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EGM Review: House of the Dead: Overkill: Extended Cut

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November 9, 2011

A lifeless, zombified PS3 port

Back in 2009, an arcade classic was in desperate need of a makeover—and, of all places, it came from the Wii, surprisingly enough. The House of the Dead: Overkill served as a prequel for the immensely popular lightgun House of the Dead games and explained, sort of, both the origins of Agent G (the series’ main protagonist) and the zombie-causing formula he’s fought for 15 years—all wrapped in a ’70s B-movie setting with over-the-top voice acting, tons of sex and swearing, and cheesy moments galore. Looking to capitalize on that surprising success, Sega’s ported the game over to the PS3 with some upgrades in hopes of catching lightning in a bottle with a new audience.

Unfortunately, anyone who played through the original House of the Dead: Overkill will note Extended Cut for PS3 just feels…off. For as many problems that have been fixed from the original—like repetitive zombie skins and short game length—new ones seem to have cropped up. And the most glaring is way the game looks.

See, the poor graphics were actually part of the original’s charm. Throwing in a film grain to cover up the Wii’s weaker processing power was a masterstroke that helped give Overkill a B-movie look that fit perfectly with the depraved humor and unabashed, over-the-top moments. Bringing the game into full HD on the PS3 actually takes away from the original experience and shows that film grain and great graphics just don’t mix. But the visual changes don’t stop with the HD upgrade—Extended Cut also includes added 3D. Enemies chuck weapons in order to add a few 3D moments to the experience, but it feels forced and unnecessary the whole way through, and it’s just another knock on these new-and-“improved” visuals.

Another flaw comes with the controls, since most players don’t actually own a PS Move—and that’s how this game is meant to be played, with the Move serving as a makeshift lightgun to help re-create that arcade experience. If you don’t own a Move, the controls don’t translate to the DualShock, since you’ll more than likely try to overcompensate with the reticule and overshoot your target, making the game’s multiplier combos almost impossible. Looking back, the game worked so well for the Wii because the Wiimote’s essentially designed as a light gun to begin with.

Extended Cut includes two new levels that follow zombie-fighting stripper Varla Gunns when she’s not with Agent G and Isaac Washington, and those definitely add some replay value and extra humor—though the spotlight still shines on the relationship between Washington and G. These areas introduce new characters while also bridging what some might consider plot gaps—but I just think of them as part of the charm.

In the end, I can’t believe I actually found myself pining for the Wii version, as this PS3 incarnation found a way to use technology to suck out all the fun and charm of the original and deposit it in a steaming pile of disappointment on my living-room floor. If you’ve never played the original House of the Dead: Overkill and happen to own a Move, then this game might be worth checking out. Otherwise, I hope you’re ready to dust off your Wii—because I’d actually recommend that version, which you can probably find in the bargain bin these days, to get the better overall experience.

SUMMARY: It may sound preposterous, but you’d be better off checking out the far-better Wii version of this PS3 port.

  • THE GOOD: Two new levels extend the campy, on-rails romp
  • THE BAD: HD graphics with a film-grain effect is like a visual oxymoron
  • THE UGLY: The Mother boss in full 3D

SCORE: 6.0

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EGM Review: Kinect Sports: Season Two

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The defending champ looks for a repeat

When Kinect launched last year, several titles showed off the possibility of the peripheral, but few had the lasting appeal of Kinect Sports. Fun when played individually—but truly appreciated with a group of friends—the game made a clear, lasting impression on the casual market. Now, Microsoft looks to see if they can reel in soccer moms again with Kinect Sports: Season Two. American football, baseball, golf, darts, tennis, and skiing are all featured in this newest iteration—and if you thought you broke a sweat before, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

I tried out football first—and it was easily the most grueling, as I had to run in place for receptions and kick returns. On top of this, I had to get down under center; standing signaled my virtual center to hike the ball. Though I had a lot of fun playing offense, I think I would’ve enjoyed it more if I could’ve also played defense instead of just watching the box score to see how my AI opponent did during its possession. But when it comes to picking-up, throwing, and kicking motions, the game’s almost more exciting than a real-life pick-six.

Moving to baseball, I tried my hand at a home-run-derby-style minigame before stepping into the batter’s box for a couple of quick two-inning games. Again, a lot of running was involved, as I beat out ground balls for infield singles whenever I couldn’t drive the ball into the gap or over the fence. But there was just one problem: The game seemed to have issue with my swing—because of my power-hitting demeanor, I have a big leg kick. Anyone who’s hit the diamond in real life knows that the leg kick comes first, but I guess I have a few too many moving parts in my stroke, and I’d sometimes trigger the swing a couple of seconds too early. Once I reined in my herky-jerky motion, though, the game worked a lot better.

