2011's Best Upcoming Games

2010 was a great year for gaming, but 2011's list of games looks very promising as well!  These are the titles I'm most looking forward to and hopefully they won't be pushed back to 2012.

Listed in no particular order:

Batman: Arkham City
Multiplatform

Batman: Arkham Asylum was one of my favorite games of 2009 and even earned the world record for "Most Critically Acclaimed Superhero Game Ever."  While oddly specific, the award was given to the correct title because Arkham Asylum is truly the greatest superhero game ever created.  Even if you're not a fan of Batman I suggest you check out Arkham Asylum and look forward to what seems to be a bigger and better sequel.

Mass Effect 3
Multiplatform

The final chapter to the Mass Effect trilogy!  Mass Effect 2 was my Xbox 360 Game of the Year so it's only fitting that it's sequel is high on my list of anticipated games. 

Portal 2
Multiplatform

Originally released in the Orange Box collection, Portal was one of the funniest and most creative games I played at the time.  While short, it left gamers all around satisfied, spawned an internet meme, and one of the most memorable video game credit songs ever.  GlaDos returns in the main story and Valve even included multiplayer this time around. 

Marvel Vs Capcom 3
Multiplatform

A sequel to the 10 year old MVC2, this fighter should be high on any fighting fans list.  While not nearly as many characters on this roster as opposed to MVC2, gamers get to play as fan favorites Chris Redfield, Dante, and Deadpool along with surprises like Arthur (Ghouls and Ghosts) and Amaterasu (shame on you for not knowing where he's from.)  The game looks gorgeous and seems to be just as over-the-top crazy as you'd expect it to be so definitely check this game out when it releases in March. 

*Note: Capcom you're hit and miss with DLC
Great: Mega Man 9
Horrible: RE:5 DLC and MVC3 special bonus character dlc? (seriously you have to buy a special edition to unlock Jill and Shuma Gorath)

Journey
PSN

Another artsy title from the makers of Flower and Flow.  I honestly have no idea what the game is about, but Flower was a great title and judging from their the makers track record, Journey looks to be cut from the same atmospheric vine.

Ms. Splosion Man
XBLA

A sequel to one of my favorite arcade titles, Ms. Splosion Man will hopefully be another dose of crazy platforming action.  After Twisted Pixel (creators) released Comic Jumper I felt they took a stepback gameplay wise.  Maybe Twisted Pixel realized their fans were unhappy with Comic Jumper and decided to give us what we wanted (even if we didn't know it) with this sequel.  Regardless of the reason, I'm just thankful this game is coming out and you should be too.

Last Guardian
Playstation 3

From the creators of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus.  If you never played these two classics on PS2, don't worry because you can pre-order the collection which rereleases in May.  My early nominee for Best Story of the year.

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
Playstation 3

One of the main reasons Xbox 360 owners want a PS3, the Uncharted series is one of the best 3rd person/action-platformers in this current age of consoles.  Uncharted 2 was truly epic so hopefully Uncharted 3 delivers!

I could go on and on about all the upcoming titles that I'm looking forward to, but I'm sure you know most of them already and if not, here's more of the games I want (in list form):

Nintendo 3DS (yes the whole system)
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Pokemon Black/White
LittleBigPlanet 2
Twisted Metal
Mortal Kombat
Duke Nukem Forever
Dead Space 2

Thanks for supporting me in 2010 and hopefully I'll be able to continue reviewing games and movies in the upcoming year!

2010's Game of the Year!

Red Dead Redemption
By Rockstar Games (released 5/18)

