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Total Reviews: 95
Average Overall Score Given: 7.99368 / 10
Total Forum Posts: 2014

Reviews
Double Dragon II: Wander of the Dragons

Revenge is a motive that can poison a soul and ultimately leave one worse off than before. This emotion is the backbone of one of the most iconic sequels in video games, Double Dragon II. The original Double Dragon starred two brothers, Jimmy and Billy Lee who were on a quest to rescue Billy's girlfriend Marian who had been kidnapped by the Shadow Warrior gang and their leader Willy. Seeking payback for losing the girl, the stage is set for this sequel as in the opening moments you bear witness to Marian's ultimate fate at what appears to be the Shadow Warriors attempting to have their revenge on the Lee brothers. While normally opening up with such a revelation is a bad thing, in this case you will thank us for doing so because that is ultimately the best part of the game. What was expected was a successful adaptation from classic and iconic retro gaming into current gen gaming bliss with eye popping graphics, intense music, and fluid gameplay that keeps you hooked for hours. Sadly you find none of this in this 800MS point game. Now before you rage off in disbelief, let us tell you why this is quite possibly one of the worst games available on the Xbox Live Arcade.

What was mentioned in the story above is pretty much the entire plot of the game, so any attempt to extract some form of meaningful information down the road is pointless given that this game is plagued with so many faults that you may not even want to finish the game. With that being said, let us explain in further detail. When you have a side scrolling action game it is without question and absolutely critical to have a fluid and responsive control scheme. Now in Double Dragon II what you find could easily be described as one of the most frustrating and anger inducing control scheme ever invented. You have just as much success and fun trying to play the game with your feet while blindfolded. This pathetic attempt is incredibly sad when you think that games back in the 16 bit era could somehow manage phenomenal side scrolling action games. It gets even sadder when you consider how this iconic series started back in the arcades and was such a monumental success.

If you thought that was the last of the abysmal faults of gameplay, sadly you're very mistaken. The core to the whole side scrolling action gameplay rests in the combat of the game itself, and we're sorry to say that Double Dragon II provides arguably one of the worst combat systems ever to be found on a console, arcade, or planet earth, you get the idea. It's not complex by any means. You have a punch combo or a kick combo and if you want to try and perform a more powerful move, then hold down the RT. Holding RT apparently creates this sort of super special power move, which ultimately is just the same move in slow motion and with no apparent dramatic benefit, thus making this move completely worthless. This combat system is tied hand in hand with the monumentally idiotic stamina system. Think of this system as a rechargeable bank of energy that allows you to pull off combos, sort of super moves, provided you have the amount of stamina to pull it off. What this means is that in the middle of a fight of, let's say three, enemies you may run out of stamina and the next thing you know you're getting banged from all sides in a nightmarish way.

It's not like you're without any form of defense though because if you hold LT you can perform a block which if timed right to the opponents attack will create what’s called a Perfect Guard that in theory will open up your enemy to a counter attack. While this may prove to be an opening for an attack, performing a Perfect Guard will also drain stamina, so if you do perform a Perfect Guard then your opportunity to perform a counter combo is dashed because you already have lost stamina by not throwing any sort of blow. When this stamina runs out it needs to recharge and thus opens you up to attacks from multiple enemies and multiple sides without any hope of recovery and the only outcome is your demise. If you can sit and play through Double Dragon II then you have the forgiveness, and patience of the Pope.

While yes the graphics do look a lot better than what we have seen in the 16bit era, or on the arcades, that doesn't really boost Double Dragon II's credibility. You could have golden 3D dragons flying out of the screen, and massive explosions going on all around you with scantily clad women draped everywhere and none of that would matter because you still have such a phenomenal steaming pile in your hands. Now that we have touched on the only good part of Double Dragon II, we thought it would be nice to come back to reality and deal with the issue of no online multiplayer. This is a game where the fun rests in going through missions with a friend, and while there is local co-op support, there is nothing outside of leaderboard support for the game's online capabilities. We find this appalling given the fact that the next generation console is rumored to be months away and thousands of titles with some from over half a decade ago providing fantastic online multiplayer support. This is completely inexcusable and yet another blow below Double Dragon's belt.

While we could go on about other issues such as the voice in the training area not saying the words indicated by the subtitles, the dumbed down computer AI, or the pathetic attempt to recreate some of the iconic music from yesteryear, but we won't. In fact there's nothing else to say really except that there is no logical reason on this planet, or in any physical plane of existence that would justify the reasoning of why you would ever consider not just playing, but purchasing this thunderous showcase of pure gaming trash. There are two words that describe what developer Gravity and publisher Cyberfront Korea Corporation have done to Double Dragon II by pricing it at 800MS points, blatant robbery. Please heed our warning dear gamers. This game needs to be avoided at all costs as cherished memories from the past will forever be bastardized with irrevocable and unrelenting pain and torment.

Suggestions: May the failures of this game give you the knowledge of what not to do in the future.

Overall Score: 1.8 / 10 Poker Night 2

Well helloooooooooooooooo gamers! It's your favorite cyber ninja, secret spy, international ladies’ man, Claptrap here to tell you about this new Xbox Live Arcade game from Telltale games called Poker Night 2! Apparently they needed some real star power to help sell this game which is why they called me! It only fits right? I mean I'm the one with a Spike VGA award for best character, so naturally my agent has been busy with so many offers for appearances and tire signings that now it's time to kick back, relax, and win a @#$% load of money! Now minion, in case you didn't know, Poker Night 2 is a sequel to the original Poker Night, hence the "2" part, but now instead of taunting virtual characters till they wallow in their own tears of fear and failure, you can actually win items for Borderlands 2 as well as items for your avatar! There's so much more to talk about minion, so for that, let’s kick this review off with.... another paragraph! AH HA!

Welcome minion to the Inventory! It's here where we find the most sadistic, confusing, and hilarious poker game ever to be found..... well, ever I guess. The field for this game is more hardcore than Moxxi and consists of this quiet, arrogant lone hero type guy named Ash Williams. Really? A guy named "Ash" gets his own video game called The Evil Dead? Seriously, were all the Christies taken? Any who, there's another guy named Brock Samson, who is built like a house but is dumb as a rock. He comes from a video game called The Venture Brothers, but I personally think that he holds a secret deep down inside that only booze can drag out of him! Then after what you call "normal" people, we have a giant dog wearing a suit named Sam who has this weird companion named Max who is mentally unbalanced, hungry, and armed to the teeth, all eight of them. This pair apparently stem from a series of games called.... wait for it... Sam and Max! These are going to be your opponents at the table minion and while there's nothing you can do about it, we've called in a special dealer just for you! May I present the one.... the only... GLaDOS! Now this is what I'm talking about! A robot fascinated by death and dismemberment, I'm all in, all in love! Psssstttt.... Don't tell Moxxi that. Speaking of Moxxi, we couldn't have a poker game without a bunch of intoxicating alcohol right? And guess who was looking for a group tip? Why the top heavy Moxxi of course! That’s right minion, all you need to do is flash a little cash and she'll get right to work serving you and all your friends! The real beauty here minion is that the dialogue between characters is so well written, it's only a matter of time before we win a Pulitzer Prize for our witty banter!

This time around minion we'll be playing two different styles of poker. First style on the table is No Limit Texas Hold'em. If you don't know your way around the felt its cool, here's a crash course. You start with two cards in your hand called hole cards. A round of betting starts, then three cards are dealt face up which is called the flop, and then another round of betting happens. After that a fourth card called the Turn is dealt and another round of betting happens. Finally the last card called The River is dealt and this is where dreams can turn into horrific nightmares that haunt generations of your kin! All you have to do is make the best possible five card hand and hope that it beats your opponents, and if it does, you win fame, glory, and riches for a lifetime, or until the next tournament starts. If you lose though, your friends will laugh and point at you, women will shun you and your family will probably disown you due to shame. There's another mode of poker though called Omaha which is almost identical to Texas Hold'em except you get four starting cards instead of just two. Like the old saying goes, double your pleasure, double your fun!

Now we couldn't just pile all these great characters together, drown them in booze, tears, and laughter and not expect to win anything right? Well since we're on the Xbox Live Arcade, there are some amazing prizes to win such as your very own Aperture Test Chamber or even Bloodwing from Borderlands 2! While having a massive bird for your avatar pet is nice, it's nothing compared to the gear you can win for Borderlands 2! We're talking fun loving, cross dressing excitement here! Zero apparently is very fond of Portal hence the reason he's dressed all cosplay like in a nice Portal helmet complete with a scary red eye thingy! There are even more prizes to win minion! Not only is all this content up for grabs, but each of us has a special reward you can win by first completing your challenges and then winning the tournament! Ash is offering up the Necronomicon which is just a dirty old book, but I am offering up my Spike VGA award! With all these new amazing super friends and jaw dropping prizes minion you'll quickly forget about your old friends who are less amazing than we are and for that reason we decided to have no multiplayer support what so ever!

So there you have it minion! Think you have the stones to throw stacks of money around and gamble your way to glory and greatness with the likes of all of us? Then throw down your 800 MS points and ante up! Fair warning though, we won't take it easy on you just because you bought our games and worship us silently in your room so be ready for the fight of your life! Who knows what will happen minion, but like Moxxi said to me last night, if you want to win sugar, you have to go all in. Welcome minion to Poker Night 2 on the Xbox Live Arcade! Heyooooo! Oh Steve says hi too.

Suggestions: Please work in multiplayer support with avatar importing.

Overall Score: 8.0 / 10 Sacred Citadel

From the title of this Xbox Live Arcade game alone your mind wanders and reminisces about the last Sacred game on the Xbox 360, Sacred 2. For those who haven't had the chance to enjoy Sacred 2, you are missing out on a fantastic, dungeon crawling, sandbox action RPG game. Inside Sacred 2 you will have six different characters to choose from with their own unique mounts to ride and with each of these characters you can chose to be light or dark. Being that it's a dungeon crawling, action rpg game you will find yourself neck deep in a sea of amazing weapons, armor, and loot and will draw you back for hours and weeks and months on end looking for better gear. With this, Sacred 2 packs a tremendous amount of character customization and when you factor in the different modifiers, the number of customization options seems limitless. The reason we just told you a very brief synopsis of Sacred 2 is because you will find almost none of this in the latest Xbox Live Arcade game, Sacred Citadel. 1200 MS points is a lot to ask for when it comes to arcade games, and with other heavy hitters in the genre such as Torchlight, will Sacred Citadel rise up to conquer or cower in shame and disgrace? Let's find out.

While the name of the world is the same (Ancaria), there is little to no similarities between the Ancaria of the retail games and the one found here in Sacred Citadel. There are more dramatic differences as well. For instance, the retail game Sacred 2 is a top down view of the land where you observe, direct, and command from on high. Here in Sacred Citadel each level is a pseudo 3D side scrolling environment where the action is up close and personal. That isn't the end though for the dramatic differences by any means. Gone are the six classes of characters to pick from and instead you have a group of four generic styled classes to choose from such as warrior, archer, shaman, and mage. Also gone are the individual classes of useable mounts and instead we get some generic mutant that looks like it was cross bred between a chicken and a triceratops then armor was put on it and a saddle. So far these dramatic changes have greatly altered from what makes Sacred such a great series, but maybe the gameplay and content will make up for this?

Sadly no it won't. Sacred Citadel's gameplay blueprint is something that one would find dating back to the 16 bit days of Golden Axe, and while some would think that to be a good thing, always remember that not everything ages well over the years. Your character will already start out with basic combo system, and when we say basic, we're talking about simple X, Y button presses. The X button is your basic attack and, yeah you guessed it, the Y button is your strong attack. Combos are initiated by pressing X first, then either up, down, left, or right on the LS and the Y button. There are more advanced combos that you can learn but they only involve more presses of the X or Y button. These combos can come in handy when you're faced with a bunch of enemies, but thanks to their dimwitted intelligence, you can run around, grouping them together in a bunch, then wail away on them until they all drop. While this gameplay is good in theory when you talk side scrolling action games, the whole movement and combat system feels over 10 years old with little to no refinement thus making it almost feel like a chore to play rather than a grand adventure, and that makes us melancholy given the wealth of potential and yet none of it used.

Now we know what you're thinking, Sacred 2 has tons of loot to collect so is it the same with Sacred Citadel? Yes and no. There are various types of weapons, which range from swords, axes, maces, hammers, bows, and more and each weapon carries a bonus attribute. For instance, swords can increase your chances of critical hits, while axes are unblockable and will always land an attack. There are other elemental bonuses that can be found attached to certain weapons as well and each of them provides another unique trait. Fire damage, as expected, will burn your enemy and cause damage after the initial attack lands, while spells such as lightning will stun enemies and keep them vulnerable to a second attack. There are also multiple armors to be found throughout the game and each as well provides different boosts and stat enhancements, however, after all this there is a lingering problem. Sacred 2 allowed you to customize multiple pieces of armor and unfortunately that is not something found in this game. This is a huge black eye given that Sacred has always been about customizing your player with new amazing gear and weapons, and that isn't found in this game. What a shame.

There are other aspects of this game that don't seem to fit the feel of the Sacred series. Aspects such as the poor attempts to knit humor into the plot or the fact that each of the four acts in the game are broken down into multiple, very short, side scrolling levels instead of one big world. While there are some similarities to be found, such as potions that can be collected and used in battle, or the distribution of character points after each time you level up, the differences you will find in Sacred Citadel amount to nothing more than a side scrolling hack and slash title instead of a dungeon crawling, loot hunting, action rpg game. Should you spend 1200 MS points on this latest entry into the Sacred series? Undoubtedly no. If you're looking for a generic side scrolling hack and slash game, then there are better ones to choose from, and if you're looking for a dungeon crawling experience that will keep you hunting for long periods of time, then again, there are better games to spend your hard earned points on.

Overall Score: 6.5 / 10 Battle Block Theater

With summer fast approaching and the well of amazing retail titles starts to temporarily dry up, it doesn't hurt to go looking to the Xbox Live Arcade for entertaining titles that will keep you gaming for hours upon hours. With that said and after a long and patient wait, Behemoth games finally releases a new title called Battleblock Theater, and for once in our gaming history we get to enjoy the unrelenting, powerful, and awe inspiring power of cats.

Known for such titles as Castle Crashers, Battleblock Theater provides another innovative platforming experience from the twisted minds at Behemoth. Priced at 1200 MS points, Battleblock Theater is one of the more expensive titles you can find on the XBLA, but is it worth it? Only one way to find out, so let's begin! First and foremost one thing has to be considered and that is the plot of this game is full of humor that wouldn't necessarily be geared more to children, or sane people for that matter. Everything seems to start off swimmingly for your hero and friends. Everyone is cruising along on a massive ship called FRIENDSHIP (get it?) and having a great time until your ship gets caught in a storm so large that Russell Crowe himself would have been cowering with fear. With no end of the storm in sight you end up shipwrecking off the coast of some exotic island which has been claimed in name of cats.

Right before your eyes, you witness your bestest friend in the whole universe, gets corrupted by powerful cat magic and forces him to be a bad guy. What’s his first order of business? Why it's to kidnap your other friends and hold them prisoner while they perform a dramatic theater production of platforming tension and death that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

With platforming being the central focus of Battleblock Theater it is absolutely critical that the play control of the game be next to perfect. Other games have suffered from either controls being too twitchy or too sluggish, but like Goldilocks, Battleblock Theater's control scheme hits very close to just right. Simple control setup such as punch, jump, use weapon, and suicide are complimented by responsive touches with both the left and right stick to produce a fluid and very responsive feel for the game. This plays into a major role when you find yourself trying to go from area to area and you have to contend with multiple different traps and obstacles. Each of these areas are divided up into smaller individual maps (which you can preview in the screen right above the doors themselves) and will force you to jump, double jump, vault, jet pack and more in order to collect all the gems and balls of yarn which will aid you in releasing your other captive friends and snag your character some fun new weapons such as a paper airplane.

There are a few innovations that bring more value as well to Battleblock Theater and that involves both the trading system and the level designer. At your fingertips you have the ability to create your very own levels and play them online with your friends and other gamers. With even most retail games not offering some form of level editing, it's a great surprise to have a platforming title on the XBLA offer this option up. Trading is also something that makes a revamped appearance in Battleblock Theater. By allowing you to trade for other prisoners, weapons, and more you get the sense that this is far more a social game than a single player platformer.

Deliberately done in a stick puppet theme, the graphics of Battleblock Theater are more humorous than eye blinding. The cinematic sequences between each chapter provide a comical experience comprised of the quality you could expect from say the earlier seasons of South Park. While the graphics have a deliberate funny feel to them, the soundtrack to Battleblock Theater could be classified as downright disturbing. While in the prison and selecting your level, your ears will be haunted by an eerie tribal riff which is complimented by the sounds of cats meowing over and over and over again. While the soundtrack is disturbing, the voice overs throughout the game provide another shot of comedy that is both strangely insulting and entertaining all at the same time. So now the curtain falls, and it's time to make a decision. "To buy, or not to buy, that is the question." The answer is a resounding yes. Even though 1200 MS points are a lot to spend on an arcade title, Battleblock Theater provides a hefty platforming experience coupled with a very creative and time exhausting level designer. When you add in the twisted humor that drowns every aspect of this game, what you get is a severely demented, yet very addicting and enjoyable platforming arcade game.

Overall Score: 8.7 / 10 Terraria

When you think of an Xbox Live Arcade game that lets you construct pickaxes, mine gold ore to be melted into bars, and traverse a wide open world both above and below ground you may be thinking of Minecraft, but now there's a new kid on the block. Conceived by 505 Games and originally released on PC before Minecraft, a port of Terraria released on the Xbox Live Arcade in an attempt to put a dent into the crown of the infamous time drainer. Priced at a whopping 1,200 MS points Terraria is one of the more expensive games on the Xbox Live Arcade, but the big question is though, is it worth it? Given that Terraria released before Minecraft, one would venture to guess that it is already poised for mining domination, but is it? Well to find out we grabbed our pickaxes and torches and set off into the depths to see what lurks down below.

Right from the beginning you will see that the biggest difference between both games is that Terraria is 2D compared to 3D and that everything around you will harken you back to the days of old 16 bit enjoyment. While there are other differences between the two, this is without a doubt the biggest. Given that this game is set to go toe to toe with Minecraft, let us show you some more similarities. For starters the whole menu system looks and feels almost like a direct copy of what you come to expect from Minecraft. Boxes and tabs indicate what you can build, smelt, etc. provided you have enough resources. This means that for those familiar to the menu and crafting system of Minecraft will find a slight learning curve, but you almost wonder how close to a legal battle Terraria actually is, given the sheer amount of similarities.

The plot behind Terraria is not only glacially slow, but pretty much nonexistent and consists of one main rule, explore and mine everything you can see both above and below ground throughout the world. To accomplish this you are given a straightforward control scheme that unfortunately doesn't seem to blend well with the controller and gameplay. The reasoning behind this is due to the fact that there are two different ways to mine. You can go full out ahead but your accuracy in choosing what blocks to mine will suffer greatly forcing you to make many repairs along the way. Then there is the more precise "mouse mode" which allows you to use your Right Stick to direct a cursor around your character to choose what particular block you want to mine. The latter method is far more exacting, but also far more time consuming. Deciding on what method you would like to use is as simple as clicking the RS, however, when you take into account Terraria's seemingly endless supply of evil baddies, you will find yourself clicking your Right Stick like crazy as you can easily forget that you're in precision mode and your cursor is pointing away from the enemies. Even though the control scheme works, in some aspects you get the sense that a little more refinement would have gone a long way into improving the overall gameplay experience. If you have a massive world to uncover, discover, and mine, your game must have a very fluid and user friendly control scheme and sadly you won't find that here.

To say that Terraria has a massive world is a huge understatement. Taking note of the width of the map you will find that it is a lengthy trek across, but what is more surprising than the width, is the depth of the world itself. Above ground the world is abundant with trees, mountains, various plants and more but what is more surprising is what resides below ground. Veins of different types of ores pulsate through the layers of dirt and stone, but what makes up Terraria's subterranean jewel are the different boss fights and regions below which even include the depths of Hell. On the surface, this seems to be all well and good, but there is a slight issue with this and that is that the pacing of the game itself makes you feel less inspired to spend the countless hours and days of mining stone and mud to get to one boss, then get killed and respawn what seems as an eternity away just to make the long walk back to battle. This goes to show that even though you may have content available, you have to make gamers actually want to devote their time to getting there, and otherwise, what’s the point?

All of these block breaking, enemy destroying, and land traversing experiences come blanketed in a very nostalgic 16 bit glory. Colorful sprites can be seen in every facet of Terraria and when you start taking into account the actual character creation process, dungeons, and boss areas, you can really get a feel for the 2D world of Terraria. If the graphical nostalgia wasn't enough to bring a smile to your face, the generic blippy soundtrack that courses through the game will. Think of this in terms of classic SNES soundtracks and you will pretty much hit the nail on the head.

So now the big question, is Terraria worth 1,200 MS points? Without hesitation, yes. Sure there may be issues that plague critical points and aspects of this game, but the addictive value in beating the ever loving crap out of the world in 16 bit glory will take a very long time to get old. Terraria may not make you say Mine who? or Craft what? However the overwhelming amount of content provided will gladly drain countless hours out of your life, and let's face it; if a game is doing that, then that must mean it's enjoyable and that is what is needed to create a very good game.

Suggestions: A little refinement with the controller interface and a bit faster pace with the gameplay.

Overall Score: 8.2 / 10 Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel

When video game companies want to make a blockbuster intense action game they seem to follow the same recipe as a Hollywood movie. Start with a very generic plot, add some supporting characters that no one will remember or care about, then spend the rest of the entire budget on weapons and creating as many explosions as possible. Then they go through the painstaking editing process to mix everything together, put some polish on at the end, then package it and send it out to the masses to enjoy. EA has been known to follow this formula to the letter and the latest installment in the Army of TWO series is no different. Time to choose your loadout because we are heading in to hopefully see the good, probably see the bad, and most likely the ugly with this review of Army of TWO: The Devil's Cartel. Incoming!

Army of TWO has always put plot on the back burner to focus almost entirely on creating over the top gunfights, executions, and as many explosions as you could possibly fathom. In this regard, the previous games gave you control of the duo Salem and Rios, but in this instance (for whatever unknown reason) you get control of two new overacting contractors called, wait for it... Alpha and Bravo. Either they were named by their parents after military checkpoints, or EA didn't have a phone book handy to pick random names from, and the hits keep on coming. The plot lines of the game itself are incredibly cliche, but more disappointing than that is the feel that EA decided to put more value on creating intense and crazy over the top gun battles than creating a meaningful reason to do so. So because of this decision, ultimately in the end the whole plot of Army of TWO: The Devil's Cartel seems to consist of brief cut scenes of choppy animation that lead right into more gunfire and explosions. We'd like to think that EA wanted more of a parody of iconic action movies and games with this latest Army of TWO, because if you go into this game thinking that the story is going to become a pillar of example for others to follow for the future, think again. If you think that Army of TWO will provide hours of mindless shooting and more explosions than Rambo could handle without any regard to a meaningful story, you're right on target.

If your intention is to create quality scene after scene of firefights and explosions, then you must have at least some adequate play control to support this endeavor. Unfortunately though for Army of TWO the control scheme feels like a cheap knock off of other top tier 3rd person shooters. The movement itself feels slow and unresponsive and the incredibly clunky cover system does very little to help make the game feel fluid and fast paced. There are other bugs and glitches with the gameplay that don't help matters either. For instance, many times when my character went into a melee kill that missed he would continue to swing away with his knife over, and over, and over again and while he was doing that, other enemies were firing off RPG's and heavy machine guns in my direction. Army of TWO: The Devil's Cartel does offer a wide variety of customizable weaponry but unfortunately that seems to be the only thing of any value to the game that would make you want to keep on playing and when that becomes the case, it may be time to totally rethink the series. There is though one innovation to the gameplay that tries like a defibrillator to shock some entertainment and enjoyment back into the game, and that is the Overkill system.

Essentially when you kill enough enemies your Overkill meter will fill up and once full can be activated to temporarily make your character invincible and when both you and your partner activate it the game will take on a slow motion feel allowing you to exterminate any and all living things around you. While this adds a lot to the overall enjoyment of massive death and destruction, it unfortunately can't bring the control scheme back to life. All of these poor gameplay mechanics ultimately give Army of TWO: The Devil's Cartel a massive black eye and when you take into account all that must be done to create a fluid combat system, you feel yourself scratching your head and wondering how EA could see the final product and approve of its release. Even though the plot is almost nonexistent and the play control is about as fluid as concrete, that is unfortunately the tip of the iceberg of issues that face this latest Army of TWO.

As the title of the game implies in capital letters, Army of TWO means that the beating heart of this game revolves around a cooperative experience and the issues that plague that factor almost make this game stillborn. If you are deciding to tackle this game in a single player fashion then be prepared to face a crippling downfall, the online game invite. If you have an open session and someone decides to join it, you must first complete the chapter before they can enter your game, but here is the kicker: you will have to start your chapter over from the beginning. Apparently there is no fluid drop in/out system implemented but there are more faults as well with the whole game invite system. It isn't uncommon to get spammed with multiple invites to join, but the downfall to this is that the game pauses every single time you receive one of these pop up invites and if you are in the process of going into cover, you run a high risk of unknowingly accepting the invite and thus undoing all of your hard work in your current mission. Bear in mind that this is the third installment in the Army of TWO series but you often wonder how much slack you can give a franchise before you totally overhaul the co-op experience and start from scratch because you realize that your current co-op system is relatively poor.

If you thought that the negatives would have stopped there, we're sorry to say that you're mistaken. One characteristic that has made some other mediocre action games somewhat tolerable would be the inclusion of fluid and beautiful graphics. Sadly, this isn't the case here. When you first pop the game in you are given the option to install an extra 1.5GB of data which apparently is an HD graphics pack. Now why this option even exists is a mystery to us but even with this optional content installed the graphics themselves suffer from choppy frame rates and an overall low resolution style feel.

The character modeling is acceptable but given what other examples we have seen from other companies, there is little room for forgiveness here. You could say that the game is held back by the technology of the platform, but where others have succeeded, Army of TWO: The Devil's Cartel falls flat on its face. Along with the average graphical display, there isn't much in terms of supporting sound either. To break this down think of three categories: dialogue, gunfire, explosions. While the dialogue is somewhat comedic in nature there isn't much in terms of quality audio that help bring this game back from the dead.

As mentioned earlier, this is the third game in the Army of TWO series and in this latest release there are far too many issues and problems to just turn a blind eye and forgive. Poor gameplay mechanics mixed with a cliche and overacted story combine with mediocre graphics and choppy frame rates to create a game that by now has had more than enough opportunity to produce a quality title. On top of all of these previous issues, Army of TWO: The Devil's Cartel is priced at full retail price of $59.99 and that almost makes it feel like an insult to gamers. When you add in the disappointing co-op experience, which we may remind you, is the backbone of the whole Army of TWO core, what you're left with is a game that does little to deliver any sort of quality, long lasting, or even memorable gaming experiences.

Suggestions: Completely overhaul the co-op experience and even though it's never been done in the past, try to include some form of meaningful story that compels gamers to want to play more of the game. Also fine tune the gameplay mechanics and the whole online invite system as well. Then develop some way to allow gamers to keep what progress they have made if they decide to join another game in progress instead of just having to start all the way over from the beginning of the chapter. Ultimately, it's time to completely rethink and overhaul the entire Army of TWO.

Overall Score: 5.2 / 10 Dollar Dash

Sometimes sticking to the basics in video games is more than enough to produce a very successful title. Elements such as engaging a community of gamers, very simplistic controls, and straight forward goals that allow for constant and evolving gameplay are but some of the basics that companies must get right in order to secure a victory on any platform. This brings us to the game Dollar Dash by Kalypso Media. Priced at 800 MS points and available on the Xbox Live Arcade, Dollar Dash is fairly straight forward. The rule of the game is simple, steal every dollar you can from the levels and any other fellow thieves, first one to steal the required amount is the winner. Now let's see if this game can sneak away with our 800 MS points, or if it gets caught red handed.

When you begin your crime spree the first thing you will notice is that Dollar Dash makes you feel like you've stepped back in time to the 1930's-40's era with characters that go over the top when it comes to stealing that hard earned cash. The menu system is fairly straight forward allowing you to do one single player training session called Boot Camp before you go toe to toe with other thieves from around the world. After that one single player mission you will have to fight on in multiplayer through three different types of capers. The first one is called Dollar Dash where the object of the game is simple, when you find money sprouting up throughout the levels, collect as much as you can in your bag, run to the drop off point to "bank" your stash, then rinse and repeat until the cash goal is reached, then start a new game. While the gametype itself is simplistic, when you throw in the mix a bunch of other gamers and all of you blasting away with weapons and defensive options, you will quickly realize that holding onto all that cash is a lot harder than originally thought.

The second gametype is called Hit'n'Run and this mode is even more basic than the previous one. Using the weapons provided in the level, blast apart every other opponent to earn cash. There isn’t any drop off points to dilute the action, so what you are left with is just massive carnage that is never ending. Every time you knock out a player your character earns cash; knockout enough players to hit the target cash goal and you'll steal yourself the victory. The third and final gametype is called Save the Safe and involves a massive safe that your character must pick up and hold onto so your character can start making money. While this is going on though, you'll have your opponents firing away at you trying to make you drop your safe. When you add the fact that your character runs slightly slower while carrying the safe, it goes without question that this gametype also provides fast paced, explosive fun.

The reason we say explosive is because the amount of over the top weaponry in Dollar Dash is extensive. Ranging from Nuclear weapons and stun guns, to snowballs and vacuum cleaners, Dollar Dash gives you a lot of tools to use to steal every dollar you can from your opponents. You can't have a good offense without a good defense and that is where you can obtain some tide turning items that will shift victory into your favor. Items such as the Jelly mold will deflect any incoming armaments for a short time and items such as the bear trap will snag enemies and cause them to drop some of their own cash allowing you to swoop in and pick it up. There are other special items that can be picked up throughout the levels and these special items give you temporary perks such as increased speed, cloning, invisibility, and more. When you combine all of this into one contained arena level, you end up with nonstop action in every game.

While you may be thinking you're the top thief around, Dollar Dash allows you to customize your thief with a hefty amount of personalization options. Options such as changing your hat and face are all pretty standard, but you can also change out different perks for your character such as immunity to fire or increasing the size of your sack. There are literally hundreds of items to unlock for purchase, however, to obtain these things requires you to do something rather unfortunate, which leads us to the main problem with Dollar Dash, and it's quite a big one at that.

The issue in question is repetition. Earlier we mentioned that games like Bomberman allowed for an incredibly fun experience and it allowed customization as well, however, Dollar Dash is far from having the same quality experience. Repeating loops of music, top down view of the arena, and multiple characters on the screen at the same time all sound like qualities of Bomberman, but Dollar Dash though just doesn't provide the same type of entertainment or excitement that grasped us back in the days. Even though the graphics are not the worst, they aren't the best either and it really doesn't matter since like we stated earlier, you're looking from the top down on your character, so customizing it is almost relatively pointless, and if that becomes the case, then why play to earn cash and unlock new items?

So has Kalypso released a game about comedic thieves that provides many hours of enjoyment and excitement? Sadly no they haven't. Priced in at $10 (800MS points) when you think of what other amazing games are available for the same price, Dollar Dash won't stand out in a lineup. This game could do incredibly well if it were a $2-$5 mobile app, but instead it's a $10 Xbox Live Arcade game that should sneak away in the night and be happy to count the actual money that does come in from the sale of Dollar Dash.

Overall Score: 7.0 / 10 Bioshock Infinite

In the pantheon of video games the title Bioshock sent smiles across faces of gamers around the world. Millions who realized that they were about to embark on a twisted and dark journey that would ultimately test the limits of their very own sanity. Phrases like "Would you kindly" set the stage for what could be argued as one of the biggest surprises in video game history, and, originally set in depths of the sea, provided a haunting, claustrophobic stage from which survival became almost an unreachable dream. It has been a long time since the minds of Irrational Games took us beyond the sea but now in their latest release, Bioshock Infinite, gamers arise from the depths below to take to the clouds and the skies above as the sunken landscape of Rapture is left behind for the soaring city of Columbia. Come with us as we look into the heart and mind of Columbia and examine what makes Bioshock Infinite a possible crown jewel of video gaming.

Straight away Bioshock Infinite sets you as the role of Booker DeWitt on your way to a remote lighthouse which apparently is the gateway to Columbia. The reasoning for your voyage there is clouded at first but the one certainty is that you must find the girl to wipe away a debt. Mystery clouds your initial arrival, but few details that you do gain in the beginning allow you to unravel the many layers of intrigue only to be left with more questions in your mind. A top quality story has always been the backbone of any Bioshock game, and in Bioshock Infinite the trend continues. Instead of a story that plunges you head first against an adversary and their challenges, Bioshock Infinite takes it's time to prepare and set many stages that ultimately in the end become incredibly satisfying and allow your mind to play tricks upon itself thus dramatically increasing the psychological aspect of the game. Think of Bioshock Infinite's story more in terms of parts of a play where each act not only brings you one step closer to solving your mystery, but also adds additional questions for you to think about. The story itself though wouldn't be as compelling if it weren't for the girl herself, Elizabeth.

This innovative take on the single player experience is one that was a big risk for Irrational Games due to the fact that some games in the past that offer a companion don't fully utilize them and thus making them feel more like baggage than an actual companion, but not in Bioshock Infinite. When you think of Elizabeth's character you can easily draw reference from the childhood tale Rapunzel where a young girl is trapped in a tower from which she must be rescued, except instead of a gallant hero we have a protagonist with a shady past and instead of saving her from a witch, you have to contend with the Song Bird. Elizabeth however, offers up more than just an NPC character with a few lines of dialogue. She has the ability to do many things such as: look through items to collect resources to give to you, pick open locks, point out hidden areas of exploration or valuable items, and even do quite well in battle. These abilities though pale in comparison to her greatest power, tearing. These tears in space time allow you to gain resources such as health and ammo but can also provide paths for navigation and more. Aside from all of this Elizabeth's character also will interact with other NPCs in Columbia including various machines which all adds to the wealth of the character and in the end adds a wealth of meaning to the character and the story as well.

Being that previous Bioshock games have tried to bring innovation to a first person gameplay experience, Bioshock Infinite goes to great lengths to bring back that unique quality gameplay. The plasmids of old have been replaced by Vigors but that doesn't mean that the joy or lethality has been lessened in the slightest. Vigors will allow you to harness powers such as fire, electricity, crows, possess enemies, and more. Now though you have options in the forms of combinations and traps. Instead of using the crow vigor you can hold the button down to throw a crow trap that if any enemy sets it off, a murder of crows circle around the enemy tearing it apart slowly piece by piece while you watch and hear your enemy scream for mercy. These Vigors are not just one trick pony though, they can be upgraded to increase damage, area attacks, and even have your enemies kill themselves. The possession vigor allows you take control of an enemy or machine to temporarily aid you in a battle, but once the vigor is upgraded your enemy NPC that you possess will kindly commit suicide. These combinations of different vigor powers greatly increases your options and enjoyment in battle and to be honest, there's something satisfying seeing an enemy survive a murder of crows only to attack you with part of a face that’s recognizable but that’s where another strength of Bioshock Infinite resides.

Jaw dropping, breathtaking, heavenly. Any of these words could blanket any discussion about Bioshock Infinite's graphics. Everything from the other NPC characters, to the environment, to the special effects has been polished with tremendous attention to detail making every moment in Bioshock Infinite a wondrous moment to see. The flying buildings and mammoth airships that cascade through the clouds are populated by a wide variety of NPC characters that create one of the most beautiful settings of any game. We did experience some graphical glitches with some out of place textures but those very few and hard to see glitches paled in comparison to the overall magnitude of beauty all around you. While the graphics of Bioshock Infinite make you feel closer to the heavens than ever before, the audio will immerse your mind into the society and psychological aspect of the game. Listening to other NPC conversations provide a tremendous amount of backstory on what life in Columbia is really like, and the musical score does great justice to the year 1912. Without question, it really is spectacular to witness every moment of this game.

As stated earlier you will come across a wide variety of NPC characters in Columbia, but that also means that your enemies have changed. Now gone are the splicers but only to be replaced by a militarized force of police, guards and of course, automatic turrets. One character that has been an iconic staple of the Bioshock series has always been the Big Daddies, but now they are replaced by the Handymen who are monstrous in size, very aggressive in temper, and viciously powerful. These massive brutes are a force to contend with so keep the strategy simple, aim for the heart and don't stop firing. While the Handymen may be massive, the Songbird is gigantic. Imagine a massive bird of prey that is six stories high and has one purpose in life, to protect Elizabeth in the tower at any cost.

It is very rare to find a game that delivers such a top quality experience in almost every field, but Bioshock Infinite does just that. Innovations in character development, gameplay, and story really help take Bioshock Infinite out of the shadows of Rapture and into the light of Columbia. Without a doubt, Irrational Games and 2K have done what very few thought would be possible and that is bring out a Bioshock game that not only lives up to the high quality standards that we all know and love but exceeds almost every expectation we as gamers have for the franchise. As the sun sets on the life of the Xbox 360 we as gamers raise our glass to thank the folks at Irrational Games and 2K for providing one last breathtaking tapestry of psychotic beauty on this console.

Overall Score: 9.6 / 10 Darkstalkers Resurrection

When you hear the phrase fighting game, there's a strong chance you will think of the company Capcom. For decades they have strived to obtain the fighting game crown with their most popular franchise, Street Fighter. However, there is a series from Capcom that while not as main stream as Street Fighter, has gained an almost cult like following and that series is Darkstalkers. Molded from the same formulas as Street Fighter, Darkstalkers brought to the ring a slew of characters ranging from those found in horror movies, to children's stories and more, which in turn, provided Capcom a way to seemingly re-invent the wheel.

