stephenage's GameSpot Friend's Reviews stephenage's GameSpot Friend's Reviews stephenage's GameSpot Friend's Reviews en-us Copyright (c)1995-2013 CBS Interactive. All rights reserved. http://www.gamespot.com 20 Thu, 06 Jun 2013 21:23:06 -0700 GameSpot stephenage's GameSpot Friend's Reviews http://img.gamespot.com/gamespot/shared/promos/misc/gs_logo.gif http://www.gamespot.com 135 40 Sat, 01 Jun 2013 18:12:08 -0700 pokecharm reviewed Hitman: Absolution for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/hitman-absolution/user-reviews/811971/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 7.0.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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"pokecharm reviewed Hitman: Absolution for the Xbox 360..." was posted by pokecharm on Sat, 01 Jun 2013 18:12:08 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/hitman-absolution/user-reviews/811971/platform/xbox360/ Sat, 01 Jun 2013 11:21:36 -0700 VictorReviews reviewed Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King for the Wii... http://www.gamespot.com/final-fantasy-crystal-chronicles-my-life-as-a-kin/user-reviews/811957/platform/wii/ ...and gave it a 6.0.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: My Life as a King is an interesting blend. The game combines the acclaimed Final Fantasy series with simulation and managing. On paper the idea isn't bad, especially for those familiar to the Rune Factory or Atelier series. Still, it raises the question, is simulation really what Final Fantasy needs or is the game yet another disappointment in the series? Keep reading to find out!


Gameplay:


In this game, you play as the son of King Epitav from Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles. Your main job is to build a kingdom with the help of a crystal that grants you the power to magically make structures appear. All you require to do this is a place to build, memories of the structure that you want there, and magicite, which is one of the game's currencies. Memories can be obtained through various means. For example, you can look at a drawing of the place that you want to build.


When you build a house or another structure, people will magically appear inside of it, making your town's population grow. While initially you only have three characters in your town (the king and his two "helpers", Chime and Sir Yurgh), it eventually grows so big that it's hard to recognize individuals.


The game is divided in days, similar to others in the genre. Each day, you will receive taxes from your townspeople that you can spend in improving the kingdom. You'll also be able to do other daily tasks.


Even though you have to manage many things, most of your free time will be spent speaking to the townsfolk. Talking to others boosts the town's morale, which grants certain bonuses. Sometimes, when you talk to the citizens, they will give you special requests, similar to your typical RPG quests. However, these situations are very rare.


Speaking with citizens is the most boring task in the game, since they repeat the same lines over and over and most of these lines aren't even interesting. The game does a bad job at balancing the gameplay, making every day a tedious task. Fortunately, you can skip ahead in time and just attempt to do the managing part of the game, but that hinders your progress a little, since morale is needed for some parts of the game.


This game has an RPG aspect to it as well. You can hire adventurers to serve the kingdom and clear dungeons, which progresses the story and earns you some interesting things, like magicite. However, you can't really see what adventurers do, but rather read reports about it, which is understandable given the filesize limitation, but still a disappointment.


Another important aspect of the game is DLC. With DLC, you can buy costumes for your characters, extra dungeons, or more races among your people. These things, however, end up being no more than a neat extra, and don't add much to the gameplay.


Overall, the game utilizes some good ideas, but the execution is bad, due to long, tedious days spent talking and reading the same lines over and over.


5/10


Presentation:


The presentation is good. The graphics are nice, with pretty character models and buildings, but there's little variety. There are some cut-scenes which use the game's engine but they're nothing special.


The music is solid, but really repetitive, since there aren't many songs. A little more tunes would have been appreciated, but again, it's understandable because of the filesize.


Overall, this feels like any Final Fantasy game, but with noticeable limitations. It's not completely the developer's fault though, but more due to technical limitations.


8/10


Story:


The game's story continues where Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles left. Without a home, the prince is left to wander looking for a place to live. One day, he stumbles upon the crystal that grants him the power to make buildings appear (this power is called architekt) and decides to rebuild the kingdom.


The story is very clichéd and there's really not much to it. Given the game's nature, not much was expected, but having the citizens say more interesting things and talk more about their lives would've been a nice addition.


6/10


Replay Value:


After clearing the game, new game+ is unlocked. It lets you keep some items and play on a higher difficulty that makes dungeons harder for adventurers (which means you just have to order them to grind more), but since there's not much novelty to it, players are unlikely to be thrilled about replaying the game.


The DLC can add some extra hours of gameplay, but it's just in the form of some extra dungeons.


The game does a good job in terms of replay value, but the appeal of playing much after clearing the storyline once simply isn't there.


8/10


Fun:


This game is tedious, so it gets boring fast. Talking to citizens couldn't be less appealing, which takes a lot from what is otherwise a well made game.


Still, if you're into managing games, there's some fun to be had, and the game can be addictive at times, but you shouldn't expect much.


5/10


Overall:


The game has an interesting premise. However, the bad execution turns this adventure into a chore. While there's some fun to be had, it doesn't justify the purchase. You're better off skipping this one.


6.1/10


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]]> http://www.gamespot.com/final-fantasy-crystal-chronicles-my-life-as-a-kin/user-reviews/811957/platform/wii/ Thu, 30 May 2013 23:22:05 -0700 naju890_963 reviewed Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/metal-gear-rising-revengeance/user-reviews/811904/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 9.0!

Did you ever wonder what's it like to play as a cyborg ninja? If that never crossed your mind, than shame on you sir. Metal Gear Rising gives you the chance to play as Raiden, a cybernetic ninja protecting VIPs under the wing of Maverick a private military company. But things take a turn for worse as a terrorist group under the name of Desperado Enforcement LLC ambushes Raiden. This leaves him with a thirst for vengeance and plans to hunt down Desperado at all costs. MGR is by means no Metal Gear Solid. It's a spin-off and plays totally different from your average MGS game. Instead of the usual sneaking routine you'll be fighting your way through countless waves of enemy cyborgs through sheer force. Is it worthy of the Metal Gear name? Let's find out.

Metal Gear Rising is all about swords. These are not your average blades, no not all. These are called High frequency blades which are basically normal blades but with a very high frequency current going over them. Thanks to this feature these swords have the power to cut almost everything. That's what Rising is all about, cutting everything in sight from enemies to buildings. Obviously it's quite limited. The developers don't want the players to ruin the level by cutting everything and leaving nothing but a desert of nothingness.

The game's story mode is structured in chapters which is great cause you'll definitely want to replay older chapters to find collectibles. Honestly no other hack and slasher comes close to the awesomeness in MGR. You've got your usual combos and moves along with the whole "Cut everything at will" thing but the highlight of the gameplay must be the blade mode. When Raiden enters blade mode everything slows down and the HF blade becomes even more powerful. This allows the player cut to everything with high precision. For this ability to activate Raiden needs fuel cells which operate like a stamina bar. Also health pickups are very different from most action games. Raiden needs to cut the enemies torso in half in order to absorb nanopaste which heals up Raiden. This helps keep gameplay fast, although the animation that Raiden does when he absorbs the nanopaste could get a bit irritating.

Ninja run is an ability used to run faster, climb obstacles and buildings automatically when in use. When this ability works as it was meant to, it feels amazing. But the ninja run suffers a lot from control issues. Sometimes it can be quite annoying to climb something or even just get out of the way of a wall or a rock. Not to mention it's quite spotty, Raiden goes flying off the screen at the slightest touch when using ninja run. But for the most part it works fine. Like any other action game, MGR also features an upgrade system. It uses battle points as a currency which can be acquired easily by making a mess of your enemies. This whole upgrade system is the reason why multiple playthroughs are necessary. Theirs no way that all the items and upgrades can be bought with one playthrough's worth of battle points.

While it's clear that this game has deviated from the MGS formula quite a lot it still retains some of its charm. Cardboard boxes, alert phases and codec calls all make a return. The way they're incorporated don't feel tacky at all as some stealth aspects are still present. It's obviously not as robust as an MGS game when it comes to stealth but sneaking around and killing of a few enemies using the mandatory execution from behind that seems to be in every action game these days, is rewarding and can help make the actual fight a bit easier.

MGR is quite unforgiving. On normal difficulty it can be very challenging for those who aren't well acquainted with action games. Parrying is especially difficult as it must be timed at just the right moment at can take some time to fully master. MGR is quite moody, it likes to swing a lot from totally serious moments to just plain stupid. This can be ignored for the most part but it can ruin the feel of the moment at times.

Like other Metal Gear games, Rising has the usual lengthy cutscenes. Don't worry they're not as long as the cutscenes found in MGS4 but for those who don't care theirs always the skip button. It's been a Metal Gear tradition to include crazy bosses. Rising excels in this department and delivers some of the craziest bosses this series has ever seen. These boss fights usually consist of two parts. The part where you get to fight them one on one and the part with the quick time events. Quick time events get a lot of bad rep within the gaming community but they actually work here.

Remember those awesome VR missions in MGS1 or 2? You know the ones were you'd have to control either Snake or Raiden and complete a challenge within certain parameters. They make a comeback in Rising and they couldn't be better. Each mission must first be found while playing the regular story mode and they're usually hidden really well so be on the lookout. Apart from VR terminals there are plenty of other things to collect throughout the story mode. Things like data storages, hidden enemies and left commander arms give players a reason to replay the game. Theirs plenty of collectibles in here for any completionist nut.

Originally Metal Gear Rising was going to use the FOX engine but after being handed over to platinum games things had to be downsized a bit. Still even though it doesn't look as impressive as it would originally have, it plays at a solid 60 frames per second which more than makes up for the FOX engine. Some frame rate dips do occur especially when using blade mode but these rarely tend to happen. The soundtrack contributes to a lot of the wow factor found in the set pieces. It really helps hype up these epic moments. Their isn't much more to say about the stellar soundtrack, it's fantastic and fits the game's feel perfectly.

All in all Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance is an incredible effort by Platinum. It may be short in length but the action it provides in this short span of time is more than enough to meet the needs of any action junkie.

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]]> http://www.gamespot.com/metal-gear-rising-revengeance/user-reviews/811904/platform/ps3/ Mon, 27 May 2013 17:36:10 -0700 LoG-Sacrament reviewed Thomas Was Alone for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/thomas-was-alone/user-reviews/811787/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 4.0.

Before I start, I have to establish a couple things. A simple game is one that wastes no effort on superfluous aspects and still manages to be a fulfilling game. Simple games are efficient, elegant, admirable, and generally worth your time. A simplistic game may initially seem to have the qualities of simple games, but it is not fulfilling. Simplistic games are incomplete, not fully thought out, and poorly balanced. Thomas Was Alone can be better described as simplistic.

The player controls numerous rogue artificial intelligences visualized as rectangular shapes living in cold block-like areas reminiscent of giant pixels. Rather than seeking domination of their fleshy counterparts, these AI's just want freedom and community. However, in their way are digital environments, security devices, and potentially themselves.

The AI's include Laura, who can't jump very high but can serve as a makeshift trampoline for companions. John can jump over large objects but his height prevents him from accessing certain areas. Claire is both bulky and a poor jumper, but she can navigate pools of acid where others cannot. Thomas is the everyrectangle, having no remarkable physical abilities but no major hindrances either. There are more quadrilaterals, but it mostly comes down to the same theme. They all have weaknesses that make going it alone impossible, but they can overcome anything if they work together.

The problem is that there are a lot of levels and not a lot of fulfilling ideas. Forming the team into a staircase to allow the less athletic members access to higher areas is interesting a few times, but the point is delivered long before you see the end of such puzzles. Other, more one-off, puzzles just clumsily mimic the more charming narration. They engage the player visually, but add little weight to the interactivity.

