Tag Archive: review


EGM Review: Trials Evolution

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June 2, 2012

Darwin’s Daredevils

The original Trials HD won over the hearts of wannabe daredevils everywhere when it first crashed (literally and figuratively) onto the scene in 2009 with its tight controls and the simple, yet addictive game play of a motorcycle rider working his way through insane and twisted obstacle courses. So, when a sequel was announced, fans everywhere double-checked their life insurance and prepared to start smashing and crashing all over again.

And it’s a good thing they did because both fans of the original Trials HD and gamers who may have missed it the first time around, but are curious about the hype, will find that with just a few tweaks and expansions to that original base concept, Trials Evolution has done just that: it has evolved. Mind you, the core is still pure and simple. You are a motorcycle rider tasked with working his way through a series of insane courses that range from some simple slopes in the countryside early on to doing back flips through dilapidated factories or jumping the mini-canyons that have opened up between parts of a rickety wooden roller coaster as the game gets progressively more difficult.

The key part to making these obstacle courses so fun and exhilarating though is the tight controls. Every flick of the joystick that helps shift your rider’s weight as you try to maneuver your way though each course with as few crashes as possible, while still maintaining top speed (or at least close to it) in order to beat the clock, is as fine-tuned as ever and is definitely not for the ham-handed. This gives the game a difficulty at times that older gamers may liken to the classic perilous platforming of a Mega Man and although this may frustrate and turn off some less patient gamers, the feeling of satisfaction for a hard track mastered is second to none.

But there is a lot more to this game that just the several dozen obstacle courses laid out for you in the single player mode and a chance at working your high score onto the leaderboards. Trials Evolution now also features a 4-player versus mode where players will take on the same course, side by side, and attempt to win a series of races that almost have an Excitebike feel to them. Crashes are, of course, penalized so not only is it a race against your opponents, but just like in the single player, the richest rewards are for those who can maintain their balance on their two-wheeler the entire way through.

The grandest addition to the game though may be the expansion of one of the original game’s most illustrious features: the track builder. Now, there are two different versions. A ‘lite’ version that is similar to the first game’s and a ‘pro’ version that is actually the same track builder that the developer used to build each track in the single player mode. This offers possibly unlimited replay value for Trials Evolution as the community is challenged with making tracks that are worthy of the Trials name. And with tons of zany new additions, like UFOs or Jetpacks being your transportation mode of choice instead of your standard motorcycle, the possibilities are near endless.

Trials Evolution does have a couple of minor shortcomings. Obviously, there is no real story to the single player mode and the audio can get repetitive. As you progress and crash more and more, hearing the same crunch as the last time you crashed can get on your nerves a little is all I’m saying and I think having a licensed music selection would’ve been a lot more in the game’s interest than the generic stuff we hear throughout instead.

With Microsoft officially launching their ‘Arcade Next’ promotion with this game, marking that XBLA games can now feature up to 400 Gamerscore a pop, it is very fitting that Evolution is in the title. And if I were looking to start a new promotion, there are few games that I think could get you off on the right foot more than Trials Evolution. Great game play, an expansive track builder, more interactivity with the community than ever before, and considering it’s $15 (1200 MSP) price tag, Trials Evolution is a must have download for gamers everywhere.

SUMMARY:  Fans of the original Trials will love the steps the series has taken to move forward while being more open for newcomers to jump right in and have fun with it. It can be a bit frustrating at times though, as the game almost has an old-school platformer feel to it being easy to learn, but very difficult to master.

  • THE GOOD: Robust track creator, local/online multiplayer
  • THE BAD: Difficulty of some levels may turn off less patient gamers
  • THE UGLY: Slamming helmet first into a low beam just past a high jump

SCORE: 9.5

Trials Evolution is an Xbox 360 (XBLA) exclusive.

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EGM Review: Devil May Cry: HD Collection

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April 16, 2012

The Son of Sparda Returns

It has been over a decade since Devil May Cry smashed its way onto the gaming scene with fast paced, highly stylized action sequences, and introduced us all to our favorite half-demon, half-human, Dante, with his dual pistols and giant sword. And in honor of the new game that is supposed to launch later this year, Capcom has decided to bundle together the first three chapters of Dante’s video game life and give us the Devil May Cry: HD Collection.

Now, the name obviously denotes that this collection sees the first three games get a new coat of paint and now can all be played in stunning HD graphics. But aside from this, Capcom has also introduced some extra behind the scenes bonus content for the diehard fan base and almost 100 achievements/trophies between the three games that should keep all you completionists out there busy long into the night.