Using a few innovative (for the time) gameplay additions such as air guards and ex attacks allowed Capcom to create a fighting game with a very fluid and fast paced feel to it. This is the fundamental core of what makes Darkstalkers a dark horse fighting game. The Darkstalkers faithful have lit their candles for years in hopes that Capcom will release a new installment of the franchise. Instead of granting that wish though, Capcom has decided to test the patience of those faithful by releasing HD remakes of Darkstalkers Night Warriors and Darkstalkers 3 into one release on the Xbox Live Arcade for 1200 MS points. Side scrolling, button mashing, screen flashing moves have always been the backbone of the Darkstalkers series. Given the fact that there are two separate games in this release, let's take them one at a time and see if you should be spending your 1200 MS points on this, or something else.

Darkstalkers Night Warrior is the first title in this double feature and from the beginning it will instantly appeal to the hardcore fans as well as provide a great way for those new to the series to jump in and play. The customizable six button configuration remains intact and if you do not have an arcade stick you're in luck, because you can customize the layout to suit the controller. There is a single player arcade mode which allows you to select any of the demons available and twist your way through the dark levels honing your skills as you prepare to take on the world in the very solid multiplayer option. It's in here where you can configure your search by not only region but also player level and ping time as well so you will know ahead of time what you are getting yourself into. There are other options within multiplayer such as tournament and there's even the new innovation of syncing your Xbox 360 to YouTube to display your unholy dominance to the world.

Already known for being a beautiful and colorful fighting game, Capcom has done a fantastic job with providing the HD remake for Darkstalkers Night Warrior. Now the backgrounds look more vibrant and the colorful characters we know and love look absolutely brilliant. Now when you manage to pull off special moves and connect that 20 hit combo, the screen lights up in a spectacular fashion bringing to life every aspect of this HD remake. Originally releasing on the Sega Saturn system back in 1997, Capcom has done a fantastic job resurrecting the classic joy we had back in 1996 and bring it into today's world. With one of the two Darkstalkers games showcasing some amazing beauty in the new HD remake, time to press onward now to the next game included with this Darkstalkers Resurrection arcade title, Darkstalkers 3.

Originally released back in 1998, Darkstalkers 3 has arguably been hailed as one of the definitive titles in the franchise. Knowing that a large and loyal following would be combing over every detail of this game, Capcom set out to give this game a facelift that any Hollywood plastic surgeon would admire. While the core gameplay remained, there were a few changes however to how the matches were played. Instead of opting for a more traditional round system, Darkstalkers 3 implemented a system that made each fight one round but allowed each person a dual life bar that when drained would signal your character "downed" and after the second bar was lost, the match was over.

Capcom has done a terrific job keeping the gameplay as original and hectic as it was before, but not contempt to rest there, Darkstalkers 3 has been given such a tremendous HD remake to the graphics that the entire package looks simply stunning. Bright, vibrant colors grace every inch of every level and the character models of the fighters look like they have aged better than Dick Clarke. It goes without saying that Capcom has done a magnificent job bringing these two aged classics back to life.

There are a few drawbacks though, and that mostly rests within the content provided, or should I say not provided. This isn't the first time these games have been released, yet in previous releases, we as gamers were treated with more content such as a chaos tower mode, more characters, etc. Capcom though does include an innovative challenge system where you can go through different tiers of challenges to level up your "player" and unlock various artworks, movies, and more. This extra content though serves very little purpose to gamers and in the end seems to bring down the overall title itself. Had there been more content, then it could easily be worth the 1200 MS points ($15); however, when it comes to just purchasing the content provided and then waiting to purchase more DLC for the game that should have already been included, Darkstalkers Resurrection should rest in peace.

Overall Score: 8.0 / 10 Tomb Raider

There is one word that seems to be becoming a growing trend in the video game world and that is reboot. It's this word that we have seen developers and publishers alike throw around when talking about iconic video game franchises and their future. What a reboot means is essentially take every game prior to this latest release and throw it away. Then focus on beginning another story with this new game. Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics have decided that the next video game to receive a reboot is the Tomb Raider franchise and the once overly voluptuous Lara Croft. If you haven't played any Tomb Raider games before in the past, you're in luck since this is now the official beginning of the series. If you have played any or all previous games, forget everything you already know because all the other Tomb Raiders are now obsolete and the Tomb Raider official cannon apparently starts now.

When you hear the title Tomb Raider your mind instantly snaps to qualities such as: amazing treasure, perplexing puzzles, quick reflexed combat, body destroying traps, and more. It's these core platforming mechanics that must not only be introduced, but overhauled from scratch due to the reboot and still provide the utmost quality and if possible, improve on what we all know and love about the game. To accomplish this herculean feat Crystal Dynamics set off to provide gamers a quality balance of exploration and puzzle solving mixed together with intense but fluid combat and cinematic beauty. And they topped it all off with some high quality polish that brings Lara to life like we've never seen her before. On paper all of this sounds like a great recipe to make a truly spectacular game so has Crystal Dynamics' reboot of Tomb Raider found the discovery of a lifetime or does it get crushed to death by a rock? Let's find out.

First and foremost you have to understand that in this reboot of Tomb Raider, we are literally experiencing Lara in her infancy when it comes to exploration and hunting treasure. While the beginning of the game does very little to help establish any sort of meaningful connection with your supporting cast, it does though manage to integrate past experiences throughout the game in order to allow some form of meaning when it comes to your team. One of Crystal Dynamics' biggest successes with this reboot of Tomb Raider is how we as gamers get to experience Lara's evolution and growth as she progresses through the story. While the beginning tutorial of the game is relatively slow with occasional moments of high paced action, you will find that once you progress through the basics of Tomb Raider, the world opens up to you and allows you one amazing experience after another. Make no mistake, this story of Tomb Raider is a dark way to begin the reboot experience, however, when faced with challenges head on that involve choices that impact whether you live or die, you do what you have to do to survive.

Now that Crystal Dynamics have provided a dark, evolving story of Lara Croft, their next success comes from their gameplay mechanics. Scampering up walls to higher ledges, flying down zip lines, jumping from platform to platform on your way to treasure are just a few of the platforming elements that made all the previous Tomb Raider games what they are, and in this latest reboot of the franchise we experience a very fluid and straight forward control scheme which allows you to focus more on exploration and combat than camera control and checkpoints.

Not stopping there, Crystal Dynamics has also included some new gameplay innovations to Tomb Raider that push the single player experience from great, to absolutely brilliant. This is accomplished by adding the ability to upgrade Lara's characteristics such as getting more xp from hunting animals, to scavenging more scrap to allow you upgrade your equipment and weapons faster and so on. Yes scavenging for scrap is what it will take to survive through Tomb Raider. This is how the second innovation takes shape. Crystal Dynamics is allowing Lara to upgrade her equipment via the use of scavenged scrap which you can find from animals (with the right character boost purchased), enemies, chests, etc. These upgrades are weapon specific; however, they greatly change the mechanics of gameplay when you start getting deeper into the story of Tomb Raider.

Graphically speaking, Tomb Raider and Lara Croft have never looked better. Stunning rays of light creep through the foliage while cascading waterfalls produce breathtaking backdrops to your adventures. Lighting effects from your torch and campfires are gorgeous and even the Tombs themselves are beautiful in their own dark and perplexing way. Even though the graphics are blindingly beautiful, adding additional support from the sound department allows the island and all its inhabitants the treasure seeking experience of a lifetime. Crackling of fires, creaking of foliage under your feet, the voice over acting, all of it and more has been done with precision detail giving your ear drums an auditory sensation like no Tomb Raider ever before.

Now everything so far sounds pretty good, however, there are a few drawbacks that cause Tomb Raider to take an arrow... nevermind. The main drawback of Tomb Raider rests squarely on the multiplayer. While the single player is done brilliantly with only a few minor drawbacks, the multiplayer however does not feel as polished as the campaign, is a pain to get loaded up and configured, and ultimately is the most broken and boring aspect of the game itself. You can find Atlantis in the time it takes to load one multiplayer game and in-between rounds you have time to write a bestselling novel based off your adventure. The level design is not the best and when you get to the point where you can customize your loadouts in multiple ways, you will have already lost interest because you will feel that Tomb Raider's multiplayer was compiled at the last minute and when you throw in a poor multiplayer into a stellar single player story mode, that really does give Tomb Raider a black eye.

So overall has Crystal Dynamics pulled off a successful reboot of the Tomb Raider franchise? Undoubtedly so. By providing a dark and ominous storyline with exceptional play control mechanics and a vast island to explore with secondary tombs to uncover, this is the Tomb Raider that gamers around the world have been waiting for. Stunning graphics, amazing sound quality, and innovations for both weapon and character upgrades make this adventure one that shouldn't be missed. Throughout the past few years there have been reboots of other franchises, but none of those can compare to the quality that Crystal Dynamics brings in their reboot of one of the greatest platforming, adventure franchises of all time; Tomb Raider.

Suggestions: Either improve on the multiplayer to bring it to the quality of the single player experience, or let it go to focus only on the single player experience. Also some more depth to the secondary characters to help give the story more of a sense of meaning and involvement between the characters.

Overall Score: 9.0 / 10 Capcom Arcade Cabinet

If you're reading this and you consider the original Xbox an antique and you wonder to yourself "What exactly, is an arcade?" then what you're about to read may astonish you. Back in the day there wasn't facespace or mybook or gitter or toogle, instead there were arcades. Areas that was local around your city where masses gathered and not only gamed together but socialized together. Instead of spending money for digital content on a facespace game, gamers poured small fortunes of quarters over and over again until closing time. This "Golden Age" of gaming resulted in some of the most iconic games we have ever played and could easily be considered the foundation of the games we know and play today. Many companies tried their best to bring gaming to a whole new world and without question Capcom could be considered one of the best.

To bring this classic feel to life, Capcom has attempted to deliver some of these amazing games to us in a virtual arcade cabinet form. The setup is fairly straight forward but the amount of content provided is absolutely staggering. For starters, Capcom is offering a triple pack of games for 400 MS points. This could be looked at as the "starter pack" for the arcade. The virtual cabinet you access should be considered more of a portal where you can scroll through the onscreen games list, select the game you want and whisk yourself away to days of big hair bands, spandex, and leg warmers of the mid to late 1980's. This however isn't just a one trick pony ride. Included in the first pack of games that you get for your initial 400 MS points are: Black Tiger, Avengers (no not those Avengers), and 1943: The Battle of Midway. While the first two may be unknown to some of the gaming community, 1943 becomes the "one you know" game to play. This gives you the feeling of going to a concert hoping to hear one song, then finally you hear it and all is right with the world again.

Capcom isn't stopping there thankfully as there will be additional games introduced between now and May 21. These packs will cost 800 MS points each but if there is only one or two games you want, then Capcom is allowing you to purchase each game individually for 320 MS points. In total there will be 15 games released and if you pick up all the other games, then Capcom will give you a bonus game pack of two games to be named latter so ultimately you will end up with a total of 17 brilliant arcade games! Some of the other games to be released that could be considered must haves are: Ghosts n Goblins, 1942, Section Z, Commando and more. After the dust has settled and the magic day of May 21 arrives, you will be able to purchase a complete arcade package for the price of 2000 MS points. While that sounds like a big price, this game actually becomes cheaper if you pursue this option and that to us doesn't provide any reason to purchase these when they release. Here's what we mean. There are a total of five game packs and outside the initial starter pack for 400 MS points, each is priced at 800 MS points, so for you to purchase everything is 3,800 MS points. According to Capcom though, if you wait until May 21 then you get everything including the bonus games for only 2,000 MS points. So let me repeat that, you get everything for 1,800 MS points less than you would if you were to buy all the packs when they release. This right here folks is the find of a lifetime.

Yes these are the original games that brought us years of enjoyment back in the day, however, Capcom has allowed us to configure the play, difficulty, screen size, and more of each and every single game released. While achievements won't be earned in most of these more casual game modes, these do offer you the chance to enjoy a game that may have haunted you before with failure in the past without having to worry about breaking your controller or swearing like a sailor at the screen. One beauty of these games that we miss in some of today's titles is the simplistic ease of use controls. No messy camera angles only you, your game, and the challenge that waited ahead. True we won't get to see realistic lighting and shadow effects that resemble reality or character facial expressions that are so lifelike we could swear we were looking into a mirror. Instead we are given 8-Bit greatness. Graphics from a time where artists had to become magicians with squares and still managed to surprise us for many years to come.

So now the big question, is the Capcom Arcade Cabinet worth the MS points? Well the honest answer is both yes and no. If you enjoy going back in time to a "Golden Age" of gaming, then yes, without question you should pick it up and enjoy every moment of it. However, if you only want a couple of the games, then picking them up individually is more suited for you instead of the massive 800 MS point game packs, but if you want all the games and all the content, then wait until May 21 and pick everything up for 2000 MS points. Thank you Capcom for giving a vast majority of gamers their childhood dreams back.

Overall Score: 7.3 / 10 Crysis 3

In the video game universe you often find a few diamonds amongst the collective mediocrity. Every genre of video game suffers from this truth, and in the realm of first person shooters; this is where the big boys come to play. Originally on the consoles we had a choice between Call of Duty, Battlefield, and Halo. For the longest time the PC gaming community hoarded like Gollum, a secret first person shooter game that has not only been the punch line of many jokes when it comes to the size of your um... graphics card, but has also led the forefront assault to deliver some of the most beautiful gameplay around. Finally after years of demand by the console community, Crysis found its way home. While the PC loyalists still proclaim it to be the best on their system (which they are speaking truth), however when you enter the gaming world on a console a fifth the cost of a top end graphics card, you will truly be surprised by what can be accomplished. For years since Crysis 2 released, the Xbox world has waited patiently in hopes that Crysis 3 will finally release and provide us all another amazing experience while wearing one of the most bad ass outfits ever conceived for a video game, the nano suit. It's time to get behind the visor and see for ourselves what the good and bad elements are of Crysis 3.

When we hear the name Crysis we automatically have a bar very high in our minds where we see how the evolution of technology and game development is going and want that same evolution applied to the already stunning Crysis games. Crysis 3 from Crytek sets out to achieve that mark, but unfortunately there are some soft spots in the armor, but we'll get to those here shortly. For starters one of the softer points of the Crysis games has always been the story. While the campaign itself is always done in stunning beauty, the story itself left gamers with a deflated feeling given the sheer magnitude of production that went into development. This unfortunate feeling still persists in Crysis 3 today. While you do play the role of Prophet that is awakened over 20 years and reunited with one of his old friends Psycho, the overall feeling throughout the story is lacking in substance and emotion. While a letdown already going into Crysis 3, this is not something new so we can't bear much weight against it on this issue.

For those who haven't played any Crysis games, your character wears what is called a nano suit which enhances your speed, strength, intelligence, and more. The suit also offers you the ability to switch between stealth like cloak where you are merely a faint ghostly outline of yourself or an increased armor mode where you may move slower but you will be able to absorb a lot more damage before falling. This innovation has been with us since the beginning but now the people at Crytek have decided that you need to add a very destructive compound bow to your disposal. While you may be saying, "oh great, a bow against heavily armed military and alien forces, yeah this will go over well." Your sarcastic thought will leave you eating humble pie for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Let us explain why. If you decide to go all stealth like in your gameplay approach, any gunfire of yours will not only make a lot of noise, but significantly drain your suit's replenishable energy supply and thus draining any cloak or hope you had of making it through ten guards on patrol. Now I said gunfire and that’s because if you use your bow there is very little reduction to your energy supply, meaning that you can fire an arrow cloaked, and remain cloaked after the shot. So now you're probably thinking, "So what if I'm cloaked after the shot, it's an arrow against enemies with advanced weapon systems and body armor." Here is where your 2nd serving of humble pie comes to the table.

The bow in Crysis 3 is in the same customizable boat along with almost every other weapon in the game. There are two points you can customize on the bow. The first option you can configure is your draw power. This allows you to optimize your bow for how you want to play. A higher draw will result in more power and more accuracy, but it will take longer to set up the shot; whereas a lower draw will result in quicker, but maybe not as lethal of a shot. The second customization point involves the arrow tips themselves. Outside of the standard razor tips, you can equip a timed explosive, electrocution, or proximity arrowheads which can really catch enemies by surprise, especially since you can remain cloaked after firing off an explosive arrowhead. The weapon customization feature is something that isn't new, however that doesn't mean it's a bad thing, especially when you're configuring powerful sniper rifles, heavy assault rifles and more.

One of the main strong points of the Crysis games has always been the graphical beauty of the game itself, and Crysis 3 truly pushes the envelope as to what we would think to be possible on consoles that we as a public already consider to be very dated. Back in the day you would read of people boasting about the specs in their brand new gaming computer, but when one question was asked, very few could raise their hands and the question was: "Can it run Crysis?" Given the fact that the technology inside the Xbox 360 is very limited and in some eyes, antiquated, Crytek goes a long way to showcase what can be done on such outdated technology in Crysis 3. Brilliant lighting effects, gorgeous detailed environments, and spectacular special effects combine together to create something so breathtaking that every level of play becomes unbelievably enjoyable. While the graphics of Crysis 3 are simply stunning, the sounds of Crysis 3 are sadly not up to par. It almost seemingly becomes a balancing of corporate resources and while the graphics team received the lion's share, you get the feeling that the sound and story departments scavenged for scraps.

Given the fact that the replay value of each level of Crysis 3 is very high, if you wanted to take your skills behind the visor against the world, then Crysis 3's multiplayer has you covered. While the traditional modes such as Deathmatch and Capture the Flag (Relay) make their presence known, gaming modes such as Hunter and Spears make their debut and offer up some innovative new ways to play Crysis 3. Hunter mode is just what the name implies. You become the prey of C.E.L.L. and are forced to stay alive but without stealth. Get killed and your character will turn into a hunter with a bow equipped. Spears could be considered to be Crysis 3's answer to a conquest style gameplay. When teams fight to take control of a spear, the winning team to capture it does not have to be near the spear in order to gain points. This aspect puts an innovative and action packed twist that will provide multiple hours of excitement.

While some Crysis 3 gamers may miss the truly open world of the original Crysis, Crytek goes to great lengths to create a vast open series of levels that while may ultimately seem linear, provide expansive gameplay choices and decisions that impact how the game plays out for you. There have been a few bugs and issues that have been encountered as we played through, while some were small, others involved the sound completely cutting out or stuttering throughout the cinematic sequences. These little glitches and bugs though can be found in almost any game and we're predicting a patch in the near future to resolve this little annoying issues and bugs.

While Crysis 3 does not do a whole lot in terms of groundbreaking innovations that entice and captivate audiences for weeks and months down the road, what it does provide is a beautiful backdrop to an incredible gaming experience. If you haven't had a chance yet to pick up or play any Crysis games, the time to start is now. While not a perfect first person shooter, Crysis 3 has its sights locked onto that crown and with new technology around the corner, you should consider this the perfect farewell to the old technology, and get ready to start dreaming about the quality we can hope for from Crytek in the upcoming future!

Suggestions: Please work on developing an emotional story and a soundtrack that provides as much impact as the graphics do.

Overall Score: 8.7 / 10 Aliens: Colonial Marines

Let us ask you a question. Is it better to try and expand on a series that was iconic in inception but deteriorated as it progressed, or is it better to leave well enough alone and reminisce about the amazing experiences and emotions we felt right from the beginning? The subject in question are the Aliens movies, and while the series started strong it has evolved into what some would call "cash cows" where the movie studio knows that people will buy a ticket just because it includes the infamous Xenomorphs.

This trend has also infected the video game world by spawning very few successful game entries. This was a question that Gearbox had to answer and the result of their toil is the newly released Aliens: Colonial Marines. Having seen Sega and Gearbox debut this game back at E3 2011 we were initially taken back by the amount of effort that was poured into recreating much of the horror and excitement that we all know and loved from the original movies. So much effort has taken place that the story of Aliens: Colonial Marines is officially regarded as cannon for the Aliens series. So is Aliens: Colonial Marines a purebred masterpiece of horror and suspense, or is it just another notch on the belt of already released mediocre Aliens games? Let's find out.

Set in the near future after the classic James Cameron movie Aliens, you play the role of Corporal Winter sent in to investigate a distress signal picked up from the U.S.S. Sulaco which is found to be in orbit over LV-426. Just like in horror movies, nothing ever goes according to plan and soon you find yourself neck deep in acid filled Xenomorphs which seem to be crawling out from every direction possible. While this may start the game off on a positive note, regretfully this is about the brightest summary we can give. Yes unfortunately even with a console that has lasted all these years, there are no developments that can accurately portray the same level of quality we experienced in the movie Alien and Aliens. They say in space no one can hear you scream, but unfortunately for fans of the Aliens series, when you play this game everyone will hear your heart breaking. Not because some Xenomorph drives its tail through your torso, but because you rapidly realize that there was so much potential for this game and so much effort to try and recreate the experience, and a vast majority of it fails to live up to the mark. Hear us out on this.

On paper, Aliens: Colonial Marines gives us a glimpse of greatness. Proper settings such as LV-426, U.S.S. Sulaco, Hadly's Hope and more that tie right into the movies allow us to be transported back into the glory years of the Aliens series. The iconic Xenomorphs return and this is the first time that new types of Aliens such as the Crusher and Boiler are also included in the Aliens series. There are even classic characters that we all know from the Aliens movies that make their presence known in the game so a great sense of familiarity is injected right from the start. When you combine these three factors (on paper) you find you have a solid foundation to build something truly great, which perplexed all of us when we found ourselves scratching our heads saying, this game was delayed why again? Originally Aliens: Colonial Marines suffered the drawbacks of delays and while few welcomed the multiple delays a vast majority of the gaming world held their breath just a little longer as we collectively hoped that we would get to experience a truly brilliant adaptation of an iconic piece of film come to interactive life. Then we were hit with a punch in the gut and our fantasy filled hopes came crashing down like a Xenomorph dropping from above.

To allow gamers more focus on the game itself and not fumbling around with complex gameplay, Gearbox has included a very streamlined control system that allows for on the move, quick access to different weapons, navigation and more. Gearbox has also included innovations such as four player co-op campaign, and various forms of multiplayer. While these innovations do allow for an increased enjoyable experience, you can't help but be detracted by the game's AI system. Now on the front side we are told that there is an advanced AI system that will send Xenomorphs flanking around in strategic movements to increase the difficulty in hitting them. What we actually get is a predetermined path that all Xenomorphs take and with proper angle of controlled fire, Aliens: Colonial Marines takes the random scariness element out of play and thus ultimately removes one of the greatest elements that Alien and Aliens had going for it; the element of surprise and shock.

It almost becomes a matter of finding out the pattern, dying, and then starting over knowing where everything is coming from and killing it. This tends to turn the game into something very tedious instead of something to be enjoyed. When you combine the fact that you will go down many different hallways that look exactly the same, and you will do this multiple times, you really get the feeling of "now why again do I have to go back here for a fifth time?" These imperfections definitely make a significant negative impact, especially when you remove one of the key qualities that made the Alien and Aliens movies such masterpieces.

If the pain of this has become unbearable, it's perfectly ok. We couldn't believe how our dreams and aspirations for this game to be phenomenal have been shattered so severely. Unfortunately, the pain though doesn't stop there. The graphics of Aliens: Colonial Marines look fantastic in still photos; however, as you play through the game, you will find the graphics to fill you with an overwhelmingly large feeling of disappointment. There have been games released within the last two years that have blinded us with unimaginable beauty and when you're thinking of the Xenomorphs, the potential that was there feels squandered and in some instances completely disregarded in total.

While the graphics may be a kick in the junk, Aliens: Colonial Marines gets some serious help in the audio department. Infamous sounds from weapons such as the flamethrower, assault rifle, shotgun and more all return from their original use in the movies. Even the infamous motion tracker beep is done straight from the movies so you get the feeling that Gearbox tried very hard in the audio department, and when you factor in some of the original actors provide the voices for their character in the game, you see that the sounds themselves were meticulously integrated to really help immerse you back into the nightmare in space.

Outside of the story mode, Gearbox has included some various forms of multiplayer. Some of the modes are variants of classic gametypes such as Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, and more and with support for 12 people, you can create some incredibly intense firefights. Both through the story and multiplayer you can rank your soldier up by completion of in game tasks and commendations, which in turn will grant him access to various weapons and weapon upgrades. This multiplayer innovation is going to be where the bulk of your time is spent, especially when you get to know the movement patterns and insertion points of the oncoming computer AI Xenomorphs from the story mode. As your character progresses in multiplayer you will quickly see that the addition of human controlled Xenomorphs do allow for that blin-out-of-you moments.

So does Aliens: Colonial Marines pull off a herculean feat of heroism and provide a fantastic Aliens experience? Heartbreakingly no, and instead it is court marshaled and sent packing with a permanent and undeniable list of blemishes. It is absolutely devastating that a game with so much potential will go through multiple delays, only to produce a product that is lackluster and full of disappointment. We cannot stress enough how badly we wanted this game to be a masterful work of interactive art, a game that would capture our minds and scare every fiber of our souls. We wished for a game that provided a beautiful visual spectrum with every step and instead we get graphics that feel like you have taken a time warp back to the beginning years of the Xbox 360.

For those who are diehard fans of the Aliens series and love the Xenomorphs as much as we do, we feel your pain. If Aliens: Colonial Marines was done in a way that delivered the game we all hoped for, then without question it would be fantastic and contender for game of the year, but instead for Gearbox, it's game over man. Game over.

Overall Score: 6.5 / 10 Omerta - City of Gangsters

When you think of "Gangster" references in the media, you often get less than a handful of examples that would classify as great quality. Movies such as: The Godfather, The Godfather II, Goodfellas, and Scarface have defined the gangster role in our minds for decades. While these examples define top quality gangster movies, Omerta: City of Gangsters by Kalypso aims to become known as a top quality gangster simulation video game. There have been very few successful classic gangster style games, so will Omerta break the trend and stand above the competition to prove once and for all that you can have a violent turn based strategy style gangster game? Well let's find out.

From the beginning there are a couple things we would like to point out. First off the install size of the game is less than 900MB which means that either there is a wealth of content but it's microscopic and in many pieces, or that there isn't much content to begin with. After wandering the streets and trying to build an empire you realize that there is a ton of content packed into this little game however, a vast majority of the content is nothing that would help improve the game. The second point we have to mention is that Omerta is what gamers might call a "budget" priced title since it retails for $49.99. While the savings on the wallet is significant, please don't expect some grand or amazing classic gangster production that would make Marlon Brando stand up and applaud.

To start things off with a bang you are given a multitude of options in the beginning ranging from a story mode to a very simplistic multiplayer mode. When you select the story mode you have a chance to roughly develop your character and back story by making various choices to various questions. Each answer brings with it bonuses that apply to your character's stats but at the same time to increase the balance of the game, there are also stats that are negatively affected so make your choices wisely. After you make your way through your character development, you will go face to face with the greatest enemy of the game, the turn based world of Omerta. Think of this game as a turn based strategy game set in the time when prohibition was rampant and organized crime was just staring to... well, organize. From the top down view you have your basic camera controls which operate from the left and right thumbsticks and control things such as zoom and rotation. The problem though with this is that sometimes as you navigate buildings and the surrounding areas, trying to find good places to position your characters becomes a hassle due to the time it takes to properly align the camera.

The turn based control scheme also is something that feels like something that hasn't been polished up. Forcing you to zoom in to pinpoint where your character wants to go becomes an almost immediate hassle that unfortunately will stay with you throughout the entire game. If the control scheme wasn't enough to make you disappointed, the levels themselves will. In Omerta there are your buildings (gold building signs), independent businesses (green building signs), or competing businesses (red building signs). Your goal is simple, make these buildings turn to your color. Once you do that, nothing changes except the color of the sign over the building. This gives gamers a feel of pointless exploration, esp. when you have to manage a God awful camera system. To compound the problems already blatant with Omerta, the plot of the game is next to non-existent. There may be a few storyboard scenes with only a few lines spoken, but the majority of the time you will find yourself dealing with just a pop up screen that delivers a few lines of text and that’s it.

Now previous turn based strategy games have been assigned to a more grid style system which made maneuvering very straight forward and simplistic, and in Omerta that grid system is almost non-existent, which in turn, gives you the gamer more freedom to control your character and move them where you actually want them. This is handy when you start looking for cover to hide behind but becomes an instant and constant struggle when you combine in the already existing problems with the poor control scheme. So while this freedom is new, the execution of the movement failed to hit its mark. When you actually get to combat there will be multiple times when you wish you hadn't, and that’s a shame because you would expect such a game to have taken the development steps needed to ensure a top quality game at a budget price. Sadly though, the more you play Omerta the more you wonder if Kalypso had any staff devoted to quality.

There is an important question though you have to ask and that is: "Is there anything enjoyable about Omerta?" and the answer is the music, but only by a small amount. The reason for this is due to the classic feel of the music and the time period it puts you in, however, there are issues with this as well as during certain scenes and loading sequences the music would skip repeatedly and when you have a trumpet blasting over and over and over again, by the time the loading screen is done and you're back in the game, you're already given up all hope and are looking for another game to play.

Unfortunately the same people who brought the gaming world Tropico couldn't produce a quality title with Omerta. With such a monumental stack of flaws and faults and priced at $49.99 you wonder two things: 1) "Why isn't this game priced at $19.99 or below?" and 2) "What other games are out there that may be worth the $59.99 price tag that I could find more enjoyment out of?" Make no mistake, if you buy Omerta, you'll bring it home, play it for maybe a couple hours, then seal it in concrete and let it sleep with the fishes. It really is a shame when you can find a better quality game for less money and on the Xbox Live Arcade.

Overall Score: 5.0 / 10 Dead Space 3

It often becomes a scary situation in and of itself when a company releases an original IP. Not only releasing an original IP, but an original horror IP at that. Visceral Games originally released Dead Space and almost overnight not only was a series born, but also a devout following of gamers from around the world. Following up such a classic success with another of greater impact is not as easy feat to do, but to do it not once, but twice, is a feat that is almost unheard of. This success is due to new innovations that take shape with each new release, and the overall development of everyone's favorite engineer, Isaac Clarke. Originally Dead Space 3's future hung in the balance of the performance of Dead Space 2, and it was up to the gaming world to let them know if they wanted a sequel. The gaming world spoke, and their message echoed through space with the force of a planetary explosion. It's time to keep calm and stop everything, because we're going in head first into the dark innovative depths of Dead Space 3.

Surprisingly, we actually start Dead Space 3 during the events and time when the markers were first found which take place before the events of the original Dead Space, and after a terrifying walk down that memory lane we fast forward to a time which is years after Dead Space 2 to find Isaac Clarke a shell of his former self. Mentally distraught and locked in a constant battle to retain his sanity over the influence of the markers, Isaac has lost almost everything he's cared about. There isn't time however for Isaac to come to terms with everything that has happened before he's violently thrown back into the horrors that he has worked so hard to repress, not just physically, but mentally as well. Throughout the campaign, which is quite long if we're honest, you will venture to explore areas such as 200 year old deserted warships and even the marker home world of Tau Volantis and one thing is for sure, every area goes to great lengths to provide one amazing pants ruining experience after another. While this has always been the backbone of the Dead Space experience, the real beauty of Dead Space 3 rests in the brand new innovations that help adapt one of the most iconic survival horror games into the oncoming future.

When games fail to innovate the gamer's experience, we tend to find an experience that leads us straight down the path of disappointment. Thankfully Visceral Games has taken this knowledge to heart and provided Dead Space 3 with some innovations both good and bad that all accumulate into a truly amazing gaming experience. One of these innovations involves the gameplay of Dead Space 3. While the tried and true control scheme that we have followed since the beginning remains as solid as it ever was; Isaac now has a summersault roll which will come in very handy as you find yourself face to face multiple times with multiple necromorphs. This small innovation packs a mammoth planet cracking punch as it actually deepens the gamer's gameplay. Another innovation to the gameplay comes in the form of allowing Kinect voice integrated commands. While other games have allowed this feature, just like the others, Dead Space 3's Kinect voice command support doesn't fit the feel of what we have come to know and love about the Dead Space games and ultimately, in the end, is more novelty than essential and does very little to enhance your Dead Space 3 gaming experience.

Not to be contempt with just providing a couple new innovative gameplay mechanics, Dead Space 3 brings to the table a whole new revolutionary upgrade system that affects, not just you’re RIG, but every weapon in the game. Gone are the days when you needed power nodes to enhance your weapon, but more important than that, is the fact that now you can make almost any weapon you want, so long as you have the materials to do so. Want to make a lightning chain gun on the top and have an explosive spike launcher on the bottom? Go ahead. What about a shotgun/sniper combo? Of course. Without question this new innovation will have you spending hours constructing and upgrading weapons from blueprints, or from scratch itself while you determine what works best for you. This upgrade and weapon construction feature can only be used though if you have enough resources to make it. Various components such as Tungsten, semiconductors, and more will be needed in quantity to make these new weapons come to life and thankfully there is no short supply of them, except Tungsten which you will find out is THE most critical material you can find.

While this innovation is masterfully done, there is a downfall though to this amazing new innovation and that comes in the form of microtransactions. For just a couple hundred Microsoft points you can actually buy all the material you need to create a devastating weapon right from the beginning. Unfortunately this method, while rapid and overpowering, will dilute the game experience which, in the end, is the most critical part of Dead Space 3. Times when you only had a basic plasma cutter to use against an oncoming onslaught of necromorphs are now only there if you want them to be. While the weapon construction and upgrade system is phenomenal, the microtransaction system leaves this innovation with a black eye.

As we all have known leading up to the release of Dead Space 3, there is a brand new innovation and involves the inclusion of co-op gameplay. This has been a controversial move since inception given the fact that Dead Space has always been a tremendous single player experience, and after the failed multiplayer of Dead Space 2, we find that co-op has taken its place and while it may sound entertaining at first to stomp necromorphs with a friend, there are some drawbacks to this as well. One of the interesting points is how the game itself adapts to include a secondary player. This is done by altering certain cut scenes and including new dialogue between characters and hallucinating sequences that will twist and warp any lasting memory of what reality actually is. That however, isn't the full story as we find that there are some co-op ONLY missions that are ONLY accessible if you have a second player participating. While there is less than a handful of co-op only missions, you get the feeling that you're, essentially, locked out of fully enjoying everything that Dead Space 3 has to offer if you decide to play through the game solo.

Whether you decide to play through Dead Space 3 by yourself or with a friend one thing is certain and that is you will find yourself going through insanely tense battles many, many times. This dark and twisted journey is brought to life in stunning beauty by depicting gorgeous environments that provide you small amounts of peace and tranquility amidst a seemingly endless nightmare of death and horror. There is however, one issue that has led Dead Space 3 down a path that ultimately hinders the game and that involves the music. Originally Dead Space had a minimal score which allowed gamers to hear more of their surrounding environment and thus adding to the "holy crap, what was that I just heard and where is it coming from?" moments. Unfortunately the sound of Dead Space 3 resembles more of a dramatic Hollywood movie score where you can get the feeling something big and bad is going to happen as the music climbs in intensity. This ultimately takes away from the environment around you which hurts the game in the end because the environment has always been a primary focus of Dead Space's appeal.

Without question Dead Space 3 delivers some amazing new innovations but in the end, you get the feeling that there was more focus on what innovations were to be included, than making what content that was in the game perfect. Make no mistake, Dead Space 3 is a fantastic survival horror game, but the setbacks that effect a lot of these new innovations hinder the game's overall quality and prevents it from developing into an almost perfect game. Moving forward, gamers want quality, not quantity and hopefully Visceral will learn from this if or when they decide to release Dead Space 4 and focus on scaring the crap out of us instead of culminating new innovations that detract from what makes the Dead Space series arguably, the king of survival horror.

If you are one of the millions of gamers from around the globe who fell in love with the Dead Space games, then you will enjoy the new adaptations and innovations in Dead Space 3 and while yes there may be some faults and flaws, Dead Space 3 is a must have for anyone who not only enjoys quality survival horror games, but enjoys quality games period. Always look over your shoulder, and remember to stay away from the vents. Keep your gun always loaded and your wits about you and you just might make it out alive, but what condition will you be in afterwards? Play Dead Space 3 and you'll find out...

Overall Score: 8.7 / 10 Skulls of the Shogun

When it comes to turn based strategy games, there is very few that stands the test of time and even fewer initially succeed. Stepping onto the field of battle is 17bit with their latest Xbox Live Arcade game Skulls of the Shogun, and it proves that not only is it a bad idea to backstab a ruthless and brilliant military general who will stop at nothing in the afterlife to have is revenge and gain the love of a top heavy female spirit, but that you can laugh hysterically while doing all of this. This is the story of General Akamoto who has led countless men into countless victories, only to be betrayed and stabbed in the back by your second in command. To rub salt into the wound, when our good General Akamoto arrives in the afterlife, he realizes that the one who betrayed him also stole his identity to command a massive blue army of undead warriors and rule the afterlife realms as Shogun. Now General Akamoto is pissed and vows revenge and dominance by conquering the realms of the afterlife and taking the title of Shogun from his second in command. It is time to recruit your own red army of undead soldiers who want nothing more than to kill things for you and in your spare time get you to autograph various.... things. Time to focus your warrior spirit, harness the soul of the Samurai, and grab something to drink if you're thirsty because the battle begins now!

Skulls of the Shogun is setup in a very straight forward design where you will progress through multiple levels with different layouts, item bonuses, and various magical aides all while fighting off a number of equally challenging (and sometimes downright viciously intelligent) blue enemies. Given that this game is heavily focused on strategy, there are a wide variety of soldiers to choose from in your army and each of them has their own strengths and weaknesses. There are infantry soldiers that have average defense and offense; there are archers that deal tremendous damage but possess the weakest defense; there are even mounted soldiers who possess a little bit better defense than the archers, but slightly less power.

