Posts filed under 'Game Reviews'
Folklore is an offering from Sony Computer Entertainment and is available for the price of $57.99 on Amazon.com. This game gives you the opportunity to face challenging questions. However, this is an action game and not a roleplaying one.
It is set in Modern-day Ireland and also in an afterlife which dates back to Celtic folklore. There are some issues with the gameplay and storytelling, but for which this could have been an extremely entertaining game.
However this is a good way to go to the land of the dead without the pain. It starts in Doolin, an Irish village where some murders are under investigation. Ellen and Keats who reports for an occult magazine are the main characters in the story.
I liked the story which grows deeper as the twists get into the main story. There is some music which is off mood at times. The cutscenes are interesting. You can play the initial five chapters as either Ellen or Keats, but changing between characters as you change chapters feels strange.
In the netherworld the game gets interesting. In addition to the main game, there are side quests. This is a 20 hour game on an average. Barring a few minor issues, it is well worth the money and time.
February 3rd, 2008
Gran Turismo: 5 Prologue is available through Sony Computer Entertainment for the price of $39.99 at Amazon.com. You can get this game on a disc as well as a download. It can take a while to download, though. The starting screen is very different from its predecessors and is tailored to the online version of the game. There are a number of game options available when connected as well as not connected to the internet.
When online you can have new videos as free downloads. These downloads do take their time, though. You can enjoy this game through the arcade mode and the events mode. Through the arcade mode you can burn rubber on any track. The events mode reminds you of the earlier Gran Turismo games.
There are three classes of races C-, B- and A-. When online, introduction videos can be downloaded. Some of the races on this version are truly amazing. There is a race called a mission race which calls for true racing skill.
Now to the care – solid and wieghty. When cars make contact there is no major damage. There are five tracks on which you race. Suzuka, the London track, Eiger Nordwand, Fuji Speedway and Daytona. This teaser is enough to make diehard GT fans want more. Recommended.
February 2nd, 2008
Virtua Tennis 3 is available from Sega of America for $37.99 on Amazon.com. Sega’s Tennis games have always entertained me whenever I have played them. This latest game is pretty much as entertaining, if not more.
One great attraction of Virtua Tennis 3 is career mode. With the help of the game’s character editor, you can create a male or female player. You then choose your home city and country. Then begins the long journey from rank 300 to being number one in the world.
You can learn the basics of the game at tennis school. This is a fun experience, but I liked the minigames even more. here your footwork, volley, serve and ground stroke matter the most.
After learning the basics, you need to enter the singles and doubles tournaments for newcomers. These happen around the world. Stamina is an issue in the games. Energy drinks serve to replenish your stamina, but also increase your injury risk. To avoid this you need to take vacations.
The fast paced action in the game sometimes is arcadelike. Playing with the sixaxis controller is real fun. This latest offering is the most refined tennis game in the series. With the PS3 version of the game there is no online play like the Xbox version. With detailed player models and new tweaks, this is not a game I would suggest you miss.
January 31st, 2008
This game is available on Amazon at a price of $59.99. It is due for release on Feb 5, 2008 and is available for preorder. This game opens with the games hero Nero battling demons in the mean streets of the city. He does this while hiding his Devil Bringer arm. He is trying to get to a large church for a meeting with the order of the sword.
As the story progresses, Nero tries to take Dante – the hero of the previous three games down. This fight is more of a tutorial. Dante then flees. Nero is ordered to track down Dante who is on his way to Fortuna Castle.
Nero has three weapons – the Devil Bringer arm, the Blue Rose revolver and the Red Queen sword. The arm helps Nero in his boss fights. In the third level Nero takes on two ice wolf like creatures. There are dark hallways and gothic environs to be traversed by Nero as the game progresses.
About halfway through the game you get to control Dante who has to face a big boss in the end. This game give you great over the top action. The only problem with the game is that it needs a lot of file installation the first time you play.
If you have played and enjoyed the other Devil May Cry games, you might like to pick up another for your pleasure. If you are amongst the uninitiated, a great storyline and entertaining fights beg you to play this game.
January 26th, 2008
Need For Speed Carbon is created by Electronic Arts and is available for the price of $27.99 at Amazon.com. The Need For Speed franchise is known for some great street racing action. Need For Speed Most Wanted is followed up by this, the latest in the series. There is new gameplay in this one and the racing is intense and stylish.
