But Which Is Better? #1

Every person in this entire world has had to choose between one thing or another.  With money being as tight as it is today, many of us are forced to decide which is better worth our time and money.  This is especially hard if the choices are similar in genre or content.  Should you buy "Scott Pilgrim Vs The World" or "Kick-Ass?"  How about the "Nintendo 3DS" or save for the "Sony NGP?"  To help make life easier for you, I'm introducing a new article titled "But Which Is Better?" to weigh out the pros and cons of similar games and movies. 

Today we pit two pocket-gaming giants against eachother.  These bird-centered titles have collectively been #1 on the iTunes app store for over a year and still remain in the top 5 today.  Both priced at $1, which is truly worth your 99 pennies?  (*Answer: Both!  Stop being cheap!)  But we're not here to discuss your penny-pinching, we're here to decide:

WHICH IS BETTER?



ANGRY BIRDS



TINY WINGS





OR 

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS

Angry Birds is truly a cultural phenomenon with over 100 million downloads, popular plushes, costumes, a tv show in the works, a spin-off title, and multiple devices supporting it.  Seen as the first game to legitimately give pocket gaming giants Sony and Nintendo a run for their money, Angry Birds remains one of the highest grossing games on the App store and nearly a year and a half after it's release, it continues to be downloaded daily.

Tiny Wings recently released and while not the first title to dethrone Angry Birds at number 1, it's the only title that has remained at the top of the Paid apps for weeks.  While still being relatively new (only a month old) many have already predicted that Tiny Wings will be the Angry Birds of 2011. 

GAMEPLAY

Angry Birds gameplay is simple in concept, but perfect in execution.  Similar to the flash title "Crush the Castle," here players slingshot birds at pigs in an attempt to retrieve their stolen eggs.  Along the way, new birds with new powers are introduced as well as more difficult level designs.  Tiny Wings on the other hand, doesn't really have levels, but has more of a free-flowing feel.  Your bird's wings are too small for him to fly on his own, so he must use the momentum of hills to assist his flight.  Perfectly timed dives into the curves of hills allow your bird precious seconds in the air as he continues forward until the nightfall comes and he falls asleep.  While both games are enjoyable, they each are different in play styles.  Angry Birds is more of a luck based game as opposed to Tiny Wings careful precision and timing.  Both are easy to pick up and nearly anyone can play either title but I'd have to give Tiny Wings the edge in this category.  With Tiny Wings, if something messed up, I didn't have anyone to blame but myself.  Often times with Angry Birds, I would grow irritated at getting unlucky bounces or pigs that I thought I should have destroyed, still sit there at the edge, just looking at me with that ****-eating grin. 

Winner: Tiny Wings

CONTENT

Tiny Wings has many different islands in the game, but they really feel like palette swaps at best.  I'm assuming the developers are working on new skins or possibly bird-modifiers but just like Doodle Jump, there really is only so much you can do with these never-ending games.  I'm sure there can be additions like multiplayer added in the future, but for now gamers are only given tasks to accomplish during their runs.  Angry Birds has over 240 levels with new content given consistently!  Aside from the main objective, there are tons of golden eggs to find, a story (sort of), and multiple birds.  There really is no contest here and even though Tiny Wings is still a young property, I don't really think they could have a chance of competing with Angry Birds content based solely on the different gameplay styles. 

Winner: Angry Birds

FUN FACTOR

While there's no doubt about Angry Birds popularity, surprisingly I've found a good amount of people that either hate the game or find it downright boring.  Some find the game to just be lacking in engagement and while some games can pull off the "Aim, Shoot, Cross Your Fingers and Watch" gameplay (see Peggle), a lot of people can't stand Angry Birds.  Tiny Wings is much more engaged and has that addictive quality of other arcade titles like Pac-Man CE.  I often found myself saying, "Okay just one more game" more then a few times after playing and sadly the same can't be said about my time with Angry Birds.  If you own both titles, what compels you to play Angry Birds more: the fun of the levels, or the need to beat the levels?  Most flock towards the latter and this doesn't translate to "fun" in my opinion. 

Winner: Tiny Wings

MORE SATISFYING

We all play games for some type of satisfaction and while I've had my share (tomahawking in CoD, getting a pick 6 in Madden, etc) I get an incredibly satisfying feeling when my bird (I call him Beardy) transitions from one island to the next in Tiny Wings.  If you have no idea what I'm talking about, rewatch the video above and you'll hear him cry "YAHOOOO" with such joy that you can't help but feel good.  However, the satisfaction I get from sticking it to those pigs in Angry Birds is a feeling I'm sure EVERYONE has experienced.  The mocking smile they give whenever players fail is downright infuriating, making it all the more satisfying when you do eventually succeed.  Similar to the joy gamers get when they've earned an achievement/trophy and they see it pop up on their screen, we often will do mundane tasks just to hear that satisfying ping. 

Winner: Angry Birds



SUMMARY

To be honest, I'm not really the biggest fan of Angry Birds and if given the choice between that or Tiny Wings, I'd definitely play Tiny Wings.  However, Angry Birds is the perfect title for phone gamers in that you can stop and play at anytime, anywhere.  You can launch one bird now, reread my post, and then finish the level up after without ever missing a beat.  The same can't be said for Tiny Wings which requires more concentration.  I highly recommend getting both titles but you're torn between quantity (Angry Birds) and quality (Tiny Wings) and if you had to twist my arm, I'd have to recommend Angry Birds.  There is just too much content here that more then warrants the asking price but hopefully Tiny Wings will insert some new features in future downloads. 

