I have one word for all of you readers out there: Wolverine. That's right, the latest game to be reviewed is none other than the X-Men Origins game based on the hit movie, Wolverine. Filled with great visual effects, non stop action and R-rated gore that truly lets us get an up close and personal feel for the character, the game never lets up, and allows us a great view into the past and future of the legendary hero.
Set in the Marvel comics universe, the game tells the story of Logan, a mutant with the ability to rapidly heal, and in so doing allowing himself to live an almost immortal life. He was also born with animal like instincts and three extended bones in each hand. He and his brother, Victor Creed, who is also a mutant, are hired by the US government to be a part of an elite group of mutants. Throughout the game, you see how the group becomes corrupt, and how Wolverine gets the adamantum claws and exoskeleton that make him so unique. While following elements of the movie, the game also has unique plot twists of it's own, such as the introduction of the Sentinels, deadly robots manufactured to hunt down mutants and exterminate. We also get a glimpse at the mysterious Mystique, and a possible little look at the future origins of another X-Man.
The gameplay follows a third-person action adventure setting. You are Wolverine, and you use your animal fury to rip your enemies to ribbons. Unlike most games, this is a Mature rated game, and so you watch as your claws cut limbs off, and blood flows out of the victims. This is not the most gruesome game I've ever played, but parents not wanting their kids to play bloody games will not want their kids to play this. I do feel however it is an accurate portrayal, and we get to really see how ferocious the character really is. I do rate this game a 10 out of 10, for it is a great look at a popular comic book franchise, and is full of non stop action and plot twists, and the effects and the cinematics never skip a beat.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2
There is nothing better than sequels to games you've fallen in love with. So when Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 came out, I knew I had to play it. Having amassed a huge collection of superheroes, the creative geniuses behind the second game have brought a masterpiece right out of the comics, and has given the fans of superheroes everywhere a new look at the heroes we fell in love with.
The game is set a year before the events of the fabled comic book event, The Civil War. Nick Fury leads Captain America, Iron Man, Wolverine and Spider-man to Castle Doom, where the Latverian leader, Lucia Von Bardas, has begun supplying the criminal mastermind, The Tinkerer, with advanced weaponry to sell to villains across the globe. The President of the United States has forbidden Fury from raiding the castle, but moves ahead anyways, keeping the heroes out of the loop. The mission is successful, and Castle Doom is destroyed, with Von Bardas presumed dead. A year later, however, a group of supervillians led by a cyborg enhanced Von Bardas attack New York City, and her attack kills many civilians. Later, a group of superheroes known as The New Warriors battle Nitro, a villain with explosive powers, in Stanford, Connecticut. Upon capture, Nitro uses his full powers, unleashing a massive explosion that kills 600 people. This forces the President to sign a Superhuman Registration Act, in which case divides the superhero community. From there, the Civil War begins.
Players must choose between the Pro-registration movement, led by Iron Man, or the Anti-registration movement, led by Captain America and Luke Cage. Each mission becomes about fighting former allies, and taking down powerful foes. The gameplay is crisper and much faster than the previous game, and the story is consistent and epic throughout. The visuals are a lot sharper than the first game, and although some fans may say that the first game was more epic and had a lot more dynamics, I feel that the game had a more profound effect on the fans, and not only portrayed on of the most critically acclaimed story arch's from Marvel comics history, but made the fans feel like it was a little closer to home, and kept the main setting in our world. I rate this game a 10 out of 10, for this was a fun, action packed, and well thought out game.
The game is set a year before the events of the fabled comic book event, The Civil War. Nick Fury leads Captain America, Iron Man, Wolverine and Spider-man to Castle Doom, where the Latverian leader, Lucia Von Bardas, has begun supplying the criminal mastermind, The Tinkerer, with advanced weaponry to sell to villains across the globe. The President of the United States has forbidden Fury from raiding the castle, but moves ahead anyways, keeping the heroes out of the loop. The mission is successful, and Castle Doom is destroyed, with Von Bardas presumed dead. A year later, however, a group of supervillians led by a cyborg enhanced Von Bardas attack New York City, and her attack kills many civilians. Later, a group of superheroes known as The New Warriors battle Nitro, a villain with explosive powers, in Stanford, Connecticut. Upon capture, Nitro uses his full powers, unleashing a massive explosion that kills 600 people. This forces the President to sign a Superhuman Registration Act, in which case divides the superhero community. From there, the Civil War begins.
