Dark Void - Review

When Dark Void was announced by Capcom, expectation where high. What we had was a promise of an action packed third person shooter mixed in with some rockateer/crimson skies adventure, what we actually have here is none of the above.

You take on the role of Will (voiced by Nolan North), a pilot on a routine air cargo flight dropped into incredible circumstances as he crashes in the Bermuda Triangle leading him to be trapped in the Void. Let’s be honest here, the story is not very interesting and the gameplay fair not much better.

From the get go, the controls on foot feel floaty. What should feel more like Gears Of War ends up feeling a lot like Fallout 3. I’m not having a stab at Fallout 3 as Fallout was not a 3 Person action adventure game but that is the kind of motion you should expect coming into this.

There is cover mechanics built into this game that does not work very well, again I hate to bring up Gears Of War but don’t expect to feel like your actually behind cover as Dark Void does a bad job of getting into and coming out of cover.

There are some positives to the ground combat and that comes in the form of the vertical shootouts you encounter at several stages throughout the game. This is one of Dark Voids strong points however the game never really expands on this positive as these segments are limited in scope and only happen on a few occasions.

The flight combat is where the game shines and although there is no real sense of speed when you are in flight you can tell a lot of time has been placed on the flight controls and combat of the game. You really do feel like the rockateer once you pin down the controls which may take a few minutes to get a grip of.

The game also suffers from some pretty bad frame rate throughout the entire game at one stage during a shoot out the game froze totally for around 8 seconds before coming back to life.

Dark Void is a very short game that will take most gamers around 5 hours to complete. With a pretty ordinary story and unpolished gameplay, Dark Void ends up being a game that most people will end up “renting this tomorrow”

Gameplay =6.5
Visuals = 7
Sound = 7
Game Now Score = 6.8/10

Darksiders - Review

Darksiders is an action-adventure game developed by first timers Vigil Games.
You play as a character named "War", one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse. The Opening scene of the game shows the apocalypse of the world taking place prematurely and the four horsemen being blamed for starting the devastation.

It is up to you "WAR" to find out who is behind it all and bring them to justice. In typical game fashion, you are caught between angels and demons, have lost much of your power and need to prove yourself all over again. Darksiders is primarily an action-adventure game, with about equal time devoted to combat and puzzle-solving/platforming.

We need to give Vigil games some credit here, what they have created is a fun action packed game that never feels dull and is always introducing new and exciting things to master throughout War’s quest for justice.

The combat is very satisfying, there are many different combat options you can unlock and you are able to customize your fighting style and power up a specific weapon to meet your killing needs.

The game does a very good job of making the world feel bigger than it actually is with clever level design and some fantastic looking environments. Darksiders does not disappoint. The visuals are great with screen tearing the only downside to the 360 version. (soon to be patched)

Along your travels you will come across several dungeons that require some puzzle solving before you can advance to the inevitable boss battle ahead. These are a lot of fun and fit it perfectly with the overall feel of the game.

There is one specific boss battle at the start of the game (Tiamat) which is painfully frustrating when it really shouldn’t be, luckily things look up from there as the rest of the boss battles are fun and very satisfying.

Vigil have created a new IP that will hopefully see a sequel that will improve on the foundations built here. Darksiders is a fun action adventure game that is very easy to recommend.

Gameplay =8
Visuals = 8.5
Sound = 8
Game Now Score = 8.2/10

Bayonetta - Review

The word around town is that Bayonetta is the first big hit of 2010. Well you can imagine my dismay as put this bad girl into my console and really don't see any of the great things being said about it.

For a start the story is an absolute joke, the cut scenes are of Metal Gear proportions all be it dumbed down counterparts. Yes its tru that the combat feels good, that's if you can actually see what is happening on the screen with so much visual rubbish flying around.

In all honesty I do not see the appeal of this game at all and have given it several chances to change my mind, each time resulting in frustration and lack of any interest to play on.

No doubt this title will appeal to many gamers who are into the Devil May Cry gameplay, I just dont get it sorry.

As it stands Baonetta is the first big "stay well clear" for 2010.

