Microsoft:

- Halo 4 demo

- Call of Duty Black Ops 2 demo

- Forza: Horizon, and Fable: The Journey demos

- Xbox Music Service, A.K.A ?Woodstock? shown

- GTA V Trailer with Release Date (2013)

- Steel Batallion Kinect demo

- More Kinect titles shown: Kinectimals 2

- Next Xbox Teaser, expect them to briefly tease about what the next Xbox will be about.

- New media services announced.

Sony:

- God of War: Ascension demo, March 2013 release date announcement.

- The Last of Us demo, October 2012 release date announcement.

- Playstation All Stars Battle Royale new trailer showcasing new characters. Expect Nathan Drake to be one of them. Playstation Vita version is in the works.

- Playstation Vita price cut.

- Update on The Last Guardian: New trailer with 2013 release date announcement.

- Call of Duty Vita showcased

- Killzone Vita release date

- New First-Party Vita titles announced. Ratchet & Clank, Motorstorm, and Patapon.

- Sly 4 August 2012 release date announcement.

- No Playstation 4 news.

Nintendo

- Mario Wii U demo, announced as a launch title.

- Pikmin 3 showcased.

- Wii U proper reveal. (Hardware)

- 3DS lite announcement.

- No new name for the Wii U.

- Over 25 titles available in launch window.

- GTA V announced for Wii U.

- New Zelda 3DS teased.

- Rayman Legends and Epic Mickey 2 demos.

- New Super Mario Bros Wii U trailer.

- Nintendo Network detailed.

- Theatrhythm Final Fantasy & Kingdom Hearts 3DS highlighted.

Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot

First Party:

Confirmed:

1. Kratos

2. Sly Cooper

3. Fat Princess

4. Parappa the Rapper

5. General Radec

6. Sweet Tooth

Wish List:

7. Nathan Drake

8. Cole McGrath

9. Sackboy

10. Ratchet & Clank

11. Jak & Daxter

12. Nariko

13. Chimeran Hybrid/ Nathan Hale

14. Wander

15. Ico

16. Toro the cat

17. Sir Daniel Fortesque

18. Dart Feld

Third Party:

Wish List:

19. Solid Snake

20. Raiden

21. Lightning/Cloud

22. Sora

23. Dante

24. Crash Bandicoot

25. Big Daddy

26. Altair/Ezio/Connor

27. Isaac Clarke

28. Megaman

29. Commander Shepard

30. Kazuma Kiryu

Who would you like to see?

Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot

The next God of War has finally been announced! I can never get bored from Kratos, but I'm dying to know specifics, and Sony are revealing so little... Here are the things I want to know:

1. Is there Multiplayer? - Everyone has jumped on the multiplayer bandwagon, so why shouldn't God of War? I am really interested in how they incorporate multiplayer in the title. I think its time for them to experiment and take risks. I thought the last God of War (3) played it a bit too safe, and I want them to explore new areas. This is not a numbered sequel, so it doesn't have to be consistent anymore. Maybe Sony Santa Monica can finally bring us the greatest hack and slash multiplayer game of all time... It has worked for shooters, but have they finally cracked the code?

2. How will it play? I'm not sure if you have missed it, but this is a prequel to the original God of War. It's during the time Kratos was leading the greek army against the barbarians. thus no Blades of Chaos! The Blades of Chaos are integral to the God of War combat. I'm just puzzled at how they're going to pull this off. Not only that but he also has no powers. Will this God of War have a completely new combat system?

3. Will we see the softside of Kratos? Some people hate Kratos' personality. He's a character that has some anger issues. But because this game will be exploring the part before his tragedy, could we see a different side of Kratos? A side that is touching, and will actually make us care about him. I love his angry side, but I'm really curious how this new side is going to change the storytelling of the game. Could this be the most emotional God of War yet? It definietly has the most potential yet.

4. Who will Kratos fight? Considering Kratos killed nearly every god in the last 5 games, who will he be fighting? Who is the main antagonist? Is it a barbarian? Is it a demigod? And what type of sequences will they put us through? In the first God of War, Kratos was seen riding a horse and leading men into war. Will we play such a sequence? Will we still fight larger than life boss battles?

5. What will it look like? Its been over 2 years since God of War III. Sony Santa Monica made one of the most impressive looking games ever. And that was their first ever product on the PS3. Imagine how beautiful this next game could look like. Will it dethrone Uncharted 3 as the best looking game this gen?

To conclude: God of War Ascension could have the potential to take the franchise to places the past God of War games didn't. That's what I'm most looking forward to. It doesn't have to stick closely to the old games, and take it into a surprising direction. But then again, its still called "God of War" So even though I do want change, I still do expect the God of War flare that has mesmerized me in the past.

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 9 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

The best thing about this game is that it still feels like Half-Life. Everything I loved about the first game is still here. They didn't drastically change the whole formula, or pretend that the first game never happened. The game begins exactly where the original left us. But at the same time, Valve has changed the structure of the game so that it still feels fresh and new, and not just Half Life 1 with better graphics.

Let me begin by saying I'm in awe of the world of Half-Life. Such attention in detail is mind blowing. I can' believe this game existed for over 7 years, and I have never even touched it. I'll go on and say this right now: If you haven't played Half-Life 2, you are missing out on a lot. It's an experience like no other, and once you see how incredible City 17 is you will understand what I mean. The final moments of the game in particular I consider legendary.

2 words: Alyx Vance

Probably the best heroine to ever grace a video game. The way she moves, the way she looks at you. The way as a player you begin to care about here as time passes. By the end of Episode 2 I felt as if she was part of me. Every step I take I make sure she was behind me. Don't get me wrong, its not an annoying escort. They do it in a way, where you want her to be with you. Those parts where we have to seperate, I not only get lonely, but a bit unsafe. I feel safer with Alyx even if she's not the strongest character created, but her presence is intimidating. And very few characters have that edge the way she does.

And similar to the original, you don't go gun blazing in the very first minute you play. No you walk around, and explore this city, meet the combine, and just learn about the place. You start to learn about the corruption, what has Gordon missed, and just how sick the combine as a race really are. They will do anything to kill any threat in their way, and the structure of the whole city design is pretty impressive. And this is coming from an architecture student. The way the citadel overlooks the city, and how eveything is linked to this citadel. Is just so believable.

Gameplay wise: Its Half-Life. Puzzles, Vehicle sections, Shooting, and exploration. It's as smart as a shooter gets, and the way they balance all of these sections make the game never boring in my opinion. Your always on the edge of your seat waiting for the next thing they're going to throw at you. You never know what happens next. And that's one area that makes this game much better than the original Half-Life. You're not just in one facility. (Black Mesa) The environments are always varied.

Everyone raves about the Gravity Gun and how innovative it was. And once you start using it you will know what the fuss is about. It's unlike anything you have ever played before, and it provides the game to go into directions you wouldn't expect. And the puzzles rely heavily on this gun, so its not just another weapon. It's probably the most important weapon in the whole game.

Everyone will find something that he will like about this game. Whether it's the puzzles, the level exploration, or just the shooting. But the game is also not perfect. The vehicle sections of the game are a bit longer than what I would have liked. They're fun, but after a while you get a bit tired from the controls. You'll find yourself preferring the old fashioned ****of walking and running.

