87 public written reviews
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The original Uno on XBLA is arguably the most successful arcade game to date. Raking in the top 10 charts every month and still being played to this day, Uno was a smart addition the XBLA library. Now we have Uno Rush, which trickles down to being Uno, but faster. It’s a great game for 10 bucks that most casuals and hardcore can enjoy. The major change to this version is that everyone’s cards are on the table for…
Onechanabara’s production is perhaps where the most criticism can be levied against the game, though considering the price point of $30 and the arcade nature of its gameplay, you're still getting an impressive package. The graphics are strictly PS2-quality, and the characters, though they’re attractive and animate fluidly, don’t move with the same level of grace we’ve become accustomed to seeing in games for the…
Due to the deadly T-Virus, the once peaceful burgh known as Raccoon City has turned into a seething orgy of horror. Flesh-eating zombies have taken over the streets and constantly threaten any humans unlucky enough to be trapped in the town. You are Jill Valentine, an elite police officer (with the STARS unit) who resigned just days after the grisly events that took place in the original Resident Evil. Your goal is…
TMNT offers some interesting platforming elements, but repetitive and brain dead combat result in a mediocre game. The story is basically told as a flashback, while the turtles look back at how they became close brothers and a team that works together. Unfourtuanitly the story doesn't ever really explain well on why your doing what your doing at the moment. On the flip side the game treats the player to very well…
If you've played UT2K4 on the PC or Unreal Championship from the original Xbox then you probably have a good idea on what you'll be getting into. The game is still structured as an arena Deathmatch-CTF battleground where you'll be spending a lot of your time fragging, and doing an equal amount of time blowing up. Unreal Tournament probably shouldn't feel as new and exciting as it does. When you think about it, UT 3…
Dead Rising features a grand scale of zombie genocide. While Capcom's Resident Evil series has concentrated on horror and shock, the focus of Dead Rising is the positive side of the zombie apocalypse: the chance to beat the absolute crap out of the undead with whatever you can lay your hands upon. Repetitive side missions, frustrating save system, and occasionally awkward control scheme aside, Dead Rising is as much…
Black is an explosive first-person shooter from Criterion Games, the ones responsible for the Burnout series. Like the implication of action, an explosion intensive racing in Burnout, the folks at Criterion hopes to engage players in similar designs in their latest shooter. Black is packed with explosions and loud gunplay settling a fantastic first impression. However, as Blacks action intensive gameplay struggles…
With the abounding about of dual stick shooters on XBLA, one would find the addition of a dungeon crawler righteous. However, Wanako Studio's Arkadian Warriors is not the gem RPG fanatics are questing for. This mediocre experience will have its amusing moments, but after your six hour adventure, you may leave with a bad taste in your mouth. Any veteran of cliché action RPG formula will glide through this game, and…
It shouldn't surprise anyone to see a second-rate Godzilla product, but the Big G's latest adventure takes it to a new level. Godzilla: Monster of Monsters is a 2D side scroller from Compile which leaves a lot to be desired. You play as either Mothra, or Godzilla fighting the nefarious Planet X with kicks, tail whips, and cheesy-looking atomic breath. If your Mother, you shoot fire balls from your head...because…
A little over four years ago, Capcom revitalized its flagship franchise. They threw away the pre-rendered backrounds and slow pacing of the original Resident Evil titles, bringing the zombie franchise into modern day. Resident Evil 4 released on the Gamecube and rewrote the rules on third-person action. I for one, consider Resident Evil 4 one of the best games of last generation, I also believe if it wasn't for the…
It's always depressing walking through the Wii section at a store. Seeing dozens of games like M & M's Fucking Kart Racing Extravaganza, and a voluminous amount of low-budget games from companies we've never herd of. For the hardcore gamer like you and I who accidentally bought a Wii, and having it sit in the dark corner of the room below your Vetrex, to the right of your Amiga collecting large amounts of dust, we…
The Playstation brand has had a hard time distinguishing itself in the market. Aside from Metal Gear, and a few other titles, the PS3 never had its showcase game. The game that came out and said “bro, Playstation, it’s here to stay!” Killzone 2 is a phenomenal game that is arguably the best action game in years. Everything from the sound design, to the incredible visuals, this game is what PS3 owners have been…
50 Cent: Blood on the Sand is ridicules, and very often is a hilarious mess of stereotypes and parodies of modern action games like Gears of War. The story is mostly nonsense, after performing concert in an unnamed middle eastern country, 50 and his G-Unit crew (comprised of Dj Who Kid, Tony Yayo and Lloyd Banks) got stiffed of their payment, but instead was given a diamond encrusted skull that’s later stolen by a…
