Message from editor Staff Listing Message From the Editor:
I always consider this to be the busiest time of year. The games just seem to keep flowing onto store shelves even though Christmas is over and the new year has started. This can hardly be considered a bad thing though if it is accompanied by another great shooter that many individuals can enjoy.
Killzone 3 is finally here. It would have been nice to pick up this video game at a time when I did not have a giant backlog but I am glad that it found its way into my collection regardless. Killzone 3 marks a special day for me considering that most shooter titles feel the same these days with minor characteristics. This is not the case with Killzone 3 though. This video game is a breath of fresh air in the FPS genre. Killzone 2 was probably one of the few games where playing another shooter consecutively along with it was not an option. The feeling of heaviness in Killzone is what makes this series so memorable. It is a perfect example of a developer taking a risk and it paying off. Sure some people complained that it was too hard to get used to or did not feel quite right but it was amazing how quickly this unique feel grew on some individuals. Soon they found themselves zooming around and doing amazing headshots and melee kills left, right, and center. It is this uniqueness that makes Killzone stand out from any other shooter and the reason why you were unable to play several different shooters immediately after a Killzone title. The fact that the controls worked as well as they did was just another reason to give Guerrilla Games a round of applause. You know where to find me for the next year! See you on the battlefield!
Cheers, Brrnout
Staff LightJak007 - Founder Hi, my username is LightJak007(most people call me Donut). Currently, I’m playing Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep for PSP. I also like Robot Unicorns. They make me smile.
Brrnout - Editor-in-Chief I guess Gran Turismo 5 really can shorten someone’s month. My Sackboy especially loves driving my Ferrari F10 ‘10 race car. My Sackboy is one hell of a driver! Wins every race. Perhaps he really is a race driver in disguise... OMG It’s Felipe Massa!!
Xajen1 - Coordinator I don’t like the ‘1’ in my ID. I don’t care for most things...
DVM-501 - Design Supervisor Java != Coffee; Coffee == ElixirOfLife;
moho-foe - Designer
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Well, my name is moho-foe. It comes from the combination of moho which is short for Mohorovičić discontinuity (MOE-HOE-ROE-veeech-eeech) and foe. The moho is the part of the Earth between the crust and mantle, and foe means enemy.
Xuchilbara - Designer ..::Nike favors me; her nectar is my pride.
DevilishBoredom - Editor Peter Parker: “Boss! I’d like a word!” J. Jonah Jameson: “How ‘bout scram. Or two words; scram kid. Or seventeen; get out of my office in two-point-three seconds or I’ll staple you to a flagpole!”
Argetlam - Editor Isaac Clarke’s suit > Sam Gideon’s suit. It’s a close battle, but the engineer scrapes by with this one. If anyone disagrees, they’re wrong and/or in denial. Seriously, the only thing it’s missing is a cup holder.
CardinalRose - PS Moderator + Sony Correspondent When I’m not acting as Sony’s liaison for the Chronicle, you can generally find me ripping up the track on ModNation.
SlashZaku - Writer Currently grinding away at Valkyria Chronicles II. Hey SEGA, now that VCIII is out in Japan, how about a Western announcement? Oh, and no more Avan.
YukitoKunisaki - Writer YukitoKunisaki here. I usually go by Yuki or Yukito however. I am an importer for the most part, and a fan of drama/suspenseful games and anime. I am 23 years old, and while I enjoy playing on my PS3, I also enjoy long walks on the beach to kill crab monsters
Hakoom - Writer I’m the #1 trophy hunter with over 200 platinums and 11,000 trophies. I’m 26 years old and I love playing PS3 to collect trophies.
tross88 - Writer I will burn my dread. It’s not just a lyric you know. It can apply to all aspects of life. Conquer your fears, and don’t let nerves get the better of you. That’s the only way to live.
alex_the_awesome - Writer This whole gaming “craze” all started when my mother stole Pokémon Yellow from a little school boy...
SweetPoison13 - Writer I’m a Silent Hill fan and a heavy metal enthusiast. My favorite video game genres are survival (psychological) horror and action/adventure (hack and slash). Right now I’m playing through Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds.
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Features Roundtable: NGP Discussion
pg. 7-8
Yakuza 4:
pg. 9-10
by YukitoKunisaki
What’s on my Mind:
by LightJak007
pg. 11
LittleBigPlanet 2 Level Contest:
pg. 12
PlayStation Classics:
by DevilishBoredom pg.
Road Less Traveled - Folklore:
L.A. Noire:
by DevilishBoredom
Trophy Room:
3
by Hakoom
16
by Tross pg.
16
pg. 17-18
pg. 31-32
Previews Homefront: Portal 2:
by Brrnout
pg. 13
by Tross
The 3rd Birthday:
SOCOM 4:
pg. 14
by SlashZaku
by LightJak007
pg. 15
pg. 19
Reviews Marvel vs. Capcom 3:
Mass Effect 2:
Killzone 3:
by SweetPoison13 pg.
by Argetlam
by Argetlam
Dead Space 2:
by Argetlam
22-24
pg. 25-26
pg. 27-28
pg. 29-30
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News Devil May Cry Collection? Possibly!
Guitar Hero Hits its Last Note
With the release of the original Devil May Cry in 2001, the series quickly became a hit and is now a renowned hack and slash series. With all the changes being made for the reboot of the franchise, the community isn’t necessarily happy. However, if you wish to reminisce of the good ol’ days, then you might have some luck.
Activision announced that it will shut down the franchise and discontinue the development of all future titles they have planned. First released in 2005, Guitar Hero paved the way for how we view the Rhythm & Beat genre by producing not only Guitar Hero, but DJ Hero as well. They also decided to axe the True Crime reboot they had plans for.
Floating around the internet are rumors about a Devil May Cry Collection coming out for the PS3 and Xbox 360 later this year. Even though these are just rumors, the source claims to get their information from leaks at Capcom. No details have been given, but it’s probably safe to say that it will include DMC 1-4 and the graphics will be upgraded to HD, just like every other collection to be released. Until further details are given, just keep this filed under “Rumor”, folks.
Activision blames the decline of sales in the music genre with the direct quote from the company being: “Due to continued declines in the music genre, the company will disband Activision Publishing’s Guitar Hero business unit and discontinue development on its Guitar Hero game for 2011. The company also will stop development on True Crime: Hong Kong. These decisions are based on the desire to focus on the greatest opportunities that the company currently has to create the world’s best interactive entertainment experiences.” Will you be sad to see Guitar Hero go? I certainly won’t. In fact, I think this decision was long overdue. I first saw a drop in quality when development switched from Harmonix (who now makes Rock Band) to Neversoft. One game is all we need.
Games with Serial Numbers=Goodbye Used Games An unnamed source claims that Sony will be using serial codes for all future PlayStation 3 game discs. This is not shocking after iPhone hacker George “Geohot” Hotz released the console’s root keys which allows for homebrew and piracy. Sony is currently brawling in a lawsuit with all the hackers involved in releasing this sensitive information. The serial numbers would work similar to the PC gaming industry’s method of DRM; a long series of annoying letters and numbers that must manually be inserted. Of course, if each game comes with a unique key code, then used games would become a thing of the past as used games would have an already used code, much to every used-gamereseller’s (like GameStop) annoyance. This also means no loaning your games out to your friends. The source also has said that codes will have a limit of five uses.
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Patent Fight: Sony vs. LG LG Electronics has asked the International Trade Commision (or the ITC, and I think you can figure out what they do) has asked for the banning of sales of PlayStation 3 consoles and Sony Bravia HDTV’s in the United States. On February 4, LG filed two complaints. The first is on the subject of the HDTV’s and how they infringe four patents. The second was focused on Sony Blu-Ray players, which includes the PlayStation 3. This little “war” began when Sony issued patent infringements against LG on December 28 of last year. Sony claims that LG mobiles phones are infringing upon seven of their patents. The phones specifically named are the Lotus Elite, Neon, Remarq, Rumor 2 and Xenon.
“A circumvention device and/or unauthorized or pirated software currently resides on your PlayStation(R)3 system. Immediately cease use and remove all circumvention devices and delete all unauthorized or pirated software from your PlayStation(R)3 system. Failure to do so will result in termination of your access to the PlayStation(R)Network and access to Qriocity(TM) services through your PlayStation(R)3 system.”
What does this mean for us? Well, if LG wins, there are two possibilities. A; Sony must pay royalties on every console sold, which in turn decreases their profit on sales even lower than what it already is. Or B; the banning of sales in the United States. Can’t we all just get along?
If one fails to remove all unauthorized software and return to the official v3.56 firmware, then the entire console is locked out. It sure is nice of them to give everybody a warning (Microsoft banned without giving any second chances.) Those who have been banned will receive error code 8002A227 with the message “You cannot use PlayStation Network with this account.” Because it says it bans the system, it would appear that another console could be purchased and you could login with your account as if nothing ever happened.
Banhammer Unleashed Upon Hackers
Qriocity launches in the U.S.
On February 16, Sony announced that they will give bans on any PlayStation 3 jailbreak user who has pirated software. The bans will permanently lock out all access to the PlayStation Network as well as the Qriocity media network.
Sony has now gone live with their music streaming service, Qriocity Music Unlimited. Music Unlimited offers millions of songs to any Qriocity supported device such as the PlayStation 3, Bravia TVs, and Blu-ray Disc Home Theater systems, as well as an array of Sony’s mobile devices.
Users who have hacked their PlayStation 3 with custom firmware will receive the following email from Sony:
At $10 a month, subscribers get access to the music from four record labels, with 6 million songs available. Music is streamed from Sony’s servers to the user’s device and you don’t have to worry about your hard drive space disappearing. Not only is it a streaming service, something that Apple doesn’t offer yet with iTunes, Qriocity has been built into the PlayStation Network. Hopefully Qriocity doesn’t turn into another Connect, for those of you who remember what that was. For those who don’t, let’s just say it was very similar to that of the Titanic. I think you get the idea.
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Roundtable Discussion NGP LightJak007: What are your thoughts on the PSP in general?
the NGP is going to be released months after the 3DS. After hearing more about it, I think they have.
Tross88: As a recent adopter, I think it’s an amazing device even if it does have some shortcomings.
SlashZaku: It’s offering a ‘console’ experience with portability. The tools are there for the developer to work with and I think that it’s great.