Throughout the levels there will be various places that your undead army can haunt and while some provide rice (the game's in game currency), there are some that will provide you with magical creatures that offer a multitude of impressive bonuses from healing your soldiers to severely wounding almost every enemy on the battlefield. The point to the rice besides being needed for some amazing spellcasting is that you can use that to purchase more soldiers of your choosing from a soldier shrine. At the start of every turn, every rice patty that you have haunted will give you +25 rice and will heal any wounded soldier who happens to be standing on top of it. This is a plus since when you haunt anything you, in essence, freeze your character for one whole round and prevent them from counter attacking.

The game consists of battles over multiple rounds and each side is given a total of five commands per round. With a command you can select a member of your army and move them within the movement circle and while you do that you will see a secondary circle that follows your character shrink. This secondary circle is what will be leftover for movement if you perform an action. If an enemy is within range when you move, you can attack them and then use whatever is left of your movement circle to move to a different area. The key to all of this is balance and here's why. Actions such as attacking will allow you to move afterwards, but other actions such as eating skulls, or haunting shrines or rice patties will effectively end your turn instantly. When you combine the balance of movement with the balance of your soldier, then that is where strategy becomes absolutely critical.

While the depth of this game is surprising, it's not without its own style of beauty. Each level is done in a cartoonish feel with bold colors and vibrant elements that really stand out on the screen such as cherry blossom trees. While the sound is gibberish of noise that you would find in an early sim type game, the gem of the dialogue is found in the humor of the writing which will have you laughing throughout each and every stage. While Skulls of the Shogun is a game that might go undetected on your game radar, it provides a quality gaming experience that will be both challenging and rewarding. When you also take into account that the game also supports multiplayer, Skulls of the Shogun demands a lot of respect in the turn based strategy genre.

Overall Score: 8.2 / 10 The Cave

When you think of gaming companies that produce quality games and are still in business today, the list is not as long as you would expect. In today's day and age the true test of the quality of a gaming company is one that is still around and making great games today. One of those companies known worldwide for their work is Double Fine. They have released such titles as: Stacking, Iron Brigade, Costume Quest, Brutal Legend, Psychonauts and more. Now Double Fine has released a game called The Cave for the Xbox Live Arcade and they are hoping that gamers will find their treasure at the end of a long demented spelunking journey. Let's grab our mining helmets, some dynamite, and a canary or two and see just who will make it out alive as we take our first steps deeper into The Cave. (Insert evil laugh here...)

The Cave starts out with an introduction by the omnibus, wait, no, ominous, yeah that’s it, ominous narrator who is The Cave himself, or itself, or... can you even say "who" when talking about The Cave since, well, it's a cave? This voice is what will be your guide throughout different scenarios that you will encounter throughout the levels. This dark and twisted voice puts a humorous twist on watching you navigate and manipulate the puzzles ahead, and all the while you can't help but think its intentions are hardly genuine. In the beginning you are given a multitude of characters to choose from. Each character has a backstory provided through the narrator, but ultimately you must choose three of the characters and submit them to the tests and trials of the cave below.

You will notice from the beginning that the levels themselves are done in a spacious, multi-elevation layout where you will find yourself spacing your characters out at critical interactive points to solve various puzzles ahead. A vast majority of the puzzles will consist of having one character find an object that can interact with another object, but to get to that other object; you will secondly need another character to interact with some other item or obstacle to allow your first character to progress to their original goal. While it sounds confusing at first, you will find that the control scheme has been simplified to make things as smooth and streamlined as possible to allow easy navigation and access to The Cave's multiple levels.

Now given that this whole experience takes place inside a cave, you have to wonder what beauty lies beneath, and sadly the answer is not much. While the graphics are done in an almost cartoonish sense, it almost feels as though you are playing something that we've seen before over five years ago. The same can be said, unfortunately, for the sound. While the narrator's voice is humorous, there really isn't much that stands out as something memorable to your ears. While these dings may make The Cave seem a little "lack luster" there is an overshadowing fault that almost makes you want to light your dynamite and seal The Cave off for good. That fault is the lacking feature of online multiplayer. How can you expect to make a multiplayer game and not allow it to go online? This means that if you want to play with three people like the game allows, you better make room on the couch for two other friends, and that is the biggest fault of The Cave.

While puzzle platforming games attempt to seemingly reinvent the wheel when it comes to puzzles and how to keep gamers entertained for hours and hours, sometimes if you try and perfect perfection you end up with an abomination, and sadly there are too few redeeming qualities of The Cave to go up against the monumental shortcomings. Even though Double Fine makes some amazing games, unfortunately The Cave is not one of them. Throwing your Microsoft Points toward The Cave makes as much sense as throwing money out the window while you're driving on the highway.

Suggestions: Provide online multiplayer if you are going to have a multiplayer element to your game.

Overall Score: 7.8 / 10 Sleeping Dogs

In the world of video games, various categories have arguable favorites. If you question a gamer about top sandbox style games, you will find that the list consists of Grand Theft Auto, Red Dead Redemption and less than a handful of others. This is because only a few games have managed to balance the harmony of open world exploration and action packed entertainment. Recently United Front Games and Square Enix have developed and published a title aimed at one thing, to be regarded as one of, if not the premier sandbox game. Originally planned as a reboot of the True Crime series, this game ended up being cancelled in 2011, however Square Enix saw the potential and thanks to Square Enix, we get to enjoy an absolutely fantastic and entertaining game. Now given the competition that is staring at it right in the face, does Sleeping Dogs shy away with its tail between its legs, or does it come out swinging in a nonstop onslaught? Let's take a stroll through some of the back alleys of Hong Kong and find out what Sleeping Dogs is all about. Buckle up; this is going to be one exciting ride.

The secret ingredient that all the top games in the sandbox genre share is a fantastic story. It's the story that keeps gamers glued to the set for days upon weeks and helps provide multiple reasons why you want to go explore such a massive map. The story of Sleeping Dogs is without question the gem in this game's crown. Yes you may have a lot of "favors" that you will have to do for the locals that will have you exploring all over Hong Kong, however the main story itself is done very, very well. From the beginning you are put right in the middle of a drug deal gone south and you come to realize quickly that you play the role of an undercover officer who walks a hazy line between upholding the law and succumbing to the other side of the tracks. Working your way through the criminal underworld of Hong Kong is essential for your career as an undercover Hong Kong police officer, but at what price?

Navigating throughout the massive city can be a bit difficult at times, and thankfully the control scheme of Sleeping Dogs allows some very fluid mechanics to help you out. Driving vehicles for instance, provides a very arcade style sensation by making quick turns and car control very simplistic and easy. There are successful gameplay elements though that really shine through and that rests in the hand to hand combat of Sleeping Dogs. Modeled almost exactly from the Batman Arkham games, Sleeping Dogs allows gamers to attack, throw, and counter with minimal frustration by incorporating one button controls. When you see your enemy glow red, press the Y button and your character (even with his back to them) will counter the oncoming attack with one of your own and open up the combat for continued assaults, throws, and more. There is through an unfortunate gameplay mechanic that tends to take the wind out of this enjoyment and that is our old enemy, the camera. Not only will you find it somewhat frustrating when tackling groups of enemies, but there are times when you are driving that you will end up cursing it entirely. This though isn't the only downfall of Sleeping Dog's gameplay. While the control scheme is fairly straight forward and very easy to use, the responsiveness seems to feel a bit sluggish at times and that can be irritating when you start various missions and without knowing it you vault over some railing and fail the mission.

Without question, United Front Games has worked diligently on the gameplay mechanics of Sleeping Dogs but what really helps make this game stand out are the various skill trees that you can level up throughout the game. The three skill trees are categorized by police, triad, and face. Each tree provides bonuses and unlocks for your character which can range from decreasing the damage you take, stronger melee attacks, disarming armed opponents quickly, and more. The way you unlock points to spend in these skill trees comes from your performance during missions. If you don't cause a lot of collateral damage and people seem to escape alive from your driving or shooting, then you will find your police meter increase. With that being said, to increase your Triad meter, you pretty much have to go to the darker side and take out anything and everything in your path. This whole leveling system incorporates a much deeper attraction to gamers as you will find yourself completing every side quest in an attempt to max out these skill trees and unlock everything for your character. This little surprise packs a serious punch when it comes to creating a game that will have you mesmerized for a very long time.

One facet of video games that have taken a huge leap forward in recent years is the graphics. There have been sandbox games that have blown gamers minds with the high quality attention to detail. Sadly though Sleeping Dogs isn't one of them. While the city itself is large in size, the graphics feel outdated and you can't help but think that while it would be a monumental task, if United Front Games had put just a bit more attention to detail, Sleeping Dogs would have been absolutely beautiful. There are some plus sides however as the character modeling and facial movements seem more realistic and border on the quality of L.A. Noire. Sleeping Dogs, while lightly slacking visually, does manage a good job with the sounds of Hong Kong. The voice acting is done well, and the variable soundtrack goes a long way to help bring to life such a vibrant and deep rooted culture. While not a knockout blow, Sleeping Dogs still manages to stay planted on its feet.

While playing Sleeping Dogs you can't help but to naturally compare it to the other sandbox kings, but when you add in innovations to the gameplay mechanics, all the other faults of the game tend to take a back seat. This is a great thing because the story of Sleeping Dogs is one that shouldn't be missed and with the upcoming DLC we can hopefully expect more great things from United Front Games and Square Enix. Sure it may not be Grand Redemption or Red Dead Auto, but once you get locked into the story of Sleeping Dogs, you will find such an in-depth and entertaining game. So what are you waiting for? Here are the keys, let’s go for a drive.

Overall Score: 8.6 / 10 Hitman: Absolution

Blessings my child, please come in. Here in this Sanctuary you will find peace and solace, and you look like you could use both. You have the look of a man who has walked a dark path for many years and has seen how black the night can be. Let me ask you a few questions. How far must one go to save a life? Would you sacrifice all that you hold dear to fulfill the dying wishes of a traitor you once called friend? How do you absolve a soul of so much agonizing pain? Let me tell you a tale, and maybe through this story, you will learn how to not only rejoice in the wonderful, but also confront the demons that haunt you head on. This is the story of a man. A man whose past is filled with darkness and death. This man is called not by a name, but by a number. 47. His life though, like yours, is not without hope of salvation but to do this, one must overcome their demons and only through this will they find their Absolution. It is time my child to hear the tale of Hitman: Absolution

What we see on the surface is but a mask worn by those in the shadows, who seek the success of their own agenda, but they have a problem, they pissed off 47. A byproduct of genetic science and a need for the ultimate weapon, you could say that 47 became a global problem solver under control from the Agency. Oh how things are about to change. Betrayed by those who he called friend, 47 uncovers some questions behind the motives of his employers and when no one wants to talk, 47 gets the answer. As silent as a shadow passing through the night, the Hitman series has seen a long and devoted following by bringing to life a character that fills our gaming desire for brutal action, suave one liners, and the most stain resistant suit ever seen in a video game. Being the 5th Hitman game on consoles, I/O Interactive and Square Enix have gone to great lengths to bring about new innovations to Hitman: Absolution.

The premise of Hitman: Absolution is fairly straight forward. 47 will navigate various enclosed levels and attempts to find his target and determine the best way to fulfill the contract. These levels offer gamers multiple styles of play which in conjunction with the level challenges equate to a very high replay value. One of the new innovations that you will find in Hitman: Absolution is the inclusion of a new instinct meter that allows you to, highlight targets and places of interest, foresee enemy movement, and blend in amongst enemies while in disguise and more. There are multiple things you can do to replenish instinct, such as: completing objectives, silently or creatively take down opponents, hiding bodies and more. While some of the devoted following the Hitman series may see this as a negative, I/O and Square have gone to great lengths to make sure that the core gameplay stays as close to the center as we have come to expect from games in the past. Being efficient, not dramatic is the name of the game and being quiet and stealthy will prove more beneficial to you than choosing to be loud and the center of attention.

The gameplay mechanics of Hitman: Absolution allows you to showcase some incredibly brutal forms of problem solving. Small QuickTime events allow you to watch 47 beat the ever loving crap out of someone, then with a push of a button, hide the evidence. When you have decided that someone is worth a bullet, you can call upon your instinct to allow you to go into Point Shooting mode and tag your enemy(ies) and with the press of a button, unleash a swift, but deadly barrage of bullets. This will undoubtedly announce your presence, but if you must kill everyone to remain silent, then so be it.

Showcasing for the first time in Hitman: Absolution is the brand new Contracts mode. In this mode you pick your level, target, method of death, clothes you must wear and more. Think of this like a game of HORSE where you get rewarded more for challenging contracts and extravagant deaths. Contracts mode also allows your friends to create contracts to send to you. This new version of multiplayer does allow you some variant of current mission maps, but in the end does very little to actually engage multiple people on a map at the same time and that’s a shame because other games have managed to do this well and this mode seems to be missing out on even greater potential.

To say that Hitman: Absolution is a beautiful game is an insult. I/O Interactive has worked harder than ever to bring 47's world to life like we have never seen before. Beautiful lighting effects abound through the 20 levels and the character modeling and interactions have catapulted into levels never before seen on any Hitman game period. While you are taking in the beauty visually, you will be surprised by the high quality audio of Hitman: Absolution. While the voice over acting is good at times, the real beauty is when you get into the busy crowds and you hear all the commotion going on around you. Having subtitles turned on is a plus as you may miss hearing information about some secret in the area, or information on your next target. This is exactly what Hitman fans have been waiting patiently for and thankfully I/O Interactive and Square Enix have done a job beyond any we could hope for as gamers.

So far Hitman: Absolution seems to have the makings of a fantastic game, but there are a few things though that ties 47's hands behind his back. The first thing that stands out is the story itself. As you progress through the various stages you'll find the story try very hard to become many different things. It's like the old saying goes: "A jack of all trades is a master of none." This is a great way to sum up the story quality of Hitman: Absolution. The plot tries very hard in multiple areas but ultimately in the end we are left with some pretty good attempts, instead of one amazing story. You read earlier about the new instinct system and that too is something that purists of the series may not take to so nicely. By allowing you to "blend in" with a push of a button, it takes away some of the challenge and the decisive actions that had to be made in the previous games. Another small gripe is the placement of checkpoints. Out of place is a good description for most while some would seem obscenely pointless as they are surrounded by many enemies. These checkpoints though can make the difference between a slight frustration and full on fury inspiring gameplay because if they are not activated and you have to restart, it's going to be from the beginning of the level.

Hitman: Absolution does deliver a solid experience despite a few setbacks and fans of the previous games should look beyond the faults and changes to find a quality gameplay experience that is truly entertaining. So there you have it my child, the story of a man and his life. While there were demons that he had to fight, he did fight and through his success we have Hitman: Absolution. Go now my child. You know what path you must walk and you know what you must overcome along the way. It is time for your own soul to have its own Absolution.

Overall Score: 8.6 / 10 Guardians of Middle-earth

Darkness stirs in the East. An evil beyond any could comprehend is poised to rise up from the shadows and blanket Middle Earth in despair. The time of peace is coming to an end, and in its stead we find the prelude to a war that will forever shape the outcome of all those who dwell in Middle Earth. It is up to you to answer the call of the hero, take arms against your adversaries, and drive the foul beasts back into their abyss! The moment of truth is upon us and only through your actions can victory be obtained and the evil vanquished from the lands. Victory in this war cannot be won alone, therefore an alliance of heroes will be formed and through your brotherhood will the darkness finally be vanquished. Hear the horn blowing. Answer its call.

Very few tales have been told that impact humanity on such a scale as Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. To grasp how much influence these two tales hold, you need to start thinking on biblical levels. Over the past half century, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings have captivated millions of people through text, and when adaptations of these books cross into other forms of media, there is almost a collective holding of breath in hopes that the representations at least match the expectations we already hold in our minds. There are some works that do justice to the source material, however there are some that make us hang our head in shame. Now upon us is the Xbox Live Arcade game Guardians of Middle Earth. It should be noted that starting out, things look promising. Guardians of Middle Earth is published by Warner Brothers and developed by Monolith, and when you add support from New Line Cinema, Wingnut Films, and Middle-Earth, you start to get a sense of a true interactive masterpiece that will keep you locked in constant amazement.

As you set forth on your grand adventure, you will notice the sheer depth of the game before you. This depth is what will provide you with countless hours of enjoyment. For starters, there are multiple loadouts that provide different opportunities to base your character stats around your gameplay. There are multiple classes that feature a total of over 20 different Guardians and each offers their own individual abilities that can turn the tide of war in an instant. Your character will have access to relics that are based off of multiple support characteristics. It's in these relics where your gems will go that will offer additional stat or character bonuses. All of these make up what is known as your hero's "belt" which provide your character numerous bonuses and enhancements that can not only benefit your character, but your entire army as well. On top of this customization you will also have the ability to customize what types of "commands" you want to have at your disposal in the middle of battle. Various commands will grant your Guardian a quick boost of power that will decimate foes in front of you, or provide your troops healing powers to help keep them alive longer, and more. When you combine all of these elements with hotkey potion management, then you have the ingredients to make not just a fantastic MOBA game, but a fantastic game period.

Guardians of Middle Earth does do some justice to Tolkien's masterpieces, however, before you start getting too excited there are a couple of drawbacks. Now when we had the chance to review Guardians of Middle Earth, there were very few other reviewers online and nowhere near enough gamers to make a full room. This situation allowed those who were online and loving this game to charge head first into a really big issue with the load times. Since open slots in matchmaking will be filled with AI controlled characters, Guardians of Middle Earth takes two minutes to find a game. While two minutes may not seem like a long time, while you are waiting, it seems almost long enough to read The Hobbit itself. On a plus side though, once the game releases and many more gamers jump online, this issue with the two minuet wait time should be erased, hopefully.

Another issue that I have with Guardians of Middle Earth deals with the voice acting. While some of it seems to come directly from the audio from the movies, there are some voices that do not fit the feel of the characters. Take The Witch King for example, instead of having a sinister shrieking voice it sounds like his name is Phil from accounting. Thankfully only some of the voices are like this, but all of this combat brings forth another issue and that involves the levels you get to play on. You don't get three maps, or even five, instead you get one, and only one. Like the phrase says, one ring to rule them all and now you have only one map to rule them all. Given the iconic scenery throughout The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, one thing Tolkien has always given his readers are dynamic settings from which all these events are staged. Unfortunately with only one map that never changes, the combat does get stale after a while.

"Well, here at last, dear friends, on the shores of the Sea comes the end of our fellowship in Middle-earth. Go in peace! I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil." This quote sums up Guardians of Middle Earth perfectly. As an avid fan of Tolkien's works, great care must be taken to make sure that the quality of work presented does justice to the source material, and sadly that is not the case here. With a price tag of a hefty 1200 MS points, Guardians of Middle Earth tries very hard to justify a purchase, however the faults are unfortunately crippling. If more content as far as maps and arenas were initially provided for free, then it would be well worth the purchase, but for now unfortunately, wait till it goes on sale.

Suggestions: Please make sure that there is more than one map available for gamers. If at launch there is only one map, please make sure that you release multiple maps in the form of DLC where the first map pack (of lets say 3 levels) is for free. 1200 MS points is a lot to spend on a game where you play only 1 map and it would go a long way in showing gamers you want to provide content equal to the quality of work of the Guardians themselves.

Overall Score: 7.9 / 10 Pool Nation

"Fat man, you shoot a great game of pool."

If you're a fan of pool halls, tournaments, or just pool in general, then your choices for quality billiards for a while has been very slim. One of the most popular games around the world now comes to the Xbox Live Arcade with the release of Pool Nation. Priced at 800 MS points, now lets find out if it sinks the 9 in on the break, or scratches on the 8. Grab your chalk and line up your break as we take to the felt and find out what Pool Nation is all about.

One of the many beauties about pool is that there are tons of variants to the game. Thankfully Pool Nation does honor this quality about the sport by providing six gametypes to play in multiplayer which range from 3-Ball, to Golf, to Rotation and more on top of the lengthy 9-Ball and 8-Ball tour mode. Pool Nation does offer one new innovation to billiard games on the Xbox 360 and that is the introduction to Endurance. The goal is simple, sink all the balls as fast as you can and survive till the end, but you'll quickly learn that isn't as easy as it looks. Starting similar to 9-Ball, however, after the break, more balls are added to the table in random spots every few seconds. This mode will have you thinking quickly because the twist is, if there are a total of 24 balls on the table, the game is over. That means you have a starting limit of only 15 balls so timing is critical. There is a small window of hope though and that is what I like to call the time stopper. By completing various trick shots and gaining high pocket streaks, your time stopper meter fills to a point where you can actually freeze time temporarily and prevent any new balls from being in play.

While this new innovation goes a long way into breathing new life into this sport, the same can also be said for the graphics and physics. To say that this game handles like what you would expect from a real pool game is close to the truth. All the ball skill shots are available to use, so now you can work on your trick shot skills as you work to become the pool shark of Xbox Live. The balls themselves react as you would expect from a real world game, and when you add that feature to the ease of use controls, then you have the makings of a brilliant billiards game. You just heard me mention that the graphics are stunning, and when I say that, I mean jaw dropping realistic. Every aspect down to the fibers in the felt showcase a beauty beyond comprehension. The only thing that is missing graphically would be the inclusion of using your own avatar on Xbox Live and instead you are left with an invisible person holding the cue stick, but it's hard to focus on that while you're staring at something so mind boggling gorgeous.

The sport of pool has been around a long time, and many other games have tried to do it justice but have fallen short. Others have hit the mark and have quickly become the definitive title in pool. Now with Pool Nation for 800 MS points we get a wealth of content wrapped in a beautiful visual bow. If you are a fan of pool, then without question Pool Nation is a must have game.

Overall Score: 8.5 / 10 Pid

Have you ever had one of those days where you wanted to get home, but for whatever reason, your space ship bus driver dumps you off at the wrong planet and your day just keeps getting worse and worse and all you want to do is just get back home? Neither have we. Apparently though Kurt is one of the unluckiest kids in video games because his day just started off bad and then the bottom kicks out and sends him on an adventure to get back home, but along the way he gets caught up in a conflict that threatens the machine residents who apparently can't fight off the evil around them. This is the nutshell for Might and Delight's debut platforming title Pid. Time now to fire up our beams of light and energy and shoot for the stars as we launch this review of Pid.

The heart and soul of any platformer has to rely on the game mechanics. The ability to challenge the gamer while still allowing them to enjoy not only the aesthetics, but the deeper aspects of Pid is a central focus in this game. The play controls allow for a very easy pick up and play feel, however sometimes they feel a bit sluggish and when you are traversing multiple different moving traps that can kill you in one hit, which could pose some issues. Along the way you will come across different puzzles and enemies that you must find inventive ways of dispatching to free your path. Some of the puzzles you face will require some depth of thought and even though there will be times of controller breaking frustration, there will also be many times of a great sense of accomplishment. Pid represents a growing trend of phenomenal platformers that balance challenging levels, simplistic controls, and an addiction to finally achieving victory.

Throughout the varying regions of Pid, your eyes are treated to an ocular sensation of overwhelming beauty. Each area is treated separately but they all provide a staggeringly gorgeous backdrop amongst the stars. While the character modeling is quite simplistic, it's in this simplicity that we find a visual cohesive gel that helps you visualize that you are indeed on this planet.

While the visual beauty of Pid is brilliant, the same can't be said for the sound unfortunately. If you can imagine a futuristic jazz style loop playing over and over again, you'll quickly understand the audio similarities in Pid. While the loop itself is done well, the amount of repetition will drive the riff deep into your mind, where you'll be hearing it in your head after you've shut the game off. The sounds themselves do differ in between the levels, however, it's a loop and nothing more which is sad when you think of the amazing sounds that you do get to hear. On top of that the voice acting is replaced with spoken gibberish, but I feel that serves as a double edged sword. On one hand, you don't have to pay voice actors and risk hearing some horrible overacted lines; but on the other hand, going with just a silent pop up dialogue screen would give gamers a classic RPG style feeling which would go a long way in helping this game.

Overall, you could say that the platforming genre has delivered some top quality entertainment, for fractions of the cost of some retail titles, and Pid is another entry in this short list of arcade greatness. For 800 MS points, Pid provides another amazing entry into the platforming/puzzle solving genre, however, is it worth it? Sadly no. The control scheme while good, could be tighter and more responsive, and the sound could use some touching up, however, if this title ever goes on sale, it is without question a must have if you enjoy platforming/puzzle solving games.

Overall Score: 8.0 / 10 Halo 4

Cortana: Chief, take a look at this. I found this while deciphering code within the Forerunner intelligence network. It's a heavily protected file that if my decoding is correct, should shed some light on what’s in store for our future. Fancy a read Chief?

Master Chief: Always love good intel.

Cortana: Interesting.... It appears to have information from a site called XboxAddict which may be useful to helping us along the way. Apparently there is a lot of data concerning the overall qualities of our missions and the title of the report reads, Halo 4.

Master Chief: Talk to me

BEGIN TRANSMISSION
XBOXADDICT.COM
HALO 4 REVIEW

"Wake me, when you need me"

A long time has passed since we left Master Chief floating adrift amongst the stars, deep in a cryogenic sleep. Many Halo games have released since then, but no game has had more anticipation than Halo 4. For years we have waited anxiously to awaken Master Chief from his slumber and propel ourselves through the next chapter of this gaming masterpiece. It is time to rejoice my fellow Spartans for the wait is over. The time has come! As a new war approaches, it brings with it, a threat so overpowering it is beyond human comprehension. Humanity needs a hero. Someone who can overcome the unrelenting forces of adversaries to ensure that mankind survives. The time has come. Wake up John.

From the beginning Halo 4 opens up to a symphony of vocals, instruments, and visual beauty set against the backdrop of the wreckage in space over the Forerunner planet. With the push of one button, however, Halo 4 springs to life and shows you why the years of waiting for Master Chief’s return were worth every moment. A whole new user interface has been implemented which provides a very clean and ease of use as you go from menu to menu. Your beginning menus allow quick access to your Campaign, Infinity, Halo Waypoint, and Xbox Live Marketplace. In the campaign menu you will have the options as before where you can select levels, skulls, and difficulty. They say that the legendary difficulty is where a Spartan is born, and if they survive, become legends in their own right. The Infinity menu is where we find the heart of the Halo experience, and the beginning of your multiplayer journey. When you select Infinity, your menu choices consist of: War Games, Spartan Ops, Forge, and Theater.

War Games are your traditional multiplayer experience. It is here where you can chose between finding a traditional style Halo multiplayer game type, and creating your very own. There are many game types that we have all come to expect in Halo such as Oddball, Capture the Flag, Big Team, Slayer, and more so when it comes time to find a game, nothing could be easier. On the surface, the simplicity of the structure shines through, but when you dig deeper in creating your own custom game, you realize just how in-depth Halo 4 actually is. This new wealth of customization options is thanks to the new inclusion of the Forge toolkit at your fingertips, so now your imagination becomes your limitation.

Not only has Forge been expanded deeper into multiplayer, but when you enter the individual worlds itself, you will see that not only has your toolkit expanded, but the interface has been polished as well to provide gamers an easier time to create the worlds that they want. A big improvement to Forge rests on the new streamlined commands such as locking, and more importantly duplicating. With just a push of one button you can now duplicate objects over and over again. There is one feature though that will have Forge users beyond happy, and that is the introduction to magnets. This forever removes the need to line up objects perfectly through painstaking movements and alignments. Now you can have objects automatically align themselves and hold in place thus cutting down on the stresses found before.

Spartan Ops is brand new to the Halo universe and allows a different storyline to unfold that intersects with the story from Halo 4. These new adventures can be completed either solo or with friends and are released as episodes that shed new light on the Infinity after the end of Halo 4. Through these episodes you will become familiar with Infinity's Captain and crew, and you will also bid welcome to a new team of Spartans called, Majestic Squad. This brand new innovation to the series will ensure that Halo 4's story will always be evolving into a true cinematic spectacle.

Overshadowing all of this however, is Halo 4's brand new Spartan Hub. This new innovation to Halo allows you to access various features such as the Armory, Challenges, Loadouts, Commendations, and more. Loadouts is a new feature to Halo's multiplayer and gives you the choice of what equipment you wish to start with. If you want to start with a DMR, Plasma Grenades, Jet Pack, Ammo Boost, and Maneuverability, go ahead. First though, you must not only unlock the items, but you must also purchase them through Spartan Points (SP). You gain one SP every time your character ranks up but with certain items varying in cost; you may have to save your points for a few levels before you can buy the bigger toys. There are other new innovations to your Spartan loadouts and those are the support and tactical packages. These new options include features such as: speeding up your shield recharge rate, increasing the amount of grenades you carry, to increasing ammo capacity and improving sensor range. Ranking up not only allows you new weapon and support unlocks but also new additions to your armory. While some may want to jump head first, in Halo 4 you have to earn the armor you want wear.

When people call something beautiful it usually is because it makes an impact on us on some level. Someone may hear a piece of music and connect with it emotionally; another still may view a painting and make a personal connection with it. Without question, Halo 4's beauty goes beyond any word that could be spoken. Every level of the campaign is a wonder to behold. All the details from the towering Forerunner peaks against a blue sky to the very core of the planet itself are done to pinpoint precision and since every scene is interlinked by beautiful video footage, every moment in Halo 4 instantly becomes memorable. This is Halo like you have never seen before and easily sets the bar almost beyond reach of what is possible in the world of gaming. Earlier you read how the new user interface makes jumping between menus much easier and that is also in part to the graphic overhaul that it has received. Now large boxes indicate options to choose and since the interface is streamlined, finding things is now simpler than ever.

One factor that has made up the backbone of Halo has always been the music. Now when I start up Halo, I'm looking forward to hearing "the chant" and the following musical score by Mr. Marty O'Donnell; all you had to hear was "the chant" and you already knew what was going on. Now though, times have changed as Mr. Neil Davidge steps into the role of composing Halo 4's musical score and it took some warming up before it started to feel right. No more will you start Halo 4 up and hear the iconic monk sounds, instead you are serenaded with a seductively sinister harmony of vocals which help set the stage for the opening act of this latest chapter in Halo. Emotion plays a major role in developing a personal interactive relationship and the music is absolutely critical to get right. There are defining moments of pressure when the bass drum is beating away, driving you faster. There are moments of grand spectacles where fanfares of discovery go ringing through your ears. There are even moments that rock the Halo Universe to its core and the music grabs you and connects on a personal level. You can easily tell that Mr. O'Donnell will be missed by all of the Halo gamers around the world, but what rises from the departed is a musical experience that exemplifies every aspect of Halo 4.

Unfortunately, at the time of this writing we were unable to test the features and functionality of the new Microsoft SmartGlass application with Halo 4. It is currently available for Windows 8 and Windows RT PC's and tablets and some android products. Hopefully this feature will release soon across all platforms as this will help expand halo like nothing we've ever experienced before.

If you've realized that we have omitted everything about the plot, then you'll thank us latter because Halo 4's journey, while a bit short, provides one breathtaking moment after another and is a story that should not be spoiled in any way. In all forms of media there are characters that become more than just an icon, they become legends. Microsoft and 343 have poured their hearts and souls into making Halo 4 into the Halo game we have all been waiting to play, and it shows. The wait is almost over my fellow Spartans, we may have finished the fight but the war is far from over and because of that, Halo will never be the same again. Join the millions around the world on Nov. 6 2012 for the next installment of one of the greatest video game adventures that we will ever experience, Halo 4.

END TRANSMISSION

Cortana: From what I can tell Chief it seems that while Microsoft and 343 have given you all this help, surviving the Forerunners seems like a losing bet. How can you even expect to win this war?

(Loads battle rifle)
Master Chief: Stack the deck.

Overall Score: 9.8 / 10 Resident Evil 6

Here you are, fighting your fight against a seemingly insurmountable force. Nothing but death and destruction surround you while the shroud of corporate evil blankets your eyes from the truth. Every turn could be your last, and every door could spell your very doom. The nightmare that you thought was at an end has only thrown you deeper down the rabbit hole. Continuing the story of the world's most destructive virulent outbreak, Resident Evil 6 will take you on a dark journey of terror by bringing to life horrors that were once only our worst nightmares. This adventure is not for the faint of heart and it's an adventure from which your sanity may not return. As you wipe the sweat from your brow, calm your heartbeat, and steady your grip on your pistol, your hope for salvation intertwines with your quest for resolution and blinds you from the fact, that you have only two bullets left. Welcome to Resident Evil 6.

To uncover the reality behind the mist of deception, in your attempt to awaken from this nightmare, you will take part in multiple campaigns which consist of multiple chapters. Before you take your first steps you are offered the chance to alter various settings from: difficulty, which range from fluffy pink bunnies to pray to God; to co-op options involving Xbox LIVE connections or split screen, infinite ammo, and more. Now that the stage is set, and the players are ready, it is time for this hellish quest of horror and death to unfold.

The once herald king of survival horror games has had a very roller coaster lifespan. There were times when the game to play that will make your bladder lose control, your heart pound in your chest, and your forehead drip with sweat, was a Resident Evil game. Since its acclaimed "golden years" many have argued that Resident Evil has gone downhill in an attempt to become more modernized. Issues of the past include camera controls, movement and combat, and even with the horror element itself. Capcom has put forth extensive effort in an attempt to bring the undead horror series back to life, but like almost all zombies, all it takes is one good shot to the head to put it out of its misery for good.

When you play through the different chapters of each character, you will notice distinct differences that act as a double edged sword with this game. There are a couple of characters, whose story and gameplay bring out the classic Resident Evil feeling, however, there are also moments that will have you cursing the game itself. The plot behind the game requires you to play through the different campaigns while trying to piece everything together to complete the biggest puzzle of Resident Evil 6, the story. While it's nice to see a different take on Resident Evil's story, you can't help but think that Capcom could have done a better job with the delivery and not subject gamers to repetition. It's sad to say, but gone are the glory days when this game would make you wet yourself. Instead you will have your massive cinematic moments of shock, combined with a healthy dose of QuickTime events and after that, solve puzzles, shoot things in the head. While the play controls do differ in between character playthroughs, that doesn't mean that all of them are a success. It also means that Capcom has immediately subjected Resident Evil 6 to a massive, unavoidable fault, and that is no one will be happy. Back when you had the quality of the previous Resident Evil games, you had three types of people. Those that love the way the game played those that hated it, and those that thought it was ok. While that seems like a simplistic breakdown, ultimately, in the end, it's the truth. Now though, if you like only part of the game, then you run into the realization that you paid full retail price for a game you only like part of. This is unfortunately, one of the biggest draw backs of the entire game.

While there may be some major issues with Resident Evil 6, some of the biggest strengths can be found in the beauty of all the depraved horrors. The character textures and animation are painstakingly done to all the monsters which bring terror to life like never before and the lighting effects are done brilliantly throughout every moment and every level. Even though Resident Evil 6 is a graphic milestone for the series, it does pose some problems. Some of the character modeling of the monsters and your characters look purely terrifying, and even the new J'avo characters pose a threat that while deadly, turns out to become yet another disappointment within the game. The J'avo are able to use weapons against you, however, as you progress you will find yourself going into massive gunfights with multiple enemies and that is when Resident Evil 6, departs from a Resident Evil game, and becomes a mutated demon spawn that takes you away from one of the defining core characteristics of Resident Evil. Sure you may be witnessing all of this hellish action within stunning environments coupled with brilliant lighting, but when you turn a survival horror classic series into a 3rd person shooter, that's when you have a recipe for disaster.

You can't have a good horror game and not ensure that the sounds and music live up to the mark. Throughout the history of the Resident Evil games, the previous traits in regards to sound were: 1) Have ominous background music throughout the scenes to help build tension leading up to climatic events. 2) Have inevitable, "cheese" style character dialogue that plagues throughout the entire game. Now when we turn our focus to the new Resident Evil 6, your ears will be treated to more of the same. When you traverse each and every level your ears will be treated to a symphony of sound designed to do one thing only, and that's scaring the ever loving **** out of you. Then after you make it through these event scenes, you get rewarded by listening to corny, overacted, voice dialogues that immediately drop the tension and replace it with anguish.

Even though there are some massive issues pumping through this game like a raging old school T-Virus, some of the other modes such as Mercenaries bring new life into this undead franchise. Mercenaries mode grades you on your performance and will allow you to earn skill points which in turn, you use to upgrade your characters with such factors as increased melee damage or more health and allow you to even utilize them during your main campaigns. While Mercenaries mode brings forth some enjoyable replay value, the new Agent Hunt mode takes it right away. Using an almost direct knock off game mode, Agent Hunt could be classified as Capcom's Resident Evil twist on Left 4 Dead. While Left 4 Dead has managed to pull off this aspect brilliantly, unfortunately you can't say the same for Resident Evil 6.

When you get done taking in everything that Resident Evil 6 offers gamers, you realize that you are not playing a "true" Resident Evil game. While there are aspects that still remain from the franchise, when the core gameplay changes from what the series has always been about is a fault that absolutely cripples this game. There are some positives about the game, but they are overshadowed by continental sized failures and that's a shame because the gaming world is begging for Resident Evil return to their roots of delivering a terror experience that should come with health warnings pasted all over the box stating that playing the game could shorten life span, change mental state, or anything similar. Why Capcom has decided to evolve a classic survival horror game into a mere shadow of what it used to be is probably the biggest puzzle yet to be solved.

Suggestions: Please go back to the roots of what made the Resident Evil series the king of survival horror gaming.