The story is a continuation of Most Wanted. The story begins with you making your way to Palmont City. Sgt Cross, now a bounty hunter almost collects a bounty on you when he is paid off by your old friend Darius. Your history in town is mysteriously revealed during the course of the game.
The gameplay is fantastic and the way the live actors are used is endearing. Flashbacks are used to add to the game interest. If you have enjoyed racing movies you are sure to like this one. This game is about owning the turf of Palmont City. You will find circut races, point to point ones as well as checkpoint races.
Apart from structural imperfections the driving featured is solid. You get to choose among a good selection of cars. Cars can be bought or won. Upgrades galore are available. The online version on the PS3 is solid and multiplayer mode is fantastic.
This is one good looking PS3 game that needs playing. Solid driving action. Recommended.
January 24th, 2008
Burnout Paradise is available from the vendor Electronic Arts at a price of $59.99 on Amazon. The release date is January 22. It can be preordered. If you like crash em up style games with zippy cars this one is for you.
The game features open environments complete with expansive areas. The city of play is massive and the sites are marvellous. Take an hour out to see the city. Learn how to use the alleys to your advantage.
After you have driven around a bit in Paradise City, try Paradise: the challenges. There is a challenge at every intersection of the game. The minimap shows you challenge types as colored dots.
Another enjoyable theme of this game is the marked man events. Psychotic drivers almost take you down as you try to get from one point to the other in these. Make-specific challenges can be done only in prescribed cars. Upgrading your licence can help you collect cars.
Each car in Burnout Paradise is unique. From speedsters to bulky cars this game has it all. Choosing the right car is imperative to success. Get aquainted with the repair shops and paint shops – they will be helpful. You upgrade your drivers licence by winning challenges.
If you are an online buff you will love this game. Competitive and cooperative mode are featured in the online mode. I loved the cooperative challenges. This game is impressive for the amount of content it has. This game is highly recommended.
January 20th, 2008
Sonic The Hedgehog is an offering of Sega of America Inc. It is available on Amazon.com for $19.99 With this game Sonic has fallen to new depths by failing to entertain. This game is replete with bad glitches, poor gameplay and terrible controls. The only thing about this game that arouses your attention is Sonic’s name that is associated with great gaming.
The game is composed of three stories. Sonic, Shadow and Silver are the main characters in one story each. The hedgehogs are controlled differently in each story. Each hedgehog has different abilities. Other characters around Sonic make guest appearances in this game.
In the main game you play different roles, however the structure is the same. Load times are long and give the game a ‘broken’ feel. You do not get a good view of the action due to poor camera control.
The lives in this game are limited and when you die you go back to the main menu. Every time you enter a new area you need to save since the game does not save automatically.
I really hated the glitchy graphics of Sonic The Hedgehog. It is outdated. The frame rate is sketchy and Sonic runs slow taking away much of his appeal. Unless you revere Sonic The Hedgehog enough to burn dollars on him, this game is not recommended.
January 19th, 2008
Ninja Gaiden for the PS3 is available at a price of $58.99 on Amazon.com. When this game was released for the Xbox, it was breakthrough. Now it is on the PS3. In the PS3 version there is quite a bit of new content. There are new chapters, the levels are reworked and the graphics are classier. This is one great experience of satisfying gaming.
You can now play as Rachel the fiend hunter. She is Buxom and can be really bad. Although top heavy, some of her moves are astounding. With a warhammer and a single magic attack, she is quite effective. There are new cutscenes, new bosses and a few feminine touches that come into the game with Rachel.
One great thing about this game is the surprises that come your way across levels. There is a new set of weapons – dual swords called Tigers Fang and Dragons Claw.
You need to shake the Sixaxis controller for well executed ninpo. If you are new to this game, it is a must play. It will probably take you about 25 hours to complete this one. Most of the controls are seamless except the ninpo. This game has new difficulty levels from the old one. Dont miss out on this one.
January 17th, 2008
F.E.A.R. is now available for the PS3 after being highly successful on the PC and the Xbox. It is available for $47.99. The story is the same as the PC and Xbox versions. You get to be a newbie in the military top secret task force. You are an expert in dealing with the paranormal. The story is spooky and revolves around an insane military commander with telepathically linked cloned soldiers.
The action is electrifying with impressive gunfights. The graphics in the gunfights are particularly noteworthy. Powerful weapons are truly a treat to fire. The action includes dropkicks and scissor kicks which can kill an enemy.