These sorts of minimalistic games thrive off using a little to say a lot. It can be refreshing to see a simple and evocative game in the face of bloated blockbusters. While Thomas Was Alone certainly uses little, it says little as well. It is simplistic rather than simple.

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"LoG-Sacrament reviewed Thomas Was Alone for the PlayStation 3..." was posted by LoG-Sacrament on Mon, 27 May 2013 17:36:10 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/thomas-was-alone/user-reviews/811787/platform/ps3/ Mon, 27 May 2013 16:25:39 -0700 Pierst179 reviewed LEGO City Undercover for the Wii U... http://www.gamespot.com/lego-city-undercover/user-reviews/811784/platform/wii-u/ ...and gave it a 8.5.

Any child who has ever toyed around with a Lego set has eventually dreamed of building something huge with those glorious tiny pieces, and in our youthful lack of skill we tried - and most likely failed - to construct ships, buildings, trains, rockets and entire cities made of colorful bricks. In our minds, those projects were entirely possible to materialize, and even if they never came to fruition in any shape that vaguely resembled what we had originally planned, we kept imagining and dreaming. The Lego games are, in a way, the fulfillment of those wild childhood thoughts; not only projecting those objects on the screen, but also making them move and take part in some over-the-top situations. Without an inch of doubt, Lego City Undercover is the biggest game of the series yet, and although size does not always translate into quality, in this particular case the game takes advantage of a considerable expansion to climb far above all of its predecessors.

To explore the marvelous city, players will assume the role of the seemingly unshakable Chase McCain. After accidentally revealing the identity of a key witness during an important investigation a few years earlier, Chase was removed from the city's police force and sent to develop his skills elsewhere. However, when a huge wave of crime, lead by the evil Rex Fury, strikes the city, Chase is promptly asked to return in order to aid the police in capturing the criminal. In order to do so, Chase will have to utilize his fantastic disguise abilities to infiltrate a number of the town's many gangs in order to reveal Rex Fury's plan and discover where he is hiding before it is too late. As a consequence, Lego City Undercover offers both the traditional GTA outlaw moments - after all, one must pull off some really outrageous thefts in order to be accepted in a gang, and segments where you play as the good guy trying to save the day.

Comparisons to GTA should not be reserved to the occasional law-breaking activities the game demands of players; it ought to be also applied to the game's fantastic world. Lego City is just huge. The city is divided into about twenty different districts, each with very distinct characteristics, which makes each one of them full of personality and easy to identify. The extravagant spirit of the series allowed designers to throw a little bit of everything in one fully-connected map without making the place look overly uncanny. Lego City has portions clearly inspired by San Francisco and New York; in addition, the place offers one national park, one space center on an island, a rural area, a Chinatown, a Venice-inspired Italian neighborhood, a fancy touristic beach, and much more. The fact that the missions usually send McCain all across town serves as a natural invitation for players to go and explore at will, and a lot of time will certainly be spent looking around for secrets and things to do, because it is simply impossible to resist the charm of Lego City.

The game features two basic types of quests during the course of its main story. The first type usually involves having Chase drive around the city while performing some sort of task - like avoiding the police, for example - or finding a way to navigate through the buildings and rooftops in order to get to a certain spot; meanwhile, the second sort of mission works as the normal levels found in every level game, meaning they are self-contained and feature their own collectibles and locations. While the former kind explores a more environmental style of gameplay, where Chase must explore his surroundings, act like a clumsy version of Spider-Man in his attempt to climb buildings and go through obstacle courses; the latter is a much more settled-down and puzzle-focused gameplay that is familiar to the fans of the series, where Chase will use his abilities to unlock doors, find objects and beat down enemies.

TT Fusion was incredibly sensible in the setting-up of the game's main story, because the two kinds of missions are nicely alternated, always offering a change of pace that makes the game very playable for long stretches of time without making players feel worn out. The fact that there are a whole bunch of collectibles scattered across the city is just an added layer of gameplay that further enhances the game's pacing, because like most open-world games, Lego City Undercover gives players the choice to do things their way. If a player wants to quickly go through the story because they simply cannot wait to see what is coming next, then that's absolutely viable; on the other hand, if a player wants to do some side-missions because he is imply not in the mood for another dash of puzzle solving, then the city will be right there for the taking.

Each of the game's many areas offers around fifteen extra missions. Some are more on the complex side, like stealing a car and taking it to a warehouse, chasing a criminal before he manages to escape with his recently stolen vehicle, stopping the havoc caused by gangs, and doing some time trials either by driving through some very nicely designed courses on the city's streets or by running around obstacle courses on the roof. On the contrary, others are just a matter of finding something, like an ATM to smash, a cat to rescue, a vase of plants to water or conquering the neighborhood by finding a high spot where a flag can be unfolded. And if those tiny missions sound like they are not enough, which would be odd as they total more than 200, there are characters and vehicles to unlock - which are found as tokens hidden in the city's areas, and Lego structures which will either aid McCain or beautify the city waiting to be built.

Like many games nowadays, Lego City holds a whole lot of content. But unlike many of them, the game is absolutely effective in drawing players towards the collection of that content; it is the game's greatest quality, and one that is directly derived from the amazing design of the city, which hides many delightful and rewarding locations. The game, however, stumbles in one particular area that ends up working against prowess. Though exploring Lego City is undeniably alluring, the city only becomes fully explorable in the later stages of the game. Opening certain doors and getting to some locations can only be done after Chase acquires a few abilities; it is a natural quirk of the Lego games, but it is something that does not work well with the open-world nature of Lego City Undercover. While inside the isolated missions it generates the necessity for backtracking for those who want full completion, something that is the norm with Lego games; outside in Lego City it creates the situation where after going exploring and finding a neat nice location, players will be unable to open a door or press a switch due to the lack of an ability. Not only is it slightly frustrating, but it creates limitations in a game that thrives when there are not any.

Another issue that somehow harms the game is how uninspired combat is. Whether you are inside individual missions or out in the city, McCain will eventually come across groups of baddies looking to beat him down. However, those few minutes of fighting will become a boring chore within a few seconds, because Chase cannot be die or be defeated (another characteristic that has been inherited from past Lego games) and the mechanics for fighting are just way too simple to cause any sort of excitement, as bashing the punch button is pretty much everything players will have to do. While Chase's invincibility works perfectly fine for the platforming sessions, because it avoids the hassle of having to replay certain portions of the stages; it removes any of the thrill that could be gained from combat. Put in Chase's lack of variety in his moves, and players will naturally sigh whenever fighting comes up.

Yet, those shortcomings do not stop the game from being fantastic. Pretty much everything else about Lego City Undercover is very well-done, including its graphics. Though the characters are very simple in their design, after all they are Lego toys, the city is not. The buildings and locations are completely packed with little details that give the place a lot of life, and the vivid colors of Lego City suspend the place above reality, adding a lot of charm to it. Loading up the city takes a while, but once the game is set to go, it takes off in the visual department. Some problems do arise due to the game's scope: vehicles, which are loaded on-demand, sometimes pop out of nowhere; and frame rate dips occur in very busy locations. Those drops, however, with the exception of one specific area, are not annoying.

All in all, Lego City Undercover is the first stellar third-party exclusive to hit the system, and TT Fusion has done well in utilizing the system's unique controller either as a map, or as a scanner that when aimed towards the screen allows Chase to investigate his surroundings. It is a game that has over twenty hours of extra content to go along with its fifteen-hour main quest. Its few core issues are directly related to the line of games it belongs to, and how some of its quirks did not adjust so well to the vast ambitious project that is Lego City. Other than that, the game is blessed with the same charm, silly humor and great cutscenes - this time with full voice acting - that have always been such an important component of the Lego games.

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"Pierst179 reviewed LEGO City Undercover for the Wii U..." was posted by Pierst179 on Mon, 27 May 2013 16:25:39 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/lego-city-undercover/user-reviews/811784/platform/wii-u/ Sat, 25 May 2013 20:07:14 -0700 AK_the_Twilight reviewed Tomb Raider for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/tomb-raider/user-reviews/811722/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 7.0.

The Tomb Raider series might have been the rise of Lara Croft in the early years of the Playstation, but at this point, the series has been coasting on its legacy. We haven't seen a fresh imagining of the legendary adventure series in years. Lara Croft's role as a breakthrough female lead is set in the history books of yesteryear instead of on the internet forums of today. Crystal Dynamics, the company involved with many of the more recent Tomb Raider titles, have delivered a remedy to that sentiment. In an ambitious move, the development house has reshaped expectations for Tomb Raider by delivering a dark and unsettling reboot for the series. With survival over sensationalism being the name of the game, Lara's back in business. While it's a solid reboot with an alternative tone unlike anything else seen in the series, gameplay annoyances and a neglect of the series' key values keep the new Tomb Raider from combatting its peers in quality.

Tomb Raider's story begins with iconic video game heroine Lara Croft in a different kind of role. Instead of the brash bombshell that we've grown to know, this Lara is a fresh young archaeology upstart. After enlisting in her first research expedition on the Endurance vessel, Lara convinces her fellow crew members to deviate from the set path and explore the dangerous Dragon's Triangle region to find the rumored kingdom of Yamatai. Things get shaky when the ship enters a treacherous storm and the entire crew is separated and stranded on a mysterious island. Lara awakens on the island, and after a rather harrowing escape from a cave prison, discovers that the island isn't uninhabited after all. The story progresses, with Lara regrouping with friends, discovering new enemies, and learning more about the dangerous island she and her crewmates are trapped on. While the new Tomb Raider has its signature adventure vibe, the core theme is Lara's growth as a survivor. While she begins the story as an ambitious, but rather timid soul, the game shows Lara ultimately growing into someone who will do anything to survive. It's not as steady as in other similar games, but once Lara makes her first kill, you begin to see the motion clearly. The secondary characters are interesting and the setting offers for some intrigue, but Lara remains the star and it's her transition that makes Tomb Raider's story stand out from past games in the series.

This Tomb Raider is an interesting point in the long-running series. The original Tomb Raider and many of the series' later entries were pioneers in their genre, taking cues from action films like Indiana Jones while mixing in exploration and puzzle elements seen in games like the original Prince of Persia. These cues also caused Tomb Raider to be a major influence on a later, similar franchise, Naughty Dog's Uncharted series. Now, this 2013 reboot shows that the student has become the master; it's clear that Uncharted was a major influence on this Tomb Raider. This new Lara Croft adventure focuses on a number of extremely over-the-top action sequences, a la Uncharted, but unlike in Naughty Dog's hit franchise, these sequences don't possess the same amount of creativity. Lara will escape out of collapsing caves, scale giant radio towers and dash through burning temples, and while these are very well done, many of these ideas are reused far too often. This is mostly caused by a more limited scenery variety; the forests, cliffs, and caves are fine, but this isn't a world-traveling game, so there are no traintop firefights or jungle chases. Tomb Raider is at a disadvantage here, but for what it has, you will find plenty of harrowing encounters.

However, these encounters suffer from a painfully excessive amount of quick-time events. Many of these moments are of the typical "press X to not die" situation, where one missed button press can result in instant death. While these offer a sense of tension, it simply cannot be ignored that these are far too frequent. Having to redo a stage portion just because you missed a cheap button press is obnoxious, ruining the pacing of the gameplay. Quick-time events also appear in combat and are noticeably tough to get a hold of. It's easy to see why these would be implemented, as (once again) Uncharted has made them rather commonplace in the genre, but even that series had too many and Tomb Raider has even more. The quick-time events are so frequent that their negative impact on the game flow is absolutely impossible to ignore, throwing mud on the face of what would otherwise be an amazing action-adventure title.

