GRID Mini Review

GRID by Codemasters is the asphalt successor of DIRT. It even runs on the same graphical engine and has a "hip" 4 letter title too. I have no idea what the title means, but I do know that Grid is a very enjoyable racer which blends elements of sim and arcade racers and toes the line between the two pretty well.

Like sim racers such as Gran Turismo, Grid requires you to break and take turns at certain angles and speeds...it is not Burnout, petal to the metal, on the dime arcade racing, but at the same time it is not nearly as hard and difficult as your typical sim. There are steering assists and warning lights which help tell you when to break and slow down. One of the big plusses for me is that there is no car tuning and monkey wrenching.

The game has the same tiered racing setup and selection that Dirt did and has everything from race sim time trials to the more arcadey drift battles and demolition derbys. The game does a really good job of presenting a diverse bunch of races that play very different. Of course one of the best new features (over Dirt) is the Rewind feature. If you are in the lead and mess up that final turn, you no longer have to restart the race...just press back, rewind the replay and tap X to snapshot back in time to right before your mistake. This new mechanic makes races much more forgiving and less frustrating.

The game nails all the graphical and audio high points. It looks gorgeous and has nice voiceovers, music and sound effects. There's an extensive single player campaign and online matches to get your money's worth on longevity as well. At the same time, the gameplay is really what will make you love or hate this game. If you love Burnout and arcade racers, Grid may be a little too realistic for you. If you love Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport, Grid is probably a bit too skimpy on the tuning, car count, and realism. Grid works for those people who enjoy a steeper difficulty and deeper racer but who can't meet the commitment and challenge of a race sim. Give Grid a try, you may be like me and fall into that in between category of racer as well.

Gameplay: 7.5/10
Graphics: 9/10
Sound/Music: 8.5/10
Lasting Appeal: 8/10
Tilt: +0.05
Verdict: 83%

Ratchet & Clank: Future Tools of Destruction

Ratchet & Clank: Future Tools of Destruction is the most recent iteration of the very successful franchise which has spawned sequel after sequel. It is a very good game that shows off the advances of moving from the PS2 to PS3. Insomniac Games is definitely one of the best developers Sony has , but R & C: FToD is just too much of the same. I couldn't help thinking that I had played this game before...3 times before.

Gameplay: 8.5/10
Pros: The game offers solid platforming, some new gadgets, nice uses of the SIXAXIS and the same great gameplay features in previous iterations.
Cons: Not enough innovation or enhancements since the last game. Clank's new Zoni gameplay is not up to snuff (granted Clank's missions have always been weaker)

Graphics: 9/10
Pros: Ratchet and Clank certainly look better than they've ever looked before and the worlds they visit are much more vibrant and busy. Excellently animated too.

Sound/Music: 10/10
Pros: I have always loved R&C's music and FToD is no different. Excellent and catchy music with wonderful zany weapon and gadget effects. There is also AAA voicework with genuinely funny dialogue.

Lasting Appeal: 7/10
Pros: The story is as good as ever and the great cutscenes urge you to play more to experience more of the great characters and dialogue. The gameplay is solid and the gadgets and experience system keeps things fresh and never too difficult.
Cons: Gameplay is getting a little stale and R&C could really use a reinvention a la Mario Galaxy or even a Jak II type change. No Multiplayer and a lack of minigames and side missions compared to other Ratchet and Clank's.

Average: 86.25%
Tilt: -1.25%

You don't get credit in my book for reiterating the same product over and over again and Ratchet and Clank: Future Tools of Destruction certainly feels like this series is reaching that point. Please don't turn the Ratchet series into Tony Hawk. On the one hand, any one who enjoyed the previous Ratchets will certainly be familiar and enjoy this adventure, but on the other hand adding new levels/story to the same old game isn't enough these days. It's a great first entry for PS3, but I'm really hoping that the Downloadable Ratchet 2 takes more risks.

Verdict: 85%

MotorStorm PS3 Mini Review

MotorStorm for Playstation 3 remains a gorgeous looking game and really boils down to this: It's an intense racing title with gorgeous graphics, a great variety of vehicles, and a bunch of levels and tracks that all look very similar. I understand that Motor Storm takes place in an undisclosed desert and is an undersground event...but do all the levels have to be sandy gold, gritty orange, and muddy maroon? Don't get me wrong...the different textures and tracks and how different vehicles all handle them is very fun. It's just a shame that all the tracks look so similar. There's actually not many tracks at all which further hampers what could be a fantastic game. It's a great start and a great showcase title for the PS3. It could be a franchise to contend with the next time around. Imagine Motorstorm 2 with grassy levels (with varying muddy batches, high grass, etc.), snow covered and icy terrain levels, new vehicles (snow mobiles, hovercrafts, monster trucks), and a wider selection and variety of tracks. That would be a game to contend with! As it stands now. MotorStorm is a damn good game and a wise choice by Sony to package it with the 80GB PS3.