With barely dusting off the code from the PS2 Onechanbara games, D3 has put out a game that will make most gamers turn away. Considering the game is nothing but half-naked girls, that's an accomplishment. Bikini Samurai Squad will be a guilty pleasure for few people, but most normal players out there who don't find appeal in tasteless garbage wouldn't play this game beyond the first hour. The game revolves around…
F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin blends the best aspects of several sub genres of both film, and videogames. Monolith created a well executed product of action, thriller, horror, and creepy PG-13 ghost (The Ring) antagonist experience. Project Origin’s creepy moments, and intense action work more than they fail, and will satisfy any gamer looking for a good ride. But that’s also where this game falls flat; it’s a ride,…
Games based on existing properties are typically below the bar, and are glorified advertisements. Afro Samurai is a hack & slash gore fest Ninja Gaiden wannabe showing a lot of potential, and eventually crumbles under stupid mechanical issues. You play as Afro (appropriate name), in an obligatory “boy avenging his father’s murder” adventure. Throughout your six hour quest traveling around futuristic feudal Japan,…
The feeling of freedom to skate wherever and to have your own personal adventure is what makes this series great. The level of freedom players get is truly remarkable and delivers a very rewarding experience, assuming you take the time to learn how to play. Skate is one of the most frustrating games I’ve played in the last few years. The game is riddled with controller throwing moments, and it’s too often you fail a…
Interpol: The Trail of Dr. Chaos is a simple point and click game, in which your task is to find pointless items in a mess. So does this game have any purpose being on the Arcade? Imagine a room with a giant clutter of crap, like, umbrellas, computers, clocks, and so on. Now, imagine you trying to find, say, a pencil in this mess, make since? Their's a reason this type of “seek and find game” is only found for free…
Every year's end is a fantastic time to be playing games. The market contains a nearly endless supply of high quality titles to keep a busy gamer playing until the beginning of the new year. After enjoying high profile titles like Fallout 3, Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, and Left 4 Dead, I went into 2009 with high expectations. It's fair to say we're at the half-way point of this generation, so no company has the…
Finally, a good pirate themed XBLA game, a bottle of rum for you and me! Age of Booty is a lighthearted strategy game, which revolves around pirates fighting other pirates in territorial battles. The game is really simple. You control a single pirate ship in a hex based map, fighting another team of two or four opponents for control of various towns. Your goal is to simply control the map, this is where the game's…
War World drops the ball in almost every aspect. Adapted by the PC game of the same name, War World is a shinning example of a game that “could have been”, but otherwise is laughable. Mechs you pilot range of small and speedy, to tank-like giants. Although the larger mechs are more impressive from a presentation standpoint, the maps are so grossly unbalanced the bigger mechs can hardly move in some of the smaller…
You probably wont enjoy everything Boom Blox has to offer, but its casual gameplay mixed with smart design makes it a perfect excuse to dust off your Wii. What makes a great game is not only the fun factor, but how well the game blends its technology, and gameplay. Boom Blox is a concept of a great game, the gameplay is centered around different types of blocks and the properties it has. Sometimes you have to pull…
Trying to describe the absolute chaos that is Smash TV is completely understated unless you're watching a video or have played the game yourself. One of my personal favorite arcade games from the past. Not only are you treated to an arcade faithful recreation of a fantastically frantic game, but you are also given online play. While I experienced getting kicked off 2 times, I can't say if it was my poor connection…
Lego Batman is the fifth part in the popular Lego (insert popular LucasArt franchise here) series. With the lack of under the hood maintenance to the lego formula, this iteration comes with built-in problems that anyone who's played previous games should expect. Lego StarWars was a success because it told a mature story in an innocent point of view, and Lego Indiana Jones was great because the films had so many…
Where's my "Deck of 52"!? Mercenaries 2 is simply about blowing shit up, end of story. For anyone who's played the first game, should come expecting the same type of game, just on steroids. The playground of destruction your dropped in is almost completely destructible, and it's your job to finish your mission in anyway you see fit. From air strikes, to tactical nuclear weapons, to just kicking down the door and…
With a struggling campaign and scarce upgrades, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2 feels more like an expansion pack than a full-fledged sequel. Vegas 2 takes the familiar formula of the previous game, and implements minor corrections, installs some news maps, and delivers Vegas fans a sequel that will leave them unsatisfied, and possibly calling this "Vegas 1.5". Rainbow Six Vegas 2 is a totally rad shooter, but…
