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. 

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. 

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.   

Limbo (XBLA)

Limbo was the first title released in Xbox' 3rd annual Summer of Arcade and has already made a name for itself.  A finalist in the Independent Game Festival, Limbo is being regarded as this year's Braid.  Limbo hit the marketplace last week and has gotten incredible praise from all over the gaming community.  Is Limbo worthy of such high marks, or have gamers just allowed themselves to be blinded by it's beautiful style?

I immediately purchased Limbo after seeing comparisons to Braid.  Braid is an amazing arcade title and I truly recommend it to every and all gamers.  One thing I will try not to do, is directly compare Braid and Limbo because in all honesty, Braid is a better game.  That's not to say that I think Limbo is bad, in actuality I enjoyed my time with Limbo.  However, comparisons are bound to be made due to the fact that both Braid and Limbo are puzzle platformers with strange and unique art styles.  Limbo's style is unique and has quite possibly the most beautiful black and white visuals I've ever seen.  The amount of detail in each silhouette is amazing and is easily one of the best arcade titles visually.  The controls hold up pretty well too although you only use two buttons (one to jump and the other to engage) and an analog stick to move.  For fans of the Wii's A Boy and His Blob this game may seem pretty similar.  Limbo's boy kind of has the same shape and even controls similarly.  Learn the controls quick though because Limbo will begin to challenge your reflexes and platforming skills in no time.  Honestly it feels like everything is out to kill you.  This was kind of weird for me because Limbo has no story so I had no idea why everything was pretty much evil.  Apparently the developers themselves stated there is no definite meaning, but some gamers have their own opinions. 

Limbo shines not only in visuals and atmosphere, but also in it's puzzles.  Limbo is very creative in this sense and not too frustratingly hard like other platformers (sorry..referring to Braid again.)  This is very welcome because along with the puzzles, our hero must contend with all sorts of creatures trying to maim, shoot, and crush him.  The game is pretty gruesome in this regard with sound effects to match it's beheadings, amputations, and impalements.  I was pretty shocked at how gruesome some of the death animations were along with being surprised at some of the more surprising moments.  The violence isn't too dark though and just gives gamers more incentives to play better.  One of the major gripes I have with this game though is it's length.  Clocking in at under a couple hours (being very generous here) Limbo is definitely not a long experience.  Without speed runs and timers I don't see too many reasons for replay value neither. 

Pathetic

Short Length
Not much replay value
Some obstacles hard to see

Very Nice!

Great Gaming Experience
Clever Puzzles
Beautiful Visuals
Rich Atmosphere
Perfectly Underplayed Soundtrack

FINAL GRADE: B+

Limbo is a great gaming experience and I truly recommend people to try it out.  At $15 dollars though it may not be a lenghty enough title for some.  Not quite as good as Braid, but it's not trying to be.  Limbo is fun, sometimes scary, creative, stunning, and a well put together arcade title. 

Naughty Bear (Xbox 360)

When Naughty Bear was announced my friends and I were pretty excited.  The gameplay seemed reminiscent of Rockstar's Manhunt (fun game by the way) and the story was just corny enough to be enjoyable.  You play Naughty Bear in this mature title and your primary goal is to torture other stuffed bears by any means necessary.  Kids and those who can't handle violence (more fluff-based as opposed to blood) need not apply as Naughty Bear uses various tools to accomplish his goals.  Is Naughty Bear worthy of being uttered alongside Rockstar's Manhunt, or will we be seeing it lying in the bargain bin sooner then later?

There's a birthday party being thrown Naughty Bear!  Were you invited?  No?  Oh too bad.  You made a present too?  Why don't you go and give it to him anyways!  The other bears laughed at your gift?  That's very cruel Naughty Bear!  Perhaps you should teach them a thing or two!  This is the first story that Naughty Bear is on and there are six others that follow a similar path.  While the other six may be a little more creative, they still result in having you go around, either collecting or destroying various objects, and then scoring enough points on your way to punishing one specific bear.  While pretty simple in concept, Naughty Bear has a lot of interesting and fun ideas set here.  Along with various weapons (axes, guns, sticks, golf clubs) Naughty Bear has the ability to tamper with various items in the environment.  Naughty can sabotage items like telephones, tvs, juke boxes, arcades, and pretty much any electronics around.  By doing this, if another bear sees that the items were tampered with, they will proceed to begin fixing them, leaving them open to Naughty's will.  Naughty then has two choices: Kill them (resulting in an item based death depending on what they're doing or where they are) or Scare them.  Most would believe that killing them would be the more satisfying of the two, but scaring the bear causes it to become more and more frightened.  Doing so adds to your combo and can result in them becoming insane.  If a bear is insane, Naughty can leave the bear running around terrified, causing the other bears to grow more scared, or scare the insane bear one more time, pushing him to commit suicide. 

As terrible (or great depending on your perspective) that sounds, the games execution is beyond broken.  The graphics seem more at home on a Xbox or PS2 and the camera is horrible (as seen here.)  The controls are pretty bad often resulting in Naughty Bear just yelling (seen in video) instead of going for his ultra scares.  What irritated me the most, however, was having to find specific items to destroy (presents, cameras, etc).  Paired with the terrible camera, you'll definitely be spending more time then needed on tracing these "collectibles."  Most of the death animations get old and while there is a decent collection of weapons here, they either bludgeon or shoot enemies and are near identical in execution.  It'd be easy to count this game out, but for some odd reason, I found myself enjoying the experience.  This is probably due to the arcadey feel of the title, pushing you to get a higher score, unlock new costumes, and unlock new challenges.  Some challenges require you to drive all the bears insane, while others force you to accomplish goals without being seen.  The costumes that you unlock too aren't just for asthetics either and each have their own strengths and weaknesses.  The zombie bear is slow and limps around, but has high health and incredible strength.  The ninja bear (my personal favorite) is ridiculously fast and has silent footsteps, but has very low health.  These costumes are then sometimes used for "ironic" achievements such as killing 4 cop bears in a zombie costume.  If you have a chance, check out the achievements list.  Some of them are pretty creative and funny in their references (resident evil!) 