LightJak007: And this is with regards to the new NGP. DevilishBoredom: I love it. Although I think it could have been a lot more than it is. alex_the_awesome: The PSP showed us that we didn’t have to sacrifice graphics for mobility. DevilishBoredom: That is why I’m hopeful for the NGP. Tross88: Well said. I couldn’t agree more. LightJak007: I agree with DB. It definitely had a lot of potential and I felt the games for it didn’t really support it fully. SlashZaku: It does have quite the library but I can see where you’re coming from. DevilishBoredom: Most games came off as half-hearted ports and in many cases they were. DevilishBoredom: However, there were a lot of games that did seem to shine. SlashZaku: Ports or Spin-Offs, the latter being the better of the two. alex_the_awesome: And at least it didn’t have a load of shovelware like Cooking Mama or something as equally stupid. LightJak007: Now why was the PSP unsuccessful to a certain point? There was some success but it didn’t skyrocket, obviously. What were some of the reasons behind it? alex_the_awesome: It wasn’t appealing to little kids, which is where the money is. SlashZaku: Well, it’s been skyrocketing recently (the past year or so) in Japan. DevilishBoredom: Most people already made their handheld choice and the PSP wasn’t it. LightJak007: Yeah, but what about North America? What didn’t appeal to America? DevilishBoredom: It still sells really well but most people just keep it as a novelty.
Xuchilbara: What really got me interested in the NGP are its 3G capabilities. SlashZaku: I’m not really interested in the 3G. I’m glad they’re offering two SKUs. DevilishBoredom: It’s like, “How can you tell me you’re trying to cram all of these great things into one box without having it break?”
DevilishBoredom: Like the N-Gage? SlashZaku: When can I buy one?
DevilishBoredom: I think a lot of developers are willing to use them.
DevilishBoredom: As long as we are willing to buy into it.
alex_the_awesome: It’s cool. You would be able to play online anywhere. Tross88: Yeah, that is what I think of when I hear about the support for the 3G. DevilishBoredom: Yeah, it’s a nice addition, but it just seems like another example of trying to pack in features. DevilishBoredom: I don’t really need the 3G. alex_the_awesome: You could download stuff while on a long car ride or something similar. Xuchilbara: Yeah, but what is stopping a handheld from adapting new technology? As long as it is adopted to be used, and I mean exploited, then it is all flavorful to me. DevilishBoredom: Oh, there is nothing wrong with putting new technology to use. I like seeing it. I’m just saying the Wi-Fi model will be fine for me. LightJak007: What do you think of paying a fee to use 3G for portable gaming? How much do you think you would use it on the go? SlashZaku: The 3G isn’t even on my radar. I pretty much exclusively game on my PSP at home so it’s not needed. Wi-Fi is always available for me.
alex_the_awesome: Ditto.
LightJak007: When the NGP was announced, what was your initial reaction?
SlashZaku: We need to keep in mind that developers need to really use these approaches.
LightJak007: I feel that it has a lot to bring to the table in terms of portable online multiplayer.
SlashZaku: True. It’s been playing in Nintendo’s stomping grounds.
SlashZaku: For what it’s worth, it did come in and carve out its own position better than others in the past.
Xuchilbara: Silent Hill on my PS3 but mini puzzles and survival games that affect my stats on my ongoing PS3 Silent Hill game.
SlashZaku: That may be what you have in mind but developers/publishers may end up doing straight ports despite Sony being against that.
Tross88: Nintendo has always been the king of the handheld market. Keep in mind the PSP was the only competitor system that did as well as it did. I also think people in Japan are on the go more.
LightJak007: Tross88 has a good point. PSP stood ground against Nintendo’s DS systems. It was a first attempt I think. They did well considering the circumstances.
Tross88: I like the idea of a rear touch pad. I hate getting fingerprints on my touch screen.
LightJak007: With 3G, what do you think about that? I thought it was odd since I’m used to 3G being used for cell phones mainly.
DevilishBoredom: I probably wouldn’t. I play too much at home to justify it.
SlashZaku: This isn’t the success of the PSOne against the Big N again.
LightJak007: I felt the rear touch pad was an interesting addition. It’s definitely something new related to touch gaming. I would use it for sure.
Tross88: Same here. About 99% of my handheld gaming is done at home. Xuchilbara: 3G and the PlayStation Cloud. Those two babies right there are what I’m most excited about PlayStation. SlashZaku: For Japan, 3G will be fine but it needs to be handled a certain way in other parts of the world. DevilishBoredom: Cloud storage will be pretty nice. Tross88: Agreed. DevilishBoredom: Being able to save games remotely to access them anywhere would be nice, especially when the cross-platform play seems to be a big push here. LightJak007: I agree with Wi-Fi. I usually just game from home. PlayStation Cloud will be interesting as well.
DevilishBoredom: If the NGP is only as big as the PSP then I don’t see that type of thing lasting too long. Xuchilbara: The Cloud allows for games to expand beyond the PS3 and live on the PS3, the NGP and the upcoming PlayStation Phone. SlashZaku: Sony themselves have said they want developers to take advantage of the NGP’s features of ‘port like’ games so we will see how far that goes. LightJak007: Do you see the NGP lasting longer than the PSP or having a bigger effect on the market, DB? alex_the_awesome: It would be cool for minigames. One minigame could use the Sixaxis while the other uses the touchscreen. Xuchilbara: It is just something I really want to see happen. Xuchilbara: SkyNet. DevilishBoredom: No, I can see the NGP easily besting the PSP but if people only buy it and use it like they did the PSP then I can’t see much continual support for it. SlashZaku: Sony has to market it right and gamers need to support it along with the developers. SlashZaku: No ‘Marcus.’ Tross88: Yeah. SlashZaku: Epic, I think. LightJak007: Okay, I see what you mean, DB. Next question. What do you see happening with future interconnectivity between NGP and the PS3? DevilishBoredom: Yes, no Marcus. DevilishBoredom: I see it being just another extension of our games. There will be no more “line.” SlashZaku: I think both would compliment each other rather well if handled properly. Tross88: I thought that was the whole idea. Isn’t that what Sony’s pushing? SlashZaku: Indeed it is. alex_the_awesome: The possibilities are cool. If they had messages you receive pop up on the NGP then that would be sweet. You could reply to them and send messages on the NPG.
DevilishBoredom: *goes to change pants*
Tross88: I can imagine saving on your PS3 and being able to carry on while you’re out using your NGP.
DevilishBoredom: Actually, it had been an expected announcement but I was rather speechless at first.
LightJak007: Let’s discuss some of the new features that will be on the NGP such as Trophies and the rear touch pad.
LightJak007: LOL. Yeah, I was looking forward to seeing Trophies and Uncharted on the console. It will be awesome to see what they have in store for the games library.
DevilishBoredom: Finally touch based gaming I don’t need to wipe my screen every five minutes for!
LightJak007: I believe that too. I think we will see the NGP being able to play our PS3 games away from home, which will be freaking awesome!
Xuchilbara: I’m looking forward to games that live on my PS3 but I can make progress on while playing on my NGP.
LightJak007: I would never leave my NGP if that were the case. Lol.
Tross88: I knew Sony would have to “bring it” considering
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DevilishBoredom: If we can keep the quality and experience of a console game on the go then I don’t really see a limit to how they can interact.
DevilishBoredom: Well, if Kojima isn’t lying, we could very well see games like MGS4 on it. Tross88: That will make it easier to leave my PS3 behind when I go away. SlashZaku: Kojima wasn’t the only one that showed off a direct PS3 conversion on the NGP. DevilishBoredom: Yeah, wasn’t Yakuza 4 another one they showed? SlashZaku: Kojima seems to want to be the first one to get a NGP/PS3 title out there. Tross88: I hope the NGP library isn’t just going to be a bunch of ports.
patible.
alex_the_awesome: Hakoom will jump at that stuff.
DevilishBoredom: They are not of the future.
DevilishBoredom: Lol. Maybe.
Tross88: I also love physical copies.
Tross88: Oh, yeah! He is like a big celebrity. He has made people consider getting a PS3.
DevilishBoredom: Physical copies aren’t “green.” Tross88: Forget green. Some of us like owning our games. LightJak007: Physical copies are important to have but they also need to keep things digital as well. Having digital and physical copies of everything is the best way to approach this. Tross88: I agree. DevilishBoredom: Combo packs.
SlashZaku: Yes, Yakuza 4 by SEGA and Lost Planet 2 from Capcom.
Tross88: That is actually a good idea. Then we could have both.
SlashZaku: That is my fear about it as well, Tross88.
SlashZaku: If they could go the movie route with a physical and digital copy packed in then that would be great.
Tross88: I hope the NGP has enough original content to make it worthwhile. LightJak007: Agreed. We need new titles. They should treat it like a console and not a handheld. A handheld should have high regards now due to recent technology. It will be big. I know it will be. DevilishBoredom: I think that is part of the point here. SlashZaku: I’m really hoping that the NGP becomes a ground for those developers who have been afraid to take certain ideas to the HD consoles to get those ideas out there.
Tross88: I find, at least with PSP games, that downloadable games run a little better and don’t take as long to load. However, I love UMDs because I actually own those. I would love to get the best of both worlds. DevilishBoredom: Yeah, I would miss my box art too much. LightJak007: That is another thing. Do you think movies and TV shows will be prominent on the NGP given that it is a portable device?
DevilishBoredom: Hakoom might be too busy on the PS3 to jump at the NGP. Tross88: Well, he will never have a vacation now. Tross88: If he is away then he will play on the NGP. DevilishBoredom: Lol. alex_the_awesome: Exactly. He can grow his collection anywhere. Tross88: Hell, there will just be more Trophies for him to get. LightJak007: Final question. Do you think handhelds will be held in higher regard due to the NGP and the 3DS? After all, 2011 is the return of the handhelds. DevilishBoredom: Yes. alex_the_awesome: Of course. 3D is the big buzz right now. Tross88: It’s hard to say. For some people it’s a comfort thing. They’re so used to playing on a console. Tross88: So, graphics aren’t the only thing to consider. SlashZaku: I think they will start cutting in. We have seen it with the PSP and the DS in one region at the very least.
LightJak007: I would personally rather watch something on my NGP on the go than on my iPhone.
Tross88: I suppose those who avoid handhelds due to their graphics may consider them now.
DevilishBoredom: They want to expand beyond being a handheld.
DevilishBoredom: I think they will be to some extent, yes.
DevilishBoredom: It’s already a big deal to me. This is just more of a reason to be excited.
SlashZaku: I hope they see the NGP as a ground for new IPs and for older classics/IPs that have MIA.
SlashZaku: With access to the PS Store, it’s already viable.
DevilishBoredom: I want Zone of the Enders. Lol. SlashZaku: KOJIMA! STOP WITH MGS!
