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ReviewsReview: Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes Of Light
Four unassuming adventurers set forth on a journey to save a magical kingdom in Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light for the Nintendo DS. Now where have I heard this story before? Take four unseasoned heroes and toss them into a world-spanning adventure filled with mythical creatures, powerful magic, and twisting dungeons with turn-based…
By Mike Fahey Published October 14, 2010 -
ReviewsReview: Comic Jumper
Comic Jumper is what happens when a developer sets out to make a funny game, then forgets all about the game part. A side-scrolling shooter in the vein of classic titles like Gunstar Heroes, Comic Jumper is a video game parody of comic books, as you journey through the pages of 70’s fantasy, the Silver…
By Luke Plunkett Published October 14, 2010 -
ReviewsReview: Def Jam Rapstar
Rap fans need their own Guitar Hero, their own Rock Band, their own great music game. Def Jam Rapstar steps up. Can it be that? Def Jam Rapstar is a microphone-only rap karaoke game. No turntables included. No bling. No bottle of Cristal. No Adidas included. Imagine a game that can let you (and a…
By Stephen Totilo Published October 13, 2010 -
ReviewsReview: Alan Wake: The Writer
Back when I played through Alan Wake I heaped on the accolades. It redefined interactive storytelling, I wrote. I said it likely won’t be topped in 2010. Enter now the final chapter in this brave experiment of blending the interactive nature of video games with the compelling hooks of episodic must-see-TV. The Writer is the…
By Brian Crecente Published October 12, 2010 -
ReviewsReview: Medal of Honor
Based on real battles fought in Afghanistan in 2002, Medal of Honor has you taking on the role of rangers and other Tier 1 operators as they fight their way through enemy territory on the hunt for Taliban encampments. This Medal of Honor is very different than anything seen in the more than ten-year-old series.…
By Brian Crecente Published October 12, 2010 -
ReviewsReview: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
Gabriel Belmont will have his revenge upon the Lords of Shadow, venturing to the very depths of hell to find retribution against those who have corrupted the ideals of the Brotherhood of Light and murdered his wife. While this Belmont’s fight against the forces of evil may sound somehow familiar, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow bears…
By Michael McWhertor Published October 11, 2010 -
ReviewsReview: NBA Jam
The greatest names from the twilight of the coin-op days demanded your money like you were late with the rent. NBA Jam, the landlord of the arcade, is back, and wants to know if you got paid last week. NBA Jam is EA Sports’ Wii reboot of the cabinet and cartridge classic ubiquitous to the…
By Owen Good Published October 9, 2010 -
ReviewsReview: Wii Party
This ain’t Mario Party, it’s Wii Party. Nintendo’s latest effort at a party game once again features mini-games. Did someone say “mini-games”? Wii Party sports over 80 mini-games and features Miis as the in-game characters. The Japanese version of the game — which I played — has 14 game modes, while the U.S. version has…
By Brian Ashcraft Published October 8, 2010 -
ReviewsReview: ‘The Sacrifice’ For Left 4 Dead & Left 4 Dead 2
The original beloved Survivors from Valve’s zombie-packed shooter, Left 4 Dead, return for another dramatic, bloody and brief adventure in “The Sacrifice,” the add-on that’s playable in both Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2 The expansion adds three new chapters, events set immediately before “The Passing,” to the original Left 4 Dead. It…
By Michael McWhertor Published October 6, 2010 -
ReviewsReview: NBA 2K11
Michael Jordan returned to the NBA in 1995 with a famous two-word statement. He returns to video games with NBA 2K11, a deeply compelling narrative of both the league in present day and the feats of its greatest player ever. NBA 2K11 is this year’s edition of gaming’s premiere pro basketball simulation. It offers a…
By Owen Good Published October 6, 2010 -
ReviewsReview: Dead Rising 2
Wife dead, daughter infected, motocross superstar Chuck Greene is forced to compete on nationally televised zombie killing show Terror is Reality to earn the cash to help keep his daughter from turning. But then things go sideways. Dead Rising 2 is the Canadian-developed sequel to 2006’s incredibly popular, though slightly flawed, action survivor horror game…
By Brian Crecente Published October 6, 2010 -
ReviewsReview: Cladun: This Is An RPG!
Is your sense of adventure gushing? NIS America’s downloadable PSP game Cladun: This is an RPG! could be the sweet release you’re looking for. A young girl named Pudding and her childhood friend Souma fall headfirst into the world of Arcanus Cella. Arcanus Cella is not your normal magical land, and this is not your…
By Mike Fahey Published October 5, 2010 -
ReviewsReview: Enslaved: Odyssey To The West
There is a man named Monkey and a woman named Trip. New York City is in shambles, its landmarks collapsed or covered in ivy. What looks like a new co-op game is a single-player epic, gaming’s new sci-fi original. Enslaved: Odyssey To The West comes from Ninja Theory, development studio behind Heavenly Sword which claims…
By Stephen Totilo Published October 4, 2010 -
ReviewsReview: FIFA 11
This is the third FIFA game since September 2009. It’s the 19th game in the FIFA series. You’d be forgiven for looking at FIFA 11 and thinking “I am getting bored with this”. Football fans with attention deficits are being looked after, then, with FIFA 11 adding a new passing system, more noticeable player “personalities”,…
By Luke Plunkett Published October 2, 2010 -
ReviewsReview: Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock
The once-prolific Guitar Hero series sees just one major release this year. Once upon a time, we could expect publisher Activision to pump out five or more guitar-based games a year. In 2010, there is only Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock The follow-up to last year’s unusually diverse Guitar Hero 5 focuses more on guitar-driven…
By Michael McWhertor Published October 1, 2010 -
ReviewsPlayed: Borderlands Claptrap’s New Robot Revolution
Battle your way through a rise of the robots in Claptrap’s New Robot Revolution, the latest (and last) expansion to 2009’s surprise hit Borderlands. Can the promise of an expanded Pandora bring you back for more sci-fi tinged treasure hunting fun? Style: The fourth downloadable add-on for the shoot ‘n’ loot action game pits players…
By Michael McWhertor Published September 29, 2010 -
ReviewsPlayed: DeathSpank: Thongs of Virtue
DeathSpank: Thongs Of Virtue is video game deja vu if deja vu involved feeling like you’ve done the thing you’re doing before — but maybe not ever before in a boat. Style: You are DeathSpank one of the intentionally more dimwitted video game action heroes, and you are in a cartoon parody world in which…
By Stephen Totilo Published September 28, 2010 -
ReviewsPlayed: Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker
Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker is the first Metal Gear game I’ve played to completion in nearly 15 years. It also almost became the last. Style: Despite being packed with a vast array of upgradeable guns, gear, armored vehicles and walking tanks, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker is all about not using them. Stealth is…
By Brian Crecente Published September 27, 2010 -
ReviewsSpace Invaders Infinity Gene Review: To Infinity And Beyond
In 1978, arcade shooter Space Invaders was so popular that it caused a national coin shortage in Japan. But it’s not 1978. It’s 2010. Early in Space Invaders Infinity Gene, there is a quote from Charles Darwin that really sets the mood for the entire game. Space Invaders IG isn’t just Space Invaders updated, it’s…
By Brian Ashcraft Published September 25, 2010 -
ReviewsSwords Review: It Slices, It Dices, It Sucks
Of all the ways to play using motion-detecting video games, swordplay seems to offer the most potential for fun. The give and take of fencing and Kendo seem like easy rules to mimic in a video game and the slashing motion of using your sword to attack and block seem like the sort of big…
By Brian Crecente Published September 23, 2010