Overall Score: 7.8 / 10 Dishonored

There are men whose hearts are pure and find salvation in upholding justice for others while vanquishing evil, and then there are men whose hearts are blackened and poisoned by thoughts and actions of undermining those who would oppose their rise to ultimate power. The Empress holds her own council and trusts them to assist her in comforting and assisting her people during this dark time of death and decay. My name is Corvo and I am a high ranking official within the Empress' bodyguards. I have been dispatched on a mission of peace and aid from the neighboring lands, and upon my return, my world is turned on its head. I have been falsely accused by the Empress' advisers for the murder of the Empress and the abduction of her daughter! Send me away on a false mission of aid for our suffering people, and upon my return, they dare accuse me, Corvo, of killing the Empress and abducting her daughter, when the truth is that I'm made to be the scapegoat of their conspiracies for their own coup! Those traitorous, deceitful, conspiring officials! Now the townspeople of Dunwall are faring worse and the land is in the midst of a plague that is killing hundreds every day, and no cure has been found yet and some believe that there is a darker plot behind the curtain that has yet to be revealed. All I know is that the Empress' little girl has been abducted, and now it is up to me to find her and seek vengeance on those who were behind these horrific tragedies. It is time for me to make my own freedom, to silence those who played a role in constructing these events. My choice is my own; however on my path will I won't be alone. I once heard "To every man his choice, to every man his fate" and these vile, corrupted persons of power have taken away my choice, so now I will decide their fate.

When Bethesda sets off to create a world of deception, assassinations, stealth, and more, they look to some of the stand out qualities of other titles in an effort to combine everything that once was good and make it great. Dishonored possesses qualities that are reminiscent of other top tier games and magically infuses them together to create a world where your choice determines your fate, and the fates of others as well. Keeping to the viewpoint of first person, Dishonored, in a nutshell, combines the stealth of Deus Ex, with the brutality of assassinations from Assassins Creed, the character depth and beauty of Elder Scrolls and the innovation of gameplay choice where you control your own fate. With regards to the stealth aspect of Dishonored, you are given multiple paths to explore as you traverse the city on your way to your objective. This can range from scampering across rooftops, to navigating alleyways and back avenues, to even swimming under water through sewer systems. These alternate pathways can also grant you items to pick up such as health and coin, and can even give you some surprises. The stealth aspect of Dishonored is so open, that it is even possible to go through the entire game and not kill anything, not even boss characters. If however, you do get detected, it's time to dual wield weapons and powers, and fight to win.

In Dishonored, fighting is always an option and if you fancy yourself some dismembering confrontations, then Dishonored is happy to oblige. With the press of one button you can bring up a quick selection menu where you can chose what power or weapon or both you wish to fight with. As well you have the ability to hot key these weapons and powers to the D Pad which allows you to select them on the fly. When it comes time to fight blocking is your savior and counter attacking will lead to a cinematic death that would have even Mortal Kombat cheering away. Controlling your character is very responsive at times and everything you do in the game is fairly straightforward so getting used to running and sliding and traversing obstacles to climb to new heights is very easy to do.

There are some innovative tweaks to the character development system that allows Dishonored to make the experience more interactive. There are multiple types of character enhancement items that you can find throughout the city and every one of them allows you some form of enhancement or upgrade to your character's skill sets. For example, there is an ability called Blink which acts as an instantaneous, user teleportation power. When you charge the power up you will see an icon as to where your character will land, and even if your character will climb up when teleported. This allows you to scramble up onto higher levels and rooftops of the city and avoid detection from the guards, dogs, and traps patrolling below. This ability and other upgrades can be purchased or enhanced through the finding of Runes. Runes can be rewards from side quests, or scattered throughout the many areas of Dishonored, but once found act as a sort of spiritual currency which allows you to purchase new abilities and upgrade existing ones.

Every power grants you a surface benefit, but how it's applied in situations can determine whether or not you get a hidden bonus, let me explain how that works. There is a power called Bend Time which in its first level will allow you to slow time for a short while, and then when you upgrade it you can stop time completely while your movement isn't affected at all. Now on the surface this makes infiltration and assassinations much easier, but if you apply it in combat, you gain the ability to stop bullets in mid-flight and even collect them out of the air and put them into your inventory. Other character enhancements you can find throughout Dishonored are the Bone Charms. These small artifacts can bestow either good or bad things upon your character. Originally only a small amount of Bone Charms can be used simultaneously, however, like almost everything else for your character, the ability to hold more active Bone Charms is also available, for a price. Not only will you find health items, coins, and a massive amount of empty bottles while on your quest, but you can also stumble across blueprints that will enable your character access to future upgrades that normally would not be available.

One of the biggest innovations of Dishonored is how the game itself will adapt to your play style and base how the game unfolds on your Chaos rating. While Dishonored contains a moral choice code, the Chaos rating is based off of factors such as collateral damage and deaths that you cause, violent actions, and more and it's this rating that will determine mission outcomes and how the game unfolds before your eyes. This is where your choice ultimately effects everything about the game so when you play your game, you are really playing your game and not a scripted set of predetermined events and outcomes. This also plays a major role in how the game handles and manages its many optional quests. While some are off the beaten path and away from prying eyes, there are some that are built within the main missions as well and how you chose to approach these will also determine the future of your game in Dishonored.

The setting for all of this corruption takes place in the city of Dunwall which could be compared to London during the Black Death. The city is divided into those fighting over power and those fighting to survive and hope has all but been forgotten by the city's residents. Even though there is misery, suffering, and death all around you, Dishonored takes advantage and utilizes the Unreal graphics engine into producing what could be called an interactive piece of art. You really get a sense for the suffering when you witness acts such as guards throwing wrapped dead bodies off the bridge and into the water while people are begging for some form of salvation, and it's this visual connection that really immerses you into the peril of the city and the distinct differences between those with means, and those that are meant to suffer.

A key aspect to a stealth focused game has to be the sound. Not only must the ambient music make you feel like you are in the environment, but it must also cause an emotion throughout the game to help tie everything else together. Dishonored takes all these aspects and goes above and beyond how sound are implemented in the game. For a successful seize of control, one must have power, and knowledge is power. As you traverse the many avenues you will overhear guards talking which will gain you valuable information, providing you haven't killed them already. This is where the sound really plays to its strengths as you will uncover new quests; learn new ways to achieve your goals, and more. So not only do you have a score that makes you feel like you are right there with everyone, but it's through other areas of sound that you gain more options and knowledge of your surrounding environment and quest missions.

In today's world gamers are treated to countless sequels of preexisting, successful games. Usually when companies are struggling to develop something new, they can find quick cash by going back and releasing classic games with a slight upgraded feel. Bethesda though, continues to develop new and innovative games, and that attention to quality and detail shines through in Dishonored. There are very few games you can buy today that offer so many amazing aspects from other top tier titles while innovating new elements to provide a brilliant combination that depends on one thing only, your actions. What choices will you make? How will your actions be perceived by others? It's time to end the corruption, silence the crooked tongues of deception, and uncover the truth to the mystery of Dunwall's sorrows. The choice is yours to make, welcome to Dishonored.

Overall Score: 9.6 / 10 Jet Set Radio



Back in the day, Jet Set Radio suffered from a control scheme that was supposed to be simplistic but ultimately in the end fell flat on its face when compared to other skating games. The main reason behind this failure in controls stemmed from the lack of a user controlled camera. In this latest release we find that Jet Set Radio has finally implemented a user controlled camera, but while this has helped somewhat, the control issues of past have come back to haunt gamers in a bad way. There are still issues with the camera (even though you can control it) and your skater still feels like he's a semi-truck skating on ice. Sega had a chance to deliver a classic experience and improve on the issues of the past, but unfortunately it only seems like Sega was interested in only improving the graphics.

Over the years we as gamers have had the luxury and benefit of innovations and improvements in all forms of gaming, however, in today's day and age we have come to expect that gaming companies who decide to release these classic games in HD provide the public with a wealth of improvements to enhance the joy and entertainment we all remember having. Sadly Jet Set Radio seems like a partial attempt to recreate a fun and enjoyable game, but the even more depressing news is that this game wasn't very fun to begin with and when you couple that with the fact that the game only offers minimal improvements but still suffers from the original poor control scheme and camera issues, Sega is betting that you don't remember how mediocre this game was to begin with and pick it up. If you're a fan, this should be a no brainer pick up, but only when it's discounted on sale. If you're not a fan, or have never played Jet Set Radio, do yourself a favor and avoid this game like you would avoid the police.

Overall Score: 6.5 / 10 Kung Fu Strike



Round 2 begins and this time Kung Fu Strike comes out with fists of fury by implementing a very simplistic fighting style gameplay. At your disposal you have only a few buttons: X - attack button (this is the button you will mash over and over again for hours), A - jump attack (if you find yourself pinned against a wall or corner, this could be the only thing to save your life), B - Deflect (think of this as a parry and stun defensive move where if timed right you can increase your health). With such a rudimentary system for fighting, your thumbs will be beating the absolute s*** out of the X, A, and B buttons so put your controller on notice; if you have buttons that have suffered years of abuse and heavy gaming, then putting it through its paces with Kung Fu Strike just may be the knockout punch that kills your controller. As round 2 ends, Kung Fu Strike's very straight forward fighting system shows that this game won't go down without a fight. Now let's take a breath and head into the start of round 3..... Fight!

As the bell sounds for round 3, we notice that Kung Fu Strike tries hard to incorporate iconic image scenarios from past movies. You have your temple fights in the courtyards, monasteries, and more. Unfortunately these tend to lack in any sort of substance and with other fighting games hitting with harder punches in the graphics and sound category, Kung Fu Strike tries hard but ultimately in the end falls flat on its face with a lack luster performance. This also exposes just how similar to an old Kung Fu movie this game really is. All the sound effects sound almost identical, just like the old movies. All the poor dub work doesn't really play into account, since there really isn't much if any spoken words. And while movies can take you to exotic landscapes and fighting arenas, Kung Fu Strike takes to you constant enclosed areas of mediocre graphics.

As the final bell sounds for the end of round 3, Kung Fu Strike is in a lot of trouble. Not only has the story actually hurt the game, but right before the bell sounded to end round 3, Kung Fu Strike got hit below the belt with the lack of online multiplayer. Do you have friends that like classic Kung Fu movies? If you do, make sure that they come over to your house, otherwise you will forever tread down the path of the lone warrior. Now the results are in, and after this intense battle does Kung Fu Strike stand strong? Not a chance. You can find more interesting stories on cigarette packages and better graphics in first grade art class. The controls are simplistic, however that means your controller will be abused harder than Tina Turner. It looks like Kung Fu Strike needs a few more years of training if it wants to compete for the fighting crown because as of now, the competition just beat Kung Fu Strike senseless.

Overall Score: 6.5 / 10 Dead or Alive 5

The soul of a warrior may take upon different forms and lead one down different paths, but the fire and passion for victory that burns within is a constant reminder that every warrior must fight in order to achieve their goal. Tempered with both beauty and humility, there are very few moments in time when you can truly experience the unbridled fury of a warrior's spirit. Over the past decade many warriors have taken us down paths of both glory and despair, however, the time has come for one of the most iconic fighting games to return, Dead or Alive 5. Throughout history, very few fighting games have provided the strength and execution to deliver an unforgettable experience both inside and outside the arena and this time, Team Ninja have trained hard to ensure that Dead or Alive 5 will triumph over the competition and rule as the undisputed champion of the fighting game genre. Many fighters rush into battle, and are over eager to prove themselves in battle. Ultimately, in the end, this proves to be their downfall, however after seven years since the fall of DOATECH, Dead or Alive 5 is finally ready to show the world why good things come to those who wait.

One of the largest factors that will determine whether or not a fighting game can stand on its own two feet or get knocked out cold is the play control. Some games offer a direct system for controls, so if I were to say to you, "Perform a sho-ryu-ken" or "Do Scorpion's spear attack" you would instantly know what to do thanks to a very direct fighting system. Then there are those games that offer such an in-depth system of movement, fighting, and more that mastering such techniques requires almost as much discipline as mastering the actual martial art, and this is the category that composes the control of Dead or Alive 5. Early on, Dead or Alive 5 will be quite simplistic to just pick up and play, however, if you want to prove you're the best, then you must devote weeks, if not months (and maybe a controller or two) to the stick breaking training you will need to navigate in order to prove your worth in the DoA ring.

Such complexity can even be found in single categories within the controls, for instance, if your opponent does a high punch you have a couple of options for a counter. One option is to push back and press the hold button, but if you want to do more damage you could press forward, up and hold. It doesn't stop there because some holds will allow you to transition right into a combo hold where you can instantly turn the tide of battle in your favor and unleash unholy amounts of damage. All of this though, has to be done within tenths of seconds so this is where all your training will come in handy. Mastering the arts of all the warriors at your disposal will be your greatest challenge of Dead or Alive 5.

When a good fighting game comes out, it usually only carries with it enough content to be considered a worthwhile purchase. When a great fighting game comes out, it usually has a ton of characters and content that will keep gamers hooked for months and hopefully years to come and is considered a first day purchase. Dead or Alive 5 needs to be almost in a class of its own and considered a must have, for any fighting game fan. The amount of content is simply staggering. For starters you have multiple options to begin with. You have your fight menu which allows you to train, fight in time attack or survival mode, and fight either versus or in the arcade. After those five options in the Fight menu, you have your online gametypes which consist of: Simple match - this mode is your basic quick match. Ranked match - where you go when you want to get serious. Lobby match - This is where you can start hosting "winner stays" style tournaments and while the old lobby system is gone, you can still view each fight while waiting and the interface is much cleaner and more efficient.

Then you have your almost required Leaderboards, and to wrap everything up you have a new option which is the Fighters List. The Fighters List is a way for you and your fellow warriors to connect together easier when fighting online. You can add people who actually destroy you in a chance to beat your rivals, or add the person you just annihilated before for easier wins. Another new innovative feature is the inclusion of a spectator mode where you can view past replays of fights and during this you can actually take and save photos of events throughout the fight. If all of that wasn't enough, Dead or Alive 5 consists of a story that doesn't involve (on avg.) between 12-16 fights as we would normally have in a fighting game, but instead the story mode for DoA5 involves over 60 fights! Make no mistake, Dead or Alive 5 truly brings a continental amount of content and that alone would make any fighting game the biggest dog on the block, but there is so much more.



For fighting game fans, playing a game that provides a mountain of content while displaying it in a beautiful graphical art form and adding in an enjoyable, straight forward online gametypes, and topped off with an incredibly deep control scheme is a must have. We have seen years of pretenders, and very few contenders, but in Dead or Alive 5 we get our first glimpse at what truly makes a champion. For those who want to experience a fighting game, pick up something else, but for those who want to fight, and fight to win, without question you must own Dead or Alive 5.

Overall Score: 9.5 / 10 Counter Strike: Global Offensive





Overall Score: 7.5 / 10 Dust: An Elysian Tail

When gaming companies set out to create games most of the time the games are made with a passion for their idea and the game companies will spare no expense to guarantee that millions of other gamers get to enjoy it as well. Sometimes you get games that are predeceased by stratospheric levels of publicity that turn into rock bottom levels of disappointments. Sometimes you get games that are, from start to finish, flat out terrible. Sometimes you will have game companies that spend hundreds of millions on development across multiple teams in multiple cities around the globe, and the game tanks. Then, like the Marines, there are the few that provide a truly breathtaking experience from start to finish. I'll let you wager a guess as to which category Dust: An Elysian Tail fits into. When we talk about Dust however, we're not talking about a billion dollar global corporation that just shovels money by the ton into creating public spectacles that can be seen from space. When we talk about Dust, we're talking about one man, Mr. Dean Dodrill, the sole designer of Dust. It's it without a doubt one of the most challenging experiences any one person can manage to tackle alone, but Mr. Dodrill somehow managed to provide gamers with a truly magical adventure filled with RPG elements, a lengthy story, tons of side quests, platforming traits, intense combat and a whole lot more.

From the very beginning Dust opens itself up to you in a visually orgasmic experience. Without question this game is beyond beautiful and what a fantastic way to start your extensive side scrolling 2D journey. You assume the role of a character, aptly named Dust, who awakens to find he is the possessor of an ancient sword called Ahrah, and it is up to Dust to solve the prophecy of the sword and uncover the secrets of his past to solve the problems of the present and preserve the future. While the scripting at times can become a bit dark, the overall writing for the game is absolutely brilliant and sets the stage for one of the most enjoyable experiences you will find on the Xbox Live Arcade. While the tone of the plot may be darker at times, right from the beginning you are greeted by your brand new companion called, Fidget who acts as a source of humor (sometimes bad humor) throughout the game. This really helps enhance not only the story but the overall experience as well.

As we stated earlier this game is a 2D side scrolling adventure game and the gameplay mechanics of Dust are incredibly smooth and the ease of use makes Dust a game that you can quite easily pick up and play. You have your basic light and heavy attacks but you will also gain a Dust Storm attack where you can not only rack up insanely high combos, but you can also call upon Fidget and have this flying fox/bat thing launch 3 projectiles which turn into dozens more that will seek and attack enemies on the screen. There will be abilities you earn and learn along the way which will require you to backtrack to previous areas if you're the type of gamer that has to explore every area and obtain every treasure. The wonderful thing though is that even when you backtrack, you're still passing through untold of beauty with the environments so you don't really mind doing it.

One of Dust's major accomplishments is the integration of RPG elements throughout the game. You will find materials which can be sold to stores so they can stock them for you in the future, so a small investment now can pay off big down the road. Throughout your adventure you'll also come across blueprints for artifacts and armor that, with the right materials, you can craft and either equip or sell the items themselves. When you also take into account the heavy amount of side quests and all the items you will acquire from chests and boss fights, you will quickly realize that you will never be short for loot of any kind.
Already you've been reading praises of the beauty of Dust, and to be honest, calling it beautiful is like saying the Mona Lisa looks ok. If you have ever wondered what an animated Disney movie would look like with strong references from the time period of feudal Japan and science fiction, then Dust would be the outcome. The backgrounds of every area look like a vibrant, stunning painting and the areas themselves look like interactive masterpieces of art. Even the in game weather effects add to the ambiance of every level and add a great graphical balance to Dust. The character models are done spectacularly well and all of this remembers is thanks to one person. One nice surprise is the quality of the dialogue between characters. The retro style cut scene conversations resurrect a golden era of gaming and proves that you don't need hundreds of millions of dollars and a global workforce to get things right.

Dust is without question one of the best Xbox Live Arcade games to ever release. You could easily put this up against Trials, or even the current king of the arcade, Minecraft and Dust will go the distance due to its quality and overall brilliance. This is a perfect example of when passion and desire mix and produce something that the global gaming community will forever be thankful for. If for some reason you decide not to pick up Dust, I actually feel sorry for you b/c you're shorting yourself from one truly amazing experience. 1200 MS points for Dust is a lot for an arcade game (though $15 doesn't go that far now), but it's worth every point. Take a bow Mr. Dodrill, for you have truly created a gaming masterpiece.



Overall Score: 8.8 / 10 Hybrid





Suggestions: Provide a better story and please work on the connection issues with this game.

Overall Score: 8.0 / 10 Darksiders 2

Would you sacrifice the souls of generations at a chance for redemption? When your soul awakens and finds nothing but darkness, fear not that you are alone for the reaper always walks with you. My past is filled with death, destruction, and holy wars, but my destiny has not yet been written, but I will hold my own council as to its outcome. I have been called many names in many languages but you will know me as Death, one of the four riders of the apocalypse. My brother War is innocent of the holy crimes for which he is accused of, yet the Charred Council remains blind to the truth. Many tales have been told by crooked tongues and it's time I cut the veil of shadow to expose the truth to the light. Therefore, since the Council refuses to act War's only hope of salvation rests within this tormented body of mine. It is time to answer the call that we all made when we became riders, but this time, I play by my own rules. It has been many years since the story of the Horseman War and there are many questions that have yet to be answered. My quest will take me too many lands but I will go through hell and back again to prove my brother's innocence and destroy the Corruption. To prove innocence though, I must erase the crime, I must bring back humanity. From Death, there will again be life. Come to my aid Dust and Despair, for now is the time for Death to ride.

In order to reach my goal I must venture into foreign lands of angel, demon and more to uncover the truth behind this deception and restore mankind. To do this I will need to draw upon the power of some of the most powerful celestial secrets that govern over the powers of life and death itself. I know that my adventure will take me to faraway lands, and places of both unimaginable beauty and horror. Worlds such as the Forge Lands will provide my soul with mixed areas ranging from tree, grass, and water, to rock, stone, and fire. My journey will also ride me deep into familiar territory as well. It has been a long time since I've ridden into the darkness. This quest is bound to be littered with traps, puzzles, enemies and more, for there is a reason to keep these secrets locked away in the first place. To accomplish this adventure it is time to stretch my legs and to bring upon the battlefield the full power of Death. I shall bring forth skills and abilities unlike any told in the scriptures. Various powers such as Deathgrip, will allow me to traverse wide gaps previously unavailable and to ascend to new heights, or the Phasewalker power, which will allow me to teleport between portals and when upgraded, even time itself. One power however, Soul Splitter, will allow my spirit to tear itself into two spiritual copies of my physical form to allow me to be in two places at the same time.


While these powers will aid me along my path, heaven and hell will both quake at the witnessing of the power of my upgradable skill trees. What the Charred Council doesn't know is that I possess skills that can shield me in battle, increase my strength, or even reveal my true reaper form and annihilate any surrounding onslaught. Throughout my tasks I will gain knowledge that was previously hidden to me, and through this sacred knowledge I will unlock new powers and abilities. Each of my many skills can be called upon in a flash and when I truly reach my full potential through the acquisition of experience, I will unleash a whirlwind of spiritual torment from which, Death will be the only salvation. My powers alone however, will not grant me passage onward in my quest. For that reason I must rely on the blades, armors, and treasures of the lands to provide me the equipment I seek to reach my goal. These items however are not mere trinkets and toys, but magical items that bestow different gifts to the bearer. Qualities such as fire damage, frost damage, and more can be found frequently on various weapons; while strength, health, defense and more can be commonly found in armor. One interesting piece of information, relating to the items I will find, is the existence of possessed weaponry. These are far rarer but can consume other pieces of equipment to adopt other magical properties. These can be turned into massive holy weapons against the oncoming darkness. I know that there are others who are going to share in my journey so therefore I will be able to aid them as they would me, and that is by sending weapons and armor to them directly via Serpent Tomes. This ensures that no matter what enemy I may face ahead, I will always have the weapon I need.

I wonder what beauty lies before me on this spiritual adventure. I have heard tales of moving mountains in the plains of the Forge Lands, desolate wastelands that blanket the Kingdom of the Dead, and beautiful waterfalls cascading from angelic towers. From what I gather, this adventure will allow me to explore vast areas while keeping me focused throughout the trying times. It has been so long since my eyes have seen such things both horrific and beautiful. I've been advised that I will face demons that are more ferocious than an erupting volcano, giants who can block out the sun, and lingering dark spirits of power whose anger and hatred has manifested itself into pure unbridled evil. I do recall War's recollection of his time on Earth and the tales he told are a sight I hope my eyes will see one day. Maybe there will come a time that this soul sees peace but there are so many twisted roots of evil that have taken hold over so many realms, thankfully the beauty of the adventure will never grow old to these eyes.

While my eyes long for the time when they behold the beauty of creation and life, my ears desire to hear a song so sweet that it's very melody will purify the most corrupted soul as its tones haunt your very spirit. Though my experiences in life may weigh heavy with battle, but that does not mean that the concept of music is lost to me. My ears have heard songs from the far-away lands and their harmonics sound like a choir of angels blessing mankind. When my soul weighs heavy with the celestial burden I must bear, these heavenly songs lift both my spirit and my blade. It has been said that trumpets will blow upon the End of Days, but until that time I could not think of a better thing to listen to, than the sounds that permeate every facet of my quest.

While the focus of my journey is to aid in my brother War's freedom, I have heard whispers of a land far away called the Crucible. This land is apparently where the best warriors from both heaven and hell go to prove their superiority in numerous rounds of combat. I believe if there is some time to spare, my blade shall enter this Crucible so that I may showcase my true power so that both angel and demon may fear this rider. As I progress on my path, I must gain all the knowledge I can and for that I must assist the creatures I meet along the way. I know by helping to earn their trust that they will entrust me with information that I require.

So now the time has come, a time where listening to falsehoods proclaimed by demons is at an end. Now is the time for my enemies to cower in fear. Now is the time that their blood is spilt in the name of truth. Now is the time that my wrath come crashing down upon this unholy mouth and silence its tongue. Now is the time not to cut off the head of the demon, but purge its very soul to judgment. I remember a tale that said: "When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come and see!" I looked and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him." Now is the time. Time to ride.

Overall Score: 9.7 / 10 Deadlight



While all of this amazing gameplay and puzzle solving will leave you highly entertained, a major factor to remember is that all of this is helped along by Tequila Works' amazing usage of the Unreal engine. 2D side scrolling action in a post-apocalyptic society done to an eerie backdrop of blacks and shadows with various run down color usage throughout all the levels. This game is strikingly good but some of the issues faced as you progress is that when you get into a mix of shadows who are all trying to kill you, you will find that your character is the same color, height, and almost shape as a shadow making it very hard sometimes to find your character in the middle of a mob. Think of it like "Where's Waldo", except under extreme pressure where if you fail, you die. Deadlight's cut scenes are also done in a comic style way where different screens show transitions from one act to another, but there's one bit of graphic work that stands out and those are the dream sequences.

These are sequences of Wayne's mind that come back to haunt, torment, and guide him throughout the game. This is where the twisted and psychotic mind of Wayne comes into play by taking him through some dramatic mental turns with his wife and daughter. There is only one more part that helps turn Deadlight into a must have game and that is the soundtrack. Haunting your ears from the title screen, Deadlight sets the stage for a demented journey down the path of the insane. As you progress through the levels you will hear a minimalistic score backed by ambient noises, shouts, screams, and more to help raise the suspense and leave you wondering, "If I charge this door, what's waiting for me on the other side?" You have heard the cliché that when things are quiet, they are "too quiet" and that is when you really must be on your toes. The only downfall for the audio would be the voice overs as they are not great but good.

With the Xbox Live Summer of Arcade in full swing, Deadlight is priced at 1200 MS points, and in my opinion is a deal and a half. The quality of content is amazing, and when you combine the psychotic storyline with the fluid gameplay and top it off with amazing use of the Unreal engine for graphics and a soundtrack that will drive suspense deep into your soul, Deadlight is easily one of the best Xbox Live Arcade games to come out this summer or arguably this year.

Suggestions: Please make further games with longer stories that are as amazing as Deadlight.

Overall Score: 9.0 / 10 Jeremy McGrath's Offroad





Overall Score: 6.5 / 10 Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown

Welcome my student. I summoned you here because I have obtained news that a new challenger to the fighting game crown has emerged. For years now the battle has waged between games such as Street Fighter, Soul Calibur, Mortal Kombat, Tekken, and more to compete for the crown of "Best Fighting Game" and now Sega has stepped forward and issued their own challenge with Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown. Not to be taken lightly, this Xbox Live Arcade fighting game is mammoth in size and beautiful in its execution. Come now my student, walk with me and let me give you some more details on what could quite possibly be one of the best fighting games available.

In the fighting game genre there is one paramount that must be upheld to the highest regard and that is play control. You could have a beautiful game but if the controls are sluggish, or unresponsive, then the game itself will suffer greatly. Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown taps into the souls of its ancestors and delivers an incredibly in depth fighting system which is executed with more precision than a samurai's blade. Do not underestimate this opponent because Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown utilizes one of the most complex fighting systems ever conceived by man. With support for arcade stick and a fully customizable play control system, Virtua Fighter 5 Final Showdown is quickly becoming a contender to be reckoned with.



Overall Score: 9.0 / 10 Mad Riders

Fresh off the massive success of Trials Evolution, Ubisoft has attempted to catch some serious air by doubling the amount of tires, ramping up the horsepower, and unleashing massive amounts of turbo boost in their latest release Mad Riders. In the racing world, there are some games that define a genre, for example, games such as Forza 4 provide one of the most realistic experiences behind a wheel to date and games such as Trials Evolution and Trials HD deliver a fantastic experience that will leave you hooked long after the game's release. On the flip side of the racing coin, you have everything else which turns out to just be a pile of horrible racing titles and a waste of your hard earned cash. So you could say that games in the racing genre are much like life, or a real race for that matter where 2nd place is the 1st place loser. Let's grab our helmets and vault into the sky as Ubisoft attempts to take the checkered flag in hopes that Mad Riders delivers a victory.

From the beginning Mad Riders offer crazed race heads a fun and entertaining experience taking their ATV and buggy vehicles through high flying jumps in the blink of an eye. Innovation isn't found in high amounts in Mad Riders, but if you're following a winning formula for making extreme off road racing games, then you don't need to reinvent the wheel. The general mechanics are somewhat standard where you have your steering via the joystick, gas and brake are operated by the Left and Right triggers, and being that this is an arcade style game, boost as well by holding down the X button, however the trick though to properly manage your boost is found in the air born stunts. By performing multiple stunts and landing them, you will be awarded with not only added boost to your gauge, but you will also earn XP for your character.

This is all part of the character development system that Mad Riders implements. As you progress through your game and winning races, challenges, and trials, your character will be awarded XP which accumulates and thus levels your character up, which then in turn will unlock different vehicles, riders, paint schemes, and more. Some of the challenges that lay ahead of you are: Race, Ghost Challenge, Stunt, Arena, and more. Each of these competitions has their own standards for rules and winning those grants your character unlocks for future races.

Mad Riders provides a beautiful backdrop that goes flying past you as you ignite the rocket underneath you, hold on tight, and pray you don't go through the pearly gates on fire and backwards. Lush terrains from varying environments such as a rainforest, or the islands of the pacific become a highly entertaining stage of high speed enjoyment. For the fleeting moments that you do get to enjoy the view, it's absolutely amazing. While the game itself looks gorgeous in a lot of areas, the soundtrack to the game doesn't seem to fit quite right. The music comes across as a hard edged dub step track which loops over and over again and becomes more of an annoyance than an enjoyment. A nice benefit though is that most of the time you will only be hearing the sounds of explosions going off as you seemingly never let off the boost.

Ubisoft has a lot going for Mad Riders, and thankfully it's going in the right direction. After all is said and done, and our vehicles are finally out of gas, we stop to think, "Is Mad Riders a game that will conquer the Xbox Live Arcade and take over the top spot?" Probably not. While the execution is solid, there are a few blemishes that separate it from the leaders of the pack. With that being said, is Mad Riders worth a purchase? If you enjoy racing off road through extreme courses on ATV's or a buggy, then absolutely.

Overall Score: 8.0 / 10 Jam Live Music Arcade



JAM Live Music Arcade is separated into two categories of gameplay: 1) JAM - A relaxed, musical session filled with creativity and enjoyment, and 2) Arcade - This could easily be argued the most intense and challenging music arcade mode ever conceived by man. In Arcade mode your song plays out for you and it is up to you to trigger the corresponding sounds by pressing the required button when the circle reaches the top bar. This is pretty straight forward and something that anyone who has played Guitar Hero or Rock Band will visually feel comfortable with. The real challenge of Arcade mode lies within the soundbanks. There are times throughout the songs that you will be required to not only activate multiple soundbanks at one time but also change them as requested by the song itself. This can be incredibly hard and frustrating, and since there isn't an easy difficulty to start out on, it's like taking your first swimming lesson by being thrown overboard off a cruise ship. You will try many times, and you will fail many times, however, when your ear tunes in and you hit that point in the learning curve where everything falls into place, JAM Live Music Arcade delivers a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction that few games today can match.

This is more than just pressing a button when the colored icon hits the trigger line; JAM Live Music Arcade is training your ear to "hear the music". For most people, they hear a song and if they like it, they find enjoyment out of it, and if they hate it, it gets dumped. JAM Live Music Arcade however, trains your ear to hear and interoperate music on a deeper level than you probably never thought possible. Think of JAM Live Music Arcade as a tool that allows you to dissect music songs into various pieces that allow you to remix and develop the song piece by piece. Without question JAM Live Music Arcade provides the most in-depth and challenging music experience you can find on the Xbox 360.

While it does take a while to overcome the learning curve of the interface, the satisfaction achieved when everything finally "clicks" is something rarely found in video games today. Sure there are successful games where you can run around, shoot people, explore dungeons, and take you on a fantasy adventure, but there is no personal development actually happening. JAM Live Music Arcade actually helps you develop your hearing through a musical interface that you can control. This amazing software is easily worth the 800MS price point it's asking and if you enjoy music or music games, then it's a must have addition to your gaming collection.

Suggestions: A few things would have made a big improvement on the score such as being able to select different sounds from different soundbanks and allowing you to switch soundbanks while still maintaining the original sound you wanted. So if there was a bass line in soundbank (A) that I loved but in a different soundbank there were synths that I wanted to use in soundbank (B), instead of changing everything when you switch soundbanks, allow me to keep my bassline from (A) when I switch to (B). Maybe a user interface similar to the programs of Logic, Ableton, and/or Reason to truly create the perfect music production game for the Xbox 360.

Overall Score: 8.8 / 10 Fable Heroes

Albion is a setting of adventure and love, of battles against mitigating evil, and more. As your character traverses the fields, mountains, hills, rivers, dungeons and castles, you are whisked away on a grand adventure where promises of fortune and fame await on the horizon (most of it though is just smoke blown up our rears by the now departed Mr. Molyneux). If you believe Fable Heroes from Lionhead Studios has any of that wonderful fairytale b.s. that I just talked about, then you my dear reader are the sucker at the poker table, seriously it's amazing how little Fable is actually in this game, other than the title. Fable Heroes is Lionhead's attempt to release another generic, and this time, incredibly annoying tie in, but this time it's tied to their new upcoming game Fable: The Journey. Now Mr. Molyneux is now gone from Lionhead and has no involvement with Fable Heroes, so let's find out just what happens when you get a few bored developers who are apparently mentally unstable and have an unquenchable thirst for the hatred of chickens.

What if Fable was laid out in a demented board game style where mundane action and disappointment are the frequent emotions felt, and the drudgery of completing various areas and bosses is only compensated by a dash of Fable influence here and there? What if this Fable game came with horrible camera work and controls that were unresponsive and made you feel like breaking your controller? What if this Fable game had mammoth potential to be a great standalone plus add-on game, but instead became something so grotesque that it tarnished the name of Fable? The sad thing my dear reader is that the new Xbox Live Arcade game, Fable Heroes from Lionhead can answer all these questions and more, and you're not going to like the answers you find. This side scrolling cartoon adventure, hack-n-slash board game features characters from Fable in an over embellished cartoon puppet style and lands that have only a scattering of Fable influence. Familiar names such as Millfields, Bowerstone, Mistpeak and more appear as areas in the board that you can explore, but do little to inspire the areas themselves in the Fable universe.



Suggestions: How about allow the user controlled characters to "pass through" any AI controlled characters, or have the ability to turn off any/all AI controlled puppets. Give the user camera control. Oh one last thing, make it better than this pile.

Overall Score: 4.8 / 10 Awesomenauts

If ever there was a game on the Xbox Live Arcade that was a great marriage of Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA), 2D side-scrolling action with a vintage play on classic Saturday morning cartoons and party games, then Awesomenauts is it. There was some question as to if this game was going to actually be released on the Xbox Live Arcade, but thankfully they pulled the trigger and put one right on target. Awesomenauts on the surface looks very easy to play, but once you get into battle, there more than meets the eye.

Right from the beginning you're treated to a classic cartoon episode style introduction that gives you the feeling that your back in your childhood and you're watching one of your favorite cartoons on Saturday morning. I'm not talking these new CG styled cartoons; I'm talking about when G.I. Joe was "A real American hero", He-Man was "Masters of the Universe", and Transformers were "Robots in disguise". A gang of compiled hitmen, thieves, robots, soldiers, and more wage war in a traditional Red V.S. Blue style battle where your character fights the opposition for control of Solar (the currency of the game).

Obtaining Solar is only half the story though because Awesomenauts delivers a very expansive character upgrade system in which every character has different abilities such as cloak protection or self-destruct and skills such as launching dynamite or mechanical jaw biting, and more. All of these new skills and abilities will help them destroy any and all opposition. This adds a ton of enjoyment and replayability to Awesomenauts as you find yourself striving to unlock these better options. One of the biggest things that Awesomenauts has going for it is the overall feel of the game which is formed mainly by the character types which are done in a blatant, over-the-top, stereotype and it does this without any hesitation or shame. In fact one character is a space cowboy outlaw even named, (prepares Dark Helmet voice) Lonestarrrrrr. The execution of this type of unique feel makes Awesomenauts an instant hit.

Given that Awesomenauts is heavily focused in the nostalgic cartoon feel, the graphics definitely feed into this charisma. Consider the graphics a futuristic, sci-fi, Castle Crashers cartoon style where the battle arenas are laid out in a very straight forward way and all the characters are over exaggerated cartoons that fill the arena with intense battles. One of the big surprises we discovered in Awesomenauts was the music. You can't make a great classic cartoon feel without a catchy tune that sticks in your head after you're done, and you'll definitely find a few of those in Awesomenauts. Just turning the game on made me reminisce about the days when I was young and singing the Thundercats' theme song waiting for it to start my Saturday morning cartoon block.

Now we come to answer the big question, is Awesomenauts worth the 800 Microsoft Price point, and the answer is yes. Awesomenauts provides a mammoth amount of depth to its character builds, a tremendous amount of intense, fast paced, battles, a pure nostalgic theme which gives it its own unique soul, so ultimately in the end there is no real reason not to pick up this game. If you are the type of gamer who loves an action packed game that you can just pick up and play and enjoy every minute of it, then Awesomenauts is for you. If you didn't know before, now you know, and as a famous 80's quote reminds us "Knowing is half the battle".

