When you look at the barrage of World War Two games that are constantly released every year in and year out, its hard to wonder which ones are worth playing and which ones are better left on the store shelves collecting dust. In my experiences, I have found that a majority of World War Two games fail to ever deliver as promised, are historically inaccurate and are void of anything unique or special whatsoever. However, once in a very great while a video game production company will sink are large part of their annual budget behind a World War Two shooter, and when they do, the results tend to be fantastic. This notion is entirely true when it comes to one of the better WWII games that you will ever play on the Xbox 360, that game being: Medal of Honor: Airborne.
If you have been reading my prior posts than you already know how I feel about games that are surrounded by hype but that in the end fail to adequately deliver on their over hyped nature. And nothing makes me angrier when I am duped into buying into the hype and playing a game, only to realize that it entirely fails to deliver whatsoever. So this notion once again rings the liberty bell in my mind, that ring saying, hyped and not able to deliver equals a game that makes me mad. And fortunately for me, I only had to waste a few hours playing this sucker to realize that indeed it was what it was: just another shooter game with a large advertising budget from its maker, Ubisoft, and one that totally fails to deliver as promised.
When I first heard about this game I was wondering, as I am sure that many other gamers were also wondering, how could it be original and not a total rip off of the lauded and very successful Grand Theft Auto series. Then again, to be totally fair, any game that offers a free world where you can drive cars around and shoot at people is in its very premise a rip-off of Grand Theft Auto. But, this game offers an entirely different narrative, different cars, weapons and themes, and yes, while there are portions of it that liken to Grand Theft Auto, upon playing it and beating it, the only real thing that it has in common is that you can shoot people and drive cars. Everything else is entirely different.
It seems that all of the while that the next generation consoles have been on the market they have been seriously lacking in any great flight-action, dog-fighting games whatsoever. Sure there were a few hot releases such as Flying Angels I and II (UbiSoft, 2006; 2007), however these action flying games were limited to the WWII era and did not focus on modern day airborne combat. That all changes now with the recent and much anticipated release of Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation (Namco/Bandai Games America, 2008.)
I know I know, you are all wondering what in the hell would prompt me to write about Madden NFL 2008 when the 09’ version is already out. Simple. Because I aim to review ultimately all of the Xbox 360 games that were ever released for the console. New or old, good or bad. In the US or in Europe – I want to play them all and write about them all. Enough Said. So with that out of the way, I must honestly tell you that I spent ample amounts of hours behind the screen of Madden NFL 2008. It was, by far the greatest football game of all time. Period. And I know what some of you naysayers are thinking. What about 2k Sports and what about the fabulous 2k football series that was inadvertently canned when Madden – or shall I say, EA sports – was awarded the exclusive NFL franchise rights for video games, which if I remember correctly won’t expire until sometime in 2010. So, given that 2k can’t make a real NFL game, and that All Pro Football stinks worse than a sweaty football jersey, all we have is Madden. And it is the best football game out there.
As if we all hadn’t heard about election enough during 2008 that it would make our brains explode, the geniuses over at Wideload Games (who are they?) and at Gamecock (remove the word game and you will know what I think of these guys) decided that the best way to capitalize on Capitalism was to release an animal-based democratic party video game for the Xbox 360 that really, really, really sucked. And sucked hard on all levels mind you. First of all, anytime you see a game with the title, Hail to the Chimp on its cover, you already know that this is going to be a really sloppy game. Then add to the fact that the entire premise of this game was to garner easy bucks off stupid gamers during the longest election years in the history of the United States. Shame on you Wideload and Gamecock – your attempts at foiling hard earned money out of gullible gamers has been revealed.
Yes you read the title right, I was able to mostly beat this pathetic excuse for a World War Two in game in nearly an hour. (Okay about two, but for the sake of a catchy titled I somewhat stretched the truth, so sue me.) This game screams carbon copy so loud that even the scientists in the museum next door turned their heads and muttered, what in the hell? Where to start on this one, and trust this review will be short, like the game was for me. Think of every bad WWII game that you ever played and add this one to the pile. Same weapons, same controls, same shoddy graphics, same narrative, premise and underlying plot, well it varies ever so slightly. In this game you are trying to stop Hitler from building the atomic bomb before the US completes their Big Boy. There are three different types of players that you can control sniper, stealth and brute force. They all have their own who-cares specials and abilities.
There are good reason, and many of them as to why a great role playing game like Elder Scrolls will always dominate the top spots, at least in my mind. When it comes to a good role playing game, especially when you have to top what Bethesda did with Oblivion, here is a good rule of thumb: do your homework, and make sure you know what you are getting yourself into before the foot enters the video game mouth, so to speak. So now that the cat is out of the bag, you must also be prepared to spend ample or considerably similar amounts of time developing the game (in this case Oblivion spent four years under the knife prior to its release) if you are to ever hope to top a game like Elder Scrolls, which deserved fully the earning of the Game of Year – twice in a row! Yeah, it was that good.
If you like assassin movies and always wondered what it would be like to be that person that cares not for what or whom he kills or destroys and has absolutely no conscious, then you will adore Hitman: Blood Money. Io Interactive offers a decent video game that is adorned with all of the goodies. A shooter, a strategy based thriller and a game that will make you a hard, cold blooded killer. You are a hitman, who has been raised in a secret government project for one purpose: kill people that get in the way, and do so quietly.
Wow, wow and wow are the only three words that crossed my mind when I had a chance to play this game. First off, where to start, because this is without a doubt the worst Xbox 360 game to ever be created. Seriously, it’s really that bad. I will start by wagging my finger at the developers! Shame on you Cauldron and Activision, you both know better and this one is a surefire strikeout for both of you clods. And how could you ever release this game with your name on it, thinking that you would not get flack from the gaming community as a whole. I know that the History Channel wanted a game, but seriously you had to go and make this lackluster, junk bin fodder? Really? Yes people this game is so bad that when you pop it (and I don’t ever recommend that you even waste time doing so) in to your Xbox 360 you will notice that the graphics are keen to the Sega Dreamcast, and we all know how much that console really sucked.