Pathetic

Sub-Par Graphics
Gameplay tedious
Terrible Camera
Impossibly bad AI
Tacked on Multiplayer

Very Nice!

Surprisingly Addictive
Lots of Unlockables
Great Concept
Lots of Costumes

FINAL GRADE: D+

I wanted to give this game a decent score I truly did, but I couldn't excuse it's glaring faults.  I loved the concept and there are tons of ideas here that, if executed properly, could warrant a purchase.  As an Xbox Live Arcade title I'd say this game is worth a look, but as a full fledged store release, this game should definitely be avoided.  While not nearly as bad as some reviewers are trying to get you to believe (GamesRadar called it one of the worst games of 2010) it still is pretty bad and worth (at most) $20 and that's truly truly pushing it. 

Singularity Review (Xbox 360)

Singularity is probably a game that not too many of you have heard of.  It's a first-person shooter that involves futuristic weapons not unlike Half-Life 2.  Whereas Half-Life 2 came out 6 years ago and is considered a classic today, Singularity seems to be doomed to being overlooked in the already crowded FPS genre.  The question now is, should Singularity be overlooked?

To be honest, Singularity's story wasn't that appealing to me and seemed a little too wordy.  To sum things up, you are Captain Renko and are sent to a Russian island abandoned in the '50s.  You discover the TMD (Time Manipulation Device) and uncover the secrets as to what happened 60 years ago.  Along the way you fight various amounts of creatures and the Russian military on your way to discover what happened and..yadda yadda yadda.  The story is pretty standard fair and basically results in forcing the player to fight waves upon waves of enemies to push forward.  As for the gameplay itself, this is where the game shines.  The control set up is exactly like Call Of Duty (World of War was a carbon copy of Modern Warfare so why not again right Activision?)  The difference is that the grenade buttons are now used for your TMD.  For fans of Bioshock 2, the TMD looks like a complete ripoff of the Big Daddy's Plasmid, and seems to be even less useful, at least in the beginning.  The games main gimmick is that with the TMD, you can manipulate objects and enemies ages.  After giving it some thought, I feel it has potential, but still needs some work.  As the device stands, it's pretty effective but doesn't deliver the bigger picture like some fans may have hoped for (see Red Faction's destructible environments for reference).  I loved aging enemies and some environmental hazards, but overall it felt as if you were extremely limited to what you could manipulate (possibly addressed in a sequel?)

If I were to rate this game based on its single-player experience alone, it'd score a C+.  The story is kinda lame but interesting enough and the weapons and gun play are par for the course (although the bullet time is pretty cool.)  However, I can't deny that I am definitely enjoying it's multiplayer content.  You're given two game modes (hopefully more in a future update) including a basic team death match and another known as Extermination.  In multiplayer you either control the creatures or the military.  The military controls mimic the single player game and you have 4 different classes with their own unique special abilities.  The creatures on the other hand are seen from a 3rd person perspective and are each completely unique with their own set of specialties.  The military's abilities comprise of teleportation, healing, shielding, and pulsing.  Paired with their multiple guns and you can see how powerful the humans are.  The creatures have their own set of techniques and are completely varied.  I don't want to get into too many details but I actually have more fun being the creatures and manipulating their powers and abilities as opposed to the humans.  This is where the game gets interesting and shows the potential for a fun and varied squad based game.  Some characters are more rush-centric resulting in quick kills and instant results, but leave themselves open for attack.  Others are slower more defense oriented, but much stronger.  You must find a careful balance with your team to decide who will be a support character and who will be more in the heat of the action.  This is apparent in Extermination mode where the humans objective is to take over 3 beacons while the creatures attempt to defend.  The military must regenerate these beacons and then defend them for 20 seconds (see CoD Demolition mode).  The creatures must prevent the military from regenerating them, or destroy them so they become inactive.  Extermination is where I've spent most of my time with this game and I can tell you without a doubt that it's definitely a lot of fun.  The back and forth gameplay is enjoyable and I only wish that some of my other friends had the game so I can play with them. 

Pathetic

Single Player Mode offers little replay value; story gets kind of boring
Only two multiplayer modes can grow old quickly
Some segments are buggy and not fun at all
TMD has potential but still needs work
Near impossible to get a full multiplayer game
Multiplayer leveling system seems pointless

Very Nice!

Multiplayer is fun
Single Player is a fun ride while it lasts
Time Manipulation segments are interesting
Limb removing gunplay remains satisfying

FINAL GRADE: B

Singularity is a fun title that will most likely get looked over for other high caliber games released this summer.  While enjoyable, I can't say you should buy this game due to the sudden rush of grade A titles (Red Dead Redemption, Mass Effect 2, etc.)  If you're looking for a different FPS experience from Call of Duty, get Fallout 3 or Bioshock 2 instead.  Singularity is fun, but I don't recommend it unless you already have some of the other games I've mentioned.