Posts filed under 'Game Reviews'
Medal of Honor Airborne is published by Electronic Arts and is available for the price of $59.99 for a new games. Here is a review of the game and if it is good use of your holiday money.
This game is a first person shooter set in the World War 2 (frankly I have lost count of how many are there). However, even if you have played many such games, this game can still regale you if WW2 FPS games are your thing.
The game starts out with you parachuting into the action. There are axis soldiers to kill, a world to save and a lot of the responsibility rests on your shoulders. Green smoke indicates safe landing areas and if you do not land in a safe zone, you stand a good chance of getting killed.
Once you land you have to face Nazi’s through six levels of this game. For the average person, this game would last about seven to nine hours. You have different missions from detonating explosives to destroying enemy tanks, guns and more.
As you go through the levels, you might find the first three levels boring. The action picks up in the next three though and that in itself increases the overall enjoyment of this game.
The game has issues with the frame rate on the PS3. This con is made up by the last three levels- a real reward after you wade through the first three. The online multiplayer gameplay is pretty intense as well. If you like action games from the WW2 era, this game comes highly recommended.
December 16th, 2007
This game is manufactured by one of the best video game making companies – Electronic Arts. It is available at a price of $57.99 for the PS3 version and $ 49.99 for the Xbox 360 version. This price is for the Orange Box pack of 5 games.
The five games in this pack are Portal, Team Fortress 2, Half Life 2, Half Life 2: Episode 1 and Half Life 2:Episode 2. Of these 5 games Half Life 2 and Episode 1 are games that have been released earlier and have been added to this compilation. Portal, Team Fortress 2 and Episode 2 represent completely new content, that is available for the first time with The Orange Box.
This game is available as a PS3 version as well as a version for the Xbox. Both versions are identical. This game compilation is fresh and not boring. I would rank the three Half Life 2 games as among the best shooter games out there. In addition Portal gently teases the mind with its humorous puzzles in a brilliantly entertaining way.
Now the issues with these games. Some problems are presented in the frame rate for the PS3. It is annoying. Aside from this there are no major technical issues on this pack.
So would I recommend this game pack. Yes. Highly. 5 great games for the price of one represents great value and this is what holiday shoppers are looking for. Whether you are buying this game for yourself or as a gift, it is highly recommended.
December 15th, 2007
This game is based on a film that in turn was based on a fantasy novel. This is why to fully enjoy this game, you need to be familiar with The Golden Compass, the film or the novel by Philip Pullman.
You get to play Lyra Balacqua. She makes an effort to save Roger, her friend from evil kidnappers. Lyra’s companions include Pan her Daemon – the physical embodiment of her soul as well as a huge polar bear called Iorek.
The Golden Compass is something owned by Lyra, it can answer all her questions. The gameplay is a little mixed up and can leave you with a lot of questions.
You get to explore a lot in this game, but much of it is downright boring. There are some good ideas in platforming, but parts of it are boring as well. I did not like how the controls are so difficult to use, it is difficult to maneuver Lyra.
There are many timed button sequences in this game. Iorek has three enemies – witches, wolves and Tartans. He uses standard melee attacks and pounds the ground as well. Most of the foes are beaten using a single button.
There are other gameplay elements. Lyra attempts to fool her enemies by performing some minigames.
All in all the fantasy of the film has not been properly captured by this game. There are many elements in the gameplay and they are not well coordinated. Spend your money on a better game.
December 13th, 2007
This game is available for a price of $39.99. There were many bad things I had heard about this game and I was wondering whether my money would be wasted on this one. The things I had heard were numerous.
My pals told me that the motion controls were really bad, terrible, from hell! etc. I found out that things were not that bad actually. If you just want to get into the heat of things right away in a game then this game is not for you.
If you do not mind practicing a bit and honing your skills, this game will prove really enjoyable. There is a training section where your skills can be practiced. The good thing about this game is that the sixaxis controllers are used to their full ability. The bad thing about this game is that you cannot play with a joystick. The same two sides to a coin story.
If you continue playing this game you will get better and better at it. If you really like dragons, then you have the incentive for it. The fighting is fun and novel and I really enjoyed it. The story in this game is great and I loved the music as well.
