Playstation 3 2010 Buyers Guide

The Playstation 3 started out as a disappointment to many loyal Sony fans. With an enormous price tag and a lack of initial support there was little reason to desire this new piece of hardware. That was the past however and now with lots of games, a reasonable (though still high) price tag, and its handy ability to play Blu-ray the Playstation 3 is starting to move into our hearts and into our homes.

If you are tired of WWII shooters but not really loving this modern combat stuff maybe this is the game for you. The story of Resistance: Fall of man is told as an alternative to WWII where you fight aliens in 1940’s Europe. The guns resemble weapons from the time period but they have obvious upgrades and the pace is spectacular. This game does well in every category but it also has that nice layer of finish that really makes it step ahead of the rest. The first game allows you to play through the entire campaign with a friend via split screen and I highly recommend you take advantage of it. It’s an older game now with a sequel so this is an amazing title that wont break the bank. You should be about to find it around $20-30 new and even cheaper used.

Think back to when you were a teenager and thought that it would be fun to play Tomb Raider. Now replace the main character with someone who you can take serious and fix everything that was wrong with those games from the control interface to the jumping glitches. What you end up with is something close to but not quite as good as Uncharted. These two games will change how you view treasure hunting and they can only be played on the PS3. If you are new to this genre (or subgenre really) there is platforming, third person shooting (similar to the cover system used in Gears of War), and a story line that will keep you on the edge of you seat. If you have been waiting for a reason to by a PS3 this might just be it.

If you have already played and enjoyed the first two games then this is a no-brainer. Take the same style of combat, make everything better looking, and add lots of content and you have God of War 3. If you didn’t enjoy the first two games then don’t buy this one as nothing has really changed. If you are new to the series however you have two options. You can start with this title or try the HD collection, which includes the first to games at half the price. You not only save money and get to enjoy more content but it allows you to better follow the story which is actually really good for what is essentially a hack ‘n slash title mixed with puzzles. This game is not for the faint of heart however and is definitely not designed for children. If you can’t stand blood and lots of it, then do not play this game! The rest of you, enjoy!

The Ratchet and Clank series is nothing new on the Playstation and latest installments (under the name future) are not going to shock anyone. They gameplay is similar, the cut-scenes are still hilarious, and they keep making strange guns. That being said they are still amazing! I have enjoyed every mainstream title in the series and these two games are no exception. If you are getting tired of the series these probably won’t do much to change your attitude but if you are new then start here. The games make references to the past and honestly while the story is great it isn’t worth going back six games for. Add the fact that I have seen at least one of these titles for under $20 new and you really cant go wrong. If you are trying to play them in order then play Tools of Destruction before you play A Crack in Time.

Valkryia Chronicles is a wild card on this list in that I can’t actually recommend it because I haven’t yet had a chance to play it. As a result I struggled with whether or not to include it but from the little that I have seen it would be wrong not to. It’s an RPG with some major gameplay difference from your traditional turn based system. All I can say is that it’s at the top of my list and if you can’t figure out what else to ask for you might as well give it a try. I can’t stop hearing good things about it and with so many people having mixed feelings about Final Fantasy 13; this might be the way to go for that RPG lover in the family.

Xbox 360 2010 Buyers Guide

Do you get excited when you hear a shield charging? Is an animal the last thing you think of when you hear someone say Warthog? Chances are if you own an Xbox, you said yes to both of those questions with a big smile on your face. Halo has been a long-standing success on Microsoft’s home consoles and Halo Reach, the final installment under the leadership of Bungie isn’t going to do anything to hurt its reputation. The graphics are crisp and the gameplay is as fun as ever. Chances are if you have played the previous titles in the series this will already be at the top of your wish list this holiday season. If not this isn’t a bad place to start. Pick up a copy this season to see what a first person shooter on the Xbox is all about.

The tales series has had less success establishing a name for itself here in the states than rival competitors like Final Fantasy but without good reason. Like any other JRPG you fight lots of battles to level up your characters and continue the story arc but things here are a little bit different. Instead of completely random battles you can see and approach enemies in the wild. This allows you to avoid easy battles when backtracking or chain together huge ambushes for the fun of it. The combat system is also a little bit more interactive (think a combination of Final fantasy and Zelda) and while the field encounters can grow a little dull the boss battles are some of the most exciting I have seen. Where this game really sets itself apart though is its amazing story and ridiculous character development. There are few other games where I got as emotionally involved and it’s truly a testament to how real the characters feel. Even if you don’t love JRPGs this is a game to look into. It just might change how you feel about them.

