Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman! What Did I Do to Deserve This? Review: That Title is Long Enough!

Ant farms are boring. When I was a kid, my friend begged his parents to get him one for months. Eventually, they caved, and I raced over to his house to experience the feeling of playing God to a bunch of insects trapped in maze. 15 minutes later, we decided we could have more fun by watching the latest episode of Walker: Texas Ranger. At first glance, “Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman! What Did I Do to Deserve This?” is a lot like an anthill. You’ll dig tunnels beneath ground, micromanaging units, in hopes of creating the perfect ecosystem, but unlike an anthill, “Badman” has tons to offer, and anyone willing to try this experimental take on the creation/sim genre may never look at ant farms the same way again. [Continue Reading]

Dissidia: Final Fantasy Review: A Massive Battle On A Tiny System

“Dissidia: Final Fantasy” is the gaming world’s ultimate amalgam. It not only takes characters from ten different entries within the “Final Fantasy” universe, but throws them into a game that’s a combination of both the RPG and fighting genres. While that mixture may seem a bit odd, “Dissidia” seems to have something for everyone, and the end result is a delicious “Final Fantasy” gumbo, that will have fans of either genre battling it out for months to come. [Continue Reading]

Rock Band Unplugged Review: Who Needs Strings?

The “Rock Band” franchise has cemented itself as one of the best multiplayer party games ever released for a console. The proposition of being able to create a “band” with three other peopled, and be “famous” in under thirty minutes is unquestionably appealing, no matter how you feel about the music included in the game. So, what happens if you take the three friends out of that equation, and substitute the console for a portable system … can “Rock Band” still retain its entertainment value? Surprisingly… it can, and the release of “Rock Band Unplugged” proves that Harmonix can recreate an addictive “Rock Band” experience on the PSP just as well as they can on an Xbox 360, Wii, or a PS3. [Continue Reading]

Tenchu: Shadow Assassins Review: A Return to Form

The original “Tenchu,” way back in 1998, was an influential step towards what the stealth genre has become today. While it may not have been as innovative as other titles, like “Metal Gear Solid,” it created an engrossing stealth experience on par with that of franchises with much larger budgets. Sadly, after the original, the franchise fell into the hands of different developers, and over time have strayed further away from what the core “Tenchu” experience was all about. “Tenchu: Shadow Assassins” does away with that trend and finally falls back into the hands of original developers Acquire, and the result is a thrilling journey through the “Tenchu” universe that brings back memories of the series roots. [Continue Reading]

Neverland Card Battles Review: It’s In The Cards

One of the great things about video games is that, no matter what your interests are, there’s a game for you somewhere out there. Of course, for more traditional gamers, there’s your standard fare – sports, shooting, and platformers, but what if you’re not looking for something as commonplace as the new “Gears of War?” Say you really want to merge two different kinds of “gaming” together – video and card – and then mix in a bit of a tactics twist to the game, what do you do then? That recipe, while it may only appeal to picky eaters, really results in just one gaming concoction, “Neverland Card Battles.” It’s an extremely unique title which takes on the tactics meets card battles gameplay mechanic, and while “Neverland Card Battles” isn’t for everybody, it’s definitely for somebody.

Over the last few years, there have been more than a few trading card inspired video games that have been released, which draw on their real-world counterparts like Magic the Gathering to outline how to play the games. These games allow players to compete using cards for their characters and attacks, and stat crunch to see who is the victor. While traditional gamers may look like the “cool kids” to trading card gamers, those games are wildly popular, and people really do enjoy them. These are the people that really need to give “Neverland Card Battles” a try. [Continue Reading]