Unfortunately, since the game is mostly just a port though, we also get to see many of those last-generation games’ flaws. Compared to what we’ve gotten in this current console generation, Dante has not aged well at all. The cameras, the controls, and a lot of other very basic elements that may have been on par 10 years ago, are now null and void. Not to say they make the game unplayable, but anyone who hoped to use this as a way to catch up on the series incase you missed a title here or there may be in for a rude awakening and it may take even those who played the games the first time around a little while longer to re-adjust than they might expect.

But once you do get used to it again, all the great action and things that made this series great to begin with will rise up. The style meter, Devil Trigger, combo and mid-air attacks, and Devil Arms are all right where you left them and so if you’re looking for an excuse to replay these games, this is it. Not to mention that with the suggested retail price of $40 for the disc, you’re looking at less than $15 per game, which is the same as a XBLA or PSN title and Dante, even an older, less cutting-edge Dante, is still worth that much. So, even though it may show its age compared to what we’ve become used to, if you are a diehard fan of Devil May Cry or a newcomer looking to see what it’s all about, this is a solid time killer that is worth its price of admission.

SUMMARY: Although the games may not have aged as well as hoped, fans of the series are still going to be getting their money worth with the convenience of having three games on one disc, nearly 100 achievements, and some behind the scenes bonus content.

  • THE GOOD: HD graphics, achievements, bonus content, and all for less than $15 per title
  • THE BAD: Technically speaking, none of the games have held up as well as we may have hoped
  • THE UGLY: My fighting ability according to the style meter

SCORE: 7.0

Devil May Cry: HD Collection is available on Xbox 360 and PS3. Primary version reviewed was on the Xbox 360.

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EGM Review: Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City

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Back to the Beginning

If there is one thing the Resident Evil series is good at, it’s embracing its past and squeezing every possible scenario out of it to continue fleshing out the back-story for this beloved series. With that idea in mind, Capcom gives us Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City. Taking place at the same time as Resident Evil 2, you play as one of six members of Umbrella’s elite hit squad called the U.S.S. (Umbrella Security Service) whose sole task is to ensure that any illegal incidents that could shine a bad light onto Umbrella never come to surface. And Raccoon City is as bad as it gets. So you’ve been covertly inserted into the city to make sure the B.O.W.s do their job and no survivors or information get out before things in Raccoon are cleaned up.

For as much good as RE: ORC does at times, it does just as much bad unfortunately. There are seven campaign missions that you can play with up to three friends online, but the fact there is no option for a local split-screen campaign or versus modes is a big fault in my book. The story mode lacks a lot of the character development and overall depth that we’re used to seeing, but it still feels really fun to progress through this special mission as this badass unit and take down all these zombies and creatures that we’ve seen in previous titles, like Lickers or Hunters, with controls that are more suited to the action game this is clearly trying to be. Of course, some hardcore fans may not enjoy the fact this game distances the series from its survival-horror roots, but I had a lot of fun with it and so was able to forgive them for going off the reservation this time around.

The game also has six very different main characters or classes, which gives you a nice bit of variety if you want to try them all out. Unfortunately, the game only supports four players at a time in campaign and four-on-four matches in versus though. And having more people allowed to play would definitely be the way to go because if you see how often the friendly A.I. suicides itself in the campaign, you’ll want as many of your friends around as possible.

The controls are also hit or miss. While the gunplay is very good, with dozens of weapon and power unlockables and upgrades, the cover system is flawed due to it not being button prompted, but is just initiated whenever you press up against a flat surface. The melee combat is also solid as you perform character specific combos, and if you have enough energy, a character specific execution move that can instantly take out your opponents. There is also a running tackle though that makes no sense because it really does no damage and if you miss your target, it takes so long for your character to get back up that you’re nothing but a sitting duck.

The clear saving grace for this game though is the multiplayer. Four different modes that pit you not only against another team, but also random B.O.W.s and zombies in each level. Think of them as the ultimate level hazards. The four modes include your standard team deathmatch, a ‘Heroes’ mode where you pick a classic character from the series up to this point and you can keep respawning until all four heroes have been killed once, a ‘Biohazard’ mode which is your basic capture the flag, and a ‘Survival’ mode where you have to beat back the enemy team and various creatures as you wait for a helicopter to extract you. What’s most fun about ‘Survival’ is there is only one helicopter and only four seats available so half the players will lose and often there will be a mix and match of teams that make it out as once that helicopter lands, it is every man for himself.