So would I recommend this game. Yes, I would. It is good enjoyment and at the price of about 40 dollars, I would say that it is worth it.
December 9th, 2007
I have been playing games on video game consoles for quite some time. My favorites are the shooter games. However, I have not fared very well with online multiplayer games – among the ones I have tried – Resistance, Battlefield series and some others.
Even after playing these games for weeks, I find that I am not doing very well at multiplayers. It gets boring. After buying the WarHawk Bundle with Bluetooth Headset last week, I think I have finally entered the hallways of multiplayer enjoyment.
I liked the graphics pretty much. I did not like stats and online leaderboards so much though. They are just plain annoying.
The best part of this game was the gameplay. I enjoyed learning the game, which I have never done in the past. Even though I was a novice in the beginning, it was still fun. If you want to truly enjoy this game, download and read the manual and online guides.
I am a complete fan of this game now. The gameplay is rocking and the learning in the beginning is fun as well. It will set you back by $ 59.99 but if you like shooter games and online multiplay, this could be what you are looking for.
December 8th, 2007
I bought Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune after hearing a friend who had just bought it raving about it. Now I am raving about it myself. Let me tell you why.
The graphics in this game are fantastic. The PS3 shines in all it’s splendour with the graphics of this game. The way the shadows are exact and the way the characters mouth the dialogues so that you can almost lip read, is fantastic. I love the way the graphics have been done with so much attention to detail.
The storyline is fantastic as well. It begins much like a movie. You are on a quest to find El Dorado the city of Gold. The journey is unforgettable. The movie aspect of this story is so fused with the game aspect of it that it is hard to separate the gameplay from the movie.
I like the uniqueness of the story. The character of Nathan Drake who you get to play is atypical. He is not movie star like but more like the guy next door. The other twist in the movie where it becomes apparent that El Dorado is a man of gold and not a city is amazing as well.
All in all Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune is one of the best games I have played and it is highly recommended. It is worth every cent of the $59.99 it costs.
December 6th, 2007
Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction is one of the best to hit the PS3 ever. Correction, it is one of the best to hit any video game console. I think this will be a landmark historic game to change the whole standard of what is considered to be an excellent game. You can’t get closer to playing a Pixar movie as a game.
Lets start with the graphics. “Amazing” was definitely coined for graphics such as these. I never new my PS3 was this cool! It looks great on an HDTV that is capable of 720p or higher as well. Colorful.
The gameplay is lovely. I enjoyed smashing enemies and blowing up things in this game more than I have enjoyed it in any other. Fast paced action keeps you hooked. There is good comic humor that will make you LOL!
Another amazing thing about Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction is the sound. It sounds blow out on a 7.1 system. I won’t give out too much of the storyline coz this is one game you must experience first person.
I will end by saying this is a game you must have. If you had to buy two games for this holiday season, this should be one of them. If you had to buy just one, then this is a good game to consider as well. This is going to be a benchmark for excellence in future gaming. Well worth the $59.99 it costs.
December 2nd, 2007
If you flip over WW2 like I do you might like this game. Blazing Angels is the first flying game for the PS3. The PS3′s sixaxis controller works well for flying your plane. You get to go on historic battle missions. The graphics are pretty good as well.
This game has a lot of bombing and dogfights. After a short training period as an American pilot flying for the British you are sent on a mission to protect Dunkirk. After this you go through a number of missions.
Due to the sixaxis controller, it feels like you are really flying a plane. Try to play it on a large screen using a digital connection. I really enjoyed it. The tilt sensitivity controls are very realistic. The voice tracks for your squadron’s pilots are pretty good. Sometimes the graphics render slowly though.
There is also the option to play online with many players. Offline play is pretty good as well, though. There are many variations which make the game interesting.
If you like historic battles, specially air ones and are a PS3 owner, I will recommend this game to you. Enjoy an afternoon of historic dogfighting or bombing with your friends.
November 28th, 2007
If you have liked war movies like Platoon, perhaps you will like Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire. It is full of rocket launchers, beam sabers and machine guns – lots of action. Unfortunately, although this game is a great idea, the seed of that idea has not been watered properly. I have played many games that are far more creative.
