SRF Game Reviews (36 Games) [Rayman Origins]

[Shimrod]

Hey nice thread

I guess NetHack doesn't fit in this list due to lack of graphics, sound, multiplayer and all But, oh my, the AI is

Else I would glady write an indepth review about oldschool games

[satman83]

Well it doesnt have to be new games...can be old games if you want as well

[Manhor]

Overall, this is an awesome game. 5/5

Good review I loved BioShock too, though, just an observation: when you say the game has cons and flaws, as minor as they are, you usually don't rate it perfect. If you say it has small problems shouldn't that be like 4.5/5 or something?

Just a thought

haha thanks. it my first time writing a review
yeah i shoulda put 4.5/5 but theres no 4 1/2 stars

[Jstar1]

Well it doesnt have to be new games...can be old games if you want as well

I dunno, I could write a review for cod1 or starcraft 1, but no one really pays attention to older games

[satman83]

Mario Kart Wii


Details

Formats
#Nintendo Wii
Genre:
# Racing
Origin
# Japan
Publisher
# Nintendo
Developer
# Nintendo
Price
# £29.99((http://www.amazon.co.uk)
Release
#2008
Players
#1-4 (12 online)



Now while some may find any racing game boring, i challenge anyone to not play this game with a huge grin on their face. Its fast, fun and full of so much craziness you just cant stop playing it.

Mario Kart Wii is probely the first Wii game with a proper online service, from the ability to challenge friends and strangers alike to 12 person race you can also complete in competitions, time trails and battles. All of which grant you a continental and worldwide score and rank so you can see just how good you really are. Also updated are the games graphics, new and improved from Mario Kart Double Dash (NGC) the game really shows off what the WIi can do, while not HD quality its still amazing to watch the crazy and strange stages as you drive through them.

Now this game as up to five different controllers scheme, yes you heard me five, these are the Wii Wheel, controller, controller and nunchuck, classic controller and a NGC controller...but how would i rate them...well:

Wii Wheel = Its fun and simple to use, takes a bit to get used to but makes the game that much more fun.

Controller = Same as the Wii Wheel, but harder to use as you cant really determine how to move it.

Controller + Nunchuck = simple and easy to use controller, nukchuck to streer and controller for tricks, speed and brake.

Classic controller = simple controller, button based.

NGC controller = The same controllers as from Mario Kart Double Dash on the NGC.

Now as for the game itself, well everything you expect from a Mario Kart game is here, 2-4 player multi player single and battle races, 1-2 player online mode and the Mario Kart Channel (allows you to easily manage your Mario Kart Wii stats), Now while this game does have a Grand Prix mode, it lets its self down by being only single player...meaning that you can no longer do 1-4 player GP races anymore, which takes away a bit of the fun from the game. Another added feature which was first seen in the DS Mario Kart is old stages from past Mario Kart games, in this game expect to see various courses from the SNES, DS, GBA, N64 and NGC versions of Mario Kart for you to play on, all with the same graphic style and music from the original with of course an update.
From Mario to Bowser all your old fav characters are back for more mayhem and madness with a few new faces such as Funky Kong (Donkey Kong Country series) and Rosalina (SMG), but this time the action just doesn't take place on four wheels, oh no. Mario Kart Wii comes with not only four wheeled rides but also two, yes thats right bikes and plenty of them, from stander dirt bikes to themed Bowser and Bullet Bill bikes are is a huge range of rides to chose from.

All in all this is a brilliant a

[Manowar]

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem



Format
Nintendo Gamecube
Genre
Psychological Horror game
Publisher
Silicon Knights
Origin
Canada
Developer
Nintendo
Released
2002
Players
1
Rating


For all those who have been wanting to play a game inspired by HP Lovecraft's writings or for anyone that wants to play a very original and unique horror based game then Eternal Darkness may be your type of game. The game starts out as Alexander Roivas's investigates the murder of her grandfather in a mansion located in Rhode Island. What she ends up discovering in a room hidden in the mansion is a book called the tome of eternal darkness. Through reading the book she discovers the journey of all those who have come in contact with the tome and by reading this she discovers a great plot that is going on that could very well end the universe as we know it.

In Eternal Darkness you play not only as the main character, Alexander Roivas, but also a wide cast of characters ranging from the time periods of the Roman Empire to the present. This changes up the game a bit as each character will have their own individual sets of stats and weapons. Another thing to note is, when it comes to the spells known as "Magick", you share these spells with all the characters you find since they are written in the tome of eternal darkness. What really makes this story great and captivating is how the fates of these characters intertwines and fits in to the schemes of the Gods and of the plot itself and most often you will find yourself going through hours of game play just to get through as much of the story as you can.

What really makes this game unique would be the added status bar to your characters. While you have the typical HP bar and the MP bar for spells, you have a green bar for sanity. This bar basically how much your character's grasp on the real world is and when it starts to deplete it affects the game play. Some examples of this would be as in the screen will start to tilt, your character will randomly explode or will randomly sink into the ground (they won't actually die) and the lower the sanity bar, the more bizarre the effects are. While having a low sanity bar can reduce how well you can get through the levels it's sometimes entertaining to keep it low just to see what happens.