Players must choose between the Pro-registration movement, led by Iron Man, or the Anti-registration movement, led by Captain America and Luke Cage. Each mission becomes about fighting former allies, and taking down powerful foes. The gameplay is crisper and much faster than the previous game, and the story is consistent and epic throughout. The visuals are a lot sharper than the first game, and although some fans may say that the first game was more epic and had a lot more dynamics, I feel that the game had a more profound effect on the fans, and not only portrayed on of the most critically acclaimed story arch's from Marvel comics history, but made the fans feel like it was a little closer to home, and kept the main setting in our world. I rate this game a 10 out of 10, for this was a fun, action packed, and well thought out game.
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
World renowned franchise Star Wars once again reels out an intense game playing experience. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, takes place between the third film, (Revenge of the Sith), and the fourth film, (A New Hope). It brings a mix of lightsaber duels and mind blowing force abilities that bring out the action, and a plot so dark and intricate that only the creative minds from Lucas Arts could tell it.
The game follows the nameless apprentice of Darth Vader known only as Starkiller. Born from two Jedi knights, (one of whom Vader killed after the events of the third film), Darth Vader takes the young boy from his home and trains him to become a sith apprentice, weilding unimaginable powers. Struggling with his natural born instincts for good and his twisted training for evil, Starkiller is sent out into the universe to hunt down the remaining Jedi who escaped the extermination ordered by Emperor Palpentine in the third film. Along the way, as his powers grow, Starkiller is betrayed, and is left to decide his own path. Will he go down a path for revenge? Or will he choose to help the universe he brought chaos to?
Bringing forth a blend of dark imagery, expansive landscapes unique to each planet the player visits, and hundreds of different moves that blend lightsaber skills and force powers, this game is unlike anything Lucas Arts has ever brought before. I give this game a 10 out of 10, for it's quite unique and unlike anything I've played before, and for all Star Wars fans out there, this game will not disappoint.
The game follows the nameless apprentice of Darth Vader known only as Starkiller. Born from two Jedi knights, (one of whom Vader killed after the events of the third film), Darth Vader takes the young boy from his home and trains him to become a sith apprentice, weilding unimaginable powers. Struggling with his natural born instincts for good and his twisted training for evil, Starkiller is sent out into the universe to hunt down the remaining Jedi who escaped the extermination ordered by Emperor Palpentine in the third film. Along the way, as his powers grow, Starkiller is betrayed, and is left to decide his own path. Will he go down a path for revenge? Or will he choose to help the universe he brought chaos to?
Bringing forth a blend of dark imagery, expansive landscapes unique to each planet the player visits, and hundreds of different moves that blend lightsaber skills and force powers, this game is unlike anything Lucas Arts has ever brought before. I give this game a 10 out of 10, for it's quite unique and unlike anything I've played before, and for all Star Wars fans out there, this game will not disappoint.
Resident Evil 5
I have two words for you: Resident Evil. That's right, the game I'm reviewing today is the highly anticipated game, Resident Evil 5. This franchise is about the Umbrella company, who through a series of events lets out a biological weapon, turning many citizens of Raccoon City into zombies. From there, many more attacks and events ensue.
This game follows Chris Redfield and Sheva Alomar as they are sent into the African city of Kijuju to apprehend Ricardo Irving, who is in the country to sell bio-organic weapons on the black market. From there, all hell breaks loose. The people of the city are being fed parasites that turn them into zombie like creatures. Chris also learns that his presumed dead partner, Jill Valentine, has been seen in the country, and Chris and Sheva set out to stop the terrorist attack and find his partner.
This game is set as a third-person shooter, and the graphics and music blend together to form an eerie and terrifying atmosphere. The plot has twists and turns that make you want to stay with it all the way to the end, and for that, I rate this game a 9 out of 10, and am happy to say that the action and suspense of the game makes me craving more.
