ game mechanics):
Platinum games knows how to make action packed games. Metal Gear Rising takes stealth into high speed action. You can literally cut many things, boxes, people, bridges, gates, etc. But you can't literally cut everything (explain that later). It is easier to cut more using Blade Mode. Blade mode is a technique that allows Raiden to cut with easy making time go slower and aiming better. You can proceed to go stealth but that really doesn't work, you'll get caught most of the time so it's better to take the high profile but don't worry you can get caught and still achieve an S rank. You can also customize Raiden, increasing his armor (heath) or blade mode, buying weapons (most of the time is the weapons of the bosses you kill thorough the game) and equipping what I can assume is costumes (changing body armor) using points you gain called BP points through the game. Problem is when customizing Raiden you have to exit your current position and go into the customization screen and after done you load up a saved checkpoint you can't do it freely. Also no dodge, you can only bloc using parry and even then it's still not enough. Game is pretty violent and gory when cutting soldiers up and their parts are flying everywhere. You also have an AR mode where Raiden can see where enemies are located, where prisoners are, where item boxes or items are, or what objects you can cut. Using AR is pretty useful but you cannot run or attack when using it so use it wisely oh and can let you see in the dark.

The Sound (sound effects, voice acting, etc.)
The Music is kickass. Platinum knows what they are doing. Fighting bosses, or regular soldiers, geckos, etc. Music knows when to kick in. The Voice acting is solid. Raiden still sounds like the good old Raiden (same Voice Actor). Everyone has a good actor or actress and even Sunny has the same voice actress and she sounds pretty good, and even though I hate the senator I must admit voice actor is pretty good, got the character right. The sound effects sound great, explosions and cuts, blade, gunfire, defecting, and rumble sounds great.

The Graphics (w/ concept):
Graphically looks great. Raiden looks amazing with his new Cyborg body, and his new and improved HF Blade looks like a beauty. Character models look great, soldiers, important people like Sam or Sunny, Geckos, Metal Gears, weapons, and even the environment. Frame rate is smooth but rarely it tends to go below 60fps. I also love how whenever you cut someone/something into pieces all you see left is just the parts like string if you cut to much.

The Controls (w/ presentation):
The game plays smoothly and responds well too. I had no problem parrying many attacks but when the camera starts to spaz, parrying gets hard to do. Using the Sub Menu for weapons and items gets annoying to use since you have to stop moving to use it or you have to hold the left or right d-pad to use it. The Boxart looks great, Raiden cutting a cyborg in half and full on color booklet to boot. I didn't get the Limited Edition but I've seen some online and man I should have gotten one.

Metal Gear Rising Revengeance is a different take on the Metal Gear Solid franchise but in a good way, in fact I am glad this game happened. If they start with the Rising series I wouldn't mind, just add more stuff to do and fix some of the issues and we could be looking at the next king of high speed action games.

Overall:

Story: 7.5
Gameplay: 9.0
Sound: 10
Graphics: 9.5
Controls: 9.0

Overall: 9.0

Get the full article at GameSpot

]]> http://www.gamespot.com/metal-gear-rising-revengeance/user-reviews/808092/platform/ps3/ Wed, 27 Feb 2013 15:29:10 -0800 xDanny123x reviewed Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge for the Wii U... http://www.gamespot.com/ninja-gaiden-3-razor-s-edge/user-reviews/808065/platform/wii-u/ ...and gave it a 8.5.

*Warning! This Review contains Spoilers, if you do not want to get spoiled then I suggest you finish the game or don't read the Review. Curious to know the Score just Scroll all the way down*

Ninja Gaiden is a series no one and I mean NO ONE should take lightly. My very first Ninja Gaiden was Black on the xbox, and holy crap I cannot believe how hard this game was, and how violent it was! I then played them all except for Ninja Gaiden 3 on the NES. So does Ninja Gaiden 3 Razor's Edge live up to the Ninja Gaiden name?

The Story:
You play as Ryu Hayabusa (duh) a super ninja, and I really do mean super ninja. You are working for the government trying to stop some kind of plot going around London (for some reason) and found out an alchemist is there who then proceed to curse Ryu's arm, fusing the Dragon Sword in it and tells him the more he kills the faster it kills him. Setting stone Ryu is a dead man walking. Ok now Ninja Gaiden isn't about the story but this one takes a turn from badass Ryu to pansy Ryu when he is talking to the little girl Canna or when he is struggling with his arm. Which isn't a bad thing but it's Ninja Gaiden. But the story does get interesting when you find out the alchemist is actually Canna's dead father or when Cliff your buddy and helper was actually working with the society and tends to kill Ryu. All in all when Canna becomes the goddess and rampages through tokyo I really did believe there was no way to save her but then again these are games so I was wonder how, and when Ryu cuts thru the goddess body (outer shell) and the last thing you see was his blade near Canna's body I thought he was actually going to kill her... but then saves her how? I don't know...

