The story begins with the player navigating a dark dungeon as an “Arisen” from another time and place. The Arisen are those individuals that have essentially came back from the dead after being killed by dragons. After this tutorial section, we fast forward in the timeline. If you played the demo, you can import the character you created there, or start from scratch.

The opening scene shows the main character in a quaint coastal fishing village. Then, a dragon that has fallen from the sky attacks and steals the protagonist’s heart. One thing leads to another, and you are whisked away on a grand journey to hunt down the dragon that robbed you and avenge yourself. The main plot isn’t very deep at all, but provides enough thrills to keep the ball rolling. The side quests and minor content are where you will probably spend the majority of your time, if not just exploring the beautifully crafted world of Gransys.

Most of the side quests are fairly basic at their core, but thanks to the dynamic AI and environments Capcom created, they have a very unique feeling to them. A quest that begins as a simple escort mission for a caravan can soon turn into one of the most epic battles you’ve ever seen. There is a large variety of quest types, and while I have not seen absolutely everything in this game, I have not been disappointed as of yet.

Once you start the game, you can pick one of three basic archetypes: Fighter, Mage, or Strider. Fighters specialize in swords and shields, Mages use magic, and Striders are your basic rogue class with daggers and bows. Once you get a bit farther in the game you get the chance to switch your class up, or pick a more specialized focus in your general archetype.

As a melee character, square controlled light attacks and triangle performed heavy attacks. X was jump, and O was the general interaction button. L2 sheathed/drew my weapons, while R2 grabbed objects and people. If you held down L1, then square, triangle and O would change to your left handed skills, with R2 doing the same for right handed skills. L3 was sprint, and R3 centered the camera. This system works very well and is fluid while playing the game.

"Combat is fierce and fast, requiring the utmost skill at all times.

That being said, there are two main complaints I have with the combat system. First of all, it would have been nice to have a dodge roll in place. As a warrior, I would have liked to more easily evade attacks instead of being forced to block or move away. Secondly, you should be able to interrupt your own abilities. For example, while charging up an ability to grant my sword with fire, if an enemy approached before the skill is finished, I am stuck and have to hope they don’t attack. This gets very frustrating later on, and is true for all skills requiring a charge-up.

Combat is fierce and fast, requiring the utmost skill at all times. Most large enemies can easily kill you in a few well-placed strikes, so tread carefully. The AI in this game for enemies is some of the best I have ever seen in the genre; they adapt to environments and act realistically.

For example: archers attempt to position themselves at higher ground and rain down on your from above, shielded fighters charge forward to occupy you while the dagger wielders jump and sneak around behind. Wolves travel and fight in packs, encircling you and attacking from all sides, or keeping their distance to only lunge in for a quick strike before backing off. Cyclops will reach and pull you off of them if you start climbing, or even slam on to the ground to get you off their back; combat is a truly exhilarating experience. The exact same can be said for your AI companions as well, for the most part.

Your companions are part of what’s called a “Pawn” system. As the Arisen, you are able to command the Pawns of Gransys, which are not human, but simply will-less slaves to your cause. This is a great plot-friendly excuse for having followers that do your every bidding. You create your main-pawn near the beginning of the game that is always with you, so make sure you create a good complimentary character. I chose a mage as my main-pawn, since my character wielded 1-handed weapons and giant shields as well as heavy armor. You can still change their class, abilities, and equipment however, just like your own.

In addition to your main-pawn, you may hire two other pawns. These are created by other players, and you hire them by venturing into the Rift. This is where this game really does something unique. When you have another player’s pawn tagging along with you, they are constantly learning. For example: if you fight a dragon with that pawn, next time his/her owner logs on, that pawn is more knowledgeable. So, if he/she were to go fight a dragon for the first time, that pawn would have valuable information. I have another great example of how they learn and adapt very efficiently.

At one point I was fighting zombie-like enemies. It was my first encounter with them, and I noticed my normal sword slashes were not having a lot of effect, the same goes for arrows, daggers, basic spell attacks, etc. Then, my mage pawn imbued our weapons with fire and we started doing much more damage. After this happened, every time we saw that enemy type again he would say, “They’re weak to fire!” or something to that effect to let me know.

Furthermore, they act like actual humans would. As you travel, they comment on the scenery and architecture of the area, pick flowers, loot bodies, and even explore rooms and environments. I cannot even count the number of times a pawn came across a hidden stash of gold that I missed. While regular coop would be a welcome addition, there is little wrong with this system.

Unfortunately, since the AI is so advanced most of the time, you really don’t have a whole lot of control over them. All you can do is tell them to either “Go” “Come” or “Help.” It would have been nice to have some sort of command menu, if you wanted a mage to cast a specific spell, your fighter attack a specific group, or your archer stay in one spot. They mostly are let loose to act as they wish. While they usually perform well and do exactly what you need, more guidance would be helpful.

After getting used to the pawn system, you will really start to enjoy their distinct personalities. After a while, I began to really care for my companions, and would rush to their aid in battle. Something should really be said for how well the AI in this game behaves for the most part, it is definitely a testament to how far gaming has come.

Graphically, this one is a sight to behold. The lighting and shadows are incredible, and the game looks even better in motion. Spell effects are expertly done, and the enemy and character models are highly detailed. Unfortunately a lot of the environment textures are a little blocky and odd looking up close, but overall this is one beautiful game.

Unfortunately, not much in the world of gaming is perfect, and this is true with Dragon’s Dogma. For starters, the main menu theme song is painful to listen to. It starts out great, but devolves very quickly. The rest of the music in the game is wonderful, which makes it even more noticeable. Most of the voice acting itself is done very well in the game, but your pawns will get annoying after a while. I am really not interested in hearing them inform me of how much more they know about this quest now, all of the time. Another point to this end is that the lips hardly ever match the mouths when talking to NPCs. Cutscenes look fine, but regular dialogue is terrible. I’d recommend looking away from the screen and just listening to dialogue, or reading quickly and skipping to save yourself the suffering. Thankfully the ambient sounds and general background music are truly immersive and a great part of the game.

"You owe it to yourself to give Dragon’s Dogma a try.

Capcom has done the majority of things right with this game. The gameplay is super tight and exhilarating, the world is massively rich and detailed, the enemy and ally AI is a huge step forward, and the amount of content is staggering. At the end of the day, you can easily be immersed in this brand new world ripe for the exploring. Hopefully they take this franchise (or the gameplay engine and features, at least) and build upon it. It’s unfortunate how little attention this game has been getting leading up to launch, but you owe it to yourself to give Dragon’s Dogma a try. If you do, grand adventures await!

Dragon’s Dogma releases on May 22^nd for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Be sure and check out the collection of screenshots I took from own personal time with the game. Let us know what you think in the comments below!

"If you like fast-paced, hack n’ slash, action-RPGs then you will find a lot to love in Diablo III.

Diablo 3 is sort of like the Duke Nukem of RPGs – the last entry in the series came at the beginning of the last decade, and it’s been coming for about 13 years now. So, what’s the biggest difference between the two, besides their genres? Well, this one is still developed by the original company, Blizzard, and is not a bad game at all. Diablo 3 is an epic continuation of the battle between Heaven, Hell, and the mortal realm of Sanctuary. In many ways it has lived up to the hype, and in many others it is quite a bit different than Diablo 2. All issues with the game aside, if you like fast-paced, hack n’ slash, action-RPGs then you will find a lot to love here.

Before the game starts you can customize your banner (of which you will unlock different designs as you play) and choose a character. I say “choose a character” and not “design a character” because there are next to no customization elements present. You choose the class and gender that is all. This is still a step up from Diablo 2, where you only chose the class.

Once you are in, the story picks up twenty years after the Prime Evils were defeated and banished from the world of Sanctuary. The opening cinematic shows Deckard Cain and his niece, Leah, in the Chapel of Tristram as something falls from the sky. After crashing down and making a huge crater, Deckard Cain is nowhere to be found. The game begins with your hero traveling to find out what’s happening, and then the story begins to unfold from there.

Overall the story is intensely enjoyable with a great hook and concept to keep you intrigued from start to finish. If you are a longtime fan of the series like me, then you can easily enjoy the references to past events. If you are new to the serious, I highly recommend reading up on the events of the past game and the general lore of the franchise itself. You will not be disappointed; the war between Heaven and Hell is anything but boring.

That being said, it starts out great, and the final Act is a thrilling conclusion to the game with a really great final boss, but the entire game doesn’t keep that same pace. The middle third or so of the game really goes into a lull and seems to drag on for far too long. The game can be completed on Normal difficulty in about 20 hours, give or take depending on how thorough or quick you are, and if you play with others. But the chunk in the middle could have been paced a little bit better. The story is a grand tale of the most epic proportions, but it is ultimately just an excuse for you to go slay a few hundred more demons.

Ultimately the game really does maintain great pacing throughout, never truly getting impossibly difficult as long as your skills have been improving along with your character’s. This is also a testament to the super-tight gameplay Blizzard crafted for Diablo 3. However, if you’re not a fan of the genre, or at least interested in this style of game, combat will get very repetitive very fast. This is very much the same combat you should be used to by now (click until your mouse breaks) but they have expanded it, in some ways, from Diablo 2, but also truncated some of the deeper features. While this is a review of just Diablo 3, it is necessary to compare it to the previous game because a) it has been over a decade, so seeing how it compares is crucial and b) it is important to know for many of the longtime fans.

For example, in Diablo 2 you mapped skills to the left and right mouse buttons. In Diablo 3, you also get numbers 1-4, so this is a great addition. However, they removed two features that would have been nice for players obsessed with balancing their stats. First, when you level up the game automatically assigns you attribute points based on your class. This means you no longer get to customize how many points you put into which attributes. This is not a major folly, because it does keep the game balanced and prevents your from breaking your character halfway through the game. Thankfully this fault is mitigated by the use of gems, but more on that later.

Secondly, when you level up, you no longer get to actually choose which skills you want to take, or even which skills you want to improve. Let me explain this further. In a lot of RPGs, Diablo 2 included, when you leveled up you picked from a few different “trees” of skills which ones you wanted to learn. In Diablo 3, which skills you learn, is entirely out of your hands and automatically chosen by the game itself.

Furthermore, when you level up, you don’t get to improve any of your current skills either. Let’s say you had already learned all of the skills you were interested in, in Diablo 2 and other games, you can then spend your skill points on improving existing skills. Instead, in Diablo 3, the game pre-determines which skills are improved and when. There is also a “rune” system where you unlock optional enhancements for every skill, so you can choose to make them behave in different ways. All of this goes to improving the balance of the game and making it more accessible, but at the cost of customization. It seems like they could have given players the option of automatic or elective mode, which they did do thankfully for one feature.

I didn’t even discover this until I was halfway through the game, but you do get a bit of skill customization. The hotbar is laid out with the numbers 1-4 on the left, and then left mouse and right mouse buttons near the middle. In the skill menu, as shown above, you get 6 categories. For this example, I am showing my Wizard character. She has Primary, Secondary, Conjuration, Force, Mastery, and Defensive skills that are all mapped to a specific button. In the default non-elective mode, you are limited to one skill from each of those categories. However, if you enable elective mode, you can assign each of the six slots using any combination of all of your skills. This drastically changes the way the game is played! So, make sure you activate this option if you want more control over your loadout.

"You are always required to be connected to the internet in order to play this game, whether it be single or multiplayer.

Continuing down the road of negativity, are many non-gameplay related elements. First off, you are always required to be connected to the internet in order to play this game, whether it be single or multiplayer. They did this to protect themselves and the game, as a form of DRM. However, this tremendously limits the experience. A game like Diablo can be played for long stretches of time, but it can also be played in short 20 minutes bursts if you want to. Let’s say you’re on vacation with your laptop and have no internet – you cannot play. Let’s say you don’t have a good connection – plan on experiencing lots of lag (even in single player) or not being able to connect at all.

