122 public written 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.
The RPG is now a diverse genre spread across multiple platforms with its own sets of sub-genres, but believe it or not, there was a time when RPGs were relatively unknown. There were a few series of RPGs that had managed to gain some recognition in the West by the end of the 8-bit era: Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and Phantasy Star, but to most controller-wielders, these games remained a mystery. An RPG sub-genre,…
Towards the end of the Super NES' lifespan, I played a groundbreaking title that remains as one of my favorite games to this day. This title, known as Secret of Mana, is still considered the pinnacle of the Action-RPG genre by many. Even Square's own successors failed to have the kind of impact of Secret of Mana. What's worse is that most of them weren't even fun. Well, there were a couple Square-developed…
Anyone who is familiar with console Action-RPGs has likely heard of a title called Secret of Mana. This SNES Action-RPG classic captivated gamers with its gorgeous visuals, three-player simultaneous real-time gameplay, and its nearly unparalleled musical score. Sixteen years later, it remains as a cherished memory etched in the minds of the fortunate souls who played it. Sadly, most of these players are unaware that…
Back when the Dreamcast was on every gamer's radar, online gaming was still a relatively new thing. Sure, plenty of PC games had featured deep online experiences, but consoles were just beginning to enter cyberspace. The Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis had previously flirted with online gameplay, but barely anyone knew about it--even if they could afford the service. Well, in the year 2000, the Dreamcast finally…
When people reminisce about the Dreamcast, they typically think of unique titles crafted by Sega, instead of the many ports the system received. "Port" is often a dirty word when it comes to video games, but the Dreamcast actually received a number of quality titles that matched what the system was about. See, the Dreamcast was about innovative games and bringing the arcade home, and titles like NFL Blitz 2000…
We now live in an era in which we're inundated with various types of RPGs. It's not like different types of RPGs haven't always existed, but players are now more familiar with the three major categories of role playing games: Japanese RPGs, Western RPGs, and Massively Multiplayer RPGs. Each of these sub-genres appeal to players for different reasons, but regardless of their tastes, many players play RPGs for the…
If you were lucky enough to purchase a Dreamcast on September 9th, 1999, you probably purchased one of two titles: Sonic Adventure or SoulCalibur. Your average Sega fan probably assumed that the cocky hedgehog's game would be the obvious choice, but boy, was he mistaken. It's not like Sonic Adventure was a bad game, but who'd want to play that when it was accompanied by the best-looking fighter to ever grace a home…
Boy, does time fly. Fourteen years ago, I remember playing an SNES game with an unusual title called Chrono Trigger. Before playing Chrono, I knew little about this RPG, other than the fact that it was developed by a "Dream Team". At the time, I was unaware that this "Dream Team" consisted of Final Fantasy head-honcho, Hironobu Sakaguchi, and the Enix final boss, Yuji Horii. It also included a renowned anime artist,…
Ah...September 9th, 1999. The launch of Final Fantasy VIII...err, I mean the Dreamcast. It was a glorious day ten years ago when Sega rose from the dead and breathed new life into a console. On that day, the Saturn, an epic failure (in the U.S. at least), was replaced by a smaller, white system. Instead of surprising us with a sneak attack, Sega actually announced the Dreamcast's release date, and sent a legion of…
There are two truths when it comes to gamers: They love innovative games, and they devour sequels. You might ask, "Then why do titles like Okami fail when it comes to overall sales?" Well, this is often due to the fact that certain titles are marketed poorly or misunderstood. People may also not appreciate the complex content within those titles. For example, most North American gamers can relate to a green…
"Ha ha, I'm-a-Wario-and-I'm-a-gonna-ween!" Sadly, that phrase was my first experience with Mario's evil twin. Ever since Mario Kart 64, I chose this portly plumber who's incapable of color coordination, as my secondary racer. Whenever Bowser was unavailable, I'd cruise the streets in Wario's pimped out ride. There's more to this chubby character than his oversized nose and his go-kart prowess, however. Unbeknownst…
I was nearly a year late to the Xbox360 party, so I missed out on many of the system's "exciting" launch titles. The year 2005 was rough, not only because I had to do without Joanna Dark, but because I missed out on Peter Moore's lucent dreams and power brick weight lifting sessions. Well, two years later, I eventually came back to the shoddy FPS that is Perfect Dark Zero, and walked away unimpressed. The bland…