The Gameplay (w/ game mechanics):
Now the gameplay. Oh man this is where it is at. Ninja Gaiden (at least the 3D games) is all about the gameplay. The original version of Ninja Gaiden 3 made me depressed. When I heard you can only have one weapon and one ninpo skill (magic) I got turned off badly. Plus they removed the dismemberment and every kill you do ends with a cinematic scene. That made me sad. And now it is all back. This game is extremely gory more than I remember from 2, you can kill enemies again dismembering them in gruesome ways and now you have a verity of weapons again! From a dual wield sword to a massive scythe, to a staff (holy hell the kills in this one...) and more ninpo as well. You can also increase your skills or weapons using karma you gain in the game and in order to earn some more you'll need to find what they added in this version golden scarabs hidden across this game. Crystal skulls are also in this game but now they provide a challenge. When found you can proceed to a series of challenges, where you kill and kill, until you get to the last round which is a boss character from original Ninja Gaiden titles. Also now whenever Ryu's arm worsens you'll be in a dream like state where you must kill your way out before your life goes out, but don't worry you'll replenish your heath if you kill by dismemberment or ninpo. Of course Ryu isn't the only one in this game to play as. You can also play as Ayane (of course has her own set of moves, ninpo weapon), who helps Ryu in his journey (in her own way) in the story mode. But online or challenges you can also play as Momiji and Kasumi who also have their own skills, ninpos and weapons. But Ninja Gaiden is all about difficulty, every single Ninja Gaiden game is hard hell it has to be hard, that was another flaw about the original, but holy f*** this game is extremely hard, so hard it is going to make you cry.

The Sound (sound effects, voice acting, etc.)
Here is where the problem lies, I don't know if it was my TV or the HDMI (but I highly doubt it) but the game has some audio issues when playing from the TV, when a cut-scene is going and they are talking, I can hardly hear them even with the volume up or sometimes I can hear one but not another, it's random, but oddly it's fine on the gamepad... Voice acting is great, since this is Ninja Gaiden game, I can only play in Japanese since I am use to their voices in Japanese. Everyone sounds great, they have the same voice actors/actresses and sound grand. Sound effects sound about the same, when being grabbed, cutting through, explosions, opening doors etc. Music is pretty great, sounds right when killing someone, obliterate someone, or just hack n slash.

The Graphics (w/ concept):
Graphically looks good, when blood is splattered all over the screen or when body parts are flying everywhere. Problem is game sometimes lags when too much is happening in the screen like when killing too much, and that's it I guess. I love the gore in this game, killing has never been this much fun (sounding like a sociopath :P) but this game is still as much as fun as the previous Ninja Gaiden games. What I don't get is when people complained about this game being a button masher... has they not played a Ninja Gaiden game before? That's all it is, but in a good way. Ninja Gaiden is a button masher but makes it work. You don't have to button mash, find combos or use different weapons.

The Controls (w/ presentation):
I played this game using the gamepad and the pro controller. Using the gamepad on the TV is pretty useless when it displays the move list but very useful when switching weapons or increasing skills or weapons. Using the pro controller makes it feel great. Playing Ninja Gaiden on this feels like no other. I got use to the controller and it just feels good. I would recommend getting the controller to play this game, it cost about the same as the PS3 and 360 controllers. The boxart looks nice, Ryu cutting thru what I can tell is a body. Full on color booklet and insane replay value.

Ninja Gaiden 3 Razor's Edge is a huge improvement over the original title, when I heard this game is also being release on the PS3 and 360, I was going to wait it out for it to see it they added anything new, but it's the same so I went with this, and everyone should experience how amazing this game really is, but not everyone will like it so give it a shot and don't just listen to the reviewers try it for yourself and see, I'm glad I did.

Overall:

Story: 7.5
Gameplay: 10
Sound: 8.5
Graphics: 8.5
Controls: 10

Overall: 8.9

Get the full article at GameSpot

"xDanny123x reviewed Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor's Edge for the Wii U..." was posted by xDanny123x on Wed, 27 Feb 2013 15:29:10 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/ninja-gaiden-3-razor-s-edge/user-reviews/808065/platform/wii-u/ Fri, 22 Feb 2013 16:08:29 -0800 xDanny123x reviewed Paper Mario: Sticker Star for the 3DS... http://www.gamespot.com/paper-mario-sticker-star/user-reviews/807851/platform/3ds/ ...and gave it a 6.5.

*Warning! This Review contains Spoilers, if you do not want to get spoiled then I suggest you finish the game or don't read the Review. Curious to know the Score just Scroll all the way down*

Paper Mario what can I say about this series? I remember the very first time I played Paper Mario back on the N64 around 2000 something (I forget) and my god I was amazed by this game, I fell in love with this game and then Thousand Year Door was released and damn that game is just purely beautiful. Super Paper Mario was a set-back on the series but it was good still... but then Sticker Star was released.