Darts was a lot less involved physically—but also much more frustrating, because I just couldn’t seem to get my shots lined up correctly. It was also the only game where I couldn’t even beat the Rookie CPU, because I’d always just miss my mark. Skiing was also relatively simple, as I leaned left and right to make it through the series of slalom gates, but I had a lot more fun with the obstacle course, since that was a lot more involved—I jumped, ducked, and swerved on a much more regular basis.

Tennis wasn’t very involving, either, since the game controls all of your lateral movements. You’ve just got to focus on your swing, whether it’s a forehand or a backhand. In fact, the best part of tennis might’ve actually been the hot chick doing the tutorial tennis video!

Finally, it was time to hit the links, and this was the first golf game I’ve ever played where the putting mechanic worked so well that I actually ended up with a score under par. Between my practice swings, my caddy offering advice, and the Kinect sensor picking up my movements precisely, I started to realize why some people actually enjoy playing a sport that’s so horribly boring to watch on TV.

All in all, each game’s quite polished, and the sensor bar does its job throughout—which, to me, is the most critical element of a Kinect game. My only concern is that Season Two could lose its luster in single-player, so you’ll need to rely on the Xbox Live challenge mode, where you and your pals try to one-up your best scores, or get really obsessed with the new calorie counter. Also, hearing a British dude talk about American football felt weird, but I can forgive that because of the awesome licensed music. All in all, Kinect Sports: Season Two is a worthy successor to the first—and easily the premiere casual Kinect experience.

SUMMARY: A worthy successor to the first—and easily the premiere casual Kinect experience.

  • THE GOOD: Six new sports in the vein of the original Kinect Sports
  • THE BAD: Some motions—especially in American football and baseball
  • THE UGLY: Several of the sport-tutorial video models (not tennis girl, though—she’s hot!)

SCORE: 7.0

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EGM Review: MotionSports Adrenaline

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Won’t get your adrenaline pumping

The MotionSports series is Ubisoft’s attempt to give gamers a more realistic alternative to the Kinect Sports offerings while also providing a variety of different sports. Since Kinect Sports took a cue from several of the original MotionSports games and added football and skiing to their gamut of minigames this year, MotionSports decided to go a step further with Adrenaline and focus on extreme sports: mountain-climbing, kite-surfing, wingsuit-gliding, mountain-biking, kayaking, and the return of skiing. Most of the sports revolve around racing to a certain point—or, in a style more in line with Kinect Adventures, collecting various coins as you tumble down a given path.

Unfortunately, much like the original MotionSports, Adrenaline has its share of problems—and most of them lie in the fact that the sensory response just isn’t very accurate. And even more unfortunate is that instead of fixing the motion responses from the first game, Ubisoft toned down the player’s involvement to a series of cheap, basic leaning movements—and they still couldn’t get it right.

I also just have to shake my head at the game’s shameless Degree deodorant sponsorship and their “Adrenaline” line of products. Product placement in games doesn’t bother me when it’s subtle—the Verizon phones or Energizer batteries throughout Alan Wake being a prime example. After all, it’s not like you had Alan saying every five seconds, “When I need to dispose of nasty shadow creatures, I reach for Energizer to power my flashlights.” But when Adrenaline comes off as more of a subliminal commercial than a worthwhile game, that crosses a clear line for me.

One of the game’s few saving graces comes with some of the character customization. Since you can’t use your traditional Xbox 360 Avatar, you choose a base model for a character and then dress him or her up as you see fit. You can also unlock gear that boosts certain abilities as you progress by collecting “Adrenaline points” after each successful minigame run.

But that positive’s a lone buoy in the dark sea of negativity that is Motion Sports: Adrenaline. Since the events are so simplified, you lose out on a lot of potential fun—most just feel like rip-offs of other, superior, Kinect games. To not even come up with a sixth new sport and just port over the skiing experience from the first game just shows the lack of effort that seems to have gone into this title. Wingsuit-gliding and kayaking require a minimal amount of movement on your part, and you feel more like you’re just falling whenever you play—one through the air, the other through cheesy splash effects. Mountain-biking, skiing, and kite-sailing are solid enough, but since they’re on-rails and only require occasional leaning to turn, they, too, make you feel like much of the control’s been removed from the player. The only event that I remotely enjoyed in terms of controls was mountain-climbing, which requires you to actually reach in different directions and pull yourself upward. But even that felt oversimplified, with only a couple of paths laid out for you to choose from.

If it isn’t clear by now, let me say it directly: MotionSports: Adrenaline feels rushed, unfinished, and unpolished. Sure, Kinect might offer a few worthwhile casual-gaming experiences—but this isn’t one of them.

SUMMARY: Kinect offers a few worthwhile casual-gaming experiences—but this isn’t one of them.