I understand that they are eventually going to implement the ability to spend and earn real money in the auction house (which is not available at launch,) but I feel like, as a gamer, I should be able to play the game offline for single player mode. This brings up another crucial issue: what happens if the servers go down? As we saw on launch night, thousands of players tried to log on at the exact same moment and caused the game to crash. This means that even those individuals that wanted to play in single player mode could not play. There is no excuse for this, the game has been in development for over a decade, they have had beta tests, and they knew how many people preordered the game.

Another absent feature is the PvP. Obviously they announced months ago that it would not be available at launch, but this is not an excuse. You should ask yourself: Am I even getting a complete product? They are charging the same price as if it was a fully featured and fully functional game, but leaving out the two most highly touted features, forcing you to be connected to the internet to play, and experiencing frequent server issues within the first week of release. Even though those two features are being added “soon” and free of charge, none of this is excusable.

Blizzard did implement a few great new features as well, including the auction house. When you purchase an item from the auction house, you may send it directly to your stash, which is also where your gold will go if you sell something or are outbid and have your gold refunded. This is a really nice addition, and is recommended for all players looking for certain gems and other specific items. This same auction house will later be updated to include the option of spending real money (which Blizzard does take a portion of the revenue from all sales.) There is also a new crafting system in the game as well. Each magical item you find (colored blue or better) can be broken down into raw materials. Once you accumulate enough materials, you can start crafting.

In order to craft items you have to train your crafting ability (accomplished by spending gold at the Blacksmith) and spend resources + gold. You can eventually craft extremely powerful gear that may be better than what you are wearing, or at least worth posting in the auction house. Furthermore, the game now features gem crafting. By combining lesser gems, you can eventually create flawless and perfect tier gems. For the most part, the gem system is very similar to Diablo 2; you can find items with “empty sockets” and fill them with gems that imbue different effects.

The gem system, however, does leave a bit to be desired. It doesn’t seem to make your weapons and/or armor glow anymore, and there are also not very many effects. Each type of gem only has three different effects: one for if it is put in a helmet, one for a weapon, and one for everything else. It would have been nice if they added different effects for chest, leg, shoulder, accessory, etc to really add more depth to the game. Thankfully, though, gems are a godsend for those that miss attribute customization.

Since you can no longer assign which attribute points you spend where when leveling up, you can just socket gems that grant whichever attribute you are after. This is great, but it would have been nice to at least have the option of both.

Graphically you can’t ask for a whole lot more in this genre. The charcters models look pretty nice when you zoom in on them, and the environments are incredible. I even saw a rainbow across a river and waterfall at one point, it definitely looks nice. This is especially amazing because for the most part the game maintained a high FPS and looked great all the way through. The particle and spell effects are especially beautiful to look at. Another point should be made to mention the CG cutscenes. While these aren’t as popular these days, there are a few in this game. They are hands down the most beautiful and well-done I have ever seen in a game; absolutely stunning.

The sound design, as always in Blizzard products, is top-notch. Each musical track is expertly crafted, and really portrays the mood of each area in the game. All of the nasty creatures shriek and moan in unique ways, and if you play with the lights off and headphones in, there are some pretty creepy moments and sounds. There really isn’t much room for improvement in this department.

As expected, the multiplayer works great. After you login, you have a few different options for what type of game you want to play, or if you want to jump to a specific mission or section of the game (assuming you have reached it.) If you are playing single player, you may choose to allow any of your friends to easily join into your game at any point, and vice versa for you joining their games. Additionally, you can open it up to the public (similar to Borderlands or Saints Row) so that anyone can find and join your game. Playing with others infinitely improves the experience, adding in more monsters, more loot, and more fun. Thankfully they employed a loot system that generates different loot for each player so you don’t have to worry about rolling for loot or anything like that. While playing, there is also a constant chat box in the lower left corner, so you can join a general chat channel, a class specific chat channel, speak with your party, or even a trade channel for negotiating items.

"Diablo 3 is one hell of a good time.

If you have no friends, or would rather just play alone, you can hire followers once again. In a lot of ways they are improved from Diablo 2, in that they all have actual personalities. Personally, I chose to have the Templar with me the entire game once I found him because as a Wizard, he was a good compliment. Throughout the game they chime in during story moments, while fighting enemies, and are actually helpful. Each of them have their own distinct personalities, and I really enjoyed having him tag along for the adventure. You can even assign a few different items to them, as well as choose a few skills that they take after they level up. If you are playing with other humans in your party, however, then you cannot have any followers.

In the end, Diablo 3 is undeniably a good game. It is extremely polished, expertly balanced, and disgustingly fun. While Blizzard did take out some of the deeper elements to character leveling, temporarily excluded promised features, and restricted the way you play the game; Diablo 3 is one hell of a good time.

"A memorable title and a certifiable game of the year contender

During July of 2001, Remedy Entertainment introduced the world to a groundbreaking third-person shooter with a sophisticated slow motion gunplay mechanic, mature narrative, and graphic novel stylized presentation. Max Payne ignited the PC gaming culture by breaking the rules of conventional gameplay all while paying homage to the classic action hero movie genre.

Once development on Max Payne 2 concluded, Remedy stepped aside to focus on Alan Wake and handed over full creative control of the franchise to the talented team at Rockstar Games. After countless delays, the end result is a phenomenal shooter with an unrivaled cinematic presentation that maintains consistency from beginning to end. Here are a few more reasons why this game is an absolute must buy.

Back in April, I wrote a detailed hands-on article that dove into my experiences having played the demo at PAX East. Needless to say, after playing through the final product I walked away impressed with all the blood, sweat, and tears that went into crafting this masterpiece.

Right from the start of the opening sequence, you’re able to identify an older Max as he deals with all the trials and tribulations of the modern world. Rockstar deserves accolades for putting a unique spin on the series without sacrificing the core elements of gameplay that made the first game a classic.

At the heart of this dark and gritty storyline lies a deeper character study into Max’s ever evolving state of mind. Still visibility broken from the death of his wife and infant daughter, he continues to remain an outsider and seeks refuge through severe bouts of violence and alcoholism.

After taking on a high profile security job and getting caught up in a dangerous scandal, Max sets out to uncover the truth and recapture the broken parts of his life. This effective use of redemption sets apart all the previous entries in the series because it gives a much more humanistic quality to our hero.

From a presentation standpoint, this game easily surpasses some of the best action movie blockbusters Hollywood has to offer. The only real drawback is that you can’t simply skip over any cutscenes while playing.

The idea of using cinematic sequences to bleed into gameplay is absolutely nothing short of brilliant, and both the screen and typography effects compliment Max’s shifty personality as well. The game’s soundtrack is very reminiscent of Michael Mann’s HEAT and carries just the right amount of precision to fit perfectly within the universe.

"The use of cinematic sequences to bleed into gameplay is absolutely nothing short of brilliant

The campaign clocks in at about 10-12 hours depending on the difficulty setting that you’re comfortable using. There are several unlockables to gain while playing through the story including collectible golden gun types, and level specific grind objectives and clues.

If you don’t feel like replaying the game in its entirety, then you have the option of only playing individual chapters. I would recommend trying out the arcade feature titled New York Minute. This mode gives you 60 seconds to complete a chapter and compete against others for the fastest time finished. The simple and intuitive leaderboard stats are more then enough to persuade competitive gamers to get the most out of this mode.

When it comes to multiplayer, Max Payne 3 offers a stacked set of options that are guaranteed to keep you busy for several hours on end. Gang wars and Payne killer accompany standard modes like single and 16 player team deathmatches. The story structure behind gang wars works by assigning five acts to a matchup and providing commentary to recap the events before and after each act.

Alternatively, Payne killer allows you to play as either Max Payne or Raul Passos after you’ve killed either of the two. The best way to describe it would be to call it a modified version of tag. Overall, the creation of both these modes are impressive feats and set the standard for a highly addictive multiplayer experience.

Max Payne 3 is a top-notch third-person shooter that faithfully revives the Max Payne universe and paves the way for future installments. By focusing on key dynamics like smart storytelling and rich gameplay, Rockstar games has crafted a memorable title and a certifiable game of the year contender. If you’re a fan of action flicks and shooters then do yourself a favor and pick this up ASAP.

"A truly addictive online multi-player experience that has the potential to hold your interest for months to come

Back in my university days, after a long days worth of studying my ritual method of unwinding involved a two hour session on Incognito’s iteration of Warhawk. Though Warhawk came early in the PS3′s cycle there were still numerous titles that out-did it visually. I hear many people ask, what exactly was the appeal of that game? Well for me; it wasn’t about graphics or your K/D Ratio, or having an epic single player campaign. Warhawk to me was about actually having fun playing with and against other players. Nothing more, nothing less… It was easy going but challenging enough to encourage you to try new tactics on the battle field.

That same fun stress relieving experience has been absent for four and a half years, until now. Lightbox interactive were assigned the task of bringing the idea of Warhawk back to life with a new coat of paint. Enter Starhawk – which takes the theme into the future and presents a few new concepts.

One of the most notable differences between Starhawk and its predecessor is the addition of a single-player campaign mode. In this mode you assume the role of Emmet Graves. The game is centered around Rift Energy which is a new source of energy in space being mined by humans. Outcasts who have been over exposed to the Rift Energy wish to steal it and use it for their own addictive needs. After Emmet and his brother Logan’s farm is attacked by Rift Outcasts both brothers become exposed to Rift Energy. Logan becomes an Outcast but fortunately Emmet is saved from becoming an outcast thanks to an implant that a friend installs on him.

Throughout the game you’ll be acting as a mercenary, traveling to numerous Rift mines to help them fight off Outcast forces. You’ll be presented with inFamous like graphic novel story telling between missions, which looks cool but unfortunately it gets fairly boring. It’s not that Emmet isn’t an interesting character, it’s just that his story isn’t told in an overly interesting manner and thus it becomes hard to care for.

The campaign quickly begins to seems like a tutorial on how to play the game before you decide to dive into the online mode. Which is a bit of a let down when you consider the amount of stock put into the single-player campaign during marketing.

In terms of game-play Starhawk controls very much like how I remember Warhawk. At first the L2 and R2 controls were confusing, as L2 lobs grenades and R2 is used to sprint; I personally would prefer those to be swapped over due to the fact that R1 is your trigger so it makes more sense for me to press R2 for grenades. When I first played I found myself lobbing grenades right in front of me in an attempt to sprint due to this slight confusion. I’m sure there may be a way to change controls, but If you’re anything like me then you’ll prefer to play the game how the developer wanted you to.

Seeing as the whole story behind Starhawk is centered around Rift Energy, it makes sense that the gameplay should allow you to utilize the energy source. In both the single-player and multi-player modes you are able to build structures to either defend your base or bring offense to the enemy. To do this you need to build up your Rift meter, which fills up automatically if you are near base. Otherwise you can replenish your Rift meter quicker by simply killing enemies or shooting Rift containers.

The build and battle mechanic is one of the most important features of the game. Building the right structures in the right places can make the difference between winning and losing, especially once you get to the multi-player side of the game. Pressing triangle will bring up the radial menu, it displays which structures you’re able to build given your Rift meter level and the map you’re playing. Once you begin to built stations that spawn tanks, jet-packs and Hawk mechs the excitement really begins. Starhawk isn’t too exhilarating as a 3rd-person shooter, so it’s taking control of these various vehicles that provides the most amount of fun in combat.

Hawk mechs allow you to transform into Starhawks and take to the skies picking off enemies in the air or on the ground. I personally prefer transforming back to a mech to take on ground enemies, but there are many skilled flyers that can effectively aim down upon a foe from the sky. It takes some practice to get really good at controlling the Starhawk, but it’s definitely worth the effort as they are an essential part of dominating a horde of enemies.

