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]

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]

God of War Collection Review: Revisiting Old Times

While there are a small handful of PlayStation 2 games still being released every few weeks, the console’s lifecycle is finally coming to a dwindling end. After nine years, and thousands of games, in the end there was only one franchise that stood out as Sony’s best first party offering for the platform, “God of War.” Coming along only within the last few years of the PS2’s life, Kratos’ epic first two games pushed the limits of what could be done in a video game, while presenting some of the most satisfying gameplay ever, making his two titles absolute must-haves for anyone that considered themselves a gamer. It has only been two and a half years since “God of War 2” was released, and we are only months away from “God of War 3” but Sony has gone and released yet another “G.o.W.” product that’s now a must-have for every PS3 owner in the “God of War Collection.” [Continue Reading]

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 Review: Too Short, Too Sweet

 ”Modern Warfare 2″ tries to be the best offering from Infinity Ward (IW), and with having to deliver a sequel to the first “Modern Warfare, it’s hard not to imagine the developers sweating bullets. Yet, gamers are critical, and rightly so when you consider the other “Call of Duty” games by Treyarch, and the fact that this is such an over-saturated genre. You would probably have to blame “World at War” for the lack of a challenge since every gamer I spoke to about “Modern Warfare 2″ said it was too easy … on Veteran. Surprisingly, these days it seems that I’m not the only gamer looking to play my games on their hardest difficulty setting.

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Critter Crunch Review: I Eat, Therefore I Am

There were two indie type games that really peeked my interest during E3 2009 – “Pixel Junk Shooter” and “Critter Crunch.”  Both of these games had two things in common; fresh visuals, and simple, but deep, gameplay that challenged you to think.  The handheld video game market is flooded with games like this, especially when you factor in the iPhone and Blackberry users out there.  It’s almost refreshing to see that developers like CAPY, better known as Capybara Games, are willing to make a game like this exclusively for a console, and releasing “Critter Crunch” on the PSN for $6.99 on October 8th.    [Continue Reading]

Katamari Forever Review: Rollin’ Rollin’ Rollin’

At this point, the “Katamari” formula is tried and true. However, not every console has had the honor of having The Prince and his royal ball rolling grace it with their presence. The PS3 stuck out like a sore thumb after having lost the game’s last console release, “Beautiful Katamari,” to the Xbox 360, and getting “Noby Noby Boy” instead. Well, Sony scored the Prince again with the release of “Katamari Forever,” and even though it looks like the Prince is rolling up a familiar tree for this release, he’s got a few new tricks up his sleeve for anyone who’s down to roll a katamari, whether they’re longtime fans, or completely new to the series. [Continue Reading]

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Review: Almost Perfect

Naughty Dog’s “Uncharted 2 Among Thieves” leaves you breathless.  It’s tough to find a  game that mixes well proven game development techniques and leaves a solid impression on you. This is something that you can’t really understand this until you play the game.  With a much longer single player experience than the original, stronger visuals, tightened gameplay, on-line co-op and multiplayer, it’s near impossible not to like “Uncharted 2.”  [Continue Reading]

Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 Review: A Slice Of Heaven

“Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2″ brings extra modes,  strong replay value, improved visual pinache, and everything you love to hate about the series to the PlayStation 3.  Even though the game takes a few steps forward, it takes a few steps back keeping it shy from the epitome of greatness that Tecmo and Team Ninja would like it rest upon.  It’s these things, like the bad camera, unforgiving difficulty, and long hours of frustrating gameplay, that makes this title far less than the crown jewel it could be.  [Continue Reading]

Crystal Defenders Review: A Frustrating Trip Down Memory Lane

I’ve never been one to get excited about tower defense games. I had a brief stint with “Pixeljunk Monsters,” and, for the most part, enjoyed it, but aside from that, my history with the genre is brief. Then along came “Crystal Defenders”; A tower defense game from Square Enix that borrows heavily from the “Final Fantasy” universe (most notably “Tactics”). Yet, while people will buy the game simply because of its association with the franchise, only serious tower defense enthusiasts need apply, as “Crystal Defenders” too often becomes a mundane and monotonous process of trail and error. [Continue Reading]

Batman: Arkham Asylum Review #1: This Dark Knight Shines Brightly

This is part one of our two part “Batman: Arkham Asylum” review series. Check out MarkyX’s take on the game.

Months ago, DC Comics killed off Bruce Wayne. A three-part mini-series, entitled “Battle for the Cowl,” followed his death, in which multiple heroes and villains from the Gotham universe battled to wear the suit of the famous, Caped Crusader. Now, a new entity dons the bat suit, and a total reinvention of the Batman storyline has begun. While “Batman: Arkham Asylum” still has you exploring Gotham’s most storied penitentiary from behind the eyes of Bruce Wayne, it draws many parallels with it’s comic brethren, as it’s a total reinvention of Batman in the gaming realm, and brings with it many innovative features that should be mainstays in the third-person, action genre. [Continue Reading]

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