Gameplay =7
Visuals = 7.5
Sound = 5
Game Now Score = 6.5/10

Batman - Arkham Asylum: Review

Lets be honest, there hasn't been a good Batman game since...well, since never. This is the first good Batman game, in fact its not good, it's great!

The game begins with Batman driving towards Arkham Asylum with Joker in hand, an easy catch, one would say a little too easy. From there we see the Joker escaping the clutches of the prison guards and raising hell from within the Aylum.

It's up to you, Batman to save the day and restore order once again.

From the get go you can see that a lot of love has gone into this title. From the stunning visuals to the fantastic voice work of all characters, especially the Joker who is voiced by none other than Mark Hamill from the animated series.

An action adveture sees Batman fighting, exploring and investigating his way through some of the most interesting environments I have seen since Bioshock. The Bioshockness does not end there, infact the whole game has that feel to it and I loved it from start to finish.

The fighting mechanics, building up combo's and defeating foes with slow mo counter attacks has never been so much fun. It doesn't just throw fights your way for the sake of it.

By the end of this 10 to 12 hour adventure you will feel as though you have explored the island to its fullest, the main campaign makes sure of it. I immediately jumped right back in to find the remainder of the riddler's riddles.

This is the first contender for game of the year in my books and I can safely recommend it as a must have game for 2009.

Gameplay = 8.8
Visuals = 9.1
Sound = 9.0
Game Now Score = 8.9/10

Review Round Up

Watchmen - The End Is Nigh Parts 1 & 2: I really wanted this game to be good, however the really lose controls and repetition just drive this game (both parts) to the ground. What we have here is a generic beat em up that fails to delivery on any front. 4/10

Infernal Hells Vengeance: Quite possibly the worst xbox 360 game to date, there is nothing positive to say about this game, stay well clear 2/10

Call Of Juarez 2 - Bound In Blood: When the original Call of Juarez hit the 360 a few years back it was faced with mixed reviews but the general consensus was that the game had issues. Call Of Juarez 2 has also split the gaming community. Some people had a blast playing it and others like myself found it a painful experience. Apparently the game gets better as you get into it but I did not stick around long enough to find out. If I have to play a game for 2 hours just to see it start to take shape then you can count me out. A game should start off strong from the moment you press START. 6/10

The Death Of Single Player Gaming?

There is a general trend I am noticing with every game that is being released in recent times. It's the "lets make sure we have some sort of multiplayer or co-op component in our game".

Don't get me wrong, I like it when developers include multiplayer that is done correctly, however I am getting increasingly annoyed that multiplayer is the new focus on many of these games. Take Uncharted 2 on the PS3 for example. Why anyone would want to play multiplayer or co-op uncharted 2 is beyond me. Why does every game need to have a multiplayer or co-op component. Why not focus your energy in actually making the game GOOD!

I know for a fact that there is a big team over at Naughty Dog (the people behind uncharted) that is working soley on the multiplayer/co-op component of the game. Let's hope it doesn't take away from the single player experience.

Even our faithful BIOSHOCK 2 has fallen into the multiplayer trap. I mean do we really need to see Bioshock multiplayer? really?

I would like to see developers focusing on what makes their games great and if that is the single player experience then lets get that part right. Don't feel pressured into wacking on a multiplayer game and have it be a throwaway thing as we have seen in most cases over the last year or so.

Is single player gaming dead? I certainly hope not.

At the 4th Hour -- Red Faction Guerilla

OMG -- I believe we have a sleeper here, Red Faction Guerrilla is a game that will creep slowly on the store shelf, and it is worth a look.
The back story here is all about the colonisation of the planet Mars, you are a demolition expert turned resistance fighter against the usual large corporation goons. From the start you notice that Red Faction, do things differently.

Lets start with the game play, I have the mention the destructive environment, armed with a sledge hammer and explosive, you can level entire buildings. The detail on the demolition when you swing your sledge hammer, will make you go wow. This game takes driving a vehicle through a building to another level. Then to the driving, you feel every bump and jump it is so much fun. As I am only 4 hours into the game, I was able to take control of a large walking construction vehicle, again so much fun. They have nailed all aspect of the game play here, this includes the ability to set multiple charges (so far I can set 5). Shooting is fun and I have to mention that the difficulty is quite hard on normal, which takes the game to another level.