Just when you though that there would never be a great multiplayer cooperative game for the Xbox 360 console, aside from Perfect Dark Zero and the astute Halo series, bam they hit us with this intensely awesome masterpiece. While you can play this game as just one player, people take my advice—this game is best shared with a friend. The narrative and the plot are totally original, it’s like your are playing a movie, but they don’t riddle you with endless cinematic cuts that bore you to tears and take away from the game, like we all saw in Jericho. What you will find with this timeless classic, which was the spawning of Eidos Interactive, and that saw a late 2007 release date, if you could even find a copy, is that this game is awesome, well done and original. It will engulf you from the get-go and it’s a bloody battle that offers nonstop action and fun, all packaged nicely into a game that they finally offer a two player coop mode on; thank goodness for that!
It has been a bit since I had found another game that I could rip on for you all, as I try to be as honest and practical as possible when I take a look at different games for the Xbox 360 gaming consoles. But when it comes to this floppy, sloppy, piece of garbage brought to you by Pseudo Interactive, there is nothing much that I can say that will laude this crappy disaster of a game. (And hey guys at Pseudo Interactive, I can’t wait to get your comments on this entry, perhaps next time you will make a game that does not do a full three-sixty of suck on us—oh and while you are at it, come up with an original idea for a video game you clods!)
Calling all of you out there who love fantasy role playing video games: if you liked Elder Scrolls the Oblivion, then chances are that you will also dig Final Fantasy XI. While the primary notion behind Final Fantasy is playing online with other players as you complete quests and further your player’s mindset and abilities, it still makes for a greatly enthralling first person campaign as well. But it is wise to note that you will notice that the free-world of this game offers far less to do than the free-world in Elder Scrolls does. You will also note that this game is a graphically pristine beauty that offers some of the highest details and renderings that I have ever seen in any video game ever. Considering that this game had an early 2006 debut with Square Enix being the developer, it is rather surprising that it offers so much for being one of the earlier Xbox 360 games.
It’s rather unfortunate I must say, that when you can only find one decent soccer game to play for the entire fiscal year of 2007. But at least the one that I am about to tell you all shabby is perhaps, in my opinion at least, one of the better soccer games that you will ever play, and quite possibly the best ball kicking game of the year 2007. Surprisingly, this game was a joint venture by EA Canada and their US publisher, and counterpart, Electronic Arts. And in the candid EA tradition, it saw the first light of day in early October of 2006 – just like all of the sports games that EA makes, which are almost always released the yearend prior to the actual year that they represent.
I know that many of you have been anxiously awaiting my review of this timeless hit by Bethesda, and here it is. By the way, if you ever wanted to spend money on a game, this one is the winner, BUY IT! You won’t regret it. In the game you start as an infant at birth and must design and customize your character. You grow up in an underground vault that protects the inhabitants from nuclear fallout that occurred seventy years prior. Upon reaching adulthood your father (a prominent doctor in the vault) opens the door and leaves. Now you must venture out on the bloody quest of a lifetime to find him and help to save, or destroy humanity, it’s your choice. Fallout 3, in so many words, is one of the best, most detailed, most invigorating, exceptional perfect games you can ever play. From the moment you begin to the moment you beat it, you will never be bored. It challenges you from left and right.
Personally, I was originally THPS (Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater) fan when the game was first released for the PS1 (Play Station one) and the Xbox gaming consoles. However, as the game has become more intense, they have faltered away from the classic arcade style of controls, in favor of a more realistic approach to the game. Some people were turned away from this. I myself, must admit, that after they started changing the way that the game was laid out, I was also a little perturbed and peeved, but upon finally giving Tony Hawk's Project 8 a real chance at might and muster on my Xbox 360, I must say, that I was dubitably impressed. And if that wasn’t enough, I feel the need to present five candid and viable reasons as to why you should play Tony Hawk's Project 8.
Just when you thought that it was nearly impossible for another carbon-copy video game to try and make the light of day under a bad Grand Theft Auto rip-off premise, guess what: people will forever and for ten years, actually until the end of time, try to rip-off parts and ideas from the illustrious Grand Theft Auto franchises just to make their quick break and buck in the next generation video gaming market. And just because the lauded GTA series has fully delivered, does not mean that imitators will not avidly try and fail many times over in making a game that can even be remotely compared the best free-world shooter ever made: Grand Theft Auto. But they will continue to try, and they will continue to fail. It’s the natural way of things in the video gaming market, unfortunately.
Who said that occult, interactive movie games would never break the light of day on the next generation video gaming consoles like the Xbox 360? Just when you turn your head the other direction, bam they come out with a monster game like Scene-It for the Xbox 360 gaming console. And for those of you who are in the dark about what the premise of this game is, I will fill you all in on the minute details in just a moment, but first some more babbling. Generally speaking, I am not a huge fan of board game to video game crossovers. Why? Because the video game versions many times take away from some of the fun that can be realized when playing a board game. Also, they take a more impersonal feeling, one that makes board games so much fun to play; you work together with friends and family and move the pieces, clean up the game, set it up, and so on. But every once in a while, they will make a decent video game crossover of a classic board game, one that offers more than the board game did.
I have had the distinct pleasure of playing and reviewing hundreds, actually thousands of video games over the years. With that cat out of the bag, obviously I know a good game when I see one, and I know a terrible game when I play one. Rarely will a game that the narrative of which surrounds a table tennis game, that is mostly popular in Asia today, ever entertain me. However, when it comes to Rockstar’s (makers of Bully, and the amazing Grand Theft Auto games) they rarely disappoint me, even if they are still not incapable of making a lousy game from time to time. Check out Manhunt, probably their greatest failure, and yes I will add a review of that game at a later date. However, Table Tennis, in my humble opinion, is a surefire win for Rockstar, even if the game never sold that many copies.
I was a PC gamer originally, as a kid. Because for the most part, the computer games had more to offer than the games that were available on the older Nintendo consoles. And when the popular, sweeping and trendy, infamous hit that was Coaster was unveiled for the Windows 3.1 platform PCs – you know those 386’s that lauded having a whole 24 megs of RAM – wow – I was simply put: freaking hooked. If you don’t recall Coaster, as it does entirely relate to the game that I am about to review, here is the nutshell scoop. Coaster was an amusement park game where you could custom design any type of roller coaster that you could ever imagine. Then you had to open the ride and manage it, and make sure it was safe. Screw up the design and you could get sued and lose your park. Testing the coasters was the greatest of fun. If they were too dangerous, they would end up tossing your riders hundreds of feet in the air to their deaths. Coaster was awesome!
