Tag Archive: video games


EGM Review: LEGO Batman 2: DC Superheroes

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July 8, 2012

You can call me…JOKER!

In my mind, the major issue holding the Lego videogame franchise back since its 2005 debut has been the strict guidelines to which the games adhere, since they’re all based on established properties. Mind you, they’re all terrific franchises: Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean, and soon, Lord of the Rings. But one game in the series that bucked that trend was the first Lego Batman. Though the Caped Crusader’s clearly an established property, the story didn’t limit itself to a comic book, cartoon, or movie story arc—and many of us celebrated that fact.

Flash forward four years after the release of the first Lego Batman, and developer Traveller’s Tales has decided to forgo their proven-successful mold once more with Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes. Not only does this entry provide players with an original storyline, but it also marks several significant series firsts. Midlevel checkpoints might be one of the more noticeable changes, as the size and scale of each story level is several times larger than anything else seen to date in the Lego franchise. The game also includes a centralized hub world—in this case, Lego Gotham City—that connects players to many of the major plot points.

But let’s get to the biggest change: talking! For the first time ever, each character in the game actually speaks and doesn’t just mime their intentions or resort to physical humor to get a point across. Now, that’s not to say that the childish Lego slapstick’s been entirely done away with—there’s just a bit less of it. And DC Superheroes’ cast is more or less a Who’s Who of voice actors, with Nolan North, Rob Paulsen, Claudia Black, Tara Strong, Jennifer Hale, and many more—spearheaded by Clancy Brown, who reprises his DC Animated role of Lex Luthor.

But as always, it’s that classic Lego gameplay model of destroying and rebuilding everything in your path—and the kooky plot at the center of it all—that really makes DC Superheroes. And, of course, as our tale unfolds, the Joker’s back up to his old hijinks; he crashes the Gotham “Man of the Year” awards, demanding that he should be the recipient. Bruce Wayne, the actual winner, makes a quick costume change into Batman and proceeds to apprehend his longtime nemesis. But Lex Luthor, also in attendance, decides that working with the Joker to possibly help rig his upcoming presidential run could be just what he needs to change his address to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. And so, as soon as the Joker lands back in Arkham Asylum, Lex busts him out. A nefarious duo of such epic proportions might be too much for even Batman to handle, so the entire Justice League comes in to lend their support.

More so than any Lego game to date, this one should strike a chord with audiences of all ages. Older Batfans will appreciate several moments that pay homage to Adam West, Michael Keaton, and essentially every actor who’s worn the cape and cowl over the years, while younger players will love being able to break apart and rebuild an entirely interactive Gotham. And with the expanded roster of the Justice League at your command, exploring the same area with different characters can make DC Superheroes seem like a whole new adventure each time—not to mention that you’ll need to switch often if you want to find every secret red or golden block.

The expanded Gotham does provide some navigational problems, though. Although the game includes a map feature—and you can place markers that create a Fable-like trail in the ground comprised of Lego studs—the markers blend too easily into the background and can be confused with those you pick up as currency to unlock characters. And while there’s also a compass in the upper-left corner of your HUD when in the Gotham hub world, it’s difficult to really tell where you want to go, especially when soaring around in the Batwing or taking hairpin turns in the Batmobile—the compass spins around faster than the Flash on a straightaway!

Despite these occasional navigational issues, though, this is still the most complete experience you’re likely to get in a Lego game. Whether it’s taking to the air as Superman, making constructs as the Green Lantern, or just sticking to the main story as the Dark Knight and rocking out in his iconic vehicles, gamers of all ages should be able to appreciate what Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes brings to the table.

SUMMARY: Easily the best Lego game yet, Lego Batman 2: DC Superheroes’ expansive world, original story, and bevy of unlockables should please fans of all ages.  

  • THE GOOD: Massive world, entertaining original story.
  • THE BAD: Easy to get lost in Lego Gotham.
  • THE UGLY: Aquaman. Aquaman is always the answer to this one.

SCORE: 9.5

Lego Batman 2: DC Superheros is available on Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii, DS, 3DS, and PS Vita. Primary version reviewed was for the Xbox 360. 

