All Entries Tagged With: "Review"

God of War III Review

Very few games this generation have awed me to the degree where they deserved a standing ovation. Games that have left particles of eminence stamped in our very own psyche; significant moments that are imprinted in our brains which from time to time come to life in the form of the most memorable moments we have experienced in our history of gaming; Moments that leave us in pure bliss as we savor the bewitching amazement that happened on our televisions. This is how I felt throughout my entire playthrough of God of War III – a game that has, indeed, thrashed all barriers of next generation gaming with the brute force that accompanies its protagonist, Kratos.

Crime Scene Review

SouthPeak Games’ Crime Scene arrived February 16, 2010 for Nintendo DS. The game should have piqued the interest of those looking for some blood on the system that only has a handful of M rated titles. Crime Scene throws you right into the action. Your first case involves two people dead. From there on the game can best be described as Trauma Center meets Ace Attorney. So, how does it all come together?

Plants vs. Zombies for iPhone Review

PopCap is known for making simple yet addicting games, such as Bejeweled and Peggle. This time around, though, it is something a bit different, with more character and personal peril. Plants vs. Zombies was released on the PC and Mac several months ago and it looked interesting at the time, but I never got around to playing it. Now I’m glad I didn’t, as I couldn’t imagine playing it any other way than on the iPhone (or iPod Touch).

The premise of the game sees you protecting your yard and house from a zombie invasion. If the zombies get to you they eat you brains. I bet you didn’t see that one coming, right? Luckily, you have quite the green thumb, because you can call on a wide variety of plants and fungi to protect your grey matter. In essense, this is a unique tower-defense-like game where you are defending yourself.

White Knight Chronicles Review

With 2010 being the year of the RPG, Level 5 brings us their latest game, White Knight Chronicles. WKC was released in Japan in December 2008 and it spent a good amount of time undergoing the localization process. The game features all of the online patches that were released in Japan as well as in-game voice chat, per request of the Western audience. WKC has a lot to prove in order to stand among the ranks of other RPGs being released in the coming months. The real question is if WKC will be becoming part of your collection and why, so let’s jump into this headfirst.

Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars Review

Speaking as a fan of Capcom’s Vs. series, this latest installment hits much and misses very few. Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars (TvC) satisfies the hardcore, while pleasing the newbies. The game has been condensed and simplified from its previous installments to 3-buttons and 1-help button, but it doesn’t take anything away from the skills necessary to play competitively (which is really what the hardcore care about right?). Also, TvC has gone back to teams of two with even less characters to choose from compared to the vast cast and 3-on-3 action introduced in Marvel vs. Capcom 2. Although, these seem like steps backwards, the game still packs just as big of a punch. The 2-on-2 keeps the action more tame, which is either a good or bad thing considering your preference. And the fewer characters isn’t too bad since all the characters are all really different, so there is enough variety. Some have complained you may not know all the characters on the Tatsunoko side, but really this is a game review, not a “I hope this game sells” rant.

TvC has everything a hardcore fighter would want to look for in a fighting game. In many of Capcom’s fighters, you have a super meter that you can build up to five times which let’s you use super moves. But TvC has added additional usage of your super meters. Simple combos can be easy to pull off, but those who want to be the best will need a bit of practice. Any player with half a brain can pull off a 6-7 hit combo, but the difficulty arrives when you begin taking advantage of some of the newer mechanics added to this latest installment. Mid-combo switching really extents a combo when used correctly. This is where some of the super meter comes into play as this switch off to your partner costs you one bar. Another new feature that extents combos is called the “Baroque Cancel.” After sacrificing some life from your health bar you become a colorful rainbow of a man (or woman) and can pull off combos you normally couldn’t. “Mega Crash” is a defensive move that allows you to break out of a potentially devastating combo, but you have to sacrifice some health and special bars. The last new feature in TvC that I had not seen in earlier Vs. games are what I call “counter-specials.” These are super moves that are triggered when your opponent physically attack you while you brace yourself for a short moment. All these new gameplay mechanics do nothing but add to the depth of the game, and should get hardcore fighters interested.

TvC’s controls are very easy to learn, but it gets even easier. You can use the Classic controller and Gamecube controller, but Wii remote turned sideways or with nunchuck is a totally different story. This is where the newbie of the newbs can get their satisfaction. This is button mashing paradise. Super moves are done simply by pressing no more than two buttons at the same time. While I was playing with some friends the term “Daddy Mode” was coined. This pretty much means that this mode was included simply to have fathers play with their kids, since Daddy will like it and maybe even buy a sequel. Anyone can play with these simplified controls and you know what? It’s pretty fun!