Damn I wish that I had not played so much freaking Ridge Racer when I was the proud owner of a Sega Dreamcast gaming console. You know the 32-bit piece of junk that collectively—with poor marketing a shoddy budget and the frustrations and market failure of Sega CD—helped to bankrupt Sega and force them out of the video game console business for good. And who says that there are not extraterrestrial forces at work within the video game business. At Any rate…Ridge Racer was one of my favorite games for the Sega Dreamcast, and it would not be for several years later, until Ridge Racer 6 was unveiled and released for the Xbox 360, that I would get to enjoy of my favorite arcade styled racing game again. But now, it has been out for quite some time and I have not had a chance to review for you all up until now. (Yes I am playing catch up.
Before I even get started on this one, I am sure that many of you have read the title and said, “But hey, there is a Sonic out there for the Xbox 360 already!” You think I don’t know that? What I am saying is that this game is so fun, original and inventive that it could be like Nintendo’s Mario, Sega’s Sonic and Play Station’s…well wait a second, Play Station has a signature game? Now that you are done laughing, I will continue my diatribe. Yes, Rayman is no Sonic. Yes there already is a Sonic that is released for the Xbox 360, because Sega, being the dying company that they are, in a desperate attempt to stay profitable into the near future, has resorted to reforming and copycatting their own useless ideas in unwavering attempts to convert the next generation video gaming community to their software, as they no longer have a console. And I can honestly say that after owning a Dreamcast, boy am I glad that Sega no longer makes video game units. Now that I am done ranting, let’s get on to the game review shall we?
After getting to wrap my thumbs and my brain around the amazing game that is Elder Scrolls Oblivion, I have had much trouble trying to figure out why other video game companies even try to make competing games. Literally. However, from time to time, a game will catch my eye that makes me wonder hey: could this game be any better than Elder Scrolls, could it offer more? Could it possible breach that gap that I have forever been searching for? You know that all too obvious space that exists between good role playing games and crumby ones? I have been an avid role playing video gamer for years now, ever since the first Legend of Zelda game was released for the old school Nintendo consoles, and that game still rocks the socks.
Calling all you fans of the gun blazing, lead smitten shooters that make up some of the more entreating games that you can play on the Xbox 360 – everybody who loves video games, well just about, loves a good shooter. And while the following two shooters that I would like to bring to your attention today are actually older shooters, they are still instant classics for the Xbox 360, even if they don’t make my list of the best of shooters category, inarguably they are fabulous games that offer many hours of game play and can easily be found on the used shelves at the local video game store for fewer than fifteen bucks.
I know that all of you skateboarding junkies are already dropping five bucks at the local video game store to get your hands on a preorder copy of the new Skate, Skate 2, but before that comes out, all that you have is Skate—okay well Skate 2 just came out and it rocks, and it will obviously be featured in a future blog review, once I have a chance to play it. However, that does not take away from how amazingly kick ass that the first version of that game is, Skate. I grew up with a professional skater for an older brother, who owned a skate park, his own skateboard company and who sponsored me to skate, even though I sucked.
There just are not enough flying games out there for the Xbox 360, and off the top of my head, I can but only think of a few. Most of them are fighter pilot flying games, and of the few that I can think off, only one or two are even worth playing, much less wasting your hard earned dollars on buying. But, every once in a while a good flying game is released, and this time I would like to tell you all a little bit about Project Sylpheed, a Square Enix and Microsoft publishing venture, that was created by Game Arts and Seta Corporation and originally released for the Xbox 360 during mid-2007.
Moving on to the next segment of the best of the Xbox 360 games that were released during 2008 – I have identified what I feel are three more amazing games that have much to offer and quite plainly are some of the best shooter titles currently available for the Xbox 360 video gaming console. Games that truly take full advantage of the next generation technology that has been offered by Microsoft, and games that far surpass others in the same genre, or other games available for this console altogether. So without ado, here are three more top picks for 2008, and if you like shooters, these are must own titles!
Fallout 3
Now that I had inundated your brains with the first entry in this series, I am back with several more picks for the best of Xbox 360 games for 2007/2008, and this time I have four games to talk about, all which I am sure that you will agree, happen to be some of the best games that were ever released for this console. And here we go…
Grand Theft Auto IV
If you find yourself constantly perusing the gaming isles at your local used video game store, wondering what used games are worth actually whipping out your wallet and blowing your hard earned wad on, it can be an aspect that is rather fraught with difficulty my many friends. But there are some games that come along from time to time that truly offer the very best in the next generation video gaming console experiences that can be had. That being said, I aim to help you better blow that wad you worked oh so hard to attain by offering to you my constantly updated picks of the best Xbox 360 games of all the years 2007-2008, so you can be better equipped to buy the right used game, instead of getting home and regretting your recent purchase. So here are two more to whet your pallet with.
Madden NFL Football 2009
There are so many different racing games that are currently available for the Xbox 360 that it is not even funny. The worst part about this conundrum is that many or the available racing games are entirely lacking in one way or another. And when it comes to finding good racers to get your hands on, it can be task that nets you tons of useless games that you get screwed on the purchase price for, and that generally suck in one way or another once you have a chance to play them for a bit. But, once every so often, a racing game is released that really kicks butt. One that offers a high octane adventure that is worth owning as opposed to renting.
There are so many different Xbox 360 games and so little time to yap to you about all of them and their definitive greatness. However, after giving myself a most certain case of repetitive strain injury or RSI – I have finally had a chance to play hundreds upon hundreds of Xbox 360 games, and all so that I can gripe and laud the best and the worst. This time around, its to tell you of some of the better Xbox 360 games that I have had the distinct pleasure of playing over the years, and trust me, they are damn good games that will make you know that yes, while there are so many cruddy games that can be released, there are in the same sense, an equal amount of decent games.