The Story:
Just like any other day Peach is throwing a party to celebrate a sticker comet (or something) and then out of no where (took me by surprise lol jk) Bowser appeared and decided to wreak the party. Legend has it when the sticker comet has appeared and the royal stickers are gathered, any wish will be granted, so I guess Bowser heard of the legend and wanted a wish, when touching the comet star it apparently exploded instead but still granting Bowser's wish and that wish is to be stronger that Mario? Kinda reminds me of the first Paper Mario. So after getting beaten by Bowser, Mario wakes up upon a destroyed festival. Thus Mario's adventure begins. Not much to say really except you gain a new companion named Kersti who is a sticker, a special sticker. She guides you to your new adventure. I must say I actually like the story, even if there wasn't much of it anyways, I do like how when defeating a royal sticker boss, you get to see how they acquire the power, it's adorable. Also near the end where Kersti sacrifices herself for some reason that got me, I was at the verge of tears, but cliche as it is Mario in the end uses his wish to revive her :P.

The Gameplay (w/ game mechanics):
The whole gameplay is different. No more Partners, no more level ups, no more BP, no more FP (taken away anyways in Super Paper Mario), no more of old Paper Mario. Instead we get a new sticker system where using stickers are the whole game. You need to find stickers to even fight enemies like jump stickers or hammer stickers, or item stickers like mushrooms, shells pow blocks, fire flowers, etc. plus every single sticker has a level based on them, from worn out stickers to regular stickers to shiny stickers and they each differ in power. As I mention before there is no level up system so fighting is pretty much worthless and no point just to waste your stickers but fighting is fun but only for awhile til it becomes a chore. You can also find real life items called "things". When finding a thing (and trust me you will know what they look like), you can turn it into a sticker and you can either use it in battle for exciting results or using it in the area for other results using a system called Paperization which can be used to stick stickers, peel paper out stickers, remove areas or replace areas which is needed to continue the game. Also no more exploring, they went with a world map. Simple but boring. You travel using the world map like in Mario Bros. ex. world 1-1, world 2-4, world 3-8 etc.

The Sound (sound effects, voice acting, etc.)
The Music is pretty damn dull, I didn't feel any of it like how I did with the original three, except for Kersti's sacrifice. Battle music is only just one track and it's not that great too. Boss themes differ depending on the situation or area, and they are also pretty dull but some are good. Areas, worlds music is also pretty dull but some are good. Sound effects are the same as always good and that's probably the only few good pluses about this.

The Graphics (w/ concept):
It's Paper Mario, what else can I say? The game is based on paper so everything resembles paper and cardboard. Also things look funny (in a good way) and when in use it looks good. The 3D is pretty good but I can hardly see much of it only at certain times.

The Controls (w/ presentation):
The game plays smooth, and it responds well. When using stickers you must time your attacks to do more attacks or more damage (depending on the sticker) and timing is pretty easy to get use to. Also whenever Kersti is with you you can use a slot during battle to see if you can score a bonus 1 or 2 extra sticker usage in one turn and a bonus depending on the slots like 3 mushrooms can net you a free mushroom use (instantly) or 3 pow blocks same free pow block etc. The boxart is pretty, tells it all like "Paper Mario" on the go, and full on details too.

Paper Mario Sticker Star is indeed a different turn on the series, and is now considered the bad egg on the Paper Mario series (IMO) but in a ways it's still not a bad game, just some elements made it bad.

Overall:

Story: 8.5
Gameplay: 5.5
Sound: 4.0
Graphics: 8.0
Controls: 8.0

Overall: 6.8

Get the full article at GameSpot

"xDanny123x reviewed Paper Mario: Sticker Star for the 3DS..." was posted by xDanny123x on Fri, 22 Feb 2013 16:08:29 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/paper-mario-sticker-star/user-reviews/807851/platform/3ds/ Tue, 19 Feb 2013 22:23:42 -0800 NightFox313 reviewed Armored Core: Master of Arena for the PlayStation... http://www.gamespot.com/armored-core-master-of-arena/user-reviews/807738/platform/ps/ ...and gave it a 9.0!

After 1998's disappointing sequel to the original Armored Core, "Project Phantasma" was deemed by many as more of an "add-on" rather than a full game. It was roughly half the length of the previous game and - in general - it just wasn't as good.

Armored Core: Master of Arena more than makes up for that. Released on 29 February, 2000 in the "land of the free and the home of the brave", this time around, the developer - From Software has dished out a true sequel to the original Armored Core on the Sony PlayStation. What From Software has brought to the mech-simulator table is a game that is engrossing and extremely addictive, and within its simplicity lies a video game that far outclasses Project Phantasma.

The story is what you've come to expect from the Armored Core franchise. There's the typical "corporation vs. corporation" in the futuristic time-period setting in which Ravens (pilots of Armored Cores, which are huge metal behemoths to put it one way) are hired as mercenaries, but there's more this time around. Building on to the Arena Mode from Project Phantasma - and like the title implies - Master of Arena revolves around a time-period after the first two titles. It's pretty much the aftermath of what happened, and the Ravens that are out of work (since there literally is no work to be done) turn to the Arena to keep a roof over their heads.