This game does have its flaws however. For instance, although the combat system does highlight the part of the monster (body, arms, head, torso) you want to strike which is very useful it is not without its problems. The combat system is pretty basic, as in for some monsters you just hit them until they die while the more strategic ones require you to hit them in the head repeatedly. The combat is also troublesome when you're in narrow hallways because your weapon will, instead of hitting the monster, hit the wall leaving the monster unharmed. This can be tedious and troublesome in situations when you have multiple foes. Another flaw relating to the combat is that, once you get more powerful magick spells near the middle of the game, the difficulty curve of the game seems to take a real nose dive as you can not only use a spell that summons a shield around you damaging any monster that attacks but you can heal your own HP, Mana, and Sanity on whim with the spells. While there are still a few remaining challenges most of your encounters you can succeed at without breaking a sweat.

Also another flaw is, although you can choose another god at the beginning of the game and go through the game again with different enemies and a different order of spells, there isn't much replay value to the game past that. However, the game play and the story from the first time around is more than enough to justify having the game. Overall though this would probably have to be one of my favorite games available for the Gamecube and it is a game that you will want to play, even if it may be tricky tracking down a copy of the game.

[BloodyBlade]

Oh, I have like 30+ PS2 game reviews here..Too bad they are in dutch. >_<

[satman83]

The more reviews the better

[Manowar]

Just because I couldn't resist doing another review:

Sin and Punishment: Hoshi no Keishōsha



Format
Nintendo 64 (Japan), Wii Virtual Console
Genre
Rail Shooter
Publisher
Treasure Co. Ltd.
Developer
Nintendo
Origin
Japan
Price
$12.00 (Virtual Console)
Released
2000 (Japan) 2007 (Virtual Console)
Players
1-2
Rating


Sin and Punishment, which was originally a Japanese only game has been recently released on the Virtual Console. It's a Rail Shooter game meaning your character moves by itself and your basic controls are to move left or right, jump, slash, and shoot. The game uses the Classic Controller as well as the NGC controller and costs 1200 points (200 more points than the other N64 titles available on the Virtual Console)

The story of the game is that Japan is being slowly taken over by a group of mutated beasts called the "Ruffians" as well as a group called the "Armed Volunteers" who, instead of taking care of the Ruffians like they were intended to, decide to suppress the people in Japan. Out of all this a rebellion faction came about called the "Saviour Group" who are headed by a powerful woman named Achi. In the game you play as Saki Amamiya as well as Airan Jo who are both apart of the Saviour Group as they, along with Achi, fight against the Ruffians and the Armed Volunteers.

While the plot does progress fairly well with its shares of twists, the plot can be confusing and can be hard to understand what is going on. This is especially true because the game will immediately plunge you into a dream sequence where you're killing ruffians and when you wake up you're spit out into the real world to kill ruffians as well as armed volunteer soldiers with little back story explanation (although this stuff is explained in the N64 version's manual). When I first played it I had no idea what was going on until I got to the end of the naval boat level especially since the game delves into some real sci-fi concepts.

The weapon used in this game is a gun with a sword attachment on it. While the gun is pretty straight forward as you are pretty much pointing your cursor at the enemy and shooting, the sword has some unique aspects to it. The sword can be used when an enemy is at melee range by hitting the attack button when they're at range. More interestingly, the sword can also be used to send any projectile sent at your enemy back at them to do some good damage. Along with the controls, which are intuitive but can be a bit hard to pick up, makes the game really fun when it comes to shooting and defeating enemies.

The game is a pretty fast paced game as your character is constantly running through what feels like waves of enemies. Also the cut scenes that explains the plot doesn't slow down the game as well, especially since it only takes 1-2 hits of a button to instantly click off a cut scene if you're the type that's impatient. The difficulty curve is a fair one, as in while the game may be easy in the beginning (especially on easy difficulty) it progresses to more challenging boss sequences as well as more challenging sections without completely spiking up the difficulty curve or lowering it. Not to mention for the more hardcore gamer, there are harder difficulties to the game if you're the type who feels like replaying the game while having more of a real challenge.

While I'm not a big fan of ratings but one of the reason why I give this game a three out of five is the audience this game appeals to since it's pretty much a love it or hate it game. Some may find this a very interesting game and will have plenty of fun while others will find this game too weird for their taste and won't play it that much if at all. One way you could tell what group you fit in watch a few minutes of the game play. If you find yourself interested then get this game but if you keep going "what the hell is this?" in your head then you may not want to play this game. I can safely say if you found Star Fox 64 to be a fun game then this is a game you should check out, especially since it's only 12 dollars. Personally I loved playing the game the first time around and IMO that justifies the price of the game enough. If you're not sure what to do with your extra Wii points you might want to get this game as it's a real fun and fast paced game.

[woutR]

Call of Duty 4

rating:

Want to be a random retard and still be able to own? Search no more, cod4 is totally casual and retard aimed. It doesn't matter if you can't aim, can't walk or generally have no clue what to do. This game was MADE for you!

The game has RANKINGS!(Who would have thought, MMOing in a shooter) You level up by getting kills or finishing challenging quests such as: kill yourself, stay alive (read: camp) for more than 5 minutes and, who would've guessed, shoot through a wall, hit a claymore and make a chain reaction of claymore bombs killing 2 or more persons.
The better your rank, the more weapons and custimizations you can have. You have 5 slots to put a premade character in.
You can choose your weapon, your offhand, your frag ammo and perks.
Perks are lowskilled 'skill-slots' you can use to compensate for a lack of skill. Wasn't pro enough and couldn't win that duel? No problem, the martyrdom perk takes care of your problems, cause with this perk activated you drop a live frag grenade on the ground when you die. The grenade will most likely take the bugger out after you failed to do so.