It's also much easiar than the first game. I felt a bit of a survival vibe from the first one, due to its unforgiving nature. But this one the health packs are scattered around the area like garbage. So if you're one who loved the challenging aspect of the original Half-Life you can't help but be a bit dissapointed here. But then again, I'd rather have a better game, than a harder one.

I've played the episodes, and they're a great way of expanding where Half-Life 2 left off. But in terms of innovation, there's nothing new here. They're much more story-driven than the sequel, but at the same time, they don't feel as new. You will have to play them, because the ending of Half-Life 2 will make you, but you will not be dissapointed. Episode 1 is inferior to 2, but both are great games in their own right.

What more can I say about the game? I can keep on rambling about how "good" this game really is. This blog really could go on forever. It's the type of game you can't help but think about it wherever you go. During my ****s, I wanted to go home and continue this journey. Every bit of spare time, I went back and played Half-Life 2. And every moment I was glued to my screen wanting more.

And by the end of Episode 2? You will be crying for the next iteration. Half-Life 2 isn't perfect. And it could have been so much better. But what you get is an experience that very few games could compete with, in terms of replayibility, fun factor, creativity, storytelling, and overall satisfaction. It's one of the golden standards that many games will be compared to from today onwards. I present you: My Favorite Game of All Time. "Half-Life 2"

Score: 9.5

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 7 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

So here's the thing, I have a history with the First Person Shooter Genre. My experience with the genre dates back to the Die Hard trilogy in 1996 on the Playstation one. I remember playing the trilogy with a peripheral much like the sharpshooter, but a cheap third party one my dad bought. Ever since Die Hard, I've played probably every major first-person shooter to date. You state any AAA shooter, I probably have played it somewhere in those 15 years. From Die Hard to Medal of Honor to Halo to Call of Duty to Battlefield, Counter Strike, Left 4 Dead, Killzone, Resistance, Unreal Tournament, Quake, Doom, Bioshock, Crysis, and much more... If I ever were to become a game reviewer, I would be reviewing First-Person shooters just because I have 15 years of knowledge with that genre.

In that massive list of shooters there was one franchise that was missing. "HALF-LIFE" I was a console guy, I just played strategy games on PC. And I played Crysis 1 on my desktop PC. Other than that I play all my games on consoles like normal people. And because Half-Life never came to consoles I just never got around to it... until now.

So out of all the shooters I have ever played (15 years) It's pretty scary when I play a 1998 shooter that is better than all that list. For one, I have never seen a shooter so "smart" and "incredible" as Half-Life. The closest thing to this is the original Bioshock. Most shooters today just emphasize on the shooting and the set-pieces. Or should I say, copies of Duty Calls. So its incredibly fresh to play something that is so different, and so immersive at the same time.

One thing I have to start with is the level design in this game. The level design here is in the same league as something like Portal 2. Remember those moments in Portal where you try to figure out where to go next, or how to solve a certain puzzle, all of that is present in Half-Life. There is a certain level of exploration that I haven't yet seen in a first-person before. You dont just go straight. Here there are vents, ladders, elevators, and much more that you need to use to go from one point to the next. And once you find out how to get there its so satisfying. Also the levels are so connected that sometimes once I get out of a vent, I return to areas I were in an hour ago! Moments like this speak a lot about how well designed the game is, and I can't think of any shooter that is expertly crafted as this one.

Sound, Lighting, voice acting all hold up pretty well, but the visuals don't. But I can imagine playing this in '98 would be a visual spectacle! Narrative isn't the most exciting thing, but it's still interesting. The premise is simple, Freeman is part of a science experiment, something bad happens, you have to know what, and get things back to normal again. But the adventure to doing is that is crazy, and you can't help but be overwhelmed by the massiveness of Black Mesa. (Where the game takes place in)

I loved this game so much, I wanted more. Yes I went and played Opposing Force, and Blue Shift. Even though they're not as "good" as the original, they're still great expansions in their own right.

I've heard great things about the sequel, I'm hoping it's as good as this game. Cause Half-Life is a gem that should not be missed. Go play this game!

Score: 9.5

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 4 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

Mass Effect 2 got a 10-rating from me, I thought it was one of the gold standards for gaming. Never have I seen a game integrate storytelling and gameplay in such a seamless manner. Not only do I consider Mass Effect 2 as the best Role-playing game of all time, or the best game of this generation, but one of the best games of all time! So Mass Effect 3 has BIG shoes to fill in, especially considering its predecessor is considered by many people including me a "Revolution".

While Mass Effect 3 isn't as "Special" or "Good" as Mass Effect 2, it did do what I think very few franchises do, it ended the franchise on such a high note. and people will forever remember the franchise! I consider the conclusion to be the best I have ever seen in any trilogy when it comes to video games! And I think it's going to a long time until it gets dethroned...

For starters, Mass Effect 3 is a much more "Action-oriented" game than any Mass Effect to date. And based on personal preferences, you will either love that or hate it. It plays much more like Gears of War and Uncharted, but still at the same time feels like Mass Effect. Every mission, there is a huge visual spectacle that will blow your mind. The scale of this game is massive. And you can't help but to be in awe from all of the events happening around you. But at the same time, I'll be honest I missed those "personal" moments I had with the characters in Mass Effect 2. The loyalty missions in that game defined Mass Effect 2 for me, and they're just not present here, so you can't help but be a bit dissapointed.

Another thing was the cast this time around was not near as rich as Mass Effect 2. Mass Effect 2 introduces us to: Thane, Miranda, Jacob, Samara, The Illusive Man, Jack, Legion, Grunt, and much more... Mass Effect 3 introduced: James?!? Diana? Not to mention you only have 5 characters in your ship. The drama moments between the characters isn't nearly as close as what Mass Effect 2 achieved. I remember when Miranda and Jack kept on arguing, and I had to choose sides. There's nothing as interesting here in ME3.

But what Mass Effect 3 does have is Incredible set-piece moments that rival Uncharted, and God of War. Again, its a very "different" game than Mass Effect 2, which I also liked. I also don't want a Mass Effect 2 copycat. It's nice to play every iteration, and each entry feels and plays differently. I prefer Mass Effect 2's structure and pacing, but I can also see people saying Mass Effect 3 was their favorite. But based on RPG mechanics, Charactar progression, Story, Interactivity, Choices, Etc... Mass Effect 2 was much superior.

Mass Effect 3 concludes the trilogy in an Incredible fashion that will get people talking for years to come. Everything you have played in the last 2 Mass Effects buiilds for the final moments of Mass Effect 3, and once you get there, you can't help but feel a bit emotional, mind-blown and shocked. Its an ending that isn't predictable, and incredibly satisfying!

But the thing is, its not just about Mass Effect 3. Its about the whole trilogy... Back in 2006?!? Bioware came out and promised us an Epic, Sci-Fi RPG Trilogy this generation, where each entry has a major impact on the ones that follow. No developer ever came out and blatantly promised us a trilogy, and fulfilled that promise... until now. So congratulations to Bioware for making what I think not only one of the best trilogies ever created in video games, but one of the best franchise to ever grace this medium. Mass Effect 2 was the peak of the franchise, but that doesn't necessarily mean Mass Effect 3 wasn't an Amazing game. It may not be that "revolution" but it is an Incredible "Conclusion".