When all is said and done, I think a lot of third-person shooter fans and Resident Evil fans will enjoy what Operation Raccoon City is trying to do with a really fun multiplayer and a decent campaign that is worth a couple of quick playthroughs. The game looks and sounds great, although I still can’t believe Capcom didn’t come up with more than a handful of zombie skins, and most importantly is fun more often than not. Some more polish on the controls, ally A.I., and a local multiplayer option would have definitely kicked this game up a notch, but as is, it is worth a look to fans of shooter multiplayer modes and Resident Evil.

SUMMARY: Another unique look at the events of the original Resident Evil outbreak combined with a fun and inventive multiplayer should help Resident Evil fans look past the sometimes clunky controls and poor ally A.I.

  • THE GOOD: Fun multiplayer modes and a unique take on the classic Resident Evil story
  • THE BAD: Poor ally A.I., no local multiplayer options, and clunky controls
  • THE UGLY: That Capcom is still using the same five zombie skins since the series launched 16 years ago

SCORE: 7.0

Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City is available on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. Primary version reviewed was on the Xbox 360.

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EGM Review: Kinect Star Wars

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IT’S A TRAP!!

We can tell you the serial number on the trash compactor Luke, Leia, Han, and Chewie fall into on the first Death Star. We can give you weapon specs comparison between an A-Wing and an X-Wing. We know Han shot first. We are the diehard fans of Star Wars and many of us have been waiting for the ultimate gaming experience that will give us the level of immersion we desire into our favorite sci-fi universe. Unfortunately, this is not the Kinect game we are looking for.

Kinect Star Wars is best described as a series of party atmosphere mini-games with a Star Wars theme. The main Jedi Destiny campaign does offer a bit more length and a deeper story than the other modes at least, where you play as a Jedi Padawan to a long forgotten about Jedi Master between Episodes I and II. You can wield force powers, handle a lightsaber, ride speeder bikes, and serve as a gunner in space battles.

The idea of all these things are phenomenal, and had a full game been developed around them I could see this actually being a memorable Star Wars game. Instead, you succumb to a bevy of gimmicks that make you feel less like a Jedi and more like Bantha Poodoo. Slow, deliberate movements are required to use your lightsaber, instead of the fast frantic action we’re used to seeing, and there is almost no need to use the force aside for a handful of moments that feel like button prompt events except you’re waving your arms. The story for the main campaign was solid, but aside for the first-person on-rails space missions that might give you flashbacks to games like X-Wing vs TIE Fighter, you could never really get into a rhythm with the motion controls.

The other modes in Kinect Star Wars don’t fare much better though for the most part. The Podracing campaign only has six races in it, and although it features many familiar faces that Episode I fans will immediately recognize, the motion controls are overly sensitive. I understand that Podracing is supposed to be difficult, but you try holding your arms straight out for a 12-minute race on Coruscant or for ten minutes in Cloud City and then see how well you can steer.

The Duel of the Fates mode is even more bare bones than the Podracing though. The entire mode is only five battles with only two of which actually being worth mentioning where you can face off against Count Dooku and Darth Vader himself in Cloud City. And this may be the most gimmicky of all as the entire time all you’re doing is blocking easily telegraphed moves and waiting for an opening to strike yourself. Flailing around has never felt so crummy.

There were a couple of fun modes that I’m sure could liven up a party if given the chance and should everyone love Star Wars. The Rancor Rampage mode is basically like playing old-school Rampage in full 3D and as a Rancor. You can bulrush buildings, eat Stormtroopers, throw droids across the map, and more. This mode was also relatively responsive due to the simple movements necessary really to wreak havoc across the four maps and two modes you could play this in.

The final game mode that seemed to work was Galactic Dance-Off. Yes, now you too can be a slave girl in Jabba’s palace or see who would win the epic dance-off in the Carbonite Freezing Chamber between Lando and Han to such classics as “I’m a Princess in a Battle” (set to Christina Aguilera’s ‘Genie in a Bottle’) or “I’m Han Solo” (set to Jason Derulo’s ‘Ridin’ Solo’). It’s really just Dance Central set to a dozen or so Star Wars song spoofs, but it actually worked well and had me and my friends laughing hysterically as we proceeded to make complete nerfherders of ourselves.