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EGM Review: Pokémon Conquest

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Gotta conquer it all

Since the “Gotta Catch ‘em All” superfad days of the late ’90s, Pokemon’s been a gaming staple that’s transcended audiences due to its addictive, turn-based RPG base and its cute, family-friendly humor and themes. But like all great Nintendo cash cows, it also needs to break away from the formula every once in a while in order to possibly reach new audiences (and wallets). That’s what led to the creation of the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon spin-off, after all—and to the game we’re looking at today.

Pokémon Conquest is a cross between the pocket monsters we know and love and the classic Tecmo Koei strategy series Nobunaga’s Ambition, which tasks players with uniting feudal Japan under one banner. In this game, you’re the newest daimyo in the land of Ransei, a Japanese-inspired realm. Along with your loyal pet Eevee, you’ll build an army comprised of the best Pokémon trainers in the land in order to conquer the 17 other daimyos and rule Ransei. Each daimyo, just like in all the other Pokémon games, battles using themes based around specific types of Pokémon—and, with 17 daimyos to conquer, you’re sure to see each type represented once.

But if you’re expecting a traditional Pokémon game beyond those aspects, you’ll be sorely disappointed. The Pokémon you wield are simply tools to carry out macro and micro strategies on a gridlike battlefield. In fact, Pokémon traditionalists may well be irked by the gameplay. But if you can look past what this game isn’t and focus more on what it is, you’ll find a deep, well-polished, engrossing strategy offering.

The bulk of the actual gameplay sees you positioning your Pokémon around a field, moving them square by square in standard strategy-game fashion and then either choosing to attack, hold your position, or use an item, which reminded me of a poor man’s Fire Emblem. One downside to this, though, is that each Pokémon only has one attack move instead of the traditional four. That means that once you choose to attack, your turn with that Pokémon is all but over. For a game revolving around strategy, removing that classic Pokémon element is somewhat puzzling. That, and when—or if—a Pokémon evolves almost seems to come at random, as the leveling-up system we know and love has also been replaced by a Pokémon’s “strength rating” and a meter measuring the relationship with their respective trainer.

The biggest key to success in Pokémon Conquest, though, is that instead of capturing new Pokémon, you recruit new trainers and their specific Pokémon to your cause and build your army up. This is an interesting dynamic, as you can fight with up to six Pokemon per turn; once you reach the limit of six trainers in your party, though, you’ll need to start distributing other trainers to previously conquered lands. But since each land can also only hold six trainers at a time, you’re very limited in who you can or can’t recruit—and this will surely frustrate players used to trying to complete their Pokédex (now replaced by a common gallery) and having as many Pokéballs they could buy and then just storing them in a massive PC.

Though the Pokémon label might be slightly disingenuous, Conquest does offer a novel, enjoyable take on the strategy genre—and the Pokémon brand also gives the traditionally hardcore strategy genre a modicum of accessibility to a wider audience. If the wider Pokémon fanbase can look past a few curious decisions in regards to this odd franchise marriage, they’ll find a strong strategy title that should provide some severe addiction in its own right.

SUMMARY: Another solid Pokémon spin-off, but die-hard fans will quickly miss much of the gameplay from the main series.

  • THE GOOD: Interesting blend of turn-based strategy elements with Pokémon.
  • THE BAD: Hardcore Pokémon fans will miss the traditional catching and leveling aspects of the main series.
  • THE UGLY: Some of the simplest level design you’ll ever see.

SCORE: 8.0

Pokémon Conquest is a Nintendo DS exclusive.     

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E3 2012: The Big Question: WWE ’13

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Will the return of the Attitude Era in WWE ’13 finally allow wrestling fans to let go of WWF: No Mercy?

When you talk to fans of wrestling videogames, many still claim—to this day—that the N64’s WWF: No Mercy, released in November 2000, is the best wrestling game they’ve ever played. Whether it was the storyline dynamics the game introduced, the massive roster and customization features it boasted, or the unavoidable truth that the game released during the most popular wrestling era in history, one fact is clear: Players just refuse to let go of this game.