Well Done Bioware.

Score: 9.0

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 7 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

Twisted Metal - I'm a huge fan of the Twisted Metal series, and I've played them way back since the first Playstation. I remember going to my friend's house and just playing Twisted Metal splitscreen all day! And from the first to Small Brawl, Twisted Metal just became my favorite PSone game. So it isn't surprising when I do get excited about getting my hands-on the next iteration of the franchise. The very first time you start playing the game, something just doesn't click. It took me a while to solve this issue, but for me I couldn't play the game with the "classic" controls. We're in the 21st century, so it's pretty weird pressing X to accelerate. I was just polarized for the first half an hour I was playing. I just couldn't get any kills, I died really quickly, and it was too chaotic... So I kept on playing with the control options and changed it to the "Racing" controls. And I fell in love with this game! I was just addicted to the gameplay, and I'm very happy that the cars don't feel ultra realistic like most video games these days.

The car combat genre really died ten years ago after Twisted Metal Black, and what a great way to bring the genre back to life. The multiplayer has some matchmaking problems, so unfortunately I couldn't get into a multiplayer match. But if the multiplayer experience is anything like the single player challenge I played, I will be buying this on day one! Be warned that a game like this, you really have to play with all the cars and find one that suits your play style. The one that I really dig is "Meat Wagon"... He has a special that shoots a corpse on a gurney, and this gurney has TNT stuck on it. Its just a really funny, twisted, wity game! The humour is back, the arenas are really crazy, and Its about time we get a multiplayer experience that isn't just another Call of Duty clone.

Starhawk - My very first PS3 game I ever bought was a little game called "Warhawk". It was a multiplayer-only experience, that really defined the word multiplayer on PS3 before the Call of Duty era! So its spiritual successor "Starhawk" has a lot of catching up to do. This game is just plain fun. Funny thing is that I kept on playing this game for a few hours, forgetting it was just a Beta and not a finished game. I remember playing the Uncharted 3 beta for about half an hour before deleting the download. I'm not the biggest multiplayer person here, but I always look for those "new" multiplayer experiences that are not just clones of "COD". Twisted Metal is one of those, and Starhawk is also another. They're just different. Starhawk isn't just "Warhawk in Space". Its more than that. Its crazy deep, and it plays different than its predecessor. I would sum it up by saying, its Warhawk + Tower Defense + An emphasis on verticality...

What you had in Warhawk was two seperate battlefields in one arena. You had the sky and the ground. The planes, or on foot. I always felt there wasn't really good integration between both. What Starhawk does best is that integration. Those on the ground no longer are just fighting the troops, and the planes fighting the other planes. No... As a person playing on the ground, I have to focus on everything! I build turrets to fight those in the air, collect the essential weapons to kill anyone who is in my way. So at times you actually get a Hawk and person with a jetpack fighting each other! So much is happening in the arena, that at times its too much to sink in. You can also use the build mechanics to build on top of your enemies, and so get an instant kill. You can get a jetpack, collect a sniper, and find a high spot, to kill your enemies on ground or on air. It's just a deep experience, that gives the player a lot of freedom to experiment. And the "Build" mechanics just differentiates the game from anything else out there. Also I got to give props to Lightbox and Santa Monica Studios for making such a smooth beta. It's really fast to look for a match, and there is NO LAG whatsoever. A game that has a couple of months left until its release, and it runs this well is a testament of how good this game is.

If these games are any indication of what 2012 will be like for video games, it's going to be a really great year! Twisted Metal in a week people...

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 2 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

MASSIVE, thats the one word I can use to sum up Skyrim! Its freaking huge, there's so much one can do in this game! I played Fallout 3, and I finished ALL of the main and side missions, finished all 5 DLCs, and explored the majority of the game in 75 hours! I have only explored probably HALF of Skyrim, and have about 10 Daedric missions left! I finished the main and side missions, and I still haven't played ANY DLC yet! Sometimes the game just feels too overwhelming at times! Everytime I begin playing Skyrim everyday, I question myself what should I do first? Should I do a side or main mission, should I just explore the world of Skyrim, and killing off any creatures I find infront of me? Or should I just stay in Whiterun, and keep pickpocketing for an hour?!? It's like a collection of metagames, in one massive BOX! I've probably played more Skyrim than all of the games I've played last year COMBINED! That's something that speaks a lot about how Incredible Skyrim is. For starters not a lot of games do what Skyrim does, and I haven't really played many that do it this well...

And to be pretty straightforward with you, I can still see myslef play for another 75-100 hours... It's huge, and one can only be in awe when they first play this game. And the thing I love about Skyrim more than anything is that even with its size, it could have easily lost focus! (Batman Arkham City) the game developers have done an incredible job to make this world/sandbox feel like its there for a reason! The open-world isn't just there to distract you, 75% of the game you're exploring this area of Tamriel, and you're wating to see what lies ahead at every corner...

No game is perfect, and this game is certianly not flawless. BUGGY! What a bug-fest? I know it must be a nightmare to program this game and make it actually run, but I'm sorry any game with a brilliant concept, but can't run well isn't really a great game! Right? I think the game is TOO ambitious?!? They try to do so much, and I get that, but I would rather have 75% of this game, and that 25% is left so this game runs smoothly! To be fair, for the first 25 hours, I didn't experience any hhiccups, or framerate problems! But with more gameplay time, I found myself I can't walk in certian cities because of the framerate! It is so horrible to see something like this affect such a brilliant game! But for me bugs aren't my biggest problem...

My biggest problem is that so much potential was lost! There are things in this game, that could have been so much better. My biggest dissapointment: Dragons! What the ****?!? Are you kidding me? When they were promoting this game, from what I understood, they were selling the idea that these Dragons were going to be dynamic... They are as static as the book shelves in the houses! These dragons were supposed to be unpredictable! Every dragon fight should have felt like a Boss fight! Yet what I got were these big flies that just glide in the air, come down and then fly back again. To be honest they just felt gimmicky, and that they wanted dragons just for the sake of the story and not because there is any gameplay surrounding them!

Another thing is the main story: BORING! Bethesda Game Studios really need actual good writers! Dragonborn?!? REALLY?!!? That's the most generic thing I have ever heard to tell you the truth! In my opinion Fallout 3 actually had a better story than this one! Its not only about the story, but some of my favorite moments in videogames were actually in Fallout 3! The Megaton nuke, going out of the vault for the first time, going in that machine and finding out your dad was a dog?!? And you had to kill every person in that town with a knife! And that final battle in the wasteland... IT was just MOMENT AFTER MOMENT, and to be honest, I never felt like that in Skyrim! I feel that after a few months, I'm going to forget what happened in the story!

But then again, a game like this isn't about the story or level design... It's about this living-breathing world, that makes you forget about your current life. Once you start playing, you wont want to talk to any of your friends, go out, etc... It's this digital world that will take you a big chunk of your time to fully explore! And to be honest, If I had to choose one game I will play my WHOLE life, it would be this game! And that's pretty much something that speaks about the amount of value one is getting from this game!

