Here’s my solemn vow to you right now: aside from mentioning inFamous right now, you will hear nothing Sucker Punch’s open world superhero effort in this review.
Fair? Moving on, Radical’s Prototype has got to be one of the most mixed reviewed games in recent memory, with reactions running the spectrum from blech! (ahem) to yippee!
I just wrapped up the main story campaign last night, leaving with a feeling of distinct…
The Charge
War is Hell–and bananas giraffe forklift!
Opening Statement
Activision continues its money-printing shooter franchise with a stark departure from the series. Be warned: this isn’t the Call of Duty you’re used to.
Continue reading Review: Call of Duty Post-Modern Warfare (Xbox360/PS3)
It can't be bargained with... it can't be reasoned with... It CAN be finished in less time than it takes to watch T2!
The Charge:
The End Begins.
Opening Statement:
With the film right around the corner, Terminator Salvation makes its timely debut on Xbox360 and PS3. The guys at Grin, who recently brought us Wanted: Weapons of Fate, have tried once again to give fans a movie tie-in worth playing. Do they succeed in offering us salvation? Or is this one game that deserves to be terminated.
Continue reading Review: Terminator Salvation (PS3/PC/Xbox360)
"I seethe with generic rage!"
The Charge:
Arm Yourself!
Opening Statement:
Nathan “Rad” Spencer is back. The original Bionic Commando returns in a 3D action title farmed out to Swedish development house, Grin (Wanted: Weapons of Fate and Terminator: Salvation.) It’s been awhile since Bionic Commando has graced a home console in a true sequel, is our metal armed protagonist able to satisfy a legion of nostalgic fans? Or is this one appendage you’d just as soon cut off and run from?
Eat your heart out Sonic!
The Charge:
Wahoo!
Opening Statement:
Klonoa is a somewhat sad case for me to talk about. The oft-forgotten franchise got its start with rather humble beginnings on the original Sony PlayStation with 1997’s Klonoa: Door to Phantomile. The general consensus of reviewers at the time was that while a solid game, Klonoa had missed out on the early nineties ‘mascot’ craze of the last generation’s console war between the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis, and most gamers of the late nineties wouldn’t be terribly interested in a cute platforming adventure along the lines of Kirby or Super Mario. So while Klonoa did manage to garner enough praise to warrant an equally unappreciated sequel in 2001 on the PlayStation 2, and a handful of Game Boy Advance titles; the series has remained tragically toward the bottom rungs of the cult ladder. Luckily for gamers who missed out on a more than solid platformer that could easily hang with the Yoshi’s Islands and Sonic 2s of the gaming world, Klonoa is getting another shot at fortune and glory via a painstaking remake on the Nintendo Wii. So, twelve years after the original’s release, is there enough wind left in this wonder to capture some late-in-the-game glory?
Fallout 3‘s highly anticipated Broken Steel DLC came out last week, giving me the best reason yet to make a triumphant return to the Capital Wasteland. It’s the third downloadable add-on for Fallout 3, after Operation: Anchorage and The Pitt. The main differences with this content, and it’s biggest selling points, are the removal of Fallout 3‘s finite ending (which has been judged harshly in the court of public opinion) and the extension of the level cap from 20 to 30. Other additions include new weapons and gear, tougher enemies and new quest-related locales to explore.
Obviously, the increased level cap is huge incentive to buy the add-on, but one new weapon in particular is worth the 800 points (10 bucks) on it’s own: the Tesla Cannon. Not to be confused with Tesla’s canon, which includes such notable hits as “Signs,” “Love Song” and “What You Give,” it’s an energy-based heavy weapon that works best against mechanical enemies. Obliterating a low-flying, previously untouchable Enclave Vertibird with a blast from the Tesla Cannon makes for an extremely satisfying fireworks display. Maybe a little too easy to pull off, but still loads of fun.
Continue reading Review: Fallout 3: Broken Steel (Xbox 360/PC)
The Charge
Resistance is…fun!
Opening Statement
Who says there’s only room in the Gears of War universe for violence-loving, grown-up gamers? Not Jack! While Marcus is shooting and killing, Jack has other things to do. Like play Jenga!
Under the dead of night, with the four horsemen ride! Or choose your fate and die!
The Charge:
“We’ll hunt you down without mercy! We’ll hunt you down all nightmare long!”
Opening Statement:
Specialty packs seem to be the wave of the future as far as music games go. No longer looking at a “one a year” approach to Activision’s Guitar Hero cash cow, and with Rock Band venturing into a similar “band focused” approach, it’s only a matter of time before your favorite rock act has their own branded version of Rock Band or Guitar Hero. After being approached by both MTV and Activision, the Guitar Hero package obviously appealed more to Metallica’s entrepreneurial side, and the Gods of plastic guitar rock have seen fit to bless us with Guitar Hero: Metallica. Is it a match made in metal heaven?
Continue reading Review: Guitar Hero Metallica (PS3/PS2/XBOX360/Wii)