Tomb Raider's combat takes more cues from Uncharted, offering cover-based combat and multiple weapons. The combat sequences are nothing too special; Lara can use weapons like a pistol, shotgun, or her trusty bow, with each weapon having different pros and cons in the heat of battle. The cover system is easy to learn and taking out a crowd of enemies can be pretty frantic. Dashing from cover to cover is intense and while the enemies aren't going to earn any Ph.D.'s, they will use some varied tactics like flushing Lara out with explosives or burning cover with flames. The introduction of melee techniques and stealth kills are great as well, but many of the combat situations can be solved with a solid headshot instead of a clever blend of tactics. It's a bit disappointing, but the combat in Tomb Raider is still pretty fun, through and through.

Exploration and puzzles have become a cornerstone in Tomb Raider's gameplay legacy, but this reboot tones down both of those considerably. While Lara's repertoire of exploration skills like climbing and jumping are good and relatively important all around, you won't find too many reasons to go off the beaten bath (unless you're after some rather insignificant pickups). The puzzles are damn near ignored outside of the very few hidden Tombs, which offer rewards like maps, treasure or hidden items. These Tombs usually require some thought not only to complete, but also to find, but compared to other more puzzle-centric adventure games, they aren't nearly as challenging. Many involve simple uses of weights or switches and aren't very rewarding at the end of the day. It's a shame, because the element of puzzle-solving has been an important factor in the Tomb Raider formula as late as Tomb Raider Legend was years ago. This neglect is discouraging and doesn't make Tomb Raider as interesting a game as it should have been.

The replay value in Tomb Raider stems from the rather large number of side quests. You can find hidden GPS caches, relics, or secondary objectives like burning faction flags, but many of these are so rooted in completionism that you can't help but feel a bit bored after searching for the thirtieth GPS cache. You can earn XP from completing these objectives, which can be spent on new upgrades and techniques. While the idea of earning new abilities is great, these moves are not in any way required, or in some cases, barely useful at all. Lara can hunt animals (which is nowhere near as important as the trailers suggested) or upgrade weapons with salvage or custom parts. These are fine additions, but don't do much to broaden the gameplay. It's about as intricate and inventive as checking off items on your grocery list at the supermarket. The multiplayer is absolutely forgettable, suffering from bleak servers and an inexcusably low amount of creativity. You're better off saving your online time playing something else. Tomb Raider has a lot to do once the campaign is over, but none of it feels essential or even distracting enough to be worth revisiting.

In contrast to the Hollywood flash and flair of past Tomb Raider games like Tomb Raider Legend and Tomb Raider Underworld, this Tomb Raider is a gritty and dark adventure into the realms of survival instinct. No better example is the graphics. Lara's struggle to survive is illustrated in an almost cringe-worthy fashion, as many of the situations she must go through can result in her dying in extremely gruesome ways (like being impaled in the throat on a branch in a river rapid or being smashed against a rock in a beach undertow). Even when she's not being killed, Lara goes through some very painful situations. One in particular has her treating a wound by burning it with a hot utensil, resulting in a scene that isn't just difficult to watch, but it also goes on for way too long (a couple minutes, in fact). While it's clear that these scenes are used to illustrate the struggle and pain of trying to survive in harsh conditions, they feel excessive, almost like they are only there because the developers wanted them to. Aside from these moments, Tomb Raider's aesthetic is a fine change of pace both from past Tomb Raider games and other games in the genre like Uncharted. It's not about sensational, cinematic flair anymore; this Tomb Raider is all about realism, but in a dark and gritty way.

The voice acting is very well done, with Camilla Luddington taking up the role of Lara. Her performance is shockingly convincing, with Lara's progression toward being a true survivor being demonstrated with varied mood and constant gusto. The writing is convincing and charismatic enough for every character, but the shift in tone from Lara's role specifically is what makes the overall voice acting so captivating. The musical themes are subtle and don't do too much to revolutionize the presentation, but the excellent sound effects are rough and rugged in the right ways. The sound design captures the tone perfectly, offering a compelling performance from the voice cast and some excellent audio effects that make a strong mark.

Tomb Raider's reboot deviates a bit too far from what made the series so memorable, but by introducing a potent and interesting tone for its iconic lead, it still manages to be stand out as a great move forward for the long-running series. From its great combat to its nail-bitingly intense setpieces, Tomb Raider modernizes the series into something far beyond what the recent incarnations have set. Lara's character has evolved; it'll be tough to see another Tomb Raider game without thinking of this reboot. However, a lack of compelling side-quests, a horribly high amount of quick-time events and a squandering of the puzzle and exploration elements we've grown to associate with Tomb Raider all make this reboot only a good game, when it really could've been something more. With the vision of Lara Croft now reshaped into this new installment of the Tomb Raider series, there really is no turning back for the franchise. The Tomb Raider reboot is a successful re-imagining of the story of one of gaming's most memorable female characters; it's not Lara's best, but you'd be hard-pressed to find another action-adventure game with this much blood, sweat and tears to spill in 2013.

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"AK_the_Twilight reviewed Tomb Raider for the PlayStation 3..." was posted by AK_the_Twilight on Sat, 25 May 2013 20:07:14 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/tomb-raider/user-reviews/811722/platform/ps3/ Sat, 25 May 2013 18:43:18 -0700 pokecharm reviewed Saints Row: The Third for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/saints-row-the-third/user-reviews/811721/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 6.5.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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"pokecharm reviewed Saints Row: The Third for the Xbox 360..." was posted by pokecharm on Sat, 25 May 2013 18:43:18 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/saints-row-the-third/user-reviews/811721/platform/xbox360/ Sun, 19 May 2013 21:02:42 -0700 The_Deepblue reviewed Uncharted: Drake's Fortune for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/uncharted-drakes-fortune/user-reviews/811494/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 6.5.

Often considered to be the Playstation 3's first must-own exclusive, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune is a platformer-shooter hybrid resembling the previous generation's Prince of Persia titles and the old Tomb Raider games. It starts with promise: Nathan Drake has partnered up with television personality Elena Fisher, who apparently hosts a television show that would probably be a staple series on the Discovery channel. She documents Nathan's recovery of his ancestor's (Sir Francis Drake) coffin from the bottom of the sea floor. There is no body within but instead the late Drake's treasure booklet, containing maps, pictures, and clues to a coveted treasure located in El Dorado. Assisted by his partner, the middle-aged, cantankerous Sully Sllivan, Nate and company embark on a grand treasure hunt.

The first few hours shine with promise. Aside from the captivating cutscenes, climbing around in the jungle and exploring a tomb or two sparks curiosity. The platforming is mostly smooth thanks to Drake's fluid movement and great animation, though not completely perfect. Similar to how one must press the "Z" button in 3D Legend of Zelda games to position the camera to line up Link's jump, you must do the same with Drake. While Link's jump looks a bit mechanical, Drake's is more lifelike, but his jumps will often be slightly off, making landing on smaller platforms a bit more tricky. Shimmying along walls and swinging from ropes and vines is pleasant, but the platforming does not escalate into any exciting territory.

From what I have seen from Uncharted 2 and the third installment in the series, with their movie-like action sequences, I thought the first would be more explorative. This is, after all, a game whose plot is centered on a treasure hunt. There are treasures to be found, which unlock concept art and behind-the-scene videos chronicling the making of Drake's Fortune, but this game has virtually no explorative qualities. As linear as a straight line, the tidbits of tomb-conquering quickly turns into a sequence of firefights.

Gun-wielding pirates are the only enemies for quite some time. These foes come in gangs, and they can shoot an airborne penny from a hundred yards away and throw grenades like world champion corn-hole players. Luckily, these gun showdowns take place in areas with lots of projectiles utilizable for cover. A good duck and cover system allows Drake to hide and shoot around corners. The controls for this system are fine, and without it some battles would be impossible to win.

However, you are put in more than a few damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't situations where if you emerge from cover, you are shot and killed, or if you stay in that position, enemies will flank you from an unexpected direction and slay you where you are. In these scenarios, the only thing to do is run around like a trigger-happy psycho and hope you kill them before they kill you. Kinda sloppy design. The firefights are fun for a while, however, but for some hours in the middle of the game, these sequences happen far too often, making the majority of Drake's Fortune a repetitive, predictable, frustrating slog. There are a few set-pieces such as a water-ski getaway sequence, but that particular piece is hampered by annoying control and, of course, relentless baddies that are crack-shots regardless of their shooting distance.

There is little else to keep Drake's Fortune fresh and interesting. A plot twist of sorts causes the game to pick up its pace near the end, but by that time fatigue has set in, making the ending desirable. The first Uncharted still looks great, though it is a six year old game. The animations are smooth, environments illustrious, and the musical score induces an Indiana Jones feel. All of the positives can be savored for a fine experience, but the repetitive bulk of the game with its frustrating firefights hardly make this a treasure worth playing.

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]]> http://www.gamespot.com/uncharted-drakes-fortune/user-reviews/811494/platform/ps3/ Fri, 17 May 2013 03:23:03 -0700 naju890_963 reviewed Metal Slug 3 for the PlayStation 2... http://www.gamespot.com/metal-slug-3/user-reviews/811398/platform/ps2/ ...and gave it a 8.0.

Metal Slug, a series best known for it's frantic gameplay and challenging difficulty. SNK's third outing in the franchise, Metal Slug 3 is critically acclaimed and loved by many fans of the series and it's deemed to be the best game in the franchise. While I personally never played a Metal Slug game before this one, I can't deny that MS3 is incredible. Metal Slug 3 was originally released in the arcades on the NEO-GEO MVS hardware which was a dominant force in the days of the arcades. Along the years it has been ported to many different systems, including the Xbox, PC and PS2. The one I'll be reviewing is the PS2 version.

Metal Slug is a series that has always thrived on ridiculously frantic gameplay and Metal Slug 3 doesn't fail to deliver. It's as frantic as ever. It does have a few new additions since Metal Slug 2/X. While no new weapons were added, SNK brought in a couple of new vehicles. One of these vehicles is an ostrich with a machine gun mounted on it. That's why I love this game. It's just goofy, the whole series has a great sense of humour. Apart from a few changes, Metal Slug 3's gameplay is still classic Metal Slug. That's not a problem at all. Metal Slug is one of those games were it is easy to pickup but hard to master. It can really get overwhelming sometimes and death can become unavoidable. Metal Slug 3 has four playable characters, which all play and feel the same. Their's also some backstory, which I wasn't bothered to read because personally I come to Metal Slug for one thing, gameplay. But it might interest some die hard fans of the series.

Gameplay wise, MS3 is very similar to previous entries in the franchise. Almost identical actually, except for a few new mechanics. Levels can actually branch out and can be played differently each time. This adds a lot to replay value. Metal Slug is all about non stop action. I love how it keeps at it all the time and rarely let's down. Most of the time, the screen will be filled with gunfire, soldiers and gigantic bosses. Speaking of gigantic bosses, these are probably the craziest bosses you'll ever see in a 2D run and gunner. They take a lot of hits too and most of the time there are standard soldiers running with them. The bosses don't require much strategy but they are still challenging none the less. A few gimmicks are present in some levels. In a particular level if the player dies, he'll be transformed into a zombie were he is immune to gunfire but still can die if other zombies attack him. I feel like they are a worthy addition and can help break up the gameplay at times. Weapons remain unchanged but I don't feel like that's a problem because they are all fun to use. SNK compensated for that and brought in a couple new Metal Slugs.