Score: 9.0

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 4 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

Personally, I can't think of ANY film of 2011, that moved me the way Hugo did... But then again, I am very aware that I am part of the minority, when I say Hugo is Amazing. I've heard from people, my family included who think the Academy are "dumb". People stating that they have no idea how these people "judge" a film. So what happened?!? Is the Academy really stupid, bias, or dare I say weird.

The answer is no. It's actually the opposite. And here is a list of why I think people hate or just don't get Oscar films.

1. Oscar Films Are Slow Paced

The film industry is over saturated by films that are SUPER-FAST! The so-called "Blockbusters" of our time, that people "love" don't allow the characters to breath. From one action set piece to another, there is no longer that charactar progression or evolution that the "old" audience cared about. People will find it dull nowadays if films just focus on charactars and their relationships to one another. Truth be told, charactars nowadays are secondary elements! You talk to your parents and they tell you what they loved the most about Star Wars, was the relationship between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, E.T and Henry Thomas, etc... Today, they love Transformers becuase there a lot of explosions! Yes, exactly, sorry to break it up to you, but audiences today are stupid! So the next time someone tells you - "The movie is so SLOW", you reply by simply saying "Why the RUSH?!?"

2. What Is Story?

At the heart of films, everyone knows is a story. After all they were conceived to be "Story-Telling Mediums" In short, a movie with a bad story, is to some extent regarded as a bad film. The story is what inspires the film maker. Every film maker is looking for that next "Great" story, that will seperate a great movie from the so-called "classics." Today's audience has no problem if a movie has NO story! I've seen a lot of modern films today that are all flash, but no substance. And these viewers still love these films because of its stunts or visual effects. Its all about the aesthetics today. It's pretty disappointing actually to see, that the art form's true core has been forgotten.

3. This Is Weird

It is very important for the Academy, that they see "Innovation". The Academy don't just want ANOTHER love story, or ANOTHER film about World War II... They wan't to see something that is daring, and risk-taking! Something they have never seen before. In fact, even though Hugo in my opinion is actually a better film than "The Artist", but because the latter is a 2011 Black & White, Silent film, and one about the silent film era, something that's really so unique and different, I can argue that it SHOULD win because it's just so special. Audiences today don't want "special". They actually don't give these films that are so unique, a chance! which leads us to point four!

4. No Differentiation Between Good And Bad

Ask anyone in your school today what is their favorite film, they will more likely tell you a film that is considered to be a "Bad" one by the Academy. (Twilight) The audience today have no clear recognition of which film is actually a bad film, and which one is a good one! I mean a girl enters Twilight, and calls it "The Best Film Ever". That same girl enters a Brad Pitt movie called "MoneyBall" and she hates it. They no longer care about the cinematography, acting, story, dialogue, etc... It actually strikes me, to what actually makes them like one movie than another. People don't look at movies as pure art forms, and they don't really understand why they're there.

Its just mind-boggling at how things have changed. Directors, Acotrs, Actresses, etc... All know a Good movie from a Bad one, yet the audience doesn't. I don't blame them, I blame the trash that's been released over the years, the same trash that people have grown accustomed to. Transformers is the Star Wars of this generation, and thats something not to be proud of!

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 4 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

10. GTA V - The reason why this game is so low on this list, is because I have no idea if this is actually coming out in 2012... Everyone loves GTA, yes the series is over-rated, but you can't deny how fun GTA games really are! Huge open world, incredible story-telling, and just addicting! We missed you GTA!

9. DmC: Devil May Cry - I'll be very honest here, I'm not a fan of Devil May Cry. I DETEST the music, I hate the whole design of the world, and I just never really got the love for this franchise! But I'm digging the new game. It's exactly what that game needed! I know a lot of fans are pretty upset about what Ninja Theory/Capcom did to Dante, and the art-style but I honestly like it. Not to mention I loved Heavenly Sword and Enslaved, so I'm positive the new game will be something I will enjoy.

8. The Last of Us - Another game that I'm not very sure if it will make 2012, but I'm just putting it on here, and just hoping it will be released by the end of the year! Still not a lot has been shown except one trailer, but that trailer was so great! It was Uncharted + Left 4 Dead = AMAZING I love both those series, and it's from Naughty Dog, which means it's going to a Game of the Year contender... Cause everything they do happens to be on that list! Here's hoping we get this game this year!

7. Max Payne 3 - I've been excited for this game ever since they announced it back in 2009?!? But we never saw much gameplay until recently. And I finally think this game is going to be released in March. I love Rockstar, and they never make "bad" games. From the gameplay we've seen, the game looks very promising. Bullet time is back and better than ever...

6.The Last Guardian - WHERE IS THIS GAME?!? For the THIRD time, it is on this list! And let me assure you, this will be the LAST time it can be! Im fed up with the time Team Ico are taking to make this game! Since Shadow of the Collosus back in 2005, Naughty Dog have managed to do the WHOLE Uncharted trilogy! A trilogy! And The last guardian is probably not as good as something like Uncharted 2 (2009's GOTY) It's pretty devastating to know that a video game developer is taking over SIX years to work on a game! Still Team ICO never dissapoints! ICO and Shadow are considered two of the best PS2 games! And I can't help think that they won't deliver.

5. Twisted Metal - Another game that was supposed to be released last year, but it doesn't matter cause in just over a month I will be playing this! Not to mention it gets released in my Birthday, so THANK YOU David Jaffe. The last Twisted metal was released a decade ago, and its about time we see Sweet tooth on PS3! To me this is the "Perect" Multiplayer game. It's my type of multiplayer experience, and I can't wait to play it.

4. Tomb Raider - Wasn't that E3 trailer and demo just mind-blowing? Very impressive, and that is partially because of Square-Enix. Giving those developers the resources, time and money to make a "great" Tomb Raider. This hasn't happened since the PSone era! Yes it's been that long, and us gamers deserve it. I love Uncharted, but we want to see Tomb Raider taking back her crown! And from the looks of it, Crystal Dynamics have finally achieved it. Always wondered about her origin story, and how she became the person she is. Those answers are finally going to be answered and much more...

3. Halo 4 - Our prayers have been answered... Master Chief is back! We love Halo Reach, noone really cared about HALO: ODST?!? (whatever) But it's time for ANOTHER trilogy! New engine, New team, New characters, New storyline... And wait for it, a 360 exclusive game! Presumably a September release date... Don't expect any gameplay before E3! Although, I'm dying to see what a NEW Halo will look like.

2. Mass Effect 3 - Sequel to 2010's Game of the Year, The CLIMAX of the Mass Effect trilogy! The END is finally here! All the questions will be answered, and even MORE choices. Commander Shephard is back and everyone's story is coming to and end unfortunately. Expect tears, expect awesomeness, and expect to be blown away! If this game is just as good as Mass Effect 2 I will CRY! Because Mass Effect 2 is the best game of this generation! To me it changed how I depict video games as story telling experiences, and it will be interesting to see how Mass Effect 3 can grow. March can't come soon enough...

