Released May 17, 2011 for 360, May 18, 2011 for PC, June 5, 2011 for PS3
"A war away from war."
Zion, a valley plagued, not by nuclear fallout, but by man, religion, and war. Utah's Zion National Park is now home to barely civilized tribes of which can only speak fragments of English. It's here that the courier finds himself amidst a brutal tribal war in Fallout: New Vegas' latest expansion; Honest Hearts.
Joshua Graham, who is repeatedly mentioned in New Vegas as a proverbial boogeyman of the wastes, tells of the imminent war between his tribe, the Dead Horses, and the savage White Legs. It's a war Graham must help the Dead Horses fight in order to atone for his sins against God, sins committed as Ceasar's once trusted legate. It's up to the courier to decide how he will deal with the battles within Zion to not only preserve the well-being of the tribes but to make it safely back to the Mojave and consummate his own war at Hoover Dam.
Honest Hearts is an intriguing look into how a part of the Fallout world, seemingly insignificant, mimics the war, greed, and pride displayed everywhere else in the wastes. It tells a great story and brings dynamic characters such as the God-willed Joshua Graham to life.
If New Vegas players passed up Dead Money because of its linearity, be content as Honest Hearts brings back much of the unhindered exploration omitted by the last add-on. New areas, weapons, armor, allies, and quests lie in wait in the heart of Zion. (Not to mention every major NPC's weapons and armor will be given to the courier upon departure of the valley.)
There are to two things that impede this otherwise brilliant add-on. Unlike Dead Money, Honest Hearts suffers major slow down and freezes as the main game does. Honest Hearts is also rather short. It can be completed in just about two hours. (although the gameplay will definitely vary as to how much exploration of Zion the player actually does.)
Honest Hearts is a definite improvement on Dead Money and while the experience may not last too long, those looking to recreate their New Vegas experience under a more solemn semblance; Zion awaits.
Details -
Genre: First Person Shooter, RPG, Third Person Shooter
ESRB Rating: M for Mature (Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs)
After a 15 year run of developing and publishing exceptional video games that take us to crime infested cities, terrain, and even schools, Rockstar puts us in the shoes of the law and takes us to the dark and corrupt setting of 1940's Los Angeles. Not only does L.A. Noire offer a unique style of detective gameplay and gunplay, it also brings an interrogation arrangement seldom pulled off right in modern games. Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of L.A. Noire are the realistic facial expressions pulled off by the cutting edge Motion Scan technology. However, it all comes down to whether or not these mechanics are defined well enough to create a great gaming experience.
L.A. Noire tells the tale of World War II veteran, Cole Phelps, as he works up the ranks as a detective in the LAPD. In order to do so, the player must use a mixture of gunplay, detective work, chasing, and interrogating in order to solve every case and earn promotions (going from patrol to traffic to homicide, etc). All of these gameplay mechanics are blended perfectly as to not overly exhaust the fun out of one or another. So, hardcore players need not worry about spending hours just looking for clues as there is a fair share of gunfights to satisfy (or maybe pacify).
The biggest gripe I had with the gameplay was how much the game holds your hand throughout the cases. In car chases, if the car is too far ahead, it will actually slow down until you catch up to it, then the bandit will speed up. While searching for clues, there will always be text telling you that you should turn a watch a certain way to see a name engraved or press A to look behind a picture frame to read a message. The ability to skip action sequences and use intuition points (the ability to show where all hidden clues are on the map) would have been enough hand holding but changing A.I. to lower the difficulty is unnecessary.
The gunplay is taken straight from Red Dead Redemption (same engine, no duh). The biggest difference is that you cannot collect and upgrade your weapon. Rather you start off with a pistol and can pick up a variety of weapons that enemies drop. The player cannot, however, keep these weapons and use them on the next case. That's the major problem with the depth of the gunplay; it seems as if it only touches on the shooting and quickly switches to something else. The dodging, aiming and firing, however, are just as you remembered in Red Dead Redemption.