WINNER: ANGRY BIRDS!

So what do you think of my new article?  Do you agree with my choice or do you feel like I'm a blind fool?  Leave me a comment or message and suggest some other games/movies you'd like me to pit against each other!  Either way, thanks for reading!

Bulletstorm

Developed by People Can Fly & Epic Games (2/22)
Multiplatform

I'm sure by now most of you have seen or heard of Bulletstorm and if not, you probably know it as that game that makes fun of other shooters.  Epic actually released a free game spoof titled Duty Calls: The Calm Before the Storm.  Aside from the clever marketing campaign, Bulletstorm also got some free publicity by the Media targeting it as "too violent a title marketed towards our youth."  I'm sure many have completely glanced over this game deeming it too immature, but should you really pass this title by?

Bulletstorm is from the studio that brought you Gears of War and for fans of that franchise, it definitely shows.  Your hero Grayson Hunt is a loudmouth drunk who leads a former Black Ops squad on a mission for revenge.  You and your men were being used as mercenaries killing innocents under the lies of General Sarrano and now Hunt is seeking atonement.  The story is typical but the dialogue is oddly decent.  Penned by one of the writers for Marvels Punisher, we're treated to some of the most colorful language I've seen in a video game.  Sometimes the cursing is overly excessive but overall it's not too grating.  Don't have high expectations for the story though because it's really just a reason to kill enemies in the most brutal fashion you possibly can.

Early in the game you're given a device which is essentially a energized lasso.  Using the energy leash, you can grab enemies out of the air, snatch up explosives, or use it to clear a path for your group.  Hunt can pull enemies into an electrical field followed by wrapping another in an explosive and kicking him into a group before his untimely demise.  These are what the game calls Skillshots and players are awarded with more points to be used for upgrades for every skillshot they achieve.  Before I continue though lets get one thing straight: If you play Bulletstorm like typical shooters then you are completely missing the point.  Is it possible to go through the entire game using the original assault rifle and leash?  I don't doubt it at all but given the creativity of some of these guns along with their respective skillshots, you'd be doing yourself a great disservice to attempt such a boring feat. 

Aside from the various weapons you wield, you're given control of different turrets (one of which you control from a helicopter in what is one of my favorite scenes) and also given the reigns of a remote control *SPOILER REMOVED*.  While these are nice distractions, after awhile I grew tired of the braindead enemies.  The AI either directly runs at you or randomly fires near cover, but doesn't exhibit much logic.  Throw in the fact that there's only a handful of enemies and things sometimes get tedious.  I found myself eventually just kicking enemies into the environment instead of attempting various skillshots due to the fact that I've either gotten most of them, or that some of these are downright ridiculous (have a cannonball travel 100 meters without bouncing and killing an enemy).  Overall though I'd say the single-player is an enjoyable experience while it lasts.  Unfortunately, there isn't a proper co-op campaign and instead gamers are given a horde mode similar to GoW.  This isn't to say that it's not worth your $60, just to be wary of what you're purchasing.

Pathetic

AI leaves much to be desired
Not too much in the way of replay value
Lacks a true co-op campaign
Language may be a turnoff
Plot is forgetful
Partners are just plain bad

Very Nice!

Energy Leash feels fresh
Skillshots are clever and fun
Some really epic boss fights
The Sniper! (see Singularity)
Using the Environment to take out enemies

FINAL GRADE: B

While the story was enjoyable, I really didn't have the immediate desire to go through the campaign again.  The weapons are a lot of fun and the game has a lot of memorable moments.  The game is a nice change from the typical shooters that Epic is trying to spoof.  Revolutionary though?  Not really. 

You Don't Know Jack

Developed by Jellyvision Games (2/8/11)

You Don't Know Jack is not only my favorite quiz show game (currently) but is also my favorite party game at the moment.  While that statement may not seem like much, consider that this means it beats out the Kinect, Rock Band, and other quiz games like PS3s Buzz.  This isn't to say that those games aren't enjoyable because the previous three mentioned are some of my favorites at parties, it's just a testament as to how enjoyable YDKJ truly is.

Even though it's fairly common knowledge, for those in the dark YDKJ is actually a revival from a PC franchise that came out in the 90s.  Praised for it's wit and snarky humor, YDKJ became a hit nationwide.  As the rise of console gaming grew, Jellyvision didn't make the leap to consoles as smoothly as other franchises releasing only two games for the PS1 earning moderate success.  Aside from these two titles, there were over 15 YDKJ's released along with compilation packs from '95-'03.  For close to eight years the franchise seemed buried (aside from a beta and success in other countries) which makes the revival all the more impressive.  I owned volume 2 on the PC and while many times my brother and I didn't understand the content (rightfully so) we had a blast playing it.  In case I didn't make myself clear in the first paragraph, this game definitely does it's previous entries justice. 

Up to four players can get in on one of 74 episodes consisting of 11 questions each divided into 3 rounds.  Majority of questions are multiple choice and scores are determined on how quickly players buzz the right answers in.  Those with itchy fingers may want to hold off before answering though because if you get the wrong answer, you could lose just as many points (sometimes downwards of -$2000).  Every player is given one screw that can be used on an opponent to force them to answer a question but once again, it can backfire.  If a player is screwed and gets the answer right, the screwee (?) loses cash.  Peppered in every game is a dis-or-dat usually reserved for the losing players where they must determine if a statement belongs in column A or column B.  While some are difficult, majority of them are easy (tweets from Dalai Lama or Taylor Swift?)  The first two rounds follow the above order (round 1 worth $2000 a question while round 2 doubles that) but the final round is known simply as the Jack Attack.  There will be a clue given and slowly one word will be floating closer towards the screen.  During this time, other words will quickly float by and players must buzz in when the two words match and fit the clue.  Often times this is truly the game changer and left me with my friends anxiously waiting to see who actually pulled off the comeback win.