With each passing year, gamers have grown more accustomed to receiving "me-too" games. Some years, we'll receive a deluge of First-Person Shooters. At other times, we're given dozens of games featuring plastic instruments. Even worse is receiving a landslide of downloadable titles that don't offer much more than standard death-match modes. One recent PS3 release, known as Crash Commando fits in the death-match slot.…
During the past few years, video game fans have grown accustomed to the terms 'casual' and 'hardcore.' Some gamers despise these terms, while others wear their badge with pride. One company who is famous for its Italian plumbers is primarily responsible for this shift in gamer demographics. Nintendo, or the Big N, felt that its destiny was to draw in new players through simpler technology. One way in which they…
Horror fans have come to love the Resident Evil series over the years for its excessive use of gore, pants-pissing surprises, and wacky storylines. The original Resident Evil titles were famous for providing terrifying moments that'd give an adult gamer nightmares, but changes were in store for the fourth installment. Resident Evil 4 for Gamecube took the series in a new direction by doing away with the tank…
Fighting games were all the rage back in the '90s, and they're currently making a comeback. During the previous decade, games like Street Fighter lined arcades. Many fighting game enthusiasts loved taking Ryu and Ken into battle, but for some people, two-dimensional characters just didn't cut it. Some of these people were won over by up-and-coming polygonal fighters, like Virtua Fighter. Virtua Fighter may have…
Fighting games were all the rage back in the '90s, and they're currently making a comeback. During the previous decade, games like Street Fighter lined arcades. Many fighting game enthusiasts loved taking Ryu and Ken into battle, but for some people, two-dimensional characters just didn't cut it. Some of these people were won over by up-and-coming polygonal fighters, like Virtua Fighter. Virtua Fighter may have…
When gamers over twenty reminisce about their favorite video games, you'll commonly hear Super Metroid mentioned. This sci-fi title is often recognized as the finest of the adventure saga known as Metroid. In Metroid games, you typically explore massive planets that are chalk-full of secrets and power-ups, and Super Metroid was no exception. The series hero, Samus, would find various suits and equipment that would…
Even though people often use video games for entertainment or to escape the world around them, it's rare that a video game puts one in a state of complete relaxation. Have you ever listened to a relaxation tape? One that attempts to dig you out of a rut and improve your hectic life? If it had no effect on you, discard that, and boot up Flower. This downloadable PSN game, is a unique gameplay experience that…
Hadoken! Shoryuken! Tatsumaki Senpu...wha? Even though you probably can't pronounce the last name, you know the infamous fighters that spout those lines. The fireball hurling Ryu and Ken were once household names in America, because of their incredible fighting game that attracted all types of people to arcades. This magnetic cabinet restored people's faith in arcades and almost single-handedly created a genre. I…
Read the full review A Fighting Game Fallen From Glory Regains Its Crown
Everyone's got a favorite Superhero: Superman, Spiderman, X-men (okay, that's a group of super heroes), but there's always one that evades the naked eye. One superhero that immediately comes to mind doesn't exist in the Marvel or DC pantheon; rather, he was created by an amateur video game developer. This unlikely hero, 'Splosion Man, was crafted by an Indie Development team that became famous through its award…
Hut! Attention! Soldier, welcome to DICE's latest: Battlefield 1943. This isn't just any virtual war that you can buy at a retail store--this is a full-fledged downloadable conflict. The Battlefield series has grown quite popular over the years, and recently expanded to the consoles, but this is the first time that Xbox360 and PS3 owners have been able to purchase a full Battlefield game for fifteen Washingtons.…
Have you ever played Breakout or Arkanoid? Don't worry, I haven't either. Most reviews of Shatter have compared it to brick-breaking games of the past, but I've decided to judge it on its own merits. This PSN download definitely draws from games like Pong, Breakout, and Arkanoid for inspiration, but it's so much more. Instead of simply hitting a ball back and forth to break blocks, you'll find yourself using the…
The Playstation Network has had some gems now and then, but many Sony fans have secretly looked at 360 owners with envy; not for the fifty dollar Xbox Live fee mind you, but rather, for the incredible downloadable games. Now, with titles like Castle Crashers and Braid heading to PSN, 360 fans don't have as much to gloat about. Even more threatening to 360 fanboys is the literal cake-in-the-face that is Fat Princess.…