When it comes to great Xbox 360 games there are few and far between that truly take the cake in my opinion. But there are those games that come along every once in a while that really make you go hey, this one is worth keeping on my game shelf instead of trading it in, even if it collects dust half the time because its that damn good of a game. With that montage out of the way, I am sure that you are wondering what my picks are for some of the two best Xbox 360 shooter games of all time, and rest assured, most of you have played them already, if not shame on you, and they are instant classics, even if some of them as they stand now are considered to be aged and outdated.
Not so often will you see any video game production company wasting their valuable time creating a mini game for the Xbox 360 gaming console. That is because mini games don’t tend to sell all that well, nor do they usually go over all that well on the next generations consoles. Namely because mini games are not truly next generation, they don’t capitalize on all of the technological prowess that is offered by these amazing and futuristic gaming consoles; consoles that somehow continue to be plagued by a massive array of technical issues, but that rant is best saved for another blog entry.
Yet another shooter, and yet another day in the Xbox 360 dawns its frightful eyes upon me, and this time is to test out the popular Xbox 360 shooter, Enemy Territory: Quake Wars. I immediately have my reservations and my doubts about it, as I have seen the parley that was offered by the prior Quake games, which were mostly online multi-players that had much to offer in the realm of online play, but that which kind of blew when you played them in a solo campaign. That being said, my heart was shivering when I decided to rent—not buy mind you Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, and see what all the hoopla was about. And remember my rule of thumb when it comes to over hype affecting the quality of a game – generally the more hype that surrounds a video game the less exciting that the game turns out to be in then end.
Ah yes, my diatribe on the Xbox 360 expansion mayhem begins anew, and this time its for a game that I gave a raving review for just a few posts back – see earlier posts – and that game is Command and Conquer: Tiberium Wars, which is a smack down, all out, amazing real time strategy simulator that simply put Rocks! So if you are so into Tiberium wars that you feel that you need to add more to the candor of the game play, then this game is definitely for you. However, if you are not that into the game that preceded it, or you are just plain happy and peachy about Tiberium wars, then your sixty shells are better spent on another, different game that offers its own unique adventure. However, me being the hopeless RTS freak that I am, was prompted to buy this game because of the small things that it offers to expand upon the Tiberium franchise, small things that cost me big bucks, to the tune of sixty dollars. 
If you are as sick and tired of seeing the same old shooter over and over again, with just a minor variation between different, often overlapping and historically inaccurate World War Two themes, then join the club, because I am too! So when a gaming company, in this case Sandlot and D3, decide to make something that screams originality and difference, and that offers a unique approach the calamity and boredom the quite often is commonplace in the shooter genre, one has to pick up the controller, and pop the game into their Xbox 360 and say, “To hell with it, here goes.” This was my mindset as I rented and decided that I would devote at least an hour of my time to Earth Defense Force 2017, and you know what, I became haplessly hooked on a decent all around shooter that certainly garners my approval, and I will happily tell you why!
After getting screwed out of the NFL franchise by rival sports video game production company, EA sports, 2k Sports only had a few other options. One of those options being: produce better other games that can truly allow for them to level the playing field and establish themselves as a firm and a solid competitor in the sports video gaming market. And that is what they have exactly proceeded to do with their lauded and currently leading college basketball franchise, College Hoops. Now on to the next portion of their series for the year of 2008, 2k has churned out another surefire winner with College Hoops 2k8 for the Xbox 360.
Rarely will you see me give a thumbs up to video game production companies unless they truly accomplish an amazing next generation console feat, as was perfectly executed and displayed with the Devil May Cry 4 series for the Xbox 360. And Capcom showed that they are still a video game force to be reckoned with when they released this pristine beauty in early 2008. So when it comes to the fourth rocker in this ever so successful series that has been such a best seller at the video game stores that it has finally reach the fourth edition, there are no wonders in my mind as to the wide popularity and hype that surrounds this game, hype that is truly delivered in the end by a great all around video game, even if it is not without its faults.
There is this mantra about hype. Something that makes more people think about a product more often, and then get excited about it for reasons they may not always know. When a video game—like an Xbox 360 game—has too much hype that precedes the release, it can often turn into a nightmare for the creators. Why? Because if the game does not live up to the ample amounts of hype that are circulating within the video gaming community, a community that demands the best, they will shoot down the worst and will be ruthless in the process, and then people will get peeved off.
Usually, and honestly speaking, most racing games have never really caught my eye, simply because I am not the biggest fan of racing games, and also because many racing games are so glitch-ridden that it can really take away from the enjoyably aspect that one desires when playing Xbox 360 video games. However, from time to time a certain special video game racer will really capture my attention, one that is so damned good, well constructed, efficiently developed and most importantly, realistic and true to the point, that I get all giddy and perked up inside.
Take a little bit of salt and pepper from the oh so popular and ever so lauded, and truly great Grand Theft Auto series, and you will always find a horde, literally of cheap game knock-offs that hope to capitalize on this genuine concept. And who can really blame them, it seems that in recent years the makers of video games are equally as out of ideas as the dudes who write movie scripts over in Hollywood. And then you add the candor and fame of certain recording music artists, actors and so forth, and you have the recipe for disaster.
When it comes to comic book-based video games there are some easily realized ups and downs. Firstly, they are either good or bad; I have never seen the calm in between. Secondly, how many comic book-based Xbox 360 games are there currently out there on the market, like ten? Exactly. So if you are going to do a shoddy spin off, you had better make it more worthwhile or comic book fancies like myself and many others are going to rip you a new head at how crumby your game looks, feels and plays. Unfortunately for Visual Concepts and Take-Two Interactive, the release of Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer was a little bit of both, mostly leaning towards the element of suck.
One would think that as the model of programming and developing different gaming and graphics engines develops for the Xbox 360 consoles that we would see more fighting and shooting games that have, well freaking more to offer. But quite often when I pop a newly touted and generally over hyped shooter into my Xbox 360, I realize very quickly that many of them tend to be greatly lacking in a wide variety of elements, sadly when compared to some of earlier Xbox 360 shooters that originally debuted as some of the first games for the Xbox 360. Once again, however, Ubisoft outdid themselves when they, in association with Cyrtek Studios, released Far Cry Instinct Predator for the Xbox 360 in early 2006. Since that date, I have been haplessly hooked on this game and for a number of very good reasons.