Tross88: I think that is a great idea. Tross88: Lots of people like to watch movies and TV shows while on the go so I don’t see why not.
DevilishBoredom: Yes.
DevilishBoredom: Maybe just a bit more than there is now with the PSP. It’s just an issue of storage really.
LightJak007: Should the UMD be finally laid to rest?
Tross88: Hello! Cloud!
DevilishBoredom: Yeah, it is a waste of space on the inside at this point and a drain on the battery.
DevilishBoredom: Exactly.
DevilishBoredom: It does suck for those who don’t have an older PSP. Some games such as Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII are only available on UMD. Tross88: It certainly isn’t without its flaws but there are people who own UMD games that they would like to be able to use.
DevilishBoredom: It’s all about how people get down with it though. alex_the_awesome: That’s what Qriocity is kind of for. LightJak007: Do you guys support the Trophies feature on the NGP? SlashZaku: I don’t care for Trophies one way or the other.
Xuchilbara: What about those of us who have favorite games that live in a UMD disc? Do we need some extra add-on now?
DevilishBoredom: I support it but I don’t need it.
SlashZaku: Well, Square needs to get on the ball.
alex_the_awesome: It’s just like it is on the PS3. It can give you replay value if you’re into Trophies.
DevilishBoredom: There are people with PS1 games they would like to use too. LightJak007: That was a major flaw in the PSP’s history. Even Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep was exclusive on UMD. SlashZaku: Sony has said they are still looking into it. Xuchilbara: Are they going to give us a digital copy of our UMD games? Xuchilbara: Jean d’Arc is one of the best games on the PSP. alex_the_awesome: They should at least do first party titles. SlashZaku: I love my physical copies. Tross88: I suppose we will need to keep our PSPs around. DevilishBoredom: I love physical copies too. Tross88: It would be nice if the NGP were backwards com-
Tross88: Absolutely. I’m not obsessed with Trophies but some people will really get into it.
DevilishBoredom: I’m fine playing my games the way I have for years: Without Trophies. Xuchilbara: I would like to see something like Trophies on the NGP. LightJak007: I think Trophies will get people playing a lot more. It adds the competitive edge. SlashZaku: I’m not a competitive person. Xuchilbara: I want for the true Trophy experience to stay on the PS3. DevilishBoredom: It does add more to the draw for people. DevilishBoredom: It might discourage potential customers from sitting on the fence. Tross88: Yeah, it might give some people a reason to play handheld games.
Tross88: If Sony pushes interconnectivity with the PS3 then maybe a lot of PS3 owners will jump on the bandwagon. SlashZaku: Maybe they will continue their PS3 gaming on the NGP when they are out. SlashZaku: Price is a factor, though. DevilishBoredom: Some still might be sour over unfulfilled promises with the PSP. SlashZaku: That’s what many are waiting for. DevilishBoredom: Yeah, price is another big thing. Tross88: Well, the PSP was expensive when it was first released, right? DevilishBoredom: So how much would you feel comfortable paying for the NGP? SlashZaku: $250. DevilishBoredom: I would need to agree. I could see it being worth more but $250 is a fair asking price. SlashZaku: $250-300. $350 would be the breaker/high end. Tross88: Well, the 3DS is priced at $250. It might hurt sales if the NGP is priced higher. alex_the_awesome: I feel like it shouldn’t be higher than a PS3. DevilishBoredom: How much do you think the games will sell for? Tross88: Now there is a good question. I hope no more than $50. SlashZaku: $40 or maybe $50. I’m hoping for $40. Tross88: $40 seems like a good price. DevilishBoredom: Yeah, I’m hoping the same. LightJak007: $40 is a likely price. I need to agree with that. LightJak007: All right, thank you for meeting up, everyone. I can’t wait to get more in-depth with the NGP throughout the year.
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Feature Yakuza 4 by: YukitoKunisaki Yakuza 4, the fourth entry, or fifth entry if you include the still exclusive to Japan game, Ryu Ga Gotoku: Kenzan!. Debuting overseas in March, this game will be taking place after the recent Yakuza 3. Yakuza 4 will return us to Kamuro-cho, the big city surrounding the Yakuza series where the boss of Kanemura Kougyou, Hiroaki Arai, is killed. Due to Arai’s ties to Tojo, this small event brings about a conspiracy which later goes to show the greed, power, and desires man craves for. Through all this, a woman named Lili appears, and tries to group four men of to create a whole new legend. Akiyama Shun, Head of “Sky Finance”, lends out money to people in need of it, who can’t seem to get a break from other lenders. Akiyama tends to be a loose and easy-going sort of man. His place resides behind Club Serena in the back alley, with his helper girl, whom he calls “Hana." Saejima Taiga, an escaped convict who was once part of the Tojo clan, that killed 18 others in the group, who is now sentenced to death. After learning about the shooting incident and meeting up with Goh, he decided to flee and is out to let what has really happened, known. Tanimura Masayoshi, a cop out to find the man behind his father’s murder. Though he has a good heart, and a gambler’s heart, he plans to do whatever it takes to find the culprit. Kiryuu Kazuma, ex-Tojo leader and known as the “Dragon of Dojima.” He plans to reside in Okinawa after the incidents that happened in Yakuza 3, but when something washes up on shore, he comes to realize that asking for a break doesn’t come easy in his neck of the woods.
What is Yakuza and why should I be interested? The Yakuza games are a series of mostly street brawlers, with an RPG-like feel to them. They offer your typical “enemy sees you on the map, enemy chases you on the map” feature seen in most of your RPGs these days. Upon getting tagged by the enemy, you are shifted into combat mode, where a crowd of spectators surround your fight, and of course, become your arena barriers. The game is a pretty simple “Kick/Punch” game, with a toss up of combos, skills to be learned, and various weapons and objects scattered around Kamuro-cho to unleash fury on your enemies, from ropes and traffic cones, to motorcycles and big barrels of oil.
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Yakuza’s main feature though outside of all of this, is the Heat actions. Heat actions are what one might call, a “finishing blow”, a “critical hit,” or a straight out powerful attack. Upon attacking and beating up enemies, your heat bar rises, and when you hit a specific point on your heat bar, you can perform a heat action. There are various heat actions learned and used throughout the game, that can vary from grapple attacks, sending two enemies into each other, tossing them over bridges or downstairs, or even using those various objects you find lying around. With the great abundance of weapons and the four characters you can control, finding and using the many heat techniques is one of the charms the Yakuza series provides that would keep most, including myself, coming back for more.
What to expect: In Yakuza 4, you will be in command of these four men, in a chapter-set story. Leveling up in the game has evolved from the experience bar in Yakuza 3, to an orb system in Yakuza 4. Each character maxes their level out at 20, and each character has something they offer new to the playing field, such as Saejima’s known strength, or Tanimura’s ability to guard and spin the enemy off to the side. The game as most may have heard this time around, offers all the experiences of it’s original Japanese version, with the exclusion of the Sega arcade game, Answer x Answer. This means, the girls of Kamuro-cho are yours for the taking. A few games such as the massage game at Love in Heart, Shogi, and Mahjong, are now available. There is also the addition of ping pong and pachinko new between Yakuza 3 and Yakuza 4. On top of the new games coming to the US, a few new additions have been added to the completion list. This includes a fighter trainer for Saejima, a training game with Tanimura, a mini-mission game, similar to the post game content of Yakuza 3 for Akiyama, and Gang hunts with Kazuma. The game has a total of 62 submissions to do, spread across the four men.
A look inside the cabaret clubs. Coming along with Yakuza 4 is the long awaited cabaret girl features. This has always been one of my personal favorite features to these particular games. There are two types of cabaret clubs for you to visit. You have the cabaret clubs where you date a girl, and a cabaret club where you manage a girl. The dating club is a fairly simple setup. This club runs on a heart system. The girl, when you first meet her, starts off with ten hearts. Upon leaving the cabaret club with those ten hearts full, you will then be prompted to go out on a date with her later on as she gives you a phone call. After the date, her total hearts increase by five, and you continue to do this until she has a total of twenty hearts. When all twenty hearts are filled, you will then be given a special request by the cabaret girl to help her out, and win her over. When you first enter the club, you are given a choice of a few girls to spend some time with. You are then given the choice to give her a gift, choose a dish and drink, then talk to her about herself, or yourself. Each decision you make impacts how the girl reacts to you. If you say something she doesn’t like, or recommend a dish she doesn’t like, she will lose a piece, or pieces of her hearts. When you are near the maximum hearts for the session, you may be prompted to examine her body. This part, like the rest, depending where you look, you will gain or lose hearts. The management club is the one I really tend to enjoy. It is more of a “dress up” game. You start off with a plain, everyday girl, and your goal is to get her to be the number 1 girl in the club. What you do is, while she is in the back, you walk around the club, listening in on what people want in a girl, be it beauty, cuteness, elegance, and so on. After you are done eavesdropping, you return to the girl, and you dress her up as you see fit, to cater to the customers. You have various options to choose from including changeable; hairstyles, dresses, makeup, earrings, necklaces, rings, hairpieces, bracelets, corsages, and a few other things. The better your girl tends to do, the more money you acquire to spend on more clothes and accessories for her. Each accessory ups and downs certain stats. The hard part about this one though is, the girls have stress levels. If you overwork them, fail to correctly train them, or dress them up in a way they do not like, their stress bar will raise. If you manage to completely stress a girl out, they will not come into work on the next day, and their ranking will take a drastic plunge. To prevent this from happening, you are given the option to give her relaxation time in the back, instead of having her train. The most fun with this feature personally to me is seeing the cutscenes the girls you designed having a blast, or acting like an immature drunk. If their stress is high, there are many scenes to be seen, and most of them are quite amusing. Yakuza is a series most fans of the action/adventure and RPG fanbases should sink their teeth into. It offers a lot to cater to both audiences, and then some. The demo is currently available on the PlayStation Network, and the game is dated for March 15th in North America, and March 18th in Europe.
