26 public reviews
The views here are this user’s only and are not representative of Giant Bomb's thoughts and opinions on the discussed video game. GB's official reviews reside at giantbomb.com/reviews.
Fight Night Champion starts out with a bang. As soon as the disc is popped in the tray, players are thrust into the shoes of Andre Bishop, an amateur fighter in the middle of a prison fight. Intensity is high and the stage is immediately set for the fabulous new Champion Mode. The storyline based mode is where FNC really shines, although not without its flaws. The linear storyline of Andre takes players on a well…
The Assassin's Creed franchise has enjoyed a speedy accent into AAA franchise status with Assassin's Creed 2. Now comes Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, a sort of "2.5" released only 1 year later. Touting the addition of multiplayer and the ability to control a guild of assassins, AC Brotherhood was largely viewed by critics and myself as a cash grab with little in the way of true progression. Boy, was I wrong.…
It's here! Bungie's final word on the Halo saga has arrived to much fanfare, hype, plastic figurines and a mainstream marketing budget large enough to build a small army. But that's nothing new. We've seen Halo dominate the mainstream gaming world many times before. The question is... Is this one worth it? Plastic figurines are for real men. Many gamers fall into two camps with Halo. The first enjoys the game very…
"I became a criminal because I did not want to become a victim." (Quick Note - This review doesn't include any DLC) It's been a great year for gamers who enjoy single player story campaigns. Rich storylines, strong character development and solid cinematic gameplay have been trademarks of many 2010 releases. Alan Wake, Mass Effect 2, Red Dead and more have showcased an intelligent blend of gaming and cinema. That…
"My side ain't chosen. My side was given." Every now and then a game comes along that defines a genre. Rewrites it, if you will. There have been many attempts at the western genre in videogame history but few have succeeded to capture the essence of the old west. Enter Red Dead Redemption; It's a game that not only sets the standard in the artform of western , but raises the bar for the open world gaming genre as a…
Alan Wake is a single-player story gamer's dream. Action packed combat, a roller coaster storyline and gameplay simply oozing with graphical magic. Since the announcement of Alan Wake in 2005 gamers have patiently waited on the development of Wake - so long some thought it was vaporware. But after 5 years of waiting, the game arrived. Dorks congregating for Wake. Single player nerds like myself (I like multiplayer…
If you've read any of my past reviews, you know I'm in love Sony's MLB The Show franchise. That being said, I'll be fair... I hope. Ah, yes...MLB The Show. For the past several years, it's been the go-to game for baseball simulation. Competitors have not only produced worse games - they've been viewed as abject failures mainly because Sony's simulator has been so very good. Warm cookies and milk good. Sapphire and…
Assassins Creed was a title that quickly became one of my favorites. At times its gameplay was repetitious, but for a majority of the game it swept me away into a world I hadn't thought could exist in videogames. The graphics, the fighting and the movement of Altair, the game's protagonist, was a spectacle that came together nicely in a time period rarely explored by a game. However, AC1 had its fair share of…
Cue explosions. Cue gunfire. Cue many hours online. The original Modern Warfare, released 2 years ago, was a critical and commercial success by all standards. I spent hours playing through 2 ladders of prestige mode online, along with plenty of other gamers, eager to rank up for that next perk or unlockable weapon. A short but fun campaign allowed gamers to team up in co-op as well. The game redefined online play,…
Much like side-scrolling games such as Super Metroid, Contra and other games I loved as a kid, Shadow Complex starts as a small, fun little game and unfolds into a massive experience. The game has all the ingredients to be a winner: addicting level design, unique gadgets and weapons, fun bosses and a good storyline. Overall, the game is one of the best on XBLA right now. The gameplay in Shadow Complex is fantastic.…
Yeah, I know I'm late to the party reviewing this game...RPG's aren't my favorite genre to begin with, so I held out playing this for a while. Bioware, famous for developing some of the better RPG's on the market like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, launched a new Sci-fi IP in 2007 known as Mass Effect. The results are a sweeping storyline, fascinating characters and a deep third person experience that blurs…
Battlefield 1943 is a downloadable multiplayer, set in the Pacific Theater of World War II. When details of the game dropped, I simply didn't pay much attention, as I was skeptical any downloadable title would deliver the type of experience you could get on a full $60 game. Battlefield surprised me, and hopefully other developers will follow its formula. A quick $15 download has provided hours of fun and variety -…
Sony has done it again. Not only is MLB 09 The Show the defining baseball experience for this year, it continues its dominance over a weaker 2k franchise which benefits from MLB licensing deals - and it does it handily. While there are some very small issues with this years rendition, the combination of superior gameplay, stellar animations and gorgeous stadiums and models make The Show a must-buy for PS3 owners.…