When Team Ninja decides that they are going to make the best damn fighting game to-date, they do so in style. That is what you will find with most Team Ninja games, in fact, because unlike other gaming companies that suffer from lack of budget, rushed production times, or a combination of low budget, no time and shoddy programmers, Team Ninja only employs the very best on their team of hack saw ninja programmers that know exactly what they are doing, what they hope to accomplish with each game that they produce, and how they intend to wow the world of action hack and slash fighting games once again.
You are a Russian immigrant, in the US illegally here to see your uncle, who has gotten himself into a whirl of trouble with the mob. From the moment you get off the boat that you stowed away, and enter the Rockstar version of New York City, dubbed Liberty City, hell is unleashed. Now you must payoff cops, kill assassins, date women, rob stores, steal cars and basically climb your way up from the bottom of the criminal underworld in a major metropolis to survive. And that is just the beginning.
I would like to point out that if you are under the age of ten years old this game will not suit most people. I, however, must play them all so I can talk smack about the bad games and laud the best games ever, all so you can avoid playing the crumby games and enjoy playing the best games on the market, without wasting chunks of your dollars on them in where while. So when it comes to this purely children’s game, based off the enormously successful Disney major motion picture, Meet the Robinsons, published by Disney Interactive Studios and Avalanche Software, they did a great job making a solid game after movie that offers fun for kids age ten and under on the Xbox 360.
Not that this game has ever truly had much or any competition, does not mean that it still is not an awesome game that is truly original; as original as Guitar Hero or Rock Band. And the game has experienced little change since the days where throngs of quarter pumping neophyte arcade goers would line up awaiting their turn to get their asses handed to them by a fifteen year old Asian kid who could not be beat. But this time the game comes into your living room, adorned with a dance mat and everything that you need in order to become the best damn dancer on the planet freaking earth. 
In line with the name of the game, Elements, the only thing that is dark messiah about this is the lack of anything original to offer avid role playing game lovers, even if you like the Might and Magic series, this one is purely an insult to the entire franchise, a hundred times over. And if you are big fan of other, more realistic and better produced role playing games like Elder Scrolls Oblivion or Fable, you will immediately realize why I am griping so much.
When it comes to real time strategy games, forever and seventeen days, to be sarcastically precise, the Command and Conquer franchise has wowed us on nearly all levels. So there should be no surprise or biting of lips when they released this juggernaut to add to their vast and impressive credentials on May 10th of 2007. EA (Electronic Arts) and EA’s LA Branch, EA Los Angeles, worked together to create the best Command and Conquer games to date, and boy was I really happy when I had a chance to peel off the shrink wrap plastic packaging and toss this puppy into my Xbox 360 gaming console – which by the way is my sixth one because the damn thing keeps overheating and giving me the red rings of death – but that is best saved for another day and another gripe.
When the cats over at Omega Force first made Dynasty Warriors for the Xbox 360, I was eager to play a game that offered such vast combat fields and warriors, all fighting for good and evil – the cliché battle that defines humanity. But upon playing the first several games in the series I became quickly disenfranchised with what they had to offer; namely because the repetitious motions of the game were so seemingly redundant that they made me want to scream for differentially.
Where to start on this one—hmm, what to compare it to and why should waste your time and money playing this game? Well I guess if I had to compare it to any other game it’s like Sim City with bugs, really big bugs and lots of different ways that you control them. Think of the game or the movie Ants, which was a fond Disney/Pixar creation and you will have the right idea in mind when it comes to Bugs—a Ninjabee creation that was originally released on June 20, 2007.
From the video game forging labs of Incinerator Games and Rainbow Studios and from the DVD and video game pressing publishing monster houses of THQ does come this game, which was derived from the cartoon movie, Cars, which was spawned by the gas company, Chevron and their cute little cars that you could always buy when you were at the pump, remember those.
If you ask me I am not so sure why Atari even bothers making video games anymore, because of the past several Atari mishaps that I have had the distinct unpleasantness of encountering, I always end up removing them from my Xbox 360 console shaking my head in disdain, a profound wondering and serious pondering follows, one that makes me think: why make such a shoddy video game when you could easily take your budget for five lousy games on the production agenda for that year and merge them into one awesome and lucrative budget, and then make a truly fantastic game like Bethesda constantly does.
I entirely mean every single word of the above titled exclamation: I would Rather Call Home to Mommy—because this game will leave you so bored and frustrated that literally talking to your mom about your weight issues is more entertaining. And it should come as no surprise that this garbage game was produced by Techland, a Polish video game company (really?) and somehow managed to garner publishing from the monster publisher, Ubisoft (who was sleeping with whom to get this one done). The biggest problem that I found with this game is that the Poles who made it have absolutely no understanding or recognition of the timeframe in which the game takes place, and therefore went bust creating a historically inaccurate game that in the end is both offensive to history buffs like myself, and void of anything entertaining.
I must honestly admit that I expected far less out of the conceptualized Native American, first person shooter, Prey, than I had thought that Venom Games, Human Head Studios or 2k Games could ever fully deliver. And at the same time Prey is one of the oddest games that I have ever had the distinct pleasure of booting up in my Xbox 360 console. Being that it was one of the earlier games for the 360, and that it did not have very much hype at all surrounding its release, not many people were expecting a whole lot from Prey, myself included amongst the skeptics.
Ah yes, yet another video game after movie failure that could not even find successes even though its movie parent was one of the top grossing films of all time, and part of a three part movie series starring the twenty million dollar man – Johnny Depp – which did wonders at the box office. And hey, all of the Pirates movies in my opinion are not bad. Maybe it’s just because I am a big time Depp fan, or maybe it’s because I love the ride at Disney land. Either way, the good rule of thumb to follow here is the often diatribe that you here me complaining about when it comes to video games that follow movies, or TV series: they generally fail to deliver in any way, shape or form.