Want to go all john rambo? No problem, the game has an M60 ready at your disposal, with a firerate of a gazillion bullets per second and the mere requirement of 2 hits to kill someone it's like shooting fish in a barrel!
Still not easy enough? The game has a new mode called 'hardcore', this mode removes your HUD and causes your weapon to do more damage, reducing the amount of hits to kill someone to 1 hit.

The graphics are spectacular, so spectacular even you have to play on low lightning and reflection levels because if you were so stupid to get a good pc the lightning effects will blind you, literally. On Vacant you can not watch from the inside to the outside due to lightning, fortunately this doesn't affect people on the outside. If you have a bad pc however, you can just see them.

Last but not least to add more realism to the game you can shoot through walls. If you're rather unfortunate and weren't fast enough to kill someone while crouching through the level with your m60 you get the chance of spraying like crazy and hitting people through the wall. It doesn't matter if you shoot anywhere near your main target, there's always someone hiding behind a wall and solid concrete is easily penetrated.
I mentioned it's like shooting fish in a barrel though honestly it's more like dropping atombombs in a barrel.

[CrimsonNuker]

If only i wasnt so lazy..anyways...

Just dled Ironman for PSP

Graphics: 6/10
Gameplay: 2/10
Interface: 2/10
Multiplayer: N/A

Notes:

Yet another game made from a movie->another fail. The graphics arent too bad considering its on the PSP. The gameplay is so repetitive that all you need to know is 4 things:
-Move
-Fly
-Shoot
-Throw?
Its just one of those games where the missions are that you have to defeat your ememy, destroy something, etc. Like the sro quests (Kill x amount of x). The interface is kinda wierd, the power balance system is kinda tricky, it never does what you want it to do, no matter what you press. There is no multiplayer.

[Nuklear]

This isn't a review, just an opinion and affirmation of Crimson. I acquired the DS version of Ironman, which is supposed to be the best, and it's a very mediocre shooter.
Don't bother with any versions.

[satman83]

Yea Iron Man game looks weak...and i was thinking of buying it as well
lol oh well

I hope the new Hulk game is good, it looks like the last Hulk game
where it was a spiderman style open enviroment and you could go around
doing what ever the hell you wanted to do...lol so i hope its like that

[satman83]

bump...someone post

[HyorunmarouZ]

Dreamfall: The Longest Journey



Details

Formats

• PC
  Genre:
• Adventure
  Origin
• Norway
  Publisher
• Aspyr Media
  Developer
• Funcom
  Price
• $24.49 (Amazon.com)
  Release
• Out Now
  Players
• 1

Rating


Dreamfall is a 2006 game that tried to revive the almost dead Adventure genre. As the sequel to "The Longest Journey" one of the icon games of the genre, you will see many characters and locations from the previous game.
In Dreamfall, you play as Zoë Castillo, a girl who lives in Stark, a world much like our own where technology plays an important role in its inhabitants lives. There's another world though, a world where magic is the moving force and the only machines that can be found are powered by it. This world is called Arcadia.
At first you are just a common character in the world but thanks to Zoë's ex boyfriend Reza, a journalist that's working on a mysterious story, you get involved in a conspiracy by one of the most powerful companies of Stark. At the same time, April Ryan (the main character of the first game) is struggling in Arcadia to release the people from military occupation. However, the fate of Arcadia and Stark is menaced by something bigger than both of them and they will need to work together to keep the Balance between the worlds.
With a fascinating storyline and characters, Dreamfall does a nice job at keeping the Adventure genre alive, in fact, the goal in this game was to add some action gamplay features to attract a wider audience. Unfortunately, this wasn't done in the best way and sometimes the gameplay (specially fighting) is uncomfortable or weird, besides the overly simplistic puzzles.
As most adventure games, Dreamfall's strongest point is its story, be prepared to listen to long conversations between the many characters.
If you are a hardcore fan of the genre you might not like Dreamfall for its simplicity but if you are interested in what these kind of games have to offer, Dreamfall can help you to go from the simple to the more complex later on.

bump...someone post

There you go haven't had the time to do it properly, and i think i could've said more about that game but well...

[satman83]

updated

[satman83]

FIFA 09


Details

Formats
#Nintendo Wii
Genre:
# Soccer Sim
Origin
# Canada
Publisher
# EA Sports
Developer
# EA Canada
Price
# £32.99((http://www.amazon.co.uk)
Release
#2008
Players
#1-8 (+ online multiplayer)



More like the championship of gaming rather then the premier league.

Well here we are...another year and wow shock and horror yet another fifa game, (Fifa 2010, already in development one would guess). While very different to the PS3 and Xbox360 versions this game can still hold its own...barley

Now as for the game itself, well gone is the goal to goal view and back in is the length view, making Fifa 09 much more playable, with the added option of being able to use the gamecube or classic controller it makes the game more easily available to gamers who were turned off by the awful motion controls. So how does it play? were good, just you expect it would. Simple passing and shooting abilities make it one of the most enjoyable Fifa games in recent years, but this is were the joy ends. To say this game looks dated would be an understatement, while the stadiums and pitches all look good, the player models are no different then those of Fifa07 on the gamecube, in fact the Fifa07 game looks and plays much better then this version of game.