The motion controls of the sixaxis controller are not supported by F.E.A.R. The AI in the game is incredible, very close to real intelligence. Thankfully there are health packs and armor kits to keep you alive. Much of the story derives from Japanese horror movies.
If you are playing single player, you will be able to enjoy the game for about 10 hours. The presentation in the PS3 version of this game is not as good as it could have been. It was sharper in the other versions. The effects are not as good either. However the sound is admirable and the voice acting is quite good.
If you are looking for a good shooter game for the PS3 try this one. The Xbox version is better but this one is great as well and good entertainment for fans of the action genre.
January 13th, 2008
Days of the blade is one of the first games made exclusively for the PS3 and is available on Amazon for $49.99. If you have enjoyed Samurai movies and admire Samurai swords, Samurai honor and the lives and times of perhaps the greatest swordsmen the world has seen then this game is tailor made for you.
Genji: Days of the Blade is a unique take on Japan’s ancient history. The visuals are vibrant and full colored. The gameplay could do with some help though. The story is OK and the combat system is good.
The story is a continuation of Genji: Dawn of the Samurai. You get to play Yoshitsune who is to defend the Genji clan from the Hieshi clan. The Heishi’s have unholy powers this time around and morph into demons. Yoshitsunes sidekick is Benkei and he is helped by a pretty priestess and an intimidating man.
The control system is good and makes good use of the sixaxis controller. Apart from the hacking and slashing there are some pretty interesting puzzles to solve. In fights each character has a unique fight style and weapon and you can switch between them if you are going to die. New weapons are available as you progress in the game.
The view of the action is third person. Gyroscopic features of the sixaxis controller are supported. One issue with this game is the level design which is quite dry. The camera angles are not always exciting either. However inspite of this the game looks good. A worthy addition to your action games. Recommended.
January 12th, 2008
This game is available for the PS3 through 2K games. The reduced cost on Amazon is $54.99. Basketball fans are in for a treat with this one. Taking forward the legacy of its predecessor with improved legacy mode and new gameplay mechanics, this basketball game is not one that should be missed.
College Hoops 2K8 is highly customizable and this is one of the things I love about this game. You have the freedom to create schools, players, sound clips etc. Learning to play the game through the complicated interface is sometimes tough, but the fun of playing the game is worth it.
In College Hoops 2K8 you can create conference tournaments, play the College Hoops Classic, play in coach mode or in a number of other interesting play formats. The online play in this game is fantastic. You can play a quick match, custom match or an unranked match. There is a lag in online play sometimes and part of the fun, of course, depends on the creativity of your opponent.
In addition to the great play modes, the presentation of this game is fantastic. Although there are few changes to the on court play from the previous game, the responsive controls and the variety of animation make this game worth it. In addition the cheerleaders and mascots lend realism to this game. The sound quality of this game is better than the visuals.
On the whole this game is better than last years version in almost all parameters. If you haven’t tried out a basketball game as yet, I recommend this one. If you have played a basketball video game and want more, this is a fitting addition to your collection.
January 10th, 2008
The NBA 2K8 is available from 2K Games for the PS3. If you buy this it will set you back by $59.99. This game greatly improves on last years effort from the same game maker. Great new content and great gameplay add to make this game better than ever. Both a basketball audience and basketball players will love this game.
This game is packed with features that will keep you busy. You can play street ball or a three point shootout with real NBA players. There is also a great dunk contest.
Each dunk is done in 3 parts. These are the gather, in air style and the finish. You need a bit of practice to master this game and one issue is the lack of help.
There are impressive options in this years game. The signature style animations are brilliant. With new layups, dribbles and other moves, this game is bound to keep you entertained. With all the new changes and the already great game that this was, 2K8 is a great game.
There are some issues with this game. One is the blown layups. In addition there are some issues with the AI.
In sum however, specially if you are a basketball fan 2K8 is a great game to entertain you and definitely value for your money. Recommended.
January 5th, 2008
Time Crisis 4 which includes Guncon 3 is another offering form Namco Bandai. You can buy it at a price of $59.99. If you have played Japanese arcade games in the 1990′s this game is going to bring back memories.
The Time Crisis series is probably the last remainder of the arcade light-gun games. The setting is pretty straightforward. It is a first person shooter that is handicapped by motion controls that do not work so well.