  • THE GOOD: Several sports we haven’t seen in any form on any console before
  • THE BAD: Poor motion sensory in many instances
  • THE UGLY: Seemingly sold its soul to Degree deodorant

SCORE: 3.0

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Assassin’s Creed Encyclopedia Coming Same Day as Revelations

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Like having access to Altair’s library

For many people, what makes Assassin’s Creed so great is how it molds the story it wants to tell around actual real world events from history. In this way, Assassin’s Creed has written its own special history that parallels our own. But it can get a little confusing after a while as well just trying to keep things like who all the Borgias are straight and what the differences are between a Turkish Flanged Mace and a Florentine Mace. Well, with their fourth game in the series in Assassin’s Creed: Revelations about to come out, there is a lot more history to Assassin’s Creed than even a lot of us diehards may realize and so Ubisoft is getting ready to release the Assassin’s Creed Encyclopedia.

Set to drop the same day as Assassin’s Creed: Revelations, the Encyclopedia is the must have for every diehard Assassin’s Creed fan as you can have the entire history of the franchise up to this point at your fingertips. Along with all this information, you’ll also get never before seen art to go along with many of the entries as well as a running list in various categories like weapons, Templars, and Assassins. And it’s all opened up with a foreword by Gears of War’s Cliff Bleszinski talking about how important franchises like Assassin’s Creed is for gaming as a modern medium.

Be warned though, as tempting as it might be to just start reading the Encyclopedia from front to back, there are spoilers for both the animated short Embers, also being released on the same day as the game, November 15th, as well as for Assassin’s Creed: Revelations itself. So if you want to learn just what happens to Ezio and experience it like it is meant to, by playing the game, then I recommend you play Revelations first, then watch Embers, THEN read the Assassin’s Creed: Encyclopedia in order to keep all the surprises best in tact.

The best way in order to get the Assassin’s Creed: Encyclopedia would be to go through Ubisoft themselves by going to http://shop.ubi.com and picking it up on November 15th along with your Signature Edition copy of the game that comes with the Embers animated short.

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Pullbox Issue #10 – 10/19/11

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Sorry for the lateness for this week’s Pullbox. Our big reveal for NFL Blitz this week forced a lot of people’s responsibilities to be pushed back some, including mine, and so I’m still in the process of catching up on everything. Never fear though as it was another solid week in comics as we’re seeing the return of H.A.M.M.E.R. storyline ramp up in the Avengers, Fear Itself finally came to an end and ANOTHER Marvel event has started with The Fearless. Meanwhile, we also saw the end of Uncanny X-Men so a lot was going on with Marvel to compete for my spotlight. DC continues to be strong with several new titles and a surprising new Indie comic makes it into the Pullbox this week. So here’s this week’s Pullbox!

1) Marvel – Avengers #18: With Fear Itself wrapping up this week, we also are starting to see the comics revolving around its fallout. This comic is one of those fallout comics, but also details an unseen figure from several of the most recent Marvel events. All this while Captain America has a mandatory Avengers meeting in Avengers Mansion since Avengers Tower is nothing but a pile of rubble now. You could see some lineup changes here after this while also you have the groundwork being laid more importantly for the return of the Dark Avengers, which was immensely popular its first time around. This is just continuing to build up the foundation to make Norman Osborn one of the biggest bad guys in the Marvel universe once again while also allowing what has been a revolving door of heroes on the Avengers roster to settle down with all the other events going on in the Marvel universe. The Thing is doubting himself and his involvement with the team after Fear Itself, Beast is working on leaving to be with Wolverine and the new school in Westchester, and Iron Man is poor. Like really poor. So he’s not sure how much help he can be right now as he tries to get his affairs back in order. All in all, this is a key issue to the future of the Avengers and is a better read than the major Marvel event books that came out this week so I highly recommend it.

2) Marvel – Uncanny X-Men #544: The final issue in this official volume of the Uncanny X-Men, more or less details once again who is going where, whether they are staying in San Francisco with Cyclops, or going with Wolverine back to Westchester. It also finds a way to work in a classic villain who has been laying low and has obvious interests in this split amongst the X-Men standbys, the one and only Nathaniel Essex, best known as Mr. Sinister. As everyone’s personalities are highlighted and you get to see how this affects everyone on an individual basis, you also see the groundwork for the two new monthlies that will come out of this and I personally am looking forward to seeing how each new team will do as this harkens back to the X-Men Blue Team and X-Men Gold Team of my early childhood. A must read for any and every X-Men fan, there is a reason why this is the best thing going on in comics right now and this issue sums it up well in the matter of a single issue.

3) DC – Red Hood and the Outlaws #2: After the mysterious cliffhanger of the first issue, this continues to be one of the best comics of the DC New 52 because of the tremendous team dynamic between Roy Harper, Starfire, and Jason Todd. After giving people who may be unaware of how Jason Todd came back from the dead a brief catch up/origin story, we learn what all the mysteriousness of the last issue was all about and got into some awesome action where the banter of the team was no complimented by how they fought together against some undead martial arts masters. We also see Starfire in sexy clothing again, which for me is just full of win. Really though, this is probably the best written comic DC has right now and I love the art work and am happy to have this as a part of my Pullbox. Now if we could just get Justice League and half of the rest of the New 52 up to this level and DC might be able to fight back a little better against all these ridiculous Marvel events.