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What’s on my Mind Kingdom Hearts by: LightJak007
What drives Kingdom Hearts? What is so intriguing about a certain game that has me hooked until the end of each game? I’ve been pondering these questions in recent months as I’ve gone through nearly the entire Kingdom Hearts franchise. I even went out of my way to buy a new PSP to play the new Birth by Sleep since you couldn’t play it on any other console. So, why is Kingdom Hearts on my mind? I want to show you how I got sucked into this franchise and why I won’t let go until the inevitable final game in the series. Last February, I had time all weekend to just play games and do nothing else. It was a year ago exactly from President’s Day weekend. I decided to play Kingdom Hearts as it was a game I hadn’t ever beaten but one that I had played multiple times with no success of reaching the end of the game. I dedicated my life to this game during one weekend and on the last day before school started up again; I had finally beaten the game. End time was 43 hours and I had gotten up to level 65 in the game in one entire weekend. At the end of it all, I needed to soak in what I had learned at the end of the game and apply it to what I had known from finishing Kingdom Hearts II a few years earlier. I decided that even though the story started to make more sense now that I had finished the first game, I had to play through the side stories. Each side story was placed on separate consoles such as DS, PSP and Game Boy Advance. I played each game: Chain of Memories, Kingdom Hearts II, 358/2 Days, and Birth by Sleep over the course of a year. Now that I’ve finished the current line-up of Kingdom Hearts games, I know a lot more about what drove the characters to act a certain way. Without spoiling anything, the franchise is generally about friendship and how your interactions with others can create bonds between all of you. It also deals with the same theme but in an existential form. There are creatures called Nobodies that replicate a certain character in the storyline but they have no souls, they are truly Nobodies. The certain groups of Nobodies, otherwise known as Organization XIII, try to unlock Kingdom Hearts so they can reclaim their hearts and become whole again.
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Throughout the games, you play on both sides. You play someone from the Organization who shares a deep connection with Sora, the main protagonist in Kingdom Hearts and you play as Sora usually. The latest game, Birth by Sleep, shows a more in-depth look at the origins of the game. Why does the Organization exist? Why was Sora given the Keyblade? How is everyone connected in all of this? You find out more as you go along in each story. Kingdom Hearts is a giant puzzle and still has some missing pieces. Each game coming out puts more pieces on the puzzle and if you have been following closely, you’ll probably think the series is close to being finished. There will be more coming up that may change the direction of the series and create more black holes that you’ll have to fall through to understand more about the story but every game has failed to disappoint (for me, at least). While it was initially very confusing at first, Kingdom Hearts has come a long way since it debuted in 2002. Each game feels genuine still but it’s almost time to give it up and finish the series. I feel like we only have a couple more games left before Sora’s storyline is completely finished and we’ll fully understand the dynamics behind it all. That’s why Kingdom Hearts is addicting though. You feel driven to seek knowledge about the story and why each character plays an important role in the franchise. The only way to gain the understanding of the game is to jump in and play it. With excellent gameplay and amazing storyline, it was easy to keep playing each individual title and not get bored. Now we wait for the third and possibly final main entry of the series. Until that is announced, I wait patiently playing the storylines that were only behind-the-scenes before. To anyone new to RPG’s or are interested in Kingdom Hearts, please play the first game at least. It is literally an unforgettable experience and nonetheless, one of the best games on the PlayStation 2.
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Preview HOMEFRONT: By: Brrnout
The future is an unpredictable thing. No one knows what may happen tomorrow or the day after. What if, a war between the United States and Korean is just around the corner? Well that’s what developer KAOS Studios is predicting in their upcoming game: Homefront. Fighting for Survival The year is 2027 and both South and North Korea have united becoming the Greater Korean Republic lead by Kim Jong-un. The United States of America has fallen economically. With the country falling apart and a broken military force the Greater Korean Republic invades and takes control of the country. Your story begins two years after the invation. The story it self is all fictional, never the less, the grounded reality is still there which is why I believe this may be one of the best stories in recent memory. The story is written by John Milius who wrote Apocalypse Now and Red Dawn. You play as a normal every man turned guerrilla in an attempt to fight back against the invading oppressors and take back your country once and for all. Although the story focuses a lot of the struggles of everyday people it also paints a narrative picture on the lead up to the occupation; as well as the economic troubles and civic unrest. The game is ment to focus on the struggles of the people and how they get by day-to-day in an occupied America. Developer KAOS Studios will use recognizable brands and locations in an attempt to hit the player close to home. This could be both a good and bad thing as the use of in game advertisments may spoil the sence of immersion. But if used correctly it may only deepen the experience that the player feels as he fights his way through areas that are all very familiar. School, shopping malls, every days streets. You will fight in all these locations in Homefront in an effort to make the war feel more personal. The game will put you in simpler places like these rather then put you by the White House and although some high recognizable areas are said to be within the game, most of it will take place in suburban neibourhoods. You are not the military, you are just people fighting a war that cannot be won. Online modern combat is where most hardcore shooter fans may end up staying and it is apparent that this game will be a lot of fun online. You either play as the American or Korean armed forces fighting in rooms of 32 players. Although this may sound like your generic online shooter, Homefront will set itself apart with its large scale modern warfare.
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Each match you earn battle points (BP) for everything you do. Although this may sound like something that has been done many times before in countless onine shooters, Homefront is doing it in a whole new way. As you earn BP for your kills, assists and completion of team objectives you save up your BP. Then when you spawn you can use those very same points to buy a truck full of goodies on the fly. Anything from a flak vests to save you against that one troublesome grenade to an attack chopper you can use to mow down your foes, or perhaps your favorite tank you’ve been eyeing. These are rewards at their finest. Creating intense battles as players use their rewards and battle it out for ultimate supremacy. The ability to buy what you want when you want is truly an inovative concept and with such a massive field of items and vehicles at your disposal you can be sure that no one online game will never be the same as the previous! From what I observed, the game has a decent graphical prowess as well which will make firing a tank into some poor bloaks jeep all the more fun! Now weither these maps will be balanced and whether certain vehicles will not be more over powered then others may be a problem, but hopefully KAOS Studios will be able to make it all balanced for the big war to come! Homefront multiplayer also features something known as a Battle Commander. Battle Commander is a AI which each team has and as you play the AI watches over everyone in the game. It’s job is to tell your team about enemies who are on hot streaks while at the same time rewarding players on their own team that are on hot streaks. These rewards could be anything from a flak jackets to survive explosions or perhaps a UAV. You distinguish how wanted you are according to a 5-star rating system that the Battle Commander gives you. As you earn each star you earn a reward and make yourself more of a wanted target for the other team. Homefront is a promising FPS full of an interesting story and massive multiplayer. Whether it can be number one in shooters hearts is yet to be seen. Homefront is coming March 15th, 2011 for the PlayStation 3. You can read all my thoughts and comments on Homefront next month in the full review.
Preview
Portal 2 by: Tross Many consider the original Portal to be a modern classic. And rightfully so. Released as part of The Orange Box, a collection that also includes Half-Life 2 and its expansions as well as Team Fortress 2, players were treated to a unique combination of physics-defying puzzles and first person platforming action. Its gameplay challenges the player to leave all logic at the door, and think outside of the box. Its plot and some of its dialogue is incredibly philosophical for a game that’s so mainstream and accessible. Flame me all you want, but there’s a good deal of evidence out there that suggests that a lot of first person shooter fans (though I won’t say all) are too busy thinking about racking up their kill count in yet another game containing the same hackneyed elements to know a deep and inspired game if it fell on their lap. We live in an age when games that clearly have a lot of heart, passion, effort and creativity are largely ignored by a large chunk of gamers, and as a result, these games will never make as much profit as a simple rehash of something we’ve seen so many times before. Perhaps most games that really show us why some consider video games to be an artistic medium are not accessible enough to the gamer who just wants to see explosions and pretty graphics. Portal clearly has all the heart, passion, effort and creativity put into it that a lot of criminally underrated games do. Even as a gamer who’s constantly searching for diamonds in the rough, I only occasionally come across a truly inspired gem like Portal. Thankfully, this is one gem I’ll
never have to feature in my column. Valve made all the right choices to ensure that it would not be lost in the vast sea of video game releases and forgotten. Its design incorporates the fundamentals of first person shooting with its unusual puzzle and platforming elements. But all design choices aside, I believe it was Valve’s decision to include it as part of The Orange Box that was the biggest contributing factor to Portal’s success.
player co-op mode will be added to the mix. I know what you’re thinking, but don’t worry. It doesn’t sound like Valve simply tacked it on without putting much thought into it. On the contrary, it is being built from the ground up, and could make for a great addition to the Portal experience. It will feature two robots, and players will have to work together to complete puzzles, and make it to the next test chamber.
There’s nothing quite like Portal, and it is kind of short. If only it wasn’t over so quickly. Thankfully, Valve announced a sequel. Set hundreds of years into the future, Portal 2 sees the return of Chell and GLaDOS. Apparently the PC version of Portal was patched after the announcement of Portal 2, in order to modify the ending so that Chell was carried off by a robotic figure, allowing for the possibility of a sequel, since the original ending gave us all closure. If we were talking about a movie sequel, where it’s all about the storyline, Valve would have crossed a line that should never have been crossed. But Portal is a game, and so isn’t all about the story. People want more Portal action. And so compromising the original ending may be easily overlooked; assuming that Valve delivers with Portal 2.
Let’s hope Portal 2 is everything we want in a sequel, and more. Given that Portal 2 will be released on its own this time, it’ll have to stand on its own two feet. Valve laid a solid foundation by including the original Portal in The Orange Box, but Portal 2 will have to spread its wings and fly solo. If Portal 2 turns out to be a success, I will definitely be adding Portal to my top ten list of overhyped franchises that I actually think deserve the hype. It may even make my top five. Portal is an example of a gem that has been polished, and laid out in the open for everyone to find. As somewhat of a critic of modern mainstream gaming, I cannot recommend the playing original Portal more, especially if you happen to have a copy of The Orange Box lying around. If not, it should be available at a reasonable price. I admit that I never got around to playing Portal ‘till now, since I volunteered to take on the Portal 2 preview, but I’m glad I did. So, I’ll join the rest of Portal’s hopeful fans anxiously awaiting Portal 2’s release on the 18th of April in North America, on the 21st in Australia, and the 22nd in Europe.
It sounds like they will. With the addition of laser redirection and a gel-like substance to add further depth to the game’s physics, it sounds as though the single player experience will evolve as it should, given that it’s a sequel. That’s right, I said the single player experience. A new two
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Preview
The 3rd Birthday - Impressions: By: SlashZaku
The 3rd Birthday is Square-Enix’s first venture back into the Parasite Eve universe since 1999’s Parasite Eve 2 on the original PlayStation, making it’s return this time around on the PlayStation Portable (PSP). Billed as a ‘3rd person Action RPG’, Square-Enix has teamed with HexDrive to bring this IP back to life. Whether it lives up to that name and appeases long time fans or is just using the Parasite Eve universe to draw attention to itself from that fans looking to return to that world, we’ll, that remains to be seen. The series original lead Aya Brea returns in 3rd Birthday, as part of CTI (Counter Twisted Investigation), in an attempt to save Manhattan from an outbreak of the Twisted. Due to her condition of advanced mitochondria (in actuality, she’s in her late 30s but only looks to be in her 20s), she’s humanity’s trump card in combating the Twisted and the only viable candidate for the Overdive System. Aya herself never steps into the field physically, but her spirit is there in an ally body, although you yourself are seeing Aya. Graphically, the game looks to be one of the best showcases for the PSP, even with Square-Enix themselves boasting that this would be the best looking PSP title until Final Fantasy XIII Agito released. Quite the bold claim seeing as Square-Enix’s recent ‘Lord of Arcana’ looks pretty rough around the edges in the graphics department but The 3rd Birthday does hold up pretty well looking at other powerhouses on the platform, such as Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker and the God of War titles. The former may be a better line to draw as I’d figure it’d be more similar to 3rd Birthday.