1. Bioshock Infinite - Surprising?!? Not really... Bioshock Infinite just looks Incredible! Words cant explain how amazing this game looks. Do me a favor and watch the video below. Bioshock is one of my favorite games ever. Bioshock 2 I didn't play because I've heard a lot of disappointment from everyone. So I chose not to play it. But this new one EASILY looks to be the front runner for the best game THIS year! Yes I love Mass Effect and Halo, but I just haven't seen anything like Bioshock Infinite. The art is breath taking, the gameplay looks immersive, story is engaging, and just INNOVATION from top to bottom! Its games like this that make me love playing video games, experiences that other mediums just don't and CAN'T deliver. I know I'm getting a bit ahead of myself. But I firmy and truly believe that at the end of the day, Bioshock Infinite is going to be something VERY special.

[ Watch Video ]

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 5 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

Last year, Mass Effect 2 was my GOTY, and It actually went to win the overall GOTY at the AIAS awards! So I'm personally interested to see if the same thing will happen again. Just like last year, I chose the best 4 games of the year.

Here are MY personal contenders for GAME OF THE YEAR:

Gears of War 3 (Epic Games)

Portal 2 (Valve Corporation)

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Bethesda Game Studios)

Uncharted 3 (Naughty Dog)

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

~PORTAL 2~

It was hard to pick between those 4 games. Each one does its thing, and each one is special in its own way. But truth be told, Portal 2 was just too special. Yes Skyrim was huge, Uncharted was beautiful and Gears was fantastic. But Portal 2 had that that spark to it, that I just didn't find in many games this year. What was that spark you ask? "Uniqueness" It is very difficult to find a game that is Innovative, Hilarious, Smart, Witty, and Breathtaking. But Portal 2 does it all.

I can't remember the last time I laughed out LOUD while playing a video game before. The voice acting in my opinion is the best I've ever seen! Even though there are only 3-4 characters in the game, the characters are just deeper than most games out there, and again the voices just show that! Hats off to Stephen Merchant who I think gave one of the best performances ever seen in a game!

Game of the Year is an awkward recognition. It's hard to describe why you chose that particular game. And these things are very subjective. We can argue hours if not days which game is better. But for me, I will remember 2011 from that Portal 2 multiplayer experience. Sitting down infront of my TV, with my headset and mic wrapped around my head and solving puzzles with AMD91. I'll remember the incredible story of Wheatley, GLaDOS, Cave Johnson and Chell. I'll remember the amazing level design carried out in this game. It's just so mind blowing how good this "puzzle" game is.

I can't think of the last "Puzzle" game that I adored this much. And the reason behind that, because developers aren't taking risks anymore. So Thank You Valve for doing that, and reminding us, that it's not always about the deepest, or biggest experiences out there. Neither is it about the loudest. Originality and also simplicity can come a long way... Portal 2, I love you.

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 9 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

So the Spike Video Game Awards wrapped up yesterday and There were A lot of winners, losers, and over 10 world premiere exclusive trailers! The VGAs have really blown up in the last few years... Even though many people make fun of the show (especially the GS staff, I'm looking at you Kevin-V) it has managed to grab the attention of the entire gaming industry!! I don't know about you, but if an award show can do that, you basically know that it's HUGE!

But there are a couple of things that BUG me when it comes to the Video Game Awards! The most thing that annoys me is that A LOT of it doesn't make sense. Now I know a little something about award shows, especially those that are media related. Yes, call me what you want... But I do watch the Oscars, the Grammy's , The Emmy's, Tony's Not so much... but you get the idea. And the way they all work are all very similar! Here are the list of things that make the "Video Game Awards" odd in my opinion:

1- Everyone Wins

I've watched the last 3 VGAs and they all play out the same. EVERYONE WINS! I feel like the voting is just an illusion when it comes to the viewers, but really the judges simply want to make every team happy at the end of the day. This DOESNT make any sense. Look at the list of winners: Best PS3 game: Uncharted 3, Best Xbox 360 game: Batman Arkham City, Best PC Game: Portal 2, Best Wii Game: Skyward Sword, and finally GOTY: Skyrim! So what eventually you get is EVERY game wins! Everyone wins trophies at end of the night... We all live happily ever after! SCREW THIS! This is something that NEVER happens in the Academy Awards! That's why that award show is so prestigious, because you know that when you get the award, you were simply "the best". You didn't win because the judges wanted to make you happy... You won because you were the best man, and that's something I really don't believe happens in the VGAs! How can a game that wins Game of the Year not win Best 360, PS3, PC, or Wii game! Apparently Skyrim is a FACEBOOK game! -_-

2- Number of nominations

One of the things that don't make sense AT ALL in the video game awards is the number of nominations. This is how it works in most award shows... The game with the most nominations IS the game to beat! For example, King's Speech led the oscar nominations, it won best picture. Same thing about Hurt Locker, and a lot of Oscar past winners. That's NOT always the case, there are a few times where a film won and it didn't lead the amount of nominations. BUT that happens very rarely! Simply when a movie leads the nominations, there's a big chance its going to win the big prize, ALAS "Best Picture". This year Portal 2 led the nominations with 12, and Batman was second with 10! So essentially, those are the 2 games to beat when it comes to "Game of the Year". 3rd in line is Uncharted 3 with 9 and Bastion was fourth with 5 nominations! Skyrim had 3 nominations... 3!!! That's not to say I don't think Skyrim should win, It may very well be my personal Game of the year, I'm 20 hours in and I'm LOVING it!! It's easily one of the best games of the year... But, If the panel of judges thought it was Incredible why did they just give it 3 nods? How can a game like that not get nominated in best Xbox 360 game? OR PC?!? It just doesn't add up, if you LOVE something you nominate it! Especially a game like Skyrim, which does multiple things EXCEPTIONALLY well! I just feel they didn't give it as much nominations just to not make the show predictable... This is a rule when it comes to award shows, and the VGA's broke it! Heck, even the Annual Interactive Achievement Awards know this!

3- Mediocre Games getting a nomination

Sometimes several categories have "mediocre" games in the nomination list. Kevin Vanord pointed this out, and I very much agree... The one that is very notable is "EPIC F'in MICKEY"! What is that game doing on that list? First of all that game was released last year, it got good but not great recognition, and should not be placed there! Even if the Wii lacks games, you DON'T put fillers when it comes to lists like these! If you can't find a 4th great Wii game, keep it 3! Giving Epic Mickey a nod frankly doesn't speak much about the people choosing these games, or the awards in general!

4- What is Zachary Levi doing up there?

I do appreciate the fact that Zachary Levi loves video games, and he wanted to reflect that by hosting the VGA's but truth be told you don't see Michael jackson hosting the Oscars for a reason... That is because he's not a part of the movie industry. Same goes with video games, if you want a host, put someone who only thinks about video games, who is passionately in love with gaming. Someone who does this for a living! Cliffy B, David Jaffe, or editors like Geoff Keighley, etc... Don't go to Hollywood and bring some random guy who just happened to play Mario when he was young! If you can't find that guy who can host, then why put a host in the first place?! Who said award shows need hosts?

These are just some of the things that ANNOY me when it comes to Spike's so-called Video Game Awards... I will still watch the VGA's every year, I am still interested to see how the awards will grow every year! Every award show has to start from somewhere, and I'll hope to god that this award show can really be an event that gamers like me relate to over the years! Its great alone that our industry gets to have a huge event like this every now and then! A bit of exposition can't hurt from time to time!