Graphics: 9/10 - Fantastic but lacking level variety
Gameplay: 9/10 - Vehicle diversity, and terrain strategy make this game visceral fun. Enemy AI is a little bit "let you catch up" or "catch up with you"
Sound/Music: 8/10 - Music fits the tone, explosions and other vehicle engines all add to the atmosphere...sometimes it's all alittle much
Lasting Appeal: 7/10 - The lack of tracks and track variety really hurts the game, but different vehicles and terrain adds to it. After awhile though, everything just is all too sandy and the incentive to unlock the harder mode of the same level you've played already just isn't there.
Average: 82.50%
Tilt: -3.50%

Verdict: 79%

Heavenly Sword Review

Heavenly Sword is a hack and slash action game similar to God of War, but more heavily focused on the action aspect. It has beautiful graphics and is an amazing start to a franchise despite its missteps, the biggest of which is the brevity of the game's story and single player campaign.

Gameplay: 8/10
Pros: 3 different stances with some great combos and transitions, engaging story, exciting and chaotic action gameplay.
Cons: The ranged stance is almost entirely useless, only 2 attack buttons, not enough puzzles, and an extensive overuse of "aftertouch" (tilt controlled) aiming /firing missions.

Graphics: 9.5/10
Pros: Absolutely gorgeous with a fantastic art direction and amazing character design and animation. Cut-scenes are gorgeous. Impressive number of characters on the screen. A truly technical feat that exemplifies the PS3's power.
Cons: Repetitive enemies, and some questionable character design choices (Roach?)

Sound/Music: 8.5/10
Pros: Great voice acting, epic score, and excellent weapon twings& twangs. AAA music/sound fx.
Cons: Not a fan of the retarded girl sidekick Kai, though in the end her story makes it better to swallow. Flying Fox is the most annoyingly voiced character in recent memory...he's terrible. Roach is also a little cliched...though voicework is good.

Lasting Appeal: 6/10
Pros: Extremely entertaining from beginning to end with a very engrossing story which comes to a satisfying conclusion.
Cons: Practically no replay value...repetitive gameplay and earning new artwork and combos is not enough for me.

Average: 80.00%
Tilt: +/-: -5.00%

Heavenly Sword was a very enjoyable and engaging rental. I beat the game in less than 2 days and had fun doing it, but I didn't even come close to playing it nonstop. The game can really be flown through. It's a shame that there wasn't more depth in the combat or harder puzzles (and possible backtracking) a la God of War to lengthen this game out. I like the variety of missions, even if some are not as crisp as the main combat ones. The monotony of the gameplay is decently broken up to get you through the game and story, but a game that is over so quickly is definitely not worth $60.

Verdict: 75%

Assassin's Creed Review

Assassin's Creed is a gorgeous game (especially on PS3), but it lacks a lot of the fun found in the studio's previous Prince of Persia games. The game is great at first, but as you plod along things get repetitive.

Gameplay: 6/10
Pros: Game is easy to pick up and play, and the free running technology (hold buttons and character automatically scales walls, jumps, grabs etc) is impressive. Assassinations missions (9 total) all offer a great variety of locales and situations. Combat engine is a shining spot and a vast improvement over the Persia games.
Cons: Not nearly enough variety in information gathering missions, Free-running takes away from the skill/fun of the great platforming found in Prince of Persia games, the story is convoluted and has no resolution (sequel setup), the gameplay gets pretty repetitive and dull.

Graphics: 9.5/10
Pros: Absurdly gorgeous game. The historical world is accurately depicted and flawlessly rendered. Animation is superb.
Cons: The in-between sci-fi story driven segments don't look nearly as good and I could have used more variety in the 3 cities... but the graphics are stellar

Sound/Music: 9/10
Pros: Voice Acting is up to snuff, sound effects/music are AAA
Cons: Game can be a bit too preachy...it'd be nice if you could skip in-game speeches/cutscenes

Lasting Appeal: 6/10
Pros: The game offers 3 cities to explore which gradually expand as you move through the game. Assassination missions offer a plethora of scenarios. Unlock new abilities as you progress.
Cons: The game really starts to drag in the final hours. You've played all the missions several times already, the story is crazy out there sci-fi and you see the final showdown coming from a mile away. It takes effort to plow through the final battles to finish off a story with a blatant cliffhanger. It all just leaves a sour taste in your mouth.

Average: 76.25%
Tilt: -0.25%

The game is definitely a disappointment for me. This game was extremely high profile, and I really enjoyed the Prince of Persia series. The problem with this "sandbox" game is that the sandbox isn't that much fun to play in. The lack of diversity and fun is unacceptable from a studio with so much experience, money, and weight behind them. If the story really grabs you it could warrant a purchase, otherwise you'll probably want to stick with a rental.

Verdict: 76%

this review was based on playing the PS3 version of the game

Mass Effect Xbox 360 Review

Mass Effect is a Bioware game, action fans be wary because not that much has changed since Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Jade Empire. Mass Effect is definitely an RPG, but it gives action fans something to grab a hold of with a pretty dynamic battle system. This game is not for everyone, but is more approachable and enjoyable than Bioware's previous efforts.

Gameplay: 8.5/10
Pros: Much more action focused than Star Wars KOTOR and less button mashing than Jade Empire's real time battles, Dialog system with full speech is awesome and immerses you, engrossing story.
Cons: Enemy AI is suspect...usually just bum rush, Side Missions are repetitive and Ancillary planets are pretty much the same with different terrain skins, Not as Epic as advertised. No real Tutorial.