Certain omissions from previous installments are understandable due to the lack of a keyboard (like my favorite Gibberish Questions) but overall this is definitely a solid title.  Some people may gripe at the lack of visuals but the writing is hilarious and had us laughing the entire time.  You could easily lose a night quickly playing through the many episodes but don't fear because they're already releasing DLC episodes for purchase.  Throw in the fact that the game released with a $30 price tag and you have a solid title that is a great addition to your party nights. 

Pathetic

No more Snickerclish Testgum?  Umm..I mean Gibberish Questions.
Humor may not be for everyone
If you're a loner, don't bother
Online play doesn't replicate the joy of playing locally

 Very Nice!

Lots of fun and at a great price!
Wrong answers of the day are great as is the entire sponsor/commercials
Writing is once again strong and funny
Promise of future DLC means this game will stay in your system for a long time
Simple enough for anyone to get into
Some of the most fun you'll have playing with your friends on the same sofa

FINAL GRADE: A

Incredibly fun party game that anyone can play.  I highly recommend you pick it up or at least give it a rental for a free friday night.  The humor is more hit then miss and I found my friends and I really getting into the games.

Why Haven't You Played This Yet? #4

Legendary Wars by Liv Games
iPhone/iPod/iPad
$2.99 .99c

Are you a fan of Plants vs Zombies or tower defense games in general?  Are you a cheap person who insists on paying no more then $1 for games?  If you answered yes to either one of those questions then download Legendary Wars NOW.  Normally priced at $3, they're doing a sale and I happily picked the title up.  After putting some time into it I can say that it truly is a lot of fun.  Many reviewers have stated that this game is actually better then PvZ and to that claim, I disagree.  Plants vs Zombies has an unrivaled charm that anyone regardless of age can enjoy along with some of the simplest yet most satisfying controls on whichever platform the game is on.  That's not to take away from Legendary Wars though which actually improves on some of the PvZ aspects, while also having some of their own.  For example, after you have chosen a unit to control and pick which lane to progress in, it isn't the simplest task to switch to another unit and you often times find yourself sending a character out to die.  This isn't a deal breaker though and is most likely being remedied in the upcoming update.  Another issue one might have is that there aren't nearly as many units at your disposal in this game compared to PvZ, but like the debate in MvC2 and MvC3 (more on that another day) more doesn't necessarily mean better.  In Legendary Wars each unit can be upgraded and leveled up individually, opening up different methods of strategy.  Do you upgrade your knights for cheap powerhouses, or do you improve your archers for an aerial assault?  The RPG elements are welcome and with endless modes plus the ability to replay levels, I can easily say this game is well worth your money even at the regular price of $3.

Bottom Line: ITS ONLY A DOLLAR SO DOWNLOAD IT NOW!
Plants vs Zombies fans finally have some new material to play
RPG elements mean you can upgrade the game to fit your playstyle
Multiple enemy types and unit types (though not as many as PvZ)
Decently sized questmode

Dead Space 2

Developed by Visceral Games (1/25/11)

While Dead Space garnered critical acclaim, this shouldn't prevent people from seeing that it was a pretty obvious sci-fi take of Capcom's Resident Evil 4.  The difference between Dead Space and most other games that steal ideas though (see Darksiders) is that it managed to surpass RE 4 in many ways.  Dead Space was a scary game with great action sequences, a pretty decent story, interesting characters, and the ability to move and shoot!  While that last point may not seem like a big deal, it took Capcom over 6 titles to finally implement some mechanic that allows their heroes to move and shoot (coming soon to the 3DS).  Capcom released RE5 and while not a bad title, it didn't live up to expectations and even more tragically, wasn't even scary.  Could Visceral Games succeed where Capcom failed?

*I'm going to try to keep the spoilers to a minimum and will indicate any upcoming with a SPOILER so don't worry.*

Dead Space 2 is truly a roller coaster ride and many reviews have stated that it reminds them of Uncharted 2.  To be honest, I'd have to agree with them because Dead Space has a lot more epic moments in it as opposed to the first title.  There'll be times when you're sitting there gripping your controller not realizing that you're in control of the events taking place and at any moment Isaac (main character) could be ripped to shreds.  Does it achieve the grand scale of Uncharted 2 though?  Not really but it doesn't have to.  Visceral had the groundwork of a solid title already in Dead Space so slight alterations were all that were needed for a great title. 

For starters, this game is still scary.  If you played the first game and didn't jump, chances are you weren't playing in the right atmosphere (lights off sound up) or you have Chuck Norris like nerves.  Granted, many of the frights come from jump scares, there were moments that actually had my adrenaline pumping.  The controls are near perfect this time around and refined ensuring that if Isaac dies, it usually can be blamed on the player and not the game itself.  One of my favorite additions is the reworking of Isaac's Kinesis.  The first game made it crucial to shoot off Necromorphs limbs but in this title, you could shoot off an enemies arm, kinesis it, and then fire it through another enemy impaling him on a wall 15 feet away! While it may seem like a gimmick, using this trick is integral to conserve ammo which is scarce on harder difficulties.  You're gonna need every bit of ammo too with new enemy types and reworked (and slightly harder) old necromorphs.  No worries though because Isaac is given a better arsenal this time around (although I stuck with the Plasma Cutter).