Cheers!

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 8 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 9 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

Just Finished Fallout 3, I mean all the quests including all DLCs! It kinda took me 11 months to do this, but thats mainly cause many games distracted me from Fallout 3 this year, but hey I managed to finish it before Skyrim!

Here my Stats:

Quests Completed - 50 Pants Exploded - 1

Locations Discovered - 139 Books Read - 12

People Killed - 537 Bobbleheads Found - 2

Creatures Killed - 908 Weapons Created - 0

Locks Picked - 73 People Mezzed - 9

Computers Hacked - 43 Captives Rescued - 0

Stimpaks Taken - 224 Sandman Kills 0

Rad-X Taken - 43 Paralyzing Punches - 0

RadAway Taken - 45 Robots Disabled - 0

Chems Taken - 97 Contracts Completed - 0

Times Addicted - 5 Corpses Eaten - 0

Mines Disarmed - 0 Mysterious Stranger Visits - 50

Speech Successes - 63 Trophies - 60/73 (80%)

Pockets Picked - 0 Karma - Very Good - Last, Best Hope of Humanity

Time - 75 Hours

Let me just say I love this game, probably one of the Gems of this generation. Its just such a shame that this game has a lot of bugs! If it weren't for these bugs, it would probably get a higher score to tell you the truth, thats how good it was! The game crashed a few times even after the patch, A lot of pop in, Sometimes my character got stuck in the environment. Facial animations are Awful! But even with all of that, The game is awesome... The game is PACKED with some of my favorite moments in video gaming. Just highlight after highlight! Each quest never felt the same, and thats something when I finished 50! Even after 75 hours of gameplay there a lot of things I didn't do. And that shows from the stats above. The game is definitely the biggest single player expreience I have ever played in my life.

The weird thing is when I started playing I sat nearly 10 hours just wandering around doing NOTHING but exploring. Thats pretty powerful considering there a lot of games I've played that are less than 10 hours! Even after 75 hours I haven't really explored everything!! I can still see my self play 50 more hours! Theres just so much one can do in this game. This is the ONLY game I bought DLC for because I loved it so much. I wanted more quests, I wanted to just keep playing. Thats something you don't see everyday!

Score: 9.0

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 4 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

The title says it all:

1. More Villains Than Ever

Let me just list all the villains right now:

• Joker
• Hugo Strange
• The Penguin
• Mr Freeze
• Two-Face
• The Riddler
• Victor Zsasz
• Harley Quinn
• Calendar Man
• Talia al Ghul
• Black Mask
• Dead Shot

I can't think of ANY Batman film or comic book that has all these Villains in one Act. Just seeing this list tells you how MASSIVE Arkham City will be. I actually have no Idea who the main villain here is, it was supposed to be Hugo Strange but after each villain reveal I'm having second thoughts about the main story centering around him. The cast is the biggest I've ever seen, and each Villain is bigger than the other. I mean you will face all of these in one playthrough. WOW...

2. Open World

I loved Arkham Asylum, but I couldn't help but get annoyed from how linear part of that game was. finally, our dreams came true, We're getting a Batman-open world game. Although I do get its not 100% open world, but still its a pretty huge upgrade from how its predecessor played. Just watching that Steel Mill gameplay gave me a peek of how Batman will travel from one area to another, and I gotta say, that was very impressive. Just seeing Batman go from rooftop to another is really pleasing, and I imagine that's gonna be my favorite part of the game.

3. Batman isn't the only playable character

Part of my overall excitement of the game is that Batman isn't the only playable character. Yes thats right. Playing as Catwoman is gonna rock, its fun to put a bit of variety in the mix. Combat will feel different, Gadgets will be different, and traversing will be also different. Its a small twist in the game that will make the game fresh. Robin and Nightwing are also confirmed to be playable in challenge maps. Smart move from Rocksteady!

4. 40hrs of Gameplay

Yup you got that right, 40 hours!!!! Main Missions, Side Missions, Collectibles are all a result of a condensed 40 hour experience. This game is just going to take so much of our time... The amount of gameplay rivals that of Dark Souls, thats pretty impressive considering Arkham Asylum was about half as long as its follow-up. Its huge, thats the message Rocksteady is trying to give us, if you think Arkham Asylum wasn't worth your $60, then I'm sure Arkham City will change your mind.

5. Sequel to the best comic book video game of all time

Number 5 alone proves why this game is going to kick butt... Yes Arkham Asylum was awesome, it was nominated for many Game of the Year awards, it was the Dark Horse of 2009 for many including me, and it channged our expectations of comic book video games in general. and when that happens you know you've got a winner. Rocksteady promises a Bigger, Better , more Badass game, and I'm confident they will deliver. This game is easily going to outdo Arkham Asylum, and levetate comic book video games to a higher pinnacle. So be prepared.

Arkham City is just under 2 weeks away! Be prepared people for what may well be the best superhero game of all time.

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 8 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

So yesterday I began playing Gears of War 3, and I rushed through it becuase I was so interested to see how it would all end. And so I present you my final impressions of the game. After Gears 2 ended, I was very dissapointed... I felt like there is no way Epic games can restore my interest. I planned on buying Gears 3 after completing its predecessor, but that was mainly because of the lack of exclusive games for my 360. Gears 2 just felt like Gears 1.5, and the story and cast of characters just never evolved from the original. The story and characters were annoying and I felt they dragged the experience.

But this is about Gears 3, and let me tell you for someone who wasnt satisified with Gears 2, Gears of War 3 is not only the best Gears game, but one of the best games of the year so far. Everything is just so much better from the previous games including the story. I'll begin with the plot. Gears of War is notorious for having one of the worst stories of this generation. For a game that has won many Game of the Year awards in the past, you would expect that people love the story such as the Uncharted, or Half-Life series. But truth be told, the story was horrible. Nothing was understandable. Before Gears 3 I wasn't exactly sure where the plot was heading up to. It was just a blur as people like to call it. But I'm very pleased to say that Gears 3 story is head and shoulders better than its predecessors. The dialogue and cut-scenes were better produced, the story itself was much more interesting this time around, and the ending was satisfying. It's not the best story in the history of video gaming, and they don't really revolutionize story-telling here, but compared to the effort that was in Gears 1 and 2, Gears 3 is mildly better story-wise. Yes, it still has some of its cheesy moments, and yes sometimes you're not exactly sure what the hell the characters are talking about, but for the very first time I actually related to the characters known as Marcus, Dom, Anya, Cole, Sam, and Baird. One of these characters I mentioned in particular went beyond my expectations. A pivotal moment in the plot just happens so suddenly that really surprises you, and for me it was the main highlight of the entire game. It's what I'll mostly remember from Gears 3. Yes you heard it right, the most memorable moment of Gears 3 for me wont be a huge boss fight, or a certain set-piece moment, it will be a story telling moment. Very wierd coming from someone that used to hate the Gears story.

