Mass Effect 2, the appropriately titled sequel to Mass Effect for the Xbox 360 is an excellent game and is a marked improvement, at the very least in the gameplay department, over its predecessor. In the game you continue your role as Commander Shepherd; Human Alliance soldier, Council Specter and all around badass who’s on a quest to save the galaxy.
With a nonsensical name like that, I wasn't expecting anything much out of this one. Once discovering that it was published by Titus, the same nefarious company infamous for releasing contenders for "best worst game ever" such as Superman 64 and Carmageddon, I dropped the cartridge in shock and horror. However, I'm on a mission. Mustering up as much determination as I could, I picked it up and popped it into the Nintendo 64's cartridge slot, with sour memories of Carmageddon now flooding back.
Years ago, it just so happened that I was in the market for a new game right around the time that the original Splinter Cell came out. While browsing at Gamestop, I narrowed down my choices to either Metal Gear Solid 2 or Splinter Cell, but the in-store representative assured me that Splinter Cell was the game to get. Thankfully, I listened, because after a few short minutes with the game I fell in love. Hiding in the shadows, avoiding enemies, and killing only as a last option was unbelievably fun. But not only was it fun, it was completely unlike anything I had played before. Fast-forward to 2010, and Splinter Cell has had a number of iterations, insane plot twists, and with this latest sequel, some revamped gameplay.
This is one I've not played before. In fact, I have never played the arcade original, either.
When Super Mario Galaxy released at the end of 2007, the world had never seen anything quite like it. Outerspace platforming provided for some unbelievably unique scenarios, as well as mind-bending challenges that took some time for players to wrap their heads around. Now, two-and-a-half years later, Nintendo has released a follow-up to the critically acclaimed platformer, which builds upon the original formula and brings it to the next level. Super Mario Galaxy 2 features new power-ups, new worlds, greater challenge, and much more to do.
With the beginning of the 3D era of video games, the 2D titles that many of us grew up with became a thing of the past. However in recent times with the popularity surge of digital games and services such as WiiWare, XBLA, and PSN, gamers old and young have been reintroduced to their gaming roots. This year Atlus decided to take that one step further with their latest title, 3D Dot Game Heroes; a 3D 8-Bit style game that plays like a classic overhead 2D title.
It's not often you find games that have worlds so crazy and unique that you're dumbfounded upon sight. I can honestly say that Zeno Clash has one of those worlds. It's almost like Alice in Wonderland, just crazier and seemingly more acid-induced. Don't get me wrong, the world, story, and characters are easily the most alluring part of the game, giving players the drive to push through to the end in just one or two sittings.
Super Street Fighter IV is the follow-up to the popular Street Fighter IV released just last year. The game features a number of new fighters and modes, and is considered the most complete version (currently) of Street Fighter IV. To be honest, I've had no exposure to Street Fighter IV prior to playing Super Street Fighter IV. As a matter of fact, the last Street Fighter game I've played was Super Street Fighter II on the SNES. I enjoyed the series quite a bit back then, so it has been nice to see just how far it has come.
Now this game brings me back. A childhood friend of mine bought this game when it was available in stores, and he loved it. I wasn't really into it myself, but I still played the multiplayer with him and his brother, because they refused to play anything else if I didn't.
Dead to Rights is not a particularly high-profile series, nor is it considered the cream of the crop, but it seemed to fare well with certain gamers, developing a cult following. Given the enthusiastic minority, Namco Bandai has decided to resurrect the series with a reimagining of the original title. The result is a generic action game that doesn't play off of its strengths, forcing players into constant gun fights.
This is one I got for I think $3 when GameStop was liquidating their stock of older games. It's a helicopter shooting game with a top-down perspective involving toy soldiers, and it takes place in real-world environments that are larger than life for the little guys. You take control of a helicopter from the Green Army and are at war with the supposedly evil Tan and Blue forces; there doesn't seem to be much of an explanation as to why these toys can't just get along, which almost makes it seem like the game has some sort of subtle social commentary. Almost. Let's not go there.
The Samurai Shodown series has been around at this point for quite a while. Years ago, it helped redefine the fighting genre by working in a variety of new ideas, most prominently, weaponry. Unfortunately for the series, over time it has become less and less relevant, especially when it made its move to 3D. Since that point, it has struggled to find its identity, and this shows through in the latest iteration of the series, Samurai Shodown Sen.