Graphics are as far as I think they can be pushed on the Wii, especially with the style they went for in this game. TvC is also very colorful, which is nice eye candy for players and spectators alike. The music is forgettable, but gets the job done (I really do wish they kept the Japanese TvC tracks). I am satisfied as long as a game’s music isn’t annoying. After that it’s really up to a person’s tastes.

Like all fighters, TvC is not immune to getting boring rather quickly. Replay value isn’t exactly high after beating Arcade mode several times. Sure there is a Time attack, Survival and Training mode, to extend the single player experience, but we know those can only get you so far. Luckily, there is Nintendo Wi-Fi mode for one-to-one battles with the world or with a friend. Adding friends is a 12-digit process, but Wii owners should be used to this by now. The battles are pretty seamless, which is hard to find with Wii titles. There are leaderboards and a ranking system for those who care, so online should keep this title in your Wii for a bit longer than expected.

Overall, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars is a fun time no matter who you’re planning to play with. Unfortunately, single player goes as far as a 2D fighter can take you with its standard array of modes both on and offline. TvC is still one of the best fighting game experiences out there today. Definitely check it out as it is totally worth at least a rental.

Game: Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars (Wii)

Release Date: 1/26/2010

Developer: Eighting

Publisher: Capcom

MSRP: $49.99

Additional Info: A copy of this game was provided to DualShockers, Inc. by the publisher for purposes of this review.

Assassin’s Creed 2: Battle of Forli DLC Review

By the time you have finished reading this sentence, you could have played through the Battle of Forli…twice.  Kidding aside, I noted what time I sat down to play the game and was finished within an hour.  That’s not skipping any cut scenes, and includes failing a mission once. That does include one trip on Leonardo’s flying machine which, I’m pretty sure was put it so people could get the achievement related to it without having to play through it again.

Divinity II – Ego Draconis Review

Divinity II is an enigma to me. It has great potential and is a moderately enjoyable adventure through yet another dark fantasy world. It tantalizes you with nice little touches that bring vivacity to the character models, yet somehow manages to lack polish and finesse, the things that really connect the players with the characters they control. It draws you into an engaging story, but at the same time manages to alienate the player. It’s a game of contrasts in almost every way – in-game mechanics, plot points and technical proficiencies (or lack thereof).

Buzz! Quiz World (PSP)

The other night I sat in my favorite dive bar, drinking a beer after work, and a scrolling marquee would ask a question and then give you the answer 10 seconds later. I sat in the bar for a good hour trying to answer as many correct as I could. Although this type of quiz on the go is fun, I can only really enjoy it at the bar. However, the folks at Sony have given me a fine solution to my quiz needs on the go. The solution is Buzz Quiz World on the PSP.

Avatar Wave: Snowball Fight Review

Just in time for the winter and holiday season we have Avatar Wave: Snowball Fight, The Perfect Holiday Game! When I was first handed this game, I have to say I was a bit skeptical. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy my fair share of indie games as they seem to offer more innovation than titles that come from the bigger studios. However sometimes they are pretty cheap and crappy. This is not the case with Avatar Wave: Snowball Fight. Never did I think that drilling xbox live avatars in the face with snow balls would be so much… fun! Matches play out like real snow balls fights in that when you start everyone is scrambling to gather snowballs, all while trying to not get hit by the opposing team.

Assassin’s Creed 2 Review

I am a white American male, and I am a minority. However, the color of my skin or the fact that I have a penis has nothing to do with why I am a minority. I am a minority simply due to the fact that I absolutely adored Assassin’s Creed. No, I’m not missing a 2 there; I enjoyed the first one IMMENSELY. I enjoyed it so much that I went around and killed every templar, I collected every flag, and I did everything possible in that game.

Needless to say, I was excited for the sequel. Well actually, excited is an understatement, I was so amped for this game I was nearly kicked out of my university’s library because I squealed with glee so loudly. But once again, I am the minority, many others were apprehensive upon hearing about the sequel because of Assassin’s Creed. The most common problem I heard about the original was that many people found it to be repetitive and uninteresting after a few missions. I can say with 100% honesty, that those problems are gone in this newest iteration. However, we need to talk a little bit about the story before we go into how Ubisoft fixed those problems.

In this sequel, you take on the the role of Ezio Auditore da Firenze, a young nobleman and playboy. Ezio is initially unaware of his father’s profession and his family duties as an assassin, nor the fact that he is a descendant of Altaïr. As the story progresses, Ezio’s carefree world is shaken into a life of revenge. Over the next 23 years, Ezio will track down and eliminate the conspirators that had schemed against his family and you no longer have to collect information to do the assassination. You can run in there, bust the proverbial “cap” and you’re done. The assassination locations and styles vary in difficulty and range, it no longer feels like you keep doing the same thing over and over again.