The story is pretty interesting though some parts get kinda hokey.  If you're a fan of the Dead Space universe then you should enjoy many of the nods to the original and how the game messes with your sense of comfort.  There were times that I was sure I would be bombarded by enemies, only to see myself worked up for nothing.  At other times, I would be relaxed when out of nowhere *BLARGH* and I'm pinned against a wall!  Visceral found a decent balance of jump scares and genuinely creepy moments that fans new and old will enjoy.  Also, there are over 100 different text/audio logs to find, each giving the universe more life.  I enjoyed much of the main story although there were quite a few that disappointed like *minor SPOILER* the ending battle and lack of real boss fights. *END OF SPOILERS*

The newest edition to the Dead Space world is the addition of multiplayer.  Two teams of four controlling either the Necromorphs, or the humans.  From what I've heard, it's similar to Left 4 Dead but have yet to truly try it.  I will update my review later when I've spent some time with it to give my full views but as for now, it seems to be just icing on the cake of a great 3rd person shooter.

*Note, the 360 version comes with 2 discs while the PS3 version only comes with one.  While that may seem like an advantage for PS3 players, I have seen that you can access multiplayer from either Disc 1 or Disc 2 with the 360.  This means that two people can play multiplayer off one copy of the game!  EA sadly requires online pass codes but I can help you with that (just send me a message or e-mail).  Don't fret though PS3 players, because your copies (I think collectors only) come with a free copy of the Wii's Dead Space Extraction with Move support!

Pathetic

Game may be too short for some (my first playthrough took a little over 10 hours)
Disappointing Final Fight
Some deaths can be pretty cheap
Pregnants and Guardians are bullet wasters!

Very Nice!

Some truly epic moments
One of the best openings I've played through in awhile
Kinesis is a blast to use
Lots of great scares
Fun combat and more variety of enemies
Isaac Clarke is a much better character now that he has a voice

FINAL GRADE: A

I had a lot of fun playing Dead Space 2 and while not as great a leap like Uncharted 2 did from it's previous title, it's still a solid follow up and a great way to start off 2011.  Throw in the upcoming DLC and you're looking at a title that any fan of survival-horror/3rd person shooters should own.

Vanquish (Xbox 360/PS3)

Developed by Platinum Games (10/19)

Platinum Games released (arguably) one of the best action games of all time last year with Bayonetta and followed up with another crazy title in Vanquish.  In development since 2007, Vanquish was directed by Shinji Mikami and given Mikami's track record we were expecting an amazing experience (Resident Evil, Viewtiful Joe, Devil May Cry) or another big letdown (God Hand, P.N. 03). 

Although Vanquish was developed by the same makers of Bayonetta, the gameplay is different trading crazy hand to hand action for third person bulletfests.  Try and imagine Gears of War, mixed with Lost Planet 2's bosses, and then shooting the whole thing with 10 kilos of adrenaline!  To say it's over the top would be an understatement because Vanquish is one of the most ridiculous experiences of the year.

 At the games core is a duck and cover system not unlike Gears of War.  Your character (Sam) has a choice of 8 different weapons and 2 grenade types which are all upgradeable.  Sam can dodge quickly and his suit utilizes an Augmented Reality (AR) mode which is essentially bullet-time.  Be wary of using AR mode too much because it overheats Sam's suit rendering him more vulnerable to enemy fire.  Fret not though unless you're playing on Hard mode or (Heaven Help You) God Hard mode where the enemies get ridiculously accurate.  I beat the game on Hard and you truly have to take advantage of every bit of cover because there are times where the game swarms you with danger.  There were many times where I yelled out because my suit overheated and I was on the verge of visiting the death screen again (which you'll most likely see often too on Hard and above).  Throughout the frustration though I never stopped having fun while my character fought towering bosses and robots in ever changing environments.  One section that sticks out for me was a fight along two monorails where one of them literally is suspended above yours and you're forced to change perspectives to continue firing upon the enemy. 

If the game sounds too crazy and downright silly, that's because it doesn't take itself seriously.  There are tons of in-jokes and the developers poke fun at many staples of the space shooter.  Gruff sounding main character that smokes? Check.  Grizzled veteran who believes in no nonsense toughness?  Check.  Hottie behind the scenes that buzzes in your ear?  Check.  Enemies that are either Nazi's, Russians, Robots, or Aliens?  Check and check!  The plot sees San Francisco being taken out by the Russians in a terrorist takeover.  They then threaten to take out New York next unless Madam President of the US unconditionally surrenders.  Is there a plot twist that involves some stupid government conspiracy?  What do you think?  Aside from the developers having fun with the ridiculous premise and characters, the enemies are just as fun sometimes changing from an axe wielding megabot into a cheetah like scorpion. 

Bosses are fun, the characters are hilarious, the shootouts are intense, and the premise is so bad it's good but I bet you're wondering what's the downside?  Sadly, many feel that the game is too short and while I wanted to disagree, the truth is that for the asking price ($60) you're not given enough meat.  I played on Hard and beat the game in a little over 6 hours and that included constantly dying and taking my time on certain segments.  There are 5 acts each consisting of roughly 6-9 chapters but they're over quickly and the game actually encourages beating them as fast as you can.  I'm replaying under Casual and have already beaten a chapter and a half in about an hour!  True there are some extra challenges nad collectibles to find, but does that justify paying 10$ per hour of gameplay? 

Pathetic

Story takes roughly 4-6 hours to complete
Premise and characters may be too hokey for some
Some enemies are ridiculously cheap

Very Nice!