Graphics: 8/10
Pros: Graphics are gorgeous...just look at a still frame shot of this game in action...
Cons: The problem is that still frame shots don't capture the multiple layers of texture loading visible to the player or the frame rate hiccups and drops.

Sound/Music: 10/10
Pros: Great Orchestral Score, Tons of Dialog all performed (male/female for main character) by great voice actors. Listening to the Dialog instead of reading subtitles draws you so much deeper into the story and experience.

Lasting Appeal: 8.5/10
Pros: Lengthy Core Adventure (~20 hrs) with tons of side missions. Story is definitely worth finishing. Character Backstory, Sex, character class, and Choices greatly affect gameplay and with Achievements warrant replaying the game 2nd, 3rd time.
Cons: On repeated playthroughs, Side Missions will become more and more tedious. Battles can be hard/cheap.

Average: 87.50%
Tilt: +0.50%

Mass Effect is greater than the sum of its part. It is a fantastic Story and literally plays like an interactive movie. It's a shame there are some technical glitches that are readily apparent...and while they do not tremendously affect gameplay...they could've been smoothed out if Bioware was given another month or two. Downloadable Content could greatly expand/improve the game and its side misions if a couple more robust planets/levels were released. If you don't mind a slower paced game or are a RPG fan, then you probably already have Mass Effect. If you're an Action or Multiplayer guy...Mass Effect may offer you enough incentive to buy it, just make sure you play a friend's copy or rent it first.

Verdict: 88%

Switchball Mini-Review

Switchball is one of the best looking XBLA titles available (I think Undertow beats it, but that's it). In addition, it is also a very entertaining and rewarding game. I guess you would call Switchball a puzzle game, but you certainly need some platforming skills to successfully roll your ball to the exit. The gamplay a revolves around...switchball-ing (sounds dirty)...switching your ball into other forms in order to complete tasks and move onto the exit. There's the standard marble, the heavy metal ball, a bouncy airball, and a slick multifaceted powerball. The art direction in this game is superb. The world is a beautiful looking DaVinci inspired world with odd gyrocopters and perpetuates the idea that you are one marble in a complex machine or gadget. If you like short but sweet games, Switchball is definitely for you.

THE GOOD:
4 different balls to control with different abilities
Beautiful Graphics and unique, interesting worlds
Easy Controls! (Analog stick and the A button)

THE BAD:
Music/Sound is bargain basement and repetitive
There's only about 30 levels
Time Medals are very Strict

All in all, this game is a great buy for an evening/weekend of relaxing gaming fun. It has a slow pace and easy controls so it can be played by a wide range of people. It's too bad that the game gets frustrating when you start attempting to complete levels for even a bronze time medal. The music/sound could have been easily improved too, but it's about par for other games like this one. Give the game a download and try the demo (on Xbox Live or the PC). If it grabs you, give it a purchase and you won't be disappointed.

Gameplay: 8.5/10
Graphics: 10/10
Sound/Music: 7/10
Lasting Appeal: 7/10

Verdict: 83%

Stuntman: Ignition Review

Stuntman for the original PS2 was a favorite of mine, despite its many flaws. The difficulty built in a lot of challenge and longevity into the experience and I kept playing in order to unlock the next movie trailer. The sequel, Stuntman Ignition, is still challenging, but a lot more forgiving (no load times on restarts! THANK YOU!) and adds a very addictive Tony Hawk-esque Combo Scoring System.

Graphics: 9/10
Pros: Fantastic visuals, great animation and action sequences. Gorgeous replays.
Cons: FMV for movie trailers (mixing with ingame graphics) aren't necessary anymore. They should have used the ingame engine to do the movie trailers to make it look less disjointed.

Gameplay: 8.5/10
Pros: The gameplay & scoring system is vastly improved. No load times for restarts, serious driving skills required, and a variety of movies, commercials, stunt shows, and cars to fool around with.
Cons: Levels still require a lot of trial and error to figure out what's going on. No real way to beat a level on your first try. Instead of confusing sketches during the load screens, they should give you a map with all the stunts on it that you can look through prior to your stunt run.

Sound/Music: 8/10
Pros: The voicework for the directors/characters is all really well done. There are definitely a few good impersonations and charicatures of directors currently out there. Sound effects do the job well.
Cons: Standard music and score detract from the epic orchestral scores we hear in the movies

Lasting Appeal: 6/10
Pros: There's online multiplayer with several different modes, stunt shows, commercials, and quite a few movies to shoot through. There's also the challenge of stringing (comboing) every single movie scene to get full stars on each stage and unlock everything for the build your own stunt arena...which offers quite a few thrills itself.
Cons: NO ONE plays online...guess this game didn't sell very well or everyone is just caught up with Halo 3, Gears of War, etc. It is really annoying being forced to replay levels again to get higher stars to unlock the next movie...if you beat all the levels...you should unlock the next level. I didnt' have the patience to go back and replay the levels again to unlock the final movie, since I had to play some others over to unlock the movie I had just completed.

Average: 78.75%
Tilt: -0.75%

Stuntman: Ignition lacks some of the charm the original had. I still remember the orginal as having some of the best graphics on PS2...Ignition doesn't leave the same impression as far as graphics go for PS3 or Xbox 360. The movies aren't as diversified either and there isn't the same sense of working your way up from a small indie film to the big budget blockbuster...they all sort of seem like blockbusters...which ups the action but reduces the charm. It's still a good sequel and a pretty engrossing experience though.