4) DC – Nightwing #2: What had started off at a decent clip in the first issue has amped up tremendously in this issue as it seems everyone knows now who Nightwing really is! A blast from Dick Grayson’s past comes back to surprise everyone, especially Dick, but this new assassin who is meant to take him down has the biggest surprise of all. The assassin known only as Saiko uncovers Dick’s biggest secrets and looks to send them with him to the grave. A lot of great action, a ton of surprises that really push Dick Grayson’s character forward, and a new villain that reminds me of an old Nightwing villain in some ways named Lady Vic has me really enjoying everything about this comic. I can’t wait to see what happens next as both Batman and Nightwing is centering right now around the idea that Dick Grayson is the most dangerous man in Gotham somehow. It’s a story line we haven’t really seen probably since the Bruce Wayne: Murderer story from a decade ago and it will be interesting to see how the characters work their way out of it. To me, this was an easy addition to the Pullbox.

5) IDW – 30 Days of Night #1: Picking up where the tremendous graphic novel of a few years ago left off and capitalizing on the success of the movie by the same name, this new monthly from IDW gives people what they should want, horrific, blood-thirsty vampires tearing people to shreds. Now though, the vamps from the graphic novel and movie have moved southward to warmer pastures than Barrow, Alaska, and are looking to take out the people who know of those events and are working feverishly to keep their presence a secret still to the larger world. I will say that I am a huge fan of vampires being the monsters that they are supposed to be and not the stuff you see in that True Blood or Twilight crap and that’s exactly what this comic will be and I know that because it did not get off to a slow start. You had people getting torn apart about midway through the book and it just didn’t stop. My only concern with this comic is that I’m not a fan of this particular art style, but that’s my personal tastes and my enjoyment of seeing people’s jugulars ripped out overcomes that any day of the week. If you’re looking for a new good horror related comic, then look at this book.

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ADMIT ONE – Movie Previews for October 21st, 2011

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No surprise to see Real Steel to come out on top for a second week in a row last week especially against a pair of remakes, but it was a little disappointing to see The Big Year debut in 9th place. But as I forewarned, it just seemed too smart of the average moviegoer. With another trifecta of movies coming out this week, it should be interesting to see if Real Steel can hold off another remake and another seasonal horror movie. Here is this week’s movie previews.

1) The Three Musketeers

The evil Cardinal Richelieu has disbanded the legendary French fighting force known as the Musketeers as part of an evil assassination plot to further strain relations between France and England. Three heroes though know that they don’t have wear a crest to still be Musketeers.

Alexandre Dumas’s classic action/adventure tale is probably one of the most remade movies in Hollywood. I can think of four versions in my lifetime alone, but this looks to be one of the worst. Although a star-studded cast, including Academy Award winner Christoph Waltz as the dastardly Cardinal, is featured in this film, it seems to have gone too over-the-top with the classic story featuring insane technology for the time instead of any real swashbuckling and has almost a League of Extraordinary Gentlemen feel, which is something you don’t want in The Three Musketeers. Steer clear of this.

2) Paranormal Activity 3

Set in 1988, a pair of sisters are able to see and speak with an invisible entity with a malicious nature after their family moves into a new home.

Likely to do the best this weekend just because it is another cheap to make horror movie and Halloween is fast approaching, Paranormal Activity 3 looks to be the exact same movie as the previous two. So if you enjoy being startled by things that go bump in the night, there are just enough surprises and solid special effects in this to probably keep you satisfied and to encourage the makers of this franchise to keep churning these out on a yearly basis for next to nothing. If you’re not afraid of ghosts though, then clearly this movie isn’t for you.

3) Johnny English Reborn

The international bumbling super spy Johnny English returns to action in order to foil an assassination plot against the Chinese premier.

The least likely to do well this weekend I believe, at least here in the States, this movie all comes down to if you like Rowan Atkinson’s brand of movie humor. Lots of physical humor and awkward, zany situations will be seen throughout this Atkinson produced British comedy. If you like any of Atkinson’s previous work like Black Adder or Mr. Bean, the original Johnny English, or spy spoof movies like Austin Powers to begin with, you’ll probably get your laughs from this one as well and won’t be disappointed. Especially if you like sitting in a mostly empty theatre.