Was there really any doubt as to what would win the game of the year?  Red Dead Redemption literally has something for everyone boasting impressive visuals, a stellar soundtrack, and one of the best stories of the year.  Many people thought of Red Dead Redemption as just another Grand Theft Auto clone and in all honesty, I don't disagree with that.  The real question though, is that a bad thing?  In my opinion, RDR nearly outshines GTA in everyway possible (aside from DLC but more on that later) trading in bustling cities for a more natural environment.  A lot of love went into developing this game and it's apparent from the moment you start the campaign.  Playing through the story you meet a colorful cast of characters who (in my opinion of course) are much more likeable then GTA's roster, though that's not to take anything away from that games characters.  Besides the people you'll meet, Red Dead is incredibly atmospheric and every bit of the game seems to compliment eachothers strengths.  Many people specifically bring up when John Marston's (main character) enters into Mexico as one of the most epic moments this year and I couldn't agree more.  Rather then give you a link to a video I'd much prefer you experience it yourself and do yourself two favors by not getting off your horse and taking your time getting to your destination.  Aside from the single-player, Rockstar seemed to get the multiplayer right this time around bringing multiple gametypes and surprisingly fun shootouts.  If competitive gaming isn't your thing, maybe you and a gang of your friends playing cooperatively is!  You, alongside 3 friends get several missions varying from storming gang hideouts, to escorting caravans.  Red Dead also recently released some new DLC titled Undead Nightmare which introduces zombies along with other beasts of fantasy and as we all know, everythings better when Zombies are involved.  I could go on and on praising this game but instead, check out metacritic or play the game yourself to see why it's won so many awards. 

Runner Up

Mass Effect 2

• I loved it
• I've written two articles about it already
• Out on PC, Xbox 360, and next month PS3
• Why talk about it more?  Go play it!

2010's Most Disappointing Game

Before I say which game was the biggest disappointment this year let me first make a couple things clear:

• These games are NOT BAD! They just didn't live up to my expectations.
• This is my opinion.  Take your fanboyism somewhere else if you disagree.

With that out of the way, I regretfully bring you 2010's biggest letdowns.

Fable III
By Lionhead Studios (released 10/26)

Fable and Xbox go hand in hand like God of War with Playstation or Mario with Nintendo.  Obviously, Fable comes nowhere near as good as the other two franchises named but the point is still valid that Fable has and will most likely always be a Microsoft exclusive.  With that being said, Fable was supposed to be this incredible title that Peter Molyneux (designer) hyped up.  Each year his games were letdowns but they still very enjoyable.  I actually played through Fable 2 a couple times and enjoyed it's hokey humor so naturally, I was looking forward to it's sequel.  Sadly, I feel like Fable 3 seemed to be more of the same but whereas some games did it successfully (see Fallout: New Vegas) Fable 3 actually seemed worse off.  Yes your decisions more greatly affect the outcome of Albion and true the graphics are better but what else has evolved since Fable 2 came out two years ago?  Even in the graphical department it seemed to be only a minor improvement.  The combat seems largely unchanged and you now have an infinite amount of magic.  With your ability to consistently spam magic, you can quickly dispose of waves of enemies as you troll through the sadly boring world.  I tried my hardest to finish the game but I could never play more then one hour without fighting to stay awake.  Don't get me wrong, I've gotten well past halfway through but it's a chore playing this title and at the end of the day, games are meant to be fun.  Fable 2 = Fun.  Fable 3 = Nyquil. 

*I'm aware of the fact that Fable 3 has gotten relatively favorable scores garnering an 80 overall on Metacritic.  Doesn't change the fact that I don't like it.

Honorable Mentions: Gran Turismo 5, Comic Jumper, 70% of the games on the Kinect and Playstation Move, and Alan Wake.

2010's Xbox 360 Game of the Year

Mass Effect 2

Bioware (released 1/26)

While it's a known fact that Mass Effect 2 is coming to PS3's next year, let me remind everyone that it was an Xbox 360 exclusive (and available for as low as $10 new.)  Granted it's also available for PCs, I'm a console gamer so that point is irrelevant to me.  I already stated in one of my earlier reviews that I never played through Mass Effect 1, so for me to recognize it as not only one of the best 360 games of the year, but one of the best games of the year truly shows what a masterpiece Bioware has made.  Incredible storytelling, beautiful graphics and set pieces, talented voiceovers, and great combat are only pieces of what make Mass Effect 2 one of my favorite games of the year.  Throw in a customizeable story, tons of side quests, and stellar DLC and you're left with a title that every gamer should play.  I could go on and on about every detail that makes Mass Effect 2 great, but there really is no excuse as to why any gamer shouldn't play this game now.  Well..unless you only own the Wii. 

*Wii gamers you have nothing to gripe about!  You have Donkey Kong Country Returns, Super Mario Galaxy 2, and Epic Mickey this year so shut up about me not giving them any love! 