Flash forward 12 years later—so long, in fact, that the WWF’s now been the WWE for 10 years—and take a quick look at the current wrestling scene. CM Punk’s currently the most popular personality the WWE has—and it all started last summer when the straight-edge superstar went allegedly “off script” in a rant that shook the company to its very core. His feud with John Cena—and, ultimately, the WWE brand itself—led Punk to walk out of his hometown of Chicago as the WWE Champion, but supposedly no longer under contract. All this did was rile up fan support for Punk even more. He was this generation’s Stone Cold Steve Austin. Someone you couldn’t censor, couldn’t predict—and, most importantly, couldn’t stop.

So, naturally, Punk needed to be the cover wrestler for WWE ’13, as the momentum he started in 2011 hasn’t slowed down at all. But Punk isn’t just the most popular wrestler of this era; he also hearkens back to the nostalgic time of WWF: No Mercy—the Attitude Era. The late ’90s were dominated by D-Generation X, Stone Cold versus the Rock, and Mick Foley and that damn stinky Mr. Socko. CM Punk reminds a lot of wrestling fans of those larger-than-life personalities from that era—the ones that helped make WWF: No Mercy so great.

So, in order to strengthen the bridge between now and then, WWE ’13 is introducing a new option called “Attitude Era” mode, where you’ll get to play through eight classic storylines from that era all over again. Whether it’ll have the branching paths of No Mercy is yet to be seen, but the idea of being able to play through those classic storylines with those legendary wrestlers—but with a modern gaming engine—might be too good to be true. We also have no word on just who these classic eight might be, but I think I made a few decent suggestions in the previous paragraph!

When you combine that homage to the past with an even beefier WWE Universe mode, refined Predator animation technology, the new WWE Live system that features “Spectacular Moments” like ring breaks and barricade crashes, and a brand-new audio system, the only question that remains is this: Will the Rock’s storyline end with him in the midst of a mediocre movie career? That, and where the f*** are our ice-cream bars?!

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EGM Review: Batman: Arkham City—Harley Quinn’s Revenge

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June 2, 2012

Ever seen a clown cry?

SPOILER WARNING: If you haven’t finished Batman: Arkham City, major plot spoilers follow.

After the amazing ending of Batman: Arkham City, fans everywhere were left wondering just what would happen now in the dark, gritty, urban nightmare the boys at Rocksteady had cooked up—and had comic fanboys ranting and raving for months. Well, with the new Harley Quinn’s Revenge DLC, players will get a little more light shed on the endgame situation as they once again don the cape and cowl of the Caped Crusader.

Set several days after the end of the main game, Harley Quinn’s Revenge revolves around the Joker’s No. 1 girl looking for vengeance on the man she blames for slaughtering her poor ‘Mistah J’: the Batman. Using the GCPD as bait, Harley hunkers down in the Joker’s hideout from the main game—the Sionis Steel Mill—gives it a feminine flair, and dares Batman to rescue the Gotham pigs from the fryer. Things don’t quite go according to plan for the Dark Knight, though, and Harley manages to get the jump on Bats, leaving it up to Robin to rescue Batman, bring down Harley, and shut down the last villainous bastion of Arkham City once and for all.

Harley Quinn’s Revenge succeeds in doing a lot of things right, and fans of the main Arkham City campaign will immediately be able to jump right in. The DLC maintains the tone and pacing of the main game very well and gives everything a special Harley flair, as you see her thugs dressed in garb to match her traditional red-and-black playing-card jumpsuit; meanwhile, Harley gives herself a slight redesign by dyeing her hair black and donning a widow’s mourning veil.

The story also gives a bit of closure to Harley as a character. Though the DLC’s only two to three hours in length, it does a great job of providing her motivation—and possible future motivation—as well as confirming that the Joker, at least for now, has indeed passed on. It also gives an interesting look at how the Joker’s death is actually affecting Batman—and, in turn, the rest of the Bat-family, planting seeds for some interesting future plotlines.