At the end of the day though, this is not what Star Wars fans want. It may appeal to small children on some level with the couple of modes that work, but there is really no depth or long-lasting appeal to anyone over the age of ten. Some of the modes can be entertaining and the main Jedi Destiny campaign story has some potential, but gimmicks and poor game play hold this back. Not to mention, I think a lot of us are sick of stories that are told during or before the prequels. For many of us, the original expanded universe took place after Return of the Jedi. Grand Admiral Thrawn anyone? At the end of the day, I think we’d all be better off just retreating to Dagobah than devoting any serious time to this game.

SUMMARY:  This is not the Kinect game you’ve been looking for. A cute array of mini-games and a decent length main campaign could make this a fun party game with a Star Wars theme, but if you were looking to finally feel like a Jedi, you might want to stick to the bathrobe and flashlight a little while longer.

  • THE GOOD: Some modes provide a party game atmosphere with a Star Wars theme
  • THE BAD: Not the hardcore experience most Star Wars fans really wanted
  • THE UGLY: The very existence of spoofed pop songs with a Star Wars skew

SCORE: 5.0

Kinect Star Wars is a Xbox 360 exclusive. 

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EGM Review: I Am Alive

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Dust to Dust

Whenever we think of the apocalypse nowadays, it always seems to be vampires ruling the Earth, the dead rising from the grave, or nuclear fallout, and the various problems that would then result from surviving any of those hellish fates for the planet. But what if the biggest problem you would find yourself facing is your fellow man?

Driven to the brink of madness like starving dogs fighting over a single slab of meat, I Am Alive is an interesting glimpse at human nature as you play as Adam, a man who was stranded on the other side of the country when an event happened that shook humanity to its core and after a year of traveling on foot, has finally come home to look for his family. What’s most interesting about I Am Alive is that what happened before doesn’t really matter as your primary concern is dealing with its effects on the environment you find yourself working through now. Never specified, whatever triggered the apocalypse has pushed what’s left of humanity to their baser natures and your primary enemy has become other survivors, and the dust from the fallout of whatever cracked the earth in two.

The atmosphere that I Am Alive portrays hits you like a ton of bricks from the second you take over as Adam. Dark, bleak, and desolate, even the tutorial may make you want to give up hope. But, as you press on, you’ll come across other survivors as you search for your family. Some folks are friendly, and some not so much. And then there are others still who won’t attack you unless provoked and you have to choose whether a confrontation may be worth what they are hiding.

Once you peel back the layers of atmosphere though, you begin to realize that I Am Alive is a very bare bones game. The graphics are barely worthy of the last generation of consoles, never mind this one, and the combat is more like an intricate puzzle than something you would expect in a survival game. Many situations play out where you have four enemies encircling you and only two bullets. A surprise attack with your machete could take out one, but that still leaves one unaccounted for. At first this requires some fast thinking and faster trigger work, but once you realize there is no real A.I. and all the enemies slip into one of only two or three patterns and the game becomes repetitive and dull when it comes to the combat aspects.

The character development is also very poor and as sad and as bleak as this world you are in is, you have a hard time caring for many of the NPC characters and their simple fetch quests. I admit though, there was one shocking moment I had where I did feel bad for an NPC after I failed her. If only I had found a second food can in time.

The controls for the most part are a bit stiff, but you can work with them once you get used to Adam’s limitations. And the inclusion of a stamina bar makes a lot of sense and makes your exploration of this new world the most hazardous to your health as running out of energy while climbing a skyscraper could lead to instant doom. It also gives the game a bit more of that realistic atmosphere as Adam is clearly no Nathan Drake or Altair. Despite this flash of ingenuity though, I Am Alive’s strong atmosphere and interesting premise isn’t enough to pull it up to elite status everything considered.

SUMMARY: A wonderful job creating the bleak and oppressive atmosphere of the post-apocalyptic world you find yourself in, the combat and character development leaves much to be desired.

  • THE GOOD: Moody and atmospheric unlike most any other survival game out there
  • THE BAD: Repetitive, puzzle-like confrontations with poor enemy A.I.
  • THE UGLY: The last generation graphics are more depressing than the actual tone of the game

SCORE: 6.0

I Am Alive is available on Xbox 360 (XBLA) and PS3 (PSN). Primary version reviewed was on Xbox 360.

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EGM Review: Gears of War 3: Forces of Nature DLC

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Return to Sera

When Gears of War 3 launched in September of last year, we were promised a string of high-quality DLC that would expand both the single player campaign and the top of the line multiplayer. Ever true to their word, Epic has delivered every step of the way and that streak continues now with the Forces of Nature DLC.