This game follows Chris Redfield and Sheva Alomar as they are sent into the African city of Kijuju to apprehend Ricardo Irving, who is in the country to sell bio-organic weapons on the black market. From there, all hell breaks loose. The people of the city are being fed parasites that turn them into zombie like creatures. Chris also learns that his presumed dead partner, Jill Valentine, has been seen in the country, and Chris and Sheva set out to stop the terrorist attack and find his partner.
This game is set as a third-person shooter, and the graphics and music blend together to form an eerie and terrifying atmosphere. The plot has twists and turns that make you want to stay with it all the way to the end, and for that, I rate this game a 9 out of 10, and am happy to say that the action and suspense of the game makes me craving more.
Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Conspiracy
While supernatural and science fiction games have become the norm in the video game industry, it is always great to find a great action game. This was the case when I played Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Conspiracy. Having been a huge fan of the movie franchise, I was extremely excited to play the next chapter in Jason Bourne's story.
Set before and during the events of The Bourne Identity, the first movie in the franchise, The Bourne Conspiracy follows Jason Bourne, a government assassin working for a government project known as Treadstone. The game follows Jason Bourne as he is sent to kill African dictator Nykwana Wombosi. After many attempts to get to the dictator, Jason finds the leader with his two daughters, and seeing his family causes Jason to let Wombosi live, and in the process, he is shot four times in the back, and left for dead in the ocean. This set's up the rest of the plot for the first movie, while also allowing players to go through past mission's Jason was sent on as he begins to get brief glances into his past.
The gameplay is quite unique, combining gun shootouts similar to Resident Evil gameplay, (in other words, a third-person shooter), with unique fighting techniques that only Jason Bourne could pull off, including intense fight scenes with deadly assassins, government leaders, and world renowned terrorists. With an intricate plot, realistic cinematic movie sequences, lush and large scenery from around the world, and action packed gameplay throughout, I rate this game a 10 out of 10, because it has definitely set the bar for action games in the industry.
Set before and during the events of The Bourne Identity, the first movie in the franchise, The Bourne Conspiracy follows Jason Bourne, a government assassin working for a government project known as Treadstone. The game follows Jason Bourne as he is sent to kill African dictator Nykwana Wombosi. After many attempts to get to the dictator, Jason finds the leader with his two daughters, and seeing his family causes Jason to let Wombosi live, and in the process, he is shot four times in the back, and left for dead in the ocean. This set's up the rest of the plot for the first movie, while also allowing players to go through past mission's Jason was sent on as he begins to get brief glances into his past.
The gameplay is quite unique, combining gun shootouts similar to Resident Evil gameplay, (in other words, a third-person shooter), with unique fighting techniques that only Jason Bourne could pull off, including intense fight scenes with deadly assassins, government leaders, and world renowned terrorists. With an intricate plot, realistic cinematic movie sequences, lush and large scenery from around the world, and action packed gameplay throughout, I rate this game a 10 out of 10, because it has definitely set the bar for action games in the industry.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Left 4 Dead
Considered to be one of the best games of the year, Left 4 Dead really brought fourth a new era of horror and action that gaming has not seen in years. Brought to us by the legendary creators of the Half-Life series at Valve, the game follows four survivors of a zombie outbreak that has created an apocalyptic world. The action is fast paced, and never slows down once.
While the game lacks a central story, it quickly makes up for it with four extremely well developed characters that give us a new story every time we play the game. The game comes with four different maps, with five levels on each map. The main point of the game is to reach safety by finding an area where help will pick you up. The survivors must fight their way through miles of land to reach help, and must protect one another from hoard after hoard of zombies in order to reach survival.
The most interesting point of this game was the Zombie AI. In a nutshell, this means that every time you play the game, the zombies are never in the same place, and will attack you in a different and unique way everytime you play. The other interesting fact of this game is the enemy zombies. While regular zombies are scary enough, the developers at Valve stepped it up a notch and created unique and more advanced zombies. The first is the Boomer, which is a fat zombie that spits acid on you, which makes other zombies attracted to you and the center of an attack. There is the hunter, which crawls up buildings and jumps hundreds of feet until it pins you down and begins to tear you apart. There is the smoker, which has a hundred foot tongue that drags you to it and attacks. There is the Tank, which is a giant zombie that has massive muscles and takes thousands of bullets to kill. And most scary of all, there is the witch, which is a young girl who cries until you get near, and when it senses you, it starts hissing and growling until it finally attacks you.