Plus, Harley Quinn’s Revenge gives Batfans what they’ve wanted for a while—and that’s some gameplay with Robin. In fact, half the DLC sees you controlling the Boy Wonder, and he definitely feels much different than Batman. Aside from a different array of gadgets, Robin’s also a lot quicker than the Caped Crusader, but he also needs to land more hits to take down foes. His bo staff definitely helps even the odds when it comes to ranged attacks, and his bullet shield (which I’d like to think is a small homage to the Adam West/Burt Ward Bullet Shield) provides a novel aspect to working past armed thugs.

The biggest problem with this DLC, though—and it’s most evident when playing as Robin—is the lack of an option to go back out into the glorious open world which most of the main game took place in. The entire DLC is set in and around the Sionis Steel Mill, and you have almost no opportunities to go back and explore, making it feel very linear—and like a completely separate entity from Arkham City. I would’ve loved to have seen some objectives scattered about the city, just to see what Arkham looks like a week after the endgame chaos, but instead, you’re just moving through a small dungeon and typically have to go back over the same areas, as the story forces you to switch back and forth between Batman and Robin as the latter follows the former’s trail.

Still, Harley Quinn’s Revenge does a great job of bringing players back into the universe of Rocksteady’s Batman. The story and characters are just as compelling as before, the combat’s still amazingly tight, and the limited view of the world you get still looks and feels great. The only problem really lies within the linearity of the story, which makes you feel like you’ve taken a step backward and are playing a level from Arkham Asylum instead of Arkham City. Despite this, Batman fans of all shapes and sizes should get this DLC—and revel in Harley’s short time in the spotlight as the main villainess.

SUMMARY:  Harley Quinn’s Revenge is limited in scope compared to the main campaign, but fans of Arkham City should still jump at the chance to play this DLC, which adds two to three hours of original gameplay in Rocksteady’s gorgeously gothic world.

  • THE GOOD: Combat and story are just as tight as if they shipped with the main game.
  • THE BAD: Lacks the open-world feel of Arkham City.
  • THE UGLY: Harley dying her hair black while mourning.

SCORE: 9.0

Batman: Arkham City—Harley Quinn’s Revenge DLC is available on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. Primary version reviewed was on Xbox 360.

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EGM Review: Sorcery

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Some mediocre abracadabra

Everyone loves the allure of magic and believing in the unbelievable. Typically, we know that it’s all really just illusion, but games give us a chance to suspend our disbelief a little further with fantastical characters and by immersing us in stories based in myth and legend. Well, Sony hopes that even after countless delays, that by putting a ‘wand’ in your hand with Sorcery and the PS Move, that you’ll be able to immerse yourself just a little bit further than ever before.

You play as Finn, an orphan taken in by a sorcerer named Dash and his cat familiar, Erline. When Dash goes off on some errands, Finn decides its time to have a little bit of fun of his own and breaks into Dash’s storehouse. There, he finds an enchanted wand and soon after the real antics ensue as what starts off as some simple childish hijinx, like turning sheep into pigs and pots into fishbowls, quickly turns into an epic quest to protect Erline, as she is not who she really seems to be.

I admit that Sorcery shocked me in a lot of ways. It’s very easy to just write off a lot of these motion-control gimmick based games as we’ve had a steady stream of disappointment from most every one of them for quite some time. But Sorcery succeeds in crafting a highly detailed world with interesting, well-acted characters and a bevy of ‘out of this world’ powers that can appeal to gamers of all ages and providing some actual depth. Even after the game’s countless delays since the PS Move’s launch though, there are still some serious problems with execution.

Although the game’s lack of a targeting reticule or lock-on system is intended to give you a sense of freedom in the somewhat linear world before you, all it does is lead to constant frustration. It is far too easy to mishandle your wand and fire off magical bolts of various natures in the complete opposite direction of your intended targets, even after later learning how to weave your elemental spells to create a volcanic wall of fire or an electrical storm. Often instead you’ll find yourself just running around in circles on the battlefield as you try to finally get the PS Eye to pick up your wrist movement just right in order to smack your enemies with some of these devastating spells. And when you add in that some enemies have rejuvenating lifebars, the fun can get sucked out of this game more quickly than you can say ‘hocus pocus’ due to poor controls.