"It’s the beauty of Starhawk; that building a turret, a supply bunker or a Hawk station can make all the difference.

It’s clear that most of Starhawks longevity will come from the multi-player online portion of the game. Usually 3rd person games are heavy focused on campaign story modes with the online being an additional option to keep players interested after beating the campaign. Starhawk is a huge exception, and it’s an exception that is certainly needed on the PS3.

One of the big criticisms for the PS3 platform is that aside from the huge 3rd party block buster titles, they lack enjoyable online experiences. Starhawk breaks this notion by providing a fun immersive online experience that keeps giving.

There are four main modes to chose from online; Capture the flag, Zones, Team Deathmatch and Deathmatch. My favorites by far are Capture the flag and Zones (taking over all zones to win) as you’ll find that you’ll have to be more strategic and actually work as a team to make a difference. Another misconception about PS3 is that people don’t talk, but I’ve found that Starhawk has actually encouraged a lot of people to get on their headsets for the purpose of working in a team.

Starhawk is a game that highly encourages team/clan based play. I’ve seen clans get together and dominate a server for hours. If you haven’t already got a clan in mind, then you will surely get a ton of clan invites as you level up further so it’s impossible to feel left out. Through the clan menu you can see clan rankings, stats and you can initiate clan vs clan battles.

As you rank up you’ll also unlock customizations for both your character and your vehicles which you can assign by entering the customization menu. You’ll also earn skill points which you can use to activate a skill (basically it’s a perk system).

Add all those entities together and you get a truly addictive online multi-player experience that has the potential to hold your interest for months to come; especially with the summer incoming.

Some may only wish to jump into Starhawk provided they have enough friends to accompany them, it’s easy to feel lost amidst the 30 other players in the room. You’ll find yourself dying frequently if you or your team don’t know what you’re doing. But on the other hand, there’s nothing like jumping into a random match on the losing team and then being there to turn the tides. It’s the beauty of Starhawk; that building a turret, a supply bunker or a Hawk station can make all the difference. This game comes highly recommended for those seeking an original multiplayer experience.

Now with the release of the highly anticipated sequel, the developers are aiming to build upon their previous accomplishments. Prototype 2 is a fun, but repetitive title that offers only a few changes to a proven formula. Here are a few more points to help you determine if this game is worth picking up.

"the narrative is average at best and remains secondary to the core gameplay that the title provides

The storyline for Prototype 2 takes place roughly 14 months after the events of the first game. The Blacklight virus epidemic has spread all over NYC, effectively making it a disease-infected warzone. The player takes on the role of Sergeant James Heller, an embattled army veteran who returns home to find that the outbreak has claimed the lives of both his wife and daughter.

Being familiar with the destructive persona of Mercer, he quickly establishes Alex as the prime suspect and aims to take him down. Unfortunately for Heller, his reckless thirst for revenge gets the better of him and he ends up being infected by Mercer after an impromptu confrontation.

The plot further expands when Heller is convinced by Mercer to hunt down several individuals to obtain classified information on the outbreak. He eventually learns more secrets then he bargained for and ultimately ends up in a violent rematch with Mercer. Overall, the narrative is average at best and remains secondary to the core gameplay that the title provides.

While roaming throughout the city, you have the ability to attack and consume virtually everyone from blackwatch officers to regular townspeople. You can freely fly and leap across rooftops and run up building walls.

When it comes to seeking out your prey, it’s recommended that you climb to the tallest building and send out signal waves to determine where your enemy is located. In addition to all this, you can also use your superhuman strength to lift heavy objects like cars and throw them at your adversaries.

Stealing a page out of GTA’s book, there is a smart alert system that monitors the carnage you cause and notifies military personnel whenever you draw too much attention to yourself. Whenever these situations begin to intensify, you can easily run away from the scene and transform into the last person that you consumed.

As you begin to progress through the game, you’ll unlock up to 5 types of mutations that turn your arms into certified killing machines. From here on out, any and every battle that you participate in becomes increasingly easier and you feel a deeper sense of superiority among every being. The campaign clocks in at about 14 hours and has various side missions that you can participate in to level up your skills further. There is no multiplayer option and unfortunately no real incentive to replay the game after completing it.

While Prototype 2 is generally a fun game to play, there are a few annoyances that prevent it from being top notch. For starters, the hunting mechanic in relation to the map system lacks accuracy when finding targets.

To get the absolute most out of this skill requires that you pay complete attention to how signals bounce off the surrounding buildings. The end result will have you searching both high and low for targets, at which point you may actually lose interest in trying to reach your goal.

Another problem with the game lies in the repeating process by which each mission is designed. You’ll receive a lead and after successfully consuming the enemy and revealing their memories the cycle continues over and over again.

What’s equally bothersome is that there aren’t any life-altering decisions or morality choices that you get to make in regards to how you interact with the environment or the people. Instead, this game is strictly about gaining the power of a god and destroying your entire surroundings at your leisure.

In closing, Prototype 2 is a unique open world experience that makes anarchy the centerpiece of gameplay. If you’re looking for a game that’s low on story and high on action, then this game is just for you.

In the case of a rising studio like CD Projekt Red, their end goal was to create games that offer the best of both worlds. The Witcher 2 is not only a successful pairing of both concepts, but it’s also a phenomenal title and a certified must have for every diehard RPG fan. Here are a few reasons why this game is worth both your time and your money.

The Witcher 2: Assassins Of Kings could best be described as an epic action RPG title set in a mature fantasy-filled world where issues of political unrest, war, and death take center stage.

The player assumes the role of Geralt of Rivia, a skilled witcher who uses alchemy, magic, and sword fighting to defend himself against both creatures and humans alike. After being framed for the murder of King Foltest, Geralt embarks on a journey to track down the killer and effectively clear his name.

While the story may sound too generic for some, the overall plot contains several key areas throughout where choice matters and ultimately shapes your surroundings. While some of the dialogue options aren’t as detailed or varied as the ones showcased in previous Mass Effect games, the decisions still have a unique feel to them and are therefore more meaningful and believable within the context of the story.

"a certified must have for every diehard RPG fan

In addition to having an engaging narrative, the game has a vast array of memorable characters to interact with. CD Projekt RED does a great job at crafting a world where people’s behaviors and motives coincide perfectly with the harshness of reality.

While Geralt’s personality remains one of a puzzled war-torn warrior, through uncovering the truth to his past you gain a deeper sense of all the dynamics that make him such a pivotal part of the experience. Likewise, players who aren’t familiar with any of the previous Witcher novels will be caught up to speed fairly quickly on current events and may find themselves addictively drawn to the complete game as a whole.

The Enhanced Edition of this game is not only tweaked to perform well on the Xbox 360 console, but it also adds a wealth of new content in the form of additional quests, cutscenes, characters, and environments. While these sentiments are great overall, some areas of the execution appear slightly stronger than others.

Graphically, this version of the game is a masterful recreation of the original but occasionally falls short from texture pop-ins and random gameplay glitches. These problems are specific to the Xbox 360 and appear less bothersome on the PC version. Still, the creative team should be applauded for taking the time to go above and beyond the idea of making a port and instead giving the game a whole new perspective.

When it comes to gameplay and controls, the developers did a phenomenal job on converting over key features. Combat animations are as smooth and responsive as the game’s PC counterpart. A new camera system has been added to aid the player in targeting their enemies with more precision and accuracy then ever before. Also, brief fistfights appear as short mini-games where you rely on button prompts to complete the task at hand.

As you engage in more rigorous battles throughout the game, your character is given the ability to level up and unlock new powers. For the most part, this process is pretty straightforward and provides enough information to get you started. When it comes to creating potions however, you’ll be required to put in some extra time familiarizing yourself with various ingredient lists.

One of the dangers of the game is that you’re able to collect various types of items and monitor your inventory space closely. While there is a set weight limit to the amount of items you can physically carry, it would at least have been convenient if the creators found a better way to emphasize the items most essential to your survival. You always have the option to sell your goods for currency but it’s hard to determine whether or not you needed something until long after it’s gone.

After navigating through a lengthy campaign, players can participate in the Arena mode option. This is similar to Gears Of War’s Horde mode in the sense that you’re battling through waves of enemies within the confines of a crowded arena. In an interesting twist, Geralt can encounter both foes and allies in these battles.

The main objective of this mode is to win gold and gain points with each victory. The point totals can then be posted online so that you can compare and contrast your score with other players. Overall, the mode is fun and offers a small bonus to an already superb game.

The Witcher 2: Enhanced Edition is a wickedly good RPG that delivers a compelling story and deeply intuitive combat system. The use of adult themes such as sex and violence further reinforce the theory that this is very much an adult world full of consequences and repercussions. While minor flaws may exist on the Xbox 360 version, never once does this take away from the excitement you’ll get from the core gameplay experience. If you’re a fan of these types of games, do yourself a favor and pick this up ASAP.

First and foremost – this version is entirely portable. Playing MK on your TV at home is great, but with the short matches and hundreds of challenge missions, it just makes sense to have this game on a portable system. And with the beautifully large Vita screen, responsive buttons, analog sticks, and touch controls; Mortal Kombat shines more than ever. For the most part.

The story mode is identical to what you remember, and is still probably the best story mode in a fighting game to date. Rather than just be a shameful reboot of the franchise, NetherRealm Studios went to great lengths to ensure that it made sense within the lore of the franchise. The game begins with Shao Kahn about to win the tournament and bring the apocalypse – but Raiden doesn’t want that to be the end.

"Hopefully more fighting game developers see what the MK team is doing and take notes

Right before he is finally slain, he sends a telepathic message back in time to himself before the beginning of the very first tournament, telling the former Raiden “He must win.” This creates a lot of suspence throughout the campaign, as the player and the rest of the cast have to all figure out exactly what that means, and how to stop the inevitable. You play through various chapters and get to see a detailed backstory of every major character. Hopefully more fighting game developers see what the MK team is doing and take notes.

While the story mode is great, this is also where the game’s biggest downfall lies: the graphics. Overall the environments look beautiful, and the cutscenes are 100% amazing in the visual department. However, when the game transitions from cutscenes to fights, the character models significantly reduce in quality, and it is very noticeable. This was probably necessary in order to keep the game running at a silky smooth 60 frames-per-second (which it most definitely does, and does well,) so it is not terrible. This is a handheld, not a PS3, so some corners obviously had to be cut.

Besides the story mode transitions, you won’t even notice a single issue with the graphics. After you play a few versus modes, or complete a ladder, or even the challenge tower missions, you get used to them and it really does look great given how fast and beautiful it all moves. The backgrounds still look incredibly detailed throughout the experience, which is a major plus.

The gameplay is the true reason anyone ever plays a fighting game, and this plays identically to the console version. The Vita’s d-pad is very similar to the PS3 controller, so it is very easy to get used to, and the analog stick is nice if you are one of those people that plays fighters with an analog stick. Every character controls great, and it is an example of how tight and responsive fighting games should be made.

Unfortunately I was not able to extensively test the Wi-Fi features of the game too deeply given my unstable internet connection, but when I did have a good connection, everything worked great. With Ranked, Player, and Private matches for 1v1 and Tag game types, there is plenty to do against your online opponents. Local ad-hoc play works great as well! Hopefully it is more stable as time goes on, but most of the issues were on my end.

The music and sound effects are mostly how you remember them, with Liu Kang just as annoying as ever, and the various shouts of agony are still music to the player’s ears! One of the cool features this game supports is automatic voice chat when playing online. This way, your opponents voice comes through your speakers when fighting. This is a cool new feature that allows some great trash talking with anyone you might be playing.