Personally I don’t love first person shooters on a consol. Call me old fashioned but when it comes to my shooters I prefer a keyboard and mouse. That being said I completely changed my opinion after playing both the first and second Gears of War titles. These games are unique in that you move in a third person view but shoot in first person. It sounds like it wouldn’t work well but because you use a well thought-out cover system is actually streamlines the control experience and makes you wonder why more titles haven’t adopted it. Be warned though that this isn’t the type of game where you run up the middle with guns blazing. You will need to move strategically behind cover to advance. If that doesn’t sound fun to you then maybe this isn’t the game for you. For everyone else though the third and final title will be out early next year so it is a great time to pick up the first two games and catch up on the story. You can find both games for around $20 each making them great gifts if you are running low on cash!

If you are like everyone else in America than you are over vampires and into zombies. I’m not sure what will come next (werewolves?) but for now the most fun you can have is cutting down the undead. With that in mind you might want to take a look at Left 4 Dead and its sequel Left 4 Dead 2. While being first person shooters at heart they are different in that your enemy isn’t shooting back. Instead it runs straight for you in large masses of nails and teeth. This doesn’t mean they are easy games but it does mean that people who don’t like aiming a gun with a controller won’t have to worry. Just pick the shotgun and move forward; you will hit something, trust me! These games are fun by yourself but better when played with a friend. There is a hug online community following both games but the split screen co-op mode is fun too. I suggest playing them at night with the lights out and a friend who scares easy, you wont regret it!

Have you ever wanted to play a game so bad it hurt? Are you the kind of person who laughs to the point of tears when something so simple just can’t be accomplished? If you are then you need to take a look at Resident Evil 5. If you like good games than please skip this title but if you and a friend are interested in experiencing something bad and laughing at its shortcomings than buy this game. I wouldn’t suggest buying this game for more than $20 though or you will feel cheated but you should find a bunch of stores trying to unload it this holiday season. Only play this game with a friend in co-op because the laughter will be contagious and by the end you will love the experience. I warn you though, it took my friend and I over an hour just to get the stupid thing set up and between us we have probably played thousands of games. Consider yourself warned. It has a lot of painful flaws, but if you know that going into things you might just love it.

There are many more titles for the 360 but most aren’t exclusive to the system, such as Call of Duty, and will be handled in a different review. Before my box gets flooded with messages about how Left 4 Dead and RE5 aren’t exclusive I will say that I put them in this guide because they belong here. Yes Left 4 Dead can be played on the computer but I don’t recommend it. Personally I like to make gaming a social experience and being able to play co-op from the same sofa with a friend is better in my opinion than playing it over the Internet with strangers. If you don’t care than play whatever is cheapest. Also the main hilarity of RE5 came from an interface system worse than the new Alone in the Dark’s item swap menu. The inability to rearrange weapons and the fact that a rocket launcher takes the same amount of cargo space as an egg (and I mean one egg since you can’t even stack them!) makes me a crack a cynical smile. I don’t know if this problem exists on other systems so I can’t recommend it for those. But if it works well on other systems than you might have an entirely new reason to play it. It’s really up to you.

Hope that this has been a help. As always please leave any feedback you have below and I will be sure to get back to you. If there is a game missing that you think should have made the cut let me know, but please avoid multisystem titles. You will find those later on. Have fun shopping and good luck out there!

Nintendo Wii 2010 Buyer's Guide

The Wii has seen its ups and downs but this year there is plenty to be excited about. With several new titles and lots of diversity there should be something for everyone on your holiday list.

Donkey Kong Country Returns is a side-scrolling throwback to the glory days of the Super Nintendo. The graphics as some of the best on the system just like the original Donkey Kong Games and the gameplay is as unforgiving as ever. Don’t be intimidated by this though as there is an option to skip levels that are too hairy and the added ability of a second player makes things that much more fun! This is a great gift for anyone who likes 2D platformers or someone who is looking for a challenge.

Kirby’s Epic Yarn seems to have been made for all of those fans who love 2D platforming but don’t want to throw their Wii motes at the TV after dying every thirty seconds in DK Country Returns. It is probably the most beautiful game I have seen to date but it doesn’t present much of a challenge. The cute style graphics might also put off the more “macho” gamer or boys who still think that girls have cooties. However for anyone else who loves this style gameplay and doesn’t need to have a difficult adventure to enjoy it should really pick up this game.