With this game you will get a GunCon3 light gun controller and infrared sensors to be placed somewhere near the top of your television. There is a trigger and four more buttons on the GunCon along with an analog stick. The controller is comfortable to hold.
In this game you can play one of two modes – complete mission mode or arcade mode. The storyline is thus. You get to be a part of a triad that is after a terrorist group that now has a biological weapon in their control.
This game is an attempt of a light-gun game at being a first person shooter. Unfortunately the attempt fails miserably. I have enjoyed the Japanese arcade games more than this one. I have also enjoyed many other FPS’s more. This game is not highly recommended. Rent it if you want to get a feel of the Japanese arcade games of the nineties though.
December 23rd, 2007
Colin McRae has come up with another winner. DiRT gives you an experience that has enough variety to keep you racing for quite a while. Everything about DiRT looks extremely well thought out ands executed. Where DiRT fails to continue the overall excellence of the McRae line is in the lack of effective multi-player game play. When you are with a few other racers, your options are limited to random assignments of cars and tracks and the time limits are, well, limiting.
With several racing modes (Rally, Crossover, Rallycross, Rally Raid, CORR and Hill Climb) available, you can keep returning to this game for a different look. The cars look fantastic, while exhibiting different handling characteristics, and the racecourses have enough variety to keep them interesting. The real bonus comes from the damages sustained and how they look and affect your choices. Bumpers fly off wildly, tires roll bounce like no tomorrow, and your viability realistically rises and falls with the amount of damage you incur.
The handling is another matter. On the more difficult settings, you will free as if the car is part of the river way at a water theme park, drifting through turns without any feeling of being solidly in touch with the track. Also, there seems to be a problem with the turning focus. With front and rear wheels, turning should feel linear or close to it. The cars turn as if they are stuck on a stick that rotates as a whole, instead of the back wheels following the front.
DiRT is a great looking game that needs a bit of tweaking in the handling and multi-player areas. Keep it up, Colin.
December 22nd, 2007
The insular music business provides a neat counterpart to the previous installment of Def Jam. Real fighting has been substituted for wrestling and the results are satisfying. In the Build-a-Label mode, you rise from humble beginnings into a position of power in the recording industry. As anyone knows, this industry is dirty and Def Jam: Icon does not mince about with niceties.
All of the requisite cliches come into play as you wade through attractive ladies, gangsta types, and even a paternity suit. Game play demands your complete attention because of the music tie-ins.One area that the publishers did not skimp on is the music and the way you can choose a favorite song to play as you beat down your opponents. You gain power and unlock features as you go but the best part is the ability to time your songs to the fights. Song choices are outstanding as the roster of licensed rap and hip-hop stars is very impressive. The Def Jam label is, of course, so heavily involved in this title’s production that the stable of artists required to participate (Big Boi, Bun B, E-40, The Game, Ghostface Killah, Jim Jones, Lil Jon, Ludacris, Method Man, Mike Jones, Paul Wall, Redman, Sean Paul, Sticky Fingaz, T.I., and Young Jeezy,) is a who’s who’s list of the best in the genre.The unique DJ controls enable you to scratch and manipulate the music at the crucial times to the point where your character makes turntable types motions in the air when prompted. So Def Jam: Icon makes for a good experience with fighting combos, cultural relevance, and a decent enough story.
December 22nd, 2007
In a re-release of an old title from 1995, Reflection has re-tooled the epitome of the chaotic racing game. Destruction Derby makes improvements on the original that make it a worthwhile purchase. For those tired of making left hand turn after left hand turn, Destruction Derby has a series of player modes that vary the approach just enough to warrant this re-invention.Â
The Stock Car Racing play is interesting only as far as making competition colorful and noisy. The best part of Destruction Derby is in the Wreckin’ Race where the elements of the race mode are combined with the demolition derby aspects to take the venture on a collision course with other players.
As a single player game, Destruction Derby satisfies but fails to provide the WOW that you are looking for. Track layouts are relatively simplistic but that should be expected in a racecourse game. Graphics have been taken to the PS3 level but the excitement still lies in the bangin’ and grindin’.
When you start demolishing other players, then you realize that your aggressions are surfacing. The visual of watching a wreck spinning out behind you is a WOW moment that repeats itself every time. Debris flying around each impact gives you a moment of satisfaction that the pristine racing oval fails to provide.
While the driving controls are a bit balky, the overall experience is worthwhile. Destruction Derby delivers a guilty pleasure that you might keep from your close friends.