Metal Slugs resemble tanks but way wackier. Most of them have machine guns mounted on them, but some might have some special secondary weapons. They'll offer extra protection too. There is one metal slug available for each level. Their isn't much to say about the controls, they work great for the most part but I have a small gripe with them. In one level in particular I found myself on a platform with enemy soldiers underneath me. But for some reason it doesn't allow me to shoot below me which was a real pain as I had to restart the level and take them out first before proceeding upwards. It's nothing to cry about but it did manage to bother me for a while. Graphically it looks very close to the MVS version, I personally see no difference and it's a well done port. Metal Slug features that iconic announcer, you know the one.

The soundtrack rocks too, perfectly fitting. The console versions feature two bonus modes that can be played after finishing the main game. They are fun to play for a while but I didn't find myself going back to them nearly as much as I did with the main game. I would definitely recommend this version for anyone who hasn't played Metal Slug 3 but for those who did play it, I'd see no reason to buy this version except for the bonus modes which aren't that special to begin with. Overall I found Metal Slug 3 to be fun as all hell, fans of 2D games must check this one out.

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"naju890_963 reviewed Metal Slug 3 for the PlayStation 2..." was posted by naju890_963 on Fri, 17 May 2013 03:23:03 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/metal-slug-3/user-reviews/811398/platform/ps2/ Thu, 16 May 2013 06:25:07 -0700 pokecharm reviewed Where's My Perry? for the iPhone/iPod... http://www.gamespot.com/wheres-my-perry/user-reviews/811368/platform/iphone/ ...and gave it a 6.0.

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

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

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

Get the full article at GameSpot

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get the full article at GameSpot

"pokecharm reviewed Bulletstorm for the Xbox 360..." was posted by pokecharm on Wed, 15 May 2013 07:45:17 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/bulletstorm/user-reviews/811333/platform/xbox360/ Sat, 11 May 2013 04:33:39 -0700 chocolate1325 reviewed Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon for the 3DS... http://www.gamespot.com/luigis-mansion-dark-moon/user-reviews/811202/platform/3ds/ ...and gave it a 9.0!

The first Luigis Mansion was mainly critcised for being to short and being a bit lack in terms of replayability and it was also very easy. Well the sequel Luigis Mansion Dark Moon is a massive improvement.

Story

The game starts where Crystal Shards have been shattered across various mansions. Professor E Gadd notices this and calls back Luigi to help retrieve them.

Gameplay

Luigis Mansion doesn't have a variety of items just your standard Vacuum Cleaner Polergeister 5000 and Torch but things like your torch can be upgraded to have a bit more power to suck ghosts in. You also get something called a Dark Light which lets things that should really be there come back to the area. It is vital because of either doors or wardrobes and sometimes Boos hide in places as well.

There are 6 different themed mansions in the game and that is what the first one lacked. The missions are set out from the word go. You get informed of something wrong in an earlier mission and towards the end find the source of what is causing it such as a boss. The bosses are very well designed and some are really fun and puzzles in themselves but not to hard to figure out.

At the end of each mansion you are ranked on damage,speed,money and are ranked on how well you did but also it is worth replaying the missions not just to get a better rank but to look for jewels in that particular section. The ghosts can make it hard because earlier in the game they are simple to catch but later they might be shielded and the environment can make things tricky as well.

Also throughout each level a bone can be found to resurrect you if you run out of life and also there are little bonus rounds as well.

The game has a multiplayer mode called Scarescraper. One is called Hunter Mode where 4 Luigis work together to get a many ghosts as possible before time runs out. Rush Mode is where you try to reach an exit floor before time runs out and Polterpup mode where Luigis try to catch Polterpups. This adds replay value to the game and makes it feels unlike it's predesscor to have replay value.

Are there any faults with the game. Yes some sections particularly walking on balance beams can be a bit tricky and affect your overall performance in the game. The Polterpups can be a bit of a pain as well and also maybe another slight interference in the game is Professor E Gadd talking to you every 5 minutes at the beginning of the game. Yes if you die you don't get checkpoints but to be honest it's not like each mission is like 2 hours long they are basically up to about 30 to an hour long but that's not a big problem.. Also the Toad sections are annoying but there aren't to many of those missions which is okay.


Presentation

The best looking game on the system at this moment in time. The 3D effects are lovely and with Luigi being a bit of a coward and a bit scared always adds a few laughs to the game. The game has alot of great humor and Luigi really fits this game really well.

Lastability

The main quest about 10 hours possibly but you might play some missions again for a faster time and better rank. As well the multiplayer is fun to and you should get some joy out of it.

Overall Opinion

Luigis Mansion Dark Moon is one of the best games on the system so far with an excellent main quest and the multiplayer being a nice bonus feature. The game should keep you glued to your 3DS for a few weeks. With great humor and impressive graphics Luigi has finally showed he can possibly match his brother high standards. Hope this is the start of many games for the lanky green brother of Marios. A game you should not hesitate in getting for your 3DS. Go buy it now.


Overall Score 9 out 10

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"chocolate1325 reviewed Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon for the 3DS..." was posted by chocolate1325 on Sat, 11 May 2013 04:33:39 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/luigis-mansion-dark-moon/user-reviews/811202/platform/3ds/ Fri, 10 May 2013 18:51:40 -0700 Pierst179 reviewed Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed for the Wii U... http://www.gamespot.com/sonic-and-all-stars-racing-transformed/user-reviews/811188/platform/wii-u/ ...and gave it a 8.5.

In all of the gaming industry, there is no niche where there is a domination as huge as the one that exists on the kart racing one. All games and teams that venture into the realm know exactly what needs to be done, which is to produce a game that draws positive comparisons to Mario Kart. After all, not only was it Nintendo that created the often-copied formula, but Mario and his crew have been executing it masterfully for over two decades. During that period of time, only a very restricted number of titles é out of which Diddy Kong Racing and Crash Team Racing stand out - were able to break the monopoly, each for their own reasons and pronenesses. Sonic Racing Transformed manages to enter that select group, and it does so by fixing the flaws of its predecessor, and offering a fantastic mix of challenge, content and outstanding track design.

The first noticeable feature that makes Sonic Racing Transformed stay away from being just another kart game is exposed right on its title. The game does not focus solely on wacky automobile competitions. Instead, the races take place on the water, in the sky and on the land. It would not have been such a refreshing concept but for one detail: tracks are not based on a single vehicle; each one of them presents segments that demand different racing approaches, forcing characters to magically go from one vehicle to the other on the fly. With the exception of a few rare instances when the vehicles behave oddly in the milliseconds following a transformation, the transitions are mostly smoothly done and add a lot of excitement to the race. Aside from the fantastic visual value of, for instance, going up a ramp with a boat and watching as it turns into an airplane in the midst of a battle for a position, the transformations also have strategic value, because as flying is considerably faster than the other two options of movement, the racing tracks will offer opportunities to transform into a plane earlier, rewarding those who find ramps and taking off spots.

Speaking of the tracks, they are yet another point that heavily benefits from the blending of vehicles, and are the clear highlights of the game. Courses take advantage of that opportunity in two distinct ways: they are either built so that three vehicles are used during the same lap, or they present environmental elements that alter the path in between laps. Therefore, even though the game contains sixteen original tracks, plus four extracted for its predecessor - all of which are kart-only é it feels like much more, because as they mutate, tracks often become different to the point of not being recognizable. As if all that work was not enough, the game's tracks are also packed with alternative paths and shortcuts, which add a lot to both their already high replayability and to the element of surprise waiting within each race.

In a genre usually dominated by multiplayer-focused games, Sonic Racing Transformed brings forth a whole lot of single-player value. There are two main modes where the solo fun resides: Grand Prix and Career. The first one is nearly self-explanatory, players compete against nine other characters in four-race cups to see who ends up with the biggest amount of points. In total, there are ten cups, equally divided between regular and mirrored ones, and the difficulty of each can be chosen among four distinct options. Meanwhile, in the Career mode, through which most of the characters are unlocked, presents individual challenges that include regular races where players must finish in a certain position, time trials, boost challenges and racing duels against a series of characters. According to the difficulty chosen for each challenge, players will earn stars, which can then be used to unlock gates that are either protecting new characters or more challenges.

For a game as colorful and seemingly kid-friendly as this one, it packs an immensely surprising amount of challenge. While the high level of difficulty is extremely welcome, for it considerably boosts the time that can be spent playing solo, some of its implementation is questionable. Facing at least a portion of the game in the hard difficulty is key if players want to unlock certain characters, and open a few gates hiding some of the more advanced challenges. It is all fine and good if the player in question is experienced; youngsters, however, will most likely be overwhelmed by the many hours of practice one must go through if he wants to clear a good part of the game.

The core problem here is that practice is not the only thing required to go through the entirety of the game; patience is also extremely important. Like all games of its kind, Sonic Transformed presents an assortment of items that can be used during the race. Unlike Mario Kart, however, the items you get are not heavily dependent on the position you find yourself in. Meaning that while leaders are boosting their way through the tracks with powerful items, people in the middle of the pack might be struggling with simple powers. As a consequence, a big part of the game's result, especially on the hardest levels, relies on luck. Though those occurrences are annoying on Career mode, they can be even more frustrating during a Grand Prix, where three straight good races can be destroyed by a bad race where players - which always start at the back of the grid - are unable to reach the leaders because they are too busy being hit by an army of items. Regardless of how good a player is at speeding through the tracks, finishing 1st will usually demand many tries, and an eventual victory is most likely to come due to sheer luck of getting the right item at the right time.

In general, though, Sonic Racing Transformed is a very pleasant game to play. Not only is the game bursting with the personality extracted directly from fantastic Sega properties - including a vast selection of characters, each with very a very unique trio of vehicles - it is also a software that can be enjoyed with friends. The multiplayer gameplay is not restricted to especially designed modes. It is, instead, available in any mode of choice - with the exception of Time Trials - and, by taking advantage of the Wii U gamepad, the game allows for up to five players to battle each other on any of game's many Grand Prix tournaments, Career Mode challenges, or online matches. Whoever holds the Wii U gamepad - which on single-player works as a map display and a rear view mirror - will play on the controller's screen, which despite its average size produces very nice visuals, while those who hold the Wiimotes will share the TV. Though it is not used in any asymmetric and creative way, which is totally understandable given the nature of a racing title, it is nice to be able to avoid split-screen when playing in pairs.

While its predecessor suffered from constant frame rate problems, this is a game mostly free from that issue, and that is no small feat. The tracks are full of activity. Aside from ten racers throwing items and shoving each other, there are plenty of traps going around, scenario details to be processed at the game's relatively fast speed, and that all goes without mentioning how some of the courses suffer mutations in-between laps as a result of explosions, and other kinds of physical destruction. Throw into the bag the fact that the game looks really great, and holding it all together through the entirety of the race becomes quite a technical achievement. Besides being exciting by their fast and frantic nature, races are boosted by a nice soundtrack which is highlighted by some tunes that have been selected from games that present a very powerful soundtrack.