The clue collecting is straight forward; search an alleyway or a home, and walk Cole until you hear a chime to signify a clue is nearby. Pick up the clue and see how it will aide your case. You can use these clues to build up your case against interrogating a suspect. A suspect will respond to a question that Cole asks in their own way. It's up to the player to decide whether he is telling the truth or lying. In order to do this, the player must take notice of the facial expressions and body movements that the suspect does (nervouse twitches, worried expressions will always reveal a liar). There are three options; truth, doubt and lie. If a person is lying but you can't prove that he is, you doubt him. If he is lying, and you have hard evidence, you outright accuse him. You then have to search through all the evidence and choose the right one that corresponds to the response given. This is an amazing gameplay mechanic that intertwines unique gameplay with the Motion Scan technology in an almost flawless way.
The musical score fits the game perfectly. From chase scenes, to crime scenes, to interrogations, the music and chimes take the player to 1947 and keep them there until they are done playing. The radio plays classic 40's jazz and big band hits that'll keep your foot tapping whenever your patrolling the streets looking for gangsters to ruin their day.
The acting is phenomenal. I say acting because it's no longer just voice acting. L.A. Noire's technology brings the actor into the game itself. These actors bring the player an unparalleled emotion by using both voice and expression. Aaron Staton of Mad Men brings Cole Phelps to life. I didn't find any of the actors unbelievable in their delivering of the characters. It's all the reason why L.A. Noire is such a story telling power house.
The facial animations that Team Bondi and Rockstar have been promoting are gorgeous. It's amazing how the actors have to provide not only a voice but must react to real situations presented in the game. It is a real shame that the beauty of the faces really bring out the flaws of the body animations and environments that would have otherwised gone unnoticed. The body animations are puppet like and sometimes do not cooperate with facial animations. A lot of the environments' textures are bland or do not load properly during cutscenes while shadows are laughably pixelated. In any other game, these would be minor flaws but in a game where the facial animations are a definite step forward in graphical technology, it's a shame that everything else is somewhat lacking in quality.
The lack freedom of L.A. Noire is a definite setback compared to games like Red Dead and GTA. The player is able to select the option of simply exploring L.A., searching for badges, uncovering landmarks, and answering dispatch calls. Unfortunately, the player cannot make Cole go on a trigger happy happy rampage or even throw a few punches on unsuspecting civilians. The player cannot draw his weapon or fists while on duty (hell, Cole can't even run over pedestrians with their ninja-like reflexes). The player is left upholding the law with no other choice. (We want to at least HAVE the option to cap a few innocents, right?)
L.A. Noire is very story driven. In some aspects this is a good thing and in others this is not. Rockstar provided a riveting tale and intriguing cases taken from actual crimes that hold its own in entertaining the player even if the gameplay falls short at times. The story, being as appealing as it is, can take away the focus of the gameplay and aim it directly at the story. (i.e. skipping action sequences). It's evident that Rockstar wanted a unique gameplay experience and they definitely have one but with certain instances during the game it seems they wanted to rush the player out of brilliant action sequences so they can sit back and relax to watch the cutscenes. It's incredibly unfortunate that such brilliant gameplay and potential exploration was sacrificed at the cost of story which should never be the case for a video game. Other than these apparent flaws, L.A. Noire is an incredibly deep and unique experience that any gamer should at least try. The game, although lacking in replay value, definitely offers players an unforgettable experience even if you'll find yourself spending a significant amount of time watching rather than controlling.
Details -
Genre: Action, Detective
ESRB Rating: M for Mature (Blood and Gore, Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs, Violence)
Full Review: Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds
Developed by Capcom Published by Capcom for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 Released February 15th, 2011
"Let's go on another wild ride!"
After a long decade and countless MvC2 tournaments later, Capcom brings back one of its most beloved Vs. series. This time around, Ryota Niitsuma, the mind behind Street Fighter IV and Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, takes the reigns and steers it in the right direction. MvC3 is a perfect blend of fan service and gameplay that lives up to the vs. franchise.
The first thing everyone will notice are the aesthetics. Cutscenes, menus, and gameplay are displayed in beautiful comic book styled cel-shaded graphics. The cutscenes are gorgeous as are the menu screens. The fights flow smoothly with vibrant colors and showcase equally awesome battle animations. The only problems that exist are the choppiness of the character models and the lack of detail of some of the background designs and animations. But of course the action moves so fast and flows so well, you're not going to notice unless you're intentionally nitpicking.