Oh, come on. You know what it is. Money. Like something out of F-Zero, flocks of Ravens (see what I did there?) - bad and good - take part in this Arena on a quest for fame, fortune, and cash. And maybe women too. However, that's not the way the main character sees it. You're the same AC pilot from the first two games, and you're now seen as a high-ranking Raven because of your efforts that you made in previous missions. It sort of gives this sense of realism in the fact that you're actually a respected individual compared to how you were a mere "dog of war" mercenary in the beginning of the first game. Anyways, the gist of the storyline goes like this: You are sent on a mission to help save some guy who's hiding from some adversaries in a truck. You blast through a couple baddies here and there - and when you do find him... Bam. A shot from across the room blows up the truck. You find out that the cruel, heartless punk that shot the innocent truck driver is "Hustler One", who pilots an AC called "Nine-Ball". This guy is one of the most awesome villains you'll probably ever meet in a video game. But I won't spoil anything, other than...

...Yes, he's a combatant in the Arena. He's Numero Uno and has been there for as long as anyone can remember. He almost never accepts missions and few challenge him. In other words, he's a guy that's not to be messed with - until now anyways. Apparently you've got some bad blood with Hustler One. Right from the get-go your operator buddy, Lana Nielsen, knows that you want to kill him.

From here, the long way up to the top begins. And it starts with a lot of fine-tuning and testing your AC (but with a save file from the first Armored Core or Project Phantasma you can carry over your already-awesome, fine-tuned AC to this game). Master of Arena seems to follow the same path that the other Armored Core titles did. You head out on your standard missions as a mercenary, accepting contracts and launching sorties and all that stuff - but suddenly there won't be any more missions for you to do. Here, it's less about helping needy corporations that want to achieve top dog and more about you climbing the rungs of the Arena so you can take out Hustler One. So if you run out of missions to do, then it's on to the Arena. The combatants in the Arena are extremely varied, which is cool because each and every pilot you face has their own distinct fighting style and some have an actually good, legitimate reason for partaking in the Arena. It's cool to know that there are other Ravens out there that want that No. 1 spot so bad - but none as bad as you, obviously.

Like the previous installments, this iteration has the standard Raven's NEST shop, where you can purchase and sell parts. There are even more parts from before, because by winning battles in the Arena both credits and parts can be earned. There's more Cores, Heads, and other items such as extra magazines, and two pairs of lasers that look like wings on your back. There's even more laser blades - which is always a good thing. Again, you're given the option to customize your AC however you like - as fast or as slow as you like, and the option to opt for a light AC that can zip around for fast advances and retreats instead of a slow-moving fortress is always welcome. In the gameplay department, there's nothing much that's different other than the Main Menu, which has been slightly upscaled visually.

There's not much bad to say about Master of Arena. Its presentation is amazing in how it presents the constant sense of competition while retaining the classic, futuristic vibe of Japanese mecha from the '80s. The music is a mix of trance, techno, and drum 'n' bass. And no, there's no wobble-wobble dubstep. Before dubstep, there was drum 'n' bass. And the music fits perfectly with the tone of this game. The sound is nearly identical with the previous Armored Core titles, but that's because it's running on the same engine. Visually, Master of Arena looks a tad more impressive than its predecessors. The stages that serve as battlegrounds for the Arena seem to look better-designed, cosmetically-speaking - and the levels near the end seem to show off better expertise with the PlayStation's limits in terms of visual design. There's just a great sense of art style and the ACs themselves always look sharp and are animated with fluidity.

Sadly, the same issues apply if you saw some of the negative points about the Armored Core games of Christmas past. The camera still seems to behave awkwardly in tight spaces, and there are moments where you wish the controls were a little more accessible, but if you're a seasoned veteran you should know how to handle your AC. Armored Core: Master of Arena is - to put it short - a great sequel, but if I could state all of the good points of this game, you might as well read my review of the original Armored Core.

Master of Arena does not disappoint. It stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the original Armored Core, however it sits a lot higher on the pedestal than Project Phantasma. This is a game that is innovative, setting the bar of how sequels should be handled - with intensive care. And a lot of care seems to have been put in with this game - and while the mission count may be short, the Arena more than makes up for it. And there's two discs, with the second containing extra content, so that boosts the replay-value even further, especially when you can replay missions over again once the main storyline has been beaten.

And don't expect to find a battered and bruised copy of Master of Arena anywhere - chances are no-one's dared to reluctantly hand in this gem to a used game store nearby, because once you pick this game up you probably won't stop playing it for a couple weeks.

Get the full article at GameSpot

]]> http://www.gamespot.com/armored-core-master-of-arena/user-reviews/807738/platform/ps/ Fri, 01 Feb 2013 10:48:32 -0800 NightFox313 reviewed Medal of Honor: European Assault for the PlayStation 2... http://www.gamespot.com/medal-of-honor-european-assault/user-reviews/806995/platform/ps2/ ...and gave it a 8.0.

Medal of Honor has transformed. Like many other early Electronic Arts franchises, they were starting to hit the dust at around 2005-2006. Medal of Honor, as a franchise, is no exception - as the series itself has begun to show its age and it definitely shows in this game. However, its premise doesn't lie in its core shooting mechanics, but it's more about how the game takes you through the European Theatres of World War II. And it doesn't stop there. The game encourages you to explore and learn how to work together cooperatively with your team. It all comes together as one unique package, but it does come with some faults.