Suggestions: Thank you for releasing this game.

Overall Score: 8.5 / 10 Deep Black: Episode 1



The underwater elements of Deep Black Episode 1 is the only innovation you will find throughout the game and while the aspects of maneuvering and fighting underwater are somewhat entertaining, this is simply a case where a game cannot produce enough positives to balance out the overwhelmingly large negatives. While the bulk of your gameplay will be underwater, when you get out it feels as though all the enjoyment gets washed down the drain. The character modeling is very generic and the level design is extremely linear which forces you to constantly put your character in a "cover, then fire" position and to repeat said process throughout the entire game. Speaking of your enemies, you will also find a tremendous inconsistent feeling when fighting them. Since you have no real visual clue as to how close you are to dying you may find yourself thinking you have more health than you really do which will cause you to engage more enemies, and thus die a lot more frequently than you would expect.

If the overall horrid gameplay still isn't enough to push you away, the sounds and graphics of Deep Black: Episode 1 just might be the tipping point. Your enemies are incredibly generic and either takes tons of ammo to eliminate or just one shot and when they pass on, they die in a very comical, over emphasized way. Think of it like a three year old screaming and trying to re-enact the death in Hamlet. This is amusing at first until you realize that they ALL DIE IN THIS OVER-EMBELLISHED WAY. So throughout your entire adventure you will have to endure and hear this overacted dribble constantly. The voice acting in general for this game is sub-par at best and there is very little redeeming quality when it comes to the music and sounds. We also talked earlier about the level design being very linear, while some games can make their levels detailed and beautiful, Deep Black Episode 1 however make their levels bland and uninspiring.

With so much of this game directly ripping off aspects of other popular titles and publishing pretty pictures and promising grand adventures full of action, one would venture to guess that this game is a solid pickup at 800 Microsoft Points, and you would be completely wrong. There's so much that is wrong with Deep Black: Episode 1 that even contemplating purchasing the game should warrant some form of gamer punishment, like instantly red ringing or locking you out of Xbox live temporarily so you can't be tempted to buy stupid worthless crap. There is no reason that you should ever spend your points on a game that had the blueprints of what made a good third person shooter game, and failed on every single aspect.

There is one hope though and it rests with the title of the game (Deep Black: Episode 1), and that is they make the next episode better, but that is almost a guarantee since this game is starting neck deep in, ummmm... quicksand. I say almost because the company already had prime examples of quality work they could have sampled if they wanted to do a good knock off, but they failed to do even that with this game. I can think of so many other things I'd rather be doing than playing Deep Black: Episode 1, things such as having brain surgery, or for instance, going to jail. Both these options are more enjoyable and they'll save you Microsoft Points, or you could do the logical choice and just not buy it.

Overall Score: 4.0 / 10 Minecraft

In today's gaming world, the innovation of a dream and proper execution mean everything. You may have a tremendous idea, but if you can't accurately portray your vision, then your game falls short of your goals. Not all games though miss their visions of becoming reality and some still surpass all our wildest dreams by taking our imagination to new heights and allowing us to be our own artists and our own creators. It is the legendary gaming tale of an idea that comes from out of nowhere to become a cultural staple of innovation and creativity and instantly captivating generations of gamers, this is the foundation of the one and only, Minecraft. From its early days on PC to being released on the Xbox Live Arcade, Minecraft has brought millions of gamers around the world hours upon hours of amusement, and showcased some amazing talent that was once hidden from the world. Now without further adieu, we here at Xbox Addict welcome you to the world of Minecraft on the Xbox Live Arcade.

Minecraft is a massive sandbox game that allows the gamer total control over almost everything in the world and allows you to create almost whatever your imagination can dream up. For those who have never played Minecraft, you take control of your character and it is up to you to explore the world on a quest to reach a realm called The End and confront and conquer the infamous Ender Dragon. In order to do this you gain the ability to craft multiple items from tools, decorations, food, weapons, building supplies and more. From the outside Minecraft looks to be a very simplistic game, but when you dive deep into the catacombs you will quickly realize that there is much more under the surface.

Players interact with different blocks by digging, mining, chopping and more and each of these acts as a building block for future dreams. For example if you wished to build a Crafting table that allows you the ability to craft better items, then it's up to you to chop enough wood (via an axe which you must originally create) to craft four wooden planks. If you wanted to craft a Furnace which gives you the ability to smelt ore and other materials into ingots and higher quality materials, then you must first create a pickaxe (which requires you to craft it out of wood at first) and mine eight pieces of cobblestone. Items can be crafted in various levels of durability and range from wood being the weakest to diamond securing the top spot, but every tool has a certain number of uses which are determined by the quality grade that you craft. Wood items have roughly 60 or so uses while diamond items can be used over 1500 times!

The reason durability is so important is that every time you use your tool, which counts as a use for the item, and for example, if you use a shovel to chop down a tree, then every use of that shovel counts twice per swing since it's the wrong tool. Once the tool's durability has been exceeded the tool cannot be used and another one has to be crafted. This durability aspect also plays a major role in the construction of weapons that can do massive damage and armor that can take on an army. The crafting aspect of Minecraft is a spectacle of innovation and execution that provides a solid foundation that no pickaxe can mine.



Overall Score: 9.6 / 10 Bloodforge

Deep within the ancient tales of gods and men, there is a story in particular that needs to be told. For it is said that the tapestry of fate is already woven for us all and that tapestry cannot be broken or changed, however this would not be the case for the Celtic warrior named Crom. This is no ordinary tale though my dear reader, for this tale depicts the battles, lies, and war between the gods and man, and the battle for one man to write his own fate. Interested in how the story goes then are we? Then walk with me down our path dear reader, and let us uncover the myth, the legend, the tale of Crom and his quest through Bloodforge.

A warrior's pain is one that lasts until the end of his days. Recounting the battles over and over again inside his mind, seeing the faces of each and every foe whose blood blankets your blade in a red glow, hearing the screams of pain and suffering just as clear as if they were happening right in front of his eyes. All this pain is a warrior's burden and such leaves scars throughout the mind and body and each day the scars of that pain grow a little larger in size. This is why a warrior who is scarred by battle seeks refuge and solace so that they might find peace. This my dear reader is where we start our tale and find our warrior Crom has chosen to find a life of peace and family, but as all tragedies go, this was a peace that would not last forever. Our beloved hero returns home to his family after a day of hunting only to find that his house is ablaze and the gods have sent their warriors to end Crom's suffering. The wife escapes inside the burning house as Crom fights to protect the peace he so desperately wants. Upon entering the house, the gods disguised Crom's wife as an enemy and as she approaches Crom, his blade runs through her with ease. The gods laugh and break the spell allowing Crom to witness the destruction he caused at his own hands, and come face to face with ultimate pain and suffering as his wife dies in his arms. At this point my dear reader, one thing is clear and that is Crom will have his revenge.

The path is clear and now Crom sets out to right the wrongs, claim his vengeance, and finally find the peace that is now but a faint memory. It is here where we learn about the biggest challenge that Crom will face throughout Bloodforge and that is "The Camera". I understand you being confused my dear reader, but let me be crystal clear on this point. No enemy in Bloodforge is more difficult than the camera. Not only is the feel of the camera very sensitive, but when entering combat, it becomes such a pain in the @$$ to control that a lot of times you will find yourself either swinging away at air, or lost in the middle of a pile of enemies, or even getting attacked from off screen. The second part of that plays a big role in the lack of quality in the combat of Bloodforge. While the combo system provides some flash to go along with the bloody and over the top cinematic kill sequences and magic spells; controlling the camera when you're surrounded becomes such a hassle that you start to question your sanity of purchasing this steaming pile.

There are some reasons that contribute to the colossal failure of the camera and combat system, and one of the main reasons lay within the graphics of Bloodforge. It can be taken with a grain of salt that the artists were going for a heavy inked style for the scenery, however you will find that all the enemies (even though very generic, repetitive, and unoriginal) will also be draped in similar dark grey skins with slight variations to the character model. What this means to us is that when you are in a group of five enemies, it will be immensely hard to try and find your warrior out of the group, esp. when you're trying to control the camera from hell. Even though the levels have tints of baby crap blue, vomiting puke green and eye irritating red, you'll still be traversing an environment almost completely black and grey, with touches of lighter grey scattered about. With the growing list of things that are wrong with this game, it almost becomes a self-inflicted punishment to play it.

Not only are the enemies, levels, combat, graphics, and camera a big negative against Bloodforge, we have to also add the category of sound to that infamous list. Apparently Crom doesn't know how to use his inside voice a lot as he tends to shout almost everything to the faces of everyone. While this may seem to fit the character, when you're four hours in this becomes more of a laughable stereotype of a character. When you add that the overall music of the levels and boss battles do very little to enhance the experience of Bloodforge what you get as a result is a mediocre audio experience that will quickly grow old. The list of triumphant failures for this game just keeps on growing longer, and longer, and longer.

There have been plenty of great and iconic hack-n-slash titles from which Bloodforge could have based its foundation upon, however, after trying to steal top quality aspects from other top tier titles, Bloodforge looks like a bastardized demon spawn child of a game that should have not been released. The big question that should be asked is how could a company that wanted to make a good quality hack-n-slash game, completely ruin almost every aspect of it, and then release it at a premium cost? It's almost as if they were handed blueprints of what made great hack-n-slash games and said "we'll take these aspects and make them our own" and thus begins what I'm calling the George Lucas syndrome. I know George Lucas doesn't fit into this review, but you could say the same about everything in Bloodforge.

I cannot stress this enough, Bloodforge is a game that could have been absolutely amazing and could easily have been a contender for the top game on the Xbox Live Arcade, but sadly this title gets ripped limb from limb with everything that is wrong with it and then it gets impaled on the massive 1200 MS price point and has nothing to help it recover. Yes you read correctly, this massive steaming pile can be yours for only 1200 MS points. So asking yourself, "This or Trials Evolution?" is like asking if you would rather skydive without a parachute, or enjoy the rest of your life? So my dear reader we have come to the end of our horrific journey through undeniable failure and hardship, and if you still want to play Bloodforge, then stop reading this review and seek immediate psychiatric help.

Suggestions: How about a target lock on feature to help improve gameplay? Maybe make the enemies different than the main character to help us find our character in battle? How about improving on the camera and making a statement with good camera controls (I'm not asking for great, but anything better than this abomination).

Overall Score: 4.2 / 10 World Gone Sour



Another aspect that has to be talked about in direct relation to the control scheme is the camera. Sometimes the camera angle can be your friend by showing you secrets that are hidden throughout each level, but other times you can have the entire screen blocked off, preventing you from getting an accurate judgment of what needs to be done to solve a puzzle, or part of a level. Even with the control scheme not as perfect as other platforming games, there is still a lot your character can do. Your basic jump and smash the ground move, wall jumping, grapple swinging, double jumping, and more are all included, however, as you progress you will come across other stranded Sour Patch Kids that will follow you and assist you in solving puzzles or even growing larger or smaller to solve some of the puzzles you will find throughout the levels. By rescuing other stranded Sour Patch Kids, your character can utilize them to become bigger which will allow you to defeat larger enemies and bosses, or you can shrink your character as well so you can fit in those tight spaces. In World Gone Sour you'll bear witness to the answer of an age old question and that is, size does matter.

In a platforming game the control scheme is the most important, however some titles squeak by with surprisingly good graphics and sound, and unfortunately this isn't one of those games. The level designs are done adequately, however as you traverse the levels you'll see that nothing really stands out as exceptional when compared to other arcade titles. While the game World Gone Sour does little to impress graphically, Capcom tried to make the sounds and effects of the game entertaining and enjoyable and they got it half right. If you're a fan of Method Man, then you're in for a treat as his song "World Gone Sour (The Lost Kids)" graces the game, but that unfortunately is where the star power sound ends. The other sounds and sound effects you will hear are generic and almost sound as though they were taken from other games.

Is World Gone Sour worth the 400 MS point price that Capcom is asking? Yes and no. While the controls, graphics, and sound are all marginal at best there is still something sadistically enjoyable about watching computer animated Sour Patch Kids get dismembered and impaled on various traps. You could say this is right up XboxAddict's own mindset and you would be right. If you do enjoy platforming games that won't give you diabetes and give you hours of sadistic fun, then World Gone Sour is the game for you.

Overall Score: 6.9 / 10 Anomaly Warzone Earth





Overall Score: 8.8 / 10 Defenders of Ardania

Deep in the magical fantasy world of Majesty, a dark magic has emerged that threatens the safety and security of your realm. It is your quest to gather what alliances you can form from Dwarves and Elves and more from across the lands to combat the cause of this evil force. Ready your towers and prepare your army because it's time to fight back. The battle lines have been drawn, now it's time to go to war in the tower defense game, Defenders of Ardania!

As we begin our journey we have to give mad respect to developer and publisher Most Wanted Entertainment for their new take on tower defense games. By a simple innovation of incorporating a tower offense into Defenders of Ardania, they have taken the traditional tower defense games to a whole new level. With this new innovation of tower offense comes a steep learning curve that has to be accounted for. Now when you combine your units, towers, and magic the wealth of options increases exponentially and thus, so must our adaptation to the new gameplay. Since we briefly mentioned the depth of this game we have to point out that there are a total of 24 different units that range from fast moving assassins to giant eagles that fly overhead on their way to wipe out the enemy base. With so much to control, build, and manipulate, sometimes the action can get a little bogged down and very confusing. Let me explain.

The layout and levels of Defenders of Ardania are done quite well. There's nothing ground breaking or earth shattering, but they do look very good for an arcade title. One of the main issues however were that a lot of the structures looked similar when built aside from a different color. This brings to mind a classic scene from the movie Grandma's Boy where the great idea was to render the character a different color. Something simplistic like that would help you find your towers amidst the landscape and other buildings. There are some variances but unfortunately they are few and far between. Another issue in Defenders of Ardania is the incredibly boring storyline. There are many levels to go through in single player, however, as mentioned before, mastering the learning curve of this game will determine if you enjoy it or not.

While the single player story falls very short to just spamming quick rush attacks on the AI, the heart of this game lies in its multiplayer. Supporting up to four people in an Xbox Live match, you will be able to challenge your friends and more on all 18 campaign levels. This is where the hybrid RTS combines with tower offense to create some spectacular battles online. If you don't have a lot of friends, it doesn't matter because you can also throw in some AI to fill in the empty spaces. The multiplayer also offers some benefits such as you can actually talk and hear other people instead of the generic 'bad Sean Connery' impression and other generic voice acting. The script itself has some light hearted moments but the overall audio quality is marginal at best but it is better than just reading blank text.

With so many options at your command, Defenders of Ardania tries to overcome some shortcomings by incorporating some new innovations, and while this works somewhat, the fact that these shortcomings exist does hinder the overall enjoyment of this game. Priced at a hefty 1200 MS points, Defenders of Ardania wouldn't be considered an instant buy, but if you're a fan of tower defense or RTS style games, then wait for this to hit the 800 MS point mark before you pick it up.

Overall Score: 7.5 / 10 Ninja Gaiden 3

Gather around my fellow sons and daughters of the night for there is knowledge of great importance that I must bestow upon all of you. You have served your family honorably and have brought respect and prosperity to our clan, but now that fortitude will be tested in Tecmo's latest release, Ninja Gaiden 3. Make no mistake my children, the challenges that lie ahead of you are ones not to be taken lightly. Every ounce of your training has led you to this moment and I have taught you all that you need to know to battle the darkness and honor your family. Take up your blades honorable warriors of the night for now is the time that we unlock the secrets behind Ninja Gaiden 3.

Ninja Gaiden 3 is the latest installment in the series from the sharp minds of Team Ninja at Temco. This was a rocky road to fruition and one must take into account that this Ninja Gaiden title has no involvement with Itagaki. While his departure from Tecmo and disappearance to the world originally sparked controversy, it also brought a sense of mourning as the future of Ninja Gaiden was undecided. Tecmo though choose wisely and formed a new Team Ninja to begin work on Ninja Gaiden 3 minus the world famous game designer. Let's examine the hard work of the new Team Ninja and see what ninpo secrets we can learn.



Ninjas have been known to adapt to their surrounding environments and work together to achieve victory in their mission. This fundamental truth is the foundation of the new multiplayer experience in Ninja Gaiden 3. Now you can customize your own personal ninja and you can unlock various cosmetic upgrades and special moves to truly make the ninja you want. The first offering of the multiplayer experience are the Ninja Trials where you have the option to tackle multiple combat scenarios either alone or with a friend. There are also multiple difficulty types with a massive 100GS achievement for completing the three Ultimate Ninja Trials. By completing these trials you unlock experience to raise your ninja's overall level and based on your efficiency with your weapons, you also will unlock other armor and increase your sword mastery and ultimately unlock Ryu's Dragon Sword. While the trials are a great way to hone your skills, the 4x4 Clan Battle provides the real action for multiplayer.

Throughout the Clan Battle's very limited levels your team will go blade for blade in a race to rack up as many kills as possible within the allotted time limit. These offers up some new ways to kill such as the ghost kill where your ninja will cloak and be invisible to others, but to do this you must walk very slowly and that will be hard to do when you have swords being swung, arrows being shot, and shuriken being thrown all around you. If you remain calm and manage to get within striking range of a target, one button press and you lunge out, running your blade straight through your opponent in a ghost kill. Originally we talked about Ninjas being able to adapt well in the Clan Battle mode, one of the contracts that will randomly pop up can literally swing the entire game in one move. Randomly the rules of Clan Battle will change and sometime you may get a contract of betrayal. This is more than just a basic team kill, now if you are successful you will actually switch teams and all the kills you had acquired for your old team will transfer over to your new team whose contract it will be to keep you alive as now everyone on your old team will be sent to kill you. Beware who you decide to stab in the back.

While the gameplay may have received some new innovations that alter the feel of what we know of a Ninja Gaiden game, the same can be said for the graphics. Always known for providing beautiful backdrops and stunning character models, Ninja Gaiden 3 offers a gorgeous graphical experience that never gets old. From iconic moments such as Ryu removing his mask, to running your blade through an enemies' torso, every second of Ninja Gaiden 3 is done in spectacular bloody perfection. Since ninja's are supposed to be silent, that poses a challenge to create a good soundtrack for Ninja Gaiden 3, and unfortunately only some of it is good. The character voice acting is done adequately well, however, the overall music does very little to bring the game to life. This bodes well for the limited and not very appealing story, but unfortunately not for the levels themselves.

Without question this is a new age for Ryu Hayabusa and the Dragon Ninja, however, you get the feeling that something is lost and they are trying to overcompensate for the game's natural shortcomings. While playing the game you often find yourself thinking, "Would Itagaki approve of this", and ultimately I feel the answer would be no. Even though Ninja Gaiden 3 is still a relatively good game, with all the setbacks such as the high amount of QuickTime events, marginal design layout, and more, nothing pains me more than to say that Ninja Gaiden 3 is not the best game in the series. It's a shame too because like many of us, we have come to expect amazing work from the people of Tecmo and Team Ninja, but we can hope that this new team learns from this and grows the series back into greatness.

Overall Score: 7.9 / 10 Shoot Many Robots

Hi there, my name is Really Important Personality Operational Functioning Friend. You can call me RIP OFF for short. I'm here to tell you about allllllllll the wonders you can find in the new Ubisoft arcade title Shoot Many Robots! We've got lots of guns, and even more bigger guns, plus we've got more armor clothing to sell and all at discounted prices. Well maybe not discounted but the prices are low, well not compared to anyone else but to us they're rock bottom! Some call me a copy of something called CLAPTRAP but I think they're just jealous. Follow me as we dive into the twisted and violent world of Shoot Many Robots and remember, if you have any questions, we don't care.

In Shoot Many Robots you'll play the role of P.Walter Tugnut a deluded redneck who believes that robots are taking over the world so he decided to stock up on two essentials: Beer and ammo. Upon watching your faithful truck become a fond memory at the hands of merciless robots, Tugnut decides that the robots have crossed the line and sets out in his RV of death to kill every robot he can find. This is where some of the new innovations come into play as you can purchase more explosive gear as your character levels up. Weapons such as M16's are nice, but a massive alien laser beam is even better. Remember these are on sale for a limited time! Well, not really limited time because there is no sale. Not only can you upgrade to some more lethal firepower, but you can also upgrade your clothing to provide more protection against the never-ending onslaught of violent robots (unless you chose to wear fishnet stockings and a cowboy hat, but hey we don't judge).



Overall Score: 7.8 / 10 I Am Alive

Hello... Hello, is anyone there??.... I'm in need of your help! Oh thank God you've come... Please, I need to get this information out there! There's a lot of new information about a new game from Ubisoft called I AM ALIVE, and XboxAddict has gathered a wealth of intelligence that could quite possibly save the rest of mankind! I would deliver this knowledge myself but after that last earthquake my leg is broken and I can't move. I was on my way to my daughter's birthday at the stadium shelter when the quake hit and sent this metal I-beam down on my leg. Please, you're my only hope.... I need you to take this information and make sure that others are prepared for survival, and if you should make your way and encounter my wife and daughter, tell them that daddy will always love them. Please you must hurry; our survival now is in your hands.... Thank you....

(Turns the playback button on the video recorder and notices someone sitting behind a desk with a file in his hands reading out loud)

If you are watching this video, then "The Event" has happened and you are one of the few survivors of mankind. We don't know if there is a way to bring back mankind but if you are in possession of this video recorder than there is still a hope for salvation. Ubisoft is a company known for making great platforming and adventure retail games, now they have turned their sights to a new release to the Xbox Live Arcade called I AM ALIVE. In a world after "The Event", mankind's survival stands upon a knife point where the balance between salvation and ruin is always volatile and ever changing. Mankind is forced into scavenging for their future and through your efforts you decide the outcome of human existence.

Your quest will take you through city streets, subways, run down and destroyed buildings and more as you traverse the dangers and fight for survival. When we talk about survival, take note because this game is a challenge and a half. I AM ALIVE boasts two difficulty challenges: Normal and Survival which should be renamed: Good f***ing luck and God be with you. The reason this is so challenging is that in normal mode you have a very small number of retries before you have to start over from the last chapter save. You can gain more retries by helping other survivors or by searching and exploring every inch of the city. In survival mode, you have no retries and should you die, then you're reverted back to the last chapter save. Make no mistake, I AM ALIVE will definitely be a challenge.

Your own survival rests in the proper use of your stamina bar. The reason we mention this is because almost every action you do in I AM ALIVE uses some stamina. Actions such as running drain a little stamina every second, but if you repeatedly strike the run button, your stamina will drop very, very rapidly. Climbing also takes a little stamina every second; however, if you have to jump while climbing then expect your stamina bar to take a big hit. Due to this overwhelming focus on your stamina, your character will be forced to find whatever they can to stay alive. Items such as water bottles, cans of soda, canned fruit and more will replenish your stamina and using rare items such as a riposte will grant you an instant stamina refill. Should you be brave and decide to chance it all and not refill your stamina, you run the risk of losing health and if you are climbing and you lose your stamina completely you have a last ditch effort to make it to safety, failure to do so results in instant death. Consider this your warning.

The challenges you will face in I AM ALIVE are not just in managing your stamina and the environment, but in facing life and death situations. Confrontation with other survivors is inevitable; however, not all survivors will be hostile. There will be some that require your aid, there will be some that are just trying to survive, and there are those who try to bully their way into power. Resources are scarce after "The Event" and while scavenging for items for stamina and health are important, finding ammo for your empty pistol is just as critical. While some confrontation can be avoided, those with bullets in their gun become the ones with power. They will bully you and push you around but with the quick press of your machete you can instantly drop the attacker, but even this choice comes at a price. Normally you will find these bullies with bullets accompanied by other followers who will try to avenge their fallen assailant and this is where fear comes into play. Even though you may not have ammo in your weapon, the others don't know that so if you use your empty gun properly you can actually persuade lower level enemies to back up and leave you alone, but try it too often and they'll test you.

One of the core features of I AM ALIVE is the climbing and platforming. You will scale buildings, pipes, ladders, and more as you traverse the ruined city of Haventon. There is a slight issue with this as the controls for climbing feel very sluggish and not crisp and clean like you would find in some Assassin games. This can be frustrating when you are trying to climb your way up a side of a building or trying to escape the dense cloud of lethal dust that plagues the street levels of the city. As you make these massive climbs you will notice that I AM ALIVE looks absolutely beautiful, well beautiful for a post-apocalyptic era city. This game without question gives off a Fallout vibe in terms of graphics and the scenery, and the these high-rise buildings looks incredible when you scale them. All of this gets wrapped together in a realistic sounding environment. Pipes creak and break, rocks give way, and the human voice interaction with the characters is done very well. There is nothing that feels over the top and everything from the graphics to sound fit and feel like they should which makes the atmosphere of I AM ALIVE seem more surreal.

Originally conceived in 2008, I AM ALIVE has undergone major redevelopments over the years and a lot of gamers were wondering if this game would ever see the light of day. Well as the saying goes: "Good things come to those who wait" and I AM LIVE is a shining example of this. If you like a challenging post-apocalyptic platforming adventure game, then line up your 1200 MS points because this game is worth every penny. Will you overcome the trials and obstacles in your path or will you succumb to the death and despair of the aftermath of "The Event", the choice is yours, but remember that amidst the ashes and rubble that I AM ALIVE.

(End video playback....)

Overall Score: 8.7 / 10 Mass Effect 3

Throughout mankind's history when we observe the stars and heavens above, our imagination and curiosity run wild. Thoughts emerge such as "Are we alone?" and "I wonder what's out there?" and our quest to explore the heavens is born. Millions of galaxies spread wide across the emptiness of cold blackened space; it becomes apparent very quickly that our little drop of water in the overall cosmic ocean may just not be alone. Ever since BioWare first released Mass Effect, our passion and desire to explore other galaxies, discover new races, and ultimately preserve existence of sentient life as we know it, has erupted like the fusion induced furnaces that power the stars themselves. Now as we begin our journey across the galactic sea, we set our focus on Mass Effect 3 and the qualities that make this entry one of the best in the series. Hold on tight readers because we're about to send your imagination through a mass relay of information that will amaze and astound. Set your course, fire up your engines, raise your shields, and lock and load all weapons because now we are thrown into an intergalactic war for survival, not just for mankind, but for every living being in the universe. It is time to launch Mass Effect 3.

In order to understand the future, one must understand the past and in Mass Effect 1 and 2 you determined the outcomes of the past. Your character was fraught with moral dilemmas and choices to make and every action your character made, had direct or indirect repercussions on the outcome of your game. This was the core of the story for both Mass Effect 1 and 2 and thankfully this hasn't changed in Mass Effect 3. Your choices can still be felt throughout the galaxy, like ripples in a pond, given that your character can be carried over from Mass Effect 2, so all your actions and decisions you have made over the course of the past still hold true to the effects of the future. With the story of Mass Effect 3 in your hands, it is up to you how you wish to shape the future. This is a quality of gaming that BioWare is known for incorporating into their stories and in doing so, grip the adventurer from beginning to end in a tale so stellar and grand that we experience a wide range of emotions throughout our journey.

There have been some improvements as well when it comes to all aspects of Mass Effect 3. For starters your ship, the Normandy, is now more streamlined for enhanced functionality but it still keeps to its roots and brings about everything we have expected since the original Mass Effect. One of the most enjoyable improvements is the new planetary scanning system. In the original Mass Effect we got to physically explore planets, however, that didn't last as Mass Effect 2 implemented a new scanning system that became more of a pain to endure instead of increasing our enjoyment. Now though Mass Effect 3 has changed the scanning system to include a more precise method for scanning various planets. This system has been completely overhauled and now even incorporates a ranged sensor transmission where you can search for various items and objects of interest from your ship's overview while it navigates different solar systems. Other gameplay enhancements as well include the new cover kill where if your character is in cover, one press of the button and any enemy that is standing directly across from your cover will be dragged over and put out of its misery. While this may not be as groundbreaking as some of the other innovations, when you are trying to tackle a group of enemies, having a one hit kill option can definitely turn the tide of war in your favor.

While we're on the topic of innovation, it goes without saying that Mass Effect 3 provides some of the best innovations to make this game the pinnacle of the Mass Effect trilogy. One of the biggest innovations for Mass Effect 3 is the Kinect integration. This could be considered the perfect gaming application for Kinect because it doesn't make the Kinect equipment the focal point, but instead makes it an optional enhancement for your game as is. It does this by making the emphasis on voice command controls. Since dialogue is one of the main critical aspects of Mass Effect 3, BioWare has made it so that you can verbally control the dialogue entries via Kinect. While this isn't something that some will enjoy, the fact that it's optional is a plus. There thankfully aren't any hand gestures where you have to stab an imaginary enemy to use your Omniblades; instead the combat aspect is controlled, in real time, by your voice. For instance if you are pinned down and you can't get a shot off, you can use your voice and say commands such as "Liara warp" and you will watch as your teammate Liara uses her warp and shreds the opposition. This feature is not just devoted to your team of followers; Shepard himself can switch his weapon just by your voice command. Say "shotgun" and if you have a shotgun with you, Shepard will equip it. This keeps the battle fluid and allows you to make real time decisions that will either make or break you. You can also use Kinect for various mundane tasks such as "Gather" or "Open" if you wish to progress through a door. While this may not be a popular feature, it does allow a fresh new experience by adding more innovation.

Another groundbreaking innovation for Mass Effect 3 is the new inclusion of multiplayer and multiplayer character development. Very rarely can a game noted for being a spectacular single player experience successfully infuse an equally as good multiplayer experience. For starters you can have multiple different multiplayer characters to play as. There are your standard male and female characters, but there are also some unlockable familiars that can allow bonuses to be applied to your character. The multiplayer game mode itself is similar to game modes we'd find on other AAA titles and could be considered a firefight/horde style experience where you battle through various waves of increasingly hard enemies. While this may not seem innovative as we have experienced this before, the fact that it's in a Mass Effect game and done very well, is the innovation. Your options for multiplayer allow for teams of 4 to venture out onto one of the six levels in one of the three different difficulties, and against one of the three different enemy types. Your character though would be less enjoyable if you didn't get to develop your skills as you would in the single player story, thankfully BioWare has you covered. Now in the new multiplayer you have the ability to upgrade various classes and various powers within each class. If all this innovation wasn't enough, BioWare gave us a cherry on top with the new multiplayer shop. Here you can use your in game credits that you have earned to purchase various levels of equipment boxes and each filled with a wide range of random tools that range from making you an intergalactic grim reaper, to items that will bring you back from death's cold grip in space.

As before in the past, Mass Effect 3 truly brings the stars and heavens alive in a way that can only be described as a piece of galactic art, where we paint our journey how we see fit. Every aspect that our eyes bear witness to is draped in uncompromising beauty. The character models are much more lifelike and when you combine their independent character interactions and voice over work, BioWare has done a masterful job in bringing the characters of the universe to life. The scenery and environments you will encounter throughout your voyage are breathtaking to behold. Even the loading screens are done with beautiful video which make waiting to load different areas a joy to behold. No longer will you have a static screen with a loading icon, now for instance, if you are in the Citadel, your loading screens showcase a panoramic view of the Citadel grounds w/ traffic moving about, water spouting from fountains, lush beautiful landscapes and more. With every moment of your journey in Mass Effect 3 taking you through the expansive universe and throughout various galaxies, BioWare has delivered an ocular sensory overload by bringing you the closest you will probably ever come to voyaging amongst the stars.



Suggestions: Thank you for all your hard work, it is through your efforts that our dreams come true.

Overall Score: 9.8 / 10 Gotham City Impostors





Overall Score: 7.7 / 10 Soulcalibur V

The fates and destinies of every soul are interwoven into the threads of time. Always starting and ending but constantly evolving and moving, the only control we have is how our destiny will impact those around us. We all have a choice in our involvement: whether to wield our influence for destructive purposes in order to obtain our goals at any cost, or we chose to be a beacon of light; helping those and using our powers to better the lives of all around us by eliminating the shadows of evil. While our souls each have a choice, the one undeniable truth is that each choice presents a challenge which is why we must fight and fight to win. The task at hand of choosing your destiny is always a daunting one, however, there are tools that you can wield to help you achieve victory and those are the Soul Edge and Soul Calibur. These swords are locked in a constant battle for eternal supremacy and rely on the will of its owner to tip the scales of balance in its favor. Come with us as we walk the ribbons of time and space and uncover the destiny of the latest chapter in this holy war and find out the fate of Soul Calibur V.

Before we begin our quest let us take notice that Soul Calibur V boasts a hefty fighter roster with a wealth of brand new weapons, fighters and fighting styles. Some of the older characters' descendants apparently make their first appearance such as: Natsu who is a student of Taki and must learn to confront and control her inner demons to harness her power, Xiba who resembles the infamous fighter Kilik, and Patroklos and Pyrrah who are the children of Sophitia. There is one new addition to the fighter roster that fits the feel of Soul Calibur V and that warrior is the Assassin himself, Ezio Auditore. This Assassin's close and ranged combat combined with fluid striking movements make Ezio born for a game such as this.

Different fighting stances and styles blend perfectly with the weapon combat and deliver the smooth and fluid combat that has been the backbone of the Soul Calibur series. Button mashers will have an ease about picking up the game and going toe to toe utilizing the revamped Critical Edge attack, but for those who have the determination to reach into Soul Calibur V's core, they will find a complex and brutal fighting system where mercy is but a theory and total domination is guaranteed. Soul Calibur V takes what has been great about the series and improves every aspect of it while introducing some new innovations that rekindle the fire that burns within each of our souls.

When talking about unraveling the story and history of each character the bread and butter behind the single player experience is the story mode. This mode is one of the game's biggest thorns in its side as you are stuck using one fighter named Patroklos who could be considered an arrogant spoiled brat and without any warning, guidance, or instruction you are thrown into battle after battle and forced to pray for salvation as you fight through 20 stages of opponents in a quest to reunite your family and end the Malfestation. While the story had a good foundation the execution of this makes you pray for an Astaroth axe to the face. To complement the single player experience, Soul Calibur V brings to the table various modes such as Quick Battle where you can earn new titles and other character customizable items, Arcade mode which is essentially a six round time trial, and the seemingly impossible Legendary Souls mode where the warriors do everything possible to prove you worthless in the ring.

Facing this adversity head on, Soul Calibur V delivers some major improvements and innovations that really add to the overall quality of the game. For starters, the character creation makes its return but now in enhanced to deliver a truly customizable warrior. If you wanted a fighter who was tiny like Yoda but had tons of muscle mass while wearing a chain mail shirt, a head of a horse, and the loin cloth of Conan, then by all means seek immediate professional help, but you could easily do this. New titles and customizable equipment can be won either online, or via single player modes. Almost everything can be changed, altered, or um... enhanced which allows you to truly create a unique fighter. Some of the other new innovations include improvements to the multiplayer aspects by introducing a lobby where you can view ongoing battles, register for a match, and more. Given that the core of Soul Calibur games is the multiplayer experience, the new streamlined interface and new innovations breathe new life and power into this stunning fighting game.

While we know Soul Calibur games to deliver a smooth and fluid fighting system, we have also come to expect amazing things in realm of graphics, and without question Soul Calibur delivers a knockout. While there are some very tiny flaws with some of the clothing, every visual aspect of this fighting game is breathtaking. The character models, cinematic sequences, the fighting arenas and even the combat itself look as though a piece of art has come to life. Even though the graphics are beyond beautiful, the sound however is something that doesn't bear much contribution to the game. The ring announcer becomes very tiresome as you progress through multiple matches and rounds and the stage music itself does very little to make a big impact on the combat itself.

If you want a fighting game to be a success, then nothing can be held back and all punches must be thrown. Soul Calibur V does take a couple shots that would normally stagger and cripple other fighting games, but the spirit will always live on as it brings gamers smooth, beautiful combat combined with a strengthened multiplayer system to provide hours upon hours of enjoyment. What destiny will you choose? What will history say about you? Time to draw swords and step into the ring of Soul Calibur V.

Suggestions: Please work on developing multiple quality storylines for the characters and quality sound. Make the next entry in the series feel like an epic impact on the fabric of time.

Overall Score: 8.3 / 10 Trine 2

Tales of fellowships overcoming obstacles and adversaries in order to achieve a monumental goal has been the source of many popular forms of media. From video games, to movies, to books, and more, this is a time tested successful formula for producing amazing pieces of work and thankfully Trine 2 delivers on all accounts. With a bond between a wizard, a knight, and a thief gamers are whisked away to a beautiful magical realm and must combine the skills and traits of all three adventurers if they wish to solve the puzzles that lie ahead of them. It is time to see how the Trine has bound our three companions together for this quest and uncover the truth behind the mystery of Trine 2. Let us begin....

For those who have not enjoyed the original Trine, Trine 2 is a similar side scrolling puzzle adventure game where you must utilize the qualities and characteristics of each of your three companions to overcome obstacles and defeat your enemies. The wizard Amadeus can summon crates and boxes which can allow other companions to jump on top and access parts of a puzzle that were once unreachable. Zoya is the thief of the group and can launch a series of arrows towards enemies; however she can also use her grappling hook on certain surfaces to gain a better vantage point or even help unlock some very tricky puzzles. The last member of our group is Pontius the knight. This character is a master of combat and can wield a sword, shield, and hammer and stands as not only the best offensive weapon, but also allows attacks to be blocked with the shield and even fell some walls that stand in your path. While this collection of adventurers may be enough for the challenges ahead, Trine 2 doesn't stop there as it implements a character level up system that allows you to access new abilities such as flame and ice arrows, shield bashing, and more. The controls are fairly straight forward which allows you more time to focus on the puzzles and the overall game itself. Some of the puzzles are quite simple, yet some are very complex and all bring to life Trine 2's new physics engine which helps immerse you even deeper into platforming bliss.