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Hands-On: Saints Row: The Third

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Originally Published: October 19, 2011, on EGMNOW.com

We love Rim Jobs

There are a lot of games out there that take themselves too seriously. Everything is about saving the world from this or protecting people from that. Rarely do you get a game like Saints Row: The Third that just doesn’t give a crap about any of that and whose main purpose is to just give the gamer as many tools as possible to blow stuff up. It was for this reason that I was drooling like Homer Simpson over barbecue for the chance to go hands on with this game and it looks to deliver in ways I couldn’t even begin to imagine.

The story starts with the Saints, now international celebrities after having driven out the Ultor Corporation in Saints 2 from Stilwater. Deciding to rob a bank, they do it how any other superstar celebrity criminals would do it: dressed as their most recognizable face, Johnny Gat. Thing is though that they aren’t the only gang in town anymore and a collection of several other gangs calling themselves the Syndicate have moved in and kicked the Saints out. After some spectacular action sequences that would put Nathan Drake or any of those other “heroes” out there to shame, you find yourself, the leader of the Saints, in Steelport, ready to get some revenge on those who knocked you down a few pegs and to set up shop in this glorious new little town on the river.

From the second you press start, Saints Row: The Third is the most over-the-top third-person action game you will ever play. Volition and THQ have pulled out all the stops, some in questionable taste for those more politically correct gamers I’m sure, to make this the craziest game you’re ever going to play as long as you don’t mind the sometimes infantile humor. Which I don’t. From riding shotgun in a helicopter and raining rocket launcher death down onto your enemies (I love rocket launchers) to running naked through a mansion, drugged and barely cohesive, but still aware enough to break enemy necks as you work way through the…impressed…crowd (you’re packing in more ways than one!), every mission is challenged by the last to up the insanity.

But even beyond the main story missions, there is so much stuff to do on the side in Steelport that you’ll be able to have every carnal gaming desire satiated and then some. From performing various wrestling maneuvers when mugging unsuspecting citizens to having to drive a tiger, (yes, an actual tiger) around to keep it happy and from mauling your face off, every aspect of the game is designed to keep you laughing and to drive you to keep playing because you can’t wait to see what new line it will cross next. And it crosses A LOT of lines.

Besides the tongue-in-cheek humor throughout the game though, like the auto body shop “Rim Jobs” where you can not only pimp your ride with spoilers, decals, and the like, but also with kneecapping Ben-Hur like chariot spikes to destroy the tires of enemy vehicles or just mow down the populace, there is also spoofs on other games and media franchises, like the Tron based levels you’ll take part in when going against the hacking Deckers gang. Truly no one and nothing is safe if Saints Row thinks it’ll get a rise (figuratively, maybe literally) out of the user.

I’m not even close to scratching the surface though of all that there is in this game. Beyond the three main gangs you have to face, we also saw for the first time STAG, a government sanctioned military faction looking to destroy all gang activity and with STAG comes some Grade A military hardware like fighter jets and tanks and more rocket launchers to up the destructive ante. But if you really want some interesting vehicles, then pre-ordering the game gets you the Professor Genki pack, which includes the Genki-mobile. Professor Genki is a world famous (in the Saints’ world anyway) Japanese game show host that wears a jumpsuit, cape, and giant cathead. Unsuspecting contestants (which you will be one of later in the game) must work their way through Genki’s treacherous maze full of flame and electrical traps for cash and prizes while also avoiding his machine gun wielding furry dressed henchman. Back to the car though. It handles and looks like an ice cream truck, but it has a cannon on top that sucks in pedestrians and uses them as ammo. So really it’s just your average, run of the mill, man-apult.

Alright, so clearly there is a lot of mission variety and things to do in Saints Row: The Third. I’m having sensory overload just going back over this stuff and I only saw about 40% of the campaign. There is a lot more to this game than hysterical situations and zany characters though. You also have choices. As in other Saints games, you want two things from this world, money and respect. Money lets you buy things from tricking out your various headquarters to upgrading weapons, while respect is where the RPG leveling up elements sneak into this game. Each time you level up, you unlock access to new perks like increasing your cash flow from some of the businesses you’ll “protect” for a fee to being able to dual wield your pistols. The more crazy stuff you do while on a mission or out in the world, the more respect and money you’ll earn and so like everything else in this game, you are encouraged from the get go to just go wild and do whatever you feel like because the more insane it is, the bigger the reward. Have I mentioned my love of rocket launchers by the way?

Keeping in with the small RPG elements, we see a return of the robust customization system for your main character. With the crazier and more insane outfits offering you more respect, you might just be tempted to go gallivanting around Steelport in that S&M leather suit or in those long flowing pimp robes you’ve had your eye on for quite some time. You could also get inspiration from your friends because the game sees a return of co-op as well. Being able to see them dressed in zany outfits might inspire you some, but it can also help you on those tougher missions. Volition stresses the game was designed to be more of a co-op experience because the more people laughing at the same crazy situation only makes it funnier, but trust me in saying it doesn’t penalize you for playing the game alone and is still just as damn funny.