In this installment in the long-running Medal of Honor series, you play as a man named William Holt - a lieutenant in the OSS - or the Office of Strategic Services, The OSS was pretty much the "granddaddy" of the CIA. Since you play as an OSS officer, things are different this time around. There are your standard primary objectives, but then there's your secondary objectives. These smaller objectives are harder to find, but reward you with a better ranking at the end of the mission. They are scattered around the environment and thus the game encourages you to explore the vast levels in this game. This gives the game a little breathing room - the earlier games were so linear and straightforward, but European Assault is unique in its own right with providing the player the ability to explore the level and probably find a few secrets or two such as extra ammunition or medical kits.

There has been notable changes, gameplay-wise, to European Assault. It's sort of less about the espionage and the infiltration that Jimmy Patterson did in Medal of Honor: Frontline, and more about the shooting. The HUD has been altered so it's not just a useless compass anymore, but a radar that shows you your primary and secondary objectives, along with the positions of your team mates. This time, you're with company - and let me say this - they're very helpful. The ability to manage a squad of your own makes you really feel like you're one of the superiors, and issuing commands in European Assault is fast and easy. You can order them to clear out a building for you should you have dangerously low health, or you can have them scout ahead if you're feeling a little queasy about the dark and snowy roads ahead. European Assault is quite a different Medal of Honor title. It has iron sights now and the guns feel tough and gritty. The game even has a sort of arcade-like presentation to it. This game implements a life-system - and should you die, a Revive can be used to bring you back to life and finish the fight. Or continue it, if need be. These Revives can be found by completing primary and secondary objectives, and you are given a small amount at the beginning of the mission.

Following this arcade-like feel are the icons that are displayed whenever you achieve a kill-streak or score a headshot. Also, whenever you score a headshot, a red meter fills up. This is the Adrenaline Meter. The meter was inspired by the game's military advisor, Captain Dale Dye, who was also the advisor for earlier Medal of Honor titles. He explained how he once was caught in gunfire during the Vietnam War, and how the ran as fast as he could to get out of there - with the bullets flying past him. He felt like he was invincible, and that he was receiving such an adrenaline rush that it was this that pretty much saved his life. Now, with the Adrenaline Meter, you can relive his experience. The meter can be filled up by performing heroic deeds, such as completing mission objectives, scoring headshots and kill-streaks, and even using one of your own Medical Kits to heal your friends. When this meter is filled up, you can commence use of the Adrenaline Mode with the tap of a button, and you are invincible to damage and have unlimited ammunition for a short period of time. The screen dons a red filter and the noises of gunfire and bullets whizzing past you are slowed-down and amplified. The first time I used this was an exhilarating experience. I had extremely low health and I had to sprint across a graveyard to get to a church, and all of my comrades were dead. I just used up the rest of my ammunition to build up the meter, and then I used it to just run past all of the enemies just to get the heck out of the red zone. Every time I used the Adrenaline Mode, it made me feel breathless. Like Dale Dye himself during the Vietnam War.

The game's objectives, other than your standard "take out the flak gun" or "destroy the tanks blocking the allies' progress" are varied. There's even a Nemesis - or to put it a different way - a boss. These bosses are higher-ranked Nazi officers and so they have top-secret documents. Fighting these nemeses are optional, but if you want to receive a better rank on a mission so you can have more Medical Kits at the start of the next one, then these are pretty much mandatory. These are pumped-up, intense battles between you and the Nemesis. These encounters are short but epic, and when they do show up - it's killing time. And someone's got to die - and it sure as hell better not be you. Nemesis are in pretty much every mission - and these missions can vary from four campaigns - with each having only a handful of missions.

From a visual standpoint, European Assault is pretty darn good. The lighting is exceptionally well-done, and character models - while decent, have a poor array of textures. Faces are blurry and their equipment looks even blurrier. However, these can be dealt with because there can be so many people on the battlefield at a time, and the action is always fluid and jaw-dropping. It's a shame though that the same can't be said for the Nazis. The models look like clay and the animations for them aren't all that great. They don't move with fluid animations and so they sort of animate like zombies. But at least the sound and music department are awesome. The music isn't composed by Michael Giacchino this time around, but by Christopher Lennertz. It's interesting, because Lennertz has his own unique style that has a more of a war-like feel than Giacchino's scores, which dabbed on the Nazi war anthems and cleverly slipped-in motifs. The sounds are great, because they're backed-up by THX. The guns sound like guns and not toys, and the explosions are fierce and the bullets ricocheting off of the walls sounds great. Too bad the same can't be said for the voice acting, because it isn't that great. Holt sounds very bored and uninspiring, and the allies' lines are almost cringe-worthy, but if you can get past this issue, then it should sound fine to you. The only voices that are worth hearing are the cries of Nazis when they are issuing orders. They're not over-used and not annoying, which is definitely a plus in my book.

The difficulty can range from relatively easy to punishingly difficult. The earlier missions are manageable, but when you get to the Russian campaign, it all starts to get more intense. In European Assault, Nazis can now run while shooting, and so it's extremely important that you rely on your friends during firefights - because heading out alone can cause you to get shredded apart and cost you a revive. And then your Adrenaline Meter will drain and you'll have to start building it up all over again. The later levels are hopelessly frustrating and will probably make you want to punch a hole in the wall, but if you feel like you're seasoned enough you might stand a chance - especially on that last mission.