Runner Up
Dance Central

Seriously James?  Well..Yeah!  Let's think about this really, can you name another title that is single-handedly selling an $150 piece of equipment?  (If you can then good for you!)  People who don't normally play games talk about wanting to try that dancing game with the connects.  I saw the hilarious looking demo during E3 and didn't think anything about the game, but after reading some reviews decided to make the purchase.  Not only does Dance Central seem to perfectly capture your movements, but its an insane amount of fun!  I don't dance and I know a lot of my friends don't, but once we pop this game in it doesn't even matter.  Halo Reach is definitely a fantastic shooter, but Dance Central is something everyone can play and I truly found it the more enjoyable of the two.  Then again, if you're not social/unfriendly/shy/a loner then Dance Central isn't for you.  Me on the other hand?  Love it.

2010's Best PS3 Title

Heavy Rain
Quantic Dream (Released 2/23)

Before we get into the debate on whether or not Heavy Rain is truly a video game as opposed to a interactive movie, let's get one thing straight: Heavy Rain is one of the most memorable video game experiences I've had this year.  Whether you've played it or not, I'm sure that at one point, you were intrigued as to what all the fuss is about.  Gameplay consisting almost entirely of quick-time events and context sensitive segments are the bulk of what players are tasked to do.  The story unfolds through four protagonists eyes as you try to uncover the identity of the origami killer.  I've already covered Heavy Rain in a previous review so instead I'm going to explain why it won my PS3 Game of the Year.  For starters, most gamers that I know who own both the PS3 and 360 generally favor the 360.  Don't get us wrong, the PS3 is a great system but most people I know tend to use it more as a blu ray player and less as a console.  Apparently, less then half of all PS3 owners use the system for gaming.  I've played a few exclusives for the PS3 (God of War and 3D Dot Game Heroes to name a few) but Heavy Rain was the only title that actually made me wanna continue playing.  Never before (or since) has my hands sweated so much playing a game and I literally could not stop playing.  Since Heavy Rain though, no other title has compelled me to wanna use my PS3 over my 360.  While I have a lot of love for Sony, I'm primarily an Xbox 360 guy so for a title to not only pull me away from the 360, but keep me off it (at least temporarily) is definitely reason enough to award it my PS3 game of the year.

2010's Best Downloadable Console Game

Super Meat Boy

By Team Meat (10/20)

If you read my most recent why haven't you played this yet then you obviously know why I love this game.  Instead of repeating why it's great, let me say why I didn't feel other games should of won.  I enjoyed Limbo but the replay value was low and ultimately I felt it was overhyped.  Comic Jumper and Mega Man 10 didn't deliver for me compared to their excellent predecessors (Splosion Man and Mega Man 9) and Joe Danger didn't do it for me either.  Even though I like beat-em-ups, X-Men Arcade is a rerelease and while Scott Pilgrim Vs The World is incredibly fun, it didn't justify winning a top spot over Super Meat Boy.  There were tons of great downloadable titles released this year besides the ones I listed such as Bit.Trip.Runner and Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light so instead of disagreeing with my choice, just be thankful that so many games have been available for download for a fraction of the price of retail release titles. 

Runner Up

Monday Night Combat

A really fun third-person shooter that's only $15?  I was looking forward to this game for awhile and was satisfied with how much strategy is necessary for this game.  Teamwork is crucial and there were definitely many matches that had me and my group sweating.  Granted there's really only one main matchtype it doesn't change the fact that you're getting a pretty good deal here.  Like most shooters though, it's much more fun playing with friends so just like Black Ops, stay away if you're a loner.