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Gameplay will probably be the first thing fans will notice that’s different from past installments. Leaning more heavily on shooter mechanics and action this time around, the game seems to be pulling itself away from the survival horror approach of old, like Resident Evil has done. Things are more fast paced between the constant shooting and dodging with some cover thrown in here and there and jumping between bodies. 3rd Birthday’s aiming
shouldn’t be too much of a problem for those worried about the lack of a 2nd analog stick as there is a lock on system to keep things from being frustrating and weapon selection is handled nicely enough so nothing ever seems cumbersome in the middle of a fight. The big addition to the franchise this time around is in the form of the ‘Overdive’ system. The Overdive mechanic allows the player to jump from one ally body to another on the field to do battle with the Twisted and in doing so, you gain that ally’s health and the use of their weapon. Being able to leap from body to body allows the player to have multiple options available to them on the battlefield, such as being able to Overdive to an ally in a higher position or even Overdiving through a deadend to an ally on the other side of a wall. For the player’s benefit, there is no limit to how often you can Overdive. Ideally, you could jump from one soldier to another and position them to surround an enemy or to be scattered in a way that you could jump to bodies when certain enemy parts become exposed saving you time from running around. For those wondering about the RPG elements in the game, Aya does level up throughout by fighting the Twisted and can also do the same by becoming more proficient with weapons the more she uses them. Aya’s is customizable with the Over Energies (OE) System, which allows you to change Aya’s DNA and alter her strengths and Over Energy abilities. OE Chips are needed however and these are gained by Overdive Kills and Overdiving into allies. Aya also has the ability to upgrade and customize her weapons. New weapons can be gained/unlocked by Overdiving into unique allies so it’ll be something you’ll want to do often and also want to keep an eye on who you come across in your missions. The 3rd Birthday, developed by HexDrive, published by Square-Enix, is due out on March 29th on the PlayStation Portable (PSP).
PlayStation Classic Metal Slug X By: DevilishBoredom
ers and otherwise serious games on the market today, this serves as a reminder of just how fun shooting things can be. It’s got the quirky style commonly seen from SNK in the 80s and 90s. And it’s funnier in more ways than one (hadoken-throwing P.O.W.s anyone?).
of three lives), and Survival mode which sees how far you can progress on one life. Other Missions is a collection of “mini-games.” These range from jumping from missile to missile to reach a goal line to protecting a baby from hoards of aliens. A digital art book is also present and is a fairly large slideshow of concept and character art.
Priced at $5.99 on the PSN, it is well worth the price… when compared to how many quarters any Metal Slug arcade cabinet could steal from your pockets, and that‘s just for a single playthrough. The arcade mode consists of six levels and has you facing off against foes who are reminiscent of Nazis. There is also a Combat School mode that offers a wider range of options for play. You can choose one of four characters, select any level you have previously beaten and play for either time (with the limit
Throughout the game you will face many foes, on foot or in a super tank. To deal with such pests you can pick up weapon upgrades. The upgrades can be anything, such as a flamethrower, heat-seeking missiles, lasers, and heavy machineguns. To get these you must free captive soldiers. Some, however, may follow you around throwing energy balls at your enemies. Within each level there are vehicles you can hop into and lay waste to those who
oppose you. Tanks, robots, and airplanes are at your disposal, usually when a boss battle is coming up. Bosses usually take the form of some hugely exaggerated tank or mechanical behemoth. While there is enough here to warrant a purchase, it is worth noting Metal Slug X is also available for the PSP as part of the Metal Slug Anthology. If you’re a fan of the series you may want to look into picking up the Anthology. If you’ve never played a game of Metal Slug in your life, I have to ask, “Why not?” It’s not a terribly long game, and there’s local multiplayer. Grab a friend and make a day of it… well, maybe more than a day. There is some degree of replayability to be had.
The Road Less Traveled Folklore By: Tross
The Road Less Traveled is a column that will feature games that have been largely overlooked, but which deserve just as much attention as the big name titles out there. And now for this month’s column, which will feature an overlooked classic from 2007: The modern era of gaming has seen both good and bad changes. Innovations such as online play have shifted the focus from single player campaigns to competitive multiplayer modes. What was once impossible has been realized and many people have embraced the latest trends in gaming with open arms. Of course, not everyone has embraced these latest trends with open arms. Many people still hold onto fond memories from past eras when the gaming market was flooded with good single player experiences. Classics were made and many of them are fondly remembered today. In this video game generation it is relatively easy to find a decent multiplayer title. Even video games from genres where the inclusion of a story was once unheard of try to tell a story but fail to deliver a narrative that will be remembered down the road. There are still plenty of games that manage to tell a good story but to many individuals a good story might not be able to suffice. Whatever happened to the games that took us on a journey? What about games that will be remembered because their tale spoke to us on multiple levels? Folklore is one video game that speaks to us on multiple levels. It focusses on various aspects of the afterlife, which often brings elements from legends, myths, and belief systems to the forefront. It also explores the dark side of the human mind. This might sound heavy but it is woven into an intricate and enjoyable narrative with more twists and turns than most serpents. This is one story that you will not be able to predict the ending of right from the start. In addition, it contains some cool fantasy type characters,
some neat settings, and some memorable concepts. It appealed to me on an emotional level as well. This is one video game story that I will not soon forget. There is some fun to be had in trying to capture every folk in this video game and utilize their abilities. All folks have their own strengths and weaknesses. Knowing when and how to use the folks that are captured in this video game will be advantageous. Releasing karma makes a folk stronger or decreases the amount of magic required to cast it. I suppose releasing a folk’s karma can be compared to leveling characters in a role-playing game but Folklore does not involve any kind of level grinding (it is not even a role-playing game). Karma may require more of a folk’s IDs to be absorbed, a certain number of folks to be defeated, or the use of a certain item.
Folklore may not be for a lot of modern gamers who are only interested in increasing their kill death ratio but those individuals looking for a video game that will take them on a journey should give Folklore a try (it has two demos on the PlayStation Network). This video game can be found for approximately $20 and you might just find it to be well worth the price of admission. If video gamers wish to try something a little bit different for a change then Folklore can still be found at most video game retailers. Calling Folklore an underrated classic is a bit of an understatement. This video game is an underrated masterpiece that is unfortunately doomed to fall into obscurity. If a few more people give Folklore a chance then perhaps a few more people will be able to enjoy one of the best PlayStation 3 exclusives to date.
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Feature
L.A. NOIRE: by: DevilishBoredom Let’s take a trip, shall we? Okay Sherman, set the wayback machine to 1947. The place? Los Angeles. America was a happier place back then. We had just won World War II two years prior. Things were great, we were all living the American Dream. But there was also a dark seedy underworld, full of crooks and murderers. Why, on January 15th of the very same year, in the very same city, up and coming starlet Elizabeth Short was killed. This is known to many as The Black Dahlia Murder. That is not our story, however. You are Cole Phelps, a detective with the LAPD. You see the city decaying before your very eyes. Crooked cops, gangland killings, arsons. You name the cliché, you’ve got it. This is the world of film noir. Sam Spade would feel at home here, or Dixon Hill if that’s your thing. Either way, there’s something fishy going on around town, and you’re looking to put a stop to it. Team Bondi really seems to be delivering the goods here. I’m not just talking about the atmosphere, either. Everything about this game is stunning. The character models are beautifully done. This may be due to the innovative way they went about capturing every little detail. By using the MotionScan technology, you’ll be able to tell when you’re being lied to, just by the look on the suspect’s face when you’re interrogating them. It’s not all three-piece suits and fedoras, however, you can also spend time walking the streets as a beat cop. You have the chance to work in various units within the police force. Each desk has specific cases for you to work on. Go on down to homicide and hunt down a killer, or maybe you’d rather figure out who is starting all these fires with the arson division. Or, maybe undercover is more your speed, go talk to the vice squad.
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Solving these crimes will take more than guts and a few well placed bullets. Finding clues, speaking with witnesses, grilling suspects are also part of your job. Your notepad will become one of your best friends. Whether you’re consulting it to decide what you’re going to ask a person or where you’re going to go next, this little paper-filled wonder will know it all. You’ll also need to bring your attention for details with you while you examine evidence. Miss that one small clue and you can be thrown off the trail altogether. Not too much has been said about the music just yet. Though, it should be safe to say that it’s going to be very jazz oriented. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Dinah Shore or Ella Fitzgerald pop up, maybe even some Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra (can I please get some Billie Holiday). This may not be the sandbox style we’re used to seeing come out of Rockstar Games, but it surely will be an open-world adventure. Los Angeles is a very big city. How much of it will be open for us to explore? That remains to be seen. But as long as the story is there, and the action stays hot, I don’t think it will matter too much. Not saying that a small area is acceptable, but why have a lot of space with nothing to do in it? Word on the street is, this is one of the largest maps yet. But to fill the map, you’re going to need objects to place in it. Everything from buildings to household items have been reproduced in beautiful detail. This is the L.A. of the 1940s, and the environment definitely tells you that. L.A. Noire will be released on May 17th in North America and May 20th in Europe. Also, be sure to check back here for the review. What shall you do until then? Maybe pour yourself a few stiff drinks, or you can get in on some of the other great games floating around out there… or you can always step outside for a while (okay, maybe not).
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Preview
SOCOM 4: By: LightJak007 SOCOM. This is where it all started for online multiplayer on the PlayStation 2. This franchise, developed by Zipper Interactive based in Seattle, WA, has been through some ups and downs throughout the past couple of years. Primarily with Slant Six Games taking the reins for the first PlayStation 3 online SOCOM title – SOCOM: Confrontation, which was plagued with bug issues and numerous problems at launch. However, Confrontation was only destined to be an online-exclusive title unlike the true sequel, SOCOM 4: US Navy Seals. After creating MAG, a genuine online experience that supported up to 256 players, Zipper set out to use what they learned to create a unique experience for SOCOM 4. Before you go out and cry “SOMAG,” this doesn’t mean SOCOM and MAG are completely intertwined. SOCOM 4 sets out to redefine the experience while also sticking to the franchise roots, especially in the multiplayer aspect of the game.