Overall, this is a fantastic little package with more value than you could ever hope for out of a fighting game. It includes all of the original characters, all four DLC characters, and Kratos. It also comes with many Vita specific features, including over 100 new bonus challenge tower missions, along with new rewards. They even added a nifty option in the pause menu from the Practice Mode that lets you record, save, and playback moments you recorded! A great feature for showing off your skills to friends! If you are looking for a fighting game to play on the go, this is by far your best option.

Mortal Kombat released for the PlayStation Vita on May 1st in North America. Let us know what you think of it, and this review, in the comments below!

If you’re a fan of the AMC drama or (preferably) the Robert Kirkman comics you’ll truly get the most out of Telltale’s The Walking Dead. While the game isn’t canonical, it does closely follow its source material and features many callbacks that fans will appreciate. You’ll still get the chance to meet the likes of Herschel and Glenn but several new characters are introduced throughout and there are several divergences which make for a better interactive experience. Seeing new takes on familiar characters is great and being able to interactive with them and witness their morbid desperation first-hand is genuinely exciting. On the other hand – If this is your introduction to the melancholic world of Walking Dead you’ll be pleased to hear that prior knowledge of the series isn’t essential. The game casts you as an entirely new character and the game’s fantastic script and great dialog will keep you captivated all the same!

Here you play as Lee Everett, a character shrouded in mystery whom you’ll eventually make your own. The game kicks off with Lee being carted off to jail for a murder that he may or may not have committed. However, before Lee makes it to the big house he finds himself in the midst of a zombie outbreak which conveniently allows him to escape. I won’t reveal much about the game’s story beyond this point but it’s entirely possible for you to forge some true-to-life relationships and development emotional attachments not often found in this medium.

As with many story-driven games, Walking Dead allows you to make choices that will affect the way others perceive you. The fact that Lee’s history is also unknown to you as a player adds an interesting element to way you interactive with others. If you believe that Lee is innocent of his previous charge then the best course of action may be to tell a few white lies here and there, however telling too many lies might diminish the trust that your fellow survivors have in you. To make thinks even more intense, characters will often remember the actions you take and the tidbits of information you choose to divulge, meaning something that you do or say in episode 1 could potentially help or hinder you in an upcoming episode.

As far as gameplay goes, The Walking Dead is undoubtedly Telltale’s most ambitious games to date. By giving you direct control over your character, presenting you dialog wheels and forcing you to partake in quick times events – this game feels like a generation above the developers previous titles. The Walking Dead is more “Heavy Rain” than “Sam & Max” and in this case, that’s a good thing!

The game is also surprisingly violent which may surprise some Telltale fans. Don’t let the cell-shaded visuals or comic book aesthetics fool you – this game is for mature audiences only!

As much as I like The Walking Dead so far, there was one moment during this first episode that felt completely contrived and temporarily broke the immersion for me. The game’s serious subject matter just doesn’t allow for any “collect these arbitrary items for me” subplots, especially when it’s handled this poorly. Other than that, A New Day is a promising start to what I believe will be an excellent series. All five episodes will be released in monthly intervals for $5 each on PSN and XBLA or you can purchase a season pass for the discounted price of $20.

We’ll have reviews of all subsequent episodes shortly after their release.

The RPG Maker series has been around for years. Dating back all the way to the SNES in Japan, but in 2000 North America got a game simply titled “RPG Maker” released on the PS1. This game also saw two PS2 sequels released in 2003 and 2005. However, RPG Maker 95 was the first Windows release. This was succeeded by RPG Maker 2000, 2003, XP, VX, and finally now: RPG Maker VX Ace.

My experience with the franchise is limited, as I have only messed around with the PS1 title years ago. However, I have used Game Maker, a program that is similar in that is simplifies the game making process for beginners. It is not perfect, however, and lacks even the most basic of tutorials when you open up the program. Now, the rest of this article will focus on why all of you clicked this review: RPG Maker VX Ace!

Purpose of the Program

If you can read, you probably already know this. The purpose of this program, simply put, is to help you build an RPG. More specifically, a 2D RPG in the vein of early classics, such as Final Fantasies 1-6. Generally, the default functions of this program make this process surprisingly easy, especially when combined with the vast amount of tutorials and walkthroughs the community has already created. If you get stuck, a quick Google search will yield the answers that you seek.

The thesis of this program is to make the creation of RPGs easier for beginners, but flexible, deep, and customizable for veteran developers. And as far as I can tell, they have very much succeeded. So, a lot of people might ask you: “Well, exactly how much can you really change, how customizable is it, really?” The answer to that is two-fold: 1) If you are a beginner, you can tweak and play with just about everything you could imagine to make it feel truly unique, and 2) If you are experienced, you could literally create all of your own material and make an entirely unique game from scratch, with this program as your creation foundation.

The Database

"Understanding just how much you have control over is hard to wrap your head around

Within the basic interface of the program you can create the various maps that players will traverse in your game, make events (these will be covered more later,) and tweak the various different features of your game.

In addition to this basic interface, are many other interfaces that allow you to interact with and change your game to your precise likings. From the “Database” (shown above) you can change, create, and delete entire classes for characters, skills, items, weapons, armor, enemies, and so much more. This will serve as the information hub for your game for the most part, and you will have to be very familiar with it.

This is probably one of the more complicated facets of the program, and understanding just how much you have control with here is hard to wrap your head around. Thankfully the tabs are laid out well, it’s just really overwhelming to dive right in head first from the start.

Character Generator

Furthermore, for the first time in the series’ history, in addition to the vast amount of premade characters, is a built-in character generator.

This allows you to create an entirely custom and unique character, without having any graphic, artistic, or sprite creation experience. You simply select and change the features as you see fit, and the generator does the rest. It will automatically make your character portrait (used in the menus and in conversations) match the in-game character sprite.

The character generator is probably my favorite feature of this entire program, because it makes a process that a lot of people dread so much easier. Using this generator to make all of your main characters is extremely easy now, and combined with the bevy of premade characters it already comes with, you really don’t need to create any yourself, unless you are so inclined for your given project.

Also, if you have your own sprites you want to use in the game, you can easily upload them into the Resource Manage with no problem.

Creating Maps

This process is a lot easier than you might think, because of the in-depth, yet simplified, features of RPG Maker VX Ace. When you first open up the program, you are presented with a small little ocean in the wide map area, and what are called “Tiles” on the left side. Like puzzle pieces, you place these on the grid to create the landscapes of your game. In the image above, the tiles shown are just one section of the ones that would be used to create an “overworld” that connects the different areas of the game.

Thankfully, RPG Maker VX Ace makes this process even simpler than it already is by providing you with not only a huge amount of tiles to mix and match to create the perfect environment, but also a massive list of premade maps to draw inspiration from. And if you have your own tiles, or background images, or anything like that you want to use, you can upload them into the Resource Manager as well.

Advanced Features

This program also has many advanced features for those true budding game designers out there. It features the Ruby programming language that offers a deep and expansive amount of possible alterations. Interested in changing the battle system to a side-view turn based system? There are plenty of scripts for that other users have already made. Do you want to include some type of stamina meter so battles are more active and fast-paced? There are plenty of different scripts for that as well.

Even though the game has only been out a short while, chances are, if you are interested in implementing a new feature – it probably already has been implemented. In fact, the above image is a preview of the project I started while reviewing this software. In it, you can see a custom sideview battle script I adapted to fit into my game! Even the most complicated features, like using scripts, aren’t too complicated to learn. At least, using others isn’t!

All of these advancements are great, and really make this program just as customizable and deep as you want it to be. As soon as you open the program, they have embedded enough resources that you could easily create a fully-fledged unique experience without ever opening any type of editing or creation software. All of the built-in features offer an endless amount of customization for any RPG project.

It can be extremely daunting at first, though. Without patience, expect to give up pretty early on. However, if you have a strong vision of what you want to create, keep your expectations grounded, and have the patience and dedication to learn the program – chances are you will have a great time.

The program could have definitely used a built-in introduction tutorial to walk you through the basic processes, but at least Enterbrain and the RPG Maker Community have provided a lot of documentation, forum threads, and even how-to videos for new users.

RPG Maker VX Ace is available for $90, for more information visit the full site for the free trial, and check out this handy info page for some additional official information.

Let us know what you think in the comments below!

Starting this week, EA Sports decided to add more downloadable content to FIFA 12. UEFA Euro 2012 is an online expansion pack that allows diehard fans to fully immerse themselves in all the excitement and drama of this summer’s tournament.

The pack carries a steep price tag of 1800 Microsoft points ($25.99 on PSN and PC) and a hefty file size of 656.23 MB. Here is a deeper overview of what all is included in this DLC.

After selecting the new UEFA Euro tab on the FIFA 12 main menu screen, you’re brought to a separate mode with new features specific to the event itself.  The main options include Kick-Off, Expedition, UEFA Euro 2012, and Challenges.

Kick-Off serves as the main mode to participate in quick exhibition matches, while UEFA Euro 2012 uses the format of the tournament and allows you to switch out teams and matchups to your hearts content. These same contests can also be played online should you decided to compete with others. The entire add-on includes a total of over 50 European teams and 8 licensed stadiums to play in. Rosters are updated frequently to reflect each team accordingly.

Lastly, the challenges mode allows you to replay key tournament moments and matchups as they happen in real-time. The inclusion of this feature is one that all sports games have embraced and I would love to see this happen in more titles moving forward.

The main attraction of this DLC comes in the robust and lengthy Expedition mode. Modeled exclusively after FIFA Street’s World Tour mode, Expedition allows you to build up a team and compete in several knockout matchups spanning across the globe.

You start by picking your favorite athlete to lead the team and receive randomly generated players throughout the tour. There are a couple customization tools that allow you to create team logos and brand your union. You also have the ability to adjust settings whether it be through difficulty or controls.

On the surface, UEFA Euro stands as a subtle presentation change on top of the same core gameplay mechanics of FIFA 12. Chances are if you were annoyed by some of the game’s flaws in the past, then you’ll notice that virtually nothing has changed.

Another aspect about this DLC that remains questionable is the outrageous price tag that’s attached to it. Unless you’re a hardcore FIFA fan, it’s hard to justify buying this pack when you know that FIFA 13 is only a couple months away from release.

My suggestion to EA Sports moving forward would be to try and give buyers of DLC like this an incentive by perhaps giving them either an in game bonus or a discounted price on FIFA 13. Still, if you enjoy FIFA and absolutely want to check out all this DLC has to offer then you owe it to yourself to pick it up now.

The Legend of Gimrock may best be described as a “blast from the past”. Released by developers Almost Human, The Legend of Grimrock is a dungeon-crawling role-playing game which plays almost exactly like dungeon-crawling classics such as The Bard’s Tale, Eye of the Beholder, Phantasy Star and Dungeon Master. It’s a traditional, old-fashioned dungeon-crawling RPG with a modern take. It has everything a veteran dungeon-crawler fan would expect including grid-based movement, real-time combat and a maze-like environment filled with monsters, puzzles and traps. With the Legend of Grimlock, Almost Human hopes to take a classic role-playing genre that provided gamers with hours of enjoyment and challenge into the new generation of video gaming.

The story begins in a rather grim manner. The game opens with an airship heading towards the notorious Mount Grimrock. Four prisoners have been tried for crimes unbeknownst to the player and are cast into the depths of Mount Grimrock as punishment. Here you must help them survive the labyrinth of the Grimrock dungeon as you combat monstrous enemies, solve mind-bending puzzles and even fight back the pain of starvation. You’re able to begin with a pre-determined party to begin the adventure or choose your own party members to specify their race, class, attributes and special traits for a more personalised experience. There’s also the option to turn off auto-mapping, encouraging players to map their surroundings using pen and paper. Veteran dungeon-crawler players will rejoice at this feature as this was how dungeon-crawling RPGs were played back in the day, however for the newcomer this feature is best left unchanged.