The level design is something different again, driving around on the planet Mars, is different and amazing. Ohh did I mention that this is a sandbox environment. You can go and do what you like.
The detail in the destruction is so hard to describe, you have to see it for yourself.

The sound, is very good, speech is a little soft, but you can it the wind howling and the enemy talk about you being your back, as you seek in for the swing away kill.

Overall this game needs to be seen to believe, I can see myself playing this for a long time. The open world, the destructibility and the mission selection makes my top 5 list for 2009 so far.

Gameplay = 9.1
Visuals = 8.9
Sound = 8.6
Game Now Score = 8.8/10

At the 4th Hour -- Bionic Commando

This is a new segment, where we review a game after playing for it 4 hours. After 4 hours of game play, we feel that you can understand the basic mechanics and direction the game is taking.

Today, we are talking about Bionic Commando. You start out as Nathan Spencer, an ex government operative, those services are required again, by the government that had imprisoned him. A bomb has been detonated in Ascension City, and Nathan need to find the cause.

The gameplay is actually quite good, with you bionic arm, you can traverse great lengths, and it actually feels good to chain a few of these together. The game isn't an open sandbox as first thought, you move from point to point. The shooting aspect isn't the main focus, and this shows when you use the automatic weapons, the heavy weapons are impressive. The main focus is your arm, which you can use as a weapon.

The level design, is well detailed and very impressive. You traverse through a city, sewer, forest and building structures.

The sound is great, with the voice acting of Mike Patton, (The Darkness -- Jackie Estacado). The sound affects are also good, this includes the bionic arm.

Overall the game, is well worth the play, just be prepared for loading screens, it is a must to install this to you 360, as the load screens become very annoying, between areas and when you die.

I will be finishing the game

Gameplay = 7.8
Visuals = 7.9
Sound = 7.5
Game Now Score = 7.7/10

X-Men Origins: Wolverine - Review

The usual trend these days, is an action or kids movie comes out, out comes a game. Wolverine can stand with it's head held high, as it rises above the standard movie game, released in the last few years.

Wolverine has delivered with an ultra violent fight scenes, and excellent game play. There is also a great variety of the enemy's and bosses to fight. The usual weak and strong attack combo's are here and well as a nice block/counter system, gives you a chance to see more ultra violent "quick kills". A very nice feature is the lunge attack, allows to move turn the fight on it's head. Then there is the special moves, once you build rage. All very nice ideas.

The level details are very good, from the jungle to the sentinel factory. You will need to hop/climb/push and fight your way through. There are sometimes clipping issues, and camera problems, but they quickly forgotten, when you come up against a fully functioning sentinel.

The sound is a problem here, often I would need to turn the volume up, during the voice acting. I also enjoyed that Hugh provided the voice acting for his own character.

Wolverine is great, if you are looking for a game which you can pick up and play. The entire game took me about 10 hours to play, but it may make it back into my console, to be completed on hard.

Gameplay = 8.5
Visuals = 8
Sound = 7
Game Now Score = 7.8/10

Motorstorm: Pacific Rift - Review

When the PS3 first launched a few years back, Motorstorm was a title that really showed the potential of the PS3 hardware. Although the game was drop dead gorgeous, to me it really just played like a tech demo and wasn't much of a game at all.

How things have changed with Pacific Rift! This game was released in November of 2008 and somehow got lost amongst some of the AAA titles that hit during that month. I blame developers and publishers for releasing everything during November, makes it very hard for the end consumer. Enough with my little rant.

Motorstorm Pacific Rift fixed all of the issues with the original game. You have double the tracks(16 unique) more cars, even better graphics, you will be pressed to find a better off road racer period. The races in Pacific Rift are spread accross some of the most beatiful rendered environments you have ever seen in a racer or in any game.

The original Motorstorm was also a hard game with many frustrating races to be found. This has also been addressed in Pacific Rift with a feeling of "yes, I can still win this race eventhough I have crashed twice" to it.

Overall I had a great time with Pacific Rift and highly recomend it.

Gameplay = 8.5
Visuals = 9
Sound = 8
Game Now Score = 8.5/10