There's not much to do other than the campaign mode, and there are no unlockables at all. This leaves a severe dent in the replay value, because if you don't have someone else to play with in the multiplayer mode it gets boring real fast. There's no real incentive to replay the past missions that you've been through other than to get more Medical Kits or revives, and complete the objectives. However, the multiplayer mode supports up to four players and it's fast and fun. There are tons of modes to choose from, such as Capture the Flag, King of the Hill, Blitzkrieg, Nemesis, and others. There are tons of maps and in general there's a lot of variety and fun to be had in the multiplayer mode that can provide hours and hours of fast-paced action.

While Medal of Honor: European Assault doesn't really strike a chord in my first-person shooter self, it tries to set the bar for the genre and it has sort of made a mark on it too. It has a great, fluid team-based system but the story and overall presentation hampers the otherwise solid game. The story isn't too much to care about and the game is unreasonably short. There's little replay value save the multiplayer mode, and after the credits roll there really isn't anything you're missing out on in the game. But the music and sound are great, and the campaign is fun while it lasts. Medal of Honor: European Assault stands out as a game that is nothing short of non-stop action and a muddled story. It shows too - but it can't really hold a balance between gameplay and story, and so the ending doesn't seem to hold up well with the earlier phases of the game.

There's other first-person shooters out there, but considering how this was very well the last nail in the coffin for the Medal of Honor franchise before it started to hit the fan, it's definitely a solid FPS that's worth checking out.

Get the full article at GameSpot

]]> http://www.gamespot.com/medal-of-honor-european-assault/user-reviews/806995/platform/ps2/ Wed, 30 Jan 2013 14:20:01 -0800 NightFox313 reviewed Midnight Club: Los Angeles for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/midnight-club-los-angeles/user-reviews/806929/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 7.5.

I'm reviewing the Complete Edition.

Midnight Club has come a long way since its first installment in 2000 back on the Sony PlayStation 2. It received decent reviews and RockStar went on to produce some sequels, including Midnight Club 2 and Midnight Club 3: Dub Edition. The series has undergone through multiple changes that has molded it into what it has become today. Gone are the days of being a shady street racer that evades the cops and relies on peeling out the tires to put bread on the table. There's no more original cars and since the third installment all cars are now licensed. Going to different countries to continue your career mode progression has been discarded.

So yeah, I think Midnight Club as a series has changed. And it's changed a little bit too much for my liking.

"Liking" - in the case of Midnight Club: Los Angeles, released in 2008. The series as a whole has evolved into something different. And it's not that being different is a bad thing, but to those who have played through the previous games, you'd probably get what I mean.

The game starts you off as a middle-aged man named Judas who has moved to good old L.A. from the East Coast of the United States. The street-racing champ there, Booke, challenges you to beat his reputation, but that you have to start off by building your own street cred up and get better cars. So here's the gist: You start off with a crap car, and eventually you work your way up the ladder until you can school this Booke guy in a race.

It's no Need for Speed: Most Wanted in terms of story, but it's passable. However, it's a shame that each of the characters are so two-dimensional, and it really detracts from the feeling of the game. Judas as a whole isn't that good of a protagonist and his constantly witty and sarcastic attitude is relatively cliche, with really sloppy line delivery in all areas of pretty much every character in the game. But Midnight Club shouldn't surprise you - if you know what to expect. There's the standard Arcade Mode and Career Mode. The setting is Los Angeles and - really - I've got to hand it to RockStar on this one, because the city is nearly perfectly accurate. Seeing how I've been to the City of Angels myself, the city looks flashy and gritty during the day and full of competition and fat wallets at night. In other words: L.A. is a busy city. And it shows in this game. You could literally ask your friends or your own parents, and ask them if they ever worked in Los Angeles (or if they still are). You could even show yourself cruising around the city and they'd recognize all the landmarks, and you could probably drive right by where they worked. It's that fantastic - the attention to detail here is stunning. And of typical Midnight Club mechanics - there are shortcuts everywhere. You can drive through alleys, through building complexes, and pretty much anything that looks like a car can fit into it.

Anyways, it's time to move onto the meat of this game. The racing. The standard junk cars that you drive in the beginning of the game are eventually going to be replaced with faster, stronger-built cars. And let me tell you one thing: This game is fast - intensely fast - but not at first. You might be disappointed about how slow your Volkswagen Golf is and how it can barely keep up on the freeways, but when you finally get that Mazda RX8 or that motorcycle, this game truly shines. The feeling of the extreme speed and the rush that you get from this game is exhilarating. The game is filled with variety, too. There are different kinds of races - some include the standard Ordered/Unordered checkpoint races, while others include freeway races (which can be started as easily as finding a racer on the freeway and flashing your headlights and predetermined waypoints appear) and even the new Landmark Races. These races involve meeting a racer at a red light and flashing your headlights, which will signal the other racer that you want to race. Almost instantly, you're into the action. A waypoint is placed on a random landmark and when the light strikes green, you peel out and start racing. It's this sense of action and fast-paced driving on-demand that makes Midnight Club: Los Angeles a little more unique than its predecessors. Cars can be customized right down to the steering wheel, bucket seats, and even the doors. Colors can be used to spray over the whole car, or on certain parts such as the hood or the front or rear bumpers. There's the standard neon, window tint, and other kinds of little things that make the customization so obsessively addictive.