"The corridors are narrow in their design which is perfect as it makes the player feel trapped and helpless

The conventional gaming mechanics of classic dungeon-crawling are present in this game and it’s been given a slick 7th generation makeover. The graphics look great and present the gamespace in high quality. The environments look detailed and impressive, as well as dingy and depressing. The elaborate and dull corridors of stone, moist and moss act as a constant reminder that the depth of Mount Grimrock is a cold, heartless and unforgiving place. The lighting effects strengthen the ambience of the dungeon, where light sources are scarce and the rest is blanketed with darkness, concealing the horrors that await. The corridors are narrow in their design which is perfect as it makes the player feel trapped and helpless, giving the player no choice but to confront whatever stands in their way. The auditory aspect of Legend of Grimrock also helps create the tense and grim atmosphere of Mount Grimrock’s dungeon. Small, scurrying creatures can be heard beneath the player. The snarls, moans and roaring heard from down the dark passageways act as a chilling prelude of what’s coming, melee and magic attacks sound subtle but impactful, the soft winds echo throughout the dungeon and the lack of music adds to the already intense and lonesome atmosphere, reminding the player this less of a magical adventure and more of a fight for survival.

Combat is done in real-time and makes for some intense and frantic battles. Your character’s weapons are not visible during combat, yet in a game such as this, the impact and the amount of damage your weapons do is much more important than how your weapons look. Once you strike your opponents you are given a brief cool-down period before you are able to attack again. This does leave you vulnerable to attack, however this gives you the perfect opportunity to doge incoming attacks and re-organise your party though a dynamic and easy-to-use interface. You’re able to switch between characters by holding the left click on their portrait icon and dragging it to the front or the rear of the party. Left clicking on the portraits also opens the character’s page where you can view their inventory, skills and experience. The inventory window is very important as supplies are scarce and you’ll have to manage your character’s items very carefully.

Melee attacks are done by right clicking on the character’s hands where they use either fists or whatever is in their hands. Some enemies leave behind consumables when they’re dead which you can use to feed your party members and hold back starvation. The magic system works by using runes. You arrange the runes in a different order to initiate the spell and you learn the correct patterns as you gather scrolls which show you different patterns for certain spells. All these mechanics require you to strategise before going into battle and act quickly during battle. The entire combat system is a lot of fun to interact with and once you’ve mastered this system, you’ll be slaying even the strongest of foul beasts with ease.

Monsters aren’t the only problem you’ll be facing in the unforgiving dungeon of Mount Grimrock. Much like its dungeon-crawling ancestors, Legend of Grimlock features nefarious puzzles where you’ll have to use your cunning and wits if you are to pass safely and continue. There are many puzzles which includes using pressure-plates to open gates in the correct order, navigating a maze of teleporters and searching for a key-item which unlocks a door halting your advance. Some of these puzzles involve deadly traps leading such as pitfalls and teleports leading to ambushes by monsters. In some parts of the dungeon there are inscriptions on the walls which give you clues on how to solve the puzzles. These puzzles can prove just a deadly as the monsters and can be notoriously difficult to solve, however using your wits to overcome these puzzles leads to a fulfilling and satisfying outcome.

Once you have completed the game, there’s plenty of reason to return for another play-through. The game is rather short but it has plenty of replay value to offer. Play in a different party configuration and crank up the difficulty by turning the auto-mapping feature off. Solve puzzles you couldn’t solve the first time to find secret treasures that you didn’t come across in your first play-through. Also with promised DLC and mod support on the way, there may be a very good reason to continue playing this game for a very long time.

"The difficulty spikes may perhaps be the most frustrating aspect of the game for some.

The game captures the age-old feel of dungeon-crawling very well. Yet this game is by no means perfect. There are some noticeable imperfections such as the combat which can get very frustrating during the heat of the moment. You may be facing a tough enemy and desperately trying to dodge it’s attacks, only to find that you’ve hopped in front of a dead end or onto the path of another monster. Many times you’ll be fighting monsters in narrow corridors giving you no room to avoid attacks and where the only option is to stand your ground. The magic system isn’t explained in-game either and you have to read the digital manual that comes with the game to find out more. The difficulty spikes may perhaps be the most frustrating aspect of the game for some. Constantly encountering stronger enemies, falling for traps and getting stuck on puzzles can get frustrating for players who are not ready to expect the unexpected.

Thankfully, everything that’s positive about this game outweighs what’s negative about it. This game delivers so well that it’s hard to find any fault. This game does not hold your hand and treat you like a fool. It’s punishing, it’s challenging but it’s also rewarding and overcoming impossible using your skills in battle and in enigmatic situations makes your triumph all the more sweeter. Almost Human has shown with Legend of Grimrock that even an age-old formula such as dungeon-crawling has still got what it takes to provide gamers with a solid, exciting experience in this new gaming generation. Whether your a dungeon-crawling veteran or someone looking for a fun and challenging RPG, then Legend of Grimrock may certainly be just for you.

"Devil May Cry HD Collection is a solid and faithful recreation of the first three entries in this popular franchise.

From a story perspective, none of them are particularly remarkable, but do enough to keep the player engaged. Generally, if you are unfamiliar with the series, they follow the exploits of a half-demon man named Dante. The plot moves the action along just enough for you to feel justified in your demon-slaying, but not much beyond that. Dante is an incredibly cheesy protagonist who drops one-liners, and has an infuriatingly nonchalant attitude about most situations. This is also, however, what makes him such a likeable character. Instead of conforming to the stereotypical good-guy antics, he is literally half-demon and functions as a sort of relatable anti-hero for players.

Most of the supporting cast is devoid of this type of depth in their personalities, but they do a decent job of accenting Dante as the star. To this end, each game definitely stands on its own legs. The first game is a great jumping in point for anyone into the series. The gameplay is the shallowest, the visuals are the roughest, and the overall presentation and execution is lacking. With that being said, it is still a great adventure in the Devil May Cry universe.  With that being said, the second is still terrible for all of the same reasons it was last time. If you are new to the series, you can probably skip this one. If you are not new to the series, you can still probably skip this one.

Gameplay holds up relatively well, all things considered. This series established this style of action-game, and made it as popular as it is today (God of War, anyone?) Out of all of the series last-gen, few were as influential as Devil May Cry and having the original trilogy on one disc is a great thing. The fast-paced and brutal combat is still as fun as ever today, which is surprising. I guess this goes to show that one thing always ages well: pure fun.

Overall, my biggest complaint with this collection is probably the fact that it hardly seems, truly, like an “HD Collection.” For the most part, these games really look about the same as they did on the PS2. You can notice textures are a bit cleaner, and gameplay does seem to run smoother, but overall the visual updates are nothing to get excited about. This is especially true when considering the fact that the cut scenes and menus seem to be untouched in the update department. Of course they cannot remake the entire game from scratch, but I can’t help but feel like if they are going to package three popular games together and call it an “HD Collection,” they could have done a better job upgrading the visuals.

Adding on to this, is the audio. In the first game especially, it seemed like the vocal audio files were at about half volume, where everything else was much louder. It made it really difficult to hear the characters, and overall downgraded the experience. Outside of these couple issues though, the music and sound are great. Dante’s character is voiced well and gets the bad-boy antihero persona across very effectively.

While it may not move you emotionally, or provide an exhilarating gameplay experience (although the combat can get pretty intense,) this collection revisits an important piece of gaming history. Dante’s demon slaying adventures are an enjoyable experience whether or not you played the games when they originally released. With three full-length games included in this collection, it’s hard to argue with the bang for your buck. So, strap on your dual pistols, sheathe your sword, and dramatically flip your hair; it’s demon-slaying time!

The Devil May Cry HD Collection released on April 3^rd for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Let us know what you think in the comments below!

The game is set during the events of the 1998 outbreak in Raccoon City. Instead of playing as some of the staple characters in the series, we are introduced to the Umbrella Security Service Delta Team. This group of operatives is made of multiple people, each with different specialties, in the field. Your team is sent in to acquire an experimental virus from Dr. William Birkin. However, things turn south once the t-virus outbreak happens and you’re new mission is to clean the streets and buildings of Raccoon City in an attempt to distance Umbrella from any relation to the problem.

On its face, this plot seems to make perfect sense and is gripping enough for an action game. Its execution however, is an entirely different story. Once you boot up the game, you are treated to a selection of options, and once you navigate yourself to the story mode, you are presented with some choices. You can create a new lobby online to play with others, play solo, etc. All of this would be fine in a game like Unreal Tournament, where it was always played in this sort of fashion, but a Resident Evil game? You are forced to select a character, loadout, specialty, etc. before you are even introduced to any of the characters or the storyline for the game. This automatically lowers the impact the story can have on the player, if they are lost before they even begin.

Once you actually start the mission, you’re treated to less than superb cut scenes and voice acting. It sounds like all of the characters are in a “deep-voice-talking-contest” all of the time, even the females. You find out everyone’s names and they all pretty much act like generic action heroes throughout the game, you never really see their faces, and there is little character development.

One of my biggest problems with this game, however, is just the overall design. The environments are blurry and too dark, it really seems like the developers reused the same tile-sets and color schemes throughout the game. The character models aren’t any better, and there is next to no enemy variety to speak of whatsoever.

Once you are in a mission, actually playing the game is technically functional. It is your typical 3^rd-person shooter variety of gameplay, where you can take cover, blind-fire, pop-up and shoot over cover and around corners, and the like. The problem is that it just doesn’t seem to control as well or as precisely as it should. It is far too easy for your character to stick to a piece of cover unintentionally, and even easier to come out of cover without meaning too. There were also plenty of moments where the enemy AI seemed able to hit me no matter where I was hiding, which could have just been my fault, but it was exceedingly difficult to get myself in proper position.

"This game is passable in every sense of the word, and offers no more or less in the way of entertainment.

Another point of contention is the fact that none of the weapons really feel any different at all. All of the guns have the same sort of recoil and spray, and it lacks the feeling of impact bullets should have. It also suffers from Uncharted-syndrome in that enemies take way too long to kill. Of course, this game is not “realistic,” but shooting an enemy four times, this generation, should cause more than a frustrated stagger.

Also, Resident Evil is a franchise known for its music and atmosphere. Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City has almost nothing worth mentioning in the audio department. The music is poor and unremarkable, the voice acting is essentially terrible, the sound effects are boring and/annoying, and I was never once on the edge of my seat due to genius atmospheric design. Sure, every game in a long running series like this cannot expect to be amazing in every way, or have a sound track worth caring about, but if you notice something because it is displeasing instead of notable, then you have a problem.

This game is passable in every sense of the word, and offers no more or less in the way of entertainment. Yes, I understand that this is not a survival horror game like most in the series, but it still carries the Resident Evil nametag. Even as a spinoff, it should be held to the same standard of quality that the rest of the series is so well-known for. Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City has next to no truly redeeming qualities. If you absolutely love Resident Evil, zombies, or third-person shooters and are bored of Uncharted and/or Gears of War, then you may find some enjoyment out of this. At the very least it’s another game to play with your buddies on a rainy weekend. Everything in this game is “passable,” with some being downright dreadful. All in all, I expected a whole lot more out of a title bearing the Resident Evil name. In the end: if you are trying to decide if you should play this game or get eaten by a zombie, chances are you may be better off dead.

You can pick up the game for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360; the PC version will drop May 18th in the US and EU. Let us know what you think of it in the comments below!

I do empathize with Nicki as its almost impossible for her to keep all of her fans happy with one album. She now has to choose between the thousands of people who supported her during her Come Up DVD phase or the 4 million “Barbz” who bought Super Bass on iTunes. However in a misguided attempt to satisfy both audiences, Nicki decided to release a multi-genre mess of an album that only her more recent fans could appreciate. By the way the album is structured there’s no mistaking the fact that Roman Reloaded in 50% rap and 50% pop. Since you’re reading this review on The Koalition, chances are you’re only interested in the rapping portion of the album so I’ll quickly gloss latter half in single paragraph.