The final piece of the Season Pass offer (not to say there won’t be more DLC in the future), this DLC, priced at 800 Microsoft Points ($10) for non-Season Pass subscribers, provides five more new maps that can be played in all multiplayer modes, sees the return of the fan favorite Guardian mode, and includes seven new gun skins and four new character skins. Not to mention all you achievement hunters out there will have fun going after 10 more achievements for a possible 250 points from this DLC just like all the others before it.

For those who are unfamiliar with Guardian, it is basically a game mode where one player on each team of five is named “Leader” and the rest of the team has infinite respawns as long as that player remains standing. Forcing players to balance going on the offensive to try to remove the opponents’ leader, and to stay back and help protect your own leader, who is permanently marked with a bright star above their heads so both teams know where they are at all times, is the beauty of this game mode. Sometimes entire matches can be finished in five minutes, while other times you’re looking more at a series of 10-15 minute rounds depending on skill and play styles.

The five new maps are also something to behold and can greatly affect matches due to their stark differences. Three of them (Artillery, Cove, and Aftermath) are completely original while we see Raven Down from Gears 1 and Jacinto from Gears 2 re-imagined to the point where they are unrecognizable. Raven Down and Cove are extremely tiny maps forcing constant confrontation while Jacinto has many nooks and crannies to dig into and provide a natural formidable defense. Artillery is also much more spread out than any other map and encourages your team to move as a single unit to hopefully pick off your foes whereas Aftermath has a lot of high points perfect for sniping.

The skins are also nice touches and I know a great many people were thrilled to see Mechanic Baird as there were sometimes entire teams of Delta’s resident wise-guy as I was playing. Along with this, Commando Dom (best described in the Gears novels), Savage Grenadier Elite, and Savage Hunter were also included in the skins.

So how does this latest Gears DLC compare to those that have come before it? Quite simply, it provides the same level of quality we’ve come to expect from Epic with the Gears franchise. There were, however, a couple of Day 1 glitches that popped up in the post-game stat tracking, but I’m sure that’ll be patched sooner rather than later and really doesn’t take away from the overall game play experience. So, if you are a fan of Gears of War and find yourself easily sucked into online match after match, much like yours truly who kept saying ‘just one more’ until 5AM yesterday evening (morning?), then this is easily a must have.

SUMMARY: With new and re-imagined maps, the return of Guardian mode, and some new weapon and character skins, the Forces of Nature DLC maintains the streak of high-quality DLC that Epic has already delivered to us for Gears of War 3.

  • THE GOOD: Return of classic Guardian mode
  • THE BAD: Day 1 stat tracking glitches
  • THE UGLY: This is the last DLC of the Gears 3 Season Pass

SCORE: 9.0

Gears of War 3: Forces of Nature DLC is an Xbox 360 exclusive.

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EGM Review: LEGO Harry Potter Years 5-7 – PS VITA

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Falling to pieces

The Harry Potter franchise is beloved by millions of people around the world. Movies, books, and, of course, video games have all seen the boy with the lightning bolt scar enter their medium and be met with success for the most part. And so with such a popular franchise, it was only a matter of time before our dear Harry joined the ranks of Batman, Indiana Jones, and Star Wars and was LEGO-ized. But does the conclusion to the boy wizard’s saga hold its own in this unique universe, especially when ported over to the new PS Vita handheld?

Quite frankly, this may be the worst game the LEGO series has put out there on the market to date. The only real positive that I saw with this game is that much of the LEGO inspired humor that is a staple for this series remains intact with its ample cartoonish embellishment in order to get points across without the use of voice acting and fans of the Harry Potter movies will surely pick up on all the key moments and giggle in delight no matter what your age. And speaking of the movies, much of the music from the films was licensed so at least you got a moderately authentic feel in that regard.

But after that, this game takes a nosedive like someone jumping off a ledge with the wrong broomstick between his/her legs. The first thing you really notice is the graphics do not really take advantage of the PS Vita’s processing power, much like every other port we’ve seen to the handheld console thus far, and this is especially evident in the cut scenes. It looks more like the 3DS version may have been the one directly ported over and if that’s the case, that’s a bad move for the Vita. This would make sense though if TT Games was cutting corners since the PS Vita version features touch controls, but again, like many games that also have console brethren and so also implement a full button layout control scheme for the Vita, the touch controls are tacked on and really offer no enhancement to the game play whatsoever.