I have a major quip with Burger King on a number of levels. Firstly, they claim that all of their meats are flame broiled, but you can clearly see them putting them in the microwave when you order them – not that I ever recommend to anybody clogging their arteries with fast food. Secondly, they use some of the scariest advertising methods that I have ever seen, and tantamount to their frozen and microwavable burgers and stale buns, they think its genius to use a scary dude dressed up like a king with an enema smile on his face breaking into people’s homes and serving them some fat-filled, calorie-rich disgusting meals for breakfast. Okay, got the King out of my system – you scary clod you; back to the point, however.
There are some rare exceptions to the video game after television series, with the following game being an all too rare exception to the common standard and staple that dictates that most video games that come after movies or TV series really suck and are lacking in all shapes and forms. However, when it comes to the brainchild of Ubi Soft (2007) with their smash hit release of Lost: Via Dominus – I found myself making that all too rare exception to my rules. To be quite honest, I was rather surprised after turning on and booting up my Xbox 360 with Lost in the CD tray that the game was actually rather decent. Shockingly good, and exceptionally well produced. Again, such rare gems are hard to find with video games that take after their TV or major motion picture parents.
When it comes to World War Two games for any gaming console, and especially for the Xbox 360, I have to say there is an air of redundancy factored in. This is because nearly every single video game production company on the planet freaking earth has striven to create a World War Two video game shooter. And most of the time they suck. This is for several reasons.
I find myself once again perplexed at the oddity of useless games that somehow see the light of day for the Xbox 360 gaming console. And under that premise, I understand fully why they would release a soccer game for the Xbox 360, as America and nearly every other continent around the world hosts at least one or more pro soccer teams. Okay, that’s cool, I dig it, even if soccer is not my big thing; well it was in elementary school, but today I am fan of the real game of football, the NFL.
Calling all high school kids who have hard time getting their hands on a copy of the Victoria’s Secret catalog: this game was made just for you! I for one happen to be a huge fan of the Dead or Alive series, because it has always offered an awesome fighting game platform that you could kick the crud out of each other using hot chicks, or ripped action hero’s, all equipped with their own weapons and special marital arts moves that were signature to them. Of course, the graphics of the DOA series has always been up to par with the gaming consoles of the times, and the newer DOA series sports great graphics that maximizes the power of the Xbox 360 console.
If there is one solid notion of truth the video game industry as it relates to Xbox 360 games that are released following a major motion picture, it is this: they quite often bomb on the retail level and for a good number of reasons too. Firstly, it all depends upon the popularity and successes of the movie when it makes it rounds through the box offices around the world. Secondly, many times the video game is rushed into production at a later point, in hurried attempt to be released in a timely manner to juxtaposition the movie release. Thirdly, in most cases, the video game mimics the movie nearly identically, so gamers are not provided with a unique experience, but rather a rehash of the movie that they just saw a few days prior. And finally, the movie companies that pay for these video games after movies deem them the same as all other merchandise.
If you like shooters that have an intense plot, oozing guts and gore, and a scare you out of your wits potential like no other game, then you will relish in glory in the game F.E.A.R – which stands for first ‘First Encounter Assault and Recon.’ Created by Vivendi Games and Day 1 Studios/Monolith Productions—this game is one of the best Xbox 360 games of 2006, even though it had a late October release date. And, F.E.A.R just goes to show that any other game that can not stack up to the graphics, guts and glitz of this game from the year 2006 is simply not worth owning, because rare games like this demonstrate the true capabilities of the Xbox 360 gaming consoles, and they also show what amenities all decent first person shooters should always come with. If you have never played F.E.A.R. and you like shooters, shame on you.
Here is a good rule of thumb when it comes to games that are spawn from movies and TV shows or series, where the show or movie preceded the game: they tend to suck. Tantamount to that notion is the opposite: where TV shows or movies are derived from video games that saw great successes, in which cases it’s about a fifty to fifty suck ratio – meaning that the movie can bomb or sail. As was seen with Tomb Raider movies, Resident Evil movies, but which was entirely failed with the BloodRayne movies; which were some of the worst movies ever and still somehow managed to garner a sequel, don’t ask me how.
Look, I want to start off by saying that I totally understand those who like to go fishing. I loved going fishing as a kid and once in a while I will still head to nearby water hole and cast a bait-ridden line into the waters. However, video games where you go fishing are entirely beyond me. Sure, Duck Hunter for old school Nintendo was cool; because it was old school Nintendo. But lame as heck games like Big Game Hunter and this one, Deadliest Catch: Alaskan Storm are really freaking lame. Yes I know that crab fishers in the middle of the Bering Sea face storms and must fight the odds. That, however, does not make an entirely unique and entertaining concept when it comes to a video game folks.
The wonderful adventures of World War Two beckon many an avid gamer to be duped into buying the next latest and greatest WWII game in hopes that they can relive some of awe inspiring moments of liberation that occurred during a time when evil threatened to take over the world as whole.
If anybody can remember the mechanized warrior game, Chrome Hounds, then you will hate Armored Core 4. Mostly because the control sets are vastly different, and because Chrome Hounds was a big time hit long before this game was ever released, and has become an Xbox 360 classic of high caliber. Also because the entire interface is different, and the game offers more dumbed down graphics—somehow even though it was released about a year after Chrome Hounds—and an entirely different style of combat that may turn off many gamers who are avid fans of the Chrome Hounds franchise.
Just when you thought that the people over at Eidos Interactive could not possibly ever release another E for everyone (ESRB rating) video game that personifies the element of suck – guess what? They top the cake with smoking cherry of ambivalence with this disastrous piece of junk. Considering that the game was initially released on November 14, 2006 and was developed by TT games (who are they again? Exactly!) – there are no doubts in my mind as to why this game is and was one of the surest flops to ever be released for the Xbox 360 gaming platform.
It seems that over the past decade more and more real time strategy games have been released in an apparent demand by the masses for realistic combat filling up the screen with AI driven characters all fighting tooth and nail to win the battle. And of course, the appeasement and attraction to these games is rather simple to see: people like controlling massive armies on a big screen and pretending to be a field general so they can claim triumphant victories over their computer generated adversaries and declare to the video gaming world afar, quite boisterously, I am the king of this game. My army will slaughter your army. And so on. Now actually finding a game that can deliver on this hard to created, massive endeavor is even harder to do than finding a needle in a haystack.