The game is a blast to play
The cover system is done very well and the game looks gorgeous during AR mode
The story doesn't take itself too seriously providing laughs for the right audience
You won't find anything else in 2010 that comes close to being the adrenaline shot this title is

FINAL GRADE: B-

While I wanted to give this game a higher grade I honestly believe it deserves nothing greater then a B-.  Some can argue it deserves lower given the asking price but just because a game is short, doesn't mean it has to be bad.  I enjoyed my brief time with Vanquish and definitely recommend you pick it up as a rental or purchase it when the price drops. 

2010's Best Shooter

Call of Duty: Black Ops
By Treyarch (released 11/9)

Now before I get some hate mail about how this is a terrible choice let me first acknowledge other great shooters like Monday Night Combat, Battlefield Bad Company 2, and of course Halo Reach.  While I've played and enjoyed each and every one of those titles, I have to admit that I'm having the most fun with Black Ops.  Treyarch was always seen as the inferior development team behind Infinity Ward (Modern Warfare > World At War) but surprisingly thousands of players hated Modern Warfare 2.  In the wake of the Infinity Ward controversy, Activision looked to Treyarch to take the reins and prove they were the greater of the two companies.  I initially hated some of the changes that Treyarch made from Modern Warfare 2 (I actually liked the riot shield) and some changes I felt were completely unnecessary (like needing to press up on the d-pad for equipment instead of left.)  As time went on though I actually found myself getting used to the new quirks and started enjoying a lot of the improvements made over MW2.  It made sense that killstreak kills couldn't assist in earning other killstreaks and thank you Lord that Commando was removed!  I love how we can edit our replays (even though Halo 3 did it years ago) and was excited that the flamethrower was brought back.  Of course, probably the biggest reason anyone played World At War over Modern Warfare was the Zombie Mode and I'm happy to say, it's been brought back and is just as fun as you remember.  I have yet to touch the single-player campaign and I wouldn't be surprised if I never do because I like the multiplayer that much.  Is it perfect?  Definitely not.  Is it balanced?  Yes and no.  Understand that I am somewhat biased due to the fact that majority of my friends have this game and games are infinitely more fun when you're winning with your friends.  If you don't game online or are severely lacking friends to play with, then skip over this game.  Personally, this easily won my shooter of the year.

Runner Up:

Bioshock 2

For fans of the original you won't be disappointed in it's sequel.  In all fairness, most hold Bioshock's plot in such a high regard that nothing short of perfection would suffice so I can't say it's that good, but it's definitely worth a couple playthroughs.  The controls are better, the plasmids are more fun, and they added a really fun multiplayer with varied gametypes.  Check out one of my earliest reviews (on my facebook) for my full thoughts.

*For fanboys that are mad that Battlefield or Halo Reach isn't one of my picks, sorry.  These are my picks and my reasons why I chose these and if you disagree, make your own choices or leave me a comment.  Regardless on whether you agree or not, thank you for reading!

2010's Best Game You Haven't Played

Enslaved: Odyssey To The West
By Ninja Theory (released 10/8)

Enslaved is an action-platformer set in a post apocalyptic world overrun by war machines.  Unlike most depictions of the post apocalyptic world, Enslaved is truly one of the most vibrant games I've seen this year with plantlife covering nearly 80% of the surroundings.  While the fight sequences leave much to be desired (being simplistic in nature, but sometimes frustrating) and the platforming is almost non-existent, the narrative is compelling enough to have players pushing onward.  You play the appropriately named Monkey forced against his will to help Trip get back safely to her village.  The world is extremely dangerous with lethal robots everywhere so Monkey's Athleticism along with Trip's tech-savvy are crucial to your teams success.  Throughout their adventure many cutscenes show just how good of a job Ninja Theory did in their motion-capturing.  At times Monkey and Trip's faces display an amazing amount of emotion that could easily rival some big-budget movie studios.  Throw in the fact that the voice-acting is top-notch and you've got a cast of characters that gamers quickly grow attached to.  Sure the plot is been there done that and the platforming is visually appealing but ultimately lacks depth, the characters truly make this a game you should check out.  Game of the year?  Far from it.  Most overlooked game of the year?  Definitely up there. 

Runner Up:
Singularity

Fun shooter that's a mix of Bioshock, Call of Duty, and Half-Life.  Fun single-player and surprisingly fun multiplayer make this another great overlooked game of 2010.

My 2010 Games of the Year! (nominees)

I stopped watching the VGAs because the show is completely ridiculous.  The main reason anyone usually watches it is for the previews of upcoming games.  In that regard, the VGAs are amazing and this year they didn't disappoint with peeks at Elder Scrolls V, Mass Effect 3, and Uncharted 3!  While the actual awards are usually bogus, apparently they're doing much better with their choices.  This got me thinking, why don't I try my own games of the year?  I mean, that's why you clicked the link bringing you here right?  But first, I'm gonna give a few of my nominees in each category and I'd like your opinions. 