And if your mind wasn’t already melted from everything I’ve already described, we also saw the debut of a new mode to replace the traditional versus multiplayer from the previous Saints Row games. Ladies and gentlemen, prepare to have your mind (and maybe other body parts) blown in Whored Mode. Yes, Saints Row: The Third will feature their take on Horde mode where you will face wave after wave of gangster, pimp, deviant, midget, prostitute and any other insane foe you may face in the game in hopes of getting the highest score possible. I’m pretty sure it has rocket launchers as well. Also, a weapon called the Penetrater that’s also available in the main game. I don’t want to talk about the Penetrater because there are some lines that I can’t cross in this preview article. Let’s just say it sums up everything Saints Row is all about in one simple melee weapon.

Honestly, there is so much in this game that I saw in the hands-on I got that I could probably keep writing for a long time, but I don’t want to spoil all the surprises. A big thing to keep in mind is if you haven’t played the previous games, you don’t have to worry because the opening cinema explains everything you need to know and then you can just jump in and have fun. If you don’t feel like taking a game too seriously, but still having a ton of fun when playing, then you’re going to definitely want to check out Saints Row: The Third. It has readily available rocket launchers.

So what do you think? Are you a fan of the previous Saints games? Are you going to pre-order for the Professor Genki pack? Will you play co-op or solo? What about the new Whored mode? Let us know your thoughts with comments below!

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Hands-On: NFL Blitz

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Blitz is back!

Even with all the safety precautions in the modern NFL, it’s usually the most brutal moments that permeate our collective memories. Whether we’re thinking back to fullback Jon Ritchie’s perpetually bloodied forehead or Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor’s infamous leg-breaking hit on Joe Theismann on Monday Night Football, it’s this gridiron grit that draws us into the game. Of course, no one wants to really see anyone get hurt—except me, ’cause I’m sadistic like that—so what if we could get all the bone-crushing hits without anyone actually having their bones crushed? Well, it looks like a reinvigorated blast from the past may just have that fix we’ve all been waiting for.

The new NFL Blitz looks to return the franchise to its arcade roots, and from what we’ve seen based on our hands-on time, it looks like this was an easy score for EA. Aside from 30-yard first downs and 2-minute quarters, you’ll see post-play elbow drops, players launching themselves across the field like missiles to make unbelievable tackles, and guys just getting the ever-loving stuffing beaten out of them without a single yellow penalty flag in sight. Of course, the guys at developer EA Tiburon (the same folks behind Madden) are also offering some gameplay upgrades, like the collision system and each team getting their own individualized special play on offense in the universal playbook—like my New York Giants’ “Big Apple” play.  It’s all part of the new experience that is NFL Blitz.

And that’s really what NFL Blitz is stressing this time around—the experience.  With elements like the pregame fanfare and Blue Angels flyovers, along with legendary NBA Jam announcer Tim Kitzrow coming onboard to do play-by-play, the over-the-top arcade feel carries over into every aspect of the game. So, even when you’re not pressing buttons or “on fire,” you still get the feel of Blitz, even in the menus.

Speaking of menus, this definitely ain’t your daddy’s Blitz, because this new version includes countless game modes beyond your standard exhibition—and the biggest change probably starts with the customization features. We all like to play with our favorite teams, but we’re also probably painfully aware that many of them have at least one—if not several—deficiencies at key skill positions. Now, by earning Blitz Bucks via the online versus modes, like Blitz Battles against friends, or the Elite League (more on that in a bit) you can buy packs of football cards that feature cheerleader loading screens, cheats for classic features like Big Head mode, power-ups for online versus (again, more on that shortly), or actual players. Once you get a card of a player you’re looking for, you can go buy them and add them to a customized roster. Want Megatron—spectacular Detroit Lions wideout Calvin Johnson, for those of you not up on your football nicknames—to play in Chicago? Want punishing Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher to play on the Bengals? Or how about Colts QB Peyton Manning (pre-neck injury) to play for the Giants instead of brother Eli? You can carry this roster customization through every other mode, which really helps even the odds against some of your tougher opponents—or when taking on the Gauntlet.

So, I’ve mentioned Blitz Gauntlet a couple of times now, but what is it, you ask? Well, some old-school wrestling fans might know that a Gauntlet match is when one grappler has to take on all comers in several consecutive matches without stopping. In that vein, Blitz Gauntlet sees you taking on several teams in a row without stopping. The further you go, the more Blitz Bucks you can acquire to buy football packs. Beating Blitz Gauntlet is also how you unlock the special character teams you might remember from old-school Blitz—as well as a few new ones thrown in for good measure. Zombies, Spartans, Hot Dogs, Lions (as in actual lions, not the ones in Detroit), Bigfoot, and more will be available in your exhibition modes if you clear Gauntlet enough times.