When Pac-Man was released in North American arcades back in 1980 it lit the gaming industry on fire and holds a special place in almost every gamers heart as one of the most classic coin-up arcade experiences of all time. Spawning countless sequels, a horrible cartoon, and that cool "Pac-Man Fever" song, Pac-Man is one of the kings of the game industry. Now in 2007 Namco comes with the crazy idea to re-do Pac-Man,…
If faced against a psychopathic meth addict would you be willing to beat him down with a riped off toilet seat, or smash his face into a meat grinder? If you answered yes, then you might be prepared to drop down in Monolith's latest horror entry, Condemned 2: Bloodshot. The sequel to Sega's Xbox 360 launch title returns to the gritty Metro City, and engages players on a thrill ride jam-packed with the intense horror…
Some would say Braid is a bit pretentious, and it is but who cares, I enjoyed every minute of Johnathen Blow's Braid; including the many instances staring at a puzzle and cursing my television loudly because I was too stupid to get it instantly. Puzzle solving fun a la Portal in terms of unique challenges and fun mechanics. It should be cheaper than fifteen, not because I'm a cheap bastard afraid to spend money on…
Steven Beynon EpicSteve President Eisenhower warned the world about the uprising of Private Military protecting the United States in his farewell state of the union address. Company's such as Black Water, Titan Corporation, and Triple Canopy were gaining too much power in warfare, and has the potential to undermine the safety of both the U.S. and their allies. This is neither a history lesson, nor a current events…
Steven Beynon EpicSteve Mario Galaxy aside, Nintendo doesn't seem willing to reinvent their blockbuster brands, but merely remaking them for the current generation. Between hit titles such as Twilight Princess, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Metroid Prime 3, and so on, fans of these franchises got high quality titles, but also got exactly what they were expecting. Mario Kart is no different in any such way, its a high…
Steven Beynon EpicSteve If your a fan of Dragon Ball Z, then do yourself a favor and never be in the same room with this abomination. Dragon Ball Z: Ultimate Battle 22 has been re-released on the Playstaton for $20.00, and its still total garbage. From the start, the only positive thing to say about Ultimate Battle 22 is the variety of characters. Featuring am impressive roster of 22 characters ranging from Cell,…
Steven Beynon EpicSteve Gamertag: EpicBomb Ninja Gaiden II is an oddball, the game blends aspects that make it both a standout, and a less than great title. As fans of any previous Ninja Gaiden adventures would come to expect, you return to the role of ninja master Ryu Hayabusa rolling around the world hacking up evil demons, nefarious nameless ninjas, and random gigantic monsters. Fans can also expect that Team…
Steven Beynon EpicSteve Gamertag: EpicBomb Quake Wars finally makes its way to consoles with a competent port. Though the conversion from PC to console certainly has its faults-such as slow reloading, lack of a grenade button, and abysmal weapon switching mechanics. This combined with a weak single player will turn off most console players. The singleplayer is basically a series of bot matches on each of the games…
Steven Beynon EpicSteve Gamertag: EpicBomb Dragonball Z Burst Limit is the first Dragonball game to arrive to the current generation, and on its run here it seemed to of lost a lot of potential. If your a fan of the Japanese cartoon you may be disappointed by the way this game conveys its potentially epic story, and minimizes it to short bursts of cutscenes that pathetically introduce each fight which will…
No Gods or Kings, Only Man From a distance, 2K's latest Blockbuster, Bioshock, might just look like a pretty first-person shooter, but it's actually much more. Calling it a "pretty shooter", does the game a disservice and sounds insulting considering the level of creativity, and atmosphere Bioshock achieves. Bioshock is best described as an interactive sci-fi mystery novel. Along with being interlaced with literary…
Super Smash Bros. Brawl is a game that's virtually impossible to dislike for anyone who's been around the block in the gaming world, or anyone who's just a sucker for nostalgia. While Brawl is an obligatory player's choice on the Nintendo side, gamers from all demographics will indubitably find charm in this Brawler. Veterans of the Smash Bros. series will find no surprises on the game play side of Brawl. Like its…
What you see before your eyes is a review for one of the most popular games ever created, which inspired a generation. Pokemon Red and Blue were games available in Japan in 1996, and then transferred over seas to the U.S. in 1998. It doesn't matter if you love 'em or hate them, no one can deny the following Pokemon led in the 90's. Spawning a successful cartoon after the games success, and popularization of a…
Previously known as Unreal Tournament 2007, Unreal Tournament 3 has been available on both the Playstation 3 and PC for several months now, and after a long delay due to timed exclusivity for the PS3 version, 360 owners finally get to delve into this generations old school tournament style twitch shooter. If you've played UT2K4 on the PC or Unreal Championship from the original Xbox then you probably have a good…