Verdict: 78%

this review is bases on the xbox 360 version

EXIT Xbox Live Arcade Mini Reveiw

Exit follows Mr. Esc as he attempts to help adults, children, and injured people find an escape to natural disaster situations. There are over 220 levels and of course the standard 200 achievement points.

The game is a worthy and interesting platformer / puzzler. It's graphics and artistic style are great and the sound/music offering is above average from an xbox live title. There are plenty of levels and lasting appeal, but Exit does suffer from its flaws. The biggest flaw is in its gameplay. Mr. Esc moves very slowly and methodically...this is all well and good, except it is extremely frustrating when you have to restart a level (and then methodically and slowly move to exactly where you were prior to your mistake) while this makes the game more challenging it also makes it frustrating and exceedingly tedious. There is a major need for an undo/rewind button in this game! On the other hand, each different scenario does a really good job offering something new: new items, new people to rescue, electricity hazards, etc. which keeps the gameplay fresh.

Category Breakdown:

Gameplay: 8
Graphics: 10
Sound: 8
Lasting Appeal: 7
Average: 82.50 %

Ultimately, Exit definitely gives you your money's worth for a unique live arcade puzzling game. Furthermore, since it originated on PSP it has great pick up and play gameplay where you can sort of pick away at the 220 levels. In long play sessions, the frustration of restarting levels and the slow moving Mr. Esc may weigh on you, but ultimately the game is worth a try and if you like the demo, it's worthy of a purchase.

Verdict: 82%

Stranglehold Xbox 360 Review

Stranglehold is a John Woo game through and through. It definitely does not tread new ground in either story or gameplay, but does a pretty good job fusing familiar elements from all of its influences.

Gameplay: 8/10
Pros: The gameplay is just plain fun. It's a mix of Max Payne Bullet Time gameplay with some pretty flashy new moves and situations. Face-Offs are nice gun duels that break up the monotony of running and diving. Story is serviceable if a little over the top and out there even for John Woo.
Cons: Enemies are retarded. They pretty much run straight at you and spawn from closets/doors strewn throughout the level. Deaths can be frustrating because it's due from an enemy spawning in a door behind you with a shotgun, rather than a lack of skill on your part. Interaction with the Environment can be difficult/frustrating.

Graphics: 8/10
Pros: Nearly everything is destructible and when stuff starts exploding in slow motion, it's a thing of beauty. There's a fantastic array of levels and locales. Animations, bullet effects, etc. are good.
Cons: Actual character models are somewhat blocky- this becomes more apparent during cutscenes where these characters try to exude emotion. Without all the bullet time effects this game would be standard issue in the graphics dept.

Sound/Music: 8/10
Pros: Voice Acting is top-notch and the visceral sound effects and music from Woo's movies make it into the game.
Cons: It would be nice to have the option of having the more authentic Cantonese or Mandarin soundtrack since the game take place mostly in Asia, but because of the English...it sometimes feels like they are just in some US City Chinatown. It detracts from the authenticity of the story.

Lasting Appeal: 6/10
Pros: The single player experience is a nice ride while it lasts, Multiplayer and unlockables give you incentive to pop the disk back in for more.
Cons: The Multiplayer is action packed, but requires little skill and is completely forgettable. The single player game can be beaten in a few days making this a great rental, but a questionable purchase.

Average: 75.00%
Tilt: +/- 0.00%

For a licensed game, Stranglehold definitely delivers on its promise for John Woo style action. The super moves are flashy, and interacting with the environment (firing while riding roll carts/hanging from chandeliers/etc.) is great fun. If you've played Max Payne, you've got the basic controls/gameplay down, but Stranglehold gives you a lot of new wrinkles which keep you playing. It suffers in the replayability category, but is a fantastic rental. If you download the demo and love the gameplay than a purchase is probably the right decision for you, but otherwise save your bucks for something else.

Verdict: 75%

Glory Days 2 Review

What a surprise! That's really the best way to describe this game. I wasn't even aware of the first game, but after I saw some action packed clips of this game I wanted to give this game a whirl. I'm glad I did because Glory Days 2 combines hectic arcade action with strategy game elements.

Gameplay: 8/10

Pros: Very Unique and different gameplay. Distinct vehicles with different gameplay mechanics and strategies, hectic arcade action- combination of helicopter rescue and sidescroller shoot em up. different time periods, tons of weapons, etc.

Cons: Touch controls are awful. In long play sessions, gameplay can be repetitive. Difficulty can be frustrating since you usually lose because your army is stupid, not because you get shot down...it keeps you playing though.

Graphics: 7.5/10

Pros: Tons of action, fast gamespeed and metal slug-esque graphics. Fantastic Parallax backgrounds give real depth.

Cons: Certainly doesn't push the DS's power and your planes look pixelated when they change direction and turn towards the camera. Plus the generally zoomed out camera takes focus away from the destruction on the ground.

Sound/Music: 8/10

Pros: Pretty epic war drum and battle music fits the mood perfectly. Sound Fx are arcadey and work well.