Can anybody for the life of them recall when the last time the video game company Atari release a smash mouth hit video game? Me either. I want to say, sadly, that ‘Pong’ was their greatest hit – and to-date, the next generation video games that Atari has released have been consistently and tragically marred by so many glitches, delayed productions and or rushed productions and poor budgets that they can truly not realistically compete with the larger video game companies out there who operate on a true budget.
You would think that by the time the year 2007 rolled around, the video game companies would be making far greater advancements in the realm of the RPG (Role Playing Game) arena. But then games like this come out that offer some innovative features, like same console, split screen multiplayer cooperative modes, and that laud a fancy new graphical engine, a large free world and lots of supposed features.
If you read the blog entry below on the shoddy workings of the enormous football flop by 2k Sports, All Pro Football 2k8, then you already know that any video game company that tries to make a football game without have the rights by the NFL is going to already be destined for a most certain failure. That being said, for some reason unbeknownst to me or the masses, the cats over at Midway Games and Point of View deciding that they would create a game to join its retarded brother gathering dust in the discount bin that is labeled ‘$2.99 Clearance’ at the local video game superstore. And that game is Blitz: The League.
Where to start here…because the roots of this uninventive piece of garbage straggle all the way back to nearly the year 2000, when EA Sports was awarded the exclusive NFL license, one that essentially allowed for them to monopolize the video game market for all NFL games, and no other video game company was allowed to created any game bearing the NFL logos, teams, or players – Only EA Sports. Thanks NFL for ruining all fair competition in the video game market as it relates to football. So here is the real scoop on this tragedy.
Perhaps one of the best soccer games ever created, or as the English and Europeans fondly refer to it as ‘football’ – but let’s not confuse this with the hard hitting, helmet busting, pad wearing, strength and conditioning protagonists that comprise the real ‘Football’ teams in the United States. That banter aside, if you are into soccer, then you are constantly on the lookout for a decent soccer game. And to be honest, most video games that came before FIFA World Cup 2006 really blew. Many suffered from the always present lack of consistent AI features, not to mention poor graphics, shoddy play calls, and glitches galore. But this all changed with the April 24th, 2006 release of FIFA World Cup, a joint effort by Electronic Arts and their counterpart EA Canada studios; hey leave it to the Canadians to bring us the best soccer game. But that still does not make up for the lavish song perusing of Bryan Adams.
Calling all you lovers of classic Xbox 360 shooters, of which some of the best I still happily house on the shelf collecting dust next to many other favorites. And even though I don’t have time to pop them into my Xbox 360 that often, from time to time they remind me of just why the next generation gaming consoles are so awesome – even if they break down all of the freaking time. When it comes to shooters, the status quo is that most of them really suck. But, that does not mean that a great shooter does not get released and see the light of day every once in a while. And when it does, its best to hang on tight to that copy, because you never know when another good shooter will come out that can best it.
If you care to take a visit back in time with my dear readers, just a few years mind you, all the way back to the ancient video gaming days of the candid year of 2007, when the dudes over at the 2k Studios decided that they would avidly release their version of the best college basketball game ever – and boy did they awe us with a superb rendition of what is perhaps on the more realistic of college basketball games to ever be released, prior to the newer versions that is, for the Xbox 360 gaming console.
Let me turn you on to yet another failed Ubisoft prospect, this time coming from Ubisoft’s Montreal Studios – the assassin game called Assassin’s Creed. Where to start on this one, because oh boy, the list is really freaking long folks, and rest assured if you have not wasted your dimes on this puppy, better let it rest in the discount bin at the local Game Stop store, and you will be glad that you did, and here is why!
Never before has the video gaming world of tomorrow seen so many complicated games that can really wreak havoc on the thumbs, fingers and minds of the lesser active players. Some people I know will pick up games today and immediately put them down because they find them to be far too complicated for their likings. However, once in a while a truly decent and simplified games peeks its head around the corner and says, “Hey, I am good, easy to play, and fun!”
If only Microsoft had made a quality Xbox 360 console, millions of gamers would be far happier I think. But they really cut corners as much as humanly possible and the ending results are a lackluster unit that quite often breaks down during the first twelve months of usage. Although Microsoft much prefers it breaks after a year so they don’t have to provide free warranty work to the customers they are so busy ripping off.
If you don’t recall the recent and highly lauded fully animated game, Beowulf, then let me bring you up to speed really quickly. Basically a fantasy warrior must battle an evil witch and her demons and creations to free a land that is being purged by her lunacy. While the graphics for the movie were exceptional, the film as a whole was a pretty big letdown and flopped at the box office.
When I first saw all of the commercials and the overwhelming amounts of hype surrounding the release of the Conan video game for the Xbox 360, I took it in with a major grain of salt and I was really glad that I had, because this game was a major letdown people. And seemingly in par with the hype that surrounds many things, games, movies, bands—you name it—generally the letdown is even more so than if there were no hype at all and you were to accidentally stumble upon something truly great.
Unlike many of the Burnout games of the past, which literally burned out your eyes because the graphics were so shoddy and erratic, Electronic Arts aims to correct this misnomer with Burnout Revenge, the best title in the series that I have laid my eyes upon, and wrapped my hands around to date. High quality graphics are easily complimented by fast frame rates, and an enormous free world layout that presents hours upon hours of enjoyable game play for the racing game enthusiast.
If you are looking for an action-packed exciting thrill ride that is complemented by superb next generation graphics, easy to use controls, and a great game concept that does not leave you hanging come the final levels, and you are fond of mechanical warrior games of the future – of the science fiction variety – then look no further than Chrome Hounds, which was released a few years back for the Xbox 360 and can be easily acquired at nearly any video game store that sells used Xbox 360 video games.
The start off, this game by Disney is created solely for children, so if you fall under the age of ten, maximum, then this game will not suit your fancy in any way whatsoever. But for you adults and more importantly all of you avid parents out there who are protagonists for wholesome and educationally games that are ridden with family values, an that will not taint your children’s young minds, then Disney's Meet the Robinsons may just be what the video game doctor ordered.