Super Mario Galaxy 1 & 2 are the best the Wii has to offer. They are fun, they are diverse, and they are extremely addicting. They are 3D platforming titles that anyone from your children to your grandmother will enjoy. Keep in mind that they can get challenging toward the end but they really are a nice middle ground between the first two games on this list. If the person you are buying for doesn’t have either go with the first title. The gameplay is basically the same and you can save lots of money. Plus if they like it, you know what to get them for their next big event! As an added note the box will say it is for two players but it is not. If you have more than one child and you want them to play together scroll down to New Super Mario Brothers and put this game out of your mind.

Monster Hunter is not for everyone. It is hard, it is frustrating, and you need to spend hundreds of hours playing it in order to do anything. That being said it provides a high level of accomplishment when you beat it and is a great way to spend time with friends. The game is difficult to describe so check out my full review for more details.

With Zombies all over television these days (thank you AMC) you are likely to have a friend who is looking for a great way to waste a few undead. Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles retells the story of some of the past games in the series but it does it as a first person rail shooter. This means that your character moves for you and you simply blast your way through hundreds of ghouls trying to rip you apart. The mood is an amazing and the gameplay is top notch. Of all the rail shooters on the system this is the best! Make sure you pick up a Perfect Shot gun accessory to go with it. It’s only about $10 and it makes the game a thousand times better!

Yes it’s Mario again but if you don’t like platforming Italians than I’m not sure why you bought this system? The difference here is that this game is meant to be played with friends. Up to four characters can play at once and the more you have the better. The game can be played alone but without the interaction of the additional characters its far too easy and can become a little boring.

Whether its for an older gamer who wants to revisit his or her roots or you want to show you kids where it all began Super Mario All Stars is a great collection to put on your self. The package comes with four games inside and will only run you $30 new. It’s a pretty good deal but not much has change since the original so if you remember them well or you still own you Super Nintendo don’t buy into the hype.

Hopefully this gives you a better idea of what to buy. Yes there are other games out there that are worth your money but these are the games that most people should be buying. If you have a question about a specific game you are considering please drop a note below and I will try to answer it as soon as possible. Please check back later as I will be posting other guides in the following days. 

Holidays Buyers Guides 2010

It’s that time of year again. Everywhere you go store are putting up decorations, playing holiday music, and advertising mega sales. Schools are running clothes and food drives and children are writing letters to Santa. It should be a time of rest and relaxation spent with friends and family but for some of us its not.

The pressure of finding the perfects gifts and then coming up with a way to pay for them isn’t always an easy task especially if you are close to someone who loves video games. My parents used to have the most difficult time figuring out which games to get and for what system. They couldn’t figure out why some were so much more expensive than others and questions such as “well he asked for the second one, does he want the third one too?” and “I thought we already bought him controller for some system,” were common affair. They tried hard but with some many options it was often more stressful for them than fun.

That is where I come in. With the holiday shopping season officially kicking off this Friday I would like to start presenting you with options that might make your shopping experience a little bit easier. These aren’t going to be full reviews but I assure you that I won’t list any games that aren’t worth playing for one reason or another. Good luck out there!

Weekly Wrap Up

Sorry I haven’t posted anything the last few days. It was just one of those weeks where everything sort of happened at the same time. A short review would be that I had several exams, two all nighters, I built a table, I slept on the sidewalk one night where I woke up to the noise from two drunken guys and a horse, and most recently I had a pretty serious electrical shock this afternoon that would have killed me if I hadn’t been sitting with my one leg off the ground. But onto the important stuff, mainly gaming.

Square Enix has released another free to play Facebook app titled “Chocobo’s Crystal Tower.” In this game you play the role of a farmer on a Chocobo ranch. You feed them, you groom them, you breed them, you battle them, and when they get old you release them into the wild where they live peacefully ever after. It’s not exactly in real time but this game moves slowly. Your Chocobos will take days to grow up and spend hours on a single quest (excluding the beginning tutorial levels). This makes it a great game to check in on every once and a while between real matters of importance. If you like Chocobos and have friends willing to play it with you then its actually pretty fun and just like FF: KC it’s free, so give it a shot.

A quick note about both FF: KC and Chocobo’s Crystal is that they don’t run smoothly with Safari. They did last week but now they have problems loading from it. I recommend using Firefox for both of these apps or you could become frustrated by how often they crash. I have also heard that Google Chrome works well but I have not tested this myself.