Now while all the game features you would expect are back such as full licensed teams and leagues and manager mode some new additions have been made. The first of these would be the new 8 vs 8 Footii Match Mini-Game:
Play 8 vs. 8 in a completely unique mode where you can play an arcade version of football with the focus on fun. Populate your team with your Mii characters captained by one of our FIFA 09 cover athletes created as customized characters. Make outrageous shots and steal the ball by simply waving your Wii Remote. while it sounds like fun and can hold your attention for about an hour...developers have to start to realize that gamers are getting sick and tired of seeing Miis thrown into games as a cheep ploy to sell them.
Another new feature is the improved online abilities such as interactive leagues, were you pick a team and play matches against others. If your team can get more wins over the opposition then you get the over all win and climb the interactive table, now while this sounds good...it doesn't work, go online and shockingly the top clubs in the world (man utd, Chelsea, Barcelona, AC, Inter, etc...) are all taken up meaning its almost impossible to get an opponent if you chose a mid to lower table team.

And as for online single player? well it works well in principle but fails on several levels making it frustrating and very trying at times. The first thing you will notice is that after choosing your team and kit (which is all you can do) you are then thrown right away into the game, never given the chance to change tactics or swamp players around, in fact only when you have the ball in your possession can you make any changes, and then only for a few times, meaning enter the game menu while playing online to many times...and it stops you from using it, i mean whoever thought it a good idea to not let you chose your players and tactics before a match and then limit the amount to time/actions on making changes in game made a HUGE mistake. Also get ready for the other play to "disconnect" (i.e turn off their console) when ever they let in a goal or are losing, now while this problem as be addressed on the official EA forums, it seems unlikely they will do anything about it at all, so get ready to be disconnected whenever you are winning or a goal up, leading to much frustration.

While better then Fifa08 this game is still lacking a lot of things, no player creation or editor mode, tacky use of Mii's and dated graphics means that while a vast improvement over the Fifa08...this is still a miss then a hit.

[satman83]

bump

For people to post their own one, and that i will be posting reviews every 2 days from
tomorrow onwards.

[satman83]

Football manager 2010


Details

Formats
#PC/MAC/PSP
Genre:
# Sim
Origin
# UK
Publisher
# Sega
Developer
# Sports Interactive
Price
# £29.99((http://www.play.com)
Release
#2009
Players
#16



Well another year and another Football manager game, and this time we have the best one ever...EVER!!!
FM10 can easily be the best incarnation of the game (not hard after the awful 09 version). This time the game has undergone a complete make over with a fresh and more stylised layout that comes in a light or dark variation. All the options you need have now been reduced to simple tabs at the top of the screen and information has now been more tightly compacted, while at first confusion to navigate its not long before you can bring up a wealth of information in a few clicks. This game offers
a lot and is so indepth that you can easily forget what it was you went to look for in the first place.

The game has been improved with a better looking 3D match engine that
has more animation, better weather effects and if an overall improvement to the one from FM09. Likewise gone is the games old tactics system, instead we have a more easy to use system. simply click on how you want your players to play, speed, tackling shoots and even type of player can all be determined through a simple click of the mouse (the old system is available but once selected you are stuck with it).

Pros:
Easy to use interface for first timers
Huge database of players, staff and teams
Great 3D pitch interface and match day system
In-depth information for hardcore fans
Months if not years of game play
Online updates and game play

Cons:
Gets tiresome fast if not a football fan
New layout confusing at first
New tactics system leaves something to be desired by hardcore fans
online play restricted to lan network only.

[Mark.]

Five stars from me too.

Only downsides I can find are the restricted online matches and the old tactics system I used to love, even though this one seems quite fine too.

[satman83]

Mafia II


Details

Formats
#PC/360/PS3
Genre:
# Historic Action Adventure
Origin
# US
Publisher
# 2K Games
Developer
# 2K Czech
Price
# £39.99((http://www.play.com)
Release
#2010
Players
#1



Mafia 2 is one of the best examples of a love/hate relationship. There are parts of the game that I think are done undeniably well. There are, however...'other' facets of the game that I really detest. Ultimately, the end result is a package that's both awesome and annoying simultaneously.

Mafia 2 does some things right. It has decent pacing, interesting leads, great voice acting, a beautiful city, and overall fun gameplay. There isn't anything necessarily game breaking or completely out of balance. At its best times, Mafia feels fresh and well paced. The main characters are likable and the sense of the 'mob' really comes to life.

If only Mafia 2 was all about the former. Unfortunately the story doesn't end here. Mafia 2's had some rather -irritating- aspects as well.

First off, the game is incredibly linear. Usually, linearity isn't a bad thing in my book. But when the game is a sandbox and revolves around driving, massive linearity makes the driving feel tedious and repetitive. It's just not good for the genre. Speaking of which, there are -very- limited options. Clothing/guns/money; pretty much all virtually useless except to progress the storyline (note there are like... 4 different types of clothing in the entire game, and it's pointless to buy weapons since they drop off enemies).

Other problems rear their ugly head. The story, although at times brilliant, doesn't really connect all that well. It feels lumpy, and somewhat haphazard. And even worse, you really do feel like an errand boy. Never in the entire game do you -ever- feel powerful. You're always weak, in every stage of the way. The game really does a terrible job of making you feel like you're on 'top of the world'. You always feel like an underling, from start to finish.

And to top this all off, there's the ending. I'm not going to spoil anything, but let's just say it's very emotionally unsatisfying. Some may claim that it's a great way to make things impacting, but I personally see it as a -very- cheap plot device, and a sloppy way to end things. It's a blow below the belt in my book, and really, since the game is story driven, it leaves you feeling cheated.