Also, a new dynamic weather system has been implemented as well, along with real-time day/night phases. These make the cruising around L.A. worth it. There's nothing like cruising down the coastline in your lowrider while the sun sets, and the action is just as fun during the day as it is at night. Weather is variable in numerous ways, and it can vary from cloudy to clear skies, along with a way-past cool rain effect. L.A. has never looked more beautiful before, and the visuals are gorgeous for 2008.

Gorgeous, but not that gorgeous. Midnight Club: Los Angeles does have its blessings, but before you go back to read all of the good points I've made about this game so you can count them, you'd better stop yourself now and read the rest of this. Midnight Club has had its history of its share of bugs and glitches, but this game blows them all away. There's a ton of issues that this game has, and I can justify each and every one. For one, this game has serious texture loading issues. I mean, it's understandable that there are a lot of things to load in this game, but one time every single texture in the game was replaced with an excessively blurry one for around a minute. There's no excuse for that on a next-generation console! Also, cars can spawn out of nowhere, which means you could risk running into one while on the freeway and risk losing a race. The police are here as usual, but even they're glitchier than they were in the third game. Should you ever commit an infraction when the police are watching you, you have the option to pull over and pay the fine, or drive away and risk getting arrested unless you evade the fuzz. However, there was one moment where I was caught speeding by a cop, but I drove quite a long distance until I stopped so I could pull over, but right before I was going to get stopped, the cop entered "Arrest Mode" and I was arrested. I had stopped my car to get pulled over just to get arrested. I stopped for nothing! It's these kinds of tiny things that sort of give the game a sort of unfinished feel and look to it. All of a sudden, Los Angeles isn't a beautiful city, but more of a jagged, unorganized mess.

It doesn't stop there. To pretty much everything I liked about this game, there's just one thing that makes me turn away from it. Take the game's camera, for example. I know that a lot of developers are striving to make games with a lot of camera shake to make them look more "action-packed" and "cinematic", but honestly - the default camera in this game is excessively annoying. The camera shake is a nuisance, and it changes the angles at bad times. If you choose to use a nitrous boost, the camera zooms in on the left side of your car, almost right up to the wing/fender mirror. The LEFT side! How in the world are you supposed to see anything coming from the right side, or even in front of you? Also, if you try to drift in this game at a high speed, the camera keeps the car on the far left or far right side of the screen, so you can see the road better. But - again - there is almost no way to see the opposite side. The camera also struggles to track your movements, and it's laggy and annoying. Thankfully, however, there are other camera options to use, such as Classic, Static, Cockpit, and Bumper. The cockpit is a very nice addition, however. You can see the actual interior of the car, and this is where the interior customization counts. Each and every detail is shown. You could walk into a 2008 RX8 in real life, take a gander at its instruments and buy one in the game and notice that it's nearly identical.

Another gripe I've got with this game is the difficulty. Like you've probably read from other reviews, this game is easy at first, but later on it's ridiculously and frustratingly hard. The rubber-band AI is back and more evil than Savo from the second game. Midnight Club: Los Angeles requires cat-like reflexes. If you screw up from one crash, it's pretty much over. One mistake and the race is lost. But it's not the other racers that make up the hardest parts of this game. This game has some Time Trial challenges, and these are harder than the racers themselves. Sometimes you'll get flooded with calls with people saying that some racer has beaten your time trial, and then you find out that it's at a ridiculously impossible time. This mode is extremely difficult, and you don't get to use your own car. Almost all of the time during these challenges, you are forced to use a really slow car - usually a muscle car with little to no upgrades. And the "one crash and it's over" rule applies here more than anywhere else in the game.

However, there's some things that the game did right. Remember the cell phone from the first Midnight Club? Chances are you don't - or you never played it - but it's back in this outing. However, it's not quite as the same as it used to be, which is fine. Back in the first game, the cell phone was used to call up racers to race them for additional vehicles, but in this game racers call you. And trust me - you'll get a lot of calls. The problem is, is that whenever the phone pops up on the bottom left corner of the screen, it covers the mini-map and now you can't see where you're supposed to be going. Thankfully, this doesn't happen during races, but when you're trying to get back to your garage but you don't want to access the map (which is very cluttered with a bunch of color-coded icons, dots, and arrows) and the phone pops up, you pretty much get lost. But, once again, RockStar has made it easy for us by providing a "Go to Garage" selection at the pause menu, so it's all good. But you can't cheat with it. So that means you can't just randomly teleport to your garage in the middle of a police chase just to make a quick getaway.