Cons: Sound FX and music can be repetitive and doesn't differ enough between time periods.

Lasting Appeal: 7/10

Pros: Multiplayer is a great addition even though there is no WiFi play. Campaign has different eras and is challenging. Battle mode helps you customize your own battle field conditions and continue playing after the campaign.

Cons: Campaign is too short and can be beaten in a couple hours with some skill and diligence. No WiFi play is a real shame.

Average: 76.25%

Tilt: +0.75%

Glory Days 2 is a great little game to saddle up with for a trip or quick play sessions. The gameplay is really unique... yet familiar and it's just plain fun to play (as long as you don't use the touch controls). Yes, the experience won't last that long if you play the heck out of it, but in spurts this game is great. It's a great idea and features gameplay that I would truly like to see expanded upon. One of the other great things about this title is that you can pick this game up for about $20 online. It's worth playing if you like shoot em ups or old school games with a little more depth.

Verdict: 77%

Catan XBOX LIVE REVIEW

Catan is based on the best-selling boardgame: Settlers of Catan. As a result, don't expect the action or graphical flair of a typical videogame in this title. Catan is a digital version of a boardgame, much like LIVE's Uno is a digital version of a card game. Catan is not for everyone, but is probably the greatest board game since Monopoly and as such is quite addictive and enjoyable.

Gameplay: 10/10

Pros: The gameplay isn't for everyone, but I cannot think of a better way to implement this game for the Xbox. The controls work perfectly and the game is absolutely addictive. It is easy to pick up and learn the basics while the complexities and depth are tremendous. The randomization of the board only makes it all the more tantilizing. An expertly crafted boardgame.

Cons: It's a boardgame.

Graphics: 6/10

Pros: The "Living World" Graphics are much better and more interesting than the stale flat "traditional" board and pretty up the game some. The graphical interface is really well done and makes play easier.

Cons: There's no hiding the staleness of the looks, lack of animation, and boardgame roots. The game isn't about looks though.

Sound/Music: 6/10

Pros: The soundFX are subtle and remind you it's your turn or alert you to trades without being overbearing or obnoxious. The music is tranquil.

Cons: The music seems too loud by default and I found whenever I booted up the game or switched from a gamedisc to Catan that I had to turn down the volume significantly.

Lasting Appeal: 8/10

Pros: It will take time to rack up all the victory points necessary for the 200 achievements, online multiplayer is excellent and keeps things moving, AI opponents are challenging.

Cons: Matchmaking online takes awhile...way too long. The board game pace is not for everyone and can be tedious.

Average: 75.00%

Tilt: +2.00%

This game is not for everyone, but I found it a very refreshing boardgame (and had never heard or played before) and was quickly addicted to collecting resources and screwing my fellow players with the dastardly robber. $10 is a lot for the presentation, sound, and music of the game, but at a fraction of the cost of the actual boardgame, the $10 asking price is perfect for this deep and satisfying strategy game.

Verdict: 77%

Boom Boom Rocket LIVE ARCADE REVIEW

Boom Boom Rocket has an awful name and is incredibly difficult, but is the first music/rhythm game for Xbox Live and a pretty good (not great) one at that.

Gameplay: 7.5/10
Pros: Classic Music rhythm gameplay where you press the buttons in time with the music. 2 game modes, and local multiplayer.
Cons: The overall game is incredibly difficult…way too difficult.

Graphics: 8/10
Pros: The fireworks look great and the overall presentation is top-notch. Nothing beats engaging in a flashy bonus run.
Cons: The city background is repetitive…it would have been nice to add some weather effects or something to up the variety.

Sound/Music: 9/10
Pros: The music is all remixes of classic songs and orchestral pieces. I think it fits the fireworks motif perfectly, but may not be everyone’s thing.
Cons: The songs lack the catchy nature and recognizable appeal of other music games such as Elite Beat Agents.

Lasting Appeal: 6/10
Pros: Local Multiplayer, online leaderboards, and 3 difficulty levels give you plenty to do in order to get your 200 achievement points…
Cons: unfortunately frustration will set in well before you get those 200 pts. The game is excessively difficult and while the game is a decent challenge on EASY it is near impossible on HARD…is it even possible to get an A on Hard?

Average: 76.25%
Tilt: -3.25%

Boom Boom Rocket is a good game that fills the void of a nice little music game on Live Arcade at the moment, but its difficulty and 10 songs make it too hard and expensive for 800 ($10) Microsoft Points. That’s about $1 a song…and for that I can get whatever I want on iTunes and don’t have to settle for orchestral/instrumental pieces only.

Verdict: 73%

BattleStations: Midway Xbox 360 Review

Battlestations midway is a mix of a strategy and action game. The strategy game aspect of the game works and plays very well, while the action can be very dependent on which vehicle you decide to pilot. This game isn’t for anybody, but is definitely a title that stands out and plays different from most of the stuff out there on the Xbox 360.

Gameplay: 7/10
Pros: PT boat, submarines are very exciting to control, ships are slow and are pretty fun to pilot as well. The strategy aspects of the game are very complex and make the game deep and challenging.
Cons: The tutorial takes about an hour to complete and when it was done I definitely forgot some stuff. Planes are difficult to control and the overall controls can be clunky.