All in all, Mafia 2 isn't a bad game, though I may make it sound like one. It has many things going for it overall, and the design isn't bad overall in its entirety. Still, I suppose this is what comes from a love/hate relationship. I wanted it to be so much better, because it definitely had potential. In the end, however, it fell short, and I felt somewhat betrayed.

[XesoS]

Only 4stars for Mafia ???? !!!!!! Its best game ever made!!!!!

[satman83]

Only 4stars for Mafia ???? !!!!!! Its best game ever made!!!!!

Its good, but lack of side quests and anything unrelated to the story make
it extremly short lived and liniar

[satman83]

Metroid: The Other M


Details

Formats
# Wii
Genre:
# Sci-Fi Action Adventure
Origin
# Japan
Publisher
# Nintendo
Developer
# Team Ninja
Price
# £39.99((http://www.play.com)
Release
#2010
Players
#1



Metroid: Other M has received alot of speculation since it's release. And while I understand some of the criticism, it is clear that this is a must-have for any self-respecting Metroid fan, and newcomers to the series alike. Here is why, but first, let me clear up a few issues:

- I am reviewing this game based on the fact it is an "independent" Metroid game, not Metroid Prime 4. But rest assured, even with the massive new additions of Samus' voice, and her supporting characters, that Metroid feel is preserved well enough along the way.

Now, let's get to it.

~Gameplay
When it was announced Team Ninja would be working with Nintendo to make Metroid: Other M, I don't think anyone doubted the action in the game would be fantastic. And Team Ninja delivered, with addictive combat, and a fast-paced feel never seen before in a Metroid game. The exploration does suffer slightly because of the emphasis on action, but there is still plenty of puzzle-solving and exploring to be done. And while the speculation of the auto-targeting system was high, it manages to perform it's job with flying colors, always hitting the most important enemy on the screen. And yes, that creepy, isolated, and alone feel has returned, although without as much presence as in previous games.

~Controls
One of the game's real impressive features is the switch from 1st to 3rd person. I was skeptical at first how it would work out, but the transition is flawless, smooth, and might just have you pointing your remote at the screen over and over just to feel how fluent it is. The D-Pad can be a little clumsy-feeling when you're taking on multiple enemies and cannot seem to jump to the right spot in the heat of battle. But this is only a minor and occasional annoyance. Besides that, the controls are nearly flawless, and they make the exciting combat even better.

~Graphic Presentation
Let's be clear, the design of Samus' suit in game is beautiful, the striking colors and next-gen console worthy graphics are an absolute treat to look at. Not to mention the CG Cutscenes, which are gorgeous The areas around Samus are beautifully imagined, none as stunning as the Phendrana Drifts, but you will still enjoy ever moment in these creepy, and artisticly stunning areas. However, some of the areas around Samus are weakly detailed, and have low-resolution textures. Also the explosions and combat, and the visuals of Samus jumping and moving around are smooth and fun.

~Storyline
Who'd have thought there would be a Storyline tab under a Metroid game review? Regardless, the story in this game is captivating. It's a shame they had to make the cutscenes explaining it, drag on well past the time needed, with some worthless bits of information that Samus' really didn't have to explain. For instance, a cutscene spending 5-10 Minutes on why Samus gave the thumbs-down sign to Adam, really wasn't neccessary and only made me lose respect for my beloved Bounty Hunter. In fact, if many of the cutscenes just showed Samus' emotions, and lost the voice acting altogether, I believe the game might have prospered. Some moments don't make sense, such as when Samus breaks apart in front of Ridley (whom she has already killed 4 times in previous games). And why the most experienced Bounty Hunter of all time has her heart broken by one word from her former commander, but all in all the story will keep you thrilled for the entire ride. That being said, when I return to the Metroid Prime series, I will be looking at Samus through different eyes. I will have gained respect for her as a person, but also would wonder why they interjected some of the unnecessary things into the plot.

~Conclusion
Another fine Metroid game, a new, unique, and fresh experience that is a must-have for Metroid fans, and a great pick up for anyone new to the series. It's definitely not Metroid Prime 4, but it's a great game in it's own right. Incredible combat, great story, excellent puzzles and areas, and thrilling bosses make this one of my favorite Metroid games to date.

[satman83]

Halo: Reach


Details

Formats
# Xbox 360
Genre:
# Sci-Fi First Person Shooter
Origin
# USA
Publisher
# Microsoft Game Studios
Developer
# Bungie Software
Price
# £39.99((http://www.play.com)
Release
#2010
Players
#1-4 +



Going into Halo Reach, I was hoping that it would veer away from it's predecessors. It does just that, but I couldn't help but feel like Bungie was trying to do an ODST throwback into the second half of the game. While the first half of Halo Reach, felt like a whole other Halo game. It was action-packed, cinematic, gripping, and there was so much variety. Towards the end, I felt like Bungie ran out of steam...or maybe it's because they had to stick to the story and be true. I dont know. The ending was disappointing.

The friendly A.I. is terrible... and enemy A.I. is much improved, smarter, faster, and more challenging which gives the game great replay value. But be prepared to be overpowered in some firefights. And drones are stronger now, and throw sticky grenades like nobody's business. Space Combat was fun, but not as epic as I imagined it would be. They could have done more with it.

I'm upset with some of the outcomes for the members of Noble Team. Let's just leave it at that with no spoilers. Overall, Halo Reach would have been a better game had they put in 2-3 hours more into. I thought it was short and I could have easily finished it in one sitting.