The music is surprisingly good. All of the music is some sort of techno or trance mix which I'm not much of a fan of. However, each character's theme music is composed well and end up bringing a lot of depth to each battle (especially the themes of Amaterasu, Deadpool, and Captain America). It's a nice touch how the music changes when certain characters are switched out. It makes the battle feel more quickly paced and ensures that you won't get tired of any single song. The voice acting is top notch and bring every hero and villain a unique personality. I can't quite put my finger on why but Iron Man's VA sounds brilliant. Wesker, Chris, and Jill's VAs are brought straight from Resident Evil 5 as are Ryu, Akuma, Chun-Li, and Viper's VAs are brought from Street Fighter IV. I just can't get enough of the voice acting and I'll be replaying Deadpool's sound test for quite a while just to hear all of his quirky and fourth wall breaking catch phrases.
The controls feel pretty tight. Just like the previous entries in the Marvel vs. Capcom series, each player picks three heroes or villains to battle. By attacking or receiving damage, the Hyper Meter will fill up and allow you to do devastating Hyper Combos. New to the series is X-Factor which overpowers your character and can turn the fight around. Like any fighting game, the controls may seem unresponsive even though you were absolutely sure you did a half circle light medium for that hyper combo. The controls are much more easy to grasp this time around with punch/kicks replaced with light/medium/heavy/special attacks. Also, every character does a launch by doing the same button combination unlike MvC2 where every character is confusingly different.
Even if the simpler controls don't seem simple enough, you can just switch the gameplay to simple mode! This is helps in giving a novice player a fighting chance against a pro. In simple mode, single button combinations will result in massive ground, aerial, and hyper combo maneuvers. This increases the opportunity for more players who are inexperienced with the game to jump in and play all the while feeling like a badass pro.
With all 38 characters, each having their own specific arcade mode ending, unlockable artwork, and mission modes single player has a lot to offer. Or if you're not a complete loner, play locally with friends or play online. You'll spend a lot of time playing online and ranking up your fighting card.
MvC3 is an absolute blast but there are a few things that may make you Shoryuken anyone within a close proximity. The online is fairly smooth with some laggy matches here and there. The game even lets you practice playing with a horrible connection to better prepare yourself for the lag. But all the practice in the world won't stop you from fighting wave after wave of broken characters such as Sentinel, Dante, and Magneto. These characters (allow me to further emphasize Sentinel) who are much too overpowered and can attack from long distances. You'll find these characters a lot online among players trying to increase their rankings. X-Factor, although a pretty cool addition, can allow a character with only half of their health to pretty much take out a perfectly healthy threesome. I also found it much more difficult to break an enemy's combo that wasn't a team aerial combo . These are but a few things that will bring your wonderful experience with the game to a screeching halt.
Marvel vs. Capcom 3 has an incredible amount of personality. Each character with lore, a technique, and a style that's so unique. The artwork and cutscenes are beautiful and bring the fans a special comic book feel that's almost as if the Capcom world had merged with the colorful and gritty universe of Marvel. The fighting is an absolute blast with its stringing aerial combos and animated hyper combos. Even if you're not a fighting game fan (like me) you'll find yourself unable to put the controller down. Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is the perfect blend of accessibility and hardcore depth that any fighting game can possibly hope to offer.
Details -
Genre: Fighting
ESRB Rating: T for Teen (Mild Language, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Violence)
Player Options: 1-Player (arcade), 2-player (local and online) [recommended]
More like 'Vintage SNES Ass Pained Difficulty Returns':
After 15 years, the world finally returns to Donkey Kong Country. Back in the 90's, Rare created one of the most influential and widely remembered video games with Donkey Kong Country for the Super Nintendo. The DKC games would go down as the defining series of the 90's for any console. Two generations later, Nintendo along with Retro Studios decided to bring Donkey Kong back to the glory days. While Donkey Kong Country Returns may not feel like the Donkey Kong Country 4 as fans had hoped for, it does bring a platforming experience like no other.
DKCR begins with an erupting volcano releasing an evil group of creatures known as the Tiki Tak Tribe. The Tikis use a serene melody to hypnotize the animals of DK Isle and force them to steal away Donkey Kong's hoard of bananas. DK and Diddy, immune to the Tikis hypnotic power, set off to rid the island of the Tikis and restore DK's precious bananas. Unfortunately, both King K.Rool and the Kremlins are absent from this story which is an omission that definitely lowers the nostalgic value while at the same time brings something a bit new.