While the original Trine was a success, a great new innovation to Trine 2 is the inclusion of local or online co-op. No longer are you subjected to overcoming these trials and tribulations alone for you and two other friends can venture your way through the complex levels that lie ahead. While this innovation is a blessing for this game, the same has to be said for its graphical prowess. Every level is beautifully detailed in stunning colors and provides endless hours of striking visual beauty. There is one level where you will witness the sunset on a tropical beach that not only will halt your gameplay but it will take your breath away due to the beauty you see on the screen. While these wonderful qualities are the strength of Trine 2, unfortunately the same cannot be said for its audio. While the characters themselves are voiced fairly well, the game leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to the soundtrack. There are times where the music doesn't seem to fit the feel of the game and there are other times still that make your ears wanting more.

While the original Trine proved that a great side scrolling puzzle platformer can still be every bit as enjoyable as most games today, Trine 2 takes those wonderful qualities and injects new innovations and enhances the strengths of its predecessor. While this adventure comes to an end, we can only hope that this series will continue to develop and grow with the same high quality experience we now know to expect. If you are a fan of side scrolling, platforming, and puzzle solving, then without question Trine 2 is worth every MS point and then some. It's time for you to download this title and see what future and fate the stars in the heavens hold for you.

Overall Score: 8.8 / 10 All Zombies Must Die!

In today's gaming world, blowing away zombies has quickly become a popular choice of developers and gamers around the world. There are games like Left 4 Dead, Dead Island, and there are even zombies making appearances in the Call of Duty and Halo game types. Then we have this title, All Zombies Must Die for 800 MS points on the Xbox Live Arcade. The tale of this game is nothing we haven't experienced before; a group of individuals must survive a zombie outbreak and live to talk about it. While this seems to be the basic premise of almost all zombie games, lets dive into All Zombies Must Die a little bit more and see just what lurks deep within the shadows.

From the beginning, one thing is made very clear, and that is this game is going to be filled with numerous grinding gameplay. The controls are fairly straight forward with the left stick assigned to movement and the right stick used to aim your firepower towards the nearest zombie's head. There is an upgrade system in this game that allows limited customization of your weapons so that you can apply fire, sonic, or even mutative properties to your weapon of choice. The top down view allows you to survey the area, plan your pathway through the mobs of zombies, and search for collectibles that will help you eliminate more undead zombies than you can fire your shotgun at. Throughout the game you will find yourself going through the same areas multiple times, and each time you seem to be looking for something new and it's this grinding, fetch style gameplay that will become very old very fast.

If you're looking for stellar graphics then this isn't going to be the game for you, as they are somewhat cartoonish and outdated. It almost looks as though you are playing a bunch of cartoon characters in their young teens battling a massive amount of cartoonish zombies. The same can also be said for the sound of the game which leaves a lot to be desired and leaves you thinking "why did they even bother" with such a mediocre approach to the graphics and sound. While that is a major disappointment, the biggest kick in the pants has to rest with the fact that there is no online co-op so if you want to game with friends you better make room on the couch. This is a massive disappointment because even though the game is not one that will be a benchmark for other titles, the fun factor really goes out the window when you can only play local co-op.

For 800 MS points All Zombies Must Die does provide some entertainment, however with the absence of online co-op play, lackluster graphics and sound, this is a game that will become very boring very quickly. With other great titles on the Xbox Live Arcade for 800 MS points that offer a lot more enjoyment and online play with others, All Zombies Must Die is a perfect example of how something that could have been very good gets turned into something very generic and boring. Should you spend your 800 MS points on this game? If you like wasting your points then by all means download away.

Suggestions: Seriously no online co-op when you release a game that is on a console with a heavey online multiplayer feature? Whoever thought that was a good idea needs to go.

Overall Score: 6.2 / 10 Choplifter HD



While the major control issues of the game would be enough to warrant a pass of this title, even the "HD" upgraded graphics are not all that good. We have seen previous titles release for a cheaper price with a better "HD" facelift. Most of the time the graphics are average, however, when the camera zooms in you get to see a great example of a factor of a game that was on a great path but got sidetracked or shot down and was just left alone. The same can also be said for the audio of the title which provides little enjoyment or contributions to the overall feel of the game. Instead of the audio helping bring this game to life, the wise cracking jokes from the pilot are all you will get to try to bring a smile to your face. When you take into consideration that both the graphics and sound do little to enhance or even improve the quality of Choplifter HD, things start to go from bad to worse.

While the game in its essence is a side scrolling adventure, the frustrations of combining poor gaming controls with a lackluster HD graphic remake and next to nothing audio work make the 1200 MS point price tag an undisputed rip off of the gaming community. If the game was priced at 400 MS points or below it would be something that I would recommend caution in purchasing, however when you have a game that is done so poorly and at a price of 1200 MS points, this is a game that should be avoided at all costs or until the greed has subsided and a more reasonable price point has been established.

Suggestions: If you want to keep the challenge high then do so, but don't lose the fluid nature of the title by shotty game controls and poor music. Oh and make sure you don't charge 1200 MS points for a title that is barely worth 400 MS points. It will damage the rep you're trying to build and you will witness a decline of gamers purchasing your titles.

Overall Score: 5.8 / 10 NCIS Game









Suggestions: In the name of everything that is holy and sacred, please give us at least some camera control and a different character movment system. If that small thing can't be agreed upon, then please don't make another NCIS game.

Overall Score: 3.4 / 10 Worms: Ultimate Mayhem





Overall Score: 5.3 / 10 Orcs Must Die

The ancient home of the orc mob, Dead World has been closed off to the other realms for their protection, but the fears of many have now become true as the orc mob is determined and hell bent on destroying the protective rifts and entering these other realms in hope of glory and plunder. Our only hope rests in the hands of the Order, a strong cadre of War Mages and their apprentices whose sole objective is to maintain the security of the rifts and to fend off any and all advancing orc forces. This task sounds immense and to add to the challenge all but one War Mage, myself, and apprentice has survived. Now the bad news, I was badly wounded in a battle defending a Rift, and I fear that my time is not long for this world. Now the really, really bad news, the apprentice of mine is way too impulsive, unintelligent, bold, and did I mention impulsive? Upon my demise this will be your guardian for any hope of opposing an onslaught of orc warriors set on one thing, destroy the Rifts. I fear for your safety because unless my apprentice can prove his worth and ability as a War Mage, you're all screwed.

The Rifts themselves are setup as strategic levels of tower defense where you will be armed with various traps, aids, and abilities to ensure the destruction of the rampaging orc mobs. Items such as spiked walls, burning hot coal pits, elven archers, paladin knights and more will help you overcome the challenges ahead and spells such as the wind belt and flaming gauntlets will easily disperse an angry charging mob of demented orcs. Each of your traps and aids can be upgraded to enhance their potential and even your War Mage himself can speak to the two weavers of steel and magic and upgrade the characteristics of either his traps or his elemental damage. Proper placement of your traps is critical and be wary War Mage, for once you lose a trap like an archer, they will be gone until the first break in the orc horde.

Every Rift is different so every strategy you use must adapt to the way the Rift castle is laid out. Since you will be slaughtering your way in a 3rd person perspective you must be mindful of your surroundings for falling to your death only increases your chance of failure and the doom of millions. There is some light though amongst the ravaging stream of orcs and that is the sound of the light hearted humor you will hear as you go through your bloodshed. Comments like "Don't crossbow me bro", "can I be the good guy now", and "can I get my parking validated" will echo through the halls of the Rift as your sword, arrow, and traps pierce through orcs one after another.

Orcs Must Die will let your inner devious side come out and play as you utilize various traps in combination with your own abilities to decimate every orc mob you can find. As far as tower defense style games go, Orcs Must Die is one of the best available and will find you literally glued to your seat trying to overcome the challenging story mode for hours upon end. The time has come, spend 1200 MS points and prove once and for all that the faith of millions rests in the capable hands of the last standing War Mage. I feel that Aragorn said it best when he said, "Let's hunt some orc", too bad he isn't here, I'd prefer him to this clumsy wanna-be War Mage and his dances of victory.

Overall Score: 8.1 / 10 Metal Gear Solid HD Collection

Bringing back the nostalgia feel that we as gamers have had concerning great titles has become more recent as of late. There have been resurrections of certain titles and series that have strived to bring those amazing moments of gameplay back into our lives and while some have fallen flat, Konami has knocked us all out with Metal Gear Solid HD Collection (MGSHDC) and we couldn't be happier. For those gamers who have not had the option to enjoy the previous Metal Gear Solid titles, now is the time to enjoy one of the best video game series ever made. I must admit I am a BIG fan of the Metal Gear Solid series and being a devout Xbox 360 supporter, this gives me a chance to relive some of the greatest moments in gaming and also experience some new ones for the first time. With today's economy and people wanting to know what games they should spend their hard earned $50 on, MGSHDC offers us one of the best gaming for value experiences we could ever hope for.

This amazing collection of titles starts us off with Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. Originally there was much controversy over this title as its attempts to innovate the Metal Gear Solid series found gamers a little put off. With the series' introduction to Raiden and some lengthy cut scenes it almost feels as though you are playing an iconic interactive movie, gamers were taken back, but that didn't stop this title from producing some amazing moments in gaming. With MSG2 being the first game in the HD collection we have to remember that this title is from a last gen console. While the HD touch to the graphics adds a lot to bring new life into the game, there are moments where you know that this is last gen. Thankfully MGS2 is more indoor, closed room style and so the HD graphics really help to show off the environment.

This isn't just your basic releases of classic titles as this release of MGS2 provides the whole "Substance" package which brings gamers a vault of various VR challenge missions as well as the "Snake Tales" which provide Snake's perspective of how everything goes down in the Big Shell. On top of all of these aspects, gamers also get the enjoyment of hearing the iconic music and tones ring out in remastered glory. While the sound effects and lip synch animations may be a bit off, the musical score alone is enough to pump a ton of adrenaline deep through your veins. Love it or hate it, MGS2 is a great addition to anyone who enjoys the types of games that rely heavily on stealth.

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is the second title in this amazing collection from Konami and really stands out as a last gen title that really cleans up well. The new HD graphics really help display this game as one for the ages. Massive boss battles, twisting storylines with all sorts of surprises, and multiple tactical options when it comes to combat and stealth are all some of the amazing innovations that were compiled to produce MGS3 and with this new HD collection, all of these aspects really make this release stand head and shoulders above its previous release. With MGS3 showcasing earlier events in Snake's life, the story behind this game is one of the best you will ever play. With such depth given to the gameplay and a lot of innovations that have yet to be duplicated by even some of today's top titles, MGS3 should be a must have for any gamer, thankfully it's included in this collection.



For those who have only owned an Xbox 360 or for those who consider PS2 to be an antique, then you may not remember these titles due to their age and the fact that they were a Sony exclusive, but not anymore. If you haven't had the chance to play these titles or if you are a fan of amazing stealth gameplay with fantastic storytelling, amazing new HD graphics, with iconic music, then Metal Gear Solid HD Collection is a must have. It has been a long time coming but Metal Gear Solid HD Collection is the next best value for gaming since the Orange Box. Get ready to experience a legendary series in gaming like never before in Konami's Metal Gear Solid HD Collection.

The Boss: Isn't it beautiful? It's almost tragic. When life ends, it gives off a final lingering aroma. Light is but a farewell gift from the darkness to those on their way to die. I've been waiting, Snake, for a long time. Waiting for your birth, your growth, and the finality of today. (Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater)

Overall Score: 9.1 / 10 Bejeweled 3

Over the years Pop Cap games have been focused on bringing gamers a peaceful yet frantic experience throughout its Bejeweled games. Think of it like an interactive Yin and Yang experience where the cycle between relaxation and intensification are in a harmonious balance that are constantly in motion and all the time highly addictive. Bejeweled 3 offers gamers a wealth of content that will constantly satisfy your craving for destroying shiny gems over, and over, and over again. The ultimate goal of any videogame (arcade or retail) is to provide gamers with an experience that they will enjoy and that will keep them playing for years to come. While some companies have tried and failed at this philosophy, Pop Cap understands this all too well.

Providing multiple gametypes adds a lot to the replay value of any game and in Bejeweled 3 you get a total of eight gametypes:

1) Classic - This is the original untimed version of Bejeweled that we all know and love. Just keep smashing gems until you run out of possible moves!

2) Lightning - Think of this like a version of Bejeweled Blitz where you can smash time gems to increase the duration of the game. While it's not Blitz mode, it does offer some of the similar enjoyment.

3) Zen - An endless game without any time or move limitations. Just sit back, relax and watch the hours just melt away.

4) Ice Storm - A frantic race against time as you watch multiple pillars of ice race to the top of your columns in an attempt to freeze your progress. Your only hope, smash the pillars before you're frozen.

5) Diamond Mine - A twist where you use your gem matching ability to dissolve the ground underneath your gems and uncover gold and treasure below. Combined with a timer that replenishes somewhat after each round and you have a very frantic yet explosive gametype.

6) Butterflies - A thinking twist to the Bejeweled games. Different colored butterflies will work their way to the spider at the top, so you must set them free by combining the right colored gems.

7) Poker - Keep making same colored matches and build a hand ranging from one pair to flush. This is one of the weaker points of Bejeweled 3, but we'll get to that here in a moment.

8) Quest - 40 unique and challenging puzzles from all different gametypes and all containing some form of goal that must be achieved to progress onward.

While Bejeweled 3 does offer a lot in the form of types of games, a couple of them stand out to me in a detached way because they don't feel like a Bejeweled game. Poker and Butterflies both require a more tactful approach where you must start to think moves ahead in order to plan your way to victory. That seems a bit out of the ordinary for a Bejeweled game since most of the time you are frantically flying around the screen destroying everything in your path. While some of the other modes are more addicting, Poker and Butterflies games don't seem to fit and in the end seem more like they were put in there just to give more value to the game.

One component that I thought would have made this game go from good to great would be the inclusion of multiplayer. Unfortunately for some reason unknown to us, Pop Cap has decided not to include any multiplayer at all in Bejeweled 3. This sort of takes away a core that was widely used in other previous Bejeweled games and makes the game feel like it's missing it's other half. Another exclusion is the Blitz and Twist modes. I would have been happy had Poker and Butterflies been replaced with these two modes, but then again I didn't make the game.

Is Bejeweled 3 worth the MS points? Well if you enjoy a great puzzle game by yourself then yes, but if you would rather play with others online then no. Even though there is a ton of content in this game, it's all singleplayer. It almost seems like Pop Cap could have done more with this title and maybe they will, but with the exclusion of multiplayer and some of the more popular modes of Bejeweled, Pop Cap's Bejeweled 3 is something to pick up, but wait till it's on sale.

Overall Score: 8.0 / 10 Goldeneye 007: Reloaded

There are characters in literature that become so iconic that they provide amazing stories and adventures for decades and James Bond is one of those characters. An international super spy with A License to Kill, James Bond delivers one spectacular mission after another and now his mission will take him deep into Russia as he tries to uncover the secrets of GoldenEye.

When GoldenEye first came out it was on the Nintendo 64 and it immediately solidified itself as a standard setter for future games to be, unfortunately for us that the following re-releases of GoldenEye were more like BlackEye. It almost felt like developers were trying too hard and in the process taking something that once was great and making it mediocre. Gamers for years have been demanding a GoldenEye game for the current generation consoles that delivers the same quality enjoyment that everyone remembers finding back in the Nintendo 64 era. Now with GoldenEye 007: Reloaded, Activision sets its target on re-kindling the spark that has been lost; but with GoldenEye Reloaded being a beefed up re-release of the version on Nintendo Wii, does it hit or miss on the Xbox 360?

For starters there is something that doesn't make sense to me. Maybe it's become I still have the image of the GoldenEye movie and the N64 version, but if I'm not mistaken didn't both the movie and the game showcase Pierce Brosnan as 007, but in GoldenEye 007: Reloaded, Daniel Craig is James Bond. On top of that Alec himself is now a different character than who we remember. There are some other familiars in the voice acting however there seems to be a tremendous deviation from the original source material. While there are some events that pay homage to the original, it just doesn't seem to feel like GoldenEye.

GoldenEye 007: Reloaded dishes up three gameplay modes which are:

1) Campaign mode - A relatively short campaign that alters from the original source material, but does provide an entertaining experience but unfortunately is not something that would keep someone coming back. Even though there are some changes to the campaign there is the inclusion of a new 007 Classic mode that gives you the original heads up display and read-outs that we all remember from the original.

2) Mi6 mode - A series of arcade missions that are separate from the campaign and all allow you and your teammate to tackle multiple objectives in one of four different gametypes:

* Elimination (take out so many enemies as quickly as possible)

* Stealth (avoid detection at all costs as you make your way through the level)

* Defense (protect and defend an objective against waves of assailants)

* Assault (lock and load and go in guns blazing against an enemy base)

The Mi6 missions are new to Goldeneye Reloaded and do offer a challenge as you progress trying to get certain rankings off of each mission type. The easiest way to explain this mode is Spec-Ops in CoD. It's almost an exact copy but with a James Bond feel to it.

3) Multiplayer - This is where the main crux of the game can be found. How many of us who remember the original GoldenEye, remember staying up for hours with tons of people waiting for their turn in multiplayer? Well with Goldeneye 007: Reloaded, the multiplayer surprisingly packs more content than other big title releases by sporting 14 new multiplayer maps (4 of them are brand new maps) and 13 different multiplayer game modes such as Bomb Defuse, Escalation, Data Miner, and more. With a wide variety of multiplayer game types and levels that range from the wide and expansive, to the close quarters, the multiplayer aspect of GoldenEye Reloaded will be where the majority of the players spend most of their time.



Ultimately while GoldenEye 007: Reloaded is loosely based off of the original source material, the big question is, should you part with $60 to pick up this game? If you are looking for a beefed up version of the Wii title, then without question as you will find a lot to enjoy with GoldenEye 007: Reloaded. However, if you are a purist then unfortunately you will not find this game filling that void. While this game is enjoyable, there just seems to be too much holding it back that could make this the true GoldenEye sequel that we all have been demanding for years.

Overall Score: 7.7 / 10 Assassins Creed Revelations

Benvenuto il mio compagno Assassino fratelli e sorelle del nostro capitolo finale. Siamo stati insieme per molti anni, ma ora è giunto il momento di scrivere l'ultimo capitolo della vita di Altaïr ibn La-Ahad e Ezio Auditore da Firenze e la testimonianza delle meraviglie della conoscenza e del potere che diventa svelato attraverso la verità. Come si opera attraverso le ombre per servire la luce, cerchiamo di scoprire l'assassino del Credo splender rivelazioni così che le nostre azioni per servire l'umanità migliore. Il nostro cammino sarà lungo, irto di pericoli e di sorprese ma, se è vero che i tre principi e mai perdere la fede nel Credo, poi ci sono gli assassini hanno la sapienza abbiamo bisogno che ci guida verso la meta. E' tempo, preparare voi assassini!

Welcome my fellow assassin brothers and sisters to our final chapter. We have been together for many years but now the time has come to write our last chapter in the lives of Altaïr ibn La-Ahad and Ezio Auditore da Firenze and witness the marvels of knowledge and power that becomes unveiled through the truth. As we work in the dark to serve the light, let us uncover the splendor of Assassin's Creed Revelations so that our actions serve mankind for the better. Sharpen your blades assassins for our lifelong journey has finally arrived at its conclusion and it is up to us to uncover the truth of life. Our journey will be long, fraught with dangers and surprises but if we hold true to the three tenets and never lose faith in the Creed, then we assassins shall have the wisdom we need to guide us to our goal. It is time, prepare yourselves assassins!

Throughout mankind there have been a few constants, but none more highly contested as the acquiring of power. Wars have been fought, alliances have been deceptively destroyed, and countless lives lost all in the name of obtaining power. Our Assassino ancestors have pledged their lives to maintaining a balance and order to the struggle for power and to see that the exploitation of mankind does not occur. In Assassin's Creed Revelations we find ourselves on a quest in a race against time to uncover and decipher the secrets our ancient Assassino ancestors and protect them against those who would wield destructive power to control mankind.

In Assassin's Creed Revelations Ubisoft has taken the already amazingly innovative control scheme core of previous Assassin's Creed titles and added some slight new innovations and polish to create one of the most addicting and enjoyable gameplay experiences in the Assassin's Creed lineage. One of the major innovative changes to the gameplay is the introduction of the Hookblade. This multi-tool of death offers some upgraded changes to enhance the control mechanics on multiple levels. Now if you are leaping from beam to beam and you come across a hanging grapple point, instead of leaping to it and going around the corner, by holding the B button you can use the Hookblade to propel yourself forward in a longer leap which will enable you to reach other areas and provide other tactical options when confrontation is necessary. Not only will the Hookblade assist you in your ariel movement, but it will also assist you greatly when it comes to scaling obstacles and monuments. When you are climbing a monument it used to be a long process where you had to find the correct route to reach the top. This is where the Hookblade shines because now with the push of the A button you can jump up, grab a hold of a ledge above and slingshot your way up, thus dramatically shortening the time it takes to scale buildings and monuments to the top.

While this one innovation affects gameplay on numerous levels, one of the main issues we have found involves the new Eagle Vision. In the previous Assassin Creed games you could use your Eagle Vision to scout targets, find hidden secrets, and more, but now Eagle Vision has become somewhat of a hindrance. The main issue behind Eagle Vision is that it takes away from the flow of the game by requiring you to remain absolutely still to access it. After that you are free to move about as normal, but in a game that prides itself on the free flowing movement of the character, forcing them to come to a complete halt just to start to use it takes away from the fluidity of the game's natural mechanics and therefor doesn't seem to fit the feel of Assassin's Creed.

Assassin's Creed Revelations also brings in some other innovations in the form of den defense mini games that also seem to take away from the feel of the game. The way the den defense game works is if you draw too much attention of the Templars, then one of your assassin's dens may come under attack and until you complete the defense game and the nearby shops will close down to you. When you go through the defense game you will have the ability to place assassins and defenses that will hinder the oncoming waves of enemies as they set out to destroy and reclaim your den. While this is a new innovation for Assassin's Creed Revelations, it doesn't mean that it's a good one. The feel is very simplistic and in the end does very little to increase the enjoyment we all find in the Assassin's Creed games by taking you once again out of the free flow gameplay.

One constant of all Assassin's Creed games have been breathtaking viewpoints showcasing a vast beautiful city beneath your boots, and in Assassin's Creed Revelations we find all of that and more. Hidden crypts and ancient tombs are more menacing than ever, and even the guards themselves look and feel more realistic in their looks and interactions. While there is nothing really new and innovative about the graphics compared to Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, that doesn't mean that it's a bad thing. With a powerful history of delivering amazing graphics, Assassin's Creed Revelations keeps to the bloodlines of the Assassino and delivers one stunning moment after another.

When you hear the call of the Assassino it sounds like an eagle's cry from the heavens signaling a rebirth of order and justice. Assassin's Creed games have always penetrated our souls with their music by delivering that compels our spirits and guides our blades as we move in for the kill. Assassin's Creed Revelations provides wonderful music combined perfectly with various high quality sound effects and very good voice acting to deliver an audio experience that will make your ears rejoice.



Overall Score: 8.8 / 10 Battlefield 3



As you will be deep behind enemy lines and in constant engagement with hostile forces you will have to use everything at your disposal to obtain victory and come back home alive. There will be a lot of times where you will need to vault your way over obstacles then shift almost immediately to a prone position so play it smart, keep your head down, and then flank your opposition and use your abilities to drive the forces back and eliminate them.

As you become more familiar with the war soldier, you will gain perks that can not only affect you, but your entire squad as well. This is the start of a very in-depth customization that will give you every opportunity to play this war just how you want to. Your team will have many weapons at their disposal and each weapon will have three customization points that range from updated optics, bipods, laser sights, flashlights and more.

Not only can your weapons be customized, but your soldier themselves are granted multiple customization options as well. At your command you can customize your soldier to employ a wide range of accessories such as mortar launchers, remote control robots, spawn deployment points, c4 and more. While the ability to harness these customizations is important, victory can only be obtained if you successfully utilize the heavy armaments that will be provided for you. The controls may seem a bit touchy at first but once you learn the mechanics of the jets, helicopters, tanks and more, your squad will become an unstoppable force.

In terms of what you will expect to see when you hit the ground running, prepare yourself to see war like you have never seen it before. DICE brings war to life in iconic settings with the new Frostbite 2 engine. Every map of every mission is done with such meticulous detail that for the first time in a long time we get to experience the true physics of war. Buildings will collapse, explosions will erupt, and all of this will leave your eyes one amazing optical experience after another. Physical details such as the debris pattern after a breech or the small cloud of dust that comes off of a wall that gets hit with rounds of gunfire all help add that last push that sends the graphics of this game from great to flat out stunning.

While there is nothing like seeing a war unfold in front of your eyes, hearing the sounds of war itself is haunting in its own right. With multiple settings for the sound output, Battlefield 3 is an auditory gem in the world of military FPS games. The music score alone does not do this experience justice as you will note when you combine it with the sounds of incoming tanks, sniper fire, frag grenades exploding and more. There isn't really a greater sensation than lying prone undetected behind cover while you hear and feel an enemy tank moving right beside you and hearing the enemy chatter as everyone is on high alert and hunting you down.

While the singleplayer storyline is highly engaging, the true backbone of Battlefield 3 is the multiplayer experience. Acclaimed for providing gamers with a phenomenal multiplayer experience in the past, Battlefield 3 sets a new standard for military FPS. Be ready to encounter 24 player battles that range over the land, sea, and air while encompassing all the new technology and vehicle combat. Enjoy multiple gametypes such as what has been called the true Battlefield experience, Conquest, and a returning staple from Battlefield 1942, Team Deathmatch. Vehicles play a large role in the Battlefield games and that is truer now in Battlefield 3's multiplayer. Using customizable aircraft, helicopters, and other heavy armaments, teams will constantly wage war to see what side will triumph. There is more though behind the scenes of Battlefield 3's multiplayer though with the ability to search and select individual dedicated servers and filter your results based off of a wide variety of criteria such as lobby size, map, gametype, region, connectivity, and more. What this means to gamers is now they have a guaranteed way of locating the best possible Battlefield 3 experience for them. Another massive innovation to Battlefield 3 is the Battlelog. Think of this as an online record of all your Battlefield 3 actions from across the entire game. Here you will be able to do a variety of actions such as check on your unlock progression, form a platoon with your friends, and more.

While all this innovation and amazing gameplay are breathtaking, Battlefield 3 does suffer some shortcomings that would have made this title stand out as the premier military FPS game. For starters, since launch, Battlefield 3's multiplayer has been pegged with server issues. While other random glitches and bugs such as squad management, player loadouts and more can create some annoyance, having your entire multiplayer server connection interrupted frequently is like ripping out someone's backbone and seeing if they can stand upright. The core of the replay factor for Battlefield 3 lies in the connections gamers make to the multiplayer servers. If they can't connect and enjoy the game, then out it goes from the console.

The main story is surprisingly short and the online co-op consists of only six missions, and when you combine that they offer very little replay value, your multiplayer aspect becomes even more vital. Thankfully, the servers have become somewhat more stable and it goes without saying that DICE, EA, and Microsoft are working hard at correcting the issues. This year has some amazing releases and the ability to deliver a product that, will not only standout amongst the top during this year, but for years to come, is of the upmost importance with Battlefield 3. While this game does deliver some amazing gameplay experiences, there are multiple times when you sit there thinking that this game could have been better. That doesn't mean however that Battlefield 3 doesn't deliver at all; it means that gamers will just have to be patient as DICE and everyone work out all the details to deliver the Battlefield 3 experience we all know is out there.

Overall Score: 8.5 / 10 Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Good day young adventurer, I don't mean to be a bother but if you have a few moments to spare with an old man such as myself, there is a tale I would like to tell you that may help you find what you seek. There is something inside me that tells me you play a vital role in the coming days ahead, I don't know quite what it is, but I have no doubt that there is something special about you. So please sit with me a while and let me tell you about the land, legends, and lore of the realm of Skyrim.

The Elder Scrolls have foretold of events in Skyrim and I pray you heed this information as it may shape all of Tamriel itself. The High-King of Skyrim lay dead at the hand of an assassination and a struggle for power has ensued between the Stormcloaks and the Empire which threatens the stability and prosperity of Skyrim, but that is not the worst part of this, by heavens no. With Skyrim on the brink of a civil war, it has been foretold that this will bring about the return of the dragons themselves, lead by Alduin, the Nordic God of Destruction. If these actions transpire and everything foretold in The Elder Scrolls become real, then Skyrim is in need of a hero, and for some reason, I believe that hero to be you.

Not all of the fabled prophecy of The Elder Scrolls is bad though, mind you there are some rays of light in these dark times and it is through the legend of the Dragonborn that we must place our hope of survival. The tales go back for ages, back to the time of Akatosh and the blood of the dragons, and even Emperor Tiber Septim himself, for it is said that those who possess the blood of dragons have the ability to commune with the dragons themselves and even wield the power of the beasts as well through the use of multiple shouts. It is said that the Dragonborn will help mankind by vanquishing the dragon threat should it ever arise. This leads us to Skyrim for it is rumored that Alduin is back and that the dragons have returned and all of mankind is now in danger.

The hope of salvation is high for it is said that the Dragonborn has a new innovative menu and control layout that allows more focus on the environment around you and provides quick and simplistic access to everything you will need when fighting dragons, exploring dungeons, and confronting the Daedric Gods themselves. With the push of one button you have access to everything and the ability to select almost anything to a favorites menu for quick selection.

Managing Dragonborn's character has also improved and offers a very deep character development system. When you level up your character, you have the option to increase your magic, your health, or your stamina (which effects how much you can carry) and you gain access to the constellations in the heavens above that allow you to customize, improve, and develop your skills with bonuses.

Another innovation that Skyrim brings to light is the ability to actively dual-wield multiple options at the same time, all the while improving your character's skills. For instance you could have a lightning spell in your left hand, and a sword in your right and you will be getting experience in both your destructive spells and one handed categories. Getting to know the land of Skyrim is critical and thankfully the map system allows Dragonborn to easily find the destination of his quests and discover majestic new areas. With both a world overview and close up map choice you will always find your way as you traverse the mountains and lakes of Skyrim.

The province of Skyrim allows for many adventures, quests, and tasks that can range from the mundane, to the vital, but all are important and all offer insight into not only the lands of Skyrim, but its people as well. You may hear of a blacksmith that may have to shut their doors because they can't fill orders fast enough, so that gives you the ability to step in and use the weapon forge to create or improve weapons and armor. Forging however means you must have the right materials to create your item, and in order to do that you may have to mine ore for it.

There are other tasks such as cooking where you create your own food through learned recipes which can restore health and offer bonuses when consumed. Alchemy and Enchantments play a big role as well since almost everything in Skyrim can be infused to either create different types of potions or magical items that offer character bonuses as well. While performing tasks such as forging, sharpening, cooking, mining and more seem rather tame when compared to fighting dragons and exploring dark dungeons, however, it is through these actions that we can often obtain the items we need to be successful in our quests.

Innovation of your character development is one thing, but when you talk innovation of Skyrim's quest structure, that is when the heart of Skyrim opens up and reveals the dynamic structure that will leave you playing this game for years to come. Utilizing a technology in the new Creation Engine called Radiant Storytelling; Skyrim records your actions and deeds and will alter and change things in the world accordingly. Not only will it alter things in Skyrim but it will also adjust characteristics of Skyrim, such as the game difficulty depending on your skills and will even change up points in quests such as different outcomes that are determined by your actions in Skyrim.

Along with the innovative Radiant Storytelling, there is more innovation in the way of the new Radiant AI. This gives NPC a real sense of purpose as they perform a wide variety of tasks throughout Skyrim, but the beauty is not how they interact with the land, but with you. Now characters will develop feelings for you based off of your actions and words and your relationship to them. An example of the dynamics of this would be if you save someone's daughter from bandits, it goes without saying that the daughter's family will find great favor with you. Not only are your interactions with the citizens of Skyrim important, but also your interactions and choices with the various factions such as the Thieves, the Dark Brotherhood, Stormcloaks, and more. This is the core of Skyrim itself and it's through this new innovation that delivers one of the best single player games ever conceived.

You have heard me talk of the land of Skyrim, but until your eyes first behold the snow covered mountain ranges, the vibrant lakes, or the dense foliage of the mighty woods, words will never do them justice. By incorporating a new innovated technology called the Creation Engine, every characteristic of the lands of Skyrim are constantly shifting and altering, whether it be through the changing of the seasons, to the precipitation, or even the changing of flora. This means that every moment your eyes will understand the legends of the beauty of Skyrim. Not only are the lands of Skyrim beautiful but the creature and character models are looking more stunning than ever. Your eyes will be in amazement when you observe a mammoth dragon, hovering and circling around you in the sky as you try to scale a snow covered mountain while in the middle of a blizzard.

New creatures will present themselves as challenges for you and while some are more your size, dragons are not the only massive dangerous creatures in these lands. While a giant for instance may be slow moving, they are quick to anger and strike without mercy and in one blow can knock you halfway across Skyrim itself. While the lands, temples, and caves may be beautiful in their own right, you must always be cautious of the creatures of that environment.

From the very moment you start your quests through Skyrim, your ears will be treated to a symphonic masterpiece from start to finish. Melodic and tranquil songs will eerily pacify your soul as you navigate through the different towns and explore the vast wilderness that Skyrim has to offer. When danger is around that is when your ears will hear the drums of war start to beat and that is your cue to prepare for a fight. The voice acting in Skyrim is done very, very well as the character voices seem to fit the legends and lore that we all know and love. There is never a moment of auditory boredom or disappointment in Skyrim, in fact it has taken all the high expectations, that I have personally placed on the sound, and surpassed them all. The sounds of this game will haunt your spirit as Skyrim delivers what could arguably be called one of the greatest works of audio in the video game world.

So there you have it my brave adventurer, I have told you all I know about the legends and lore of Skyrim and what to expect. I hope you have listened and learned from my tale and that you find your path to your destiny. Every aspect of Skyrim is done to pinpoint perfection and has the makings of a game that will be played and enjoyed by millions for years to come.

Before you set out on this grand adventure, please remember to never lose faith and hope in the Dragonborn for it is the sole hope of salvation and peace for the troubled land of Skyrim. Like I said before, I'm sorry to be a bother, but this old man sees something in your eyes that burns bright with the hope of the Dragonborn. Could you be the one that the Elder Scrolls prophesied about, are you him, are you the hope and salvation of Skyrim, are you Dovahkiin, are you the Dragonborn?

Suggestions: Thank you.

Overall Score: 9.7 / 10 Lord of the Rings: War In The North

Chapter I
War in the North.........pg. 1

Legends have told the tale of Middle Earth and the quest to destroy Sauron and The One Ring. Where a fellowship banded together under a banner of brotherhood to undertake a quest that held the fate of every living thing in Middle Earth. While these tales are popular and widely known, there is a part of the story that has almost slipped away from the legends of lore. This is a tale of a new trio of comrades who join together to prevent Sauron and his forces from commanding the realms to the North under the leadership from Sauron's Chief Lieutenant Agandaur. While Frodo, the fellowship, and The Ring venture southward on their quest towards Mount Doom, the trio of Eradan the Dunedain Ranger, Andriel the Elven Loremaster, and Farin the Dwarven Champion must assemble what forces they can and fight back against the shadow that grows in the North. It is time for us now to play our part in these events and not to forsaken the fate of Middle Earth.

Fellowship is the core of Lord of the Rings: War in the North (WitN) and it is through this understanding that your success or failure will be determined. Each member brings with them unique skills and abilities which must be harnessed properly if any hope is to remain for Middle Earth. Eradan brings archery and swordplay into the fray, Andriel uses her magic for both offensive and defensive actions that can be applied to just one individual or the entire party, and Farin brings an onslaught of melee skills designed to destroy any and all oncoming foes. While the fellowship of these three is strong, they will need the assistance of others to ensure their victory over the darkness that grows in the North. One of their greatest supporters throughout the game is Beleram one of the Great Eagles. After Beleram agrees to support your fellowship he becomes an invaluable ally as he has the ability to destroy heavy mounted crossbows, multiple enemies, and even take on a massive troll. How you use his abilities is up to you, but use them wisely or you may lose him forever!

War in the North..........pg. 2

One of the most in-depth characteristics of WitN has to fall on the shoulders of the character customization. There are thousands of pieces of armor and weaponry for all three characters that can be utilized to not only alter your players' appearance, but provide bonuses to various skill sets allowing for more character enhancements. Some of these weapons, pieces of armor, and items can be found in various places from hidden treasure chests, looted from fallen enemies, traded with other players online, or bought from shops and vendors. Not only do the weapons, armor, and items seem to be without end, but the skill trees of each member of the fellowship offers up new abilities and skills to learn which can be proven to be invaluable during the heat of battle. For instance Eradan can use one branch of his skill tree to focus on evading detection from enemies, one branch to focus on combat with dual wielding weapons, and the last branch to focus on abilities and attacks with the bow. To upgrade your character's skill tree and stats you must gain XP by either completing side quests, killing enemies in battle, or progressing on with your main story. There are ways as well for each character to earn XP bonuses by performing well in battle by executing kill moves, saving your other teammates, and going into hero mode where your character deals more damage and increases their XP multiplier with each successful hit. With each branch of the skill tree offering multiple options for character customization and development, and the combination of the vast array of weapons, armor, and items; WitN boasts a very large and comprehensive character development system that makes this action RPG shine.

Enjoying Lord of the Rings: War in the North by yourself is a very rewarding experience, especially if you are a fan of the lore that Tolkien created. However, the real enjoyment comes when you have two friends connected either via Xbox Live, split screen, or system link and the three of you decide to fight for Middle Earth and confront Sauron's Chief Lieutenant Agandaur. Along your multiplayer quest all characters will be able to partake in loot drops which mean that you don't have to abandon your friends just to be the first one to reach the treasure chest. Included as well, players will also be able to trade weapons, armor, and more with each other online and any/all weapons you accumulate throughout the multiplayer adventure will carry over to your single player campaign.