Often, when a good game of the kart racing genre hits a Nintendo platform early on, it tends to be labeled as a title that exists for the purpose of temporarily satisfying any racing needs that players might have until Mario Kart comes around. This time, though, the Nintendo Wii U has received a game that will not simply be thrown away once Nintendo unleashes a new installment on its longstanding racing series, but one that will be able to compete side-by-side with it regardless of how great the next Mario Kart will be. Sonic and All-Stars Racing Transformed has tons of content, which aside from simply racing include over 100 collectible stickers that serve as awards for the completion of achievements, a nice degree of vehicle customization, and a huge load of the undeniable charm of the Sega franchises. Put some good level of challenge in there, which is sometimes unfortunately done cheaply, and you have a lasting, fun and rewarding title.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"Pierst179 reviewed Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed for the Wii U..." was posted by Pierst179 on Fri, 10 May 2013 18:51:40 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/sonic-and-all-stars-racing-transformed/user-reviews/811188/platform/wii-u/ Tue, 07 May 2013 22:08:22 -0700 WTA2k5 reviewed BioShock Infinite for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/bioshock-infinite/user-reviews/811097/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 8.5.

Who dares doesn't always win, apparently. BioShock Infinite is a game that far too often goes only halfway in realizing its many grand ambitions. It dares to speak on ever-relevant issues of racism, classism, and nationalism, but in an odd twist of irony, it marginalizes these plot elements that, in the real world, often lead to oppression and marginalization to instead focus on some good old-fashioned mind-bending speculative science fiction. It admirably deigns to not fall back on jarring cutscenes, but predicates most of its major mechanics on familiar shooting structures, leaving most of its truly affecting moments to be navigated through singular button-presses, that is, if you are given the opportunity to have any real input in these moments in the first place. It wants you to lose yourself in the visually engrossing but philosophically abhorrent world of Columbia, but many of the floating city's major players are paper-thin caricatures, and the game's wealth of audiologs feels cheaper and more overly-convenient than ever.

Still, it must be said that the fact that Infinite even partly accomplishes any of the tasks that it sets out for itself is hugely impressive. Considering many games have difficulties spicing up even the most rote shooting mechanics, unleash a deluge of cutscenes and quicktime events on players at every possible opportunity, and often struggle to not, themselves, be racist, BioShock Infinite stands out as an important step forward for big budget games that strive for serious artistry and drama. Irrational's latest isn't the gaming medium's magnum opus of cultural expression that one might expect given the game's self-serious artistic posturing, and huge critical acclaim, but it's still an utterly important release, and a damn good one too.

This is because there are plenty of things that Infinite gets totally right. The game's astounding audiovisual presentation is perhaps the foremost place to start. The game doesn't overtly flex any technical wizardry in the way an id or Crytek release might, but its sheer artistic splendor makes it one of the very best looking games of this console generation. At the root of this is no doubt the game's stellar environment, which ranks among the pantheon of gaming's greatest settings.

In the game's opening hour, players are slowly, calmly introduced to the seeming utopia of Columbia, an opulent, sun-drenched city above the clouds defined by exaggerated American expressions. Bright, idyllic gardens surround grand Palladian building; a peaceful stillness remains pervasive even through bustling storefronts and chatting citizens, only to occasionally be interrupted by enticing music selections (seriously, pay attention to this game's soundtrack), or - as players will encounter soon after arrival - a gleeful carnival complete with silly games and booming fireworks.

The game is wise to devote such a long period of time to simply navigating and luxuriating in its enticing environment, as Columbia is a true marvel that demonstrates the fact that Infinite's surely ungodly budget was put to good use - Irrational's hugely talented art team seems to have been truly unleashed. And though the game reserves for itself a few more simple moments of quietude, players will also soon discover their chief motivation for the rip-roaring action that consumes the vast majority of Infinite's running time.

Lead by the self-righteous and disturbed Father Comstock, most of Columbia's denizens have adopted a worldview that takes notions of American Exceptionalism to ridiculous but no less frightening extremes. Here, other religions have been extinguished in favor of a faith that idealizes America's founding fathers, as well as Comstock and his family, and all but the Anglo-Saxon adherents to this dogma are marginalized, reviled and exploited. This, as you might imagine, is causing some problems within the floating city, and tensions continually escalate from the moment you arrive.

But don't ready your spinning skyhook just yet, as there's quite a bit to dissect with this hefty plot setup. As mentioned before, Infinite has no qualms about diving headfirst into seemingly risky storytelling territory. But, much like the original BioShock's awkward and contradictory critique of Randian Objectivism, Infinite handles its set of sociopolitical critiques in a rather bumbling, heavy-handed, and ultimately ineffective way. For most of the game, these heavy themes of discrimination are mostly shock with little substance. Early on, for example, players will find themselves in the headquarters of The Fraternal Order of the Raven, an environment whose every last bit of iconography - including statues of John Wilkes Boothe, and enemies garbed in darkened Klu Klux Klan robes - spews bigoted filth. Troubling, to be sure, but this environment is never explored to a satisfactory degree in a narrative context. We are never told what drove the Order's members to this disgusting mindset, or what function it plays in Columbian society as a whole; instead we're instructed to simply tear through the environment, dismembering every racist we can find. Indeed, almost every one of the game's on-the-nose explorations of racism and jingoism seems to exist as more out of a desire to simply justify Infinite's absurd level of bombastic violence than a willingness to earnestly and cerebrally comment on these weighty issues.

It's a true shame, but again, the fact that the game is willing to go to these dark places in an upfront and confrontational manner when most games dodge around similar issues or make heavy use of metaphor and allegory in order to indirectly speak on them is commendable, even if it keeps Infinite's apparent daring from being something to truly celebrate.

But there is a second major component of Infinite's ideological critique, one that is much more subtly woven throughout the game, and one that ultimately cuts much deeper. Forgiveness and rebirth, in regards to its inherent inclusion in many major religions, is relentlessly examined and scrutinized over the course of the campaign in some truly unsettling ways. This side of the game's narrative might be so uncomfortable, in fact, as to offend adherents to the faiths that Infinite draws some heavily parallels to with its own disturbing belief system. The fact, however, that these themes aren't merely dabbled in, as are the game's superficial commentaries discrimination, but rather made absolutely integral to the core narrative and explored fully and fearlessly leads Infinite, in this instance, to fully live up to its grandiose goals. This is the moment where Infinite's narrative triumphs, and I can only hope that more games follow in its footsteps in bringing to light serious thematic content in a more direct manner, as can be seen so often in other media yet so rarely within video games.

Alright, here's where you can start revving up your skyhook. As he progresses through the carnival that greets him as he first steps foot in Columbia, Booker DeWitt, the game's playable and decidedly not-mute protagonist, begins to fully unravel the noxious worldview of Columbia's inhabitants. On his way towards a strange raffle that serves as the fair's main event, Comstock's voice booms over a loudspeaker, warning the citizens of Columbia about the arrival of the False Prophet, a man who has the letters "AD" burned into his right hand. Sure enough, our anti-hero holds his hand up to reveal that exact marking. And sure enough, during this eerie raffle event, the Columbians take notice of the mark, and Booker DeWitt swiftly digs a spinning hookblade into the skull of the first police officer that attempts to apprehend him.

With this, BioShock Infinite reveals its heavy emphasis on twitchy shooter gameplay and ridiculous amounts of gore. Engaging in the game's slick shooting mechanics feels no different than it might in the latest Call of Duty game; guns have a fantastic sense of weight to them and the responsiveness and ingenuity of the game's heads-up display ensures steady environmental awareness despite the over-the-top freneticism of many of the game's combat sequences. But where Infinite's combat truly shines is in its surprising mechanical density. Vigors that grant Booker special powers like the ability to shoot electricity from his fingertips or absorb bullets and toss them right back at foes serve as the first extra layering. For those familiar with the series, these powers might seem quite like the Plasmids introduced in the first BioShock, and though they do perform the same function, they're implemented in a far more balanced way in Infinite than they are in its predecessors; they're powerful and readily available but must be dealt out conservatively, as the mana pool they run on is rather restrictive.

But as gleefully destructive as they can be, Vigors are decidedly uninteresting in the face of Infinite's more inspired new mechanics. Booker's ability to latch onto the aerial Skylines running throughout Columbia is perhaps the most mind-blowing gameplay feature of them all. Though the mechanic seemed rather unbelievable during its first E3 showing a couple years ago, it speaks to the ingenuity of the game's level design that fluidly navigating Skylines that weave throughout many of the game's rather conspicuous battle arenas while taking shots at enemies, a potentially disorienting feat, becomes effortless after only a few encounters. The verticality and freedom of movement this system grants the game is awe-inspiring, and almost attaches a sense of childlike wonder to the act of mass-murdering racists.

For the first few hours of gameplay, these are the mechanics that Booker is limited to. It's during this time that he seeks to accomplish a seemingly simple direction mandated by a mysterious client: "Give us the girl, and wipe away the debt." Though this phrase ends up holding more significance than an uninitiated player could possibly know, it nonetheless serves as the impetus for finding Elizabeth, a young woman whose power to tear holes in the space-time continuum has, perhaps expectedly, lead her to be sequestered on the looming, Statue of Liberty-esque research facility, Monument Island.

So, as one might expect, this ability of hers adds more than a few layers of complexity to what might've otherwise been a rather straightforward plot. As the extent of her powers is gradually revealed, a suitably mind-bending narrative begins to form that comments, among other things, on the frail nature of identity and the profound ways in which a single choice can influence personhood, for better or worse. Though the introduction of converging space-time might seem to risk devolving the story into an Inception-esque exercise in overly complex authorial self-indulgence, BioShock Infinite uses this storytelling conceit to build a truly tragedian narrative.

But Elizabeth isn't merely a means for crafting a brain-melting metaphysical storyline. Nor is Booker DeWitt a stupefied on-looker who hails from the same lineage of horribly flat shooter protagonists as Gordon Freeman, or Corvo Attano. They are both memorable characters whose defined personalities infuse the plot's affecting tragedy with a true sense of humanity. Elizabeth, on one hand, starts out as a surprisingly cultured and self-aware inversion of the classic damsel-in-distress trope, and her evolution over the course of the game's ten- to twelve-hour campaign is astonishingly well-paced and believable. Her exaggerated features and expressive animations that pay homage to the distinctive style Grim Natwick invented for Disney solidify her as one of the most memorable and empathetic characters in gaming. DeWitt, by contrast, is predominately a closed-book, limiting himself to practical, yet charismatic antics strongly reminiscent of classic swashbucklers like Han Solo until his dark past is fully revealed during the final act. When that happens, he extends far beyond his narrative role as a foil to Elizabeth, and the resulting revelations cut to the bone. Major compliments are due to Troy Baker and Courtnee Draper, who faultlessly brings this odd couple to life even through all the mind-blowing turns the story takes.

The duo also serve as a great team during Infinite's huge combat sequences. Though Booker, as mentioned before, is in charge of most of the direct combat, Elizabeth is a key ingredient in what makes the game's massive shootouts so dazzling. Most significantly, she uses her ability to alter time and space to bring objects into the battlefields that didn't previously exist. Asking for a wall of cover to hide behind when a dozen enemies are facing you down, or perhaps a Skyhook that lets you access a sniper perch adds an exciting tactical dynamism to combat that feels especially important considering the sheer number of foes the game throws at you. Since you can only select one object to tear in at a time, more heated battles require a constant mindfulness and economization of Elizabeth's power that is as exhilaratingly strategic as the best of tactical shooters.

A smaller, but no less genius touch is the fact that Elizabeth tosses you mana and ammo when it feels clutch. Even when it becomes obvious that she's scripted to do so whenever your resources are running low, the notion that an AI is looking out for you is relentlessly fulfilling, especially in a game that constructs a scenario that might've so easily fallen into the dreaded escort-mission trap. Indeed, going back to other first-person shooters has become tough, as Elizabeth is not just a delightful companion in a narrative sense, but she's also integral to the satisfaction of Infinite's moment-to-moment combat proceedings.