I'd also like to mention that there is MOTION BLUR, which I absolutely hated or ghosting? I dont know. It was just weird and hard on my eyes and vision.

Graphics, much much better. But don't expect to be floored though, but it's a huge improvement over Halo 3.

Vehicles and their controls are a hit and miss. While the Warthog controls incredibly well, now with suspension, shock, springs, and badass drifting. You can maneuver with ease and control the battlefield. On the other hand, the Scorpion controls like crap. It made me want to throw my controller at the wall. Other vehicles controlled well.

Voice acting is excellent.

Soundtrack - some of the best I've heard in the Halo series, if not the best.

Replay value - extremely high. You have firefight 2.0 which is exhilarating, competitive multiplayer, forge mode, and a campaign that has you going back for more on Heroic and Legendary difficulty settings.

If you're a Halo fan, buy it now. If haven't played Halo, or didn't like the past installments, this one is a must-try.

[Gaigemasta]

The Sims 3

Spoiler!

Formats:
# PC/Mac/Xbox360/PS3/iOS/NintendoDS/Wii/WindowsPhone7/Android
Genre:
# Simulation
Availability:
# Store
Origin:
# USA
Publisher:
# EA
Developer:
# Visceral Games
Price:
# $49.99
Release:
# 2009
Hype:
# 8/10



Review - Thanks to IGN

Spoiler!

For most of the past decade, The Sims franchise has maintained a permanent presence on the Top 10 sales charts of PC games. Often, it occupied multiple slots on those charts. That's because for every hardcore gamer who scoffs at The Sims, there are many more non-traditional gamers who love the series. Yes, many of those people are female. That makes it easy for some to simply describe The Sims as the equivalent of a virtual dollhouse, but that oversimplifies things. The Sims, like almost any game, is about living a different life than your own. Some people escape reality by diving into MMOs. Others jump straight into shooters. It turns out that whole bunches of people turn to The Sims. And in this regard, The Sims 3 won't disappoint. With the third chapter in the series, EA has introduced some overdue growth and made some bold changes, yet much of this brave new world's potential remains relatively untapped.

I've been a fan of The Sims since the very beginning; Will Wright's idea of letting you control virtual people in their everyday lives taps that desire that we all have to be ruler of the world and tell everyone else where to stuff it. The Sims is the closest that many of us will ever get to Ed Harris' character in The Truman Show; that's the movie where he plays the director who gets to "cue the sun" and manipulate events around the unsuspecting Truman Burbank, played by Jim Carrey. The thing is, Truman doesn't realize that the quaint, coastal town that he lives in is in fact a carefully staged set and that his every move is caught on camera and beamed to the outside world. The Truman Show is an apt description for The Sims 3, because it too takes place in a quaint, coastal town that your sims can go out and explore. Yet wherever they go, you'll be carefully watching.




As you've probably heard, the big change in The Sims 3 is the fact that it no longer revolves around a single household lot at a time. Your sims can go anywhere in town at any time without pause. This is a very welcome change, because the gameplay doesn't feel claustrophobic anymore; you're no longer spending 95-percent of your time looking at the same house and then having to sit through lengthy loading screens for those moments when you send your sims out into the world. This freedom is pretty liberating; I spent quite a bit of time at first just switching between my characters just to watch the camera pull back on the town and then zoom in on the location of the next character. It doesn't take too long before you get used to the change, and it's hard to imagine how we played The Sims before. Now it seems totally natural to send one sim to the park, while another goes shopping downtown, while another stays at home; you can switch between all three effortlessly and almost instantly. Lives feel more naturally lived this way. You don't even need to worry much if you neglect your sims because they default with a high level of free will; leave them alone and they'll take care of themselves and keep themselves amused. It can be fun just to let go of the mouse, sit back, and watch what they do on their own.

There's also a much greater sense of a living, breathing world. You see other sims going about their daily lives; sims still age and die, and after a while new sims show up, giving a sense that people are coming and going. The sims themselves are now powered by much more sophisticated psychological systems than found in earlier games; they might be party animals or childish, flirty or brave, neurotic or clumsy, and more. You might see maids who are secretly kleptomaniacs (never a good combination) or health nuts constantly working out. I like watching the neighborhood at night and seeing the cat burglars skulk around the houses and night owls going about their thing.

It's easy to visit other sims' homes and see what they're up to.
Life on the home front is also much improved. Your sims no longer have to constantly run to the bathroom like in the old games; now you can send them about once per day, and there are ways to reduce that even more. That gives you more time to play with, and at its heart The Sims is very much a time management game where you juggle daily and lifelong goals. There's the short-term need to keep them fed, social, and happy, but then there are long-term needs that require them to improve their skills in order to gain a promotion, work out to get into shape, read a cookbook learn a new recipe, tend to an elaborate garden, or maintain friendships before they fray. There's never enough time in the day, so you must learn to set and prioritize goals.

This all translates into a more elegant gameplay experience, one that doesn't feel as constrained or confined as before. Yet if there's one complaint, it's that The Sims 3 doesn't really explore what all this freedom can offer. In many ways, you're still doing the same tasks as before. For example, when your sims race off for work you now have the luxury of being able to follow them all the way to their workplace before they disappear for hours at a time. Imagine if EA could make everyday work as interesting as everyday life in The Sims? You could experience challenges trying to earn a paycheck. Or perhaps the designers could embed adventures and mysteries within the world for you to uncover? Maybe there could be some MMO-style quests that NPCs could grant? The potential is here to create a much grander and richer experience, and it'll be interesting to see what route EA takes with the expansions going forward.