And speaking of the game play, this is probably the weakest movie adaptation yet by the LEGO folks as unlike Batman, Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean, or Star Wars, there is a lot less action in this game as much of the story is advanced by solving puzzles and playing mini-games. This may tie more directly into the movie franchise, but as a gamer it can get tedious quickly in LEGO form as many of the puzzles continue to be focused on a demographic under the age of 12, even if the franchise may appeal to a wider audience.

The biggest mistake this game makes though may be removing the online multiplayer features from LEGO Harry Potter Years 1-4. This is especially a death knell for the Vita version as the system’s highly touted connectivity is absolutely wasted here. So, at the end of the day, LEGO Harry Potter Years 5-7 is just another weak port of an already released game with limited scope to begin with and that maintains many of the problems of its console brothers, but they either become more evident on the Vita or forget to take many of the positive points of its console brothers along for the ride. If you’ve already bought this game for another system, there is really no point in buying it again and if you haven’t, this is not the system to experience it on.

SUMMARY: Nothing new in terms of game play when dealing with the basics of the LEGO series, LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 for the PS Vita is one of the more dull adventures set in a world crafted from the classic building blocks. Combine this with no multiplayer, tacked on touch controls, and the fact that the game has been available on consoles for months already, and this port is barely worth anyone’s time.

  • THE GOOD: Maintains classic LEGO games humor
  • THE BAD: No multiplayer, one of the duller adventures in the LEGO series
  • THE UGLY: Poor Harry’s scar is much more noticeable in LEGO form

SCORE: 3.5

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 is available on Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, 3DS, DS, PSP, PC, and PS Vita. This review was done for the PS Vita version of the game.

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EGM Review: Blades of Time

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If I Could Turn Back Time

The idea of the treasure hunter is nothing new and has been around probably for as long as there has been treasure to hunt. But Blades of Time, looks to put an interesting spin on this age old premise by mixing equal parts attractive looking protagonist with some sweet elemental time powers and seeing if it can’t make something that is worth playing.

You play as Ayumi, a girl whose good looks are only outmatched by her greed and so when she hears word of an alternate dimension with countless riches, she storms into the sanctum where the portal to this world is held with her mentor, a man named Zero, and takes no prisoners. Once in this alternate dimension, a place that you find out is called ‘Dragonland’, Ayumi gets more than she bargained for though and falls katana-first into an ageless war between chaos and order and only by tapping into the powers of both can she hope to survive.

And, of course, Ayumi will be expected to fight through this new world in order to save her hide and has more ways to do so than you’d expect to find in even the most polished of hack ‘n’ slash adventures. She’ll wield a pair of patented katanas, a plentiful amount of rifles, and various elemental powers, including time, which is obviously referred to in the title and thus takes center stage with your magical abilities, and creates many of the more interesting combat dynamics.

Many of the foes you’ll face, especially the larger ones, outgun Ayumi in a lot of ways. Thus, the only way for her to make any progress is to use the time rewind powers bestowed upon her when she first entered Dragonland to her advantage. By doing this, Ayumi can create duplicates of herself that will mimic the actions she performed in the last few seconds. You can literally create a small army of rifle firing Ayumis to immediately shatter a foe’s shield or hack away with a hundred katanas. And it is quite the sight to see all these echoes of the curvaceous blonde running around a battlefield, causing carnage in their wake.

Of course, the downfall of this mechanic is the fact that many of the enemies require this technique to be used on them later in the game. Therefore, the game starts to become a bit of a grind as you move through various vibrant and colorful sections of this war-torn dimension you find yourself in with really only one or two combat options later on as opposed to early in the game and that in and of itself just seem counter-intuitive.

With all these weapons and powers at her disposal, the thing that I was most impressed with though was the ease with which I was able to switch from swords to guns and to magic. This helped with the pace of many battles and with a dozen Ayumi’s running around, helped keep things feeling frantic and exciting in terms of action, even if I really had the situation well in hand the whole time as my combat options became more and more limited as the game went on.

Unfortunately, the game really falls apart when it comes to the plot and character development of Ayumi, Zero, and the other characters you come across in the game. Ayumi is left as a plain, one-dimensional character until the very end of the dozen-hour experience where you maybe start to see a crack of personality form. By then though, you’ve become bored of her and the miserable voice acting that litters the game in both mid-level banter and poorly animated cut scenes, all of which is, of course, just a vain attempt to forward what was a very weak plot to begin with. This lack of a fleshed out story makes the grinding in the later levels even more painful as you are denied the proper motivation to really see this character through to the end of her journey because you never care about her or her cohorts and therefore are denied your just rewards with a satisfying conclusion.