Rumors this week suggest that we might see a much-desired sequel to the original Psychonauts. As of right now, nothing is official but Tim Schafer has gone on the record as saying he is ready and willing. At this point he just needs developer to pick up the title and it will be set in motion. This would be a major release and possibly one of the best games made for this generation of consoles. For more details on the series look below for my full review of the first title.  

Donkey Kong Country Returns is now in its final form and it looks like Nintendo is once again trying to cater to everyone. The game is supposed to be unforgiving, something that I can’t wait to experience, but at the same time it features an easy cheat similar to the one found in recent Mario titles. If a player dies in the same level several times they have the option of skipping it all together thanks to a Super Kong who does it for them. This feature is only available in single player.

I’m sorry to say that throughout the next few weeks I might be scattered with my reviews. Please continue to check back as I will post things as much as I can and will resume with full force as the semester draws to a close.

Mario Kart DS Review (DS)

I really doubt that anyone reading this blog has never heard of Mario Kart but if you haven’t then it’s a kart racing game filled with characters from the Nintendo universe. Add child friendly weapons such as banana peals and turtle shells and you’ve got a pretty good idea of what this game has to offer.

           

Story:                        These games don’t really have stories. If you want one I can make one up for you. Someday Mario wants to marry Peach but she keeps getting stolen and stuff never works out. So this is like his fourth bachelor party and they are going kart racing because its more fun than getting drunk and his female friends wanted to come along too. Does that make sense? Not really but it’s a racing game, its not about the story.

Gameplay:                         Just like every Mario Kart title before this one, the gameplay is why you will enjoy it. As you go through the levels you will have many obstacles thrown at you and enemy fire to avoid all while trying to win a race. Depending on the character you choose you will have different abilities that match well with your style of gameplay. For example if you can’t avoid hitting things you might want a character with fast acceleration but if you are an excellent driver then go for top speed. The controls are very tight and rival the Gamecube version of the game. Obviously you have a D-pad instead of a joystick but the levels are also easier to compensate.

Art Style:                         For a DS game it actually looks pretty good. The problem here is that the system can’t handle as many on-screen items meaning that the level will look rather linear and boring compared to other titles in the series. This might not bother the children out there but if you have been playing since SNES then this might get to you. It bothered me.

Difference:                        The game is a lot of fun while it lasted but I beat the whole thing in a few hours. I never lost a race and didn’t really enjoy the experience like I did on other systems. I guess the reason for me is because I like these games almost exclusively for multiplayer and I prefer to play with friends on a TV then try to mess with the online options.

Buy it?                        Probably not. If you are going on a short plane ride but need something to do or if you see a good deal on it come black Friday and have always wondered that its not a bad game its just really short. I give it a 7.5/10. It doesn’t really do anything wrong there just isn’t enough of it to warrant the price. If I were you I would find a used GameCube and copy of Double Dash. If you search online you can probably find both for the same price as this game alone. They won’t be portable but the single player will be better and you add a better multiplayer component as well.

Knights of the Crystals: Is it worth your time?

If you are like me in anyway you love video games but sometimes you just don’t have the time for them. My favorite tend to be JRPGs which can take a huge commitment of time and honestly aren’t always an option during the school year. The answer to this need might just have been answered in Final Fantasy: Knights of the Crystals.

It is a free game for Facebook, which means you shouldn’t waste your time right? That’s the way I usually feel but this one was made by Square Enix and patterned after Final Fantasy so I thought I would give it a try. Turns out that it’s actually pretty enjoyable. You battle monsters, level up you character, assign stats, collect valuables, and change job classes. It’s by no means a replacement for a real game but it’s definitely a fun way to distress for a few minutes at a time. Once your character has some levels under his/her belt you can even battle other people PVP style to gain new items otherwise unobtainable. If you join a guild or start one with friends you can bring them into boss fights with you and exchange items.

It’s nothing fancy but neither was Pong and I think you would be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t enjoy it. Give it a try. It’s free and it will take you 15 minutes a day. Just make sure you do it with friends. Otherwise other guilds will steal all of your money making buying new weapons annoying. 

*EDIT* As an added note. If anyone who knows me wants to try this game out let me know and I'll send you an invite. That allows you to join my guild which provides you with a certain level of protection not otherwise found. Apparently you can't change guilds after joining (something I hope they change after beta) so if you're at all considering this make sure you let me know.