When all is said and done though, Sorcery is easily one of the better PS Move games. But this is still not saying much and when placed side-by-side with various traditionally controlled RPGs or action-adventure games, Sorcery, like many gimmicky motion-based games, simply falls short due to the gimmicks that gave the game inspiration in the first place. If you’re desperate to shake the dust off of your PS Move or have children that won’t easily lose patience with the controls, Sorcery does provide an entertaining, although predictable, story for gamers to play through, but otherwise shouldn’t cause any money to magically disappear from your wallet in order to purchase this title.

SUMMARY:  The gimmick driven combat system holds Sorcery back, as fun quickly turns to frustration after each misfire from your wand. And this is a shame given the predictable, but charming story that Sorcery tries to tell through vibrant characters and the beautiful world they occupy.

  • THE GOOD: One of the more well-rounded PS Move games available
  • THE BAD: Too many basic short comings and control glitches to be anything of real note
  • THE UGLY: Talking cats just ain’t right

SCORE: 6.0

Sorcery is a PS3 exclusive.     

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EGM Review: Dragon’s Lair – XBLA

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The Groundhog Day of Video Games

Dragon’s Lair is considered by many to be one of the most important early arcade games. Only one of three games to be featured permanently in the Smithsonian along with Pong and Pac-Man, Dragon’s Lair marked a lot of firsts for the gaming world back in 1983. It marked the first time anything but a sprite was used as the main character in a game, courtesy of the game’s creator, former Disney animator Don Bluth. It was the first arcade game to cost 50 cents instead of just a quarter. And it was the advent of the quicktime event.

The entire basis of the game was to guide Dirk the Daring through a random assortment of rooms where he would have to dodge using the four points of a d-pad or attack with his sword and press them at the proper time. If successful enough times (or after enough quarters), Dirk would rescue the very lovely Princess Daphne from the dastardly dragon, Singe and they’d live happily ever after.

Flash forward nearly three decades later and the game has been ported literally dozens of times and has been on nearly every system imaginable. So it was destined I suppose that this arcade classic was to make its way to the Xbox 360. In the hopes of giving this relic a little bounce to its step though, the game has also been made compatible for the Kinect, marking another first for Dragon’s Lair as it is the first downloadable XBLA game where you can play the entire thing through either via the Kinect or a controller like in the old days.

But, after playing through the game with both control methods, I can say with total confidence that as historic as Dragon’s Lair may be, it does not stand the test of time. The original Don Bluth animation is still stunning, but there are various glitches abound that were never smoothed out due to the game’s format. It is also alarmingly simple and should not take you more than 30 minutes to work your way through on even the hardest difficulty levels now that you have to pay $10 up front instead of worrying about feeding quarters into a machine.

The game still holds some of its charm with the princess constantly calling for you to save her and the humorous ways Dirk can die if not quick enough with your button presses, but nostalgia can only do so much. And if you want to give kids a history lesson in games, there are surely better ways. The Kinect controls are also, as usual, absolutely unnecessary and if you really want to get the best experience from this game, you have to use the controller all the way. Jumping left, right, forward, and back to dodge doesn’t immerse you as much as I’m sure the additions were intended to.

All in all, Dragon’s Lair was a significant note in gaming history back in 1983. But now, in 2012, it just can’t stand up to the games that we are used to seeing today and I don’t see it being worth $10 just to have a history lesson on your Xbox 360. Nostalgia can only do so much folks and at in the end, it isn’t enough to make Dragon’s Lair really worthwhile.

SUMMARY:  There is a lot of historical gravitas that Dragon’s Lair carries, but with over five dozen ports since its 1983 arcade launch, the game lacks punch, especially on modern consoles. There may be a nostalgia factor here for some, and it might be a good history lesson for others, but the game really doesn’t stand the test of time.

  • THE GOOD: Few games carry as much historical weight
  • THE BAD: Short, simple, and lacks modern appeal
  • THE UGLY:  Definitely not Princess Daphne! Hellloooooo princess!