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First, let’s talk about the campaign mode. You play as the “Ops Com” named Cullen Gray leading a 5-man NATO Special Forces squad on a mission in Southeast Asia. There are two Americans (Wells and Schweitzer) and two South Koreans (Kwan and Forty-Five) that make up the rest of the squad. Over six days in two acts, the squad will face a revolutionary group known as the Naga. The gameplay is tactical-based strategy unlike Call of Duty where you would just take cover and shoot to kill. Different missions in SOCOM 4 put you straight in the action or you’ll use stealth maneuvers and different tactics to complete your mission. You are able to strategize by sending two pairs of soldiers to different locations to either take position or attack a group of enemies. The option for PlayStation Move control is also implemented into the game in addition to DualShock control to add variety.
That brings us to the most important aspect of the game: online multiplayer. Information about SOCOM 4’s online multiplayer mode was scarce until the recent Community Day when Zipper Interactive flew out 18 gamers from the SOCOM forums to experience SOCOM 4 and spill out the multiplayer details as well as giving their own opinions on the game. While there were some gripes about Standard mode and Classic mode, the majority of the Community Day gamers agreed that a part of SOCOM 4 felt like SOCOM. Online multiplayer features a Standard mode and a Classic mode. Standard is now featuring health regeneration, snap to cover, and different spawn points that you can choose from before you respawn. Classic features no snap to cover and no health regeneration and provides more of a challenge. Think of Standard mode as applying to the masses whereas Classic mode is strictly meant for those hardcore SOCOM fans that have played since the beginning.
In addition, online mode features different game modes like Suppression, Uplink, Last Defense, and a couple others. Uplink is a take on capture the flag and Last Defense will have players capturing and controlling different points on the map. Clan support is also provided for 128 members and clan battles will be active also. In addition, there will be an XP system and kill streaks are supported in Standard mode. SOCOM 4 looks to be a departure from the old games while keeping a good chunk of what kept players going back for more. It’s hard to say what I think since I haven’t personally played SOCOM 4 yet but from what I’m hearing, I know it’ll be a fun experience both in single-player and multiplayer. With that said, it is wise to accept that a franchise will evolve over time and I have faith that SOCOM 4 will live up to the rest of the series in a different but unique way. SOCOM 4: US Navy Seals arrives April 19th in stores with a multiplayer beta due out in March so hang in there folks!
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Review
Individuals who fondly remember the older Marvel vs. Capcom video games have been waiting a little over a decade for Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds. Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes is actually available on the PlayStation Network for those individuals who might not want to pick up the newest Marvel vs. Capcom installment but depending on what players are looking for in a fighting video game it might be worth their while to check out Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds. Marvel vs. Capcom video games are known for their character crossovers. In Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds players can select from a wide variety of characters from the Marvel and Capcom universes. Players will be required to select a team of three characters with which they can use to battle other teams of three characters. This video game consists of one-on-one matches but characters can be switched out at the press of a button. Depending on how players decide to switch out their characters they could perform a variety of different crossover assists, attacks, and counters. Recognizing when to use crossover assists, attacks, and counters plays an integral role in matches since appropriate uses of these components can turn matches around under certain circumstances. It should be noted that characters regenerate their health if they are not currently participating in a brawl. Switching out characters when their health is low is a good strategy and one that many individuals should be utilizing if they hope to persevere. The gameplay in Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds is extremely smooth and the pace of this video game is ridiculously fast compared to other fighting video games that players might be familiar with. Players who enjoy 2D fighting video games should be able to find something to appreciate in this video game while players who enjoy 3D fighting video games might not be able to embrace this title with open arms at first. Among certain circles there is this notion that Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds is not a very good video game to recommend to those individuals who are new to the fighting video games genre. Part of the reason for this could be because of the pace of this video game and the depth of its combat system. With practice players can explore the command lists of their favorite characters and memorize some truly devastating combinations of attacks. Mixing these combinations of attacks together with crossover assists, attacks, and counters leaves room for more strategy and gives players a great deal of freedom with which they can explore their options. With that being said, this video game still has the potential to be fun for even the most casual of fighting video gamers.
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Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds has two control types and a few other options that directly influence the gameplay in this video game. The normal control type gives players the ability to master their favorite characters and their fighting styles while the simple control type makes it easier for individuals to pull off some of their characters’ moves at the cost of restricting others. While this video game might not be geared towards casual fighting video gamers it does allow them to have fun with it, which is not necessarily a bad thing. There are attack buttons for light, medium, heavy, and special attacks. Figuring out how each character can use these attacks in combination with one another and the directional pad (or analog stick) will be to the benefit of the player. Other options that players might choose to alter in this video game include the difficulty setting and the amount of damage inflicted on the characters. If players are seeking a challenge then they are encouraged to play this video game on a harder difficulty setting with higher damage limits and the normal control type. Likewise, if players are not seeking a challenge then they always have the option to play this video game on an easier difficulty setting with lower damage limits and the simple control type. It should be noted that while the simple control type makes it easier to initiate some attacks than the normal control type this can have little impact on the outcome of a match.
“If players are seeking a challenge then they are encouraged to play this video game on a harder difficulty setting with higher damage limits and the normal control type.” There are several different modes in Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds that allow you to test your skills and perfect them with your favorite characters. Offline modes include arcade, versus, training, and mission. Online modes include ranked match, player match, create lobby, and search lobby. Players can create or join a lobby with two, four, six, or eight players in total and take turns playing matches with one another. Matches in this video game will probably move very quickly so it is nice to be able to play with the same players without too much downtime. A license card will keep track of wins, losses, and other significant parameters as players spend time with this video game offline and online. Unfortunately, command lists for each of the characters in this video game seem to be lacking in one way or another. Characters have a wide range of attacks and skills but that might not be apparent judging from their command lists. Command lists can be brought up in some of the different modes in this video game and the mission mode will show players a few character-specific tricks that they can practice with and use at their leisure but the command lists for each of the characters could have been more thorough. On that note, the mission mode can be seen as an extension of the training mode. Plenty of variables can be tweaked during the training mode, which should come in handy if players are familiar with their strengths and weaknesses. There is even a network simulation option that will allow players to practice under weak online connections so that they will know what to expect from such online connections.
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Capcom’s MT Framework engine keeps the combat in Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds flowing smoothly and allows for some relatively hectic exchanges to occur between players. In addition to all of the crossover assists, counters, and attacks that can be performed with the two characters that players have on reserve at any given time there are hyper combos and x-factors that players might wish to take advantage of while engaging in a match. A hyper gauge at the bottom of the screen will fill up and allow players to initiate what can potentially be some devastating attacks. Hyper combos can typically be guarded against but a fraction of the damage that these attacks normally inflict will still be dealt under these circumstances. It should be noted that some hyper combos might counter attacks rather than inflict damage. If players wish to increase the attack power and mobility of their characters for a short period of time then they can initiate what is known as an x-factor. At the simultaneous press of the attack buttons the characters that players are controlling will be enveloped in a red aura. At this moment the damage that they inflict will increase and they will begin to regenerate health until the red aura dissipates. Hyper combos, x-factors, and the flashes of color that appear whenever attacks are landed make Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds an extremely colorful video game. It might take players a little while to adjust to the visual presentation of this video game and the pace of matches but this is part of the experience. In addition to the online and offline modes in Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds where fighting takes place there is also a gallery section that players can take a look at in their spare time. Artwork, character endings, and character models (among other things) will become available to players as they make their way through this video game and win matches in arcade mode with different characters. The gallery is where players can listen to the themes of all of the characters in the roster and, for the most part, these themes are top-notch. Some character themes such as Dante’s Devils Never Cry and Wesker’s Wind of Madness have been taken from other video games and given a remix in Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds. These remixes nicely complement the pace of this video game and add more to the experience since the background music in a stage will change each time a character is knocked out. Players have the option of listening to character dialogue in either Japanese or English and the sound effects that accompany many of the different actions in this video game really enhance the experience. Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds is one of those fighting video games that many individuals might be on the fence about. Was this video game worth the wait? Are there more enjoyable fighting video games out there? Answers to these questions will vary depending on what video gamers are expecting in a fighting video game. Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds is one of the smoothest 2D fighting video games to come out in a long time so if players are willing to adjust to its pace and its colorful presentation then they might be able to enjoy this video game. It is unfortunate that the character roster in this video game seems to lack some relatively notable Marvel and Capcom characters but at least the gameplay in this video game is solid and something that fighting video gamers should be able to pick up and enjoy with minimal difficulty.
Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/10 Gameplay/Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/10 Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/10 Atmosphere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/10 Fun-Factor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/10 Longevity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/10 Sound Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/10 Soundtrack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/10 AI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/10 Multiplayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/10 Overall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90/100 The Good: This video game has incredibly smooth gameplay and a soundtrack that puts the soundtracks of many other fighting video games to shame. The graphics are top-notch and the sound design is everything players could have hoped for in a fighting video game. Players who find something to appreciate in Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds might not be able to put this video game down for a very long time. The Bad: The character roster is a bit disappointing (to say the least). For a video game that is supposed to be bringing together some of the more notable heroes and villains from the Marvel and Capcom universes there are some relatively significant omissions. Verdict:
Buy – Rent – Skip
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Review
Mass Effect 2 By Argetlam
It’s taken quite a while, but the Mass Effect series has finally made its way to the PlayStation 3. Sure, PlayStation-only gamers have access only to Mass Effect 2 and above, but when such a strong series is made available on a console that was previously void of the Mass Effect universe, it’s nice to at least get something instead of nothing at all. However, as many undoubtedly ask, was such a wait worth it? Should $60 be spent on such a title? I can without a doubt say that, after spending 50+ hours with the game, the answer is most certainly yes. The experience begins on a high note because, thankfully, PlayStation gamers aren’t starting the sequel completely in the dark; right from the beginning, the player is greeted with an interactive comic that very thoroughly and quickly sums-up the events of the first iteration of the series. More importantly, the player can make pivotal choices while viewing the comic that will directly affect how the story unfolds in the sequel. Should this person or the other be sacrificed? Should a relationship with a teammate be pursued? They’re all important crossroads within the comic and more follow as the game progresses.