Starships is for Katy Perry fans, Pound the Alarm is for the Taio Cruz crowd, Whip It will appeal to those who still think Pitbull is cool and Marilyn Monroe is a typical Rihanna ballad with Nicki Minaj starring as Rihanna. Other songs such as Automatic, Beautiful Sinner and Young Forever are so generic and unmemorable that they aren’t even worth writing about. The album’s closer and first single Stupid Hoe has to be one of the worst songs in recorded history and as a person of Jamaican descent, I found Gun Shot (featuring Beanie Man) almost insulting.

On a majority of the rap songs Nicki embodies her alter ego Roman and takes her gimmick to a whole new level of mediocrity. The album kicks off with Roman Holiday which is downright annoying but it does a good job mentally preparing you for next 70 minutes of torture.  The following track Come On A Cone is even more infuriating thanks to an awful-awful hook that instantly makes the song unlistenable. Nicki is clearly drunk off her own success and the boastful Beez In The Trap has her bragging about it over a beat which is as lazy and uninspired as her lyrics are.

Speaking of terrible production and lyrics, the album’s title track Roman Roloaded (featuring Lil’ Wayne) is incredibly weak and contains unfathomably bad lines such as “Bite Me… Apple sign” and “The weed’s purple like a black girls p*****”.

As per ‘every-rap-album-ever’, Roman Reloaded also features a pair of Rap/R&B crossover tracks, one featuring Chris Brown and the other featuring Bobby Valentino. Neither of these songs are terrible but I doubt I’ll ever give them a second listen. On a more positive note, I wasn’t completely repelled by the album’s fourth track HOV Lane which also has Nicki bragging about how great she thinks she is. Half of her lyrics are corny, as is the chorus, but there’s no denying that Nicki know how to command a beat and make it hers.

After glossing over the album’s track list when it was first revealed a few weeks ago, there were two songs which instantly leaped out at me. Namely; I Am Your Leader (featuring Cam’ron & Rick Ross) and Champion (featuring Nas, Drake & Young Jeezy). I jokingly predicted these would be the only tracks worth listening to on the entire album and unfortunately I was right. I Am Your Leader is slightly ruined by Nicki’s presence but both Cam and Ross somewhat compensate for her lacklustre performance. Likewise, Champion could have done without Jeezy (who sounds painfully hoarse) and Nicki’s disappointing chorus attempt but other than that the song is pretty ill.

Of the 19 tracks that make up Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, Champion and I Am Your Leader are the only two which have managed to secure a place on my iPhone and even those two songs aren’t as good as many of the songs found on the original Pink Friday. We’ve known for a while that Nicki isn’t the same rapper she was back in 2005 but now she’s not even the same Nicki that she was in 2010. The purpose of this review isn’t the bash her but to help her hip-hop fans come to terms with the fact that she no longer makes music for us. She has since found a whole new legion of supporters who love her more than we ever did or ever will so it’s time for us to let her go.

Instead of being a rapper who occasionally makes pop tunes, Nicki Minaj is now a pop artist who occasionally raps. If you’re one of the 9 million people who follow her on twitter you’ll probably like the majority of this album but for lifelong hip-hop fans like myself, it’s time to move on…

Now several years later, EA Sports is rebooting some of these games to cater to both old and new audiences alike. FIFA Street is an exceptional reboot that adds style and substance to a sport that many have known to come and love. Here are a few reasons why this game should be on your must have list.

The award-winning FIFA series continues to impress every year due largely in part to the hard work of the team over at EA Canada. To maintain a sense of authenticity and gameplay aesthetics, that same group signed aboard this project. While the game controls aren’t drastically different from FIFA 12, it’s worth noting that there is still a deep learning curve involved in mastering techniques.

The controls are split up into one of the following two categories: Fundamental Moves, and Special Tricks. Basic moves like shooting, sprinting, and juggling are good examples of fundamental moves. There is also a new feature called Street Ball Control that allows you to perform responsive dribble moves to bait and escape defenders seamlessly. The successful execution of special tricks depends on a player’s attributes and skill level rating.

Typically, stringing together a combination of moves nets you style points that are then reflected in your overall abilities. The more you play and improve, the more you’ll be rewarded with new special tricks to perform. The one setback that may frustrate people about this is that there aren’t detailed tutorials that dive into each special trick. However, there is a practice arena option and brief video tutorials that cover the basics and can be accessed at the pre match setup screen. The four main modes that serve as the framework for the FIFA Street experience are as followed: Hit The Streets, World Tour, Xbox Live, and My Squad.

Hit The Streets contains a series of match types designed to get you into the action immediately. The lineup includes 5-A-Slide, Panna Rules, Futsal, Last Man Standing, and Custom Match. 5-A-Slide are generic 5 on 5 matches where you can play either against the computer or another player locally in two 3-minute halfs. Panna Rules is a point-based matchup in which you score the most points by pulling off panna moves.

Futsal are matchups that take place inside stadiums and force you to be more strategic in a much more restrictive environment. Last Man Standing is a match type where scoring goals eliminates people from your team until you are the last one eliminated. Lastly, you have the ability to create custom matches to suit your taste. Most of the modes described allow up to 4 players locally based upon the varying game rules.

World Tour is essentially the centerpiece of FIFA Street. Within this mode, you create your own player and build up a squad of 10 players to help you conquer the world. You travel to many different locales including the likes of Brazil, London, and New York City. For every match that your team wins, each member is awarded style points, and improved attributes.

Different types of attire are also unlockable based upon the difficulty setting you choose to play on. For every 3 challenges that you win, you’re granted the opportunity to add a previous opponent to your team. The My Squad mode is complimentary to this mode because it acts as the official hub to edit your team members, and player performance upgrades as you receive them.

The Xbox Live feature is the standard option to play FIFA Street online against others. Players can participate in 10 game street seasons where division rankings skyrocket or plummet based on how well their teams perform. Online Team Play allows you to use your created player on a five-player squad and participate in competitive matchups.

The only setback with these features are that you’re restricted to only using created players instead of the professional athletes that are represented in the game. Having the ability to mix and match custom players with real-life athletes was one of the aspects that made NBA Street fun and immersive. Perhaps in the future games these ideas can be elaborated on further so as to provide a little more variety to the series.

FIFA Street is an addictive title that dares to be different and adds further charisma to an already exciting sport. The dedication and hard work of the team over at EA Canada sets the standard for exactly how an arcade style FIFA game should be done. While some areas of both customization and tutorials may be on the slim side, it’s not enough to dismiss this game altogether. In closing, if you’re a diehard fan of FIFA do yourself a favor and check this game out.

After strong sales from FIFA 12, the company decided to shift their focus towards creating a complimentary title for the Playstation Vita. FIFA Soccer succeeds as being the best representation of the sport on a handheld device and is a must have for any diehard sports fan. Here are a few reasons why Vita owners should consider checking out this game.

Through harnessing the power of the Playstation Vita, FIFA Soccer successfully maintains the same combination of stunning HD graphics and stellar gameplay mechanics that made the home console and PC versions great.

The main feature that takes center stage is the ability to utilize the Vita’s touch screen controls to enhance the overall experience. The end result is an intuitive system that allows you to pass to a teammate, play defense, and perform a goal attempt all by selecting your designated player or target on the screen. The goal of having such a rich and responsive system aids the player in worrying less about control and more about strategy.

The only noticeable conflict that could come into play would depend specifically on whether or not the screen view can be obstructed by the size of your fingers. Luckily, EA Sports took this issue into account by giving the player the option of using customizable controls. Therefore, if you wanted to play the game using both the basic control buttons of the Vita along with some touchscreen capabilities, then you most certainly can do so.

In addition to boasting great visuals and gameplay, FIFA Soccer has a basic set of game modes similar to earlier entries in the series. Career Mode returns in full force, allowing the use of either created or real-life athletes over the course of a 15-season career. Be A Pro allows for created players to develop skills and build up both their reputation and legendary status over time.

Tournament Mode and Head-To-Head are the preferred hubs for online multiplayer, while the Training mode allows you to get down the basics fairly quickly. To preserve the authenticity of the sport, FIFA Soccer includes over 500 officially licensed clubs and various stadiums spanning across the globe. It’s also worth noting that current rosters are intact to remain relevant to hardcore fans.

The one critical feature that this title doesn’t support is the Playstation 3 cross play option. Therefore, if you own FIFA 12 and was planning to pickup this title for the sole reason of continuing your career while on the road, then you’ll be somewhat disappointed.

I fully believe that with the inevitable release of FIFA 13 later this year, this issue will be addressed in full. Still with all that said, FIFA Soccer is a phenomenal sports launch title that surpasses expectations and gives a good idea of what’s possible on the device itself.

Now that the Playstation Vita has hit retail, Koei has ushered in the system with the launch of Dynasty Warriors Next. This compact entry in the series shines brightly on the Vita and proves that when it comes to strategy games, Koei is still a force to be reckoned with. Here are a few reasons why this game deserves your attention.

"proves that when it comes to strategy games, Koei is still a force to be reckoned with

The core concept behind this game remains virtually the same as others in the series. Within the campaign, the main objective of the player is to participate in some of the most intense battles ever orchestrated while living out the turbulent events of the 14^th century Han Dynasty era. The premise of the game starts out with you working you’re way through the Yellow Turban Rebellion and follows each characters timeline chronologically throughout the entire time period.

While the game has a central group of fighters that are the driving force behind the story, it’s worth noting that there are about 65 editable original fighters in total to choose from. You also have the ability to create your own fighters with a robust set of customizable options. The only drawback to accessing these features is that it requires you to complete the campaign first. Given that the game is insanely repetitive, you’ll have to make the decision as to whether or not it would benefit you to playthrough multiple times.

Graphically, Dynasty Warriors Next is a marvelous display of what can be achieved on the Playstation Vita. Character models have a rich quality to them that instantly rival that of most current gen consoles. Possibly the most impressive aspect about this is showcased within the actual combat battle sequences.

The amount of adversaries that can appear on screen all at once is staggering to the level where you truly do have to strategize how to engage in combat. Often plagued as being bothersome in previous entries, both CG cutscenes and voice acting dialogue have been completely overhauled to maintain an acceptable presentation quality across the board.

When it comes to fighting dynamics, Next features a relatively simple system that employs both regular controls and Vita specific touchscreen technology. You can execute combos by repeatedly tapping on each button simultaneously. In most instances, you’ll be able to seamlessly pull off a range of combos on the fly without hesitation. Doing so will allow you to build up your gauge and perform one of the following special attacks: Musou, Speed Musou, or Direct Break.

Musou attacks make use of standard controls like the circle button, while both the Speed Musou and Direct Break moves require the use of the front and back touchscreens. Musou specials are generally combat driven, while the Direct Break is something you use when claiming bases from the enemy. Another added feature is the option of using the touchscreen to deploy your units across territories.

Lastly, the one-on-one confrontations between you and the main bosses are for the most part structured as hack and slash fests similar to showdown prompts you would have in Infinity Blade titles. For the most part, swiping the screen is in fact the only way to win these bouts.

While all of these mechanics sound great and simple on paper, the one gripe that keeps it from being perfect is the lack of a difficult AI dynamic. Rarely will you break a sweat once you’ve mastered the attacks and some may be cool with that while others will most certainly be wishing for a more challenging experience throughout.

"features a relatively simple system that employs both regular controls and Vita specific touchscreen technology

Once you have completed the campaign mode, two other modes worth checking out are Conquest Mode and Coalition Mode. Conquest mode allows players to travel through select areas of China and capture enemy territories one by one. You are given the option of playing this mode either online or off. Playing online would make your territory vulnerable to other players and vice-versa. The end result would then culminate into a battle between your faction and theirs.