December 22nd, 2007
If you want to whack a few guys who are bothering your action, we’ve got just the solution—The Darkness. You’re a young hit man for the Mob and your uncle Paulie has plotted to blow you to oblivion for your role in a muffed transaction. You want to get back at him in the best possible way and somehow The Darkness has infected you. What is this force?Â
Extra arms appear that act as whips, you develop vision that won’t quit in low light, and you get recuperative powers that can’t be believed. As your quest to avenge yourself against Paulie advances, your powers increase with the addition of guns and a black void that swallows up baddies. Four auxiliary beings (Darklings) add to your flexible killing tools but drain your available power.
This is all set in New York City (imagine that) in an environment that is downtown dirty and dingy. You always seem to know where to go as you go from room after room in a limited but free movement scenario. The back-story is more than adequate and the graphics are evocative of the urban landscape where we imagine all wise guy stories are staged.
Guns are unfortunately the best weapons provided and targets are achieved without much trouble. Auto targeting detracts from the difficulty The Darkness could otherwise benefit from. Some of the action is uncomfortably gory (eating the hearts of your enemies?) but the visual sumptuousness grows on you.
Single player mode is the best play while online multi player mode has a few pitfalls when one player can’t keep up. All in all, The Darkness is a successful title in spite of the limitations of somewhat simplistic play.
December 22nd, 2007
As a continuing series deriving from previous versions, Dynasty Warriors: Gundam seems aimed at those knowledgeable about the back-story. Exposition is sadly lacking for those who are not familiar with the anime series. What background that is given is not fleshed out at all, assuming that a few words or cut scenes will suffice to set the stage. If the game play were unique in any way, this would redeem the sketchy story but this is not the case.As you blast away at wave after wave of bad guys, you slowly insinuate yourself into a state of numbness, almost like a mantra designed to induce a state of nirvana. Repetitively repetitive, Dynasty Warrior: Gundam does have sixteen characters you can play across a few modes with several missions in each. The objective still is to mash buttons until your fingers get stiff and your mind has shut off.Pick out your protagonist and put him into the Mobile Suit mech that wins fields located in various environments around the provided maps. The maps are about as much explanation as is given in the game’s spoken interludes between missions. Numerous storylines seem to appear without rationale or motivation other than to provide targets to be blown away.Dynasty Warriors: Gundam needs too much improvement for this series to continue to be viable. Latch onto other mech games that have more interesting story lines and game play.
December 22nd, 2007
This game has been created by Sony and is available at the cost of $59.99. Included along with this game is a Playstation Eye Camera.
This game scores full marks for innovativeness. You fight it out using real cards that are picked up by the camera. There is a stand included for the Playstation Eye. The moves you make while you play with the cards are sensed by the camera and they result in great action on your TV.
The game begins when you draw five cards from your deck – which consists of thirty cards. The most common cards are summoning cards. They can summon monsters or machines. These cards each have their own function on the visual part of the game. The other interesting cards include spell cards that are very effective as well.
This game can be played easily, by even a novice, but to be an expert at this game requires time and practice. Watching summoning cards creating video game magic on the screen is something else.
This game can be played against a friend or the computer or even online. Online playing however takes away the social aspect of this game and half of its fun with it. In addition online playing can be affected by cheating.
This game is highly recommended for playing with friends. Set up The PS Eye, set out the map and begin playing. If you like card games and video games you will experience double the pleasure with this one.
December 22nd, 2007
Mx Vs ATV is an offering from THQ and Rainbow Studio’s. It is available from Amazon at a price of $59.99.
If you are interested in fast, extreme sporting action then this is your kind of game. The environment where you play is big, you can explore with your vehicle to the limits of your pleasure. If you want you can download a demo version of this game before buying the full one.
The high strung tension on the race tracks is one part of rhythm racing glory. The other is the big environs. Both these are yours in this offering. You get to race through streams, jagged rocks and canyons. Do a backflip if you like. The world is your oyster.
When you are playing this game at times you will be left wondering whether you are on a Mx, ATV or an airplane. With the help on modern hardware Mx Vs ATV has taken the adventure sports experience to a whole different level.
I have always wanted to ride an Mx as well as an ATV. However the danger overrode the thrill. With this videogame I finally rode my dream. If like me you like adventure but do not care to go to the trouble live your fantasy with MX Vs ATV the video game. Its Fun.
December 20th, 2007
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