Each of the augments to the core shooting experience are satisfying in their own right, but once they all start working in tandem, Infinite's combat scenarios reach the upper-echelon of FPS sublimation. Not since Half-Life 2 has a shooter married pulse-pounding twitch thrills to a deeply strategic core so seamlessly, and while leaving so much room for experimentation. The gritty sound design that punctuates the action is equally superb; a combination of abrasive string stabs, impactful weapon sound effects and some truly horrifying enemy damage reactions unfailingly sell you on the weighty ferocity of the mayhem you cause.

All this, of course, sounds amazing, and on some level it truly is. But consider this: for all its fast-paced entertainment, Infinite's combat never fully works. In a mechanical sense, it's pretty much as polished as can be, but the game's massive amount of carnage doesn't quite work within the context of the story. In fact, story and gameplay don't feel merged at all. While there's a fair amount of narrative justification for the heavy degree of violence, the fact that shooting people and ripping their heads of with a spinning hook is pretty much Booker's only way of interacting with the world undercuts much of the arresting emotionality of Infinite's narrative.

Highlighting this problem is the fact that many of the game's most powerful moments either preclude player input, or limit interactivity to the push of a single button. Elizabeth's ability to tear holes in the space-time continuum, for example, may have been the basis for some ingenious puzzle solving and narrative interaction, but players are instead left to simply push a button to demand entry into a new reality where they can proceed to shoot more people in the face. Again, this feels like BioShock Infinite going only halfway in bringing its many fantastic ideas to life; some truly inventive mechanical structures may have been borne out of the game's central narrative conceits, but Irrational has disappointingly opted to instead rely on more comfortable and pre-established action gameplay.

This disconnect is furthered by the game's odd focus on scavenging between each firefight. While the opportunity to really dig into and appreciate each environment, as well as get a break from the nearly nonstop action is welcome, the context of the narrative doesn't really support these detours either. Booker's mission is given an impactful sense of urgency, so the fact that the game encourages you to stop down for long stretches of time to eat random food items littered about and try to uncover Columbia's many secrets is rather off-putting. Early on, for instance, Elizabeth finds herself in immediate danger. An objective indicator flashes on-screen telling you to go rescue her, yet you find yourself surrounded by lootable objects designated by a pulsating golden glow. Of all the moments to try and fish pieces of cake out of a trashcan, this may be the least opportune, but Infinite's structure, which evidently values narrative over gameplay in terms of pacing and logic, continues to tempt you astray regardless. This might all seem a bit nitpicky, but considering the fact that Infinite is so intent on being treated as a significant work of art, these small annoyances can't be ignored, as they gradually undermine the meaning the game tries so hard to construct for itself.

BioShock Infinite is a game worth any mature player's while, but it has come at an unfortunate time. Within the past year alone, the industry has been treated to games like Spec Ops: The Line, The Walking Dead, and Hotline Miami, just a few titles that are capable of eloquently and expertly exploring dark themes while being cognizant of their respective mechanics' impact on the narratives they try to weave, making a game like Infinite - one that never fully accounts for the ways in which its gameplay influences the meaning and effectiveness of its story - seem a bit clumsy by comparison. David Jaffe, the brilliant designer behind games like God of War and Twisted Metal once deemed the relationship between gameplay and narrative as being like the combination of "chocolate and tunafish." I would argue that this claim isn't necessarily true, and games like Spec Ops are perfect demonstrations as to why that is. In the case of Infinite, however, Jaffe's argument has a haunting validity. But take heart, the chocolate that is BioShock Infinite's gameplay and the tunafish that is its story are pretty much premium grade when enjoyed separately. Just accept the fact that the combination is going to taste a little odd and find something to savor within it.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"WTA2k5 reviewed BioShock Infinite for the Xbox 360..." was posted by WTA2k5 on Tue, 07 May 2013 22:08:22 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/bioshock-infinite/user-reviews/811097/platform/xbox360/ Tue, 07 May 2013 20:42:46 -0700 WTA2k5 reviewed BioShock Infinite for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/bioshock-infinite/user-reviews/811095/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 8.5.

Who dares doesn't always win, apparently. BioShock Infinite is a game that far too often goes only halfway in realizing its many grand ambitions. It dares to speak on ever-relevant issues of racism, classism, and nationalism, but in an odd twist of irony, it marginalizes these plot elements that, in the real world, often lead to oppression and marginalization to instead focus on some good old-fashioned mind-bending speculative science fiction. It admirably deigns to not fall back on jarring cutscenes, but predicates most of its major mechanics on familiar shooting structures, leaving most of its truly affecting moments to be navigated through singular button-presses, that is, if you are given the opportunity to have any real input in these moments in the first place. It wants you to lose yourself in the visually engrossing but philosophically abhorrent world of Columbia, but many of the floating city's major players are paper-thin caricatures, and the game's wealth of audiologs feels cheaper and more overly-convenient than ever.

Still, it must be said that the fact that Infinite even partly accomplishes any of the tasks that it sets out for itself is hugely impressive. Considering have huge difficulties spicing up even the most rote shooting mechanics, unleash a deluge of cutscenes and quicktime events on players at every possible opportunity, and often struggle to not, themselves, be racist, BioShock Infinite stands out as an important step forward for big budget games that strive for serious artistry and drama. Irrational's latest isn't the gaming medium's magnum opus of cultural expression that one might expect given the game's self-serious artistic posturing, and huge critical acclaim, but it's still an utterly important release, and a damn good one too.

This is because there are plenty of things that Infinite gets totally right. The game's astounding audiovisual presentation is perhaps the foremost place to start. The game doesn't overtly flex any technical wizardry in the way an id or Crytek release might, but its sheer artistic splendor makes it one of the very best looking games of this console generation. At the root of this is no doubt the game's stellar environment, which ranks among the pantheon of gaming's greatest settings.

In the game's opening hour, players are slowly, calmly introduced to the seeming utopia of Columbia, an opulent, sun-drenched city above the clouds defined by exaggerated American expressions. Bright, idyllic gardens surround grand Palladian building; a peaceful stillness remains pervasive even through bustling storefronts and chatting citizens, only to occasionally be interrupted by enticing music selections (seriously, pay attention to this game's soundtrack), or - as players will encounter soon after arrival - a gleeful carnival complete with silly games and booming fireworks.

The game is wise to devote such a long period of time to simply navigating and luxuriating in its enticing environment, as Columbia is a true marvel that demonstrates the fact that Infinite's surely ungodly budget was put to good use - Irrational's hugely talented art team seems to have been truly unleashed. And though the game reserves for itself a few more simple moments of quietude, players will also soon discover their chief motivation for the rip-roaring action that consumes the vast majority of Infinite's running time.

Lead by the self-righteous and disturbed Father Comstock, most of Columbia's denizens have adopted a worldview that takes notions of American Exceptionalism to ridiculous but no less frightening extremes. Here, other religions have been extinguished in favor of a faith that idealizes America's founding fathers, as well as Comstock and his family, and all but the Anglo-Saxon adherents to this dogma are marginalized, reviled and exploited. This, as you might imagine, is causing some problems within the floating city, and tensions continually escalate from the moment you arrive.

But don't ready your spinning skyhook just yet, as there's quite a bit to dissect with this hefty plot setup. As mentioned before, Infinite has no qualms about diving headfirst into seemingly risky storytelling territory. But, much like the original BioShock's awkward and contradictory critique of Randian Objectivism, Infinite handles its set of sociopolitical critiques in a rather bumbling, heavy-handed, and ultimately ineffective way. For most of the game, these heavy themes of discrimination are mostly shock with little substance. Early on, for example, players will find themselves in the headquarters of The Fraternal Order of the Raven, an environment whose every last bit of iconography - including statues of John Wilkes Boothe, and enemies garbed in darkened Klu Klux Klan robes - spews bigoted filth. Troubling, to be sure, but this environment is never explored to a satisfactory degree in a narrative context. We are never told what drove the Order's members to this disgusting mindset, or what function it plays in Columbian society as a whole; instead we're instructed to simply tear through the environment, dismembering every racist we can find. Indeed, almost every one of the game's on-the-nose explorations of racism and jingoism seems to exist as more out of a desire to simply justify Infinite's absurd level of bombastic violence than a willingness to earnestly and cerebrally comment on these weighty issues.

It's a true shame, but again, the fact that the game is willing to go to these dark places in an upfront and confrontational manner when most games dodge around similar issues or make heavy use of metaphor and allegory in order to indirectly speak on them is commendable, even if it keeps Infinite's apparent daring from being something to truly celebrate.

But there is a second major component of Infinite's ideological critique, one that is much more subtly woven throughout the game, and one that ultimately cuts much deeper. Forgiveness and rebirth, in regards to its inherent inclusion in many major religions, is relentlessly examined and scrutinized over the course of the campaign in some truly unsettling ways. This side of the game's narrative might be so uncomfortable, in fact, as to offend adherents to the faiths that Infinite draws some heavily parallels to with its own disturbing belief system. The fact, however, that these themes aren't merely dabbled in, as are the game's superficial commentaries discrimination, but rather made absolutely integral to the core narrative and explored fully and fearlessly leads Infinite, in this instance, to fully live up to its grandiose goals. This is the moment where Infinite's narrative triumphs, and I can only hope that more games follow in its footsteps in bringing to light serious thematic content in a more direct manner, as can be seen so often in other media yet so rarely within video games.

Alright, here's where you can start revving up your skyhook. As he progresses through the carnival that greets him as he first steps foot in Columbia, Booker DeWitt, the game's playable and decidedly not-mute protagonist, begins to fully unravel the noxious worldview of Columbia's inhabitants. On his way towards a strange raffle that serves as the fair's main event, Comstock's voice booms over a loudspeaker, warning the citizens of Columbia about the arrival of the False Prophet, a man who has the letters "AD" burned into his right hand. Sure enough, our anti-hero holds his hand up to reveal that exact marking. And sure enough, during this eerie raffle event, the Columbians take notice of the mark, and Booker DeWitt swiftly digs a spinning hookblade into the skull of the first police officer that attempts to apprehend him.

With this, BioShock Infinite reveals its heavy emphasis on twitchy shooter gameplay and ridiculous amounts of gore. Engaging in the game's slick shooting mechanics feels no different than it might in the latest Call of Duty game; guns have a fantastic sense of weight to them and the responsiveness and ingenuity of the game's heads-up display ensures steady environmental awareness despite the over-the-top freneticism of many of the game's combat sequences. But where Infinite's combat truly shines is in its surprising mechanical density. Vigors that grant Booker special powers like the ability to shoot electricity from his fingertips or absorb bullets and toss them right back at foes serve as the first extra layering. For those familiar with the series, these powers might seem quite like the Plasmids introduced in the first BioShock, and though they do perform the same function, they're implemented in a far more balanced way in Infinite than they are in its predecessors; they're powerful and readily available but must be dealt out conservatively, as the mana pool they run on is rather restrictive.

But as gleefully destructive as they can be, Vigors are decidedly uninteresting in the face of Infinite's more inspired new mechanics. Booker's ability to latch onto the aerial Skylines running throughout Columbia is perhaps the most mind-blowing gameplay feature of them all. Though the mechanic seemed rather unbelievable during its first E3 showing a couple years ago, it speaks to the ingenuity of the game's level design that fluidly navigating Skylines that weave throughout many of the game's rather conspicuous battle arenas while taking shots at enemies, a potentially disorienting feat, becomes effortless after only a few encounters. The verticality and freedom of movement this system grants the game is awe-inspiring, and almost attaches a sense of childlike wonder to the act of mass-murdering racists.