Lets talk gameplay. I always loved the gameplay in Gears. when fanboys compare Uncharted to Gears, I always say that Gears shooting feels way better than Uncharted. Actually no third person game does shooting better than Gears. Shooting is what you do 95% of the time and its so much fun. A lot of third person games including Uncharted can get a bit tedious if you shoot for a long time. In Gears its all I do and I never get bored. I love the new retro lancer. Just charging with that knife and landing a blow with it just never gets old. I love the digger, its kinda this gun that shoots an underground cannon. Its really smart and effective. Love the new mechs you can ride, they kind of remind me of Killzone but whatever. The cover mechanic is still the best of any game I've ever seen. Cover never drags the experience down, unlike some third person shooters these days. Also, the Lambent are just so much more unpredictable than the locust, and this 3 way war that is incorporated in this game is just so incredible. Theres nothing better than seeing a Lambent burn a locust, and you're shooting both of them. Still, a lot of the gameplay I have all experienced before. So nothing really revolutionary here. And thats what my main problems of the game. It's all Ive seen and done that. there's nothing wrong with that, but its just not as striking as the original. But thats the way most sequels work these days, so I'm kinda being picky here.

Visually Gears 3 is beautiful. The Gears franchise had a very greyish kind of tone to it. Not a lot of color was used, but in Gears 3, that has been changed, and what you get is something that I feel gave the franchise a fresh new look. Horde mode is back and better than ever, and theres a new mode that I'm sure you all know about that's called Beast mode. Its the opposite where you play the locusts and you're objective is to kill the COG's. Multiplayer also makes a return, and it plays the way you expect from a Gears game.

To wrap it up, Gears 3 is Amazing. Games like this on the 360 make me happy that I own a Xbox. Me owning a 360 allowed me to experience what I think is one of the best games of the year so far. It's easily a contender for Game of the Year, and is jam packed with content and replayability. If you own a 360 I'm sure you went and bought this. But for those who already didn't... WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!?

Score: 9.0

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 59 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

Valve are known to be pioneers in developing video games, i never really understood the huge fan base surrounding that company, but after playing Left 4 Dead 2 and Portal 2, I can confirm to you right now that Valve is my favorite video game developer. Finishing Portal 2 taught me a lot of things, stuff that people like me take for granted. It's one of those rare gems that can show other developers out there abit or two about video game development.

Portal 2 is easily one of the best games of this generation. A few years from now, I'll be looking back at this era and remembering games like this. Games that defined consoles. Portal 2 is exactly that. It shows what you can get when you have geniuses working on a video game.There is beauty to simplicity. And Valve teaches us that in this game. Look at video games right now... developers always try to give the gamer the DEEPEST experience possible. And the way they do that is by complicating video games. They allow the player to have as much choice as possible, by engrossing the player with the most compelling and emotional story, and by introducing game mechanics that are so complex that it takes us forever to actually understand them.

Well Portal 2 does the exact opposite... It simplifies EVERYTHING! You will only play with a SINGLE gun through the entire game. One that shoots portals rather than bullets. Games these days introduce you to a load of characters in one playthrough. Portal 2 has 4 characters only. Cell, GLaDOS, Wheatley, and Cave Johnson. Thats all you need to tell a story in a game apparently. And the story is all played out during gameplay. This is how storytelling should be in video games. It has to be interactive, and that's something that always Valve excels in.

Don't you think video games take themselves a bit too serious these days? I can't remember the last time I laughed out loud during playing a video game. Humor is a huge part in Portal 2, something that not only makes the experience better, but also so much memorable. Stephen Merchant does an incredible job of voice acting in this game. He plays Wheatley a "Personality Core that runs into a few problems in the game. The character is unique, unpredictable and FRICKIN FUNNY.

And if you're done with the Single Player experience, there is a Co-op mode waiting for you. One that is even better than the Single-player experience might I add. Co-operative gameplay is simply perfected in Portal 2. Constantly you and your co-op partner have to communicate, have to work together to actually finish a puzzle. It isn't possible finishing the mode without each person's input. And when that happens, you know that a really well designed Co-op mode has been made.

I could go on and on about what makes Portal 2 so special. For me it does everything most video games don't do these days. It made me laugh, it made me think?!? It made me a bit creeped out, and it blew me away. Portal 2 is a rare, delicious burst of creativity, originality, humour and fun. Congratulations Valve on ANOTHER "Masterpiece". Go buy this game.

Score: 9.5

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 6 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

It's been a year since I bought my Android Phone, and the platform itself has grown quite a bit since my first day with it. I remember the biggest game on Android was Angry Birds Lite. Ironically, it was the ONLY decent game on Android. The other games available were just too bad to play. Today, the market is stronger than ever. A lot of quality games are now available on the android platform, and these are the top 10 android games that define mobile gaming.

10- Bejeweled - A huge time waster and one of the most famous mobile games out there. Has a bit of a Tetris feel to it, and can get really addicting. It's one of those games on Android that is just stupid fun. Just matching the jewels together to gain high score. Simple and Fun. Just what Mobile gaming is suppose to be like.

09-Burn the Rope – The title says it all. Burn the Rope… Each level consists of an odd looking shaped rope that you must burn. You control the flame(s) using the accelerometer, and the bigger the percentage of rope you burn, the better the medal you get. Really great concept, something I believe that only works on mobile.

08-JetCarStunts- The Most Challenging Game on Android. This game is for those who want a bit of challenge when it comes to mobile gaming. It uses both the touch screen and accelerometer to control the car. I started out hating this game, but once I passed the learning curve, I kept playing it non-stop. My only advice is that you take it slow and easy.

07- Fruit Ninja – Who thought cutting Fruit would be so fun? That's the weirdest concept ever, yet it's one of the most celebrated games on Android and iPhone. This game can get a bit friction heavy sometimes, but when you manage to achieve crazy combos and finally beat your high score. The only game you want to play is Fruit Ninja.

06-Zenonia 3 – We all know "The Legend of Zelda" Well I'm about to introduce to you Zelda's Lost sister. "Zenonia" If you love Zelda, then you're just going to adore Zenonia. The combat is fun, the story is engaging for a mobile game, and it everything a RPG fan wants. I'm currently at the end of this game, and I've played for about 15 hours. Huge game, low price, 3 games. I'm only going to name one Zenonia, but you should go and play all 3. Best RPG android game period.

05-Angry Birds – Who here doesn't know the Phenomenon that is "Angry Birds"? People call it this generation's Pac-man. I don't know what the heck that means, but what I can tell you is that this game is loads of fun. Slingshot type of game that I'm not going to bother explaining. I'm sure you all know how it plays. My only question is where is Angry Birds 2?

04-Doodle Jump – There are tons of Doodle jump copycats out there on the market, but all the credit goes to the original. Simple objective, keep jumping on the platforms nonstop without falling. You use the accelerometer here to control your doodle horizontally. I love the sketchy visuals, love the doodle, and really satisfying once you beat your high score. Every time I'm bored, I play this game. Just plain Fun…

03-MoonChaser- If you own an iPhone, then I'm guessing you must have played a game called "Tiny Wings" That game was created by one person only and its only on iPhone right now. Well, we have a really great copy of that game known as MoonChaser. The main intention of the game is to keep sliding down mountains perfectly to maintain a high speed. And so your score keeps on rising until the moon disappears. Great visuals, Simple, and Challenging. A great example of mobile gaming.