The theme of this game lacks imagination. There is a lot of shooting. You get to shoot helicopters, tanks and other stuff. Do it till you are fed up of it. Although there are varied modes in the crossfire play, you end up playing the same game, with little variety offered to the gamers mind. Like I said earlier, if you like shooting, shooting and more shooting, then this is the game for you. Otherwise this is a good way to get bored and nothing more.
Human like humanoids that are big, tall and clumsy inhabit the game. You can uprgrade your suits to increase your attack capabilities but a lot of games offer similar amusement. It is really easy to get killed in this game. Just the regular kill or be killed fare.
In addition to all this the controls take time to get used to. Because of all this, I would not recommend Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire to you. Rent it if you are curious. Return it when you get tired.
November 26th, 2007
DEF Jam Icon scores over the first releases of this game because it is more realistic. The idea of a rapping wrestling match did not go down so well with a large section of the audience. Although the game created a bit of a stir in the gaming world, the new game is better since most of the characters are based on todays top rappers.
The background on which the game is framed (so to speak) is enticing. The graphics are great and lead you virtually to the real world of rap artists. Each artist has his/her own phrases, derived from their songs. The beginning of the game is as a person seeking their identity, combing the streets looking to build your label. I think this game will be well accepted by older teens, but it is a little ‘far out’ for the older generation.
As you get more money in DEF Jam Icon, you can get clothes and honeys – who will leave you with a dry wallet if you let them. As in real life your problems increase with the increase in cash. You come up against dirty cops and record executives of the same kind. You have to be careful as you grow in status.
I would recommend this game as it has a different kind of appeal. Fantastic characters, great graphics and an even better plot all add up to make a great game. Do not miss out on this one. I suggest renting it if you do not want to buy it. All in all, a game worth experiencing
November 19th, 2007
If you have heard the song Country Grammar by the rapper Nelly, this game is going to evoke nostalgia. It is like the song has transformed into a game for the gamers pleasure. Stick moves are similar to the classic Smash TV from the 1990′s. Here you use the right stick to shoot and the left stick to move.
The storyline goes thus – aliens have been lying in wait for us through the TV shows of the seventies and eighties. You have been kidnapped by them and are forced to fight for thier entertainment. It is not at all difficult to fight the bad guys here since they follow certain patterns of movement. These can be learnt and the bad guys can be defeated quite easily.
You will like this game if you like classics with a twist. This game style was liked a few years back but I am uncertain whether it will generate the same appeal again. This is not a challenging game and if you are looking for one, look elsewhere. Although this game is available as a download, the poor quality graphics turned me off.
I would not recommend this game highly. It does manage to entertain for a while, but after a time it gets boring. I like my games to be challenging. Again the issue of the large download and whether this game game is worth it crops up. In addition this game takes up too much disc space. I would rather spend an afternoon playing something like The Godfather rather than Cash Guns Chaos.
November 16th, 2007
Games on the PS3 are getting better. In this genre of great entertainment, the latest game is Heavenly Sword. The graphics and controls are great.
The main character, who you play is a female warrior called Nariko. The sword she uses in the game is called Heavenly sword. The aim is to take down your enemies.
There are many play styles and a lot of puzzle elements. This keeps the game fresh. One bad thing about Heavenly Sword is that it is too short. If you are good, you could beat the game in seven hours of play.
In addition, once you have completed the game there will probably be no desire left to replay it. When you finish the game, you unlock hell mode automatically but this is not so entertaining as you have to go through the same story again, mostly.
However the game has a smooth framerate and has a nice storyline to it. The tilt controls are great fun to use while guiding your weapons to their targets (arrows and cannon balls)
But it is great fun while it lasts. Many people would rank Heavenly Sword alongside the best games to hit the PS3. If you own a PS3 this game is a must have. If you do not want to buy it because it is too short, I suggest renting it.
November 14th, 2007
Giant Robots and controlling them have long been a fantasy with young teeny boppers. Armored Core 4 has been made with them in mind. In this game you build huge towering robots and then get to control them in combat.
The new Armored Core aims to bring forward the excitement of the series with a few changes. It is less customizable. The positive of this is that novices can get right into the game quickly. The game is fast and flows at a furious pace.