For the first few hours of gameplay, these are the mechanics that Booker is limited to. It's during this time that he seeks to accomplish a seemingly simple direction mandated by a mysterious client: "Give us the girl, and wipe away the debt." Though this phrase ends up holding more significance than an uninitiated player could possibly know, it nonetheless serves as the impetus for finding Elizabeth, a young woman whose power to tear holes in the space-time continuum has, perhaps expectedly, lead her to be sequestered on the looming, Statue of Liberty-esque research facility, Monument Island.

So, as one might expect, this ability of hers adds more than a few layers of complexity to what might've otherwise been a rather straightforward plot. As the extent of her powers is gradually revealed, a suitably mind-bending narrative begins to form that comments, among other things, on the frail nature of identity and the profound ways in which a single choice can influence personhood, for better or worse. Though the introduction of converging space-time might seem to risk devolving the story into an Inception-esque exercise in overly complex authorial self-indulgence, BioShock Infinite uses this storytelling conceit to build a truly tragedian narrative.

But Elizabeth isn't merely a means for crafting a brain-melting metaphysical storyline. Nor is Booker DeWitt a stupefied on-looker who hails from the same lineage of horribly flat shooter protagonists as Gordon Freeman, or Corvo Attano. They are both memorable characters whose defined personalities infuse the plot's affecting tragedy with a true sense of humanity. Elizabeth, on one hand, starts out as a surprisingly cultured and self-aware inversion of the classic damsel-in-distress trope, and her evolution over the course of the game's ten- to twelve-hour campaign is astonishingly well-paced and believable. Her exaggerated features and expressive animations that pay homage to the distinctive style Grim Natwick invented for Disney solidify her as one of the most memorable and empathetic characters in gaming. DeWitt, by contrast, is predominately a closed-book, limiting himself to practical, yet charismatic antics strongly reminiscent of classic swashbucklers like Han Solo until his dark past is fully revealed during the final act. When that happens, he extends far beyond his narrative role as a foil to Elizabeth, and the resulting revelations cut to the bone. Major compliments are due to Troy Baker and Courtnee Draper, who faultlessly brings this odd couple to life even through all the mind-blowing turns the story takes.

The duo also serve as a great team during Infinite's huge combat sequences. Though Booker, as mentioned before, is in charge of most of the direct combat, Elizabeth is a key ingredient in what makes the game's massive shootouts so dazzling. Most significantly, she uses her ability to alter time and space to bring objects into the battlefields that didn't previously exist. Asking for a wall of cover to hide behind when a dozen enemies are facing you down, or perhaps a Skyhook that lets you access a sniper perch adds an exciting tactical dynamism to combat that feels especially important considering the sheer number of foes the game throws at you. Since you can only select one object to tear in at a time, more heated battles require a constant mindfulness and economization of Elizabeth's power that is as exhilaratingly strategic as the best of tactical shooters.

A smaller, but no less genius touch is the fact that Elizabeth tosses you mana and ammo when it feels clutch. Even when it becomes obvious that she's scripted to do so whenever your resources are running low, the notion that an AI is looking out for you is relentlessly fulfilling, especially in a game that constructs a scenario that might've so easily fallen into the dreaded escort-mission trap. Indeed, going back to other first-person shooters has become tough, as Elizabeth is not just a delightful companion in a narrative sense, but she's also integral to the satisfaction of Infinite's moment-to-moment combat proceedings.

Each of the augments to the core shooting experience are satisfying in their own right, but once they all start working in tandem, Infinite's combat scenarios reach the upper-echelon of FPS sublimation. Not since Half-Life 2 has a shooter married pulse-pounding twitch thrills to a deeply strategic core so seamlessly, and while leaving so much room for experimentation. The gritty sound design that punctuates the action is equally superb; a combination of abrasive string stabs, impactful weapon sound effects and some truly horrifying enemy damage reactions unfailingly sell you on the weighty ferocity of the mayhem you cause.

All this, of course, sounds amazing, and on some level it truly is. But consider this: for all its fast-paced entertainment, Infinite's combat never fully works. In a mechanical sense, it's pretty much as polished as can be, but the game's massive amount of carnage doesn't quite work within the context of the story. In fact, story and gameplay don't feel merged at all. While there's a fair amount of narrative justification for the heavy degree of violence, the fact that shooting people and ripping their heads of with a spinning hook is pretty much Booker's only way of interacting with the world undercuts much of the arresting emotionality of Infinite's narrative.

Highlighting this problem is the fact that many of the game's most powerful moments either preclude player input, or limit interactivity to the push of a single button. Elizabeth's ability to tear holes in the space-time continuum, for example, may have been the basis for some ingenious puzzle solving and narrative interaction, but players are instead left to simply push a button to demand entry into a new reality where they can proceed to shoot more people in the face. Again, this feels like BioShock Infinite going only halfway in bringing its many fantastic ideas to life; some truly inventive mechanical structures may have been borne out of the game's central narrative conceits, but Irrational has disappointingly opted to instead rely on more comfortable and pre-established action gameplay.

This disconnect is furthered by the game's odd focus on scavenging between each firefight. While the opportunity to really dig into and appreciate each environment, as well as get a break from the nearly nonstop action is welcome, the context of the narrative doesn't really support these detours either. Booker's mission is given an impactful sense of urgency, so the fact that the game encourages you to stop down for long stretches of time to eat random food items littered about and try to uncover Columbia's many secrets is rather off-putting. Early on, for instance, Elizabeth finds herself in immediate danger. An objective indicator flashes on-screen telling you to go rescue her, yet you find yourself surrounded by lootable objects designated by a pulsating golden glow. Of all the moments to try and fish pieces of cake out of a trashcan, this may be the least opportune, but Infinite's structure, which evidently values narrative over gameplay in terms of pacing and logic, continues to tempt you astray regardless. This might all seem a bit nitpicky, but considering the fact that Infinite is so intent on being treated as a significant work of art, these small annoyances can't be ignored, as they gradually undermine the meaning the game tries so hard to construct for itself.

BioShock Infinite is a game worth any mature player's while, but it has come at an unfortunate time. Within the past year alone, the industry has been treated to games like Spec Ops: The Line, The Walking Dead, and Hotline Miami, just a few titles that are capable of eloquently and expertly exploring dark themes while being cognizant of their respective mechanics' impact on the narratives they try to weave, making a game like Infinite - one that never fully accounts for the ways in which its gameplay influences the meaning and effectiveness of its story - seem a bit clumsy by comparison. David Jaffe, the brilliant designer behind games like God of War and Twisted Metal once deemed the relationship between gameplay and narrative as being like the combination of "chocolate and tunafish." I would argue that this claim isn't necessarily true, and games like Spec Ops are perfect demonstrations as to why that is. In the case of Infinite, however, Jaffe's argument has a haunting validity. But take heart, the chocolate that is BioShock Infinite's gameplay and the tunafish that is its story are pretty much premium grade when enjoyed separately. Just accept the fact that the combination is to taste a little odd and find something to savor within it.

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"WTA2k5 reviewed BioShock Infinite for the PlayStation 3..." was posted by WTA2k5 on Tue, 07 May 2013 20:42:46 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/bioshock-infinite/user-reviews/811095/platform/ps3/ Sun, 05 May 2013 16:44:24 -0700 pokecharm reviewed Resident Evil: Revelations for the 3DS... http://www.gamespot.com/resident-evil-revelations/user-reviews/811037/platform/3ds/ ...and gave it a 7.0.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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"pokecharm reviewed Resident Evil: Revelations for the 3DS..." was posted by pokecharm on Sun, 05 May 2013 16:44:24 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/resident-evil-revelations/user-reviews/811037/platform/3ds/ Sat, 04 May 2013 06:53:13 -0700 chocolate1325 reviewed Resistance: Fall of Man for the PlayStation 3... http://www.gamespot.com/resistance-fall-of-man/user-reviews/810992/platform/ps3/ ...and gave it a 8.5.

We know Insomniac for making Spyro the Dragon and the Ratchet and Clank series now they have decided to make Resistance that is you hoping to rid the world of the Chimera threat.

Story

You are Nathan Hale sent with your squad mates to help get rid of the Chimera andto find out what they are doing with their intentions are.

Gameplay

The game practically plays like your typical first person shooter with lots of shooting. Your weapons are mainly stuff you would find in certain other games but there are some interesting ones like an Auger that can shoot through walls. Also most of these guns have an alternate fire and can really tip the balance in your favor on the battlefield. As with the Ratchet and Clank games Insomniac has made some awesome firepower to take down the Chimera.


The game does have a mission structure so you don't get lost and mostly it is shooting but you shall at certain points in the game be allowed to drive vehicles to help you get around the area quicker and take down stronger enemies

The game itself lacks in variety it's mainly shooting and cover based gameplay but there are some cool scenes and such. You get certain dialogue and other collectibles along the way. The multiplayer is well as you'd expect a solid experience.


Presentation

For an early PS3 exclusive it looks amazing the attention to detail and even at this early stage in the PS3 era it was a technical marvel.

Lastability

About 10 to 12 hours to beat but there are harder difficulties to play and Skill Points to go for.

Overall Opinion

Resistance Fall of Man is a good title for the PS3 if you find it somewhere on the cheap why not give it a whirl.

Overall Score 8.6

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]]> http://www.gamespot.com/resistance-fall-of-man/user-reviews/810992/platform/ps3/ Fri, 03 May 2013 11:19:30 -0700 naju890_963 reviewed Sonic the Hedgehog for the Genesis... http://www.gamespot.com/sonic-the-hedgehog/user-reviews/810955/platform/genesis/ ...and gave it a 8.5.

The Sonic the Hedgehog series has been running since 1991 when the first game debuted on the Sega Genesis. This was Sega's idea of a mascot. A blue hedgehog, with spikes on its back and red shoes. Sega created a platformer with this character, made him run very fast in colorful levels with lots of enemies, power-ups and bosses. This was a winning formula. It was the game that got the Sega Genesis up on its feet. Nowadays Sonic is on par with Mario when it comes to popularity but in the last 10 years we have seen a decrease in quality when it came to Sonic games. None the less, Sonic is still loved by many and his old games will always be cherished by Sega fans everywhere.

Sonic The Hedgehog was the first 2D platformer to feature a character so fast. At the time, Genesis owners were amazed at the speed that Sonic ran. He still runs fast nowadays but it won't blow your mind like it did back in the 90s. This contributed to fast platforming and an incredible flow that made Mario and other platformers seem sluggish. The main antagonist is Doctor Ivo Robotnik who was snatching animals and transforming them into evil robots. It's up to Sonic to defeat Robotnik and save the day. Sonic 1 features 6 zones with 3 acts each. This means that it has 18 playable levels with a special stage that can only be accessed in the first two acts of every zone. While most of the levels are pretty solid, I found the pacing to be poor. Let's see. The game starts of with the infamous Green Hill Zone. It's a fast and short level just like it should be. The second level is called Marble Zone. This is a platform heavy zone, so it's naturally quite slow. I personally find it fun but Sonic is not about slow platforming. All of the levels after Green Hill except Starlight Zone don't capture the feel of speed the first zone manages to achieve. Even so the platforming in these levels still managed to keep my attention and are pretty challenging.