When looking for the nostalgia factor, it'd be wise to open your ears. The music is a blast of nostalgic bliss. The songs are remixed versions of mostly DKC1 songs. Remixes of old classics such as Jungle Hyjinx and Minecart Carnage sound great while the remix of Forest Frenzy with its arrangement of instruments actually sounds better than the original. It really is a shame that David Wise wasn't on board for the game but the title seems to hold up well with both classic and original tunes. I'd bet that Wise would be extremely satisfied with the renditions made to his masterpieces. The new grunts that DK makes sound awkward while Diddy sounds too whiny but they are funny to hear, although it's not like you'll be paying attention to the sounds the monkeys make after those beautiful melodies hit your ears.
While not bringing forth any nostalgic emotions as the music was able to do, the graphics are beautiful. The graphics have that cartoony look that only Nintendo can achieve. The silhouette levels, that take place during a setting sun and portray DK, Diddy, and the entire foreground in black with the exception of the glowing red of DK's tie and Diddy's hat, look absolutely stunning. It once again proves how Nintendo can compensate graphical power for pure creativity. The backgrounds are full of vibrant colors, although it would have looked better if they focused on the pre-rendered background visuals that the first three games achieved so well. The visuals remind me nothing of the first DKCs but they are still pleasing to the eye.
The controls take a while to get used to. There are two ways to play; with a nunchuck or with a sideways Wiimote. The nunchuck feels more appropriate as there is no way of getting out of shaking the controller in order to roll. With the sideways Wiimote, you'll just end up pressing 1 in hopes of rolling only to run right into an enemy or off a cliff not to mention how awkward it feels. The implementing of motion controls in this area seems very unnecessary. If Nintendo wanted to achieve the nostalgic feel that they had hoped for then they should have incorporated the use of the Classic Controller (I'm also confused as to why Sega did not do this with the WiiWare version of Sonic 4). I guess I just have it programmed in my mind to press B to roll.
New to the series are climbing on grass-covered walls and blowing wind. Blowing wind (holding down and shaking the Wiimote) is an unnecessary addition to the game as it just feels weird to slow down the flow of the game in order to blow a dandelion or a candle to get a puzzle piece. Climbing on walls is simple and adds a lot to the gameplay as it is pulled off so well. Looking back at the older games, I wish they would have implemented this technique back then. Ground pounding with the motion controls seems more appropriate and feels really satisfying flailing your arms as DK smashes down a stone block.
Multiplayer allows both DK and Diddy to play together simultaneously. If one player gets lost behind, he will teleport back to the other player. If one player dies, he can either press a button and come back to life immediately at the cost of a balloon or he can wait until the other person grabs a barrel and releases him. When riding Rambi or controlling a barrel, both players have the option to control so it comes down to either losing control and dying or to allow one player to sit back and watch.
It's a shame that Diddy cannot be played in single player. In single player, Diddy helps out by giving DK two extra hearts and by using his signature jet-pack to stay afloat for a short period of time. In multiplayer, player 2 takes control of Diddy. Diddy is a blast to play as. He's quick and nimble when he needs to be and not only can he use his jet-pack but he can also use his peanut shooter while ground pounding. It really is unfortunate that the game does not allow you to switch between the two in single player just like the good ol' days
Those who shun the Wii for its plethora of casual games be warned; this game is tough! The difficulty isn't a result of bad controls or poor game design, it's sheer ruthless gameplay that tries incredibly hard to prove that the player is no match to the games superior A.I. brain. You'll be surprised how many times you'll go to Cranky Kong to replenish your stock of life-giving balloons. You'll be needing them more than you'd ever imagine. Beating the game is tough enough, but achieving 100% (including collecting all of the K-O-N-G letters and puzzle pieces) is a true challenge. The levels are designed brilliantly to provoke split-second thinking and strategy. Despite no familiar faces like Gnawty the beaver, the bosses are unique and require more than just the normal 3-Hit-Pattern to stop these beasts in their tracks. DKCR is a great throwback to the old SNES games that took you many days, many tantrums, and many headaches to beat.
In the end, Donkey Kong Country Returns doesn't prove much of a nostalgia factor but instead gives us a brand new adventure with familiar faces that is of the same caliber as the first three games of the series. DKCR gives us a must-have experience tied together with tightly woven platforming along with cheerful graphics and groovin' music. If you want a game that will really put your gaming skills to the test look no further than Donkey Kong Country Returns.