In addition to the new protagonist, Ubisoft added or improved upon many things in AC2. There is now a monetary system, which you will use to purchase more weapons and armor, or update your villa. When rebuilding your villa, the money you put into it will increase the net worth of your villa, and after every 20 minutes in game you will be compensated for it. You can add value to your villa by adding actual pieces of Renaissance art, renovating buildings, or collecting some of the numerous items throughout the cities. Maybe updating your villa isn’t your thing; you could go to a few secret places throughout each city where you will be tested in puzzle solving ability to unlock a very rewarding armor set. Don’t like badass armor? That’s cool, maybe conspiracy theories are more your speed, you can go search for 20 pieces of “The Truth” which reveals a lot about the lore of Assassin’s Creed.

That’s not even touching on the updates Ubisoft made to the combat of AC2. Ohhh, the combat. Ezio can disarm enemies and wield many more weapons. I find the disarming combat strangely gratifying, as it is immensely fun to disarm a soldier carrying a 2 handed ax then seconds later send the blade directly into the former owners skull. Also, the countering and special kills are enjoyable as well. I do have a few gripes though, on one assassination mission, I was spotted by the target and we entered combat. He refused to strike at me, and every time I went to hit him, he would block it. This went on for around 5 minutes, before I started running away and killed him with throwing knives. This exemplifies my main problems with combat, firstly, the AI can be incredibly daft. The AI seems to be content with attempting to scare me off by staring at me. Secondly, it seems that every AI character can block EVERYTHING. And not only just deflect, but they counter you and it seems to go on for far longer than it should. Maybe I’m just impatient, but I want to unleash the fucking fury with a war hammer. Is that such a horrible thought that Ubisoft decided that every AI grunt can block every attack? Other than those 2 nuisances, the combat was very fun and rewarding.

The freerunning is, for the most part, well done. Ezio seems to gracefully sprint up boxes and swing on hanging plants, or sprint along the canals of Venice. If you find the right path in climbing up a building, he will scamper up the side very quickly. But if you find yourself more than a foot away from the next handhold, Ezio will stare at the handhold without moving. Oh, and don’t try jumping to it, more times than not you will find Ezio plummeting to his death after spending a few minutes trying to climb to a view point.

The other protagonist you will control is Desmond, who after a daring escape from Abstergo, finds himself in the care of the Assassins. I found myself liking Desmond a lot more this time around, mainly because of the fact that he’s no longer a huge pussy. You will run, jump and fight as Desmond but only a few times. Desmond only comes out of the animus on a few occasions, which I think for the story is a wise decision by Ubisoft.

Overall, I’d give this game a 5 out of 5 and recommend it to anyone. Ubisoft took what they did wrong in the original and either threw out the idea or refreshed it to become something wholly impressive. Other than my few complaints about the combat and climbing, this game destroys my cerebral cortex with it’s sheer awesomeness

• Title: Assassin’s Creed 2
• Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
• Publisher: Ubisoft
• Release Date: November 17, 2009
• MSRP: $59.99
• Review Copy Info: DualShockers, Inc. was not provided with a review copy by the publisher, and purchased the game for review purposes.

God of War Collection Review

There are characters in games that have made such a gargantuan impact in the industry and in their respective genres, that they become a looming imprint in the back of our minds – legends, and proof that a certain era of gaming did indeed grace us with memorable moments; moments that we subconsciously embrace throughout the years.

One of these characters that have made such an impact on many folks, including myself, comes in the most brutal form – a barbaric Spartan that craves chaos and revenge. The man who is responsible for the extinction of the mythological Greek gods of Olympus – Kratos, the protagonist in the God of War series, and probably one of the most bad-ass individuals in gaming history.

For those of you who haven’t played God of War or God of War II, now would probably be the best time to experience two of the most praised games for the PlayStation 2, which has been released in a nostalgic Blu-ray collection for the PlayStation 3 titled “God of War Collection.” A disc that includes both games digitally remastered in high definition for you visual and audio aficionados, bonus content with the making of God of War II following director Cory Barlog, and, for those of you who are looking for an orgasmic taste for the next God of War title, a demo of God of War III. Although just about everything aside from the God of War III demo and added trophy support isn’t anything new, it is a package that any PlayStation 3 owner should take advantage of at a price of $40.