02-Game Dev Story – One word: Addicting! Probably the most addicting Android game. Once you start playing you can't stop. All of us here on Gamespot must be wondering how it would feel like to run a gaming business. You know building a team of experts, creating a huge franchise, and making millions of dollars. Well that's what Game Dev Story is all about. If you want a game that will keep you playing for tons of hours with tons of replay value, go buy Game Dev Story.

01-Cut The Rope – Innovative, Satisfying and Extremely Fun. Cut The Rope was the first mobile game to win a BAFTA, and is a major example of how to develop games for mobile. It uses the touch screen effectively and each new box introduces a new game mechanic, resulting in an experience that never gets boring. When it comes to Android gaming, Cut The Rope is above everything else.

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 14 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

Worst Name ever for a Blog, but I'm trying to be creative here so cut me some slack! I completed Splinter Cell Conviction & Left 4 Dead 2, and here are my reviews for both games:

Splinter Cell: Conviction:

5th entry in the franchise, and I never played any of the previous games. But the story was easy to follow. Let me start with the good things: Gameplay wise, the game has everything that any "Triple A" franchise has. The shooting really feels great here, and you'll have loads of fun just shooting enemies. 3 main highlights in this game: First, the cover is AMAZING! It's probably the only third person shooter where the cover doesn't BUG me… In Uncharted I constantly get annoyed or die because Drake doesn't go behind cover where I want him to. Same thing in Gears, here I have control over the cover mechanic, and it puts other third-person shooters to shame.

Second: The use of lighting here is one of the best things about this game. Whether you're in stealth and everything goes black and white or shooting light to create shadows it's really something that separates this game from other games out there. And the biggest highlight is Co-op: Ubisoft really nailed it here, although it's short, but it's actually more fun than the campaign itself. This is why people should buy the game, if you're looking for a really fun co-op game, then go buy this game.

No game is flawless and this game's biggest flaw is the campaign. It's NOT bad it's just that it loses steam too quickly. It starts out great, but after a while I found myself just doing the same thing the entire time. There were no surprise elements, no set-pieces, and so what you get is a forgettable and predicable single player campaign. Variety is a very important factor in games like this, and that's something that's just not here. If you're a 360 owner then this game should be in your collection. It's just too bad PS3 owners don't get the chance to experience it.

Score: 8.0

----------------------------------------

Left 4 Dead 2:

I've always heard really great things about the Left 4 Dead series, and it wasn't until I finished Portal 2 that I decided to go buy Left 4 Dead 2. (I'm working on my Portal 2 review right now, so don't ask about it) But let me just say this, I can't believe I was about to miss this Gem.

4-player Co-op… We don't get to see many 4-player games these days, because they're probably the most difficult type of games to build. I mean if you think about it, there are just too many layers of gameplay that could be done with that. Balancing a game with 4 characters at once can get too chaotic and frustrating for developers. Heck, some developers find it hard to just balance a SINGLE-player campaign. So it shocks me to finally see a game that has finally DONE it.

Usually when Co-op is introduced in a game I roll my eyes, because it's not really co-op. Co-op in games these days is just 2+ player mode. Just like Gears, everyone does their own thing and we win. That's not really CO-OP… Co-operative experiences are all about relying on each other. I rely on my friend to help me when I need him, we use tactics to defeat a boss, and we ALWAYS stick close together.

That's what Left 4 Dead 2 PERFECTED. Everything is designed with Co-op in mind. Enemies are designed to attack in such a way that a friend must be close to save you. If you're down, you rely on your team-mates to heal you. You CAN'T pass a level if you don't work together. I've tried and I couldn't. And when that happens you know that a Great Co-op game has been made.

Constantly in this game me and my bro DIED because we were far away from each other. We were constantly using tactics to defeat certain areas of the game, and when you finally reach the safe house, the feeling is EXTREMELY satisfying. I'm sorry to all Resident Evil & Dead Rising Fans out there, but usually zombies are STUPID in video games. They're SLOW, they take FOREVER to reach you, and they make annoying sounds. So it's refreshing to finally see a developer give justice to zombies. Here zombies scale the environments, they come in hordes, they run after you, and some of them are literally unbeatable alone. They don't all look the same for the first time ever, and there are actually TYPES, each with their own set of attacks that make sure you play co-operatively.

So what you get is an Innovative, Entertaining, Challenging, and Satisfying game. It's easily one of the best exclusives on the 360, and it shouldn't be missed! This is a must-buy…

Score: 9.0

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 9 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot

Last Thursday I finished L.A Noire, and I'm talking about 100% game completion.And I'm still not sure what my final impressions; I had so many mixed reactions! One time I was engrossed and couldn't put my controller down. Another day, I felt this was the most boring game of this generation. The game isn't perfect, that's what I can tell you. A lot of users here on Gamespot are giving this game a 10, that's their personal opinion, but for me it's not even close.

You see L.A. Noire is different from any Rockstar game out there, heck it's different than ANY other game out there. So if you're like me expecting Red Dead Redemption or GTA but in the 1940s, then you're about to be disappointed. I remember disliking this game in the beginning because it was different. I expected something, and I didn't get it.

I loved the setting, loved the performances, and loved the technology behind the game. But the game has many flaws… First and foremost, there is no interactivity whatsoever. It's like Team Bondi created this city and your just having a tour around it and then the credits roll. I describe this game as a multiple choice game. I'm serious, interviews happen and you just choose Lie, Doubt or Truth. 3 choices, and this is the worst part, your choices don't have any consequences whatsoever. You doubt a person and he was saying the truth, the story goes on. Sure your rating goes down at the end of the case, but it doesn't make sense. It's unrealistic, and at times it becomes predictable.

That's also a huge problem in the game, predictability… After playing the first few cases, you know the routine of every case. Go to the Murder site, find clues, and use those clues to find people, interview those people, clues again, until you find the person responsible. By the middle of the game, you're rolling your eyes, and hoping to god an element of surprise takes place. And never does that happen.

Going back to interactivity, isn't that what separates games from other mediums out there? I don't think Team Bondi understood that. The majority of the game is played through interview. Although the technology is impressive, but you're not really playing. You're hearing what they say, and just choose one of three choices to push the dialogue forward. They focused too much on creating the setting of the game and the performances, and the technology, and you just can't help but feel that the game was lost in the process.

Again what was left is engrossing. Chasing suspects or shooting sequences are a rush, but they get too repetitive. I completed everything in 40 hours. And that's collecting every collectible, and playing all cases 2 times. Red Dead Redemption I completed everything in over 100 hours, so that just shows you how small this game is compared to Rockstar's previous game.

Overall, the game is a very good different game that had much bigger potential than any previous Rockstar attempt. It pushes storytelling and dialogue in video games more than any other game before it, but in terms of gameplay, there really isn't anything special here.

Score: 7.5

18th Platinum...

N.B: Bought Splinter Cell Conviction, Left 4 Dead 2, and Alan Wake. Because it's summer, and there are no games to play, I'm going back to play 360 games that I missed! Look for their reviews next week!

Read and Post Comments (There are currently 15 other comments) | Get the full article at GameSpot