Midnight Club: Los Angeles succeeds in areas where it fails in others, with the latter being greater in number. The visuals are stunning but texture problems and over-reliance on motion blur and camera shake slightly hamper the presentation. The sound effects are great, however, and the sounds of the roaring engine from a V8 have never sounded better in any other Midnight Club. The music selection is okay, and it's a lot better than in the third game, but it's still lacking in some areas. I'm not too much of a rap fan, and that category comprises most of the music selection. However, those of you who like their rap will most likely enjoy the music to be found here. I've heard that you can import your own music from your device, but I've never tried it out myself. The voice acting is a little hammy but forgivable, and the customization and the racing is fun. Cars feel like cars, and using the cockpit view on a motorcycle makes you feel like you're flying. Seriously. Try it.

Sure, the game is littered with problems, but overall it's an "alright" game. The included add-on packs with the Complete Edition boost its replay value with the ability to explore more of the city, and an online mode is always welcome to have, though I've never tried it out. Even after finishing the game, there's still plenty of racing to do. It's a shame though that no split-screen mode could be implemented, but considering the package that you're getting from this monstrosity of a PS3 game, the amount of content is pretty large. There are secrets and unlockables to find and cheat codes to unlock, and there are plenty of cars to try out and race with or against. There's a lot of fun to be had in L.A, but unfortunately Midnight Club doesn't have enough to round out its rough edges. There's just too many things that riddle the game with a name that is synonymous with "buggy" and "broken", and the difficulty is unforgiving.

But if you can forgive the game for its faults and dig deeper where its true potential lies, you could probably find a fast-paced driving experience that you can truly enjoy without worrying about actually trashing your car on the highway.

Get the full article at GameSpot

]]> http://www.gamespot.com/midnight-club-los-angeles/user-reviews/806929/platform/ps3/ Tue, 29 Jan 2013 16:08:09 -0800 NightFox313 reviewed Erie for the PC... http://www.gamespot.com/erie/user-reviews/806904/platform/pc/ ...and gave it a 8.0.

I think Erie's broke some ground here.

Developed by Master Games Studio, Erie is a Nuclear Horror indie game for the PC. And yes, it's free. You play as someone who - somehow - ended up in an underground nuclear facility that has had some strange occurrences happening lately. Your objective is to escape from the facility by jumping into Lake Erie, but not before you figure out what's really going on around here.

The atmosphere is definitely on the creepy side. Right after the game is launched and the "Play" button is clicked, the atmosphere is instantly dark and mysterious. A baby can be heard crying in the distance. The room is abundant in fog. It all adds up to this constant dread and fear of something is nearby. And the worst part is, is that you could very well be right.

Finding out what's going on in the facility is optional, however. There really isn't a story - not unless you want there to be one. Pages are scattered around the environment, akin to other indie games such as Slender: The Eight Pages, Slender: Mansion, Slender: Prison, Slender: Eighth Street, Slen... well, you get the point. Collecting these pages are purely optional, though by reading them you get an insight on the story and how to escape from the facility, and some background info on the creepy-crawly things in the dark.

The game actually gives more of an SCP: Containment Breach vibe. Pages aren't mandatory to collect, but reading them definitely ups the scare factor.

From a visual standpoint, the game is jaw-dropping gorgeous. There are light-shafts. Reflections. Real-time shadows. All that jazz that you'd come to expect from the Unreal Engine. The environment is a little stale, but there are variations in the facility, such as generator rooms, a small office, bathrooms, and small tunnels that require you to crouch to hide in them. There is no music, and the ambiance primarily serves as the nightmare fuel.

And then there's the sound. You think you're safe as you sprint as fast as you can across a long tunnel, until you hear it. This, indescribable, ear-piercing growling and screeching noise. Then you know it's coming. It comes around the corner. Its twisted, augmented, mutated flesh turns towards you and its eyes glow a sickly blue color. It pounces towards you, and the only thing you can do... is run. The action is fast-paced. There are several maneuvers that your character can do, although he is unnamed. There is the standard WASD movement, along with the SHIFT button to sprint. But there are other things too. There's a jump button, and even a slide mechanic where sprinting and crouching are combined to slide, should you ever need a quick getaway into a small hiding place. But there's nothing like the feeling of being followed, approaching a dead-end, sliding into a small hidey-hole and finding out that you missed it. This game is pretty creepy, but I've played scarier games before.

However, for those looking for a good scare, Erie is definitely right up your alley. It offers a good combination of action and the good-old nuclear horror movies that were abundant in the fifties. This game requires quick thinking and the ability to keep calm in very tense situations. And let me tell you this: the game is very intense. Get ready to venture into the eerie depths of the unknown with this unique Nuclear Horror indie game, Erie - from Master Games Studio.

(And I forgot to mention one thing you might need to play this game: You might need a fast computer and a relatively powerful graphics card to run this game. There is no "Settings" menu, but a way to adjust the game if it lags is to go to the Erie folder and go through the folders until you find something that looks like "BaseEngine", which is a Notepad-based text file so you can manually tweak the graphics to your liking. Then use Ctrl+F and type in "ResX". From there you can type in whatever resolution you want, and you can change some of the settings for the visuals from "True" to "False" if the game still lags.)

Get the full article at GameSpot

"NightFox313 reviewed Erie for the PC..." was posted by NightFox313 on Tue, 29 Jan 2013 16:08:09 -0800
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/erie/user-reviews/806904/platform/pc/