But NFL Blitz’s biggest addition may well be its online versus modes and all their various nuances. The draw for many fans of the original Blitz was the competition factor—and being able to brag to your buddy about how awesome that last touchdown you scored was, or that he needs to get his crappy offense out of your house, because they’re not scoring in your end zone today, no way, no how. With the new versus online modes in NFL Blitz, you can talk trash across the country—or, if you’d prefer, join a regional Elite League broken down by state. The leagues offer various competency tiers as well, so you can advance or regress in different divisions based on your skill level.

Another interesting versus-mode wrinkle: the Mario Kart–like power-ups that you can choose to include in the on-field action, such as speed boosts for that extra “oomph” after your turbo bar runs out. Much like your player cards, these come in card packs—and you can play several at a time if you wish or stockpile them for those really high-ranking opponents. If you’re not much of a smack-talker but still love to win something for beating your competition, versus mode also includes an option to risk the cards you currently have in your collection. Lose, and watch as your online opponent sifts through your collection and takes your favorite power-ups or a key running back. Win, and maybe fill that void you’ve had at strong safety by picking your opponent’s pocket.

All in all, NFL Blitz looks to be back and be bigger than ever—and just in time for the real-life NFL playoffs. So, let the smack-talking commence!

What do you folks think? Are you excited for Blitz to be back? Were you fans of the original Midway versions? How about going back to the NFL license and moving away from Blitz: The League? Are you amped for the online play? Let us know your thoughts with comments below!

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ADMIT ONE – Weekend Movie Previews for 10/14/11

Filed under: EGM (Electronic Gaming Monthly), Written — Leave a comment
October 14, 2011

We have a new heavyweight champ at the top of the box office and it is little surprise with the incessant PR campaign the movie had to see Real Steel as the big grosser last weekend with over $27 million. The Ides of March had a strong debut with over $10 million to take the distant number two spot as well, which was just enough to edge out the previous week’s top two, Dolphin Tale and Moneyball, which did fairly well with over $9 and $7 million respectively to come in at three and four. And I think none of these movies have much to worry about in terms of competition with the trifecta of new movies being released this week.

1) The Big Year (Fox)

Three avid bird watchers compete to see some of the rarest birds in North America and their rivalry hopes to lead to hysterical hijinx.

I look at this movie and it screams comedic potential, but I’m just not sure if all the elements will gel into something worth watching. Comedy legend Steve Martin teams up with Owen Wilson and Jack Black as men who are all rivals with each other in one of the most ridiculous of past-times imaginable in bird watching. Off the beaten path scenario with some great comedic actors sounds like a recipe for success, but everything I’ve seen of it so far says it comes off as too smart for a good chuck of your audience, much like a movie like Sideways. I would love to see this do well and will probably see it because I’m a fan of everyone in it, but I do so with baited breath.

2) Footloose (Paramount)

A city kid moves to the country where rock ‘n’ roll have been banned and his rebellious nature gets the better of the community.

Why? The slew of remakes we’ve seen in recent years is bad enough as is without making a poor remake of what was already a poor movie to begin with. Anything that revolves around dancing of any kind means I’m out. I’m sure this will appeal to the teener-bopper audience and 12-year-old girls everywhere will claim it to be their favorite movie for the next three weeks, but otherwise avoid this like the plague. Also, I think Drunk Hulk from Twitter (@DrunkHulk) had a rather apropos statement in regards to this movie: “SORRY FOOTLOOSE REMAKE! DRUNK HULK NO SUPPORT ANYTHING THAT TAKE AWAY BACON!” Well said sir. Well said indeed.

3) The Thing (Universal)

The discovery of an alien spacecraft at an Antarctic research installation leads to the de-thawing and subsequent confrontation of a monstrous creature not of this world.

Another remake. At least this one is a horror movie and Halloween is upon us, but still. Some things are better just left alone and I understand the temptation to re-do movies like this with modern technology, but from trailers I’ve seen, the special effects used here still seem to be from 20 years ago and are going more for a gross-out factor than anything that could inspire true terror. Good horror movies are hard to find nowadays because most behind the scenes movie people see them as easy profits, especially this time of year, because they’re cheap to make. But when the horror genre is dipping into the remake fountain as well, you know Hollywood is clearly out of ideas.

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EGM Review: Batman: Arkham City

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“Wait’ll they get a load of me…”

Comic book fans are easily some of the most rabid fans out there. Maybe it’s because of the history, maybe it’s the appeal of the characters, maybe it’s because of a lack of social skills developed in their mom’s basement, but whatever the reason, whenever something features comic book characters, the fans tear it apart. Well, good luck finding fault with this one. And trust me, being a fan myself, I tried.