[inky]

Chrono Trigger

Code: Select all

Series: Chrono

Platform(s)
Super Nintendo Entertainment System, PlayStation, Nintendo DS

Release date

SNES
JP March 11, 1995
NA August 22, 1995

PlayStation
JP November 2, 1999
NA June 29, 2001

Nintendo DS
JP November 20, 2008
NA November 25, 2008
EU February 6, 2009
AUS February 3, 2009

Genre(s) Role-playing
Mode(s) Single-player

Website http://na.square-enix.com/ctds/

Chrono Trigger features standard console role-playing game (RPG) gameplay with several innovations. The player controls the protagonist and his companions in the game's two-dimensional fictional world, consisting of various forests, cities, and dungeons. Navigation occurs via an overworld map, depicting the landscape from a scaled down overhead view. Areas such as forests, cities, and similar places are depicted as more realistic scaled down maps, in which players can converse with locals to procure items and services, solve puzzles and challenges, or encounter enemies. Chrono Trigger's gameplay deviates from that of traditional RPGs in that, rather than appearing in random encounters, many enemies are openly visible on field maps or lie in wait to ambush the party. Contact with enemies on a field map initiates a battle that occurs directly on the map rather than on a separate battle screen.

From Gamespot's "GREATEST GAMES OF ALL TIME":

Chrono Trigger was a class act from every conceivable angle. It had dense, rewarding RPG gameplay; a memorable and endearing cast of characters; a complex storyline; vibrant, expressive graphics; and one of the most cherished game soundtracks in history. The game was widely hailed as an instant classic, and really, how many 16-bit Japanese RPGs can claim such unlikely characters as Doom cocreators John Romero and Tom Hall among their staunchest fans? Chrono Trigger was later released on the PlayStation in a standalone package and then in the Final Fantasy Chronicles collection, though the cartridge original remains the definitive version. But whatever format you have access to, anyone who has an interest in quality gaming owes it to themselves to play Chrono Trigger.

-Brad Shoemaker(Gamespot)

SEQUEL:

Spoiler!

Code: Select all

[Gaigemasta]

Team Fortress 2

Spoiler!

Genre:
# Action
Availability:
# PC/Mac/Xbox360/PS3
Origin:
# USA
Publisher:
# Valve
Developer:
# Valve
Price:
# As of June 23, 2011 it became free-to-play
Release:
# 2007
Hype:
# 8/10


Review - Thanks to IGN

Spoiler!

Aren't you glad Team Fortress 2 didn't wind up looking like this? Valve has created quite a game with the long-awaited Team Fortress sequel, bearing many similarities to its predecessor, though incorporating enough changes to make it feel fresh. The most obvious aspect, which you may have noticed from any of the screens and video posted, is the visual style. Even after getting sucked into probably too many hours of play in the beta over the past few weeks, we're still amazed at the art design, both in how it looks and how it animates.

But let's not get too carried away with the graphics. It's a game, after all, and the most important factor is how it plays and if it's entertaining. It's interesting to see both Team Fortress 2, which has been in development on and off for some seven years now, and Splash Damage's Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, which has seen its own share of setbacks and delays, finally come out right around the same time. Their nearly simultaneous retail release presents and interesting situation for you, the consumer, as to how to spend your cash. You may fondly remember your days in Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory, dropping air strikes on hapless attackers and eagerly charging into bunkers to spout forth deadly plumes of flamethrower fuel. Yet you can't forget your days with Team Fortress Classic, or even further back with the original Team Fortress Quake mod, with its now painfully dated character models but compelling team-focused online play.


There's really no right answer in this case as to which game is ultimately better. It's merely personal preference. Quake Wars is assuredly the more complicated game. For those uninitiated in the ways of Enemy Territory, the scope, dynamic objectives, speed at which the tide of battle can turn and the number of things you need to quickly consider when that happens, and user interface can be rather daunting. After learning the ins and outs it's clearly an excellent product, but it lacks that immediate, irresistible appeal so prominent in Valve's Team Fortress 2. And accessibility may very well be the deciding factor in determining which product users prefer. Regardless, it's an excellent time to be a gamer, since as tough as it may be to pick one or the other, making either choice rewards you with a well designed and highly entertaining title.

Like in Team Fortress Classic (TFC), Team Fortress 2 has nine character classes: Spy, Pyro, Soldier, Heavy, Medic, Sniper, Demoman, Scout and Engineer. Each class' abilities on the battlefield have been streamlined, which, along with the graphics, is what makes Team Fortress 2 so much more accessible than TFC. No longer do you have Engineers running around with railguns and EMP grenades. Medics can't "infect" the other team, Spies don't have tranquilizer darts, and none of the classes have hand grenades.

In TF2, each class has roughly three main ways of attacking - a primary weapon (the Heavy's minigun, Pyro's flamethrower, Engineer's sentry gun, etc.) and secondary (various classes have shotguns, others pistols, while the Demoman has a highly effective mine thrower) and melee weapons (the Scout's bat, the Medic's bonesaw, and so on). Though classes now possess fewer means of attacking, the resulting gameplay feels much more focused. Each class has a very clearly defined role and the means to ensure they perform successfully. The only limiting factor is, of course, how effectively your team meshes together.


