Heavy Rain Review: The Hunt Is On

Lo and behold 2010 is starting with a bang for gamers. Each year we often consider being the best in gaming, but 2010 is looking to raise the bar even further. We’ve just finished up month two (already) and we’ve already gotten at least three titles that would be worthy for game of the year. I’m talking about you; “Mass Effect 2,” “Bioshock 2″ and now “Heavy Rain.”

Quantic Dream is a development house looking to build on its interactive formula developed with last gen’s “Indigo Prophecy” and brings us the well-hyped “Heavy Rain” exclusive to the PS3. Games are growing up kids. This isn’t your regular video game affair. [Continue Reading]

Aliens Vs. Predator Review: Commence Intergalactic War

Taking two classic science fiction action movies and mashing them together into one co-existing world is a daunting task, no matter what source material you’re dealing with. But, it’s particularly challenging when the overall concept is something that has been happening, at least in the imaginations of fans, for the last twenty or so years, and that’s exactly has been happening with the Alien and Predator franchises. Sure, they’ve had a few movies made about them together, but Sega’s “Aliens vs Predator” is the first time the two warring factions have ever made it into the hands of console gamers. That alone should raise a few eyebrows, but when you add into the mix the fact that the game offers players the ability to play as all three species; Xenomoprh, Predator, and Human, it should do a little more than just raise eyebrows. [Continue Reading]

Dante’s Inferno Review: To Hell And Back

Hell is a place that many different mediums have explored; movies, television, and comic books frequently venture to Catholicism’s home of eternal damnation. However, it’s a rich setting that hasn’t really been fully explored in video games, until now. Based on the classic poem by Dante Alighieri, “Dante’s Inferno” (the game) from EA, gives gamers the opportunity to step into the role of Dante as he journeys to the deepest sanctum of Lucifer to save his beloved. To steal a line from the marketing material, gamers can finally go to Hell. [Continue Reading]

Darksiders Review: It’s The End Of The World

“A War Dem Want, A War Dem A Go Get” – Bounty Killer.

When it comes to THQ’s “Darksiders,” more fitting words have never been spoken. When I first heard about this game that would bring about the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, I couldn’t help but jump with joy that video games had finally begun to really embrace the biblical themes of heaven and hell. Ever since the beginning of video games there was always a “good guy, bad guy” dynamic but never really touching on “mature” themes like gasp… H –E- double hockey sticks and the Apocalypse.

The story starts off with you in control of a hulking beast of a being walking down what looks like a ravaged Times Square. All types of things are blowing up around you and you are marching forward following a truly impressive golem thingy. Before long you are attacked by flying “angels” that you proceed to rip apart with wanton aggression. Soon you find out that you are War, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, meant to ride out and ensure that what was once living was no longer living.

Now that’s my kind of game. [Continue Reading]

Global Agenda Review: The Game Has Changed

Hi-Rez Studios are trying to stir something up in the MMO world with their latest release, “Global Agenda.” Instead of sticking to the fantasy-based, open world game template with little interactivity, they are trying to blend the best of team-based shooters with the character development of typical MMOs. It is a very innovative risk since this is game trying to appeal to two different types of gamers who despise each others existence, especially when the game includes a pseudo-subscription service. In a nutshell, you buy the game at the original price to gain access to the “free” modes, and then pay a subscription to get involved in the Alliance vs Alliance battles. With all this said, is it worth getting into the battlefield or are you better off ignoring it altogether?
[Continue Reading]

BioShock 2 Review: I Want To Be Under The Sea

2007 was a big year for video games; that’s an undeniable fact. So many great games came out that year that it’s hard to nail down one in particular as the best game of that year. However, there’s one game almost always comes out near the top of the heap; “BioShock.” Ken Levine and 2K Boston’s underwater masterpiece is something that gamers will always look back on as a true classic. “BioShock” was both a critical and commercial success, so a sequel was inevitable. However, “BioShock 2″ wasn’t handled by the same development team, with 2K Boston passing off the reins to 2K Marin, and it didn’t even feature the same characters. However, “BioShock 2″ somehow managed to be one of the most enjoyable and compelling games to come along in a while. [Continue Reading]

bittos+ Review: On The Heels Of Giants

If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if two of the greatest puzzle games of all time have an illegitimate child, you can stop trying to figure it out, because the world now has an answer. “bittos+” is the latest block dropping puzzle game to find its way to WiiWare, and it’s very clearly inspired by the grand-daddy of any block-based game, Alexey Pazhitnov’s masterpiece, “Tetris” and a modern day reinvention of virtually the same formula, “Lumines.” Pulling from such impressive (and addictive) source material, it seems like “bittos+” has lofty aspirations to keep gamers playing for hours on end with its simplistic and familiar look and feel, but can it satisfy gamers’ need for yet another block-based puzzle game?

Yeah, it can. [Continue Reading]

Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter Review: Heeeee’s Baaaaack

Releasing a remake of a game is always a tricky situation for a developer. What may seem like a simple concept of offering an updated versions of someone’s favorite game really boils down to how can you sell virtually the same product to someone twice. Such is the case for Majesco Game’s latest XBLA release, “Serious Sam HD: The First Encounter.” Based on the 2001 release “Serious Sam: The First Encounter,” this new release updates a handful of features, as well as adds a shiny new coat of paint to the original. But is that enough to get you to pick up this “classic”? [Continue Reading]

Blood Bowl Review: The Football Video Game Based On A Board Game

Elves, Orcs, Dwarves, and other fantasy characters aren’t new to video games. They have become a cliche and are often seen in online roleplaying games to make a quick buck for investors. However, in those types of games you often align yourselves with friends to defeat a great evil or just grab some loot. None of these games give you the option of playing a violent variation of football. This is where “Blood Bowl” comes in; a grid-based board game developed by Games Workshop which made its debut in the 80s and still has a strong following today. This isn’t the first time “Blood Bowl” has been made into a video game, but it is the first to make use of the internet and the latest version of the original rules. [Continue Reading]

Final Fantasy XIII Review: Imported For Your Benefit

“Final Fantasy XIII” was released just before the Christmas holiday in Japan, and I was lucky enough to obtain a copy from The Land of the Rising Sun.  The new installment takes a modernistic approach on it’s story telling, focusing more on more and the main story, and less on multiple side quests.  Set between a small hovering moon pandemic with futuristic originality, and an abandoned planet, “Final Fantasy XIII” is stoked with drama and an underlying theme of fighting against your fate.  In this installment, the directors hope to move you through what could be one of the most action packed filled “Final Fantasy” games in a long time.  [Continue Reading]

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