So, after a bit of waiting, the first new review is ready! So to start, we are going to look at an 80’s classic that has been turned into a video game for today. Yep, that’s right, we are looking at Tron: Evolution, released for the PS3, Xbox 360, PSP, and PC. The story tells of a security program installed by Kevin Flynn called Anon, who is sent to dispatch the viruses that are taking over The Grid and killing off ISOs, or Isomorphic Algorithms, beings that are explained in detail in Tron Legacy. Anon is sent to find the murderer of Jalen, the leader of the ISOs. The murderer is theorized to be CLU, the Grid version of Flynn, created to keep the grid as perfect as possible. 

The game is set somewhere in between the original Tron movie and the 2010 sequel Tron Legacy, and many of the designs in the game reflect that. From light bikes that are reminiscent of the one from the first movie to stylized suits and identity discs from Legacy, the game fits in perfectly between the two.

Now, in regards to level and control design itself, that is a whole other story. The controls can be awkward and are really just button-mashing combos like those found in a fighting game. Also, while the added parkour-esque running is a neat feature, the game does not handle it very well. There are dots that lead you to where you need to go, but they do not really help. In a particular section, I was stuck in a pit with no way out, and when I reset to the last checkpoint (right before the pit luckily), I saw that there was a ledge I had missed, as it blended in and the dots did not show it. 

Along with the story mode, there is also an online multiplayer game, which is PvP style combat. Almost all the attacks in the walking mode are melee, no real guns, but you do have your identity disc you can throw at other players, which is a nice tip of the hat towards the movies, where disc wars determines which outlaws survive and are released. But combat drastically changes when you activate your light cycle. You can now race along like the movies, forming walls behind you, which can potentially kill other players. Also, along with the retro-throwback 90-degree turns like the original light bikes, you can do long sweeping turns or narrow sharp turns to go around obstacles easily.

When not in a match, you may customize your avatar’s loadout, much like Call of Duty, but instead of guns, you can get upgrades and more RAM, which allows more upgrades to be used on your character. From more damage from disc attacks to health regen, there are numerous perks to choose.

Unfortunately, the game is not worth the normally $35 price for a used copy, unless you can find a limited edition like I did. It not only includes the game, but free DLC (Sam Flynn, Kevin’s son and the protagonist from Legacy, skin and bonus maps) (if a new/unredeemed copy), a movie ticket voucher (now worthless unless you are a diehard Tron fan like I am), and a cool scale model light cycle, based on the ones from Legacy and the video game.

All in all, the game is okay, but not the greatest game produced. But it is a good attempt at a game based off not one, but two movies. To score it, I would give it a 6.75 out of 10, as it is a solid attempt at a movie game, but the controls and confusing mission helpers detract from the overall geek factor. But if you are a self-respecting nerd or Tron fan, try and find the limited edition of the game. The model and game are worth the money, but more so the model and case than the game itself. Also, before playing, watch at least the original Tron, so you have at least an average understanding of the story and the ideas presented in the game and in Legacy. 

Tron Evolution for PS3, Xbox 360, PSP and PC

Pros: the first “true” Tron game in many moons

great soundtrack, with tracks by Daft Punk

adds depth to the timeline of the Tron universe

Cons: confusing objectives

lackluster online features

bad controls and camera seems to have a mind of it’s own sometimes

BONUS POINTS for the limited edition and its many bonuses.

Overall score: 6.75 out of 10

Tyler Moore (aka Shiroi Panda) is currently pursuing an education, while still enjoying the many joys of video games and life, the universe, and everything

Holy shit, it’s been a long time since I posted. After lots of time off, mostly due to school and work, I’ve decided to get back into doing game reviews. I not only expanded my PS3 collection, but I also got a computer that can run almost any game. So I have a lot more games to write about, and in the coming weeks, I can get more experience with writing. So stay tuned for some game reviews and other goodies!

~Shiroi

After a bit of a hiatus, I’m back, and it’s seems like a lot has changed since my last review. Mass Effect 3 came out, people complained about the ending, quite a few games came out (some good, some bad), and I also ended up picking up a few games. But today’s review is a game that I’ve had and enjoyed for a while, Burnout Paradise, the open-world racer for the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC from EA.