I'm not sure how to qualify the purpose of Bermuda Triangle: Saving the Coral. As far as I can perceive, the game's purpose is really Coral Reef awareness, but the methods Bermuda Triangle uses for actual gameplay are convoluted, underselling the game's main theme and making for what could be considered a hypocritical piece of "green" propaganda.
Armorines is a first-person shooter that runs on a modified game engine that was originally used for Turok: Dinosaur Hunter. It isn't as polished or interesting as the game from which it borrows its engine, but it is more focused on action than exploration. I didn't really catch the details of the story as I couldn't be bothered, but it has to do with a lone soldier taking on an army of alien bugs because everyone else is either too incompetent or too lazy to take action. Whichever one sounds more realistic.
Ragnarok DS is a title based on the internationally known, Ragnarok Online. It's namesake began in 2002, based on mostly Norse mythology, providing, at a cursory glance, typical MMORPG play through a 3D world with 2D characters. Ragnarok DS borrows from Ragnarok Online in virtually every significant way, from character design and classes to enemies, combat systems, and special abilities. Unfortunately, though, in removing the MMO aspects of Ragnarok Online, Gravity seems to have forgotten how to optimize Ragnarok DS's DS capabilities.
After debuting a year ago on the Xbox 360, the fourth installment of the Star Ocean series has finally arrived on the PS3. Bearing an extended title, the International Edition of the game features a few minor new features that weren’t included in the original Xbox 360 version of the game. This time around, players are treated to a Japanese voiceover track, the ability to use anime style character portraits rather than the generic looking CGI portraits, as well as the ability to set the text to different languages. Though there have only been minor changes from the Xbox 360 version, Star Ocean: The Last Hope International is still a great addition to the PS3's RPG library.
Hooray for dirt cheap sports games I found in the depths of a bargain bin! I've not played this before now, as I'm not big on Tennis and so Mario Tennis is plenty for me.
I can't seem to sort out Just Cause 2. On one hand, it's frantic fun, with a bunch of unique gameplay elements that differentiate it from the massive number of sandbox games out there. On the other, its execution is so subpar that I can't help but dislike it. In other words, when Just Cause 2 is good, it's great, but when it's bad, it's really bad.
Capcom's latest downloadable release is a dual offering which pairs the classic Arcade title, Final Fight, with a less familiar brethren, Magic Sword. Like many re-released titles this generation, both titles are Arcade-accurate with a few augmented abilities which aim to improve the overall game experience.
The Japanese independent game developer, Cing, is well known for creating some very unique and memorable gaming experiences. From Trace Memory to Little King's Story, they have produced a variety of titles that stand out from their competitors. One of their strongest points was creating a gameplay experience around an intriguing storyline, although their games have a tendency to be a bit too wordy. Their latest, and potentially final title, Again, is yet another novel-like game in which players must collect information from both the present and the past. Unfortunately, Again lacks every good aspect found in Cing's previous works, leaving their last gaming legacy to stand as an experience that is bland, lifeless, and utterly disappointing.
Cheap sports games I got for a buck each at a game store, I own these for collection purposes since I'm not a fan of baseball. Obviously I haven't played these before, and I don't see much point in spending much time with all three. I popped in '99 and 2000 to see what they looked like and what kind of options they had, and then I played a quick game in the 2001 edition.
Once in a while, a game is released that breaks the mold of normalcy to create an experience that goes beyond that of gaming. Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon is an exceptional example of a rare experience that immerses a player in a world full of conceptualizing humanity at its greatest, and at its worst. It sugarcoats nothing and depicts some of the most blatant representations of realistic tragedy located in a sadly beautiful world. It's a game full of complexities that aims to take itself seriously, and succeeds wholeheartedly.
When it comes to RPGs on the Nintendo 64, the choices are more limited than a fast-food menu. To say this is one of the best RPGs on the system sounds good at first, but doesn't actually speak much of its quality when you consider to what it is being compared. This is probably the purest RPG on the system since there are four party members, actual statistics, a money system, level grinding, a confusing, unintentionally nonsensical plot... everything a true RPG should have!
Intelligent Systems is well known for their Fire Emblem, Advance Wars, and Paper Mario series, but as it turns it out, they are quite capable of producing many different types of lower budget games. Puzzle games are one of the more familiar genres for these types of games for the company, and Link 'n' Launch is their latest. The DSiWare title is a solid and unique puzzle title with elements that aren't very common for the genre.