Graphics: 6/10
Pros: Battles can really pick up and look exciting, the vehicles are good looking, take realistic damage and are well animated.
Cons: This is by far the weakest area of Battlestations. The game just doesn’t look like a 360 title, but instead a nice looking PC-game. Generic and repetitive background graphics abound.

Sound/Music: 7.5/10
Pros: The sound effects are very solid and top-notch and the military cadences and themes work well with the game.
Cons: The voice work of the main character in the game is awful and laughable. I actually grew to hate the main character because he was such a philosophical pansy. It really detracted from the story.

Lasting Appeal: 9/10
Pros: There are a multitude of different scenarios and challenges both in the single player game and online. 1 on 1 online matches with a plethora of units can be a grueling chess match, while 4 on 4 matches are more action oriented. If you can live with the graphics and make it through the tutorial, there is a lot here to keep you entertained.
Cons: This type of game definitely isn’t for everybody and feels a little overprices at $60…more like a $40-$50 title.

Average: 73.75%
Tilt: +0.25%

If you aren’t an Action/FPS only gamer, there’s something to be found in Battlestations: Midway. It is not a AAA title, but offers a pretty unique and deep experience for Xbox 360 gamers willing to give it a chance. If only the majority of vehicles controlled as well as the speedy PT boats, this game could’ve really knocked one out of the park.

Verdict: 74%

Virtua Tennis 3 Review

Virtua Tennis 3 is just shy of being a great title. It is very approachable and a lot of fun, but there are some misses that really get under you skin and detract from the experience…most aren’t even gameplay related, but they still detract from what could be a AAA title.

Gameplay: 9/10
Pros: The ‘tennis’ games are fast and furious and are simple to play, but deep to master. If you get bored of matches there are a TON of challenging and deep minigames. Stay away from Fusion Frenzy 2 and let Virtua Tennis satisfy your minigame craving.
Cons: In world tour mode, you play the same pros over and over again. Before you reach rank 200, they are awful…Federer can’t even get to a ball and hits it right back to you! He’s #1 in the world and would certainly cream #300 in the world…why not use custom created characters to fill the lower ranks? Playing against pros all the time severely detracts from the realism and allure of playing the recognizable stars of tennis. The game is a little easy until you reach rank 200 or so and then picks up significantly. I won all the games without losing a point up until the Advantage series (rank 204+).

Graphics: 8.5/10
Pros: Very crisp visuals and excellent animation. The court remembers where each shot hits and where you stand and run the most (white lines wear off, grass shows wear etc.) which is really cool. Create-a-character is always a plus.
Cons: Digital Sharapova doesn’t look at all like her real-life counterpart, and while this is the most glaring there are a couple other pros that just look a little off. Textures are almost nonexistent in the game…clothing is completely smooth…and just make some of the graphics bland.

Sound/Music: 8/10
Pros: Decent announcer, nice music, with perfect tennis swat and bounce sound effects. The music and chimes of world tour are soothing. A nice tone down or real world grunts.
Cons: No voice work for the pros and a lack of variety for sound effects in the minigames.

Lasting Appeal: 7.5/10
Pros: The world tour mode is long with a lot of different minigames to master, the tennis action is great and fun. Multiplayer both locally and online works well and offers a lot of replay value and pick-up-and play appeal.
Cons: The missed beats in the world tour mode detract from the feel of the game and really get under my skin…mostly because they are easily remedied. The Virtua Tennis framework has remained relatively unchanged since the original and its time for Sega to take us to the next level and give us something new. They are resting on their laurels.

Average: 82.50%
Tilt: -1.50%
This game is simply not worth $60 in my book. If it was priced at $40 it would be perfect and an absolute must buy, but it’s just not ‘next-gen’ enough to warrant the $60 price tag. Is the core Virtua Tennis gameplay great?..yes…but VT3 doesn’t offer much that’s new or innovative, and while offering competition on Xbox Live is fabulous, I can’t help feel that this title was a couple changes shy of greatness.

Verdict: 81%

Worms Xbox Live Review

I have always been a fan of worms, so even though Worms for Xbox was a game I was very familiar with, I figured I had to get it simply for the fact that it has offline competitive play and the very best: Online Xbox Live competition. While the game offers a true and genuine version of Worms, I can’t help but feel its lacking a little.

Gameplay: 8/10
Pros: The gameplay has been very well adapted to the Xbox Controller, and while it is a little clunky at first, the great worm-blasting action is present.
Cons: The enemy A.I in the challenge mode is really slow…like the computer worms sit there with word bubbles over their head for 20-40 seconds. This makes single player matches go on way longer than needed. As mentioned before, there are some clunky controls and weapons that are sorely missed.

Graphics: 8/10
Pros: One of the better looking 2D Worms games. The 3D backgrounds add a lot of depth and are a good compromise: we get the classic 2D gameplay vs. the inferior 3D version, but get some of the graphical flair of the 3D version. The worms are VERY well animated.
Cons: There are WAY too few arenas to fight in…London, Volcano, Arctic…and ? It feels like they skimped on levels and even a level editor.

Sound/Music: 7/10
Pros: Great and still hilarious worm voices. Explosions and sound are great. Music is sufficient and tense.
Cons: Definitely a lack of variety with the worm voices compared to the PC iterations.