Now let me describe the look and feel of this game to you. In one word the graphics are fantastic, specially if you are viewing them on an HD TV. Apart from a few minor snags, I thought the graphics were great. The game scores in the sound department as well. The only downside to the sound is that there isn’t enough variety.
The fact that the game has been simplified is probably going to turn off fans who like to micromanage building their robots. The other part of the game – combat has improved tremendously. It is now easier to manage the robots and their movements are much quicker – putting a lot of waiting to an end. The single player mode is a bit short of expectations, though online multiplayer is great entertainment.
Now, if you want to know whether I would recommend this game, yes I would. It is great whether you play the game from a mechanics viewpoint or from a robot fighters. Some would put down the simplified robot building, but the great graphics, sound and better fighting scenario makes up for it.
November 12th, 2007
If you are a WW2 freak and have enjoyed movies like “Guns of Navarone” then “
Resistance: Fall Of Man” is the kind of PS3 entertainment for you. This game is made for guys who like to fight horrific enemies – the kind popularized by Doom. Also, it offers online multiplayer gameplay.
The plot is a fantasy that revolves around WW2. Here enemies attack Russia and move westwards bringing Europe under their dominion. You get to be the hero fighting in this scenario.
The graphics are cartoon like with smooth textures and simplified objects. The game is populated by horrific monsters though. There is a health display via bars on the left of the screen and the right side shows how loaded your ammo is.
The background score is epic like. Some of this game is about destiny. If someone is really meant to die, they will. You are healed by the stuff found in canisters around the game.
There is an effort to make the game as realistic as possible. Also you can choose which skill level you want to play from 3 levels of difficulty.
The downsides of Resistance: Fall Of Man include a slowdown in frame in later levels. The game straight away gets to the action without enough introduction. The game is too violent, not unlike many of today’s games though.
Despite the downsides, overall this is a nice way to pass time and a good enough addition to your PS3 games.
November 6th, 2007
The Untold Legends series was originally for the Playstation Portable, but when Sony Online Entertainment needed a dungeon-bash for the launch of the Playstation 3, it was this series that got the call. The result is Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom. It’s a solid enough title but disappointing if compared to something like Elder Scrolls: Oblivion.
Dark Kingdom doesn’t really do much that’s offensive, it just looks like it was slapped together on a weekend by a committee trawling through five-year-old fantasy RPGs and nicking bits. Almost every aspect is more limited than in most recent games in this genre, and more limited than a couple of really old games like Diablo.
Save the kingdom from Evil. Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom does succeed in giving a genuinely dark feeling to its storyline, and there actually is a storyline. But from the moment you get to choose from just three character classes, all of whom get spells and weapons, there’s a feeling something’s missing. There’s a little bit of puzzle-solving and a couple of escort missions, but mostly it’s all hack and slash. The action is tightly on rails too, which makes the world feel small. You’ll be following a single, one step at a time plotline from beginning to end.
That’s been true of a lot of RPGs, though, and they can still be compelling. Levelling up is a process that makes some people voluntarily forgo excitement for grinding, and that compulsion works okay here. Every level you’ll get two experience points to distribute among your attributes, and a star for one of your spells. You’ll get more powerful, but nothing about levelling is going to drastically change the way you fight.
Then there’s loot. There’s always the chance in a game like this that the next monster you cream will drop the Ultimate Weapon, or the coolest unique item. Apparently that was silly, and it’s almost completely done away with. Monster drops consist of orbs that recharge your health and mana; essence, which is the kingdom’s currency; and very occasional pieces of armour. No weapons ever. Essence can be spent to buy back health and mana, or purchase armour, but not weapons.
You’ll keep the same weapon throughout the game. This isn’t as utterly crushing as it sounds, because the weapons operate with a slot system. You can slot runes and gems in and out at any stage to change your weapon’s effects. Some of the slots are shaped so they’ll only take particular gems, so you’ll still have to make some choices. Still, many games manage multiple weapons and a slot system as well, so it’s hard to understand why Sony Online chose to do it this way.
Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom does feature drop in/drop out co-operative play, allowing a second player to come and go when they feel like it, and that is a nice touch. Online play is competent, too, with the game allowing up to four players to team up and play through the same linear campaign you play offline. You can’t transfer either games or characters from offline games to online ones though; another odd little place where the game just seems to be behind the times.