Coalition mode is an online-based 4-player co-op multiplayer mode that pretty much functions the same. It’s worth noting that in order to get the most from these modes, you should beat the campaign first so you can unlock all the characters and make use of the Edit character specs respectively. After testing out this mode, I can personally say that I didn’t experience any connectivity issues but yours may vary based on how strong your Wi-Fi or 3G connections are to begin with.

Overall, Dynasty Warriors Next is an excellent strategy hack and slash title that delivers a wealth of features to those willing to invest in it. While simplistic AI and redundant battles may annoy some fans, the latter will appreciate the content and may even be influenced to research the historical content further. If you’re someone who admires tactical action, do yourself a favor and pick this up.

Don’t let the title and helmet logo fool you, Motorstorm RC is a Motorstorm game in name only. The weirdest part is, that’s actually a good thing! I’m a relatively new Motorstorm fan with 2010′s Apocalypse being my introduction to the series. Unfortunately due to unforeseen circumstances that game suffered a last minute delay which ultimately lead to a disappointing retail performance. For that reason it’s uncertain whether we’ll ever see a traditional, big budget Motorstorm game again but rather than give up on the franchise Sony has allowed Evolution Studios to reinvent it on a much smaller scale, both figuratively and literally.

As the title suggests, Motorstorm RC is a racing game starring teeny-tiny radio controlled cars. It’s more Micro Machines than Motorstorm but the game still retains its off-road roots and features levels based on all four previous games in the series. The action takes place from a top down perspective which is sort of a throwback to 16-bit era racing games but MSRC has enough modern traits to help it feel contemporary, even amidst the slew of other racers that are currently available on the Vita.

The controls take a bit of getting used to but once they click for you you’d be hard pressed to find a racer that feels as slick or responsive. The game retains the Festival structure found in previous Motorstorm games and bite-sized challenges which lay within makes MSRC a great go-to game when you’re short on time. The Festival mode is broken up in to 4 different areas; each of which represents a Motorstorm game that came before it (Monument Valley, Pacific Rift, Arctic Edge and Apocalypse). The structure is pretty simple, each area contains a variety of challenges that must be completed in order to unlock new ones – so on and so forth. For the most part you’re simply required to zip around each circuit as quickly as possible, earning the fastest lap or overall time but elimination and drift races are also present to mix things up. There are 48 challenges in total and you’ll have a blast trying to conquer them all.

There are two things that transcend MSRC from a game you should consider to a game you absolutely need to buy! The first of which is the price. If this was a £10 game I’d say it was great value for money, but at £4.79 ($10) MSRC is the best value propositions currently available on the Playstation Vita. Furthermore, if you purchase the Vita version you’ll be able to download the PS3 game for free and vice-versa.

Secondly MSRC takes asynchronous multiplayer to a whole new level and is a great use case for the 3G enabled Vita. Although the game lacks a traditional multiplayer mode, playing the game while connected to the Internet will automatically import ghost data from the leaderboards in to your game as represented by coloured arrows. Now instead of only racing against the AI racers that are currently on the track, you’re essentially racing against the entire world! This is also a great learning tool as you’re now able to pinpoint exactly how the best players in the world handle every corner and manage to shave precious milliseconds off their lap times.

It understandable why die-hard Motorstorm fans may scoff at MSRC, after all it is drastic departure from the games that came before it. However as much as I would love to have a traditional Motorstorm game on the Vita, RC makes a lot more sense for the platform and at such a low price it’s hard not to recommend this game to absolutely everybody. Whether you’re playing on the Vita as you wait for the bus or in full 3D on the Playstation 3, once you experience the magic of Motorstorm RC it hard to think about anything else.

Is gaming art? Journey is one of those games that makes it pretty hard to be on the “no it is not” side of the debate. This review is not meant to stir up that pot anymore, but it is hard to play Journey and not think about it that way. Similar to one of That Game Company’s previous games, Flower, Journey is a whole lot more than a short little one-word-titled-game; it is an entirely unique and interactive artistic experience.

The game has a fairly basic premise: you are on a journey. You travel through a few different environments, but most are basically sand or snow. The game consists of puzzles for the most part, and there isn’t really a whole lot of “combat” encounters really. It is more of an interactive artistic experience. There is no voice acting, and the minimalist sound design can be very soothing at times. I don’t want to really say too much about how the game plays, or any specific gameplay mechanics because discovering and experiencing those for yourself is the majority of the fun. The story itself is very vague and mostly metaphorical and suggestive; but this is not necessarily a bad thing. What you get out of this game is mostly equal to what you put into it.

Overall, the game accomplishes something very unique and specific that is hard to explain in words. After playing it, you are in a different and calmer state of mind. That is not to say the game is boring, but it is relaxing. Seeing the wonderful graphics create this image of a desert that looks like an ocean in the way it moves, as your character floats through the air is a breathtaking site.

"What you get out of this game is mostly equal to what you put into it.

Journey has some multiplayer features as well, but it isn’t anything significant. As you are playing, you can come across other people “adventuring” and you can even assist each other in your travels.  Much like the rest of the game however, I was left hungry for more. There is no form of matchmaking, or the ability to go on journeys with specific people on your friend’s list. This seems like a missed opportunity, because the game really is more enjoyable with another person. As of now, it seems like it is mostly just entirely random.

The artistic style screams for attention, and they did a fantastic job. This game is not just a journey in the sense that you are traveling in the game, but it is a mental journey as well. With all this being said and truly meant with 100% enthusiasm, the game suffers in a lot of other areas.

For example: I am pretty sure I have spent more time playing almost any other game I have put my hands on. This experience, while truly unique and entertaining, is entirely too short. The game will probably take you roughly 90 minutes to complete, and there is little to draw you into the game for another round. This, combined with the fact that the game is $15 on PSN when it launches, seems a bit ridiculous.

The fact of the matter is that the old saying lives true in this adventure: it’s not where you’re going that matters…it’s the Journey that counts. The story isn’t really anything significant, and the conclusion to the tale is hardly the focus. However, the entirety of this beautiful artistic experience is something worth mentioning. Journey is a wonderful experience from beginning to end, but after you finish the short-lived game, you may feel unsatisfied when taking the price tag into consideration.

Journey launches on the PSN for $15 on March 13th. What do you guys think?

A solid racing title is one of the must-haves at any console launch, whether it be handheld or at home. This time I am not referring to a Ridge Racer game, no; this time I am referring to ModNation Racers: Road Trip! In order for a handheld kart racing game to be successful it has to possess the following features: accessible gameplay, fun in short bursts, and lots of stuff to keep you busy when you need it to. ModNation is a competent and entertaining kart racer and excels in all these counts for the most part, but still suffers from some unfortunate setbacks.

The original ModNation Racers hit the PS3 and PSP back in 2010, and now we have a brand new entry in the series for the launch of the Vita. The game utilizes all of the Vita’s new functions to great effect, while still maintaining the core of the experience. The game is comprised of five different circuits, each containing its own set of tracks. If you complete certain challenges within races, you can unlock tracks in the “Bonus” circuit for added content. This theme carries on throughout the game as the key feature: unlocking and utilizing content.

Each race will have different challenges to complete, for example: run over 5 boosts throughout the race, or knockout 3 opponents during the race, etc. These add a nice bit of added goal and variety to each individual track, instead of just trying to get first every time. On the track there are tons of different power-ups, each of which have three levels. These range from rockets, to mines, to boosts, and even to the ability to turn into a giant snowball and roll over your opponents. All of these power-ups combined with the frantic racing and intense set-pieces on each track make for some truly exciting races.

However, this also brings up one of the main issues as well: there is often too much going on. This presents two problems: 1) it makes the game frustrating because things get too crowded and ridiculous, making it less about racing and more about the random events and 2) The game does tend to slowdown a bit when lots of stuff is onscreen. To my first point, it is perfectly fine to have living tracks with lots of interaction from objects other than your opponents, but often times in ModNation it seems like the focus is not on the racing at all. This makes the game frustrating and often a lot less fun.

"The game utilizes all of the Vita’s new functions to great effect.

All of that aside the game controls well for the most part, and has tons of features even when racing on a normal track. Your meter accumulates over time as you drift, draft, and knockout opponents. You can use your meter to not only utilize a powerful boost, but also to put up your shield to deflect attacks. Each of these drain your meter, so you have to strategically conserve and use your energy throughout the race. Additionally, you can expend powers and convert them directly into meter energy, instead of wasting powers you don’t want. This is a really nice feature that adds a lot of strategy to the game. Furthermore, the right analog stick is used well as you can side swipe any contestant, stalling them and providing a nice boost to your meter.

Drifting is effective for sharp corners, and if you can sustain it for a long period of time then you can really increase your meter quickly. Drafting does the same as well, but brings up one of the games biggest problems: rubber-band AI. This is when the computer racers never really fall too far behind. If you are in first and continue to use boosts, and race perfectly the entire time, the AI will still be just about right behind you always. If you are on a straight-away, it seems like they always find a way to rocket ahead of you at the last second. It makes the end of races extremely intense, but only because you’re worried about getting ripped off by an NPC.

One of the game’s strongest features, of course, is the level of customization. I was truly amazed by the level of detail you have when creating your Mod, your Car, and even tracks. You can tweak and change ever little details. The touch controls really shine while creating tracks, as you can use the rear touch pad to specify raises in the terrain, and the front touch screen to drag, drop, rotate, and re-size items specifically.  The game has a download center where users can upload all kinds of creations, so you are sure to find something to spice your game up that much more. Speaking of functionality over the internet…this game suffers from one glaring omission: online multiplayer. Both the PS3 and PSP versions of the game had online multiplayer, and with the Vita’s marketed WiFi and 3G functionality, I can not think of a reasonable excuse for excluding it from this game.

Graphically the game is capable, but not that impressive. In motion it looks worse as everything seems to kind of blur together, and for some reason the game puts a cap on how bright you can make the screen. This seems to hinder the graphics even more. The music is catchy, but does get a bit annoying after awhile. I’m not even sure if the tracks had music playing in the background, most of the time all of the other sound effects were too loud to really notice.

In general this is a good game, and has plenty of content to be worth your money. If you know someone in person that also has the game, at least it features ad-hoc multiplayer. But the frustrating races and lack of online support really hamper what otherwise could have been a stellar launch title for the Vita; instead, the game is a bit above average.

The latest in this category comes in the form of Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus for the Playstation Vita. Not only is this game an exceptional port of the original, but it’s also an above average fighter that deserves a rightful spot among others as a great launch title for the device. Here are a few reasons why Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus remains an ageless classic on the Playstation Vita.

For those who have yet to dive headfirst into the series, the premise follows the trials and tribulations of a masked super ninja protagonist named Ryu Hayabusa. After his village is burned down, Ryu embarks on a journey seeking vengeance over the violent acts committed by the culprits. His quest takes him through various settings and circumstances, each with complementary epic boss battles to endure. The story is on par with most standard martial arts flicks in the sense that it’s focused more on action rather then narrative.

One of the main staples in the franchise has always been the unforgiving combat system, which makes it a point to challenge the gamer in virtually every encounter. Whether you’re facing off against a demonic super villain or a group of aggressive ninjas, you can always expect your adversaries to go the distance with you. The game spans across 19 chapters and can take roughly up to 10-12 hours to complete based on skill level.

When it comes to Vita specific features, Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus offers a few changes to enhance the gameplay experience. For starters, the front touch screen and six axis controls can be used together to shoot projectile weapons like bows and arrows in first-person mode.  While this is a cool feature, it’s worth noting that adapting to this type of combat regularly requires both skill and accuracy to master. Another control based feature lies in the ability to use the rear touch screen to prompt special Ninpo attacks.  These maneuvers do the most damage in high-pressure situations where you’re surrounded by waves of enemies.