Honorable Mention: Pac Man Championship Edition: DX

X-Men Arcade (XBLA/PSN)

X-Men is widely regarded as the best arcade beat em ups of all time and finally after 18 years, it's been ported to a home console.  Everything you loved about the original has been brought back including 6-player online (4-player local), the 5 iconic X-Men, and..Dazzler.   As much as I loved this game as a kid, I feel that Konami is asking too much for what is essentially an untouched and unpolished game from the 90s.  Don't get me wrong, I've gladly dropped up to $20 on downloadable titles and usually don't argue about games around $10, but with 1989's TMNT already out for only $5, why do I need to pay twice that amount for a game that's really not that much better?  $10 could be justified if X-Men were even marginally updated like better graphics, soundbytes, or some added features but unfortunately this game is priced too high for most gamers, myself included.  You could argue that they included the Japanese version, but really all that added was life pills.  I played through the campaign twice already racking up a total playtime of 1 hour.  Yes there are 6 players to choose from, each with different mutant powers, but just like TMNT: Turtles In Time, you might wanna let this one float by you.  It's definitely fun but for $10 you could get excellent games like Scott Pilgrim, Super Meat Boy, Pac Man: CE DX, Guwange, Geometry Wars 2, or tons of other great titles. 

FINAL GRADE: C-

Fun for a little while but grows old quickly.

I obviously didn't address everything.  For everything I missed, (and another perspective) here is:

MAHCUS' MARKS

What can I say about the classic 1992 X-men arcade game? First thing is, I am glad not to have met it at a younger age for my family would have become poor from all the quarters needed to make it to the end. What sets this beat'em up apart from others, for me, is the familiarization with the classic X-men characters, who I have had a fondness with ever since the comic books and animated series. However, the simplistic controls and repetitive domination over waves of sentinels and copycat Juggernauts (each level rendered a different color) makes the game quite boring after a while. You'll start dying on purpose just to be able to keep using your special mutant power (which takes up 3 of your life bars). Good thing you get unlimited lives. The 6-player co-op is fun if playing with people who do not take it seriously because the game will come down to who can steal the most kills. Overall, this game is definitely outdated and unless you've had a grudge with it since the 90's and have a burning desire to finish it, there is no hurry to buy until the price drops to $5.

My Rating





2010's Best Videogame Soundtrack

Scott Pilgrim Vs The World Game
By Ubisoft (released 8/10 PSN and 8/25 XBLA)

I grew up playing video games and my first major console was the NES.  Because of that fact, I am somewhat biased to chiptune music otherwise known as 8-bit music.  Even if you're not a fan of this style of music I want you to take a listen to this song.

Let's be honest, you probably liked that song huh?  This song single-handedly made one of my good friend's Mahcus (who will actually be featured in some of my later reviews) fall in love with the genre and I wouldn't be surprised if it converts any of my readers.  This is (in my opinion) the best song in the game but that's not to take away from the other great tracks which were all done by chiptune group Anamanaguchi.  They also made tracks for Bit.Trip.Runner so I highly recommend checking them out.  The great thing too is that the songs are all available for download on iTunes or you could just download the game for a measly $10!  In fact, just go and support Scott Pilgrim everything.  The movie rocks, the graphic novel is hilarious, and the game is classic fun.  Seriously.  Do it now.

Runner Up:
Red Dead Redemption

Red Dead's soundtrack doesn't just add to the games world, it is an integral part of it.  I can't think of another game that could rival the Rockstar's western masterpiece audibly and aside from the brilliant voice acting, the musical cues are perfect.  Red Dead Redemption's soundtrack perfectly sets the mood to one of the best games of the year.

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.

Why Haven't You Played This Yet? #1

Game Dev Story by Kairosoft
Iphone/Ipod
$2.99

Game Dev Story is a business simulator not unlike Lemonade Tycoon (or so I've heard.)  Your goal is to build your own Video Game Company from the ground up.  You design video games for different platforms, all while hiring different employees to work on design, sound, graphics, and overall fun factor.  You figure out which genres pair well together and decide who you're marketing towards, hoping for a great review score from the video game magazines.  Annually they honor games with awards and often times your games get nominated.  Can you build your company up and create your very own video game console? 
This game is one of the most addictive games I've ever played on any system be it handheld or not.  Every person I've recommended this game to has instantly been hooked spending hours playing as if it were mere minutes.  It's hard to describe what exactly makes the game so addicting however.  Maybe it's the excitement of seeing how well your game sells or maybe it's the hope of getting the game of the year honors.  Something about this game makes it almost instantly enjoyable and I found myself spending hours working on my next game.  One negative note: Once you beat the game and get to be a top publisher, the game almost becomes too easy and starts to lose it's appeal. 

Bottom Line: Worth the Money
*There's a lite version so there's no excuse not to try the game.

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.