Please keep in mind that I'm only 1 man and try as I might, I can't play EVERY great game released in 2010.  If you have suggestions on a game I may have missed, please let me know.  Also, the games are listed in no particular order.
There's a small criteria that these games must meet and it's as follows:

• Had to be released in 2010 (so no ports)
• Can't be a visually updated or enhanced version of a current game

With that out of the way, here are the nominees:

iPhone

• Angry Birds
• Cut The Rope
• Infinity Blade
• Ninjatown: Trees of Doom

Nintendo Wii

• Epic Mickey
• Super Mario Galaxy 2
• Tatsunoko Vs Capcom
• Donkey Kong Country Returns
• No More Heroes 2

Playstation 3

• Gran Turismo 5
• God of War 3
• Heavy Rain
• 3D Dot Game Heroes

Xbox 360

• Halo Reach
• Mass Effect 2
• Fable 3
• Alan Wake

These are the four platforms that I would like your opinions on.  I'm going to be giving my own opinion on other awards and I'm looking to release one every few days.  Please leave your comments below if you feel I missed a game or maybe your opinion on which game should win and why in each category.

Why Haven't You Played This Yet? #2

Super Meat Boy by Team Meat
XBLA/PC
$10  $15 now (price raised)

Many might immediately be turned off at the fact that I've just pointed out the price has been raised on this game a whole $5.  I normally don't like supporting arcade games priced over $10 but Super Meat Boy is the exception.  Before I continue let me state that Super Meat Boy is for hardcore old school gamers.  Seriously those who get frustrated or felt that Trials HD was too hard need not apply because Super Meat Boy is incredibly difficult.  You guide your character (Super Meat Boy) through close to 350 levels (no exaggeration) as he tries to save his girlfriend Bandage Girl from the evil Dr. Fetus.  You must jump, dodge, and glide your way through obstacles and enemies as the game quickly ramps up the difficulty.  Along the way you're treated to hilarious cutscenes that pay homage to classic games from the 8-bit era (see how many you can spot) and insane boss battles that test your platforming finesse.  In general your platforming (along with your patience) will be tested and make no mistake about it, you will consistently die.  But give it up to Team Meat because they've even gloried your constant dying by way of a replay.  While there are 350 levels, around 100 or so are actually just insanely harder versions of current levels.  Each of the 6 worlds (not including 'teh internets') has light world versions and dark world versions (the latter being the insanely difficult counterparts).  The dark worlds usually completely change most of the layout so don't feel like you're being cheated.  Throw in the promise of dlc (one world which was already released), over 10 unlockable characters each with different strengths and weaknesses, an awesome soundtrack, and a type of satisfaction that can only come from hardcore games similar to this and you've got yourself one of the best arcade games on xbla (can't really vouch for wiiware). 

If you're not convinced yet, watch this.

Bottom Line: BUY IT NOW!
*Note: This game wasn't released on PSN because they didn't believe the game would sell.  Sorry Playstation. 
*This game was recently canceled for WiiWare (12/24) 

NBA Jam (Xbox 360)

The name NBA Jam should instantly be recognizeable for anyone who grew up in the 90s, ever went to an arcade, or knew someone who loved basketball back when.  For those that don't know, NBA Jam was a game released in '93 in arcades and was later ported to multiple home consoles.  Each team played with 2 players chosen from their respective teams roster (usually consisting of around 4 total).  NBA Jam brought over-the-top craziness to basketball with high-flying dunks, insane blocks, a funny cartoony look, and an overly eccentric announcer.  Gamers poured quarters into the arcade classic and still today NBA Jam is one of the most highly regarded multiplayer arcade games.  Flash forward 17 years and NBA Jam is being remade (for the second time) for current consoles.  Most had hoped for a downloadable title similar to other retro revivals like Mega Man 9 or Bionic Commando and a similar price tag (Under $15) but unsurprisingly EA Sports decided to go with a full retail release.  At $50 is this nostalgic trip worth it, or would you be better off investing in a SNES to get the classic title?

NBA Jam was originally produced by Midway (Mortal Kombat) but when that company went under, EA snatched up the property and started work on a remake.  EA wisely brought back many staples from the original title including a similar but updated look of the players along with almost unchanged gameplay.  The controls were wisely kept simple using only 4 buttons and a control stick or d-pad (unless you prefer using the right stick instead of the face buttons).  I was also very excited to learn that the original announcer reprises his role with all new dialogue and remade classic lines.  Another pretty surreal quirk from the original game brought over was the ability to play as special characters.  Whereas the classic title allowed you to play as Bill Clinton, mascots, and Mortal Kombat characters, the remake lets you play as..Bill Clinton, mascots, and the Beastie Boys?  Well, its still pretty cool being able to dunk on Obama with Sarah Palin after Bush stole a pass from Hillary. *Seriously..you can do that!  While these similarities may seem great to fans of the original, it may be too similar to the classic and if that really is the case, does it warrant a purchase? 

I have to be honest in that I was expecting a little bit more from this game.  All of the classics elements from the original that I knew and loved are all present, but I don't know if that is enough anymore.  Along with the classic campaign (use one team to play against every other team and then defeat legends) is fun, it grows stale quickly.  Added was a remix tour where different modes come up like "Domination", "21", and "1 on 1" but it didn't really seem all that fun for me (especially the abysmal 21!).  The AI returns with it's cheating ways and rubberband logic making many games that were blowouts, come down to the final few buckets.  The real joy and still greatest thing about NBA Jam however is the awesome multiplayer.  I played single-player and it was pretty boring, but once I had a partner to play with and against, hours went by like nothing.  But for a game that doesn't really have much meat, I think little things could have been added to further enhance gamers enjoyment.  For example, with the Kinect, Playstation camera, and even ease of online use, would it really have been that hard to imput some type of create-a-character mode?  Players could load up 3 or 4 headshots and then just choose from some preset of body features.  This is just one sample of a feature that could have easily been implemented and helped to justify a full retail purchase but there are countless more such as roster management or online leagues.