If your Engineers aren't guarding their structures, Spies can wipe them out in seconds with a few sapper charges. If your team is full of Heavies and Soldiers but lacks Medics, you're not going to get very far. If you're playing a capture point map without any Scouts on your team, you might as well just leave the server or start berating your squadmates until a few switch classes. The Medic, though, seems to be the hinge on which all gameplay balance swivels. For TF2 they've been given a health hose, which blasts out a restorative stream at friendlies within range and "sticks" to them as long as you keep the fire button depressed. As you heal injured teammates, or "overheal" to 150 percent health, an ubercharge meter builds in the bottom right of the screen. Unleashing this renders both target and Medic invulnerable for a few seconds, which is sometimes the only way to break through chokepoints populated with Heavies, Medics, and multiple tier three sentry guns.

Even though Medics may be the most vital to a team's success, the other classes remain useful. Scouts, who are now rather deadly, are far and away the fastest, and their ability to double-jump and change direction in mid-air makes then all the more difficult to hit. Spies, in addition to being able to one-hit kill backstab the enemy, cause general chaos among enemy ranks. If your opponents know a spy is running around, they'll waste time and lose focus by shooting at their own teammates to try and reveal a disguised culprit.

Pyros tend to be the most effective spy detectors, and can be frequently seen doing fiery pirouettes in 2Fort matches all over the beta servers, as a spy incognito will betray his cover by bursting into flames upon contact with the burning spray.In a September 26 Steam update, friendly fire was removed from TF2, which was definitely a good move. Friendly fire ruins much of the game considering the close-quarters maps combined with the wide area of effect attacks of Heavies, Pyros, Demomen, and Soldiers. Without FF, teammates are free to shoot each other, since if they bleed health, they're a spy.

Read more: http://pc.ign.com/articles/826/826080p1 ... z11bMxnqJh

[satman83]

Donkey Kong Country Returns


Details

Formats
#Nintendo Wii
Genre:
# Platform
Origin
# America
Publisher
# Nintendo
Developer
# Retro Studios
Price
# £39.99((http://www.amazon.co.uk)
Release
#2010
Players
#1-2



Donkey Kong Country Returns is an excellent addition to the series, and a great reimagining of the original game. It still has all the same Donkey Kong magic while keeping the game fresh. The graphics, music, and style are all well polished and fit Donkey Kong very well.

The levels are imaginative and fun, with a great new set of enemies. New gameplay mechanics meld seamlessly with the old ones creating an inviting experience with lots to do. Overall the levels feel easier than the original Donkey Kong Country, though sections with the mining cart or the rocket barrel can be quite difficult.

Developed by Retro Studios (the same company that held down the Metroid Prime trilogy - a successful transiction from 2D to 3D in the series), Donkey Kong Country Returns presents you to a whole new DK island. The place, visually, still the same as our SNES era: we have beach levels, sunken pirate ships, jungle ruins, caves... but at this time, everything is wilder than before. Wait, I almost forgot! The Kremlings. Unfortunately, this time, they are not a part of this adventure. For some reason, Retro Studios just decided to not add the charismatic crocodiles to this sequel. But don't worry. You'll not miss 'em that much, trust me. The new baddies are decent enough to feature a DK title. Decent with a capital "D".

And, finally, the soundtrack. Remember the old times? Some unforgettable themes are here again and remixed, like the jungle, underwater (one of the greatest videogame tracks ever), mine cart, ruins and, of course, the main DKC theme. There's also brand-new outstanding tunes. Hear the mysterious "Tidal Terror" theme and tell me what do you think. Kenji Yamamoto did another epic job here. Nuff said.

Donkey Kong Country Returns offers a well-balanced platform experience for newcomers, while it brings back, from a deep and dark cove, something that we have forgotten since 90's: a rewarding game experience.

[satman83]

Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood



Details

Formats
#Xbox 360/ PS3
Genre:
# Adventure
Origin
# Canada
Publisher
# Ubisoft
Developer
# Ubisoft Montreal
Price
# £39.99((http://www.amazon.co.uk)
Release
#2010
Players
#1 + (online)



Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (the third one in the Assassin's Creed franchise) is a third person action -adventure game from Ubisoft Montreal. The game is a sequel to the second game which continues the story from where it ended in Assassin's Creed II.

The game is very similar to Assassin's Creed II with a continued story, new environments to explore whilst still playing as the Ezio Auditore and Desmond Miles being the main characters in Brotherhood too.

The game features a single player mode that continues on with the story from Assassin's Creed II with around 20+ hours of single player. The game sees you play as Desmond Miles in the year of 2012 and then step back in the time to the late 1400's and early 1500's as Ezio Auditore through the use of the Animus 2.0

Also for the first time ever the game features multiplayer modes where up to 8 people can play in a single game (depending on the game mode). The game features 4 different multiplayer modes currently.
These modes include Wanted where up to 8 players on a medium sized map where they must assassinate their assigned target as well as trying to avoid the person hunting them.
There is also Advanced Wanted which is unlocked which is the same as Wanted except for the player's radar being a little different.
Alliance is a team based game where three teams of too people compete to out kill there opponents. Each team has a team to hunt as assassinate as well as a team they are being chased by and need to be avoid being assassinated by their hunters.
The final mode is Manhunt, 2 teams of 4, one team are the hunters and the others are being hunted. Both teams take turns being the hunters as well as being hunted, points are awarded for kills, stuns, getting away from the hunters, etc.

The multiplayer is a great edition to the franchise and the franchise still has great single player as seen in the previous 2 games. 9/10