This is a short review for a short game NHL Arcade really got me. I mean, they GOT ME. I downloaded the trial, loved it in the first 5 minutes and thought "Hey, why not give this a try?". In the end, the game ends up being a hollow experience due to poor controls and poor scoring - creating a lot of frustration. Players don't shoot when passed to, checking is non-consistent, and powerups rarely turn into real goals…
Gears of War 2 is a wild blockbuster style romp that delivers stunning visuals, decent sound and fabulous gameplay, but skimps on story and depth. In a way, Gears 2 is like a summer hollywood blockbuster - full of continuous battles, triumphs and losses, but it's not going to win any oscars. If you're willing to check your appetite for realistic shooters (with a passable plot) at the door, Gears is one-of-a-kind.…
In 2001 I got my fair share of Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3. Living in a house full of college guys, TH3 was constantly being played by someone. After burning out on it, my interest in skateboarding games waned. With this year's return of the Skate franchise, I decided to jump on board. The folks at EA have completely dominated the Hawk franchise, building a realistic world in which actual physics play a big part of the…
Call of Duty: World at War (COD5) is a harrowing, violent trip through some of the most historic settings in World War II. Unmatched by other WWII games, but in the shadow of its predecessor, COD5 delivers a stunning experience, although very similar to COD4. The solo mission has plenty of settings, environments and battlefields to offer. You play as two separate characters - one set in the Pacific fighting the…
Disclaimer: I have never played Oblivion, therefor did not hold any pre-assumptions or correlation to previous Bethesda developed games. Fallout 3 is an epic adventure of monumental proportions. In the year 2277, you are living underground in a "vault" built for human habitation away from the hazardous and dangerous realities of the world above. When your father, a respected scientist, flees the vault unannounced,…
Lips disappoints on many levels, even for the casual gamer. Recently I purchased the game for my wife and was intrigued to see how Microsoft would compete with the well established Singstar. The hardware is impressive; It's wireless, heavy duty feeling, and look well designed. Immediately the presentation and artwork fails to be compelling, with a sort of "DDR" feeling menu and cheezy music. The game choices are…
After years of cooking, Lionhead's latest work is upon us. Fable II has been a highly anticipated title for quite some time, and while it does have its faults and finds inconsistencies - Fable delivers. Just a quick note; the hype machine was out of control during the month of October promoting Fable II. I was very glad when the game finally released and the foaming had ceased. Overhyping a game only raises…
Far Cry 2 begins as open ended as the Sahara Desert: It's wide open, with no rules, little direction and plenty of anarchy. It's gorgeous visuals dominate the game from beginning to end, and the vast open world immediately gives the player the sense that Ubisoft wants to "push the limits" with Far Cry 2. When the game begins, you're given the option to choose from one of 8 characters. This doesn't make a huge…
My experience with Rock Band 2 is similar to eating a carrot, then eating a carrot dipped in ranch dressing. It's more of the same, only it tastes better and I'm more likely to eat another one. Here's the deal: Rock Band 2 is very well done. Harmonix has perfected the science of "rhythm games", and I'm sure we haven't seen the last installment from them. But after spending another $60, I was expecting a little more…
Star Wars: Force Unleashed can't live down the hype. But it doesn't live up to it, altogether. WHY THE HYPE IS REAL: Star Wars has a huge advantage over most video games simply because it often calls upon music, characters, and storylines that tug at Star Wars fans. It's cheap, at times, but SWFU does a great job of not overselling the story. It's probably the best story that Lucas has drempt up in the past 2…
Bioshock has it all: A eerily creative environment, weapons that change with the players' experience, and plenty of good writing. The storyline is intriguing, and the characters are eccentric. PROS: Bioshock not only delivers well as a shooter - but builds on the genre and challenges the conventional weapons and tools used in FPS games. The "plasmids" add a totally new dimension to what is already an entertaining…
Call of Duty 4 is a game that deserves lots of praise for creating THE deepest online experience as well as a fun solo campaign. I've officially shelved Halo 3 as my "shooter of choice", and haven't been able to put down COD4 since I picked it up. The biggest accomplishment the game makes is in its online experience. Since the online game play makes it possible to unlock weapons, rankings, abilities, etc, the user…
Tiger Woods 09 delivers on many levels this year, improving on many small features that hampered the game over the past couple years. The addition of real-time swing feedback truly allows a player to fine tune their swing via the analog stick. The Career Mode gained a boost with the addition of Hank Haney in the 09 game. Players are allowed to work on their attributes by practicing shots they screwed up in the…