SCORE: 3.0

Dragon’s Lair is available on Nintendo 3DS, PSN (PS3), PS Vita, PC, iOS, and XBLA (Xbox 360). Primary version reviewed was for XBLA (Xbox 360).    

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EGM Review: Max Payne 3

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No Payne, No Gain

It’s been more than ten years since Max Payne burst onto the scene with his gritty urban nightmare of corruption, betrayal, and sweet bullet time mechanics. A long time has passed for both us and Max, and a lot has changed in that time, but some things, like watching a bullet bore its way through a thug’s eye socket in slow-mo, never gets old.

In Max Payne 3, we see Max has moved from the familiar streets of New Jersey and NYC to Sao Paulo. There, he is a bodyguard for one of the wealthiest men in the city. And although his job title may be different, there is a seedy underbelly just teeming with nasty lowlifes who want to make Max’s life more difficult, even if he doesn’t have the emotional ties to the new people he finds himself rubbing elbows with. And things are only harder for Max now as he is older and not much wiser as his diet consists mostly of cocktails comprised of hard liquor and painkillers, constantly weighed down by the crippling depression of the events that happened in the first two games.

Max Payne 3 continues in the footsteps of its predecessors by telling an enthralling story with one of the most dynamic characters we’ve ever had the pleasure of controlling. Max’s dedication to the people around him, even if he has quit on himself, is admirable and pitiful at the same time and the brilliant voice acting by all those involved, including the returning James McCaffrey as Max, can’t help but pull you in. Not to mention the game looks great and the new physics system takes into consideration every bullet you fire and move you make. If you dive into a wall, expect Max to be jerked out of bullet time and into real time as he crumples up and if you shoot an enemy in the kneecap while he’s balancing on a high ledge, there’s a really good chance he’s going to go splat.

There are some flaws to Max Payne 3 though that also rattle you right back out of the immersive illusion the game creates. The most notable is the pacing of the story. A lot of mid-level cut scenes seem to pop up out of nowhere just as you really start to get into a groove with the action and bullet time. It’s great to be the person triggering the special scene as you fill a South American gang member full of SMG bullets, but it seemed like every time you moved into a new room, a short scene was triggered that almost always put you at a disadvantage at the start of the ensuing gunfight. And if you die, the game’s haphazard checkpoint system could send you a lot further back than you’d prefer, forcing you to do over some frustrating sequences multiple times and sucking you not only out of the story, but the fun out of the action.

Max Payne 3 also suffers with its cover mechanics. Clunky and slow moving, Max rarely seems to be in a rush to get down behind some boxes or against a wall, even with a hail of gunfire aimed for his face fast approaching. When compared to the premiere third-person shooters out there, this is one mechanic that Max definitely falls flat on.

If you can get past these few blemishes though, there is a lot to bring you back to Max Payne 3. Aside from the golden gun and clue collectibles in each single player level, there is also an arcade version of the campaign and the multiplayer is something that fans will easily get into. Forcing your friends to slow down whenever you initiate your bullet time as you line up that perfect head shot is satisfying, especially if you’re like me and prefer the Free Aim controls option. And with a bevy of modes ranging from your standard Team Deathmatch to some interesting takes on Capture the Leader, and the ability to create your own crew that gives you special bonuses, there is more than enough there to keep third-person shooter fans coming back for a long time.

When all is said and done, if you can get past the couple of control blemishes and don’t mind the trial and error feel to some of the action sequences, Max Payne 3 is a story chock full of action that both old fans and newcomers to the franchise should enjoy.

SUMMARY:  The unique storytelling and charismatic narration will pull you into an enthralling experience, but glitchy cover mechanics, poor checkpoint management, and off-putting pacing will rattle you out of your gaming reverie more often than you’d like.

  • THE GOOD: Dark, gritty, and action-packed
  • THE BAD: Glitchy cover mechanics, questionable story pacing
  • THE UGLY: Bald Max Payne looks like Bryan Cranston from Breaking Bad

SCORE: 8.0

Max Payne 3 is available on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. Primary version reviewed was on the Xbox 360.

