When Nintendo announced the Wii, people mocked its name. When the company debuted motion controls, people doubted the departure from thumbsticks and buttons. When Sony and Microsoft announced their own motion-control systems in part to capitalize on the Wii's success, people feared it was too little too late. But whether Microsoft had an original idea or not, the company has adapted the motion-control concept by running absolutely wild with it, taking "interactive entertainment" in an entirely new and exciting … [Read more...]
Pinball FX 2 and Costume Quest reviews
A double dose of XBLA reviews in this article - covering both the recently released Costume Quest and Pinball FX2. First up - Pinball FX 2. I love a good pinball game, and when presented with the choice between the Zen Studios created Zen Pinball on the PS3 and the, uhhhh - Zen Studios Pinball FX on the XBLA, the choice was very clear and the PS3 won, every time. It looks like the fine folks over there realized this, and revamped the pinball engine with the release of Pinball FX 2. For those who spent money on the … [Read more...]
Kirby’s Epic Yarn Review
Straight up, Kirby's Epic Yarn was one of the most enjoyable titles I've have the pleasure of playing in 2010. If it doesn't find its way onto every top ten list at the end of the year it's going to be easy to identify who skipped over this little gem. Yes, it's without a shred of doubt aimed at younger gamers, but don't let that dissuade you. Playing Epic Yarn was on the level of relaxation that I got from playing Flower or even something as easy going as a game of Uno with friends. Since its announcement and first … [Read more...]
Fable 3 Review
The Fable franchise, including Fable 3, has had more than its share of failed promises and under-delivery, even as the action/adventure RPGs have provided some entertaining romps. Part of the "disappointment," as it were, has simply been due to Peter Molyneux hyping his games beyond belief, then not having the time, resources and/or technology to actually deliver. Can't fault the guy for trying. But with Fable 3, which is now available for Xbox 360, the folks at Lionhead Studios have delivered the keystone Fable … [Read more...]
Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock Review
Guitar Hero and I have a love/hate relationship. I love the fact they it brought me into the rhythm game genre, though I resisted heavily. I spent hours on Guitar Hero 2 and 3 - only to start to be annoyed by changed made in titles beyond that. With its ever loosening hit detection and kitchen sink approach to the game, I was a little timid going into this one from the onset. Seeing the addition of the quest mode rather than an outright band oriented career didn't help much in easing my mind - but the inclusion of … [Read more...]
Super Meat Boy Review
In what was supposed to be the last entry in the Game Feast promotion that Microsoft has running for XBLA games, Super Meatboy hits the marketplace this week. Wait, isn't this the flash game/Wiiware game that people have played? Pretty much - but here you'll get over 300 levels of meat grinding goodness - all for the price of 1200 MSFT points. This is more than just a hardcore, perfection required platform title - there's a story to be had. Meat Boy's girlfriend, Bandage Girl is kidnapped by Dr. Fetus (a fetus in a … [Read more...]
Singularity Review
Playing a game in which the primary mechanic involves time manipulation isn't exactly new, and it's not always a recipe for success. For every Prince of Persia or Full Auto, there are two or three Blinxes. Fortunately, the competitive first-person shooter genre hasn't been subject to as many time-bending experiments, so when a developer takes the risk to incorporate it, it's a safe bet that the mechanic is going to work. Particularly when that developer is Raven Software. Raven and Activision teamed up this summer … [Read more...]
Enslaved: Odyssey to the West Review
Ninja Theory, at least to me, have seemed to nail the little known area of gaming known as great storytelling, compelling characters, graphics that fit and a nice, short gaming experience. Their previous PS3 only effort, Heavenly Sword was a title that was high on the beauty scale, but never seemed to catch on with many gamers out there, most likely due to its perceived God Of War feel. Cue Enslaved - Odyssey to the West. Loosely based on the ancient Chinese text (Ming Dynasty), the tale puts you in the role of Monkey, … [Read more...]
Metroid Other M Review
When it was said that Team Ninja was taking over the reigns on a Metroid title, I had some horrid flashbacks of DOA Xtreme Beach Volleyball mixed with the joys that the Ninja Gaiden revival brought. Hearing it was making a move to a pseudo-two dimensional viewpoint, with some first person segments for scanning and missile launching brought both interest and trepidation at how the approach would work. Combined with the changes to the development house, it came to light that the events here were immediately following … [Read more...]
UFC Undisputed 2010 Review
Last year, playing UFC Undisputed was quite a surprise for me: I wasn't expecting much going into the game, and it didn't take long to turn me into a fan. With its graphical prowess and ability to fully covey the sport of UFC, it was also a hit with the fans of the event itself. There were a few things that didn't work perfectly, so like any good company would do, THQ went back into the War Room and laid out some changes for the second iteration. And while UFC Undisputed 2010 is still not flawless, it's a good take on a … [Read more...]