Hey, dudes! Remember the tubular late '80s and radical early '90s? Back then, we used words like "bodacious," "radical," and even "cowabunga!" What got us spouting those phrases? Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, of course. This comic hit took America by storm and spread to movies, action figures, and even video games. We were introduced to the Ninja Turtles with a excruciatingly difficult NES game by Konami. It left…
Read the full review Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time Re-Shelled
Remember the unofficial sequel to Goldeneye that everyone seemed to pass over? You know, that Rare title featuring a slender, red-headed chick? No? Well I don't blame you. Despite receiving rave reviews, Perfect Dark was passed over by many due to the launch of the PS2 and the drought of quality titles for the N64. The title was also plagued by horrible slowdown, so even its inventive weapons and co-op multiplayer…
When you think of the word "extreme," what's the first thing that comes to mind? For most people, it's probably skateboarders, snowboarders, or Mt. Dew drinkin' rednecks driving lifted trucks. It's unlikely that you'd ever lump Space Invaders in this category. The original Space Invaders was black and white, and slow-paced in comparison to the Shmups (Shoot-'em ups) of today. Thankfully, instead of re-releasing a…
Ahoy mateys. Yea scurvy dogs, best be ready to walk the plank if yea shy away from Monkey Island. That wimp Guybrush Threepwood can't become a pirate and save a governess from a dead captain by himself, ya know? Okay, enough poorly written pirate talk. By now, the secret is out. A renowned PC title famous for its witty writing--The Secret of Monkey Island, has now been released on XBLA to the joy of wannabe pirates.…
Going into Rocket Riot, I had no idea what to expect. I didn't pay attention to previews, or even reviews of the game, but a video showcasing the trippy, pixilated visuals was enough to catch my attention--that, and the fact that I crave dual-analog shooters. I loved Geometry Wars, but not to the point of obsession, so I was a bit worried that Rocket Riot would simply be a retread. Fortunately, that wasn't the case…
It's a great time for those of us who enjoy Indie Games. On each of the major game consoles, several unique titles are available for download, provided you have the necessary points or a credit card. Sadly, this wasn't always the case. During the Xbox360 launch, many of us feared the worst--that evil corporations were turning our artsy video games into mere commodities. Games like Castle Crashers, Braid, and now The…
As a spinoff to one of the Gamecube's most revered RPGs, Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World had a lot to live up to. The Gamecube Tales of Symphonia is considered a classic because of its real-time fighting system, excellent character dialogue, great soundtrack, and its story full of real-world issues combined with aspects of Norse mythology. Dawn of the New World continues this legacy in many respects, but…
Read the full review Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World
The original Gears of War was a heavily hyped game that delivered for many, but failed to live up to some gamers' expectations. Gears of War was a third-person shooter that boasted phenomenal graphics and a unique cover-based gameplay system. It utilized a cover system where you could hide behind almost every object, and move between them with ease. I enjoyed playing through the campaign, but to me, it just didn't…
Mario 3 holds a special place in my heart, as it's my favorite 2D Mario game. I loved Super Mario World, but after replaying both games recently, I felt that Super Mario Bros. 3 had the best level design in the series. First of all, the graphics are a significant improvement over its predecessors. Mario looked like a collection of pixels in the original NES Super Mario Bros., but in Mario 3, he began to take on the…
Super Mario Bros. 2 is a simpler game than The Lost Levels (the true sequel to Super Mario Bros.)--but it takes the series in a completely different direction. There's a reason for that, and it's not because Miyamoto was on acid. Rather, Super Mario Bros. 2 was based on an entirely different game called, Doki Doki Panic. Nintendo liked the concept behind the game, and decided to do a character swap. Instead of the…
The Lost Levels is famous for being Mario's most difficult adventure. Unfortunately, I missed out on this Japan-only sequel upon its release. The Lost levels (aka Super Mario Bros. 2 in Japan) didn't come here for a reason: the game is too similar to the original, and it's difficult as hell. This game features far more obstacles, nerve-wrecking jumps, and poison mushrooms that will instantly kill you. Also, enemies…
Mushrooms, plumbers, and goombas provided for a magical first experience with video games. Regrettably, Mario wasn't my true first video game, but it's one of the first games that really resonated with me. Mario's side-scrolling adventure just felt so fresh, and the accurate controls made the portly plumber a dream to control. I'm pretty sure that I first beat Mario back when I was four or five, but I'm almost…