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EGM Review: Battleship

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Battleship Sunk

Battleship might very well be the poster child for what we’ve come to expect from your standard movie game. A very solid core is in place that could be found enjoyable by a large group of gamers, but because of a short dev-cycle, the game lacks the polish worthy of a $60 price tag and feels like it belongs more on a system from a generation or two ago with the lack of features it boasts.

One of the most glaring flaws for the game was the overall lack of plot development. You are thrown into the middle of an alien invasion right from the get go with no set-up whatsoever. You then spend only 5-7 hours, depending on your chosen difficulty level, working through some of the most generic corridor game play you’ll find only to receive a bare-bones resolution at the end with some of the worst cut scenes you’ll see on modern consoles. Also, no one from the movie is featured (I want to hear Liam Neeson yell ‘You Sunk My Battleship!’) and the little voice acting that is used is complete and utter garbage making the game play feel even more cheap and cobbled together.

The flaws don’t stop there though. The environments you find yourself in are as generic as they come. I understand most of the movie, and therefore the game, takes place in and around the Hawaiian Islands, but these environments and level layouts were so uninspired that you end up re-visiting three levels again and performing nearly the same mission, but with more bad guys and doing it at night. Add in a lack of weapon choice, there being only three types of enemies on the ground, and repetitive mission objectives, and ‘lackluster’ doesn’t even start to scratch the surface for how disappointing much of the world you find yourself in is.

The game does have a single saving grace though and that is its combination RTS and FPS mechanics. Half the game takes place on the ground in your standard FPS world where you play as Cole Mathis, a bomb disposal expert who is charged with rallying the troops to fend back the alien invasion. The other half though is where you take to a satellite image that plays out like the old-school grid-based Milton Bradley board game. From here you can position your ships (up to five depending on the level, just like the board game) and must outmaneuver the alien fleet, laying waste to their various ships and protecting the coastlines along the way. By protecting the coasts, Cole can call in cannon and missile strikes from his nearby fleet to help him on the ground while he moves about sabotaging alien structures so the fleet can move more freely. By working together, and occasionally taking remote control of a respective ship’s guns to blow enemy vessels out of the water (easily the most fun aspect of the game), you should be able to overcome the alien fleet and win the day.

The RTS aspect of the game was thoroughly entertaining and I really wish there was more of it, but it also pointed out to me the game’s most severe fatal flaw: there is no multiplayer. Now, you don’t always need multiplayer for a game to be fun, but considering this is a game based off a movie really based off a board game, there should have been some sort of 2-player online versus mode with the RTS elements of the game. Even if it was just a simple version of the original grid-based game where you were guessing enemy locations and taking turns calling out grid-squares. It needed something like that and the fact there was nothing was disheartening and ultimately the final nail in the coffin for this title.

In the end, although Battleship may be one of the most successful marriages of RTS and FPS elements that I’ve seen, it lacks the depth and polish of a title worthy of a $60 price tag and so I recommend you wait until this hits bargain bin prices or rent a copy if you’re really that curious about it.

SUMMARY: The core of Battleship is fun and entertaining, and it makes you think that if Double Helix had a full-dev cycle, they could have put together a very memorable experience. As is though, Battleship feels half-finished and rushed out the door without any of the polish we’ve come to expect from a game with a $60 price tag.

  • THE GOOD: Excellent blending of RTS and FPS game styles
  • THE BAD: No multiplayer or plot development
  • THE UGLY: Another movie game that suffers from not having a full dev-cycle

SCORE: 4.0

Battleship is available on Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, and 3DS. Primary version reviewed was on Xbox 360.   

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Family Guy: Back to the Multiverse Officially Announced

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After being revealed by retailers last week that a Family Guy: Back to the Multiverse game was scheduled for release sometime in the fourth quarter of 2012, Activision and 20th Century Fox have confirmed that they are working together to bring this game to Xbox 360s and PS3s everywhere sometime in the fall.