War in the North..........pg. 4

The lore of the Lord of the Rings is without question a font of characters, quests, adventures, battles, and most importantly, imagination. Venturing into new lands, engaging new enemies, making new friends while staying true to the canon and intertwining with events of Lord of the Rings, WitN sets out on a quest to deliver us one of the best action RPG Lord of the Rings experiences we have ever had. While a few things could use some revision work, overall this game is a masterpiece for Tolkien fans and shouldn't be missed. There's nothing like fighting through a massive battle in an iconic location to finish part of a quest and in the process find some amazing weapon or piece of armor that makes your character an even bigger threat against Sauron's forces. Prepare yourself to play a part in actions that will shape the history of all Middle Earth and all its inhabitants, prepare yourself for Lord of the Rings: War in the North.

Overall Score: 8.6 / 10 Batman: Arkham City

Why hello there kiddies, it's your ol' pal Uncle J here! I hope you've missed me as much as I've missed you! Yes, yes, I know it may be a bit surprising hearing from me, given that our pointy eared friend left me for dead after our last battle, but I'm back to show bats that even though what he did to me was wrong, I'm still going to kill him with kindness. I've always pegged batsy for a real loaner, but what do I know right? Guess now Batman went to some super freak social network site because now I'm hearing rumors that he's got a girlfriend who also dresses up like a cat, hahahaha can you believe it?!?!? And they call me psychotic. So I don't have a cape, or a tight leather body suit, what I do have though is a better taste in fashion because I dress to kill. But enough about me, let's get to the punch line and talk about Batman Arkham City shall we? Between you and me, that flying rat won't know what hit him this time! Hehehehe, we're coming to the end batsy ol' boy and when you see what I've been planning all along hahahahahahaha you'll just die; so welcome Batman to Arkham City!

Now for those who haven't heard, and shame on you for not paying attention, Arkham Asylum has expanded! Thanks to the actions of Dr. Hugo Strange all of your much loved sociopaths, psychopaths, and downright crazy inmates have decided that we were in need of a change of scenery. So we thought, since we loved the citizens of Gotham so much, we'd move right in! Just like the in-laws from hell hahahhahaha! Now unlike the bat, we villains know how to play nice with each other, Freeze has frozen over Gotham PD, the Penguin has the museum locked down, and I've managed to open up my new fun house! However, I've heard rumors that our good Doctor Strange has something in store called Protocol 10 that will change this city forever. What is it you ask? Well to me it sounds like a new hemorrhoid cream, but I could be wrong, but if it is, I could really use it because Batman has really become a pain in my ass. hahahhahaha!

Now I ask you, how fair is it for batsy to fly around without touching the ground, confusing my own men, and then dive attack them while freezing them with his new freeze blast weapon? Why it's not fair at all! I've always played fair, I may not have played nicely hahahahaha, but at least I played fair! All these new upgrades for different combat combinations, gadgets, and even his suit make me think that it's time I do the same with my guards! So I've outfitted these bozos with state of the art weaponry, laser sights, and even new detection modes to keep our winged friend from cheating! Sure, sure, Batman has his improved free flow combat system, but I've got something better, lots and lots of guns; hahahahahaha. What other tricks does bat brain have in store for little ol' me I wonder? He may like to have an ace up his sleeve, but I always love that Jokers are wild. hahahahahaha





Suggestions: Twinkle, twinkle, little bat... watch me kill your favorite cat! Hahahahahahahahaha! XD

Overall Score: 9.5 / 10 Crimson Alliance

Welcome adventurer to the world of Byzan! We are a mighty empire on the edge of the Dead Sea, but we were not always this way. Please come and sit down and I will tell you a tale of seduction, betrayal, honor, friendship, love, and loss. Maybe hearing the old tales will help guide you on your way to fame and fortune in search for our land's treasures? A long time ago there was a young corrupted princess named Asturi who used her beauty to seduce the powerful wizard Magus. Through this deception this dark princess gained unimaginable power and ended up seizing the throne and out casted Magus and left him for dead. During this reign of demonic evil horrible things happened, there was experimentation on sacrifices, dark magic, and even raising the dead. Times were bleak as the empire that once flourished was torn to pieces and teetered on the brink of extinction. This is when out of chance our greatest heroes emerged to bring this empire back to greatness.

Magus, the once powerful wizard that was cast out to die, survived and while his memory may have been temporarily blocked his passion for this empire has never expired. Upon his journey he gains the support of two unlikely allies, Gnox, who is a mighty warrior and one of the deadliest mercenaries alive, and Moonshade, who has the reputation of being the most elusive assassin and one not to be taken lightly. These warriors all bring their own specialties as the wizard Magus focuses on ranged magic attacks, Gnox is a master of close quarter combat, and Moonshade offers a little of both. Together these three adventurers set out on a quest to banish the evil from the land and restore the great empire of Byzan.

During their quest, our three heroes came across sacred treasures from across the great land and they even came into artifacts that assisted them in their journey. Tales of blades that were made of fire, shields which were born of lightning itself, and magic so powerful that no enemy could resist it's force, reached the ears of the surviving humans and stoked the fires of hope and encouraged the desire to overcome this demonic evil. Legend tells that they came across items such as remote turrets, monster bait, throwing axes and healing totems that when used properly greatly assisted our warriors as they tackled the evils of the land. Using tactics in battle such as normal and strong attacks combined with stun attacks and dashing abilities this group of three had all the skills necessary to overcome any obstacle that stood in their way.

I'm sure now you are wondering what ever happened to our three brave adventurers and what happened that made the kingdom of Byzan the way it is today. That my friend will have to come at a price. Journeys start with a single step and if you wish to know more and how the story ends, then it is up to you. Is it worth 1200 MS Points? When you and your friends join up to discover the treasure and mystery that abounds in these lands, then it is a steal. So what do you say adventurer? Care to make a deal?

Overall Score: 8.3 / 10 Crysis

Listen up soldier, we got 30 seconds before your insertion into the warzone and once you're there we can't guarantee successful radio contact so pay attention! All information is on a need to know basis son and all we know right now is that the CIA has sent in a scientific research team to the Lingshan Island, and after their arrival the Koreans have sent in a large militarized force and have taken the research team captive and are apparently very interested in their work and findings. We don't know why they would need to dispatch such manpower to this remote island, or what their interest is in our scientists, but we do know whatever it is, they want it bad. We are flying blind up here son, but what we can tell you is that our scientists have uncovered something groundbreaking that could be one of the biggest discoveries in human history. We have declassified XboxAddict's records in an attempt to help you so brief your squad on the intelligence and prep for war! Be forewarned that this aggressive action could be considered grounds for the next world war soldier. We need you to rendezvous with the research team and extract them to the LZ and retrieve any and all data possible. Your team is needed now more than ever to prevent this worldwide Crysis. Godspeed.

Before we drop your squad into the warzone we need to bring your team up to speed on the Crysis that we find ourselves in. Developed by Crytek and released four years ago, Crysis was acclaimed for its graphical prowess and the physics engine that brought the island of Lingshan to life and we'll discuss that here shortly. Originally nicknamed the PC benchmark, Crysis set the bar for graphics and physics in a video game that to this day leave even the top companies scratching their heads wondering how this marvel was accomplished. Unless you were sporting some serious graphic hardware in your PC, the full potential of Crysis remained a dream, until now. Crytek has given the gaming community a gift, for now that they have released the original PC benchmark game Crysis on the Xbox Live Games on Demand section. Now gamers on the console have the chance to finally enjoy one of the most influential games that has ever been released. You know that your game sets a bar when graphic card companies continuously run the catchphrase "Yeah, but can it run Crysis".

Now listen up soldier because now that we are in a serious Crysis, it's time to learn your surroundings as survival is critical to you completing your assignment and making it out alive. Originally Crysis was made using the CryEngine 2, but now things have become more spectacular as Crytek decided to use the infamous CryEngine 3 and oh how blessed we are. The island of Lingshan has come to life like nothing we have ever witnessed before and every aspect of Crysis from the water and sandy beaches, to the underground caves are done with pinpoint precision that every moment will take your breath away and give your eyes one stunning scene after another all the while incorporating the shifts in the time of day ranging from midnight to noon and back again. Watching the rays of sunlight peek their way through the upper foliage of the trees through your sniper scope while maintaining cover upon a high rocky ridge is just one example where you will find yourself taking a moment just to examine the beauty that this game brings.

With your squad up to speed on the island and all its beauty it's time to become acquainted with your gear and know how to handle it before you go rushing off to death's doorstep. You and your squad have all been provided with experimental nano suits and learning how to manage it properly will mean the difference between coming back alive, and coming back with a toe tag. Your suit has many abilities and the two main functions for it are an armor mode which will make you almost completely bulletproof, however that doesn't mean you can stand still and take a direct shot from a rocket launcher. Think of the armor mode as a last ditch effort to ensure your survival. You won't be very mobile, but in a gunfight it will allow you to take more damage than your aggressors. The second primary focus of your nano suit is a built in cloaking device which will allow you to elude oncoming forces from a distance, however, if you get too close then you will be in trouble as your enemies will be able to detect you, so be wise soldier when you decide to use these features. It should be noted as well that if you are cloaked soldier and you decide to get into a gun battle, you will instantly de-cloak and your suit power will drain to empty even if you had a full power level before you started shooting.

Your nano suit while providing these abilities cannot maintain the necessary power levels for long, so while these features may be a gift, they are only temporary so plan to budget your power supply accordingly and make sure that it has time to properly recharge before advancing on your enemies. The last thing you want to do is engage in a firefight only to find out that your suit has no power to protect you and save your life. Besides granting you and your squad these new enhancements, you will also notice that your nano suit will give you the ability to run at very high speeds, jump to new heights, and give you strength that most men dream of having. All of these enhancements use power as well soldier so be prepared and use your suit wisely.

While you and your team use your eyes to visually take in everything around you and your squad manages their resources with their new suits, one thing that they will need to really pay attention to soldier is the sounds of war itself. The island while beautiful by all accounts are filled with ambient sounds that can not only help you detect any oncoming threat, but also alert your enemies to your location. Through your adventure on the island you may come across various security patrols which you can hear them communicating with each other so that will help you pinpoint their location so you can determine the best course of action. However, the ambient sounds can also be your demise. If you decide to sneak in to your objective be wary of startling the wildlife as a spooked chicken could be all that is needed to draw your enemies focus and their gun barrels in your direction.

Now that you have all the information we can give to you son we hope that it will be enough to help you and your team succeed. Arm yourself and load up on munitions because there's one thing we can guarantee and that is you are about to face a fierce and mammoth military force and you must overcome this if you want to come back alive. You have all the help we can provide at this time soldier, now lock and load because your deployment begins now. Godspeed to you and your team for you are the only hope that mankind has in this time of Crysis.

Overall Score: 9.0 / 10 Ace Combat: Assault Horizon



This new Ace Combat game offers a wealth of options and innovations that will make even the most experienced Ace feel like a rookie. For starters there is a heavy emphasis on the new innovations in air to air combat. In the past pilots would hear a lock on tone, see their screen go red and then bank and twist their way free, but what would be difficult was the ability to reacquire your target or even to pursue your attacker. These frustrations however, are now removed as you gain the ability to loop backward and position yourself behind your target. Now when your enemy is in pursuit you will have to triangles that signify your enemy's position to yours. By breaking or accelerating your job is to get the triangles to match, by doing this you lock your plane into a position to perform an aerial loop that will end with your plane now behind your enemy with your sights locked in on him instead. Remember though, that these new aerial control maneuvers can also be done by the enemy so now, more than ever you must be aware of every aspect of your combat.

Not only is your defensive capabilities improved upon, but your offensive capabilities have also been enhanced. In this latest installment of Ace Combat, when you have a target locked on and you are in close range you will have a circle appear over your locked target, this is your sign to go in for the kill. With the push of two buttons (LB+RB) you will engage your opponent in a new Dog Fight Mode where the name of the game is to keep your target locked to the best of your ability; and in doing so, ensure that not only your missiles lock onto the target, but your gun barrels as well. While the innovation in the gameplay takes center stage, Ace Combat: Assault Horizon delivers a wealth of new aircraft to dominate the skies. Now we get to experience the amazing quality of Ace Combat in other vehicles such as AC-130 gunships, Apache Longbow helicopters, and more! Each vehicle has tailored controls and equally matching firepower which means that Ace Combat: Assault Horizon delivers one amazing mission after another.



Ace Combat has always been known for the wonderful graphics that we get to see as we look out of our visor, however when it comes to beauty Ace Combat: AH steals the show. As you scream through the skies in an attempt to knock out the opposition, get ready to hold your breath as now some of the terrain is destructible. Cities such as Paris, Miami, Dubai and more are beautifully laid out in full detail and when in dog fight mode you can be led through chases that will require you to think fast as you dodge between buildings and under bridges as you watch the beauty unfold around you at 800mph and your radar lock going crazy.

All of this intense beauty and combat would be for naught if the music didn't back up every moment of your aerial combat. Moments of the classic Ace Combat theme comes blasting into your ears as you're fighting hard to keep your enemy check in your sights and your radar locked onto target, however, throughout the various missions we get treated to new symphonic sounds that range from the heart pumping intense, to the brief moments of melodic relaxation, to the climatic fanfare of triumph.

As we approach the engagement zone, we are treated to one undeniable truth and that is Ace Combat: Assault Horizon is the premier flight game for the Xbox 360. There are a ton of new innovations packed in every area and aspect of this game and with the included support of the Ace Edge flight stick, Ace Combat: Assault Horizon is the king of the skies. Now marshal your talent and focus pilots for it's time to fly.

Overall Score: 9.2 / 10 Dead Island

Have you ever had a bad vacation? Ever take a trip that you wish you hadn't in the first place? If a little garden gnome ever wishes to offer you a trip to the Island of Banoi, you tell him where he can stick that pointy red hat of his. Banoi is the setting for the action game Dead Island and offers you some of the most beautiful scenery you will ever see. Sure it's beyond gorgeous that is until you wake up after a wild night out and discover that you are smack in the middle of a mysterious virus outbreak that has turned most of the civilians into body devouring zombies. Get your bags packed as XboxAddict leads you through the lush, blood stained environment, and trust us, we don't bite.

Dead Island is an action based story with RPG qualities taken from some of the most popular games that we have seen today. In the beginning you assume the role of one of the four main characters who are apparently immune to this viral infection:

1) Xian Mei - who is an employee of the Royal Palms Resort who dreamed of seeing the world outside her homeland, but without zombies of course.

2) Sam B - A one hit rap artist trying to recover the stardom of his lost career, but something tells us he's never come across zombies at his after parties.

3) Logan - a former NFL star player who had his career cut short due to tragic choices he made, but redemption is something he's looking for, even if it's among the undead.

Or

4) Purna - an ex-cop turned bodyguard for hire after leaving the police force. Do you suppose she's used to dealing with a hoard of the undead? Not likely.

As we stated earlier, when you start out on your journey, you awaken from a hard night of partying, only to find out that all hell has broken loose and it's up to you to progress through the story in order to discover the secret behind the mystery of this virus and see if it is possible to save these people, however, like the classic literature line goes, sometimes the best laid plans...

As we pick up our bags and head into this amazing island resort we must get accustomed to the gameplay involved with Dead Island. As we will be up against an island full of ravaging zombies we need one thing to guarantee our survival, weapons, weapons, and more weapons. Throughout the game you will obtain a variety of death dealing items that range from melee weapons to firearms and more. There are varying classes of weapons that range from the generic to rare and all can be used at your disposal to destroy any and all undead that impede your progress, but where the twist lies with this, is that your weapons will need to be repaired over time.

This is where Dead Island offers up a taste of its RPG offerings. If you use your weapon of choice a lot it can become damaged, and then broken which significantly reduces the pain you can dish out. Trust us, there is nothing like having a knife break in the middle of fighting multiple zombies at once and forcing the decision of "fight or flight" right into your face. Dead Island doesn't stop with weapon repairs though, each character has a multi skill tree that can be upgraded to not only enhance your own character, but provide key upgrades in various fields that can unlock new abilities. The way you unlock these new abilities is by earning EXP by doing side quest missions, but more importantly, killing everything that isn't human. The side missions are optional, however, they will allow you to explore more of the island and provide you rewards such as items, cash, and weapons.

When we say that the Island of Banoi is beautiful, what we mean is that this game is graphically amazing in every way. The water effects are done beautifully and the weather system brings the island alive and makes every moment a sight to behold, but where this game really shines is in the lighting department, not only with the rays of sunshine, but with the depths of darkness itself. Armed with a trusty flashlight when the light goes out, it's up to you to make the best use of any and all light that might shine through such as moonlight, the flickering light of a distressed work lamp, and more. Just remember, as breathtaking as the island is in the daylight, when the light goes out the island's beauty can be very deadly. Who knows what lurks in the dark corners, but it's up to you to find out.

Exploring the island can be a very peaceful experience that is until you hear the screams and cries of multiple zombies starting to charge you from all different directions hell bent on having you as a meal, or the pounding on a door of a zombie ready to burst out and separate your head from your body. The ambient sound is where a lot of Dead Island draws its potential from as you will hear waves crashing, birds chirping, and even wind blowing through the trees. All of this adds up to certify your horrifying zombie experience like never before as you will only sometimes hear suspenseful music and the vast majority you will have to keep an ear out for any outlying danger that may be right behind you and charging fast.



Overall Score: 8.8 / 10 Gears of War 3: Brothers to the End



The Gears of War series has set benchmarks for its gameplay and thankfully Epic games has decided to take everything that it's community has been asking for and inject it with tons of steroids, smack it in the face, stomp on its toes, and then unleashed it to the world. A new innovation that will change the way battles and wars are won is found in the new cover system for Gears of War 3. Before in Gears of War we were limited to just blind firing or peeking around corners or over obstacles to hit enemies, but not anymore though. Now when you are in a standoff with an opponent on the other side of cover, you now can leap over the obstacle which causes your character to do a sliding melee move which knocks your opponent back, stuns them, and opens them up for a close range lobotomy. No longer are you safe under cover for now your cover can gain you a tremendous advantage in combat. The same active reload system that we all know and love remains and now every weapon gains additional bonuses by executing a perfect active reload which range from faster fire, more powerful rounds, increased range, and more.

To say Gears of War 3 is beautiful is a gross understatement and one that should immediately get you sent to the eye doctor for an exam. Epic really took their time and used it wisely in this field as every aspect of this game is done to perfection. The level layout, attention to the smallest detail, and even the total environment completely immerses you in the world of Sera and does a wonderful job portraying the last dying prayers of mankind. Pausing for a few moments to take in your surroundings can be some of the most satisfying moments you have in the game and your eyes won't believe the quality that this latest and greatest Unreal Engine 3 provides. Every turn brings your eyes another visual orgasm and every moment shows why Gears of War 3 is one of the best looking games we have ever played.



One of the other iconic multiplayer modes makes a triumphant return in Gears of War 3 and that is Horde 2.0. To say you're getting paid while knee deep in the sh!thole would be a really accurate description as now fortifications become your best friends (aside from your teammates of course). Throughout Horde 2.0 you will get options to upgrade various defenses such as decoy dummies, laser grid tripwires, turrets, and more. How do you upgrade these defensive saviors you ask? Why kill everything you see and earn credits of course. As you progress you will earn credits which will enhance various fortifications that will allow you a brief glimmer of hope before the all-important "Boss round" where death is an almost certainty. Credits though can be used for more than just upgrading and fortifying your position, they can also be used to buy your way back into the game if you should happen to meet your maker at the underside of your opponents boot. Should you feel generous, you also have the ability to give your teammates credits as well thus helping the team as a whole and showing everyone that you're not a stingy motherf***er.

Weapons are essential to determine whether or not your @$$ meets angels in the clouds or victory amongst the dead in Gears of War 3's multiplayer, and this time we come loaded to the teeth with classic weapons and some new ones as well. For starters our classic lancer returns along with our favorite gnasher and pistol, however, now we have new weapon choices such as a retro lancer where instead of a chainsaw, you sport a dirty and vicious bayonette blade that is perfect for taking the heads off and impaling your nearest foe. Also included in these new weapons is a lovely and deadly sawed off shotgun which should really be called the paste maker because any opponent you hit with it will become just that, a bloody smear and a memory. One of our new favorite map based weapons has to be the "Oneshot". Its name says it all, just line up your cross hairs on your opponent, pull the trigger, and watch as you vaporize them in a violent and explosive death. Oneshot, one kill, no exceptions.

Hands down Gears of War 3 is going to bring you not only one of the best stories you ever went through, but one of the best and most addictive multiplayer experiences ever to hit consoles. If you haven't played Gears of War 1 or 2, then do yourself a favor and play through them first because to jump right into Gears of War 3 first is robbing you of one of the greatest gaming journeys you will ever have. From the amazing story, beautiful graphics and sound, to the innovative new multiplayer, Gears of War 3 has not only set the bar, but turned it sideways and shoved it right up the competition's @$$.

Overall Score: 9.4 / 10 El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron

Welcome heavenly spirits to God's holy light. We have been truly blessed here at XboxAddict to experience the wonders of God's actions in El Shaddai. The conventional translation of El Shaddai is "God Almighty" and in this game we see the full range of God's will. Take a moment and walk with us on the path of the righteous as we attempt to guide you through the trials and tribulations that plague mankind and attempt to lead you to the salvation of God's eternal love. For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.

In El Shaddai you take command of Enoch who is believed to be a descendant of Adam and the only descendant of Adam who God loved so dearly that instead of facing a mortal death, God took Enoch into the heavens where he is appointed to become the guardian of all the celestial treasures, chief over all the archangels, and the immediate attendant on God's throne. Enoch, armed with the support of all the angels, fulfills whatever God commands by executing his decrees. Not only is Enoch noted for all of this but his is also believed to be the inventor of writing, and the teacher of astronomy and arithmetic thus identifying him as the Metatron, or the angel which communicates God's word. This theological interpretation can be seen from the very beginning as we are introduced to Enoch who in the heavens is surrounded by endless mountains of books, and is busy writing away into another book. Ancient scripture describes Enoch after returning to heaven to serve God: "This Enoch, whose flesh was turned to flame, his veins to fire, his eye-lashes to flashes of lightning, his eye-balls to flaming torches, and whom God placed on a throne next to the throne of glory, received after this heavenly transformation the name Metatron".


Theology is the soul of El Shaddai and through the game we bear witness to the beauty of God. Your eyes will be amazed at the beautiful graphics that depict stunning backgrounds that resemble heavenly paintings in motion. Such paintings as the Creation of Adam and the Altarpiece of St. Michael showcase the same heavenly glory that you will see in every aspect of El Shaddai's graphics. Not only are the levels beautiful but every aspect including the character modeling of the archangels, the demons you will fight along your way, and even the fallen angels themselves present to you such an epic piece of beauty that every moment of El Shaddai is a heavenly celestial experience that should not be missed. Some people have said that nature is the painting of God, well in El Shaddai you will be truly blessed by all the heavenly wonders you will see.

The premise of El Shaddai is based with heavy roots in various interpretations of Enoch and theology. When angels go against God's wishes by either disobeying or rebelling against God, they are henceforth banished from the kingdom of heaven. In the religion of Judaism there is an account from the book of Enoch of 200 rebellious angels or "Watchers" that left heaven to come down to earth to marry human women and have children with them. All of what I just said can be experienced throughout the entire game as your quest as Enoch is to purify 7 fallen angels and bring them to God so they may be judged. While on your quest to fulfill God's decree you will have the support of the archangels which will help grant you new abilities to aid you on your holy quest. Long is the way and hard, that out of Hell leads up to Light. Not only will you contend with the fallen angels, the children of them, but you will also go face to face many times with a being that some have once called God's favorite angel, Lucifer. This is a truly spiritual quest that is presented to Enoch and one that must be fulfilled for it is the word of God. But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

As you traverse throughout the various beautiful levels you will be treated to various music that will range from adrenaline pumping chants and beats, to heavenly chords that will sooth and relax your very soul. Harps, choirs of angels, and more will sing their holy praise to the heavens while cellos, baritones, and more will signify that you have indeed entered the realm of a fallen angel from heaven. The music itself is a beautiful accompaniment to the graphics and the storyline, and sounds as though came from the heavens above.

Since your journey will not be an easy one, the gameplay of El Shaddai will attempt to assist you in every way possible. As we have already learned through theology interpretations, Enoch does not die, but rather is brought to heaven by God, and in El Shaddai, we see examples of how this theology will take shape. When confronted in battle Enoch's heavenly armor can be destroyed and Enoch himself afterwards can be taken down, however, with rapid pushes of any button you will see the white eyelid that once was closing on your screen reopen to show Enoch in essence reborn in spiritual light and love. As God loves all his children, with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for his steadfast love endures forever and so must Enoch if he is to complete God's will. A great new twist to the game as well is how the game varies from 2D side scrolling, to 3D adventures make even transitioning between levels not only enjoyable, but very in depth with knowledge that you may learn throughout the timeline of the game. The demons and enemies you face along your path grant Enoch the chance to "purify" their weapons and use them as a tool to do God's commands.

As we kneel before the throne of thrones we realize that we are truly blessed to be able to enjoy such an amazing and beautiful game as El Shaddai. We may not know what path in life our souls will take, but we do know that God himself will never deny us his love and compassion so long as our souls repent our evil in hopes of granting salvation from God. This game is a game of beauty, of love, of loss, but most importantly this is a game that showcases every aspect of El Shaddai, or God Almighty.


Suggestions: Not really suggestions but more like words of praise that this game has seen the light of day and has been released so that all may enjoy and revel in the beauty of this game.

Overall Score: 8.9 / 10 Moon Diver



Throughout the years we have all seen Xbox Live Arcade titles that offer some impressive graphics. Granted they are few and far between but Moon Diver is the next entry on that prestigious list. The 2D side scrolling levels seem to fly by in such a fluid pace as you are dodging enemy fire, jumping crevices, hanging and climbing up walls and ceilings. The enemies are well detailed however leave little inspiration. You will witness the basic progression as you have a regular grey enemy, a more powerful yellow enemy, and an even more powerful red version of the same enemy. In essence, the color of your enemy determines their strengths, abilities, and xp. The main graphical focus of Moon Diver rests solely on its fluid combat, multiplayer, and magic. The fluid combat acts as a way to deliver tons of beautiful explosions and flying enemies all over your screen like a violent play. The multiplayer and magic tie in hand in hand but one of the innovations that are spectacular to witness is the new multiplayer MoonSault combos. These special attacks take two to four players to execute, are easy to pull off by pushing the B button, and fill the screen with graphical combat beauty.

In the realm of music, Moon Diver is surprisingly bland and annoying. The menu music is your basic mix of electronic rock/techno tunes that are blended together to try to create an exciting and adrenaline filled 5.1 surround sound experience. The saving grace to the music is that it ties in beautifully when you are neck deep in hundreds of enemies, fighting your way to salvation; or when you are going toe to toe with a boss that towers over you. While there are moments where the music fits, most of the time the music becomes repetitive and unfortunately does very little to support the game itself.

Ultimately you have to ask yourself if this is worth your 1200 MS Points. If you are looking for a great 4 player side scrolling adventure then look no further. Sure it may not be as iconic as a Castlevania game, but Moon Diver delivers a lot for only 1200 MS points, and once purchased they even offer some free DLC and more DLC for only 80 MS points each! Great character structure, classic upgrade scheme mixed with a wide variety of spells and all blended in a fluid combat system make Moon Diver a must have in any Xbox Live Arcade library.

Overall Score: 8.0 / 10 Red Faction: Battlegrounds

EYES FORWARD GRUNT! I'm going to level with you, we need the best soldiers around, and your name crossed our desks. So you think you're the next great soldier to join up with Red Faction? Before you start to get that ego inflated, XboxAddict.com is going to put you through the tests of Red Faction Battlegrounds to see if you are even worthy of our vehicles. If you really are as good as you boast, then not only will you join the elite ranks, but you will also be treated with some goodies, but that's if you make it out alive. Your objective today is to download the intelligence of THQ's Red Faction Battlegrounds, and report back on what you find. Now is the time to show us what you're worth, good luck!

Now that we are en route to your target, it's time to get you familiar with THQ's Red Faction Battlegrounds. We are not going to throw you blindly into war, but pay attention because this Intel could mean the difference between victory and defeat! This arcade title is much more than just a simple stand-alone game. Red Faction Battlegrounds provides intense vehicular explosive action in various arenas, and this is how we separate the men from the boys. You will take control of multiple vehicles, and each of them varies in terms of armor, speed, and firepower. This is where the balance will be critical and your victory will be gained. Throughout these trials we will be subjecting you to various situations and all of them will be timed. You will face challenges such as survival, speed, and destruction, and all of them determine whether or not you make the cut. Included in all this explosive goodness is a highly volatile multiplayer gametype that allows you and your friends to throw caution to the wind and commence raining shells down in a fast paced explosive demolition derby from hell. It's time to ride.

The gameplay controls of Red Faction Battlegrounds are pretty straight forward and easy to learn, which is good when you are trying to race through an obstacle filled arena, dodging enemy fire and explosions going on all around you. There are multiple fire control schemes such as using the RT or the RS which allow you to control the style of your play. Another great treat that THQ throws your way is that they have included the amazing physics of THQ's previous title Red Faction Guerilla. This means that every exploding tank, every falling building comes to life like nothing we have seen before in an arcade title. There are even power ups that you can obtain and actually reconstruct the entire level for even more destructive enjoyment. Pay attention grunt, because if you get lost in the beauty of that, it's game over.

Not only is there beauty in the gameplay, but there is beauty in the graphics as well. This is a double edge sword because if you spend your time fixated on the beauty around you, you won't notice that tank barrel pointed right at you. The real stars of the graphics are the arenas and the explosions. Each level is done in high detail and offers a wide array of explosive materials scattered around, so watch where you go power sliding or you may be sliding your way through the pearly white gates. Focus on your objective soldier and trust in your skills, the real beauty is in the victory.

We hope you have been paying attention because now we are going to debrief you on something that does tend to hinder Red Faction Battlegrounds and that is the sound. The sounds that you hear during your individual missions are not bad, but they aren't exceptional either. Outside of the explosions, there really isn't anything that stands out as amazing, and that is somewhat disappointing because it had potential to be great. As you traverse the various arenas, the overall music does little to get you into the game itself, and instead becomes more of a repetitive loop that changes with the levels.

Now listen here grunt, we have told you all that we know, and if you were paying attention you would remember that we said something about you being rewarded for making it out alive? Well a nice bonus of Red Faction Battlegrounds is that you can unlock material to use in the upcoming game Red Faction Armageddon.

When you weigh out everything that this game offers for the single player, and then add on a great multiplayer experience, the one question you have to ask yourself is: "Is this worth 800 MS Points"? The answer is maybe. The reason it's not a resounding yes is because it is a bonus you get from pre-ordering Red Faction Armageddon from GameStop! Red Faction Battlegrounds offers something for everyone, but if you wish to cash in the best way possible, then pre-order Red Faction Armageddon and pick up your free copy of this intense and amazing vehicular combat game. Trust in THQ to deliver a great quality complimentary game to their blockbuster hit, Red Faction Armageddon. Now it's time to see what you're worth grunt, victory is yours!


Suggestions: Keep going with the arcade tie-in titles and make sure you keep them free for pre-order bonuses. If possible, please allow for different camera views, but that could tie into a new standalone Red Faction retail title? Great multiplayer, keep up the great work!

Overall Score: 8.0 / 10 Mortal Kombat

Welcome elite warriors of the world to your ultimate test of Kourage, strength, and wisdom. You are about to embark on a perilous quest from which none have returned, yet where they have failed you must find a way to win. You have been selected to save mankind from obliteration by Kompeting in Warner Bros. Interactive latest resurrection of the deadliest tournament ever conceived, Mortal Kombat. Prepare yourself warrior for the challenges that lie ahead of you with this review from XboxAddict, for this information could hold the key to your very salvation.

As we spearhead our way into this latest installment of Mortal Kombat, NetheRealms Studios has heard the prayers, wishes, and dreams of their public who have been screaming for the Mortal Kombat series to get back to what it has always been known for, an intense and gory side scrolling fighting game. Thankfully NetheRealms Studios has granted every wish we could have ever hoped to ask for. Gone are the days of shallow fighting games as Mortal Kombat is packed with more innovation than any of us could have ever hoped for. This is a Komplete overhaul of everything that made Mortal Kombat great in the past Kombined with amazing new innovations that guarantee this Mortal Kombat a shot at the title as one of the best fighting games ever made.

The key to making a great fighting game is to ensure that your gamers get some amazing gameplay control, and in Mortal Kombat that is exactly what you will get. No longer will you have complex days of pressing 20 different buttons to perform a flashy combo or fatality, instead a more streamlined approach has been taken to appeal to a broader audience. This makes it very easy to pick up and play; however, there is more than what we see on the surface. There are basic three button Kombos that you can execute, however, the Mortal Kombat fans will rejoice at how Komplex and deep the fighting system really is. One of the most notable innovations is the inclusion of the character's special meter. Taking damage, executing special moves, and more all will fill parts of your special meter, however as you use these abilities your meter will drain. This is nothing really new; however this is one area where you will see the depth of innovation come to life.

Freezing for a moment we have to explain that your character's special meter acts in three different parts. The first part will add enhancements to your special attacks, so if normally you would shoot one fireball you now will shoot two. The second and third parts however can be Komplete game changers. The second tier of your special meter allows you to perform a Kombo breaker which is easily executed by pressing forward and RT after the first hit of a Kombo. This can quickly shift the momentum as now the roles are immediately reversed and your opponent will now be wide open for an attack. This makes every round feel like a game of both physical and mental chess as you try to outwit, focus, and find out when is the Korrect time to use your meter. The third and final tier of your special meter unlocks the infamous X-Ray mode. Konsider this to be the perfect example of the ultimate risk vs. ultimate reward. When you use your X-Ray mode you will launch an attack aimed to deal as much damage as humanly possible, however you will also be completely exposed should you miss. If you manage to Konnect with your X-Ray move, then you will be treated to a very brief and very brutal cut scene where you will see everything from your actual eyes being stabbed out, to your internal organs being ripped out, to even blades being slammed into your skull. Make your choices carefully, for they may be your last.

The graphics of Mortal Kombat is a mix of the good, and the great. Since Mortal Kombat is all about the actual Kombatants, then it is imperative to have a tremendous attention to detail of the character models. Mortal Kombat fans around the world will rejoice that NetheRealm Studios did a tremendous job at bringing your favorite characters to life like never before. One notable graphic innovation is how your characters will actually maintain the damage they receive throughout the duration of the fight. This is a nice touch because it lends itself to a more realistic approach to a fighting game. Not only will you see your own character's damage, but you will also see the blood of your opponents splatter upon you as you fracture jaw bones, explode stomachs, and rip limbs apart and more. The graphics of Mortal Kombat offers us such much more than amazing character models. The stages of Mortal Kombat have always been in iconic settings and in this latest rendition we are treated to not only new stages, but our favorite classics as well. Levels such as the Pit, The Living Forest, Goro's Lair and more have all been redone with such high caliber that when you are fighting on these stages, you will feel the spark of enjoyment reignite as you realize that this is the way Mortal Kombat should be.

Mortal Kombat has given us many great lines that all of us know by standard today. Phrases such as "Finish Him" and "Get over here" have become such an iconic tag of Mortal Kombat that you would expect the same attention to detail in the sound, unfortunately though you would be wrong. To start things off the voice overs go from tolerable to absolutely horrible at a very early stage. This could be somewhat forgiven however if the audio recordings of the voices were produced better, but they're not. In one scene you will be in the iconic monk stage of Shang Tsung's island and you will hear people talking just fine, however, when Shang Tsung speaks it sounds like he is literally thousands of miles away. I found myself having to turn up my surround sound just to hear what he has to say in the story, only to hear muffled horrible voice over. This was easily fixed however by lowering the volume to a normal level and just turning on subtitles. To be honest if it wasn't for subtitles you would have a next to impossible time trying to hear every line of dialogue. The sound effects are good, but nothing that can save the audio of the game entirely. This is one area that needs to be addressed if there is going to be a sequel.

A cornerstone factor of every great fighting game has always been a balanced and enjoyable multiplayer aspect, and NetheRealm Studios has gone to great lengths to deliver just that. Now instead of one generic lobby you have the option to create your own individual fighting lobby which you can make into a multitude of various multiplayer types from 1v1, King of the Hill, Tag Team, and more. The user interface is very simplistic and konnecting to matches could never be easier.

Some of the statistics you will find are your win/loss record, the number of times you have disconnected from a fight, konnection strength and more. This is a great filter because now if you get a challenge from an opponent who has a lot of disconnects, then you know ahead of time that this may not be the opponent for you. Having the ability to see the type of opponent you are going up against makes the multiplayer system of Mortal Kombat very stable.

Everything that has been talked about means nothing without innovation, and NetheRealm Studios has packed a tremendous amount of innovation into Mortal Kombat. Instead of just having a very long and deep single player campaign and a rock solid multiplayer system, NetheRealm Studios has graciously listened and brought back Test Your Might to Mortal Kombat. While this alone would be enough to make any Mortal Kombat fan smile, the innovations don't stop there. Now you will get to experience the thrills of Test Your Sight, Test Your Luck, and more. All of these mini games give you Koins that you can use to unlock the secrets of the crypt which will grant you things like new fatalities, costumes and more for your characters. Another innovation is the new Challenge Tower where you will have to face off in specific situations and succeed to progress onward. By Kompleting these challenges you will unlock more levels in the various mini games as well as earn Koins to spend unlocking more wonders of Mortal Kombat.