The graphics are an odd mix. The backgrounds and character models are pretty good, and would have been top-line a year ago. That line has moved, though, and PS3 games are supposed to look better. The character models look pretty standing still, but there’s something lacking from the animation when they move that might be what’s lacking from the whole game: spirit.
While there’s nothing terrible about the game, there’s also nothing about it that transports it above its little flaws. We’re back to cameras that swing round so you can see nothing but the tree in front of you and stunningly, Sega Megadrive-era bottomless pits of death. You can forgive little technical niggles, or bland plotlines, or limited character customisation, or repetitive combat, but maybe not all of it, not any more.
Still, if you have a PS3 and you really love dungeon-bashes as some mindless after-work stress relief, then considering all the options, Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom is the game to buy.
November 5th, 2007
Raven Software’s Marvel Ultimate Alliance is the first RPG for the Playstation 3. Raven has a solid pedigree from its two X-Men games, and this is much the same style of game-play and graphics. If you liked them, you’ll like this.
This time, everything is bigger. Marvel Ultimate Alliance pits a cast of more than twenty playable heroes against Dr Doom and a huge roll-call of supervillains in a battle that crosses the galaxy and multiple dimensions. While there’s a bit of ‘me too’ spurious justification, mostly the plot is solid and a lot more present than in many console games. Dr Doom’s ultimate plan remains a secret for most of the game. How much you’ll care is another matter, as the game basically boils down to a satisfying dungeon bash interspersed with boss battles and cut scenes heavy with exposition.
You’ll start off playing Wolverine, Captain America, Thor, and Spiderman, but after a few levels you’ll get to choose your own team. Given the variety of superheroes you have to play with, it’s tempting to swap them in and out, but keeping your team consistent will earn it reputation points, which you can spend on specific bonuses. In addition, particular combinations earn their own special bonuses. Picking all mutants will earn you the X-Men bonus, or less obviously, an all-girl team gets you the Femme Fatale bonus.
Each character earns experience points as you go, which you can spend on increasing their unique special powers. While this lets you specialise members of your team in ranged attacks or melee, don’t worry about others falling behind. Marvel: Ultimate Alliance keeps your unplayed characters sitting one level behind your played ones. So if you feel the need to swap another character in, they won’t get creamed. You can also shift experience points between skills at any time, so when you feel you’ve made a mistake you can correct it. You can buy experience points too, using the cash you get for beating up supervillains.
And if all that’s not enough to play with, each character has three unlockable costumes. This isn’t just playing dress-ups: each one has different effects on the superhero. You can level up each costume, too. There’s equipment to pick up, though disappointingly this doesn’t show up on your characters.
The AI in Marvel Ultimate Alliance isn’t terrible, and the game is perfectly playable solo. It offers support for four players, though, either locally or online. Multiplayer offers co-operative and arcade modes. Co-operative is just the same as the single-player game, and if you’re hosting on-line you can load up a saved game from your own campaign. Arcade offers the slight variation of having players competing for points on each level. The on-line version does occasionally suffer from some crippling lag.
The game has some odd unevenness about it. Frame rates drop sometimes even if you’re not playing on-line, and some background textures look like they weren’t quite finished in time. There’s a smoothness to character models that you’d expect from this kind of comic-style game, and some of the particle effects that come with using special powers are really gorgeous. Still, the graphics just aren’t as sharp and detailed as some seventh-generation console games.
Then there are the gameplay features that have been added to what’s a cross-platform game in order to use the Playstation 3′s Sixaxis controller. With the possible exception of following the tilt commands in the boss fights, they all feel tacked on, unnecessary, and in some cases more trouble than not using the shiny new toy.
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance is a solid RPG with a detailed story and a power of game play. It has a couple of customization features that do away with annoying niggles in other RPGs. It’s a pity, then, that a couple of technical problems make it less fun than it could have been.
January 5th, 2007
Basketball lovers are in for a treat with the PS3 version of NBA 07. The graphics and details will please many game players. The game flows well. A Considerable change from the PS NBA games of the past is that in this version you take a shot by pushing the circle button. This one change makes a significant difference in the overall play of the game.
Continue Reading December 20th, 2006
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