“Fans of Family Guy will love that we’ve taken some of the series’ most iconic and memorable moments and built them into an impressive and uncensored video game,” said David Oxford, Executive Vice President, Activision.  “Anyone who watches the show will appreciate how much we have adhered to its rich and twisted universe and characters.”

With the sub-title being Back to the Multiverse, the game is sure to revolve around the dimension hopping device that Stewie invented in the “Road to the Multiverse” episode (Season 8, Episode 1) of Family Guy. With it, Stewie and Brian travel to a Disney-spoofed world, a world where Christianity never existed and so neither did The Dark Ages, and finally a world ruled by dogs. What kind of game play this title could entail, if you can play as the entire Griffin family, and whether or not the game will revisit any of these worlds or come up with complete new ones is yet to be seen.

This also interestingly enough marks the second Family Guy video game in 2012 with the recently opened up Family Guy Online MMO from Roadhouse Interactive. All this comes after the lucrative 20th Century Fox franchise has mostly stayed away from gaming for much of its series run aside for a poorly received last-generation title circa 2006.

What do you folks think? Are you excited about a new console Family Guy game? What worlds should the game visit and what game play should it entail? How about Activision serving as publisher? Let us know your thoughts with comments below! 

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EGM Review: Fable Heroes

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An Unwanted Return to Albion

Although Fable has always been a franchise that stayed true to some very traditional RPG tenets, it’s unique story, creatures, customization, and choices has made it beloved by gamers everywhere. So, when Fable Heroes was announced as a side-scrolling beat ‘em up based on the popular action/adventure RPG series, I admit my curiosity was piqued. But, unfortunately, like many games that stray too far from the formula that works for them, like a toddler teetering away from its protective mother’s grasp with those first exploratory and cautious steps, Fable Heroes falls flat on its face. In fact, it’s so far from Fable that you wonder if this wasn’t some other game that simply had an Albion shade of paint thrown on it in the hopes of capitalizing on the strength of Lionhead’s premiere product.

Fable Heroes allows you to choose from several puppets designed after the series’ most beloved characters like Hammer, Maze, Garth, Reaver, or the Hero him/herself. You then side-scroll through familiar haunts in the Fable universe like Bowerstone or Mistpeak and take on familiar foes like Balverines, Trolls, and Hobbes, as you look to collect gold for a game within a game. You see, Fable Heroes is almost set-up like a Mario Party board where you collect gold in each level, do a handful of simple mini-games or boss fights, and roll dice for the opportunity to upgrade your characters, which then allows you to collect more gold. The end only comes after conquering each area of Albion and players are then awarded first through fourth place, as the game offers both local and online 4-player co-op, depending on much gold they collected in each level.

This additional twist to the side-scrolling beat ‘em up action does offer at least a small reward at the end of day, but it all just feels disjointed and definitely not something that long time Fable fans should respond to. The limited amount of action is dull and repetitive and with even less options for combat than traditional Fable games, I don’t see how anyone could play this for long stretches of time. The art style for the game is a definite plus though as recognizing iconic Fable locations and enemies in the child-oriented, but very vibrant and original, puppet style of the game is cute and the music stays true to the series.

At the end of the day, this isn’t even a passable side-scrolling beat ‘em up though. The ESRB rating may be E10+ (everyone 10 and older), but 10 seems to be the age limit instead for the game as this is definitely geared towards younger gamers. And they probably won’t enjoy it either because with no story told in this game (it relies on you having played the previous Fable titles) it just seems like a bunch of random set pieces mashed together with a fancy paint job. No matter if you are a fan of the franchise or not, I highly recommend that you steer clear of Fable Heroes.

SUMMARY:  Beyond the creative art style’s unique take on Fable III’s Albion and seeing everyone’s favorite characters return in puppet form, the downright boring and uninspired game play keeps this from being worth anyone’s time.

  • THE GOOD: Vibrant, unique art style
  • THE BAD: Uninspired game play
  • THE UGLY: Still dressing up like a Hobbe

SCORE: 3.0

Fable Heroes is an XBLA (Xbox 360) exclusive.

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