With the year of 2008 officially in the books, it’s time to take a brief look back at all of those crud-filled games that were released for the Xbox 360 video game console. I have played more than 400 games on the Xbox 360, and in my opinion, out of all of them in the entire collection, these ones were quite possibly the worst games of 2008. I find it quite surprising that some of these games even had a budget, how you get people sold on something so shoddy is literally beyond me. So if you were ever wondering what the worst games of the last year were, these two ones easily top the list my friends. And I threw in one for the original Xbox that was still haunting me for its lameness.
Sneak King: And the ‘Lamest Game of 2008 Award’ official goes to this lackluster piece of garbage, and that is being nice folks.
So many games, so little time to burn out your thumbs and acquire a case of RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury) playing them. But if you are like me, and your wrists are more worn out than a ninety year old carpenter, then you already know that there are ample amounts of great games that were released for the Xbox 360 during 2008. Of course, it would be far too lengthy for me to ever truly list them and yap about all of them for you in this blog. So I have been forced to boil it down to what I believe are the top three Xbox 360 games of 2008.
Grand Theft Auto IV: This game truly takes the wholly cake and the icing too for the best damn game ever to be created. You play a cunning and illegal Russian immigrant who must forge his way through the unforgiving alleyways of New York City, dubbed Liberty City for this game. You can pretty much do everything.
There are so many different ways that they could go about improving the Xbox 360 gaming console, that it is not even funny. And while I wish that I could say that most of the problems that have occurred on the console have been because of rushed production, or common oversights, these are not the culprits. Rather, the monopoly that is Microsoft has once again proven why the masses are benevolently opposed to the ‘Gates’ philosophy on software and hardware. That being: use the masses as your guinea pig and when your lousy software or hardware malfunctions do nothing to fix it until you release another more costly version that they can use, which has its own fare share of bugs. Kind of like the Windows Vista shuddery.
Calling all you avid shooter fanatics, myself included, out there who have been rampant fans to the original Xbox smash hit shooter, Red Faction and Red Faction II – they are finally working on the new Red Faction, due out for the Xbox 360 gaming console sometime during the middle or end of 2009, and I could not be more giddy with anticipation over what it will bring to all of us anxious gamers out there. Then again, after seeing how they destroyed some familiar two player aspects of Far Cry with the release of Far Cry 2, I am also hesitant to get too excited for Red Faction in fears that they may take away more than they add in the end.
One of the largest shooters to debut in 2008 was Rainbow Six Vegas 2, but the hype aside, there were many ways that this sequel failed to live up to all that it promised. To clarify to all of you who love shooters out there, and especially to all other fans of the Rainbow Six franchise: I love Rainbow Six Vegas – I am big time fan of all of the games in the Clancy series and have been playing them since they first made their way to the consoles of yesteryear on the Nintendo 64. But, when you take an awesome game like Rainbow Six Vegas and you screw up a lot of it with a rushed and shoddy sequel, you are going to hear me whine about it. So, without any more waiting, here are my gripes and my likes.
If you have not been keeping up with the numerous gaming console forums and blogs, all which are inundated with angry posts from pissed off and super perturbed consumers who got bilked out of hundreds of dollars at a time by placing their trust in the two largest video game console manufacturers, Sony and Xbox – then read on, because I aim to tell you all about this ridiculous load of mish mash people! Where to begin, where to begin, oh, I know, let’s start by talking about Sony’s Playstation 3, and go from there. And believe you me, it’s quite a story, more or less a scam at any rate.
If you are a football nut and you are a hapless fan of the EA Sports football franchises, then you already know that there are some pretty major differences between the juggernaut games that represent the college and the professional football versions of the popular sports—in their video game format. And seeing how both of these popular games are both developed and designed by teams at the EA Sports buildings, and how they both drive off the same engine for a basis, how in the heck are there, and more importantly why are there so many differences between the interfaces and game play options.
If you have never played the popular shooter ‘Perfect Dark Zero’ by Microsoft Gaming Studios, let me bring you up to par really quickly people. It was the very first game to ever be released for the Xbox 360 gaming console and of course it was made by Microsoft so they could demonstrate the prowess of their new system, when it originally debuted in early 2001. However, until this day the game remains in my collection as one of the best multiplayer games that have ever been created and developed for the Xbox 360, and I will happily tell you why as you read on. Keep in mind, that I am a fan of all shooters, Halo, Rainbow Six, and so on. But some of the newer shooters are entirely lacking of some necessary features that this game offered from the earliest stages of the next generation gaming consoles.
The NFL loving sports fanatic world of video gamers eagerly anticipated the release of EA Sports Madden NFL 2009 for almost an entire year. But after hurriedly ripping the shrink wrap packaging off and discarding the Microsoft seal, I was abound with joy and the similar letdown that I have experienced with all previous Madden Franchises. And it seems that the dudes over at EA, while they have made a pretty decent video game, have also made it entirely clear that they do not keep their ears to the ground when avid gamers complain of common problems with their games. That being said, here is my scoop on Madden NFL 2009 for the Xbox 360 gaming console.News From the Klat Network
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Virtual Girlfriends Posted to Sputterpop Some Japanese young men instead of playing games in which they blow up stuff, defeat monsters, and defend the planet earth against an alien threat, are playing a video game with...Read More |
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getting down with the Air Guitar? Posted to Sputterpop SUMMER MADNESS It might look dumb. It might sound dumb. It might be something dumb to do, but it looks like fun -- air guitar playing. And there's a world air guitar championship...Read More |
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Pee-Wee's Playhouse - Complete Series $25.98 - Free Ship / Amazon Posted to eshopper Forum Read More |
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Executive 2 Button Sportcoat - JoS. A. BANK Posted to eshopper Forum Do you have a big interview, or perhaps a social event that requires being well dressed (wedding, funeral, court appearance)? Well you are in luck because you can get the...Read More |
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Netflix streaming for iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch - Free. Posted to eshopper Forum The day has finally arrived. You can now stream Netflix movies right on your iPhone - this is a pretty big deal because the last time I checked you could only change your...Read More |
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