Now, while quite a few EA games nowadays turn out to be slightly disappointing or just aggravating, Burnout Paradise came out before EA’s streak of mediocre games. Released in 2008, Paradise continued the Burnout series’ reputation of all-out, balls-to-the-wall, completely INSANE racing. This time around though, the whole city is open for exploration, and the free driving experience is intense. Racing down city streets, drifting up curvy mountain roads, or launching off a jump, hitting a billboard, and doing a barrel roll adds to the adrenaline pumping fun. The sense of speed is amazing, as buildings, light poles, and other traffic whiz past while your car boosts past the 200 mph mark.

Now, there are three car types, all of which have strengths and weaknesses. The Speed type is able to do burnouts, and have faster speed and acceleration, but they are VERY weak and sometimes hard to handle. The Stunt type is a great mid-level type, as strength and speed are balances, and the handling is superb. But they don’t really hold up well to the Aggression type cars. These mean machines are heavy, even trucks sometimes, and, while slow, can take out the other types in most times just one hit. 

Races are simple to initiate, as you just pull up to almost ANY stoplight, spin the tires, and the race starts. The finish lines are always one of 8 (or 12 with the Big Surf Island DLC) places, each corresponding to a compass direction. Also, once you have some routes and each of the finish locations memorized, racing becomes just the combination of taking the rights turns and avoiding traffic. But for those just starting out, the game tells you when you should turn (a feature that unfortunately cannot be turned off, thus taking away a challenge to veterans of the game).

The game also features a great online play mode, and you are never too far from an online match. Just fire up the quickmenu by pressing right on the d-pad, and select online game. It’s that simple. Most times, matches can be found quickly, and online racing makes even the calmest of drivers’ adrenaline pump. And while the annoyance of obnoxious people with is present, you can simply mute them. 

Unfortunately, the game does have some flaws, and some of them may be dealbreakers for some people. The first is sometimes unresponsive controls, which means you could crash right into a building at 150+ mph, and end up losing a race. Another problem is the fact that EA and Criterion stopped updating or focusing on the game after update 1.90, and there are still some annoying, but not game-breaking, points that need to be fixed, but never will be. 

Also, DLC is a giant nickel-and-dime festival. Trust me when I say that while some of the DLC is okay, maybe even fun, some shouldn’t be overcharged for. In total, I got all the DLC, and I paid close to $40 for it. Needless to say, I made a mistake. Some DLC, like Big Surf Island or the toy cars, are cool, but the party mode is a waste of money. It sounds like split-screen multiplayer, but it’s not. It’s just pass-the-controller, which is not worth the $ I paid. This being said, it seems like most of EA’s DLC is released to appeal to fans, but really, it’s just there for EA to get more money from suckers and parents with annoying 12 year olds.

Finally, the game can be quite irritating sometimes. This is especially true towards the end, when events are damn near impossible to win, as you must run perfect races in cars that have no handling. One car crash or impact with a solid object, and you’ve essentially lost the race. So most events go as such: start racing, do pretty well, crash, hit right on the d-pad, select “restart event”, lather, rinse, repeat. As bad as it is to say, and also slightly obvious, the game gets repetitive over time. 

So, in the end, the game has many great cars, some even more fun to jump than drive, and over 100 events to win, but the over-priced DLC and minor glitches do take away from the experience. But if you can overcome the glitches and money-sucking scheme, you can enjoy Burnout Paradise and Paradise City like it was meant to be: driving recklessly and crashing into EVERYTHING, and just laughing maniacally when you destroy your opponent’s car and just drive away.

Burnout Paradise, the open-world, race-anywhere, destroy-everything racer, part of the Burnout series from EA, deserves a 8.5 out of 10 for amazing racing (and car-crashing) fun, great online experiences, and the ability to drive almost anywhere in Paradise City, a first for the series, but it loses points for minor glitches, WAY overpriced DLC, and lack of support from EA and Criterion, but that is forgivable, as the game did come out over four years ago.

So go pick up a copy of Burnout Paradise for PS3 or Xbox 360 today for around $19.99 at GameStop, or on Steam for $19.99 for the Ultimate Box, which includes bikes, and the most current updates.