Details -
Genre: Side-Scroller, Platformer
ESRB Rating: E for Everyone (Mild Cartoon Violence)
Player Options: 1-Player (recommended), 2-Player, Nunchuck (recommended), Wiimote
for the WiiWare, Playstation Network, and Xbox Live Arcade
Released October 11th, 2010
Sonic's back! . . . kind of:
Sonic the Hedgehog 4 is Sega's attempt to wipeout Sonic's tarnished reputation as a video game character and bring him back to his glory days back on the Genesis. While I cannot say that they have truly brought the glory back to Sonic, I can say that Sega has succeeded in making a Sonic game that isn't terrible.
Graphics:
The graphics are appropriate for a game that is trying to blend the old with the new. The graphics are definitely not bad but nothing really stands out either. The background scenery, enemies, and Robotnik's ship are designed to bring nostalgia back to the player and it indeed does.
Sound:
The old Genesis Sonic sounds are back! The rings, the tv boxes, and the chimes of the intro theme all bring the player back to the good ol' days. The music is cheesy at best. The tunes that seem catchy at first quickly wear out their welcome. It makes me wish Michael Jackson were still alive in hopes of creating a soundtrack on par with Sonic 3 but alas one can only dream.
Controls:
Controls are simple. Running fast. Very fast. Jumping. Spin dashing. They're all included once again. A homing attack has been added which takes nothing away from the game but rather helps out in certain situations and to rack up points.
Lasting Appeal:
The games is very short. Just going through and beating the levels shouldn't take you much more than 3 hours. Collecting the chaos emeralds perhaps brings the total time to about 5 hours. Once you've done everything there isn't much else to do except to try to beat each level as fast as you can in hopes of making the leaderboards but the absent of any extras or minigames makes the replaying Sonic 4 pointless.
Final Cutter:
Underneath the heavy critique lies the same platforming game that I fell in love with almost 20 years ago. The game isn't "party out with all my friends" fun. It's the same sort of fun that you had sitting front of your tv, making a chubby blue hedgehog run as fast he can, collecting as many rings as you can, earning as many chaos emeralds as you can, and and thwarting Dr. Robotnik's master plan as awesome as you can. Sonic 4 isn't just a sequel it's a blast to the past. It may not live up to Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and it may not be the greatest platformer ever but it's good enough to be considered a true sequel to all those Genesis games that helped create an icon.
Details -
Genre: Side-Scroller, Platformer
ESRB Rating: E for Everyone (Comic Mischief)
Player Options: 1-Player
Difficulty: Easy
Learning Curve: Pick-Up-And-Go
Stats -
Graphics: 4/5
Sound: 3 /5
Controls: 4/5
Lasting Appeal: 1/5
Fun: 4/5
24 Hit-Combo
Decent
Quick Review:
Kirby's Epic Yarn
Developed by Hal Laboratory and Good-Feel
Published by Nintendo
for the Nintendo Wii
Released October 17th, 2010
As great as it is adorable:
Kirby's back in a brand new adventure that's as fun as it is adorable. If great platforming and co-op are what you're looking for, look no further than one of the Wii's best game of 2010.
Graphics:
The thread style graphics of Epic Yarn are beautiful. Adorable is probably a word I'm going to use a lot in this review but it's appropriate. Epic Yarn is an example of creativity and innovation making up for a lack in graphical power.
Sound:
Kirby and Prince Fluff's grunts are overly cute as is the narrator who tells the story of the game as if he's reading a bedtime story to his young daughter. The music is cheery. While there are a few good songs in the game, a lot of it will be forgotten.
Controls:
Nothing about this game sucks especially Kirby. Kirby's signature sucking move is absent only to be replaced with a whip that you use to destroy your enemies (or your partner, however, you decide to play). You and your partner, during certain parts, turn into ufos, tanks, and other machines or gadgets to rack up as many jewels as possible. Speaking of jewels, the entire goal isn't to beat the level, but to beat it with as many jewels as possible. You can't die, you can only lose the jewels you feverishly collected (which could end up with some colorful commentary between you and your partner).
Lasting Appeal:
It'll take you perhaps six to eight hours to beat the game but getting 100% will take you a little longer. Besides getting 100%, you can take pictures, and decorate your apartment to your liking. None of these really add much to the experience but they are pretty fun time wasters.