With regards to the story, there isn’t much to say that most of you don’t already know or have read about. Both games revolve around the Spartan military hero Kratos, and his journey to do biddings for the Gods of Olympus.

The first God of War takes Kratos on a journey to obtain Pandora’s Box which will give him the absolute power to defeat a god. In this case, the Gods of Olympus have asked Kratos to take care of the God of War himself, Ares – who is waging an unacceptable war against the goddess Athena’s city Athens. In return for slaying the god of war, Kratos’s violent past would be forgiven under the treacherous requests of Ares. He learns from the Oracle that Pandora’s Box is hidden deep within the Temple of Pandora, which lies on the back of the last living Titan, Cronos – who has been commanded by Zeus to endlessly wander the Desert of Lost Souls. Kratos makes the three day journey of climbing up the Titan’s back for three days and then gains entrance to the Temple of Pandora, where his life-changing adventure truly begins.

In God of War II, the game starts showing Kratos as the new God of War after successfully defeating Ares in the prequel. However, due to his ruthlessness, Kratos had yet to be accepted by members of the Greek pantheon due to his barbaric campaigns in leading his Spartan army against all other Greek states. Athena informs Kratos that he has angered the God of Olympus, warning him that there isn’t much she can do to help anymore if he continues his ways. The new God of War brushes her warnings away and continues his conquest against the city of Rhodes, where his powers are eventually taken away, and where he is betrayed and killed by the almighty Zeus.

Obtaining the help of the Titans, Kratos vows to get his revenge against Olympus and all that harbor in it, and – at the request of the Titan Gaia – he seeks out the Sister of Fate in order to change the moment in which Zeus killed him.

God of War, although a last generation game, still offers an experience that trumps current next-gen titles. Although the graphics aren’t on par with today’s games, the gameplay still offer the same reminiscent experience that awed us on the PlayStation 2. Although the gameplay remains old school, the game feels more like a classic than it does outdated. The visuals weren’t re-invented, so you won’t see too much changes in new textures and polygon counts. But the game does offer a visible change to the world of HD, which takes the old grainy look from the PS2, and reiterates it with much smoother framerate that would belittle current games.  However, one of the more tedious and noticeable aspects when playing the games is the gritty cutscenes which did not receive the same visual enhancement treatment that the games itself received. This is much more noticeable in the first God of War, which will easily put a look of disgust in some faces. Is it enough to pry you away from the intense in-depth action and story that makes God of War what it is? Absolutely not. But it will make some folks wonder why the developers didn’t cater to these portions of the games.

The new collection doesn’t really offer much of anything new aside from a demo, trophy support and crispier visuals, but it still offers the same solid gameplay that defined the genre of action games, which is more than enough to satisfy our appetites. The added trophy support adds an element of replay value that will encourage trophy whores to re-experience the game multiple times.

If the majority of you were expecting a lengthy review regarding the God of War Collection, there was nothing to touch upon aside from what has been newly added. The game itself is still the same old God of War which, for most of you, should say enough. For those of you who are looking to experience a blot of what God of War III will be when it hits on March, the demo will do a lot more than just give you a taste of what’s to come.

After completing both games, I found myself continuously playing the demo time after time. Throughout its first couple of plays, the game itself does seem a bit unbelievable. The graphical upgrades (and this isn’t the finished version) that the series has undergone is just mind-blowing. If you guys thought that Uncharted 2: Among Thieves looked amazing, you haven’t seen anything yet. From what can be felt in the demo, the series contains its gripping combat system, with the addition of a couple of more goodies. The things that makes it stand out when compared to other games is clearly visible in the first five or so minutes of the demo. It is a tease indeed and only makes fans of the series drool in desperation.

If you haven’t played the God of War series, you’re missing out on much more than awesome games. You’re missing out on a piece of gaming history that, I guarantee, will change the way you perceive action adventure games. You’re getting two of the greatest games, with the addition of the E3 demo of God of War III, for $40 – and this is a collection that, by far, is better than a lot of next-gen titles that permeate this generation today.

[Images via IGN]

• Title: God of War Collection
• Developer: Blue Point Games / SCE Santa Monica Studios
• Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
• Release Date: November 17, 2009
• MSRP: $39.99
• Review Copy Info: DualShockers, Inc. was not provided with a review copy  by the publisher, and purchased the game for review purposes.

Assassins Creed II Guest Review

The guys from Raw Game Play are back with yet another in-depth video review. While we were busy planning our last DualShockers event we kind of dropped the ball in terms of reaching out for games to review and therefor haven’t had the chance to review AC2 for our readers out there. So check out this review from another crew of REAL gamers, Michael Hurdle and Corey Ashley. Enjoy.