Photo courtesy of all-hd-wallpapers.com

After a bit of a lengthy delay, it’s time for another review.This time, the game I’m reviewing is The World Ends With You, released for the Nintendo DS in April of 2008.

The World Ends With You, or TWEWY as it’s countless fans know it as, is a Square Enix game that takes advantage of the DS’s unique control schemes, using both screen for combat against “The Noise”, the main enemies of the games, with players controlling both characters on seperate screens, the touch screen controlling the bottom character, Neku, and the d-pad controlling the top character, Neku’s partner. But while this may seem overwhelming at first, not long after starting the story, something just “clicks”, and the controls finally sink in. The story focuses on Neku, an angsty teenager in the Shibuya ward of Tokyo, Japan. He wakes up in the middle of the Scramble Crossing, with no memory of why he is there. Neku then must find a partner to survive The Game, which he finds in a trendy girl named Shiki. The rest of the story is full of emotinal and shocking moments, which will not be spoiled here.

Many of the old RPG standby gameplay mechanics are present, but in a new form. Clothing, for example, grants the character who wears it bonus effects, but clothing can only be worn when a character has a certain bravery level. Another familiar RPG mechanic is the option of eating food, but instead of restoring health, food grants the eater permanent boosts in a certain stat field, like attack or defense. Instead of instantly gaining the effects though, players must fight battles to digest food, and once digested, the effects are granted to the eater. Also, each character is limited to how much food they can eat in one real-time day, with each character having a max of 24 bytes per day. Foods that grant larger effects cost more bytes, while smaller stuff canbe close to one byte.

One innovative feature is to change the difficulty of the game and character levels anytime between battles or cutscenes. This allows newer people to enjoy easier enemies, while the hardcore gamers can go to ultimate and challenge the toughest of the tough enemies. Another new feature is brand popularity, which affects Neku’s pins in battle. Pins are how Neku fights the noise, and they can be bought at stores selling certain brands, or collected from battles. Each pin has a brand, which is affected by the current area’s trending brand. The most popular brand gets double attack, the 2nd getting 150% attack, and the 3rd getting 125% attack. Meanwhile, the lowest gets its attack halved. But these popularity lists can be affected by the player using certain clothing or pins into battle.

During battle, watching “animated” cutscenes (which have some great dialouge, as well as amusing character expressions), or even just walking around, the most interesting music plays. And it’s not just one song over and over, but numerous songs. The amazing soundtrack is almost forty songs strong, with genres ranging from grunge to electro to even a song based around clapping for three minutes (fittingly called “Three Minutes Clapping). The music, as well as the art style, which is very urban-inspired, help set the scene of the game in modern Shibuya. The range of music is so good, it’s worth downloading. Also, the characters have impressive depth, even the NPCs evolve as you progress through the game.

In the end, TWEWY ends up being an almost perfect game for the DS, the only regret being that the game doesn’t have a longer story or a sequel. If you can, find a copy of this amazing an innovative game for the DS and play through one of the best games created by Square Enix and Criware.

In the end, this gmae earns a perfect 10, due to the fact that its ideas and gameplay translate well on the DS, and is one of the best games of the 00’s. An instant classic, this hit deserves shelf space on any Square Enix of RPG fan’s gaming shelf.

Add me on PSN: ShiroiPanda

Tyler Moore is currently trying to write more and improve his driving skills. Currently playing: Beatles Rock Band and Gran Turismo 5 XL

So, after a long delay due to some personal reasons, it’s time for a new review! Today’s review is Naughty Dog’s classic PlayStation 1 exclusive and now PS3/PSP Classic, Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back, sequel to the original Crash Bandicoot.

Back in its day, the Playstation was the first commercially successful CD based game console, but it lacked a noticeable mascot. Nintendo has Mario and Luigi, and Sega had Sonic the Hedgehog. But all that changed in 1996 when Naughty Dog and Universal released Crash Bandicoot on August 31st to positive reception. It was a massive hit, prompting Naughty Dog to create the sequel, Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back and release it on October 31st, 1997.

The game starts with Crash’s enemy, Neo Cortex, being sent to a remote island and discovering a cave full of crystal, whose power he could harness to destroy the world. He then gets titular character Crash Bandicoot to collect said crystals for him by telling him the crystals are to save the world. Along the way, Crash encounters numerous enemy, like Tiny the Tiger and the Komodo Brothers, who try to thwart Crash’s wrangling of the crystals.

Due to the release date and (at the time) current hardware, the game has “dated” graphics. But the simple polygonal shapes add to the nostalgia of the game. Unfortunately, this means that most kids born after the release of the PS2 will find the older styling lackluster compared to newer platformers, like New Super Mario Brothers or LittleBigPlanet, while “90’s children” will find the graphics of the game bringing them back to their childhoods. But for being a PS1 title, the game has some great sound effects and music. Also, the game was released before the advent of Dualshock, so analog stick control is, unfortunately, no an option. A lack of analog stick controls means a lack of camera controls, leading to the game being confusing at some points. 

Gameplay is pretty straightforward, with players controlling Crash, along the forward and horizontal planes. Also, jumping, sliding, and body slams help players cross chasms, defeat enemies, and pass levels, collecting crystals and gems (for finding them or breaking all boxes in a level) along the way. The levels themselves can be fun, including numerous vehicles, like a powered surfboard or a polar bear cub (best ride ever!), but levels can also be challenging, even to life long gamers. 

So in the end, if you’re looking for a classic Playstation game to enjoy, pick up (or download) a copy of Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back. Prices vary on eBay and in game stores, but the PSN version is $5.99 and is playable on PS3 or PSP.

Pros:

-Classic gameplay

-Nostalgic game and a well-loved mascot

-Entertaining music and sound effects

-Challenging levels

Cons:

-Some levels can be infuriating

-Lack of camera controls impedes progress sometimes

-Not all gamers may find this game attractive (ie. kids born after the PS2’s release)

Rating: 8.75 out of 10, for nostalgia and great gameplay, but challenging levels and annoying camera angles can detract from the overall game’s appeal.

ESRB rating: E for Everyone (PSN) K to A (retail)

Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back, available on PSN for $5.99 and on eBay and in game stores for varying prices.

PSN: ShiroiPanda

Twitter: @Junkie_Panda

Tyler Moore is currently using video games to relax, and to enjoy life. He is also working on graduating and entering the real world. Currently Playing: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Burnout Paradise, Back to the Future: The Game

So guys, another weekend has come, and you know what that means: Review time!

This week’s review takes us to April, circa last year, and we are eagerly awaiting the release of the sequel to one of Valve’s most successful IPs, Portal, which is available in PS3, Xbox 360, and PC.

Now for those who do not know, the original Portal was a massively successful venture by Valve into the puzzle genre, and the game has sparked hundreds of memes and people cosplaying as Chell, the main protagonist of the game, or her deranged AI antagonist, GLaDOS (Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System). People wanted more, but Valve seemed to ignore them. Then, in 2009, the company announced through a conference, which ended up “crashing” with a Blue Screen of Death that had GLaDOs as the computer name. 

Finally, in April of 2011, Valve released the long-awaited sequel to its smash hit, Portal 2. Response from magazine and critics was immediate, most of them praising the game for not just retelling the story of the first Portal, but creating a new plot altogether. 

When the game starts, you are awakened by Aperture’s automatic stasis system, and the game introduces you to the controls. Then, after falling asleep in Chell’s bed, you are awakened again, only to find that the room you were in is deteriorating, and you are introduced to Wheatley, a personality core made by Aperture. After again review controls and some humorous dialogue (“Okay, what you just did there is jump. Now say ‘apple’. ‘aaaapple’ ” [press X to say apple] “okay, you just jumped again.”), you begin to learn what has happened to Aperture Laboratories since the ending of the first Portal.

After wandering around trying to find the AHPD (Aperture Handheld Portal Device), you encounter the “corpse” of GLaDOS, destroyed at the end of the first game. Then, due to Wheatley’s incompetence, GLaDOS is woken up, throws Wheatley to some unknown place, and forces you begin your testing cycle over again. 

After plowing through numerous test chambers, you encounter Wheatley again, and try to escape from GLaDOS, destroying her main offensive tactics along the way back to her chamber. Now, instead of a battle against GLaDOS, some events go down (which will not be given away), and you are sent to the bottom of Aperture Labs, way back from the 1940’s, buried under literally miles of other test chambers and concrete. You then must work your way back up to the surface by going through chambers filled with Repulsion, Propulsion, and Conversion gels. The gels all do different things. The Repulsion gel lets you bounce off anything it is on, while the Propulsion gel moves you at incredible speeds across the floor. Finally, the Conversion gel allows you to place portals upon anything that it is on, even surfaces that normally weren’t portal-acceptable. After finally reaching the surface, you must reach the boss, and the boss battle is a lot harder than the original ending battle for Portal.

Now this Portal is about the same length as the original, with the first being about 7 hours at its shortest, and this one ending at about 10 hours at its quickest. But rushing through the game is not recommended, as you may miss little jokes or references to other Valve games. Also, scattered throughout the game are little hidden areas called Rat Dens, where an unseen character, Doug Rattmann, hid while escaping GLaDOS when she was first created and while rescuing Chell from death. Each den has drawings, explaining the back story of the Portal universe.

In my opinion, Portal 2 is one of the best games that came out in 2011, and will be one of the games I won’t trade in. The games has massive replay value in the single player story alone, and the co-op mode adds even more. You and a partner must work you way through GLaDOS’ challenging co-op testing research institute. Honestly, the only problems with co-op mode are the lack of a save feature, which is understandable, as it doesn’t make sense to save with one partner and continue with another random person, and the fact that the game is at least 15 times easier with a headset, as voice chat makes placing portals more precise. 

Now, in today’s world, free DLC is rare and hard to find, but Valve has released a pack for free, released September 2011. The pack is only a timing mode and new levels for co-op mode, but it is worth it. Also, on PC, two other packs are available, one which lets users of a specific mouse manipulate portals, and the other allowing users to create their own levels and make then available for download. If only these DLC features came to console versions.

In the end, Portal 2 is a game worth picking up, and keeping it to allow future generations to enjoy its brain teasers and humorous dialogue. And, ultimately, the few cons don’t detract players from the main game, and allow players to have fun with one of the best games of the year, if not the decade. 

Pros:

Great dialogue and voice acting

Intelligent level design and physics

Amazing plot and events

Beautiful graphics and “scenery”

Cons:

Very minuscule co-op bugs and flaws, but none that detract from the overall gameplay

If I were to rate this game, I would probably give it a 9.5 or a 9.75, as the overall game is amazing, immersive, and very beautifully designed and executed. A big tip of the hat to Valve for making such a great game for not only die-hard gamers, but even casual gamers.

Portal 2, for PC, Xbox 360, and PS3: available for $39.99 new or $34.99 used at GameStop

Follow me on Twitter (@Junkie_Panda) or add me on PSN (ShiroiPanda)

Tyler Moore is currently trying to get started in Skyrim and not run out of games to review. Please support me by not only following this blog, but tell your friends, and get them to follow me too! Any and all are welcome!

internerd:

I put this up before my lunch, there were already 4 tags gone in an hour 😊 (Taken with Instagram at Apple - Caffe Macs)

geek-art:

Geek-Art.net / Alex Garner : Bioshock Inifinite& Portal 2 Fan Arts

Alex Garner is kinda well known in the illustration world, having worked for Marvel, DC, and Blizzard. But he doodled and created those 2 awesome fan-arts on 2 video games I can’t wait to play… The first one is Bioshock Infinite (finished the first, the 2nd is still waiting for me but have to go on with Skyrim first), and Portal 2 (I still have to finish the last level of the first !). Yep, Being a geek is definitly a full time job. Anyway, beauties.

via Oculoid

8bitdecay:

ジェットセットラジオ - 2000

Hey guys. As I mentioned, this week’s review is Battlefield 3, the latest FPS from DICE and EA. it is currently available on the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC. 