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Once the comic fades out, the player finds himself/herself being rebuilt by a corporation known as Cerberus after Commander Shepard, the main protagonist of the series, has his/ her ship, the SSV Normandy, hit by a Collector ship. The attack was so devastating that Shepard died in the mayhem and has spent the last two years being resurrected by this juggernaut of a company. Cleverly, this process of rebuilding Shepard grants the player the opportunity to customize what he/she will look like, their origin story, and what class he/she will inherit. There are six of these classes and directly influence what weapons Shepard will use and what armor he/she will wear. For example, one may choose to be an Adept, a biotic class that encourages defeating enemies mainly through using powers instead of traditional firepower. Or one may choose to be a Soldier, the typical fighter who is great with weapons and quick to defeat enemies with an assault rifle. However, defining who this character is doesn’t stop there because Bioware has integrated the Paragon/Renegade dynamic. If the player wants to show that Shepard is in charge (and
that others should back off) and is leaning more toward the evil side of things, Renegade actions can be taken. During cut scenes, for instance, R2 can be pressed for bold, somewhat daring (and sometimes evil) actions. The player can also gain Renegade points in conversation via the wheellike dialogue options. Want to sound like a jerk? Go right ahead by selecting an off-putting response with the right analog stick and further the negative outlook on Shepard. Of course, Paragon, or positive, decisions can be made that make Shepard a more respectable hero. However, no matter what path is chosen, certain repercussions will be encountered as the story unfolds and the player will either destroy friendships or create them, forge alliances or abandon them, save people or simply kill them, and the list goes on. When Shepard isn’t actively taking part in intricate discussions, though, he/she can be found gunning aliens and general bad guys down with the aid of teammates. At its core, Mass Effect 2 is a third-person shooter, and control feels fluid, albeit sometimes slightly awkward (occasionally Shepard may get sucked into cover when all the player wants to do is run by it). The player can take cover behind walls and peek out to fire bullets into oncoming enemies. If bullets aren’t doing the trick, however, powers must be used in order to weaken enemy armor, barriers, and shields. The player can command Shepard, for example, to use Overload on an enemy to weaken their shield so that not as much ammunition is wasted. Of course, the player also has control over Shepard’s teammates; they can be told where to go (using right and left on the D-pad) and what enemy to focus on and what powers to use on said enemy (again using the D-pad). While being able to use teammates (two are almost always by Shepard’s side) may initially sound like a positive aspect, it doesn’t necessarily guarantee an easier or more fun experience and it’s where my main complaint with Mass Effect 2 lies. Perhaps it’s because I played the game on Insanity, but I felt like I was required to babysit them in nearly every battle. I realize that Shepard is a Commander and therefore must lead his allies into battle, but it would have been nice to not see my teammates die just after I had finished reviving them. Sometimes they choose to perform odd actions, such as finding cover that’s closer to enemies rather than further away. Also, on more than one occasion, I would tell them where to go only to have them sit at their current location, frozen in place. However, these issues aren’t game-breaking, and given the scope of the title, they can be overlooked. It’s much easier to appreciate other aspects like the story, which has Shepard recruiting various individuals throughout the galaxy in order to take down the Collectors, a ruthless group of aliens who invade human colonies and planets in order to steal bodies for an unknown purpose. Shepard is looking for “the best of the best” and is supported by a man referred to as the Illusive Man, a mysterious individual who is interested in preserving the human race by putting a stop to the Collectors. However, the player wonders if he can really be trusted due to his illusive nature and questionable tactics that are later displayed in the game. One of the nicer aspects about Mass Effect 2 is that it possesses a lot of longevity due to its RPG-like influences and style. As said above, multiple play-throughs are encouraged to see how conversations might play out if different responses are chosen, but there are other reasons to spend additional time with the game. Those include mining for resources on unexplored planets in order to upgrade weapons, armor, and character powers. The player may also start a new game in an attempt to find every research upgrade for weapons and armor (which are then funded by the resources). The player may also decide to finish side missions, the bulk of which are performing tasks for teammates in order to gain their loyalty. Lastly, there is DLC available to enhance the experience (the Cerberus Pack comes free with the game), giving the player more weapons, side missions, armor, a pilotable vehicle, and an additional party member named Zaeed. In short, Mass Effect 2 is a huge game with only minor hiccups. The story is interesting, the characters are diverse, the planets look gorgeous, the fire-fights are fun, and choosing how Shepard will interact with other characters keeps the player constantly engaged. This is one adventure PlayStation gamers shouldn’t miss out on, especially seeing as the series will continue on Sony’s console.
Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/10 Gameplay/Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/10 Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.5/10 Atmosphere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.5/10 Fun-factor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/10 Longevity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/10 Sound effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/10 Soundtrack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/10 AI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/10 Multiplayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N / A Overall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81/90
The Good: Tons to do; great voice acting; Paragon/ Renegade system encourages multiple playthroughs; dialogue wheel is fun and makes the player feel invested during the cutscenes; engaging story; colorful and interesting cast of characters; differing classes make it possible for player to cater to their style of play; upgradeable weapons, powers, and armor; improved graphics engine. The Bad: A few glitches here and there (a freeze or characters floating); teammates can occasionally make battles very frustrating.
Verdict: Buy - Rent - Skip
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Review
Killzone 3: By Argetlam
Without a question, the Killzone series, developed by Guerrilla Games, is one of the most revered among the PlayStation crowd, thanks in large part to its stunning visuals and extremely anticipated debut on the PlayStation 3 back in 2009 with the release of Killzone 2. A few years later, the excitement has yet to slow down, with many eyes on the release of Killzone 3. Not surprisingly, many will undoubtedly wonder if it will continue to be one of the leading forces for the first person shooter genre or if other series like Call of Duty will continue to hold the majority of people's attention. Regardless of the result, however, it's a game well worth looking at picking up and dedicating hours to. Once again, the player fills the role of Tomas Sevchenko as he attempts to repel the Helghast's assault. Also accompanying him in many of the firefights is Rico Velasquez (and also a friend to fill the role of Natko if the player would like to play cooperatively), a character many Killzone fans will recognize as the hot-headed solider who likes to throw around colorful words (thankfully, his language has abated with this third installment). The two pick up things right where they were left off in Killzone 2, creating a nice, cohesive feel to the games' events, with the death of Visari by the hands of Rico doing almost nothing to slow the Heghast's desire to exterminate the ISA forces and all who may oppose them. Their unfaltering hatred is spurred forward by the Helghast leaders, mainly Admiral Orlock and Jorhan Stahl who continually compete for power over the Helghast. As is all too common with first person shooters, though, the story isn't anything to be excited about. Stahl and Orlock's struggle for power becomes tiresome, with their yelling and clichĂŠ-filled encounters wearing on the ears; the majority of the cutscenes result in near fistfights and insults between leaders. Orlock is angry about Stahl not giving him control of his weapons, Stahl wants to take Orlock's position and target Earth, etc. All that the player really knows is that the Helghast are evil and must be stopped with as many bullets to the head as possible, regardless of how deeply Stahl wants to clobber Orlock in the jaw. Having said that, the cast of characters isn't completely bland. Jammer, for example, brings some variety to the experience seeing as she is a female. She may be a simple addition to the series but it's refreshing to see that the ISA forces aren't only made up of angry, gravelysounding, foul-tempered males.
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However, of course, the focus of the experience is on the first person action, and it's abundant in Killzone 3. Although the weapons are largely the same in comparison to Killzone 2, they're just as satisfying to control and fire and some have received some slight adjustments. For example, the Helghast assault rifle ditched the iron sights for a more modern cross sight (similar to a red dot sight) that makes aiming slightly easier. One of the few new additions to the player's aresenal is the WASP, a weapon capable of firing multiple rockets at enemies or calling in an airstrike on their position. Also, as with Killzone 2, the player can fire these weapons from behind cover, utilizing the lean-and-peek system. One can't rely on hiding behind cover for too long, however, considering the Helghast throw plenty of grenades in order to disrupt a well-placed defensive position. These situations can occasionally become frustrating with the lack of the ability to throw back these explosives but it also encourages the player to move from cover to cover and to experiment with different positions. Occasionally, these firefights are broken up by a few on-rails segments. The player may sit as the gunner on an ISA Intruder, an ISA tank, or a Helghast tank, relentlessly shooting down other vehicles and pockets of ground troops. Also injecting variety into the combat is the return of the Exoskeleton, a bipedal weapon that the player pilots that comes packed with plenty of firepower in the form of a turret and rocket launcher. Even further, the player will eventually gain access to a jet pack, allowing for interesting combat scenarios. For instance, perhaps a higher vantage point accessed by the jet pack would help the flow of battle or maybe the player will chose to even the odds against Helghast who also possess these packs by equipping one themselves (they're viewed as a heavy weapon so they can be toggled on or off within the inventory depending on how the player would like to approach each combat scenario). The visuals in Killzone 3 are absolutely beautiful, even moreso than its predecessor, so if possible, the game should be played on a high definition television. More than once, I found myself slowly panning over the scenery as slowly as possible so that I could take everything in and savor each and every detail. The visuals are also more varied, with locations ranging from bright, snow-capped mountains; foggy, dark jungles; and dusty, urban corridors. To put it simply, the game is stunning,
in a dirty, war-torn sort of fashion. And, if the player has a television that allows such a feature, these visuals can be appreciated in 3D. Complimenting the campaign is a robust multiplayer experience. Players can jump into a mode called Guerrilla Warfare (think of this as Team Deathmatch), Warzone (protect the assassination target, capture positions on the map, etc.), or Operations (the ISA are on the offensive and the Helghast must defend the objective and the best players are featured in small cutscenes during the match). Each mode support squads as well, encouraging teammwork. If the player doesn't want to play with others, however, they have the option of competing against bots. In any case, the battles can get quite intense, with Exoskeletons and jet packs being scattered among the maps for use. Thankfully, these battles are rarely interrupted due to the severe lack of connection errors and lag. DLC maps are also available to enhance the experience. As with Killzone 2, classes are back that allow the player to play the game how they would like to. One may choose to be a Marksman for a stealthy approach or a Medic to aid those who are lying dead on the battlefield and the list goes on. Each class can also be upgraded with Career Unlock points that are earned in battle. Points can be spent to earn different weapons as well as improved primary and secondary abilities. For example, an Engineer can unlock a more powerful turret to place among the map as well as more effective repair tool. Of course, all of these classes have secondary weapons that can be unlocked as well. Lastly, abilities can be earned that span every class (better armor for a small amount of extra health) and ribbons can be earned throughout each match that aid the player in battle (get five assists in one match for a ribbon that grants greater bullet damage).
Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/10 Gameplay/Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/10 Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/10 Atmosphere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/10 Fun-Factor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/10 Longevity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/10 Sound Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/10 Soundtrack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/10 AI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/10 Multiplayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/10 Overall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93/100 The Good: Sound effects are fantastic (bullets thunder in the distance, Sev’s steps can be heard crunching under the snow); the visuals are some of the best on the console; multiplayer is addictive, encourages hours of extra play-time, and is reliable; 3D support; Move support; cooperative play; DLC is available.
The Bad: The story is fairly uninteresting.
Verdict: Buy - Rent - Skip
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Review
Dead Space 2 Review: By Argetlam Dead Space 2 is Visceral Games’ (formerly known as EA Redwood Shores) sequel to the 2008 game, Dead Space, a title that told the story of Isaac Clarke’s dangerous and nightmarishly violent venture aboard the USG Ishimura. Fast forward three years later and Isaac is dealing with many of the obstacles that he encountered on his previous undertaking; his girlfriend Nicole is permeating his mind, Necromorphs are attacking by the dozens, and the Marker is again threatening to derail Isaac’s plan for survival. Sure, the different facets of the story are largely similar to those in Dead Space, but the story unfolds rather well and gives players a clearer window into the Marker and its mysteries. All of the game’s events take place on the Sprawl, a city built on a portion of one of Saturn’s moons, Titan. Although pretty to look at, this setting makes the game feel slightly less scary in comparison to the completely solitary Ishimura. While on the Sprawl, Isaac is surrounded by dozens of skyscrapers, a few citizens here and there, and the general feel of a bustling, albeit overtaken, city is ever-present. Compare that to the Ishimura, a lonely ship adrift in space with absolutely no sense of a living community, and the atmosphere is slightly less creepy and foreboding. This isn’t exactly a negative aspect of the experience, but some players are undoubtedly going to be turned off by the more comforting surroundings. However, regardless of where the struggle takes place, Isaac must put a stop to Earth Gov and their plans to experiment with the Marker. Hans Tiedemann, the protagonist and Director of Operations among the
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Sprawl, has made a new one of these ominous relics and has accidentally unleashed a new Hell among the city. Isaac, now fit with a voice and a more engaging demeanor (his helmet now folds down during certain conversations), is again ready to combat this threat with the help of Ellie Langford, a CEC pilot, and Nolan Stross, a mentally unstable man who insists that Isaac must follow a certain number of “steps” in order to destroy the Marker. And, as with Dead Space, the narrative is told mainly through Text Logs, Audio Logs, and in-game cutscenes. Combat hasn’t changed too drastically, with Isaac still using weapons like the Plasma Cutter, Line Gun, and Pulse Rifle (all with alt-fire modes) to rip through Necromorphs, all in third-person. He can use Stasis to slow enemies in order to more carefully line up a shot or pick up objects via Telekinesis to use as make-shift projectiles in order to conserve ammunition. Also making a return is the ability to upgrade these weapons and powers utilizing Power Nodes that can be either found scattered among the Sprawl or purchased at one of the various stores. His suit, or RIG, can also be upgraded. However, if the player wants to buy a new one, as well as experiment with different weapons, Schematics can be recovered and then the corresponding items can be purchased at one of the stores
One of the more welcoming alterations to the series is the ability for Isaac to now explore Zero-G areas with full 360 degree movement. This makes the once clunky, point-and-shoot exploration feel even more awkward and archaic. Thankfully, though, Isaac now has small thrusters located on his RIG, and even a boost function for fast travel, that allow for complete freedom. The player can switch from this free-floating state back to walking on the ground with the quick click of the L3 button. It's a simple improvement, but it makes the experience feel much more streamlined and up-to-date. Also back is the holographic-like HUD. Seeing Isaac's health and Stasis meter on his back, as well as seeing videos, texts, and inventory information right in front of him in an in-game menu instead of in a traditional game menu keeps the player engaged and the overall experience feel much more believable. The only time the player is taken out of the experience is if he/ she pauses or saves their game, which isn't too often (if at all, depending on the player), so connection with the game is almost always constant. Pair this with the fact that there are no loading screens (apart from loading a file from the main menu or loading a checkpoint after death) and the overall experience will keep players rooted to their seats. Many will also quickly take note of the fact that the sequel now has a multiplayer component which allows them to jump online to battle either as a Necromorph or engineer. Each side has various items and powers that can be unlocked (guns and suits for the engineers and different powers/abilities for the Necromorphs) in order to strengthen their assault. On the Necromorph side, players can choose from different classes in order to cater to their style of play. For example, a more sneaky individual may pick a Lurker in order to crawl along walls or pick a part of the Pack if they want to be up close and personal as they melee someone to death. However, regardless of which Necromorph they choose, they're able to scan the map before respawning in order to pick which vent to jump out from. And, to combat these surprise attacks, the engineers can use Stasis to slow their assault. While multiplayer may encourage players to spend a little more time with the game, it isn't much more than a slight distraction from the story. Other titles like Black Ops will surely be the go-to experience for online play. It doesn't help, either, that the game requires you to have an "online pass" in order to play. This obviously isn't good for players looking to rent the game, considering that they almost certainly will be without one of these codes. In short, the "meat and potatoes" of the game is the narrative, not the so-so multiplayer.
Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/10 Gameplay/Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.5/10 Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.5/10 Atmosphere . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9/10 Fun-factor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.5/10 Longevity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/10 Sound effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.5/10 Soundtrack: 9/10AI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8/10 Multiplayer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6/10 Overall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85/100 The Good: Sound effects are great (stifled screams behind doors, muffled sounds during Zero-G sequences); minor improvements (360 degree freedom in space, for example) make the sequel feel tighter, more polished; Isaac has a voice and therefore a stronger presence; holographic-like HUD keeps players engaged. The Bad: Items being held with Stasis occasionally disappear; very rare split-second frame-rate hiccups sometimes intrude; multiplayer is fairly bland.
Verdict: Buy - Rent – Skip
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Vanquish Platinum difficulty: 8.5/10 Approximate time to reach Platinum: 40 hours If you think this game is easy to Platinum, then think again. You need SKILLS and TACTICS to play this or else don’t bother. Vanquish consists of 51 Trophies which vary between easy, medium, and very hard. The Trophies come in many aspects: Completing the story, killing in a certain style, and collecting, so it’s better to read them before you play. The game is fun to play but if you are going for the Platinum, then good luck!
Apache Platinum difficulty: 6.5/10 Approximate time to reach Platinum: 20 hours Flight sim fans would like this game and I think it’s a good pick. I personally enjoyed this game even when it was my first time playing it, but some missions could get you frustrated really quickly. Apache consists of 51 Trophies. Most are story related and some require you to do some special type of killing to achieve. The rest you should do online. (Squad Operations). Completing the story on Realistic difficulty is a bit tough, but not that hard. Let’s say medium. Just a few levels were a pain. The Platinum for this game isn’t hard to accomplish but it still requires some flight skills and a bit of luck in a few missions.
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within Platinum difficulty: 5/10 Approximate time to reach Platinum: 20 hours This is the same old Prince remade for the PS3 in HD. This includes PoP 1 and 3, each with a Platinum Trophy all on 1 disc, which makes it a great deal for Trophy Hunters. PoP 2 consists of 20 Trophies which aren’t hard for an average gamer. Most Trophies are straight forward and some are combat related which aren’t hard. Collecting Trophies in this game isn’t fun at all because the game is just an unpolished port remade in HD, so you will be facing a lot of bugs and glitches while playing.
Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones Platinum difficulty: 5/10 Approximate time to reach Platinum: 20 hours This is the same old Prince remade for the PS3 in HD. This includes PoP 1 and 2, each with a Platinum Trophy all on 1 disc, which makes it a great deal for Trophy Hunters. PoP 3 consists of 18 Trophies which aren’t hard but some can be frustrating due to bad game design and programming which will make you pull your hair in some areas.
Spare Parts Platinum difficulty: 2/10 Approximate time to reach Platinum: 10~13 hours You can find this game on PSN for only $10. The good part is that this game has a Platinum Trophy along with 10 Gold Trophies!!!! This makes it an epic deal for most Trophy Hunters. Spare Parts consist of 13 Trophies which are very, very easy for any kind of gamer. Most of the Trophies are story related. The rest are either collecting or buying. Nothing is hard about this game... I didn’t even see the game over screen once since there is no game over in the game.
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Red Dead Redemption Platinum difficulty: 6/10 Approximate time to reach Platinum: 70 hours If you like open world games and the Wild West style (cowboys, horses), then this game is for you! RDR consists of 49 Trophies which aren’t that hard to achieve but are time consuming. The offline would take you about 30 hours and online would take you 30, too. (lvl 50).
Mass Effect 2 Platinum difficulty: 5/10 Approximate time to reach Platinum: 45 hours Mass Effect 2 is just another masterpiece in Bioware’s book. It’s really fun and easy to play and the Platinum shouldn’t be hard at all for everyone. ME2 consists of 55 Trophies + 1 free dlc Trophy which aren’t hard to obtain in 1 or 2 play throughs. The only Trophy that would give you a hard time would be playing it on Insanity mode, which I found just as easy as playing Uncharted on Crushing mode.
TV Superstars Platinum difficulty: 5/10 Approximate time to reach Platinum: 15 hours This game is designed for casual gamers. It has a unique style to it that everyone should enjoy and have a good laugh at. You cook, paint, break stuff, etc., etc. But some of the game elements are not executed nicely, leading to some frustration while playing. This game consists of 51 Trophies which are easy to obtain with no difficulties at all although 1 Trophy would give you a hard time and that would be the Commercial Trophy. The Trophies are all obtained by playing different shows more than once for specific Trophies. Keep in mind you need 2 Move controllers to obtain the Platinum.
My Sims Sky Heroes Platinum difficulty: 5/10 Approximate time to reach Platinum: 15~20 hours Sky Heroes can be fun sometimes, but when you are going for gold, the game gets really frustrating because of the bad AI design. What I mean is the AI cheats in this game. It’s hard to explain but once you play it, you will understand. Sky Heroes consists of 49 Trophies which are easy to obtain although 1 Trophy which is the “Obtain all Gold” will give you some trouble because of the AI.
Splatterhouse Platinum difficulty: 6/10 Approximate time to reach Platinum: 20~25 hours Blood, guts, limbs, heads!! You name it, it’s all in this game!! Playing this game is really fun and bloody. If you like beat-emup games, then this game is for you! Splatterhouse consists of 51 Trophies which vary between easy and medium. A mixture of story related Trophies and combat related Trophies. The only hard Trophy would be the Survival mode.
Note: All difficulty and time figures are based on my skills and my opinion after playing the game.
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