Review of: Call of Duty Black Ops

  

Reviewer: David Lam

Title: Call of Duty Black Ops

System: Xbox 360

Genre: FPS, Action

            Alright so this game came out and I felt like I had to analyze it since all I could hear from my brother recently was vulgar profanities that was caused by playing Black Ops. So I asked my brother what the problem was although I knew because I have played and looked over previous COD games. The problem that day was that he lost his killstreak from a person camping in the corner. Now that incident caused him to yell loud vulgar language resulting in my sister telling my mom, leaving me a sad brother and unoccupied Xbox 360. So seeing as it was unoccupied and I was looking for something different I played Black Ops although I generally dislike Call of Duty and their style of gameplay.

            So one positive from Black Ops was an interesting and well done plotline for the campaign. I am a history junkie and seeing JFK along with other well known people such as Fidel Castro caused me to become delighted. Black Ops presented us with a couple of conspiracy theories and also the majority of the game is played through memories. Even the main menu which consists of TV’s and an interrogation room gives this tension to the game. The plot kept my interest as I attack Cuba in the Bay of Pigs and defended against the VC in the Vietnam War. 

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

Top 10: Final Fantasy Games

 

Author: David Lam

1) Final Fantasy VII

                Final fantasy VII provided a whole new gaming experience and it is one of Square's biggest milestones when it came to the Final Fantasy franchise. This game provided a whole new unexplored world that involved new battle features and game play styles. The cyber punk setting along with the good animation/ artwork went hand in hand in convincing players to play this game.

2) Final Fantasy X

                Final Fantasy X is probably the second biggest game in the series which received mostly good reviews. It was large and kept the players' attention for a very long time. The artwork and graphics are at a level that surpasses most games. The summons that aid your characters is not a new concept. However the summons are all well designed and are visually appealing. There is various mini games and secrets to keep players busy for more than ten hours. Such an interesting story combined with great graphics makes for one of the best Final Fantasies in the franchise.

3) Final Fantasy X-2

                Following the surprising ending of FFX, FFX-2 provides a continuation that is well thought out and executed. The game features dramatic changes to the heroine in the previous game and also an ending to the tale between Yuna (the heroine) and Tidus (hero). There are new weapons and abilities that will astonish players as to how much time has passed since the previous game. FFX-2 has provided a wrap up to the story and it ranks third because of its great reception.

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: RadianGames Fluid

  

Reviewer: Joe Ruffini

Title: RadianGames Fluid

System: Xbox 360

Genre: Indie Game

                Indie Games are getting bigger and bigger in the gaming world. They are getting more attention and plays. It is creating a new set of games.  My personal favorite indie game is Fluid. It is like an extreme Pac-Man.  You play as this little tadpole like thing that races around collecting all the golden orbs, yeah sounds like Pac-man. BUT here is the twist, every single golden orb turns into a red enemy that chases you and if you get touched, you die. So it creates the problem of not only having to get all the orbs, but also having to avoid the enemies when they are multiplying. There are special things that if you collect then something special happens. With one you grow big and can eat the red enemies, another is a vortex that will suck the enemies into it, but it doesn’t kill them. And finally are the boosters and teleporters, which get you away from the enemies in a quick instance. It is a highly addicting game and it will keep you playing for hours.

Graphics: B

Sound: B

Gameplay: A

Lasting Appeal: B+

Overall: B+