Pathetic

May not have enough features worth the $50
Grows stale after awhile
Abysmal single-player
Computer's stupid rubber-band logic

Very Nice!

Multiplayer is a blast
Graphics are surprisingly nice
Many elements of the classic NBA Jam brought back
Simple and responsive controls
Online play thankfully added

FINAL GRADE: B

NBA Jam is tons of fun, given the right circumstances.  Fans of the original should definitely check it out.  While the single-player is lacking, this is honestly a multiplayer title and when played with a couple friends you'll definitely have a ball.

Would Your Girlfriend Like It?

(From April)

I enjoy playing this game a lot.  The controls are easy and I was able to keep up with my boyfriend! :) I'm not really a sports gamer chick but surprisingly I was able to play it for hours without it losing it's fun factor.  The bobble heads *Note she's referring to the unlockable big-head mode* are cool and I like that you could choose other characters besides basketball players.  The commentary is great!  He could say something as simple as, "Knock knock. Who's there?  BOOMSHACKALAKA!" lol and I giggle everytime.  Overall, I say BUY! BUY, BUY, BUY! :) It's worth your money.  I'm not even a sports type of chick and I love this game.

Verdict: Umm..Buy Buy Buy apparently.

Megamind

The first names that come up when you see these CG movies being released are Dreamworks and Pixar.  I've always felt that with Dreamworks, you get more quantity as opposed to Pixar's quality.  That's not to say that Dreamworks hasn't released great films, but for every Shrek or Kung Fu Panda, we're given a Bee Movie or Shark Tale.  Dreamworks has recently been churning out some hits (How To Train Your Dragon, Madagascar 2, Monsters Vs Aliens) so expectations were high for their newest film Megamind.  Throw in the voicework of Will Ferrell and you're guaranteed a hit.  Right?

The movie casts Will Ferrell as Megamind, an evil alien with incredible intellect.  Brad Pitt voices the Superman-esque hero of Metro City cleverly named Metro Man!  Since birth Megamind and Metro Man have been rivals with the cocky Metro Man displaying his super powers to everyones approval.  Megamind unfortunately lacks these powers and seems to be bad at his attempts to one-up Metro Man.  As his efforts get shot down time after time, Megamind decides that since he's good at being bad, he may as well excel at it and become the best at it as he can.  With the aid of his sidekick Minion, (David Cross) Megamind is constantly attempting to take over Metro City (or Metrosity).  Most of his plans involve kidnapping the journalist Roxanne Ritchi (Tina Fey) as her dumbfounded cameraman Hal (Jonah Hill) stands around helplessly.  Sadly, Megamind has apparently become predictable in his crimes and unfortunately, this movie follows suit.  Many plot "twists" are reminiscent of past comedies and some of the jokes fall short of their marks.  The chemistry between Megamind and Minion is enjoyable however, as is the banter between Megamind and Roxanne.  I found myself laughing many times at just hearing the conversations and enjoying the detail in facial animations that Dreamworks has done.  Speaking of detail, Dreamworks deserves a pat on the back for 3D effects which were subtle, but strong enough to be evident.  The effects didn't wow me as much as Pixar's Up did, but they were enjoyable.

With a movie like Megamind, you don't really wanna give away much of the plot so unfortunately I'm not gonna delve deeper into the story.  I will, however, inform you that the story is an enjoyable one.  As predictable as some parts of the movie were, it didn't change a lot of the clever bits the movie threw at us.  I may just be biased towards Will Ferrell, but I enjoyed this film.  Although I enjoyed quite a few of Dreamworks films, I have to consider myself a Pixar fan.  My biggest problem with Dreamworks, is that their movies have no staying power with me.  Many key moments, funny bits, and great scenes don't stick with me past the following hour after I've seen Dreamworks films.  Let's try it shall we?  What's the plot of Shrek 2?  Something about a couple ogres on a honeymoon or something and some jerk wants to break them up.  They also got Antonio Banderas as a cat.  Honestly, if you remembered most of that movie, kudos to you.  I had to Wiki it because I couldn't tell one Shrek apart from the others.  Toy Story 2, on the other hand, has Woody being kidnapped for being a collectors item and shows the gang attempt to save him.  Along the way they stop by a toy store where Zurg reveals he's Buzz' father, Woody tries to save his new pals Jesse and Bullseye and spoiler removed.  Sorry to get sidetracked, but with Megamind, the same can be said as with other Dreamworks films.  I enjoyed it when I was watching it, but not even 24 hours later, I can't really remember key lines or even anything that sticks out to me in the long run.

Pathetic

Not as funny as expected; many jokes fall flat
Some parts are predictable
3D effects may not do enough to warrant the extra $

Very Nice!

Enjoyable characters and story
Effects are nice
Will Ferrell is great
When the movie hits its marks, you'll definitely laugh
Has something for the whole family

Final Grade: B-

While not the funniest film I've seen in awhile, the movie was enjoyable.  I wouldn't recommend more then one showing though and the 3D, while great, is passable especially considering the jump in ticket price.  

*New Segment of my reviews being introduced is..

Would Your Girlfriend Like It?
(From April)

I thought the movie was cute!  I really liked the part where SPOILER REMOVED and at the end when SPOILER REMOVED!  Wait, I can't say that?  Hmph I suck at writing reviews.  The ending was cute though.  Honestly, I'd wait until it came out on blu-ray.  I just think it'd be more of a rental then something to go watch at a movie theatre. 

Verdict: Rental



Kinect (Xbox 360)

The Kinect Sensor is easily going to be one of the most sought after items this holiday season.  Touted as the future of gaming controls the device implements a three camera system which helps detect not only motion, but also distance.  Is it worth the $150 price tag or just going to be another fad (*Virtual Boy)?