Every zone has a boss of its own. The boss is always Robotnik with a new machine wreaking havoc upon Sonic. Once you get the patterns down, the boss fights are laughably easy, they're still fun to go through though. The levels are packed with rings, enemies and power-ups. Rings are very important. Sonic doesn't have the usual health system found in most platformers. If Sonic doesn't have any rings and gets hit by an enemy he will die. But if Sonic has one or more rings on him and gets hit, Sonic will simply drop all his rings. It's a great system and it helps keep the action fast. There are other things that the rings can do. If Sonic collects a 100 rings in one act than he gets an extra life. Rings are also necessary if the player wants to access the special zone. If Sonic collect fifty rings, a giant ring will appear at the end of the level. When Sonic jumps through it he'll be teleported to the special stage. Sonic will need to traverse a maze with multi-colored blocks while collecting rings. Collecting another hundred rings here will grant the player an extra life and a continue. But the main reason why the special stages exist is the Chaos Emeralds. If Sonic collects all the emeralds in all the special stages, a different ending will play instead of the normal one. These special stages get annoying sometimes, although the background and the music are kinda trippy. Keep in mind that special zones are not available at the end of act 3 of every zone, as a boss is present.

A bevy of power-ups are available, they can usually be found in computer monitors. There is the Super ring, which rewards Sonic with 10 rings, the Speed shoes, which make Sonic run even faster, a shield which grants Sonic an extra layer of protection against enemies, Invincibility, speaks for itself and a 1-up, extra life basically. Also keep in mind that invincibility won't help if Sonic falls on spikes or a pit. Sonic has a few attacks up his sleeve. He can jump on enemies or use the spin attack in which Sonic rolls up into a ball and charges his enemy. Speaking of enemies, theirs a plethora of enemies which are all Robotnik's robots. Theirs a couple of annoying enemies here and their but I think they look cool and most of the time they're fun to stomp on. Sonic has very simple controls, D-pad for movement and the A button for jumping. Simplicity at it's finest. The 16-bit sonic games are all beautiful to look at, and this is no exception. The colors are simply amazing, everything just pops out of the screen. It's ironic that a game this old can still wow gamers with its colorful graphics while newer games like Battlefield 3 can bore me to death with its various shades of brown. Also the infamous soundtrack for Sonic, unbelievably catchy and just a joy to listen too, truly a gem.

What can I say more? The original Sonic the Hedgehog is something that everyone must play, most of you must have already played it. It's available on tons of platforms but if you want to be a purist and buy it on the original console then it's not a problem at all. The Sega Genesis or Megadrive, depending on where you live is very easy to find, the sonic games are quite easy to find aswell, they were best sellers on the console after all.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"naju890_963 reviewed Sonic the Hedgehog for the Genesis..." was posted by naju890_963 on Fri, 03 May 2013 11:19:30 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/sonic-the-hedgehog/user-reviews/810955/platform/genesis/ Fri, 03 May 2013 02:38:19 -0700 AK_the_Twilight reviewed BioShock Infinite for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/bioshock-infinite/user-reviews/810945/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 9.5!

Playing through Bioshock Infinite, it's very easy to constantly recall that debut trailer years ago. That shattering of the Big Daddy figure, that breaking of the dark Rapture-esque view into the wide open sky of the floating cities; it was a pure feeling. It struck a contrast with its confusion; why kill Rapture? Because something bigger was coming. By leaving Rapture behind, Irrational Games have given themselves the opportunity to clean their slate and start again, and in the process, they've done something truly memorable with their newest project. Bioshock Infinite is Irrational Games' magnum opus, a game with such polish, reverence, and overall significance that it sets a ceiling-smashingly high standard for this generation, along with anything else released this year or beyond.

Bioshock Infinite begins with Booker Dewitt, an everyman investigator from New York who hopes to erase his current debt by delivering a mysterious girl to his bargainer. The trek starts with a rather ominous boat ride to a lighthouse, but within minutes, Booker is jettisoned into the sky and transported to the floating steampunk metropolis of Columbia. The dreamchild of its prophet ruler Zachary Comstock, Columbia is a city with early 20th century fundamentals, including racial disputes, industrialization and a steady mix of religious forwardness and patriotic gusto. Booker's mission brings him to the second main character, Elizabeth, the girl he is told to escort in exchange for a release from debt. After being held in a tower for years, Elizabeth is liberated by Booker and the two's goal to escape Comstock's city of dreams becomes a harrowing journey with many memorable moments throughout. In addition, the Vox Populi revolutionary group quickly becomes a key player in the story, but it isn't until the game's second half that you realize that there's much more to Bioshock Infinite's narrative. The story tackles so many potent and expandable subjects that you might initially think there's too much on its plate to digest, but the fact that these subjects are so integral to the world of the game completely erases that thought. The narrative is the epicenter of Bioshock Infinite, with the relationship between Booker and Elizabeth being the strongest essence you'll ever see this year. By the game's ending, every subtle clue will come together into something meaningful and genuinely original, something that will leave you lost for words, but begging to revisit.

The original Bioshock may have had some fine characters in Andrew Ryan, but it was its haunting underwater city of Rapture that made it so very memorable. Bioshock Infinite's Columbia, in contrast, isn't the star of the show in the same way Rapture was to the original. Instead, the characters of Booker and Elizabeth take control of the stage, and while this might bother some gamers who were blown away by Rapture, the sheer amount of importance that both characters have make continuing through the game an absolute joy. That's not to say that Columbia is a boring component. Rapture was a ruined dystopia were a majority of the life stood in psychopaths, struggling to stay sane in the crumbling sea kingdom. Columbia, on the other hand, is alive, and throughout the course of the game, you get to watch it die.

This unquestionably high importance in the storyline department doesn't imply that the gameplay is neglected. Irrational Games' progression and invention in game design are so apparent in Bioshock Infinite; so many elements are introduced throughout the course of the campaign, many of which are stunning steps forward for shooter design and game design in general. While the original Bioshock had this dark elegance to its design, one where a steady hand was more important than a fast one, Bioshock Infinite is a significant change of pace. This game is about fluidity, motion, and organic freedom. No better example of this is the Skyline mechanic, cable-based ziplines that stretch across the city landscapes. The Skylines can be boarded with simple context-sensitive taps of the A button, allowing for instant reverses in direction, shooting while in motion, and even a powerful dive-bomb attack to take out enemies. Many of the game's battlefields offer the Skylines to use, making the confrontations much more open-ended and varied.

The story itself demonstrates Elizabeth's significance, but her importance in the gameplay is just as omnipresent. Elizabeth's special ability to manifest items through "tears" allows for cover, ammo, supplies, allies, and more keeps even the ground firefights fresh. Elizabeth can revive Booker on the spot if he dies and can even toss Booker health, ammo, Salts (ability fuel), or even cash in some situations with the push of the X button. Elizabeth's AI is so well designed that you'll find her to be just as crucial to a victorious confrontation as your gun or your reflexes.

These ideas are not baby steps, but major catalysts in making the combat a healthy improvement over the original Bioshock's. As great as Bioshock was, the combat was clearly a significant afterthought for Irrational Games. That's not the case in Bioshock Infinite. There isn't a single moment where the combat feels dull or overdone. Steady enemy progression (both in number and skill), varied environment construction, and all of the weapon, equipment, and ability upgrades you'd expect contribute to the stellar combat in Bioshock Infinite. In a game where the story is the core focus of the immersion, it's stunning to see the combat so enriching and exciting to a point where the firefights are undeniably crucial.

Columbia's liveliness offers ample opportunity for immersion and exploration. The Bioshock elements of gathering cash for upgrades, finding hidden puzzles and trying out new special abilities (now in the form of Vigors) are still here and they don't lose a trace of luster in Columbia. These ideas give the player incentive to travel off the directed path and find some helpful rewards in the process. The Voxophone items are audio logs detailing the events of Columbia through the lenses of the different characters of the game, which offer creative insight to the narrative and are very rewarding for diligent players looking for more to chew on in terms of story. Upon completing the game, the difficult "1999 Mode" is unlocked, offering tougher enemies, less rewards, and more limitations on how you progress. It's stunning how valuable and resonant Bioshock Infinite is. The first thing that you'll do (once you're out of shock from the game's earthshatteringly exceptional conclusion) is dive right back into Columbia.

The ascendant sky city aesthetic may be a stark contrast to that of the remnants of an underwater empire gone wrong, but Columbia is a brilliant piece of anachronistic beauty that you can't help but be impressed. The initial offerings of a lively boardwalk or garden festival show the content and calm world of early 20th century America. It proves to be much more involving than Rapture was; while Rapture kept the doom and gloom on 100% all the time, Columbia means much more in that you get to watch the city fall from grace. This becomes very apparent upon the visit to Shantytown, the slum district where the rebellious Vox Populi organization gathers influence. The fact that you're watching Columbia fall offers agency; while Rapture had been dead on arrival in Bioshock, Columbia wasn't, and that vision gives a serious one-up to Bioshock Infinite. The open-ended combat situations and impressive sense of historical era authenticity complement the freedom of the game's vibe. Irrational Games want the player to be free, just as much as the player wants Booker and Elizabeth to be free.

Voice performances were something quite crucial to getting immersed in Bioshock's world. Bioshock Infinite follows that lead with some exceptional voice acting, all complemented by unparalleled writing. Veteran gaming voice actor Troy Baker leads the helm with his role as Booker, but the exchanges he performs with Elizabeth's voice actress Courtnee Draper bring the characters to life. The writing is natural, there's no way around it; Baker and Draper make even the simplest of discussions into something meaningful, building relations and character dynamics that no other game has come close to showing. The audio bursts with life even more not in gun sound effects or haunting scores (though they are also quite impressive), but in the downtime. The natural elements of a busy market district or local arcade calm the storm of the harrowing firefights; it's in these subtle moments that you see Bioshock Infinite as a presentation spectacle. No game has made a world like this.

While it would be untrue to call Bioshock Infinite a flawless experience (the fetch quest near the end of the story sticks out like a sore thumb during the sweaty-palm anticipation of the conclusion), it's something truly memorable when it becomes this hard to find a tangible flaw in a game. Bioshock Infinite is as fresh and vitalizing of an experience as Bioshock was back in 2007. Irrational Games' success with the first Bioshock didn't interfere with their ambitions to push forward and create a game design that truly feels progressive. The combat is levels above its predecessors'. The faster and smoother pacing, the masterful versatility in the weapons during encounters, it all unites into something fresh, but shockingly fundamental. But as great as the gameplay is, Bioshock Infinite's storyline is something that will be fondly referenced, discussed, and revered for decades. The fully realized relationship between Booker and Elizabeth transcends first impressions, diving deep into something so textured that any game storyline forward will be compared to it. Call it foolishly pre-emptive to say that Bioshock Infinite will be named the best game of 2013, but after exploring Columbia from humble start to unforgettable finish, that argument won't sound ridiculous at all.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"AK_the_Twilight reviewed BioShock Infinite for the Xbox 360..." was posted by AK_the_Twilight on Fri, 03 May 2013 02:38:19 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/bioshock-infinite/user-reviews/810945/platform/xbox360/ Thu, 02 May 2013 09:07:07 -0700 pokecharm reviewed Tomb Raider for the Xbox 360... http://www.gamespot.com/tomb-raider/user-reviews/810933/platform/xbox360/ ...and gave it a 8.5.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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"pokecharm reviewed Tomb Raider for the Xbox 360..." was posted by pokecharm on Thu, 02 May 2013 09:07:07 -0700
]]> http://www.gamespot.com/tomb-raider/user-reviews/810933/platform/xbox360/