Lasting Appeal: 7/10
Pros: There is great online and offline play for 2-4 people. The online matchmaking is pretty simple and worked well and rather quickly. Playing against a human is a lot better than the computer opponents who take forever with their turns.
Cons: Only 20 weapons, a few maps, and no map editor make this game feel a little bare boned. Compared to other worms titles, it feels like Team 17 skimped on features.

Average: 75%
Tilt: -2.00%

Worms is a very capable title and a good fit for XBLA, but just being Worms on Xbox isn’t enough. Maybe Team 17 had to sacrifice features to meet Microsoft’s 50MB limit (which is being relaxed as announced at the Game Developer’s Conference), but I can’t help feeling that this version of Worms is a little expensive when you can pick up many PC versions for similar or cheaper prices. If you are a Worms fan and have to have it on your flatscreen, and Xbox than don’t fear…you’ll get the very fun, addictive and capable Worms gameplay. Otherwise, save some money and get a better product by going for one of the older PC titles.

Verdict: 73%

Alien Flux PC Game Review

Alien Flux is an all out shoot em up and by far Puppy Games best offer. For one, it’s not a direct remake of a classic arcade game, feels newer, and has superior graphics, sound, etc. compared to Ultratron and Titan Attacks. I would describe it as an action packed hybrid of Robotron and Asteroids. You fly around as in asteroids, but safe fluffies like you save humans in Robotron. If you like shooters, you’ll love this. There are some quirks and misfires, but the game is a lot fresher and more fun to play.

Gameplay: 8.5/10
Pros: Classic type gameplay, with newer FPS control scheme (use of mouse/keyboard). A lot of options to change the controls to best fit your style. Gameplay is action packed, challenging, and exciting. Easy to pick up and play.
Cons: The camera is really wonky…it’s awful and nauseating if you don’t turn on the fixed mode which is a godsend, but still not perfect. As with most Arcade games, the driving force to keep playing is a higher score and the fun frantic gameplay…no real story etc. to carry you through all 100 levels minus facing 1 of the 4 bosses.

Graphics: 7/10
Pros: Definitely the slickest and most vibrant game by Puppy Games so far. There are a ton of cool explosion and particle effects. Your ship is well animated, and there is a good variety of enemies with different looks.
Cons: Background is some type of Brain or Generic background that just changes hues/colors from level to level, so there is no real level variety. Many baddies are bubbles, triangles, or other geometry inspired derivatives.

Sound/Music: 8.5/10
Pros: B!tching soundtrack that has a retro feel but also a modern and scifi element to it that works really well. Again, far superior to other Puppy Games offerings.
Cons: Somewhat stereotypical music, and can be way too loud! I had to adjust my speakers and ingame options to get it right. Bass tones were somewhat distorted.

Lasting Appeal: 6/10
Pros: There are 12 different power-ups, 16 different baddies, 8 fluffies to save, 100 levels, 4 bosses and an online high score table. The gameplay is fun and will keep you interested in the game far longer than you might first expect.
Cons: High scores are not a good enough motivation to play 100 levels of the same gameplay for most these days. It’s fun seeing the bosses and new baddies, but once you blast all the different things to blast, the static/same backgrounds will start to wear on you.

Average: 75.00%
Tilt: -2.00

I think Alien Flux is a good purchase if you try the demo and find yourself wanting more. I think $19.95 is a little steep, but the title is up to Indie standards and that’s what people charge for their games online so I guess it’s ok. My big thing is that for $20 you can get an Xbox, PS2 game, or even newer games on eBay and the like, so shouldn’t arcade games like this be about the same price as Xbox Live Arcade games ($10)? Alien Flux for $10 would be a steal…at $20, it seems like it may be for some and not for others.

Verdict: 73%


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Pure Sudoku Deluxe PC Review

I’m going to try and keep this review as short as possible. Sudoku is huge! And is a very addictive game…obviously a computer rendition should be mainly judged on its interface since playing Sudoku on a computer is very different than writing in your local newspaper. The bottom line is that Pure Sudoku is a very solid/typical way to present sudoku. The interface isn’t as good as…say Brain Age for the DS, but the DS isn’t a PC. If you like Sudoku and want it to be available on your computer you should really consider buying this product. If you don’t like sudoku, you won’t like this game either as it is a pretty straight forward port of the pen/paper version.

Gameplay: 8/10
Pros: Very easy interface- you can quickly boot up a sudoku puzzle on whatever difficulty you want and start solving it. Cool hint feature which shows you the number possibilities in each square.
Cons: It lacks some features I would have liked to see…for instance: you can’t pencil into a square the numbers you know to be the only possibilities. The hint feature is too powerful and makes things too easy.

Graphics: 6/10
Pros: its sudoku…you get a nice clean grid, numbers, and in this game’s case some nature and scenery photographs in the background. It’s all nice and looks fine.
Cons; its sudoku…so no animations, sprites or any graphics to write home about.

Sound/Music: 4/10
Pros: Sounds consist of clicks and button presses- nothing annoying distracts you during your time of sudoku Zen concentration.
Cons: There is no music whatsoever and the sound is almost nonexistent…it’s not essential in this type of game anyway, but there really is no sound to speak of at all.