I've been eagerly awaiting the Kinect since it was announced awhile back as Project Natal.  This wasn't the first time that I was excited for motion gaming and I was hoping that Microsoft would introduce something innovative and exciting and the concepts they were pitching definitely fit the bill.  My main concern was that for all the hype they were giving, would it live up?  I've invested in motion gaming before (besides the wii) and due to lack of interest and support, my money wasn't well spent.

Anyone remember the EyeToy for PS2?


Early previews of Kinect were pretty harsh showing buggy tech demos and laggy responsiveness.  Many gamers were completely trashing the Kinect before they even had the opportunity to try it out for themselves and stated that it would fail (idiots).  Thankfully, the Kinect is quickly selling out and early indications show a very happy fanbase is growing.  I had the great fortune of being blessed with one (thanks to my girlfriend and her friend Jessica) and quickly ordered 2 games (amazon had a buy 1 get 1 half off sale) so I was excited to test it out.  For those that don't know, the Kinect easily connects (no pun intended) to the older 360s.  A lot of people had concerns because the new slim 360s were saying that they were "Kinect Ready" giving lots of gamers ideas that they would have to invest in an additional piece of equipment to play their Kinects.

I'm going to be dividing this review into 3 smaller reviews so as to be fair to the system as a whole so be prepared for some reading.

Kinect Sports

Kinect Sports is the Kinect's equivalent to Wii Sports when that first debuted.  Soccer, Volleyball, Ping-Pong, Bowling, Boxing, and Olympic style sports are available as well as many minigames.  Like Wii Sports, some of the games control excellently and are very fun (I liked volleyball and Ping Pong) while others are kind of meh at best (Soccer).  This is one of those types of games that you'd pull out to show off the Kinect and everyone can try it without the need to feel embarassed since the motions shouldn't be too awkward.  I didn't really have too many problems with the controls and most of the games felt very responsive.  Boxing and Bowling were slightly awkward and I felt some lack of control but overall the experience is what you'd expect from an early title with newer technology. 

Final Grade: C+

Sports is a great way to show off what the Kinect can do, but at $50 dollars it's kind of pricey.  A lot of the games are fun and very responsive with two gamers playing at once.  Fun title to bring out during family parties but for most, the experience may be short lived.

Dance Central

From the creators of Guitar Hero and Rock Band comes the newest music based title.  Dance Central has over 30 tracks that players dance to and mimic the onscreen movements.  Where Kinect Sports isn't embarassing, Dance Central more then makes up for it.  The track list is surprisingly varied with artists like Soulja Boy, Kylie Minogue, Lady Gaga and Salt 'N Pepa and with the promise of future DLC, Dance Central could have songs for everyone to dance to.  This game isn't for the shy types out there or for those who easily get embarassed because to be perfectly honest, 90% of the people who play this game will look foolish.  The thing is, you can't be shy and you just have to let yourself go. 

The fun comes out as you attempt these moves foreign to your body and you see your score go up (pretty easily on the easy difficulty).  The game tracks your movements and rates you accordingly to how well you mimic the onscreen prompt.  A spotlight on your character will go from red, green and white depending on how well you do and a little boombox reflects your star rating from 1-5. 

I only have a couple complaints with this game and one of which is that the game only supports 1 player at a time.  Hopefully (most likely not) they may implement something to allow 2 players at once.  Then again, it seems unlikely considering some of the moves asked of the player require flailing of the arms and the results can be pretty painful when two people play at once.  My second complaint is that there isn't enough modes in the game.  With only freeplay and dance battle it seems like there could have been a story mode easily implemented.  Throw in the fact that there are only around 35 songs and you have a game that may seem too short for some.  However, dance moves change depending on difficulty so things don't seem too stale and trust me when I say that a lot of these moves are challenging. 

Final Grade: A-

Dance Central is tons of fun.  Anyone in the family can play it and as long as you don't mind looking foolish, you'll enjoy it too. 

The Kinect as a whole is a very fun piece of equipment.  Currently they have a library of about 15 games (around 3 of which are truly worth it) and the Kinect comes packaged with the game Kinect Adventures which is a series of minigames showing off the potential of the unit.  As a standalone title, Kinect Adventures would have been graded a D+ but because it was free and included with my Kinect, it is worth a C-.  Space is probably the biggest issue people may have with Kinect but if you have a decent sized living room then it shouldn't be that big of a problem.  Lighting also never seemed to be an issue as me and my brother played at night and it was able to pick up our movements pretty easily (my brother even played in all black clothing).  The Kinect also picks up sound pretty clearly but I have yet to truly test out all it can do with voice controls. 

Pathetic

Small library of games and very few warrant a $50 purchase
Some titles appear slightly unresponsive
$150 seems a little overpriced ($99 would have been more reasonable I feel)
Sonic Free Riders.  STAY AWAY.

Very Nice!

Tons of fun
Anyone and everyone can enjoy
Support seems strong meaning higher quality titles in the future
You can work up a sweat as you're enjoying playing
Dance Central is a blast

Final Grade: B

I am honestly enjoying the Kinect.  The controls are pretty good depending on the games and everyone who has tried it seems to enjoy themselves.  Not too many A grade titles yet but 2011 looks really good for support.  Microsoft was looking for a way to market towards family-oriented gaming and not only did they achieve that goal, they also made a very fun piece of equipment.  While it may not be for everyone, no one can deny how much fun it is.