Back when American arcades were beginning their slow decline, there were a few types of games I turned to. I mostly played racing, fighting, and light gun games. These games did little to satisfy my competitive streak, however, so I turned to a fighting game featuring giant robots. Similar to Gundams or Gears (from Xenogears), these hulking monstrosities were a dream come true to players who'd imagined piloting one…
Read the full review Cyber Troopers Virtual-On: Oratorio Tangram
Ah...Marathon. This series holds a special place in my heart, because an old friend of mine introduced me to several great obscure games like this at a young age. He was one of the few people I knew that had a Mac (or computer for that matter), and he loved Bungie games like Myth (a strategy game) and Marathon. For those of you who don't know, the Marathon series is basically a predecessor to Halo. It's the first…
Hot on the heels of Wolfenstein 3D was a new ID Software First-Person Shooter called, Doom. This 1993 FPS had players take control of a nameless space marine whose mission was to quash a demon assault on the moons of Mars. Certain scientists on Mars' moons had been experimenting with teleportation and gateways, and demons from Hell managed to crash their party. It's up to you to send the demons back to the depths of…
Attention, Halo and Call of Duty fans. Drop your controllers, and pay your respects to the game that started it all (at least in the FPS genre)--Wolfenstein 3D. Do you enjoy riddling bad guys with bullets? Mopping up Nazis? Splattering fellow Spartans with a Ghost on Halo 3? Okay, so vehicles aren't in Wolfenstein, but you may have never had the opportunity to kill Nazis from a first-person perspective if it wasn't…
Dragon Quest is a legendary RPG series from Japan that nearly every gamer has heard of. We may not understand why it's so popular there, but even in the U.S., there is a small audience that is charmed by this series. Let me get this out of the way: I'm not a part of that audience. Before playing the fourth installment of this series, I was a Dragon Quest hater. I had spent 32 hours with Dragon Quest VII, and twenty…
Read the full review Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen
People have been clamoring for a sequel to Chrono Trigger for years now. Some gamers consider Chrono Cross to be a superb sequel to that time-traveling epic, while others found it to be a dud. I thought Chrono Cross was an excellent RPG, but I had always desired another 16-bit RPG that had the same impact on me as Chrono Trigger. That game of 1995 managed to amaze a young 5th grader like me, because many of the…
This isn't a commentary on the Mario Bros. Super Show or that horrible Mario movie. This is a review of the greatest collection of Mario games in existence. I missed out on Mario All-Stars when it released back in '93, but I've recently been collecting old games, so I decided to pick up this gem used, for a mere ten dollars. It features four excellent Mario games--Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 2, Super Mario…
Anyone who was a gamer during the 16-bit era knows that the Super NES is a veritable treasure trove of RPGs. There were standard RPGs like FFVI and Chrono Trigger, Strategy-RPGs that were never released in America like Tactics Ogre, and Action-RPGs like Secret of Mana, Soul Blazer, and Illusion of Gaia. Of the last category, there's a game you've probably never heard of--the ever-elusive Terranigma. This mysterious…
Final Fantasy IV holds a special place in my heart, as it was my first RPG experience. Before Final Fantasy IV on the SNES, I had no idea what the acronym RPG stood for. I was unaware of Role Playing Games played with pens & paper, dice, and computers. I had missed the RPG genre on the NES, but my friend and I decided to rent Final Fantasy IV one fateful day instead of College Slam or Turtles Tournament Fighters. I…
Chip bits, binary digits (aka bits), and 'wait just a bit' are all terms and phrases including 'bits' that most of us have come to hate. The term 'bits' is often associated with something small. Well, for once you won't be disappointed with the small price you'll have to pay for the DSi gem called ' PiCTOBiTS'. The early state of DSiware had me worried for the future of the sleek new portable, but PiCTOBiTS gives me…
I was eagerly awaiting the newest game in the Prince of Persia franchise, but I was skeptical that it could live up to the amazing Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. This game is a brilliant creation that accomplishes some amazing feats, but it also has its fair share of drawbacks. Prince of Persia has some controversial features, and as a result will garner varying degrees of praise and criticism. While I agree…
Kirby games have a bad habit of being released when a console is practically dead. Kirby's Dreamland 3 suffered this misfortune by being released a year after the Nintendo 64 was introduced. I was one of those people who passed over this game. I recall seeing it in video rental stores, but my attention was directed solely towards the N64 at that time. Besides, I had already played Kirby Super Star, the ultimate…