"you can always expect your adversaries to go the distance with you

The remaining two additions worth discussing are the inclusion of two new modes: Hero mode, and Ninja Trials Mode. Hero mode is a difficulty setting that offers up simpler controls such as auto guard, and reversal functions. Given that this game is already incredibly difficult to begin with, the decision to add this feature seems like a perfect option for newbies.

Ninja Trials Mode is pretty much a series of objective based mini-games that allow you to complete tasks in timed intervals. The goal of these challenges are to help you improve in your combat skills and maneuvers while also extending the overall replay value of the title.

For all the positives that Sigma Plus offers to gamers, you can be for sure that there is at least one glaring negative to address. The biggest problem with the original game was the poor use of the camera system. Unfortunately, that same issue has been ported over to the Vita and distracts from gameplay all too often. Many times I found myself maneuvering camera angles frequently while engaging in intense fighting sequences. This can be frustrating at first and definitely takes some getting used to if you intend to play through the campaign.

When it comes to launch titles, Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus is a remastered gem that shines brightly on the Vita. Many times when games are ported over, quality and gameplay can sometimes become the areas that suffer most. Fortunately, this game defies all those rules and succeeds in delivering a rewarding experience from beginning to end. If for any reason you haven’t played Ninja Gaiden Sigma and you own a Playstation Vita, then now is a good a time as any to pick up this game.

This Rayman: Origins review will be a short one for a number of reasons. The main reason is because this is a port of a game which you should have already picked up when it was released on the Playstation 3, Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360 last November. I’m sure during that time most of you were too busy playing Modern Warfare 3 and Skyrim to realize that Ubisoft had just released an amazing 2D platformer and the disappointing sales numbers reflect this. However now that we’re no long inundated with new videogame releases and there’s an exciting new handheld on the market, now is the perfect time for those who were sleeping to finally check out the Michel Ancel’s mordern-day masterpiece.

The most striking thing about Rayman: Origins is just how gorgeous the game looks. If there are still people out there who don’t consider videogames to be art, this is the game that will have them questioning their beliefs. This is the closest thing I’ve seen to interactive art and it’s hard to imagine how technology will improve beyond this point. The PS3 version looked incredible on my 50” TV but on the Vita’s crystal clear OLED display, Rayman: Origins looks even more crisp and vibrant. In this era where games constantly try to impress us with their gritty, realistic visuals it’s great to have a game like Rayman: Origins which rekindles the magic of our childhood and reminds us of a time when videogames were pure, unadulterated fun.

I could go on and on about how great the game looks but what really matters is how it actually plays. Thankfully Rayman: Origins is one of the most enjoyable games I’ve played in years and the ability to take it with me everywhere I go makes me happy just thinking about it. Creating a platformer that feels fair but still offers a challenge is no easy task, but Michel and his team at Ubisoft Montpellier have done just that. This game will constantly kick your ass but each time you’ll blame yourself before instinctively trying again.

Missing from the Vita version is co-operative multiplayer which may upset some people but makes perfect sense for a handheld. In its place is a new Ghost Mode where players can compete in speed-runs and trade ghost data via the Vita’s “near” service. As someone who never really enjoyed the co-op aspect of Rayman: Origins I’ll happily accept the trade.

In case I haven’t made it clear yet; Rayman: Origins is a fantastic and beautiful game that shines above all other Vita  launch titles. If you’ve already played the console versions I don’t expect you to buy the game again (although I totally did!) but for the 95% of you that ignored it when it was originally released, now is your chance for redemption. For me, this is 2D platforming at it’s finest and a reminder of why I fell in love with videogames in the first place. I honestly can’t recommend it enough!

Little Deviants was one of the first Vita games to be revealed, back when the system was known as NGP. A year ago when we were eager to learn every little thing about Sony’s Next Generation Portable, Little Deviants was a perfect showpiece and thus the game received a lot of attention from both fans and critics alike. However now that the Vita has been released and we know almost everything there is to know about the system, Little Deviant has lost much of appeal but is still a joy to play.

Don’t let the game’s Story mode fool you, there’s not much story to be found here. The game’s intro shows the Little Deviants (a group of quirky, limbless aliens) being chased through space by Botz before they’re shot down to a strange, mini-game infested planet. The Botz then wreak havoc upon the planet by attacking the Deviants and raising the dead, placing all inhabitants in danger. As per videogame logic, in order for the Deviants to repair their spacecraft and emerge triumphant against the Botz they must complete a series of 30 mini-games.

Unfortunately the ‘story’ is more of a ‘plot’ as it only has a beginning and an end. Each mini-game opens with a brief in-engine cutscene but these don’t exactly push the story forward. Instead players simply participate in each mini-game trying to accumulate enough points to earn medals. Once the point requirement is reached and the medal is earned, a new mini-game unlocks and the cycle repeats.

As with most mini-game collection, the level of quality is all over the place. Some games are great, others are ok and there’s a few which you won’t want to play more than once. In other words, tapping the screen and rear panel to push Botz through windows is a lot of fun. Being forced to sing in to the Vita’s microphone at different pitches to smash bottles, not so much!

The number of mini-games which the game touts is also a little misleading. Although there technically are 30 in total, a few of them are repeats of previous games albeit with slight variations. It’s not too much of a problem because a majority of the games are fun and worth revisiting but it just strikes me as a little disingenuous.

In many ways Little Deviants is the perfect launch title. If you’re looking to show off all the fancy things that the Vita is capable of, Little Deviants is the game for you. A few of the mini-games are more frustrating than fun but for the most part BigBig Studios has succeeding in making a game that almost all Vita owners should check out.

If you’re a Zombie yourself and have not heard of PvZ, I’ll give you a quick rundown of how the game works. On the left side of the screen is your house, on the right is a mob of incoming Zombies. In-between the two is a lawn which acts as a grid based battlefield for the impending war between the floral defence force and the walking dead. It’s your job to line up specially equipped Plants across the lawn to prevent any Zombie from entering that house of yours. If a single Zombie makes it through your front door they will “Eat Your Brainz” which you kinda need for living and stuff.

Nearing the end of the game you’ll have dozens of Plants to choose from but initially you’ll start off with just a basic Pea-Shooter. During invasions, sunlight falls from the sky in the form of glowing pellets (refereed to as “sun”) these can  be collected by tapping on them or by tilting the Vita slightly. Points can then be used to place more Plants on your defence lines which increases your chance of success. As daunting as having dozens of Plants may seem, the game actually handles your arsenal extremely well. One additional Plant becomes available after completing most levels and regardless of how vast your Plant collection becomes, you’re only able to select up to six of them for each level.

As you progress, Zombies become smarter and harder to kill. You’ll eventually encounter Zombies who defend themselves, become frantic when provoked, are extremely fast, vault over your defences and even some who travel in vehicles or underground.

Now that I’ve wasted enough time talking about a game which has already been released on every device ever, I’ll finally answer the question that most of you want to know… “What makes this Vita version unique?” The answer is; fantastic leaderboard integration and the ability to create your own Zombies. If that sounds great to you or you’ve somehow managed to avoid the game for 3 years, go ahead and buy! However if you’ve already had your PvZ fill on the PC, Xbox 360, PS3, DS, DSi, smartphone, tablet, toaster or wherever else Popcap has released it, you might want to hold off.

After taking a year off to make some improvements and slight adjustments, THQ is bringing back the Undisputed series for its third installment. The two previous games were great representations of UFC as a company and MMA as a sport, giving players an honest portrayal of the sport and enough depth in the fighting mechanics to dive into and master. UFC Undisputed 3 is the best game in the series, but I can’t shake off the feeling that the game only received slight improvements and the things that didn’t work in the previous games still don’t work in this new iteration. In the words of the veteran voice of the octagon, “It’s time!”

I started off my UFC Undisputed 2010 review with my thoughts on the Career Mode, so why not do that again? My main complaint then was that it focused way too much on the training aspect of your created character and choosing which special attributes to level up and such. UFC Undisputed 3′s Career Mode basically streamlines all of that and chooses to focus on the fights and training you for said fights. After accepting a fight you are given a certain number of actions you can perform before your fight like choosing a number of training activities such as working on your ground game or flipping big ass tires. Another option is to join a fight camp to learn new moves or choosing a game plan which will increase your stats significantly for the upcoming fight. You can also choose to start off the mode with a Created Fighter or a Roster fighter, which is a good option to have although I chose to go the Created Fighter route. Truth is training and adding attribute points to different skills can get tedious and boring, so making this stuff streamlined makes the mode more engaging and not such a bore.

One aspect the series never lacked were in-depth fighting mechanics. I would argue it was too in-depth thus making it off putting to new players like me, specifically when it came to the ground game controls. In an effort to encourage players to take the game to the ground, UFC Undisputed 3 gives you the option of choosing between Amateur or Pro grappling controls. This gives players like me who relied solely on the stand up game to win a fight a chance to test out our skills on the ground. The Amateur settings allow you to flick up or down on the right stick to make your transitions when grappling. I was able to immediately adapt to these controls and its made me a better player.

With more accessible and easy to use grappling controls comes a new submission system that merits the grappling controls. If you choose to take your fight to the ground and apply a submission you’ll trigger an Octagon meter appear in the middle of the screen. This mini game, if you will, is much like a cat and mouse game where your meter must hover over your opponents in order to apply pressure and get him to submit. The submission system can be tricky depending on your fighters submission skill and your opponents submission defense. These improvements made UFC Undisputed 3 feel like an authentic MMA game, as oppose to just a slug fest.

"The THQ online servers are bad. They didn’t work then and they certainly don’t work now.

Some major additions to the game are the featherweight and bantamweight fighters, which now bring the number of fighters to over 140. Although these divisions aren’t the most exciting in the UFC, it does offer fans a chance to play as some notable fighters like Urijah Faber, Jose Aldo, and Domick Cruz. But the greatest addition to the game by far is the option to fight in a PRIDE FC setting with PRIDE FC rules. UFC Undisputed 3 brings PRIDE FC back to life by capturing the full presentation and spectacle that PRIDE had to offer. The fighting with PRIDE options lets you choose from a number of PRIDE fighters and even features commentary from Bas Rutten and Stephen Quadros.

For every improvement UFC Undisputed 3 has made though, there’s one it has yet to make. The THQ online servers are bad. They didn’t work then and they certainly don’t work now. I was pretty unlucky when it came to connecting to the servers and was only able to be matched up against someone twice; one of which got disconnected seconds after the match started. It’s disappointing considering there are online fight camps you can join and content to share like created fighters, banners, and highlight reels. Not to mention achievements that require you to play 300 matches; consider those impossible to get. The biggest insult is that the game requires an online pass to gain access to an online mode that works when it wants to. Hopefully the servers get better in time, but WWE 12′s servers barely work now and that game has been out since November.

The UFC Undisputed series has always hit the ball out of the park with the outstanding presentation of each fight. The tale of the tape, the intros, the announcing, and having fighters actually look like their real selves makes UFC Undisputed 3 feel like an authentic UFC experience. As great as it is, I would be lying if I didn’t say it gets pretty tiresome. At this point in the game I literally button smash the controller just to skip all the intros and even though you can skip them it’ll still be at least a minute before the actually fighting starts. A skip directly to fight option would of been a convenient addition.

Though it didn’t make huge game altering improvements, UFC Undisputed 3 surpasses its predecessors. The addition of the featherweight and bantamweight division, along with the PRIDE FC options is enough to keep any MMA fan happy. The problematic online servers may limit your fights to only locally as opposed to worldwide, but there’s enough content offered to keep you busy inside the octagon. If you’re an MMA fan and want an MMA game, this is it, and not only because it’s the only MMA game out but at least it’s good. Now if you’ll excuse me I’m going to “read” the Arianny Playboy issue.