Final Cutter:
If you play with a friend, Kirby's Epic Yarn is a cooperative gem. You're guaranteed a great run every time you put in the game. If you're a Wii owner and don't have Epic Yarn in your library, you ought to be ashamed
Details -
Genre: Side-Scroller, Platformer
ESRB Rating: E for Everyone (Mild Cartoon Violence)
Player Options: 1-Player, 2-Player (recommended)
Difficulty: Easy
Learning Curve: Pick-Up-And-Go
Stats -
Graphics: 5/5
Sound: 4/5
Controls: 5/5
Lasting Appeal: 4/5
Fun: 5/5
33 Hit-Combo!!!
Amazing!!
Quick Review:
Vanquish
Developed by Platinum Games
Published by Sega
for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3
Released October 19th, 2010
A linear adrenaline rush:
From the mind of Shinji Mikami, the man who brought the world Resident Evil and Viewtiful Joe, and the team that responsible for Bayonetta comes an extreme-paced sci-fi shooter that gives the player mass amounts of animated testosterone.
Graphics:
The fast paced action flows well and looks great. It's amazing how much stuff can be on the screen at the same time without the game stalling.
Sound:
The voice acting is pulled off pretty well and the sound of firing weapons and exploding robots are satisfying. The music is generic and forgettable and often gives way to the sfx of the battle field.
Controls:
The controls work well and allow you to quickly maneuver Sam Gideon through hordes of evil Russian robots. The main complaint here is that it's hard to aim while boosting across the battlefield. If the camera isn't positioned in the right place, boosting forward while aiming backwards will make you slide in the opposite direction of where you're headed.
Lasting Appeal:
The game is fairly short and there is not much to do after you beat it. You can beat your old scores in each mission, complete challenges, or play on God Hard mode. It isn't anything special from what other games offer and it shouldn't take too long to complete.
Final Cutter:
After playing Bayonetta and MadWorld, Vanquish seems pretty tame. It may not be fair to compare it to these games but I feel it should have been more outrageous. Vanquish seems very linear in its gameplay and offers little on-screen button command scenes. It's a fun game but you'll soon find the it gets repetive after a few acts. Vanquish is an example of game holding back, not with its visuals, but with its gameplay.
Details -
Genre: Third Person Shooter
ESRB Rating: M for Mature (Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language)
Player Options: 1-Player
Difficulty: Medium
Learning Curve: 30 Minutes
Stats -
Graphics: 4/5
Sound: 3/5
Controls: 4/5
Lasting Appeal: 2/5
Fun: 3/5
24 Hit-Combo
Decent
Quick Review:
Fallout: New Vegas
Developed by Obsidian Entertainment
Published by Bethesda Softworks
for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and PC
Released October 19th, 2010
A new skin for Fallout 3 has arrived:
Fallout 3 is one of the greatest games of this generation which quickly made New Vegas one of the most anticipated games of 2010. Despite all the accolades, Fallout 3 did have its fair share of flaws and New Vegas is no exception. New Vegas is covered in glitches and flaws that at times overshadow this otherwise solid and massive rpg.
Graphics:
New Vegas isn't the most visually appealing games out there. The scenery looks great from afar but up close everything appears blurry and outdated. The animations are hilariously and unrealisticly awful. Due to the sheer mass of New Vegas, the graphics were unfortunately compromised.
Sound:
New Vegas has a better variety of voice acting than F3 did but it still sounds very monotone and uninspired. Gunshots sound like gunshots and footsteps sound like footsteps. The background music is eerie which suits the post-apocalypse Mojave desert. The music played on the different radio stations further emphasized the futuristic-vintage theme of the game. There's nothing cooler than taking the head off a raider with Marty Robbin's Big Iron blasting through your Pip-Boy.
Controls:
The controls feel pretty smooth. There's nothing horribly confusing about the set-up without a little getting used to. You may find some trouble jumping and trying to get out of awkward places such as being stuck between some debris. At times, the VATS won't work. A quick fix is to simply reload the file. However, this appears to be more of a glitch problem than a control issue.
Lasting Appeal:
New Vegas is bigger than Fallout 3 as there are more missions to complete, more areas to discover, and more factions to befriend or massacre. Completing everything in New Vegas is a task that will keep you traversing the Mojave Wasteland for months to come.