The game does offer some replay-value in that once you beat the game you can play it again on Hard Mode and it has various collectibles scattered about Dragonland that are supposed to help fill in the back story, but are just as vague and lifeless as the voice acting in the cut scenes. There is also a multiplayer mode called Outbreak, which is the game’s twist on Capture the Point and can be played against or in co-op with several friends, but isn’t anything particularly special.

When all is said and done, Blades of Time surprised me with its tight controls and interesting time manipulation dynamic that offered a nice change of pace to your typical hack ‘n’ slash experience. But with a lack of plot and character development throughout my entire time playing the campaign, I just could never bring myself to really care about this game as much as I wanted to.

SUMMARY: Some solid combat dynamics can’t make up for the fact that the plot and character development, or lack thereof, falls flat in every way.

  • THE GOOD: Great combat dynamic between the guns, swords, and time powers
  • THE BAD: An overall lack of plot and character development
  • THE UGLY: Don’t you just love it when lips don’t sync up with words in EVERY cut scene?

SCORE: 6.5

Blades of Time is available on Xbox 360 and PS3. Primary version reviewed was on Xbox 360.

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EGM Review: Kid Icarus: Uprising

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

Get ready to hate eggplant again

Many of us who grew up with the NES fell in love with the idea of a little angel who was trying to save the heavens from a nasty demon with snakes for hair. Then we played this game and proceeded to throw and smash many a controller due to what would become its legendary difficulty and would need to go to anger therapy for being turned into an eggplant over and over again.

But still, all this was part of the charm of the original Kid Icarus, and many of us wondered why we never received a true console sequel. Sure there was a Game Boy version in 1991 that was really just a dumbed down version of the original and we’d later be teased and taunted by Pit being a fighter in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. But now, finally, after so long, Pit is back to serve the goddess of light, Palutena, and save the world once again from Medusa. And Medusa has a few surprises in store for our dear Pit, including a dark doppelganger of our hero, the return of her lieutenants like Pandora, and yes, that damned Eggplant Wizard as well. At least now the eggplant thing is only temporary though (although I would’ve loved to have seen some 3D nurses).

But, although Eggplant Wizard may no longer be as infuriating as he once was (or his new cousin Tempura Wizard that can turn Pit into a shrimp), there is still some great difficulty to be had with the new Kid Icarus: Uprising. But if the normal experience should prove simple for some of you out there, you can make the game more difficult before hand by sacrificing found hearts to the “Fiend’s Cauldron” before each chapter and amp up the Intensity to a level 10 (the game starts at an Intensity level of 2). This can lead to finding bigger and better treasure in a level, but will also throw a lot more and stronger enemies at you and if you should die, you lose all the hearts you used to increase the difficulty in the first place.

Unfortunately, the “Fiend’s Cauldron” isn’t the only thing that makes the game difficult. Some of the game’s inherent difficulty also stems from the unusual control scheme. All of the action from the game stems from shooting with the L Button, moving with the circle pad, and using the stylus to aim and look. Each level is broken into two parts. The first is always an on-rails in the air style shooter where Palutena is guiding Pit’s wings and all you have to do is shoot enemies as they come on screen. This works fine with the odd controls.

The problems always arose during the second part of each level when Pit was on the ground and the game became more of a traditional third-person shooter. It was difficult to target enemies, move the camera around with the stylus, and really just figure out where you were going at any time or where you should be looking. I would have killed for some sort of Z-Targeting system like in The Legend of Zelda games (or a second joystick like every other shooter made in the past decade) just to help me keep my bearings with a lot of the foes, especially during the epic boss battles. And although the included stand does help alleviate some of the strain that comes from having to hold the 3DS so awkwardly whenever you play, it also limits you to where you can play as it only works best on a table or flat surface of some kind. Trust me, I tried it in my lap and a few other places, and tables are your best bet.

Despite this, you’ll probably be able to force your way through most of the game as long as you take it in short spurts of only a couple of chapters at a time. And because of the humorous writing and great story, you’ll definitely be compelled to finish the story mode. Not to mention, the ability to use nine different types of weapons with a bevy of options in each category really helps keep the game play from getting too boring as you get new weapons through a variety of different means.

