Posted by Dalibor Dimovski | Comments : (1)
I had a sort of dilemma when planning my review of Singularity. On one hand, it is pretty clear in what genre this game wants to be classified in — the hybrid FPS/RPG style of BioShock, for example — but it could never be as fresh or groundbreaking. On the other, it is the middle of a scorching summer filled with late-night work weeks, and I’ve wanted nothing more than escapism to make me forget about the projects that have been haunting me.
To try and review Singularity from the standpoint of its artistic significance and how it fits in against similar games wouldn’t do it (or my experience with it) any justice. The game isn’t special; it’s hardly spectacular. In fact, had Singularity been released at any other point in the already jam-packed gaming year, it might be reviewed with much poorly in comparison to the high profile properties surrounding it.
But it wasn’t released in the Spring, and it isn’t going to be released in the Fall. It was released during the aforementioned Summer when it was the only game of it’s type, much like Red Faction was last year. And for that reason, for the need to play a game and forget about the automotive industry that I work in, Singularity is the perfect getaway.
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Posted by Dalibor Dimovski | Comments : (2)
When I first heard about Inception, I wasn’t quite sure what to think. “It looks cool, I guess. Nothing I haven’t seen before.” I’m normally a sucker for mind-bending or “smart” sci-fi. It wasn’t until the Twitter and Facebook chatter of “how great the film was” spread like an epidemic that I decided to actually see it.
I look back at my initial thoughts, and I can’t help but repeat them: It’s nothing I haven’t seen before.
Which, I guess, is why I enjoyed it so much.
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Posted by Dalibor Dimovski | Comments : (2)
“Final Fantasy XIII is absolutely a satisfactory game, dampened only by its focus on being bigger than it needed to be.”
When Final Fantasy XIII was first announced eons ago, and unbelievable images of spectacular battle scenes and flawless character animation were shown, my mouth dropped low enough to puncture every level of Dante’s Inferno (the book, not the game). As a fan of the series since its NES-fueled inception, I had been anticipating the “next gen” Final Fantasy since the today’s consoles were announced. It appeared that this would be the be-all, end-all RPG that I’ve always wanted.
That was over 4 years ago. It is now 2010, and the videogame landscape has vastly changed.
Final Fantasy XIII hasn’t.
After months of grinding through futuristic alien worlds and battling bazooka-wielding soldiers with divining rods and brass knuckles, I’ve come to a realization about Square Enix’s latest adventure: Final Fantasy XIII was late to its own party.
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Posted by Jon Kehoe | Comments : (0)
What wasn’t so old is new again as Super Mario Galaxy 2 sets out to expand on what we saw in the original Galaxy game. New levels, new power ups, 242 more stars to collect and the return of Yoshi are all here to achieve that expanded gameplay experience. But is that what Super Mario Galaxy 2 simply amounts to – an expansion pack? Or is Super Mario Galaxy 2 a step towards 3D platforming game perfection? Pick up your Fire Flower and let’s burn through this to find out.
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Posted by Aaron Kirchhoff | Comments : (0)
VITALS
Game: Transformers: War for Cybertron
Developer: High Moon Studios
Released: June 22, 2010
Platform: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC
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I’m going to be honest here; I’m not a fan of G1 Transformers. Sure, I’ve seen the show a couple of times and watched the incredibly cheesy 80s film, but most of my exposure to the franchise of poor marksmen in disguise was through the 90s iteration: Beast Wars. That said … OK, are you done booing now? That said, I’m familiar enough with the source material to recognize the major players, most of whom make an appearance in War for Cybertron.
Cybertron is, for those of you not in the know, the home world of the Transformers and, as the subtitle indicates, the scene of a war between the Autobots and Decepticons. The Decepticons do some bad, the Autobots do some good, and a lot of stuff blows up. That’s pretty much the entire plot of Transformers: War for Cybertron, but do you really need any more motivation to take control of a transforming robot/vehicle equipped with lasers and a giant energy sword?
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Posted by YanivP | Comments : (4)
Blur is a racing game. Yaniv doesn’t mix well with racing games. So logic states that Yaniv did not like Blur. Here comes a shocker: Yaniv spent a shamelessly fun 13 hours with with Blur this last week! Come on in viewer, and let good ol’ Yaniv show you the ups and many downs of this here racing game!
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Posted by Ryan Gan | Comments : (2)
Alpha Protocol is an RPG that prides itself on providing the player with multiple choices that will have an effect on the game’s story; it boasts not just multiple endings but also “multiple middles” to the plot. The decisions you make in Alpha Protocol matter — all of them. Unfortunately, this isn’t a good thing. The choices you make in Alpha Protocol not only affect the game’s plot, but they also have a direct affect on whether or not you’re having fun. Continue Reading
Posted by Mike McGarrigle | Comments : (0)
Okay, here’s the deal. There are a lot of games coming out this year and money is tight around the Sidequesting HQ. Dali keeps threatening to replace us all with monkeys and typewriters. So from time to time we have to wade into unfamiliar waters and take a chance in the name of keeping food on the table. At first glance Divinity 2 looks like a fun romp into a fantasy world with dragons, heroes, and bad guys bent on domination. Unfortunately, unless you’re willing to put up with some pain, Divinity 2 falls far short expectations.
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Posted by Jon Kehoe | Comments : (0)
More and more, the influence of the casual gaming market is being felt in traditional or hardcore games such as RPGs and adventure games. Simplified interfaces and gameplay are becoming more common – complicated multi-button attack combos are being replaced by single button attacks, huge inventory lists are narrowed down to short categories and icons, and more obvious visual cues pointing where to go. Even the concept of seeing a GAME OVER screen is being challenged.
Examples are everywhere: the DS iterations of The Legend of Zelda, Fable 2, and in the subject of this review, the subtitle-less Prince of Persia. This game was 2008′s entry into Ubisoft’s popular franchise – a departure from The Sands of Time trilogy in visual style, story and in particular, the gameplay. However, one has to ask whether these are welcome changes. Are games becoming more balanced or are the simplifications making hardcore games too easy? Let’s see how Prince of Persia fares, shall we? Continue Reading
Posted by Mike Wehner | Comments : (2)
Vitals
Game: Red Dead Redemption
Developer: Rockstar Games
Release: Available Now
Platform: XBox 360, PlayStation 3
I suppose I should start out by confessing that I had to invoke the Twelve-Hour rule on Red Dead Redemption. The Twelve-Hour Rule absolves me as a reviewer (and a gamer, first and foremost) from having to play more than twelve hours of a game before passing judgement on both its overall quality, and deciding whether or not to recommend it to you, my fellow gamers. And yes, in case you were wondering, I did in fact make up the Twelve-Hour Rule. Now, on to the game.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Red Dead Redemption throws you into an dusty world at the turn of the century as an enigmatic bounty-hunter type with a shadowy past and a chip on his shoulder. Yeah, I thought so. This doesn’t make for the most compelling story in the world and all the usual cowboy cliches are firmly in place here. You’ll meet the drunk gunslingers, the crooked lawmen, and of course, the hookers.
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