Final Cutter:
A definite gamebreaker for New Vegas are the incredible number of glitches you will undoubtedly encounter throughout your journey. Some of these are harmless but annoying mishaps such as one of your allies disappearing. But some of these glitches can greatly damage the player's experience. These include the disabling of buttons, NPCs who are vital to a quest suddenly getting buried underground, and the constant freezing of the game. The game is definitely good as there's just so much to get into but there's a limit to how much glitches will stop being annoying and actuality force you to put down the controller and rethink playing again.
Details -
Genre: First Person Shooter, RPG, Third Person Shooter
ESRB Rating: M for Mature (Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Use of Drugs)
Player Options: 1-Player
Difficulty: Hard
Learning Curve: 30 Minutes
Stats -
Graphics: 2/5
Sound: 3/5
Controls: 4/5
Lasting Appeal: 5/5
Fun: 3/5
25 Hit-Combo!
Solid
Quick Review:
DJ Hero 2
Developed by FreeStyle Games
Published by Activision
for the Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, and Playstation 3
Released October 19th, 2010
Play it again, Mr. DJ!:
After a year, DJ Hero is back with improved gameplay mechanics, more in-depth multiplayer, and a plethora of ear-pleasing new remixes that will keep you scratching and mixing for awhile.
Graphics:
The characters models are much less impressive than the environments. Activision has been known for creating hideous looking characters in the Guitar Hero series and the ugly has certainly transferred over to the DJ Hero series. The venues, on the other hand, are gorgeous. The lighting and camera movements dance in perfect sync with the music. The animations of the DJ track board, although subtle, also look good.
Sound:
Needless to say, the sound is great. As in the first game, you will find mixes never before heard. While the quality of the mixes vary from person to person, I find that there are much more good ones than awful ones. Glad to say there are no DJ Yoda Tutti Frutti/Beats caliber of noise mess mixes as in the first game. The addition of the freestyle crossfading sections are a welcomed addition. The random sample sets given to you at the beginning of each song in the first DJ Hero have been replaced with sample sets from the actual song for a more authentic sound. So no longer will we be forced to hear "YEEEEAAAAAAH BOOOOOYYYY!" every twenty seconds in a mix.
Controls:
The game plays the same as DJ Hero did with the exception of a few minor tweaks. We now have freestyle crossfader sections, and stream button sustains. These add much more variety and difficulty to an already complex gameplay style. DJ Hero 2, however, does not suffer from the complexity of the gameplay but rather offers a great and unique experience in exchange for a high learning curve.
Lasting Appeal:
The most dissappointing aspect of DJ Hero 2 is the fact that you cannot transfer the songs from the first game into the second game much like how Rock Band offers. The game does offer the player to play any downloadable content that was purchased before the release of DJ Hero 2 (although the player must download a free add-on to do so). The multiplayer offers different modes to enjoy with friends and family. Battle modes such as Checkpoint and score battling are entertaining. The replacement of guitars with vocal modes are much more appropriate and allows for a much more casual experience.
Final Cutter:
DJ Hero 2 is an addicting game that reminds me of how I felt a the beginning of the Guitar Hero era. It's something fresh and new. By playing through Empire mode you wonder what awesome mixes are coming up, what new items for your avatar will be unlocked, or which famous or fictional DJ will you have to go up against. The game is a blast by yourself or with friends and is surely enough to keep anyone content until the next DJ Hero hits shelves.
Details -
Genre: Music/Rhythm
ESRB: Rating: T for Teen (Lyrics, Mild Suggestive Themes)
Player Options: 1-Player (recommended), 2-Player
Difficulty: Medium
Learning Curve: Harsh
Stats -
Graphics: 3/5
Sound: 5/5
Controls: 4/5
Lasting Appeal: 4/5
Fun: 5/5
30 Hit-Combo!!
Superb!
Quick Review:
Rock Band 3
Developed by Harmonix
Published by MTV Games
for the Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, and Playstation 3
Released October 26th, 2010
Innovation at its musical finest:
Harmonix, the leader of musical innovation, brings the third installment of the Rock Band series. Rock Band 3 gives the same great gameplay experience that fans have come to love but also gives wannabe rockers the opportunity to learn how to play a real instrument with its new peripherals and game modes.