But, here I am getting carried away with how awesome the story mode is, and I almost forgot that there is also a huge new multiplayer component to the game as well. First, you can use AR cards included with the game or Idols collected in game to duel various creatures from the game’s universe against each other with the 3DS cameras. There are also “Light vs. Dark” team-style and “Free-For-All” versus arena modes where you can battle up to six players with your own customized Pit depending on what weapons you find and use in the game.

The game is also pleasing to the eyes and ears as no two levels, in story mode or versus, look alike and take advantage of a bright and colorful design palette, and the voice acting, especially for Pit and Palutena in story mode, who fill in most of the gaps of the story with some witty mid-level banter, is simply top of the line. Add in some remixes of classic NES themes and a few new tunes as well and the audio/visual component of the game is superb all around.

When all is said and done, although the controls may be frustrating at times and take some getting used to, this is a very solid game. Great visuals, tremendous depth of game play modes, and a fully realized plot that is brilliantly executed on every level makes this probably a must have for every 3DS owner out there.

SUMMARY: A brilliantly written and executed new chapter in the long-abandoned, but never forgotten, Kid Icarus franchise that will appeal to new and old fans alike with its amazing depth and stunning visuals.

  • THE GOOD: Great action and writing throughout
  • THE BAD: Unusual control system can get uncomfortable after long periods of time
  • THE UGLY: How about a two-decade long wait for a true sequel

SCORE: 8.5

Kid Icarus: Uprising is a Nintendo 3DS exclusive.

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EGM Review: Defenders of Ardania

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

None Shall Pass!

High fantasy seems to be the soup de jour in the games industry nowadays with games like Lord of the Rings, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Game of Thrones, Kingdoms of Amalur, etc., etc., either having just been released or are just beyond the horizon. But something that hasn’t been beaten to death is the Tower Defense genre and since high fantasy lends itself to that discipline rather naturally (think castles and stone forts), enter now Defenders of Ardania ready and willing to fill the gap. This isn’t your typical Tower Defense title though as it interestingly mixes in some RTS elements that encourage you to think both offensively and defensively as well.

As the ruler of a prosperous fantasy kingdom, your wealth and resources has obviously attracted a horde of malcontents who wish to raze you for every last coin you may have. But by implementing some serious strategy, you can weather the storm of both human and demonic foes. To ensure your victory though, you must also march your army down the enemy’s throat with wave after wave of your own soldiers.

The ideas that Defenders of Ardania throws out there are all well and good, but like so many games that try to cross-breed game play types, a failed marriage between two or more elements can lead to a bigger disaster than had a single game play style been used and failed. The Tower Defense base works fine as you place ballista, spearmen, archers, and various other well equipped fortifications around the battlefield map. Even the magic spells in your inventory work to help even the odds as space runs out quickly on the field for you to place your towers. But the RTS element is woefully under-developed as each wave you create of soldiers must walk a clear path towards your enemy’s castle and they are as mindless as the towers you place. You let them go and forget about them. So although there is some strategy there as you must pick what units to send and what paths for them to take, you can mostly forget about them after you create them and hope they carry out their pre-ordained mission.

The worst part of this is that once you create a sound enough defense, as the old sports adage of “defense wins championships” was taken to heart it seems in the game design, your enemy has typically done the same and you can’t muster the proper offense you need to win as your mindless drones march to their doom over and over again, often resulting in long drawn out matches on even the easiest difficulty settings as you try to force your way past a virtual stalemate. One nice thing about the game though is the multiplayer as when you insert human error into the equation, there is a better chance for a match to progress at a decent pace, or if a stalemate does occur, for one player to get tired and give up.

The sound is irritating as well as your narrator and chief advisor sounds like an awful Sean Connery impersonator and he may be the best of the voice actors you come across as you move through the levels. The visuals are at least bright and vibrant enough to offer some distraction from this, but there are a lot of pretty games out there I’d rather devote my thinking power to.

When all is said and done, Defenders of Ardania was a nice concept, but poorly balanced execution and a tired, unoriginal story keep this from being anything special aside for maybe some Tower Defense diehards who have been waiting for something to come along in the genre.

SUMMARY: The marriage of RTS elements with a Tower Defense base fails to work as smoothly as necessary for this game to be anything memorable.

  • THE GOOD: Beautiful, stylized high fantasy setting
  • THE BAD: RTS and Tower Defense elements don’t blend as smoothly as necessary
  • THE UGLY: Bad Sean Connery impersonator serves as narrator

SCORE: 5.0

Defenders of Ardania is available on Xbox 360 (XBLA), PS3 (PSN), PC, and iOS. Primary version reviewed was on Xbox 360.

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