Batman: Arkham City is easily the greatest fan service a comic book game could ever possibly be. Fans who had concerns over how the story line tied together or whether too many villains might be featured, need not concern themselves anymore. The way the story flows and introduces you to Hugo Strange, the Joker, the Penguin, the Riddler, Catwoman, Mr. Freeze, Deadshot, Zsasz, and all the other villains in Arkham City, could only be described as water it flows so smooth. The game has such a natural plot progression that your biggest problem may be just finding the time to finish it because if you do even a portion of the side quests like where you team up with Bane or simply wish to hunt for a few Riddler trophies then you’re going to be looking at a 40-50 hour experience. That’s almost unheard of for an action/adventure game, but somehow Batman: Arkham City finds a way to keep surprising you to the point where you might just start sitting on the floor so that when you keep dropping your controller it won’t fall as far. The guys at Rocksteady should be applauded for this new Batman universe they have created while also making it still feel like Batman.

Really though the biggest reason why the game is so great comes down to the variety and execution in the game play. There are a plethora of problems for Batman to solve using all of his different gadgets and abilities and unlike in Arkham Asylum where some gadgets were favored more than others, every gadget will get a workout here. Whether expertly trying to pilot your remote-controlled batarang through air ducts too small for Batman to fit through to hit a switch on the other side of a locked gate, to using your grappling hook to pull together platforms to solve tricky Penguin puzzles, every gadget will be pushed to the limit, and not to spoil anything, but there are a lot more gadgets this time around.

The gadgets are also a huge part of combat now, which is another feature that has seen a facelift. Now, via some hot key combos, Batman can whip out his grappling hook, batarangs, and other goodies on the fly and throw them in the face of unsuspecting foes to pull off some really stunning combos like using the grappling hook to pull distant thugs in for a devastating clothesline. Also, aside from the standard punches and counters and these new gadget moves, Batman has new special moves that can take foes out of the fight instantly when his combo gets high enough, catch items thrown at him and throw them back with a well-timed counter, capitalize on the tremendous environment physics to put walls and railings more to his advantage, and even unlock special crowd control moves that can even up the odds on those 30 on 1 fights that you’ll occasionally run into. Basically, if we’ve seen Batman do it in a movie or comic book before, he can do it in the game and few things feel as good as quick grappling an enemy over a banister and hearing him scream for his mommy before being knocked out.

Another aspect of the first game that has been tweaked is the leveling up, RPG elements. You start the game off with a good amount of gadgets and moves, but like in the first game, the further you progress and more stuff you do, the more gadgets and combos you unlock as it goes with the story and then upgrade as you see fit. In the end, most people should have many, if not all of the upgrades, but it does give you some options in just how you would play as Batman in order to help craft a more personal experience.

Now, for many people, the only real negatives from the first game were the linearity and Detective Mode being used as a crutch. I’m happy to say that both problems have been solved. In order to counter people wanting to stay in Detective Mode, things away from where your focus should be have become more blurred, forcing players to only use it when examining a crime scene, following a blood trail, or when scoping out a room full of thugs. The bright neon lights of Gotham also wreak havoc with Detective Mode really making sure that when you’re outdoors, you take in Gotham in all it’s downtrodden glory. The linearity has also been fixed with the bevy of previously mentioned side missions and having several objectives open at once so that you can solve cases at your own leisure, go explore for Riddler trophies, or just do what I did for the first half-hour I played the game, glide around on my cape and just take in Gotham staples like the Monarch Theater, Ace Chemicals, and Park Row.

Now, one knock might be that there is no co-op multiplayer since if you squint really tightly you might see potential for it, but the character really isn’t built for that, especially in this story. You can already play as other characters to mix things up, which the Catwoman levels are just as fun as the main game and give you a whole new look to Arkham City for the short sections you play as her by the way. But, honestly, Batman is at his best when he is the center of attention and Robin, Nightwing, Oracle, and the rest of the Bat-family are just on the sides providing occasional support from the wings. And Batman and his rogues are the biggest reason why anyone plays this game. Would anyone really play a Nightwing game with him taking on Professor Pyg? The challenge maps return, of course, and trying to work your way up the leaderboards and build the best combo is still fun and choosing different characters there works, but Batman is a loner and so the main vein of this game, which is the campaign, is in all its glory with you just focusing in and playing as Batman.

When all is said and done, throw in the amazing voice acting from Mark Hamill, Kevin Conroy, Maurice LaMarche, Tara Strong, and the rest of the cast, and without giving away the brilliantly written plot (thank you Paul Dini), all I can say is that this is the single greatest comic book game I’ve ever played. It plays so well that I can easily recommend this to anyone without even thinking about it.

SUMMARY: Batman: Arkham City is easily the greatest fan service a comic book game could ever possibly be.

  • THE GOOD: The most comprehensive comic book game I’ve ever played
  • THE BAD: So many “Oh my God!” moments you keep dropping your controller
  • THE UGLY: The seedy underbelly of Gotham all in one spot

SCORE: 10

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