Graphics:
The graphics are miles beyond Rock Band 2 but lacking compared to The Beatles: Rock Band. The colorful claymation rockers look awesome performing on venues that range from vibrant to murky. Crowd animations along with animations of the drummer appear robotic and awkward. It's a shame they couldn't replicate the cutscene animated style as presented in The Beatles: Rock Band.
Sound:
The variety of music seems to be more on the pop side of things but gives the game a balance of instrument playablity. It wouldn't be a Rock Band game without the music. The create-a-character and some other menu screens play odd jingles but its nothing that anybody would really pay more attention to than the songs.
Controls:
Everything is as it should be. The guitars and drums play great as usual. Depending on how you're holding the keyboard it may be difficult to go into overdrive. It goes without saying that the pro instruments have an extremely difficult learning and are sensitive to the touch. But as far as the pro instruments go, they make learning how to play a much more entertaining experience.
Lasting Appeal:
You'll be playing for months trying to complete all the career challenges, master every instrument, learning a new one, getting 5 stars on every song, and purchasing all the dlc songs you're heart desires.
Final Cutter:
Rock Band 3 brings another great multiplayer experience but this time turns it up a notch by adding a fifth player and the option to perform harmonies. The keyboard is a fun new instrument that gives the player another peripheral to master. The keyboard is the best investment to make for the game if you aren't a rich fat cat. The Mustang pro-guitar controller is ridiculous. You're better off waiting until Spring to purchase the actual guitar that they plan to release (with real strings, pick-ups and everything!) so you can play Rock Band 3 and then go out and play in a real band without looking like an idiot. Otherwise, Rock Band 3 is perhaps the funnest game you'll play with a group of friends and family this year.
Details -
Genre: Music/Rhythm
ESRB Rating: E for Everyone (Language, Mild Lyrics, Suggestive Themes)
Player Options: 1-Player, 2 - 5 [potentially 7] Player (recommended), online multiplayer
In honor of John Lennon's 70th birthday, I've decided to take a look back at last year's hit, The Beatles: Rock Band. The game coincided with the release of the entire Beatles catalogue, both in mono and stereo collections. The game received majorbuzz when Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr introduced the game at e3 2009. George Harrison's son, Dani, played alongside Conan O'Brien on the Tonight Show a day before its release. The game certainly received much hype prior to release.
Prior to the release of The Beatles: Rock Band, the Guitar Hero franchise had band focused games with Aerosmith and Metallica while Guitar Hero: Van Halen was planned to be released a few months after The Beatles: Rock Band. The Beatles, however, is an example of making a band oriented music game right. Unlike Guitar Hero, Rock Band not only gave Beatles fans a loyal interpretation of the Fab Four but created a fun and well-tuned music/rhythm game that could stand alone against the numbered entries of both Rock Band and Guitar Hero (Rock Band 2, Guitar Hero 5).
The artistic style of The Beatles: Rock Band is perfect in representing John, Paul, George, and Ringo. The designs of actual Beatles venues, such as the Cavern Club and Shea Stadium, are presented with incredible charm and keen detail on both Beatles' attire and the fashion style of the teenage girls crying their eyes out in the stadium seats. Eventually we come to the "hippie" days of the Beatles in which every song is performed as a dreamscape within Abbey Road Studios. Seeing the crazy and cartoony Yellow Submarine drifting passed the screen in beautiful 7th generation graphics is stunning.
The gameplay is the same as Rock Band 2 with a few tweaks. The vocals now offer up to 3 players to sing along in order to encompass how The Beatles used harmonies in almost all of their songs. The drums also feel a little looser and more forgiving than they did in Rock Band 2.
How can you argue against the sound in music games? If it's a good music game, you can't. The Beatles: Rock Band presents all the songs as clear as can be but the real charm comes in the sounds effects. Whether it's the actual recordings of Beatles rehearsal chatter played during loading screens or a chord from "Getting Better" used as a selection noise, the sound effects are great.
The Beatles: Rock Band is a loyal music game that offers Beatles fans everything they might ask for. Although the difficulty level may seem a little low and the low variety of songs may get boring after awhile, the fans looking to play for the love of everything Beatles will not be disappointed. Oh, and Happy Birthday John!
Details -
Genre: Music/Rhythm
ESRB Rating: T for Teen (Mild Lyrics, Tobacco Reference)
Player Options: 1-Player, 2 - 4 Players( recommended), online multiplayer
Quick Review:
