Review of: Fable III

Reviewer: Dan McDonough

Title: Fable 3

System: Xbox 360/PS3

Genre: RPG, Action, Adventure

                

                Lionhead Studios is back with Fable III, the third installment of their highly successful franchise. Fable 3 was kept pretty quiet, not making promises they cant fulfill. From my many hours of playing this I can say that it is not a game to miss, even if you are compliantly new to the series, although I recommend playing the first two first. The story takes place about fifty years after the second one in an Albion in dire need of a hero. Albion is being oppressively run by your brother Logan, and you must build an army to take his throne. Like the first two the game is a decision based game where your choices effect you throughout the game. 

Review of: Gears of War 2

Reviewer: David Lam

Title: Gears of War 2

System: Xbox 360

Genre: Third Person Shooter

 

            You are a soldier that fights for the human race against the monstrous species known as the locust. Gears of War 2 continues the epic story experienced in the first game and it also features new gameplay features such as executions. This game is well done and thought out, also Epic Games would update Gears of War 2 whenever they found a problem. It is good to see a game being taken care of like it should.

            Gears of War 2 has Marcus going into the hole with his friend Dom. In there they will find the home of the locusts and they are taking the fight to the locust’s home now. Along the way friends die and new plot twists are discovered. Some concern Marcus and his father while another tells us the fate of Dom’s wife. The plotline has you fired up and intense through the game.

Review of: Halo Wars

  

Reviewer: David Lam

Title: Halo Wars

System: Xbox 360

Genre:  Real Time Strategy

          Halo expands their storyline universe once again by adding Halo Wars to their list of games. This game is different from all the others because it is a real time strategy game that features the basics such as troops, tiers, bases, and hero units. The game provides story concerning Halo before the near end of all the Spartans. On the timeline you could say it is like a prelude to the Halo series.

          The game is built like any typical RTS which features barracks, supply bases, and special units. There are 6 leaders each with its own special unit, ability, and passive specialty. Some units are offensive while others are defensive and this game features a very complex battle triangle. In short some units are capable of easily destroying others and it is always good to have a diverese combination or else you could be eradicated by the anti air units attacking your air hornets.

          The special abilities provide advantages and are useful while simple tasks such as scouting go a long way for your battle. Each battle is different giving you not just story but also challenges. I warn you that this game is suited for those who enjoy RTS and also have great patience.

Graphics: B-

Sound: B

Gameplay: A

Lasting Appeal: A-

Overall: B

Review of: Burnout Paradise

Author: Joe Ruffini

Title: Burnout Paradise

Platform: Xbox 360/Playstation 3/PC

Genre: Racing

               

                The Burnout series has been around for a while. I remember playing the first one for the original Xbox.  It was wildly fun and addicting. You can do race after race after race after race without even realizing it. The style of the game has changed a lot. Rather than just selecting your race on a menu, it is an open world and you drive up to intersections that have a race option. They have added a few game types over the years, and new worlds and streets to race on. You have multiple race types to choose from. There are burning routes, marked man, race, road rage, stunt run, and road rules. To start a race you have to roll up to an intersection, and the race option will appear. You have the choice to select it or not. 

Review of: Super Mario Galaxy

  

Reviewer: Amy Pistone

Title: Super Mario Galaxy

System: Wii

Genre: Platformer

            In past years, many innovative games have come out that stray away from traditional methods of gameplay. Super Mario Galaxy is one of them, being the most ground-breaking Mario title within the past 10 years. It plays with the players mind, achieving impossible feats by way of space. Instead of a simple sidescroller, Galaxy challenges players to broaden their horizons and open their eyes to a new type of platformer… in SPACE!

            Super Mario Galaxy’s graphics are pleasing to the eye but not anything revolutionary in terms of realism. The colors are bright and the scenery has depth, but Mario lacks the growth that a new title usually has as far as graphics. These graphics look just as good as if they were on the Gamecube, which shows a lack of development with the design. Especially since this was one of the main anticipated titles with the launch of the Wii, it would appear that Nintendo go anxious in designing and released the game prematurely. However, this most likely is not an actual problem with the game but one with the console. Despite this, it would have been nice to see some really magnificent graphics in space.

Review of: Assassin's Creed II

Reviewer: David Lam

Title: Assassin's Creed II

System: PlayStation 3/Xbox 360

Genre: Third-person action-adventure

It is 2012 and you enter a device called the Animus which analyzes your DNA and finds the stored memories of your ancestors inside the DNA. You now clearly see a beautiful city and it is the late 15th century. Your ancestor is Ezio and you are a member of a very notable family in Florence known as the Auditores. It is the renaissance a period where science ,culture, and art flourished. As your ancestor you enjoy your life as an Auditore. You get into fights with the rival family the Pazzi, visit your girlfriend, and have races on the rooftops with your brother. Suddenly you learn that your father and brothers where convicted of treason. Your father was going to expose the corrupt Pazzi family and reveal a huge conspiracy that would tear apart Italy's unity. They are executed and you continue your father's line of a work as an assassin. You escape with your mother and sister and proceed to learn more of the conspiracy and hunt down the men involved. You gain abilities, weapons, allies, and information that will change the way you think of the world in a philosophical way.

Review of: Fallout 3

Reviewer: David Lam

Title: Fallout 3

System: PlayStation 3/Xbox 360

Genre: Action RPG/First-Person Shooter

Here we have Fallout 3 a game that would appeal to people who enjoy role playing games and sandbox games. Fallout 3 centers around a post apocalyptic world during the 1950's. The world is in shambles as nuclear fallout has spread all across America. You are a member of something called a Vault. Vaults were built for protection against nukes and they are underground structures built to house and protect humans. Every vault is different ; some are ruled by tyrants and others infested with radioactive mutants.  Some vaults are filled with insane people and you play as a character which is customizable as male or female with different attributes.  You go through life as a vault member and eventually you get out after your dad disappears. You learn and experience the world outside meeting all different kinds of people and mutants in a 1950's setting. You experience the culture and see the new ways people survive. 

Review of: Final Fantasy IX

Reviewer: David Lam

Title: Final Fantasy IX

System: PlayStation

Genre: RPG

The world of Gaia is on the edge of war. The kingdom of Alexandria has become dangerous and Queen Brahne has become power hungry trying to dominate the world. Queen Brahne has a plan to dominate the world and this conspiracy is hidden from the public until you the main character discover the plot. Like all Final Fantasy games you are the agile, young, hero destined to save the world. Alexandria is dangerous and the ruler of the city of Lindblum has sent a team of rogues or mercenaries disguised as a theatre group to enter Alexandria and kidnap Princess Garnet. She is the niece of the ruler of Lindblum known as Cid. You are Zidane a member of the group of rogues and you help kidnap Garnet. Like all Final Fantasies the main character and main female heroine have an intimate relationship. As the story progresses you gain new weapons, abilities, and characters to join your group. You go on a quest to help Garnet and along the way you gain characters who each have their own reason for joining your group. Steiner the knight follows the princess in order to protect her. Garnet decides to be free of royal life and experience the world. Vivi the orphan mage befriends the group and also joins. All of them have their own history which you can find out through easter eggs and playing the game. Like usual you travel through towns and cities on foot and later by airship or land vehicles. Every character has a special unique ability like Zidane's steal ability or Vivi who casts offensive black magic spells. Other specialties include summon spells , white magic (defensive spells) and various others. You can control up to eight characters and you eventually learn the many different connections the characters have to each other or the history in the game.

Review of: Final Fantasy Tactics

Reviewer: David Lam

Title: Final Fantasy Tactics

System: PlayStation

Genre: Tactical RPG

            Ivalice was once peaceful  and full of life. Now after the 50 Year War Ivalice has become a desperate land ravaged by war. Innocent lives were taken and cities were destroyed. The economy is left in ruins resulting from the funding spent on  the war. The war veterans have no jobs and return to a broken country filled with despair. The depression is forcing citizens to steal and join mercenary forces. The common citizens are starving and there are many orphans left over from the war. The upper class nobles enjoy an extravagant lifestyle that is dwindling slowly but surely. There are different groups and sides all trying to get into power. They manipulate mercenaries and people in order to gain power through mystical Zodiac stones which transform people into an evil spirit capable of causing mass destruction. The story focuses on Ramza aand Delita. Ramza is young and due to his life in the upper class he is spoiled. He is naïve and unrealistic leaving him to be idealistic. However he always has this sense of morality throughout the whole game and he always tries to do what is right. Delita is the opposite in the sense that he is cunning and has more realistic goals. He takes decisive action to acquire those goals. One example being kidnapping a princess in order to acquire more power and to rule the land. In other words the outcome would have been good for Ivalice but Delita’s means were immoral but that is the characteristic we see in this realistic character.

Review of: Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2

Author: David Lam

Title: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

System: Xbox 360/Playstation 3

Genre: First-person Shooter

The Call of Duty series has made an insane amount of money in the videogame industry. The most recent one which is the sequel to Infinity Ward's COD Modern Warfare was highly anticipated and believed to have sold the most copies out of the other COD games. Honestly every game is the same and it always has some sort of multiplayer system which sucks. Every game has a decent sort of story line and this game has the same level in decency. Pretty much it is a WW III scenario and you play as different character. One is part of an elite task force and the other part of the Rangers. Eventually you play as Soap the main character in the previous Modern Warfare. The campaign reveals a plot to instigate a World War between Russia and the USA. You act as a Ranger officer that successfully does his job in fighting the Russians. Also you play as Soap and end up killing the US General Shepard who is responsible for starting the World War. The campaign involves both stealth and action which appealed to me. It appealed to most player but the reason people usually buy the COD games is for the competitive multiplayer.

Review of: Left 4 Dead

Reviewer: David Lam

Title: Left 4 Dead

System: Xbox 360

Genre: First-person shooter/Survival Horror

                Zombie Apocalypse, a scenario where the majority of the world is flesh eating hungry dead corpses. You are of the few survivors and have to survive the zombie hoards by shooting them in their brain which is their major weakness. You can be infected through bites and this genre has been showcased in books, movies, and videogames. In my opinion I think that everyone has at least once thought how they would do in a scenario like that. It is fiction and some think it would be enjoyable to live a an apocalyptic world like that. 

Review of: Conker's Bad Fur Day

Reviewer: Dan McDonough

Title: Conker's Bad Fur Day

System: Nintendo 64

Genre: Action/Platformer

Parental Advisory is suggested. 

I was looking to buy a new game for my n64, seeing how my 360 has the red ring once
again. Most of the classics were $20, or $25, but this one title I’ve never heard of was $40, which I was absolutely not going to pay for an N64 game. Then I asked the owner of the store why a game about a stupid squirrel was so much. He said “Conker’s Bad Fur day” may be the funniest, yet most vulgar game he’s ever played. Of course it has great graphics too, but who really cares about graphics, when you play a squirrel who gets piss drunk, quite literally. Your inebriated squirrel uses his urine as a gun, and the cherry on top, he fights a giant sewage monster. At that point I threw two Andrew Jackson’s at the man, and left with the most expensive N64 game I have ever bought. Honestly, I don’t know how this game got an “M” rating, it should be rated “A.” 

Review of: Final Fantasy 7

Reviewer: David Lam

Title: Final Fantasy 7

System: Playstation 1

Genre: RPG

Mario was seen as a revolution that brought out a totally new idea in the gaming industry that was much better than Pong. Final Fantasy 7 set a whole new bar to reach for all RPG games. According to Jay Boor from IGN Next Generation Online it took a total of 49 hours to complete the game. For those who don’t know; Next Generation Online is definately familiar with RPG games and were not new to the game style. The game has a comprehensive and rich plotline and an intriguing combat system at the time. Final Fantasy 7 also has many easter eggs and hidden bosses along with secret special moves. Many of the easter eggs deal with revealing the history of the many characters you can gain along with some of the secret characters such as Vincent, a gun wielding vampire. The plotline centers around your mentally distraught character known as Cloud who suffers the pain of losing his friend Zack Fair. You start out  in the city and meet Aeris, a flower girl. Eventually adventure takes place as you uncover the secrets of your past, and the corporation you worked for known as Shinra. You also uncover the mystery behind Sephiroth who is the main villain. Cloud’s past ties into the plot and is important while other characters allow you to discover new plot twists you don’t have to uncover their past. Also Cloud is a dynamic character that at first wants revenge for Zack but as he meets the other characters it becomes more about him stopping Sephiroth and his evil plan to destroy everything. As a point of comedy relief until Aeris’s death both Aeris and Tifa have feelings for Cloud which allows for some comical dialogue about their love triangle. The story spans through 3 discs and it was the longest RPG game at the time.

Review of: LocoRoco

Reviewer: Joe Ruffini

Title: LocoRoco

System: PlayStation Portable

Genre: Puzzle

Locoroco is most definitely one of the most addicting games you will ever come across. The first thing you see is this cute little blob, and that is the Locoroco. But rather than playing as that little guy, oddly enough you play as the planet that the Locoroco is on. It doesn’t sound very appealing, but as you play you just get hooked. Time passes as you play level after level without even realizing it. The controls are pretty simple, left bumper to make the planet tilt left, right bumper to make it tilt right, and if you pressed them both at the same time then the blob would jump. It sounds like a pretty easy game, but to get everything in each level requires a lot of play time and a lot of searching. The goal is to find all the Locoroco’s hidden inside these strange little fruits. There are other fruits that you can get that just get you points. Aside from fruit you can get, you can find these little people type creatures. I really am not 100% sure what they are, but there are only like 4 in a level and you have to be very good at the game to find all of them. Once you have the hang of the game then you start to see all the little possible places where the little buggers are hidden. But while you’re searching for your little blobs and other mates, you have to look out for some flying tentacle blob things called Mojas. They are annoying as all hell. If you don’t hit them right to kill them, then you start to get eaten by them, so you have to hop around frantically in hopes that you’ll be jerked free. But once you are free from the evil clutches of the Mojas then you will be able to continue on your way and rescue all your little pals and whatnot. As cutesy and silly this game is, it pulls you in and you get hooked quickly. It is a highly suggested buy for any PSP owner.

Graphics: B-

Sound: B

Gameplay: A

Lasting Appeal: A+

Overall: B+

Review of: PaRappa the Rapper

Reviewer:         Joe Ruffini 

Title:                PaRappa the Rapper

System:           PlayStation

Genre:             Music

The first modern rhythm based game was Parappa the Rapper for the PlayStation.  The game follows Parappa, the rapping dog, who is trying to win over the heart of Sunny Funny, a flower girl. The game was very simplistic, but it was incredibly fun. You had to press a sequence of buttons to pass the song. The graphics were 2D but it was relevant because Parappa in Japanese means “paper thin”.  I can remember playing Parappa when I was a little kid. It was so much fun to play because of had to time when you would press triangle or whatever it may be and you could just sit there forever playing because of how much fun it really was. Now-a-days the game is a classic. A new, unopened Parappa is worth more than $200. 

Graphics: B-

Game play: A-

Sound: B

Lasting Appeal: A+

Overall: A

Review of: Super Mario 64

Reviewer: Dan McDonough

Title: Super Mario 64

System: Nintendo 64

Genre: Platforming

Here’s the story in a koopa shell: Mario gets a note from Princess Peach inviting him over , but when Mario arrives the castle is deserted, and re-decorated with pictures that act as the portal to the different levels of the game. Your goal is to Collect all the “power stars” to free the castle of Bowser’s evil rule. Throughout the game you play as Mario doing tasks for bomb-ombs, snowmen, fighting various enemies such as goombas, boos, and the occasional Bowser fight. Every level has 6 stars, which are needed to open other levels. There are a total of 15 main levels, and several other hidden levels. The levels range from Slippery ice slopes, a lava land, a haunted mansion, lagoons, and islands. This is a significantly long game for an N64 game. An average gamer would take about 6-8 hours to completely finish the game.