Lasting Appeal: 8/10
Pros: It’s the addicting game of sudoku on your computer, but unlike the daily puzzle in your paper, you can just click and load up another one right after you solve a puzzle. Plenty of puzzles for the $10 price tag.
Cons: Not being able to pencil in the number possibilities really aggravates me and if I found a computer sudoku that offered that feature I would switch.

Average: 65.00%
Tilt: -2.00%

The bottom line is these types of games are all about the interface and I prefer the interface (even with the limited puzzles) of Brain Age on Nintendo DS more than this PC rendition. However, the title is only $10 and if you are a sudoku addict, you’ll definitely get your money’s worth on this title (as long as you are not a sudoku player who writes profusely with pencil all over the puzzle).

Verdict: 63%

Galcon PC review (also available for MAC and Linux)

GALCON website
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Galcon is instantly fun and playable. I mean you can learn to play the game in 30 seconds (see here) and each match only lasts a couple minutes. The controls are easy and there’s something about seeing hundreds of Asteroids-style triangle ships flying around that is very appealing to me. This game can be summed up in 2 words: Simple Enjoyment. The game is not deep and there are really no extravagant strategies or new features to unlock, but the game is fun and frantic.

Gameplay: 8.5/10
Pros: Very easy to learn and a very fast-paced strategy style game. The Tutorial quickly teaches you the basics, and the missions 1 player mode basically is a practice on varying strategies for online multiplayer. Galcon is instantly playable with few nuances. I love that victory is determined both by your reflexes and strategy.
Cons: There is a lack of depth overall in the gameplay. You basically just decide how many ships to send where. Having different ships would have been brilliant.

Graphics: 7.5/10
Pros: There’s something very appealing about seeing a screen full of ships crisscrossing around the galaxy. It looks even better in Multiplayer where it happens frequently and in a plethora of different colors. The presentation is excellent and the planets, maps, etc. are easy to see and distinguish.
Cons: There is very little animation or diversity in the graphics minus the change of color in the ships. The graphics fit the theme of the game well, and that’s primarily why I haven’t scored the graphics lower.

Sound/Music: 5/10
Pros: There is music and sound and it doesn’t intrude on the gameplay.
Cons: The music is repetitive and the sound is minimal. All in all the sound aesthetic is a bare bones approach.

Lasting Appeal: 7/10
Pros: The multiplayer mode and the great gameplay shines in this title. The game is instantly playable and the gameplay is very engrossing.
Cons: The lack of features detracts from all of this because you are left wanting a lot more….more single player content, more ships, more graphic and sound variety, etc.

Average: 70.00%
Tilt: -1.00%

I really enjoyed this game, but I do think that it is overpriced so I have to tilt the score down slightly. It’s really a +2.00% for immediate appeal and playability and -3.00% for lack of features and a $20 price tag. This game would be an absolute must buy at $10, but $20 feels a bit much since there’s a lack of sounds/music/animations/power-ups/campaign mode, etc. This game’s longevity lies in its online multiplayer, and restricting yourself to short play sessions. The game really shines when you get a multiplayer match with 3+ people, but sometimes it can be hard to find such games or that many players. Just download the demo, so at the very least I will be able to find more people online to conquer. The original game was made in a 48 hour competition and won a bunch of awards…even though this title has been reworked etc. there is still some residual simplicity from the original 48 hour competition the game sprung from. Galcon is a good game nonetheless.

Verdict: 69%

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Ultratron PC Review

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Ultratron is a pretty straightforward recreation of the Arcade Classic Robotron 2084. The original arcade game utilized 2 joysticks (1 to move, 1 to shoot) and you pretty much blasted robots as you tried to save civilians. You can play the original via Shockwave @ http://www.shockwave.com/sw/content/robotron. Retro remakes are hard to review because no matter how new the game is, it feels old. Ultimately, Ultratron is a pretty faithful remake of Robotron which lacks humans to save and the dual arcade joysticks, while adding cleaner/superior graphics, and cool power-ups. Puppygames does have better to offer (as you will see in the Alien Flux, and Titan Attacks reviews), but if Robotron was your game back in 1982 then you will certainly enjoy Ultratron.

Gameplay: 6/10
Pros: Classic Retro Gameplay that plays very crisp and features some unique power-ups
Cons: Keyboard controls make you pine for Robotron’s dual joysticks.

Graphics: 7/10
Pros: Definitely better than Robotron, but Puppygames added a sort of boxy look to the graphics which adds to the retro feel. Very good variety of enemies.
Cons: Lack of Level distinction (though the background is better than just a simple black). Graphics are nothing to write home about.

Sound/Music: 7/10
Pros: I actually find the old school sounds endearing and perfectly sufficient.
Cons: Sounds/Music are good but retro and thus feel a little…for lack of a better word…cheap

Lasting Appeal: 5/10
Pros: Classic gameplay from a game that used to devour kids quarters in the 80s
Cons: the 80s incentive to get the highscore at the local pizza joint is not a game incentive that has really stood the test of time.

Average: 62.50%
Tilt: +0.50%

Love Robotron, Buy this game. Don’t know what Robotron is? Download Ultratron and try out gameplay that defined the 80s. If retro gaming is not your thing, then this title isn’t going to change your mind.

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Verdict: 63%