Overall, this games startling visuals that make every experience spooky and makes any gamer jump have me a true Left 4 Dead fan. With a wide array of realistic gore and horror, tons of action and weapons use, and an in depth view of each character and their personality, I give this game a 10/10, and look forward to the sequel, due out November of this year.
While the game lacks a central story, it quickly makes up for it with four extremely well developed characters that give us a new story every time we play the game. The game comes with four different maps, with five levels on each map. The main point of the game is to reach safety by finding an area where help will pick you up. The survivors must fight their way through miles of land to reach help, and must protect one another from hoard after hoard of zombies in order to reach survival.
The most interesting point of this game was the Zombie AI. In a nutshell, this means that every time you play the game, the zombies are never in the same place, and will attack you in a different and unique way everytime you play. The other interesting fact of this game is the enemy zombies. While regular zombies are scary enough, the developers at Valve stepped it up a notch and created unique and more advanced zombies. The first is the Boomer, which is a fat zombie that spits acid on you, which makes other zombies attracted to you and the center of an attack. There is the hunter, which crawls up buildings and jumps hundreds of feet until it pins you down and begins to tear you apart. There is the smoker, which has a hundred foot tongue that drags you to it and attacks. There is the Tank, which is a giant zombie that has massive muscles and takes thousands of bullets to kill. And most scary of all, there is the witch, which is a young girl who cries until you get near, and when it senses you, it starts hissing and growling until it finally attacks you.
Overall, this games startling visuals that make every experience spooky and makes any gamer jump have me a true Left 4 Dead fan. With a wide array of realistic gore and horror, tons of action and weapons use, and an in depth view of each character and their personality, I give this game a 10/10, and look forward to the sequel, due out November of this year.
Prince of Persia on Xbox 360
I must admit I am somewhat of a history buff, but in reality a lot of the gaming population has always been focused on action and futuristic games. Yet in the latest installment of the infamous Prince of Persia franchise, we get to see a new wave of visual gaming that has all gamers flocking to their local stores and immersing themselves in the ancient world. This game makes history come alive, and while the characters and more supernatural elements are more myth than history, the culture and settings of the Persian world are quite evident in this popular game.
The story follows a young traveler who gets lost in a sandstorm and must find his donkey. While searching, he stumbles upon a seemingly helpless woman being chased by men. What he will later learn is that the young woman is Elika, a young princess of an ancient people dealing in the mythic arts. For centuries her people have guarded the prison holding the deadly god Ahriman, who seeks to immerse all of the world in darkness. Soon the once selfish and self-centered Prince must help stop this deadly force from being unleashed, and battle the demons working to destroy his once simple world.
Filled with fast paced action, high-flying aerobics, and colorful scenery, what really captured my attention was the games visuals, which were presented as a comic book or storybook. The interesting illustrations really added to the games story, and for me helped build upon what made the original series so great. With funny banter between the prince and princess, demonic entities and a massive story, I give this game a 9/10, for it really captures your attention quickly, and is a game you will enjoy playing over and over again.
The story follows a young traveler who gets lost in a sandstorm and must find his donkey. While searching, he stumbles upon a seemingly helpless woman being chased by men. What he will later learn is that the young woman is Elika, a young princess of an ancient people dealing in the mythic arts. For centuries her people have guarded the prison holding the deadly god Ahriman, who seeks to immerse all of the world in darkness. Soon the once selfish and self-centered Prince must help stop this deadly force from being unleashed, and battle the demons working to destroy his once simple world.
Filled with fast paced action, high-flying aerobics, and colorful scenery, what really captured my attention was the games visuals, which were presented as a comic book or storybook. The interesting illustrations really added to the games story, and for me helped build upon what made the original series so great. With funny banter between the prince and princess, demonic entities and a massive story, I give this game a 9/10, for it really captures your attention quickly, and is a game you will enjoy playing over and over again.
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