Anyways, when I first picked up this game, I had heard the hype and was following the news feverishly. I knew that the game would come out two weeks before a certain Activision FPS, and that the other game would surpass Battlefield 3 immensely in units sold. But that didn’t stop me from choosing B3 over….ahem….MW3. The reasons I would have rather got B3 than CoD were innumerable. First, better in-game physics, like bullet damage and environmental destruction. Second, a better multiplayer experience. Things like vehicles added to the enjoyment of the online. Finally, the number of players added to the multiplayer pot. With most CoD’s games max out at around 12 players, and feel more like paintball matches than real warfare. But in Battlefield, games are split into two teams, each having 32 players max in them. Within teams, players are put into four man squads, which makes communication a lot easier. In my first few matches, the guys in my squad were helpful to me and teaching me and helping me get my bearings. Now, admittedly, this wasn’t my first time in the FPS rodeo, but Battlefield plays a bit differently. In multiplayer mode, there are three main types of games. Conquest is your normal CTF type game, and Team, as well as Squad, Deathmatch types are true to their name. The last modes are Team and Squad Rush, which play out like Control Point in Team Fortress 2. 

Now while most time in Battlefield will be spend online for those who have PSNs or Xbox Live accounts, the campaign is worth delving into. While I won;t give any spoilers, your character, Sgt. Blackburn, is being interrogated by the CIA after numerous nuclear terrorist attacks around the world, which he does not know of. Missions play out as flash backs from Sgt. Blackburn or as information being given to Blackburn from the CIA interrogators. And while most of the campaign intros you into some controls for multiplayer (like tank and F-16 controls), other parts just progress the story along. 

Admittedly, there are some pros and cons, like with most games. In multiplayer, some of the biggest pros are and easy loadout screen and large maps with high player counts to match. with loadouts being simple to create. In CoD, playing a local match with friends took forever to set up as everyone had to make a class, change perks, choose sights, add camo, and make sure it’s right. With Battlefield, however, you pick which class, which gun, which ammo, and which sight, and you’re pretty much done. With the large maps and high player counts, games feel like an actual battle instead paintball matches. Unfortunately, one of the cons about multiplayer is the fact that there is no split-screen support, so taking the game over to a friend’s is out of the question. Also, no local multiplayer support, or even LAN support, unless I couldn’t find that option on the menu. 

In the campaign, the cons almost outweigh the pros. First con is that the plot device (a nuclear attack) is so overused these day (MW2, Unstoppable, Die Hard, etc.) that it’s so cliched it’s not even funny. Also, another con is the difficulty levels. Even on normal, I was tempted to smash my DualShock3 in frustration in one of the earlier missions (unfortunately, at the time of this writing, I was not able to get all the way through the story, but I am about halfway done.) But one of the more redeeming pros was the addition of numerous little extras that can help change a battle or firefight, like pushing a car over a little ridge to kill three or four enemies. Another pro is the compass. Yes, it sounds stupid, but hear me out. In CoD, the only visual you have of a target is a dot that tells your the distance and what you need to do. But in Battlefield’s campaign, the compass tell you where teammates are as well as the next checkpoint. so you aren’t lost trying to get to the objective by way of a dead end alley.

In the end, Battlefield has some qualities that make it stand out from the competition, in both good and bad ways. If you want an FPS and want to avoid CoD and the eight-year olds online, than pick up Battlefield 3 (new, unless you want to pay an extra $9.99 for an online pass) and get yourself into this war, soldier. Hoo-ah!

Pros:

Good multiplayer types and easy to customize classes

Large maps and firefight like matches

Squad separation helps aid newbs and allows ease of communication

Cons:

Cliched climax and plot devices (Oh no! A nuke!)

Frustrating AI and difficulty levels

Lack of local multiplayer promotes indoor/long distance friendships rather than in person and up close games

If you buy it used, you have to pay an extra $10 for an online pass

Battlefield 3 for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC

Limited Edition: $59.99 (new)

Standard Edition: $39.99 (new)

If I were to give this game a rating, it would probably be an 8.5 for great online play and an interesting campaign mode, but the difficulty problems and overused ideas can detract from the soul of the game a bit.

Please follow me on twitter (@Junkie_Panda) and add me on PSN (ShiroiPanda)

Shiroi Panda (aka Tyler Moore) is currently trying to get into writing reviews and writing in general.

Photo courtesy of Google Images and mixdl.com