As your moment in the tournament draws closer, your fate becomes clearer with each passing moment. Mortal Kombat boasts an impressive depth fueled by massive innovations and is poised to take the crown of the undisputed champion of fighting games. Now is the time to bear witness to the resurrection of an iconic gaming series. Now is the time, to prepare yourself for Mortal Kombat!

Suggestions: Please work on the character voice overs and the overall sound of future releases.

Overall Score: 8.8 / 10 Battle: Los Angeles

Normally I would try to tie this review in some way to drive excitement, however with Battle: Los Angeles all I can do is question the sanity of those who purchase this. With Microsoft recently releasing quality Xbox 360 Arcade titles for their "House Party," Konami has thrown their hat into the ring with their latest first person shooter Battle: Los Angeles.

Ok first things first, there are a lot of first person shooters on the XBLA and so right off the bat Battle: LA has its work cut out for it. Also with the release of some major retail titles, it's easy to see that this could be passed over. Does Battle: Los Angeles deliver an experience that makes you think to yourself thank God I bought that game? Sadly no. We here at XboxAddict take pride in making sure you don't waste your valuable Microsoft Points, and sadly Battle: Los Angeles should only be picked up if it's on sale for 400 MS Points or lower, and you are really looking for an easy 200 gamerscore.

That all being said you're probably wondering why would Konami bring out such a cheap knock off of a mix of CoD and War of the Worlds? We wonder the same thing. To start things off the story is done in cell shaded comic cut scenes, which aren't so bad, but the voiceovers are so bad that you could possibly make a claim for torture.

The story itself is laughable as you fight these onion headed lumbering aliens who are apparently attacking Los Angeles. On top of all this goodness the story itself is ridiculously short. It is quite possible to complete the game from beginning to end in less than 30 mins. The only benefit of this is that it makes multiple run throughs very quick considering you will need to since the difficulty achievements do not stack. Right now I'm just hanging my head b/c Konami forces you to play through the same horrible nightmare multiple times. Now that we have established that the story is not only short, but limp and weak as well, let's turn our attention to this gameplay.

For those who have kept reading this review, I applaud your diligence and I do hope you are learning why this game needs to be avoided like the plague. In first person shooter games you would naturally think that hit detection would be something that should be focused on, maybe though the person at Konami in charge of that was sick or something. In Battle: LA the only weapon you really need is the sniper rifle. With this overpowered cannon you are able to take out enemies with one shot to the head... sometimes.

Let me give you a couple of scenarios: 1) You are a few feet away and right in front of your enemy, you take aim with the sniper rifle and you send a round through the eye and the enemy lives. 2) Same situation but you hit next to the eye and the enemy dies. To compound this frustration it becomes next to impossible to kill the enemies while they are moving. You can unload multiple rounds from the sniper into a moving enemy and accomplish nothing. Oh I almost forgot, have you ever heard people who exercise say "I've hit a wall" when they feel that they can't continue? Well in Battle: LA, you almost literally do. Your character can sprint however, as soon as his sprint is over you almost stop dead in your tracks. This is very disorienting as it literally makes you feel like you've hit a wall every time you end your sprint.

We here at XboxAddict want to take a moment to say something nice about this horrendous failure. The graphics are decent. There's probably the one nice thing you can say about this game, because you can't say it has multiplayer because it doesn't. Yep that makes sense to deliver a first person shooter without multiplayer and instead just give you a pathetic first person campaign right? Why Konami ever did that is a question we would like to have answered. The sound of Battle: LA does have moments, but they are few and far between and unfortunately the negatives far outweigh the few moments that your ears don't bleed.

We here at XboxAddict want to apologize for literally taking minutes away from your life by reading this. This is a game that Konami should never have released and if you are like us and have a positive opinion of that company, and then don't download this because it will taint your impressions of the company. The gameplay is horrendous, and the whole lack of multiplayer makes Battle: LA absolutely worthless. I can't stress enough how the only redeeming quality of this title is that there are achievements (that don't stack). Remember what we said earlier about buying this when it was on sale for 400 MS Points? Forget that, wait till it's free.

Suggestions: Konami, this is something that should have been developed more before being released as it is. Even though this is a triumphant example of garbage, we still have faith in you.

Overall Score: 4.1 / 10 Swarm

On a far off savage planet filled with dangers and traps that would drive fear into the hearts of the bravest men, we find one of the dumbest creatures in the video game world, the Swarmite. Ok now we don't claim to be the smartest group alive, but why would you trust the future survival of your race with a group of the most incompetent and worthless members of your species?

When you think of advanced alien races, maybe you think of things like Predator, Alien, or Yoda. When Hothead Games thinks of alien races, they think of incompetent creatures the size and color of Smurf poo. We understand it's for humor, but honestly you will feel your I.Q. drop 10 points just by buying this game. Originally Swarm was a contest winning idea from the Great Canadian Video Game Competition, hereby Hothead Games received a nice check for $300k to further develop this sadistic failure.

The basic story behind Swarm is that an alien race needs to survive so this mammoth glob of jelly lands on a planet and drives a tentacle deep into the planet's many layers. No we are not talking about a hentai game here, but it is through this tentacle that your Swarmites are... well... ejected. These Swarmites must venture through death dealing obstacles in a quest to collect various DNA strands that it must feed back into "Momma". By rinse and repeating this method you will successfully save your alien species.

Ok now to keep the story somewhat entertaining, Hothead Games decided to try their luck by adding humor to the game, but unfortunately that didn't go over so well. While the humor of the story is initially funny, it wears off very fast and quickly becomes more annoying as you progress. The same can also be said for the Swarmite interactions with the traps as they quickly become very repetitive. So this is what wins $300k in Canada, eh? Right, moving right along...



Overall Score: 6.6 / 10 Crysis 2

So you're the new big gun everyone on the field is talking about. Walking in with your shiny new nanosuit thinking you're going to just waltz in and save the day right? Well Alcatraz, before you go off laying waste to The Big Apple with your new found toy, take a minute and get debriefed about XboxAddict's review of what we got right here, Crysis 2 because those who do not learn from the past, are doomed to repeat it.

Originally Crysis took place on the Lingshan Islands away from the US, but now the danger has stepped over our welcome mat and kicked down our front door. You're an elite soldier of war Alcatraz. You're a Force Recon Marine, and mankind's only hope for survival. Welcome to New York, hope you brought a miracle.

In the original Crysis, we brought the fight to the aliens. We sent in an elite squad called Raptor Team (Nomad, "Psycho", Aztec, Jester and Prophet) and they were comprised of the best we had to offer. I believe you met one of them already. It took an entire team effort just too barely make it out, now though, the whole thing rests on your shoulders. Armed with your new nanosuit and a bunch of other toys, you'll need a prayer as you take on The City that Never Sleeps, the apparent "Manhattan" virus, oh and this little alien invasion we have by the Cephaloids. Be careful who you put your faith into Alcatraz, for it may doom all of mankind if you fail. Now pay attention for some details before the war on Crysis 2. I pray you succeed Alcatraz because we have no one left.

Make sure you got that nanosuit worked out because when it comes to gameplay, Crysis 2 delivers such a wealth of innovation that it not only raises the bar, but throws it through the ceiling and smashes it to pieces. To start off the innovation eruption we have to shed some light on the nanosuit. This super hero style combat suit is not only your biggest weapon, but also your biggest supporter throughout the entire game. By utilizing either the RB or LB buttons you can make your suit hard like tank armor, or go Predator style and cloak your way through danger. The suit though does more than just give you options as to how you would like to play, but it also offers a wide range of visual aids as well.

For starters with the push of a button you can call upon your suit's visor to help you locate and mark key locations, enemies, weapons and more, and it can do all of this through walls, floors, and ceilings making your visor absolutely critical if you wish to survive New York. The visor however, isn't finished yet because it offers you a tremendous bonus by allowing you to switch to thermal view as well so you can track fast moving aliens with ease.

Another great innovation of the suit is the ability to customize it. Throughout the game when you kill the alien enemies you will obtain material needed to upgrade a lot of the suit's many functions, as well open more of the suit up for you. You can gain such improvements as an armor upgrade to ensure you make it through the gunfights, tracking incoming fire to help you designate where the threat is, stealth upgrade so you can stay cloaked longer and allow you the time to gain that critical flanking position, and more. This alone would make any title an instant classic, but the innovations of the gameplay continue.

One of the most major innovation changes in Crysis 2 is the control scheme. As Crysis was only available on PC format, the controls this time seem more streamlined and simplified so that the game could run on consoles. This not only makes the game feel more streamlined, but easier to pick up and play for those who haven't played the original.

Crysis 2's innovation however also spills out into New York itself by allowing you to choose how you want to play. You can opt for the more straight forward "spray and pray" or "run and gun", but instead of just throwing you into such a linear level bottle neck, Crysis 2 offers gamers multiple ways to handle any situation. Most of the time the decisions will be simple, however, there are times when the right choice may not be running straight in blasting away.

You can customize how you play, you can customize your own nanosuit, and to wrap up the customization Crysis 2 allows you to customize your weapons. By upgrading to items such as extra-long magazines, under barrel shotguns, silencers, sights and more, Crysis 2's gameplay truly lets you customize and play how you want. To say that the gameplay of Crysis 2 is perfect wouldn't be true, to say that the gameplay of Crysis 2 is one of the best we will ever see is dead on accurate.

When Crysis originally launched it was inundated with acclimations of fame for their graphics and their physics. With Crysis 2, it's safe to say that the mantle better be ready because more awards are coming. With consoles being very limited compared to a PC, Crysis 2 delivers a phenomenal graphical performance on the Xbox 360. Without question this is one of the most beautiful games you will ever see on the 360. The lighting coming in between the buildings, the smoke coming up from the fire, water running down your visor, and a lot more of these amazing little touches have all been combined to deliver one of, if not the best graphical experience you have ever had on the Xbox 360.

One of the key staples to Crysis's fame is the physics. With the original being herald as some of the best physics ever produced in a video game, Crytek had more than its work cut out for it when it came to Crysis 2. With the setting being the major metropolitan city New York, Crysis 2's physics set an industry standard as you witness buildings collapsing around you, windows shattering from gunfire, cars exploding into the sky, and more. Get ready to experience one of the best looking games we will ever see on the Xbox 360.

The sound of Crysis 2 is quite honestly one of the game's weakest points. While the soundtrack does little to bring New York to life, one of the bigger issues is the sound effects and voice overs. The soundtrack is relatively flat and offers a marginal success, but the sound effects and voice overs just drag this game's audio experience straight down. They seem laughable at best, and that is seen esp. at the end of the levels as you hear nothing but annoying voice overs trying to guide you to your next objective. Granted it's a fault, but if as much attention to the visuals was put into the sound, then this game would be an unquestioned icon.

When it comes to first person shooters, a lot of the game's credit resides in its multiplayer. Thankfully Crysis 2 has taken some of the best aspects from other successful multiplayer gameplay and incorporated those winning features into their own multiplayer. Crysis 2 offers a bounty of player upgrades through its player progression system which if we're honest does feel a lot similar to CoD. In Crysis 2 however, you cannot change how your player looks; however, you can upgrade things like weapon loadouts and suit modules which bring you new weapons, attachments, and more.

Crysis 2 offers up six multiplayer options which are variants of classic multiplayer gametypes such as team deathmatch, CTF, and more. Each round your character will earn xp which can be used to upgrade your suit and weapons, so it will seem that every round brings you one game closer to that new weapon upgrade, or that new suit ability. With a solid multiplayer foundation and a more than ample player upgrade system, Crysis 2 is poised to become the king of FPS on consoles.

As we reload and prep for re-deployment, we have to easily classify this as a game of the year contender. Crysis 2 offers quite possibly the best graphical experience you will ever find on the Xbox 360. On top of that, Crysis 2 delivers unparalleled physics and a very solid and deep multiplayer experience. Great new gameplay innovations and a redesigned control scheme, mean that it's easier to pick up and play. Crysis 2 is a phenom of a game and many factors have already become an instant industry standard. Now Alcatraz, go bring humanity another fighting chance!


Overall Score: 8.9 / 10 Torchlight

Welcome young adventurer, you are chosen to be the salvation of a town and its people. You are chosen to be the vanquisher of evil throughout the depths below. You are chosen to aid those throughout your quest. You are the chosen savior of the town of Torchlight. Here in Torchlight you will find many things to aid your quest from different swords, staffs, bows, to magical items such as different embers and rings. Take heed though young adventurer, the depths of Torchlight are not to be taken lightly. Grab your weapon of choice, stock up on your potions, and say a prayer as we delve head first into the XboxAddict review of Torchlight.

Torchlight is made by the team at Runic Games and brings a very deep and advanced dungeon crawling experience to the Xbox Live Arcade. Originally released back in October 2009, Torchlight has put Runic Games on the map due to the high quality title developed seemingly out of nowhere from a company no one really heard of. Now almost a year and a half later, Microsoft decided to grant the wishes of many gamers and release as part of their house party promotion this fantastic arcade title. The big question when it comes to arcade games is: "Is this worth my money/Microsoft points?" Throughout your reading you will see why not only is the answer yes, but you will also see why this could easily be the best arcade title we see this year.

You will start Torchlight by selecting your character from one of the three available and each specializing in either melee attacks, ranged attacks, or magic attacks. All the characters have their own special abilities that they can learn and develop which gives Torchlight amazing character depth. After your character is created you are ready to start your quests from the villagers of Torchlight. There is a main quest you can follow which will lead you throughout the depths of the dungeons ahead, however, there are other villagers who require your assistance in completing missions of their own and in doing so will reward you with fame, gold, items, and xp. There are shops that are scattered around the town that offer various services and goods, but one that stands out is the Transmuter. The service that the Transmuter offers is the ability to combine items and embers to create new magical objects which can drastically change the tides of war in your favor. Now that you have your character all prepared it's time we venture down into the depths and explore some more of the crypts of Torchlight!

Torchlight offers a very simplistic, yet complex gameplay experience. Sure you can just walk around and press one button to attack, but Torchlight offers so much more in the range of magic and abilities. You can have multiple ability menus that you can cycle between with the push of a button which means that your gameplay experience will be incredibly unique to how you want to play.

A nice innovative touch is the addition of a pet that offers gamers a wealth of new options. For starters your pet can learn spells such as fire, ice, and more, and all of which will aid in your battles. Another role your pet can be used for is storage. This will prove invaluable throughout your quests as you can send your pet back to town to sell the goods it carries and bring back the value in gold. Another one of Torchlight's great gameplay additions is retirement. Once your character has leveled up sufficiently, you can choose to retire your character and in doing so grant specific perks and benefits to a newly created character. What this essentially means is that you can play through this game for many months and still be working towards perfection.

The graphics in Torchlight are a multi-colored treat to behold. Each level offers an environment that is simplistic, beautiful, and deadly. You will traverse environments such as rocky dark crypts, fiery lava pits, murky deep swamps, and more as you push through the 30+ levels of Torchlight. The combat sequences are beautiful and when the action gets frantic and epic you will see some vibrant colored explosions engulfing your screen. The overall graphics are smooth and the character models are very detailed for an arcade game, however with almost two years since its original launch, you get the feeling that they could have done more with the graphics.

The sound of Torchlight is truly a diamond in the rough. Runic did a brilliant move in gaining the assistance of Matt Uelmen who is the composer and sound designer for iconic game Diablo. The score of Torchlight itself is a masterpiece and it is complimented beautifully by amazing sound effects. Everything from spells being casted and swords clashing, to guns shooting wildly and bombs exploding combine with the music to produce one amazing auditory experi you have to ask yourself: "Is this game worth my money/Microsoft points?" The answer is undoubtedly yes. Rarely will we see an arcade game that can keep you playing for well over double the amount of hours as some retail titles. Rarer still to see an arcade game that can do all of this with such amazing quality and innovation. By offering up one of the best dungeon crawlers since Diablo, you already know that Torchlight is a must have for your arcade library.

Suggestions: 1. Bring Torchlight 2 to the Xbox 360 platform with multiplayer.
2. Update the graphics

Overall Score: 8.2 / 10 Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds

TA-DA! Who dares summon the master of glib, the deliverer of one-liners and the shogun of sarcasm? Oh wait, it's just the loyal followers of XboxAddict probably looking for their stolen review of Marvel Vs Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds. Well let me tell you something, Deadpool lives by the phrase "finders keepers", and since my plans got foiled in an earlier review of a spidey game, so I took my revenge and now the review is mine! hahahahaha... wait, the cameras weren't rolling? Ugh...

Ok kiddies gather around and uncle Deadpool will tell you a story of combat, of overcoming obstacles, of triumph, of failure, of ME! Now earlier when I said stole this review, what I meant to say was that XboxAddict let me ummmm.. borrow.. yeah that's it.. borrow this review so that I may educate you on why I'm the greatest, or at least what the good and bad points are in this game. MvC3 is the third installment into the MvC series and this highly anticipated title has many reasons to rejoice, and sadly has areas that need some improvement on.

However, one problem uncle Deadpool has that I have to mention straight away is that I was promised a character in the game 40 feet high with lasers coming out of his hands that could take out anyone and anything and did Deadpool get it? Noooooooooooo, in fact Deadpool isn't 40 feet tall and have laser beams shooting everywhere, in the game Deadpool is made out to be a short guy with a small bulge. Is that fair? I say no! Instead they give it to this guy who apparently eats planets and has a tuning fork for a helmet. How is that any better? (Deep breaths....) Ok now back to the game.

Our story begins as Doctor Doom and his team of evil baddies attempt to join forces with Albert Wesker to unite the worlds and conquer both. As usual, nothing goes according to plan and during this great debacle some great big purple planet people eater comes out of nowhere and tries to eat the planet. Well yours truly isn't going to let some big guy with munchies take over and win so that's when we all team up... to fight each other so... we can fight him. Simple, yes?

One of the staples of the MvC series has always been the graphics and how MvC games have always been incredibly fast and over the top with their quality. MvC3 sets a new bar in this series just in graphics alone. The new character modeling is amazing and provides some of the best graphics we have seen in a fighting game. Most of your favorites return and everyone has a new and improved look, including uncle Deadpool! Seriously though, you have any idea how hard it is to find a joint that'll serve a guy in a mask and bandolier? They won't even let me into Taco Bell! Fluid graphics is what would make or break this game in the graphics category and in MvC3 your eyes will be amazed as you witness the many graphically impressive special moves fly all over the screen in the blink of an eye.

Something though didn't sit right with uncle Deadpool and that was you could only play a few stages and that there was hardly any stage interaction at all. The stages that they do have are done beautifully, however, with all the different characters you would think that one thing that they had a lot of were stages right? I did. Also with all these new improvements to the graphics, why couldn't we have any multi stages or stage interaction. I can tell you now that I'd get a kick throwin that grumpy maple leaf wolf through that big spidey balloon hahahaha. One of the things that make the MvC games a classic success is the music.

The MvC series has always prided itself on producing music that delivers the final shot of adrenaline to your heart as your slam down the buttons to attack and I'm happy to say that the tradition continues. During the matches you will hear individual character audio themes that will help bring your blood pressure up as you prepare for a wuppin. This is perfect as MvC3 gives you some remixes of the classic tracks throughout the series with a sprinkle of new audio gems. Something that surprised uncle Deadpool was how they have the characters give some audio voice overs that are varied between taunts and generalized statements of superiority. They even stole some of my best one liners! The voice acting along with the sound effects are done very well and adds a little cherry to the top of this audio cake.

The gameplay in the MvC series has always been easy to just pick up and play, but incredibly difficult to master. In MvC3 they have added a new twist to the control scheme by completely remapping the buttons to a light, medium, heavy, special attack scheme instead of sticking with the famous two punch and two kick style. What this means is that Capcom has decided to try to tone down the learning curve by completely changing the controls around. Is that fair?? Oh and if you are still having trouble mastering the controls the people at Capcom have installed a new control style called "simple". So now not only can you execute moves and special attacks easier, but you feel like you have to wear a dunce cap while you play.

The gameplay though is incredibly smooth and has included new additions to enhance the experience such as air juggles where now you can switch to your other team members by pressing any direction on the pad and your special attack button. There's more to it though as your opponent can counter that if they push the same direction on the pad as you do, so be smart or it could turn out badly for you at the end. Oh and did I mention how all this wonderful gameplay blazes through your screen at lightspeed? Yeah this game is amazingly quick. While some of the new players to the MvC series may see this game's gameplay as a good thing, hardcore fans of the series may feel that Capcom dumbed down the controls.

There are some issues that did get uncle Deadpool hot under the collar. For starters the roster has almost been cut in half from 56 playable characters down to 36 and four of them are locked. I think for a game that is trying to stand out and excel, dropping the roster by 20 and cutting some of the iconic figures like mega man, venom and more was a mistake. Who's going to argue against Deadpool right? There are some new characters and some of your favorites do make a return, however despite the slash of the roster the game still feels balanced.

Another issue that hurt this game was the feeling that they could have done more, but for some reason hadn't. Over the years the Capcom Vs series have implemented some amazing innovations, yet for MvC3 they seem to have come up short. MvC3 could have easily brought us a survival mode, a spectator mode where we can view the matches ongoing online, alternate endings, extra stages, more characters, but for some reason none of these things are included.

Ultimately MvC3 offers an amazing experience for your eyes and ears, however, with the new mapped control style and absence of many possible features and additions, this game is an example of something that could have been great, but now is just ok. For a fighting game to stand out it has to capture the wow factor and has to find a way to maintain it, however while MvC3 delivers the wow with the audio and graphics, the vast majority of hardcore fans will see this as half the game it should have been.

There are some aspects that make Marvel Vs Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds great, however, with some of the other choices out there in the fighting game genre, one would be hard pressed to say that this one is the best. It's quite a disappointment though, because when we all got to see this game from its beginning stages we thought that we were witnessing the birth of what could have been one of the greatest fighting games of all time, instead we are left with a shell and something that will probably be milked for its DLC add-on's. Is this a resurrection in the Marvel Vs Capcom series? Unfortunately no.

Suggestions: More characters (that are not paid for by DLC), more stages (that are not paid for by DLC), more features such as survival mode, spectator mode and more. A 40' high Deadpool with laser beams coming out of his hands and a blonde supermodel at his side.

Overall Score: 8.5 / 10 Bulletstorm

Well, well, well... What do we have here? You must be our new recruit that signed up to join our $^@#ing crew. Do you have what it takes @$$clown to make it in our group? Quit f$%@ing talking because we will see if you can dish out as much $hit as your mom can talk. Plug your gun into any enemy hole you can find and let loose all that steamy hot lead and get ready to unload a title wave of ammo and unleash your... well leash as you get your skull thumped in this latest game from People Can Fly and Epic called Bulletstorm.

Earlier, Xbox Live gamers got a treat as a demo of Bulletstorm went live and gave us a taste of what it's like to shoot someone in the balls, then kick their f$%^ing head right off. The full retail game delivers much more than the demo and the crew at People Can Fly have a truly Epic hit on their hands. Now we here at XboxAddict are going to show your ignorant @$$ what the f#$k is really up as we take you by the hand and lead your baby nuts through all the aspects of this gory, and hilarious shooter. F$%k a helmet, here's a cup, get ready.

To start things off one of the great aspects of a game is the story. The demo thankfully didn't do anything f#$%ing stupid by leaking critical points, and that is one of Bulletstorm's biggest surprises. You take control of the main bad@$$ named Grayson Hunt and follow his adventures on a crazy alien planet with one of his crew named Ishi, not sushi @$$hole. You are a leader of a group of elite Confederate soldiers, or assassins if you want to be technical, and right from the beginning you are thrust into a world of $hit as everything gets turned upside down and craps on your head. The story goes on and the adventure you partake in delivers an amazing and hilarious experience that should only be experienced by those who have gone through puberty. Bottom line, if your nuts have dropped and you feel like you can handle a stiff challenge for yourself, then unzip because in Bulletstorm, weak @$$ b!tches need not apply.

Graphically the game is one of the most beautiful games you'll ever see on the Xbox 360. The geniuses at People Can Fly and Epic have stuffed this game's glory hole with so much f$@#ing beauty that your eyes will be climaxing with every f$@#ing turn. The background and settings are better than we could ever expect and the detail work on the textures are done so masterfully that Bulletstorm does a wonderful job immersing yourself into this strange and f$#@ed up alien planet. The character modeling is another great surprise as you can see every little detail in the faces and bodies that you shove your boot up into. Watch as you literally kick the f#@$ing teeth right out of your opponent as your boot crushes it's jaw and sends him flying right off the cliff, screaming all the way down like a little b!tch. The environment is not only beautiful but it's one deadly son of a b!tch, and if you're not careful, you won't be the only thing being called a prick.

The sound of Bulletstorm relies heavily on its dialogue. The music alone is average and I think one of the weakest points of the game. That's a big f$#@ing disappointment coming from an audiophile @$$hole like myself. The music you hear throughout the game varies between generic melodic music that you have come to expect, to a more intense action sequence that is sampled over and over and over again (until you defeat all the enemies, then it's back to square one again). The main enjoyment throughout the audio of Bulletstorm like we said, is the conversations you have throughout the game. The humor is something that will either make you feel disgusted, or if you're not namby-pamby, make you laugh and enjoy hearing everything. I do wish that Bulletstorm incorporated a voice over for the different types of kills. I'd rather hear a deep sadistic voice boom over the speakers and yell "GANG BANG", other than just reading the pop up that comes up on the screen. I didn't make the game so oh f$#@ing well.

Play control innovation in a first person shooter is something that is critical to set you apart from the other games in the genre. Bulletstorm; I'm proud to say does come from the "Duty free" store and offers some Epic innovations that solve the not so fresh feeling that we get from generic copies of sequels. For starters, yes you have the generic aim and shoot buttons, you can switch weapons, so you may be asking yourself now "what the f$#k is so innovative about Bulletstorm?" Well for starters @$$munch, to help keep things fluid you are given a sliding boot kick which will help keep your @$$ out of the line of fire as you zip your way to your enemy and ultimately knocking the ever loving $hit out of them. This is a very useful tool as you can slide between cover and shove your boot up an enemies' @$$hole. The targeting is generic and does offer a snap feature which will allow you to quickly lock onto a target and have your way with them, which in a heated gunfight can be the difference between living and becoming compost. Another great innovation is the energy leash. Just like the nightmares you may have of getting your hands rapped by a nun's yardstick for mouthing off, the leash constantly grades your performance and will reward you if you do something right, but punish you if your showboating falls short of success. You can use your leash, not only on enemies, but on the environment as well which makes this multi-tool one of your most dangerous weapons in the game. Not only can you just whip it out on some enemies, but you can also upgrade your leash to deliver a womping thump to the ground which will send all enemies and explosive elements in the area flying into the air where you have multiple options to deal out death. One drawback of Bulletstorm is that the levels are very linear, so exploration of this beautiful planet is highly limited; however, this allows you to focus more on making another hole in your enemy than searching for something completely pointless. In the end though, it's not so bad of a trade off, if you're looking to explore a vast planet, then go buy yourself some diapers, a bottle, and a different game, if you're looking to prove to everyone that you are a lead slinging, ball grabbing, mother f#$%er, then this is for you.

Another great aspect of Bulletstorm is the multiplayer. If you're lucky enough to have friends (besides your mom), then Bulletstorm offers some entertaining and amazing co-op action. Finding its way into is a pseudo horde mode called Anarchy which will allow you and 3 other friends to form a 4 person group of sheer annihilation. Wave after wave of different enemies and even mini bosses will appear to make sure that you have a really $hity day. Leveling up is the name of the game and there are achievements to unlock for you gamerscore whores out there so make sure you work together as a team, otherwise you'll be punching your pud solo and that will only lead you to a quick trip to the clouds. Echo mode is basically a watered down version of the campaign so if you wish to be a dumb f$%#ing piece of monkey spunk, then by all means play Echo mode first. Throughout Echo mode you are graded not just on how big your balls are with your killing skills, but how fast and efficient you can traverse the levels. Take your time and you'll be completely worthless, speed through it and you'll become a bad@$$, it's a simple concept to understand, even if you ride the short bus. If you're done with pre-school, you'll be able to rack up thousands of points and bathe the screen red with your target's blood.

This game has a lot of good things going for it but one jewel that has to be mentioned are the skill shots themselves. Throughout the game you'll experience tag lines such as "Gang Bang", "Topless", "Pricked", "Shocker", and one of my personal favorites "Ejaculation" (this happens when you send an enemy out an airlock). You do have your basic headshot skills but let's face it, headshots are something that everyone has experienced before in a first person shooter, so the real fun comes from you trying your hardest to think of creative ways to send your enemies to their maker. If you want to see who is the biggest d!ck out there, the scores from the kills in your game will dispel any fantasy thoughts. Your score from the various skill shots will add up and just like life, size does matter.

Bulletstorm offers a great innovative fresh perspective on how to deliver a fantastic first person shooter title. While sticking to the foundations that we all grew up on, Bulletstorm drags us from the breast kicking and screaming only to find out that we get a bottle of Jack to suckle from now on. Bulletstorm caters to our darker sadistic side which we all have wanted to let out. You won't find any bull$h!t tangos and by the end of Bulletstorm you'll be saying "Chief this." Bulletstorm is a must have for anyone who has ever wanted to shove a gun up an enemies' @$$hole, whisper in their ear "Go F$@k yourself", then shoot their load deep inside till they are pasted all over the ground. Now the only question is, why the f$#ck are you reading this and not playing Bulletstorm?

Overall Score: 8.8 / 10 Dead Space 2

(Church of Unitology announcement coming through your earpiece)

"Welcome brothers and sisters of Xbox Addict to the Chapel of Unitology here on The Sprawl.... While you stay here please take a moment to".... (heavy static)... (Voice override) "Are you there??.... ARE YOU THERE??"... (heavy static)... "and under no circumstances should you ever"... (heavy static)... (Voice override) "Damit, increase signal
NOW!! Listen, you are in grave danger! Look here! In EA's latest installment into the survival horror genre, Dead Space 2, you will see that Isaac Clarke returns to this very location, not only to survive and stop the outbreak, but to seek the truth to a lot of questions...
Quickly, you must hurry, read the truth for yourself!!!... Seek out the... yourself... and always remember... (signal lost)...

Visceral games and EA have once again sent out minds into the depths of madness in Dead Space 2. Our famous engineer, Isaac Clarke returns after a horrific experience aboard the Ishimura, only to find that his troubles are far from over, and this time, he not only confronts necromorphs bent on killing him, but Isaac Clark must confront his own mind and try to decipher what really is the truth before his own mind plays a trick that even Isaac won't survive.

To make a triumphant return, Visceral made sure that Isaac had a massive lethal arsenal of weapons at his disposal. The infamous Plasma Cutter returns as well as the Ripper and more, but in Dead Space 2, Isaac gets some new toys to play with such as a Javelin Gun where one shot will literally send a necromorph off its feet, and impale them into the surface behind them. This is especially handy as it ties into a great new innovation from Visceral and EA, windows that can be blown out. The reason this is so innovative is because now you actually get to feel like you are in space. Now when you destroy a window to the outside, you will find yourself being sucked out just like all the enemies, and here is where your nerves will have to be like ice as you must shoot the controls above the security door to close it, or it's bye bye Isaac. Sounds simple, but when you have multiple necromorphs and flying debris to help push you out the window, you only have a few seconds before it's game over.

Not only does Isaac return with a vengeance, but the horror does as well. Dead Space 2 delivers a soul chilling horror story that will keep you gripped from beginning to end, and they do this by manipulating your greatest weapon, your mind. One of the biggest shoes that Dead Space 2 has to fill is the story. The story of Dead Space was very original, innovative, and produced brilliantly, and in Dead Space 2 Visceral and EA spared no expense to bring you a story that will make your heart explode, every nerve stand on end, and your mind blown away.


Visceral brings the iconic horror game to life by giving us some of the darkest, twisted, and dementedly beautiful graphics that we have ever seen. Your eyes will praise this game as you take in all the detail of The Sprawl and notice how every inch of this game is blanketed with such a feeling of pure terror. Some areas will seem familiar and even similar in some aspects to the original, however, these areas are few and far between and when compared to the overall detail and beauty of The Sprawl, they become a fleeting memory. The character modeling in Dead Space 2 is some of the best you will find in any survival horror game. Visceral has done an amazing job bringing terror to life and it's shows in every necromorph you encounter, as you see every little vein, tooth, and drop of bile ooze from your unfortunate victims.

A key component in any survival horror game is the lighting. In Dead Space 2, your eyes will behold some incredible lighting effects that accent the game's beauty and will drive every nerve ending in your body to stand straight up. Get ready for one of the most beautifully detailed and demented survival horror games of all time.


An aspect that will either make or break a survival horror game is the music. Dead Space brought us an acoustic gem that drove our ears and minds wild as we hear various noises echo throughout the halls of the Ishimura. Dead Space 2 delivers improvement in all the sounds and music that made the original such an iconic hit. We are treated to a little more orchestral soundtrack, however, when the ambient sounds get combined this time, Dead Space 2 unleashes a sonic marvel that will drive your heart rate up, make your hands sweat, and torment the very inner workings of your mind. Every aspect of Dead Space 2's audio has been taken into account and improved upon and your ears will hear every moment of it as you progress through your nightmare. You will hear crackling announcements warning of danger, panic stricken survivors running for their lives, security agents screaming as they are torn apart, even the inner thoughts of Isaac's own mind. Hearing a baby cry while witnessing
violent hallucinations screaming through your ears are just a sample of some of the psychotic sound combinations that permeate every facet of The Sprawl. All of these audio factors and more play a very intricate role in creating one of the best survival horror games you will ever play.

The gameplay of Dead Space 2 is simplistic in theory: Take what was good from the original game and improve it, take what was bad and innovate it into something good. You still get the same third person point of view, and you still get the same movement and gun control feelings but in Dead Space 2 everything seems more polished and natural which only adds to the realistic nature of the game and increases the horror immensely.

Some of the great new innovations that you have in Dead Space 2 would be the inclusion of a more Advanced Navigation system. Now when you use the navigation system by pressing in the RS, you can push up or down on the direction pad and generate different colored lines which signify store locations, save points, and work benches. This is an innovation which I found very useful as I spent time wandering around looking for work benches and stores in the original game. Now, within seconds, you can instantly search for nearby point of interest other than your checkpoint.

Another massive improvement is the zero g controls. The original game's zero g felt clunky at times, and this has all been improved upon by the addition of flight control thrusters built into the suit along the shoulders and feet. Controlling Isaac in space now is much more fluid and simplistic as you can steer in multiple directions by using the LS as a guide. Another improvement in the zero g gameplay is the ability to re-center your view to the ground with the push of one button. This helps should you try to navigate vertical twisted areas (there's a hint).

There is a new innovation in Dead Space 2, and that is the innovation of multiplayer. Normally games that are terrific single player games do not do well when it comes to multiplayer because you are trying to make a single player game into something that it originally is not. Dead Space 2's multiplayer takes similar cues from a game called Left 4 Dead. There are two teams, one of them humans and the other are the necromorphs. The humans will play Isaac like characters and try to work together to accomplish and achieve goals, the necromorphs are there to make sure that does not happen. Dead Space 2's multiplayer works hard to deliver a new experience, but some could argue that this should have been a feature that wasn't included until it was fully developed.

As we end our journey through The Sprawl, we wanted to deliberately leave out any information on the story because that is the heart and core of Dead Space 2. The story is one of the best you will ever experience, and every moment of it makes you feel like your heart will explode out of your chest.

To follow an iconic game like Dead Space, Visceral and EA had a monumental challenge ahead of them with Dead Space 2, and they set the bar for the competition at almost unattainable levels. When you have the combination of innovative and improved gameplay mixed with sounds and screams of unholy terror and a story that will haunt your mind and ultimately destroy it in the end, then you have one of, if not the best survival horror game ever, you have Dead Space 2.

Suggestions: Improve the multiplayer and then this will be flawless.

Overall Score: 9.5 / 10 Assassins Creed: Brotherhood

Benvenuto ai miei fratelli all'assassino ufficiale Xbox Drogato riesame dell'assassino del Credo: Fraternità. Welcome my Assassin brothers to the official Xbox Addict review of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. Roma is calling us back to continue the adventure that started many years ago. Many new innovazioni have been included in this latest titolo from Ubisoft which rekindles the fire that burns deep within our souls. Grab your blade assassino and join us as we answer the call of Roma, the call of the Assassins.

One of the many highlights of the Assassin's Creed games, has always been a very well developed story, and in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (ACB), Ubisoft brings us back to the Animus to hopefully answer some very important questions. If you haven't had the chance to enjoy the previous Assassin's Creed games you will not feel lost, because the very opening of the game includes a brief synopsis of AC I and AC II, so when you start out you will be up to speed. Ubisoft has done a very good job in answering a difficult question, and that is "how do you start a story for someone when they are coming in towards the end of the story?". Even though you will get a synopsis in the beginning, I would only recommend playing this if you have played through the previous Assassin's Creed titles so that you can enjoy the entire story. With such a strong focus on ensuring a very deep, well developed story, ACB leaps ahead with mammoth new innovations, all the while delivering both an epic single player campaign, and now a very innovative multiplayer game mode. One of the core qualities of the AC games has been amazing gameplay control, and Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood delivers another dagger as we get some new controls with the carismatico assassino, Ezio.

In Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, Ubisoft has taken the already amazing gameplay and injected some amazing new innovations that take your experience to a whole new level. One of the first new innovations you will come to enjoy is the inclusion of horse combat. Now Ezio can draw his weapon, lock onto targets, and even run enemies down on the fly. The innovations continue with horse combat as Ezio has the ability to not just attack someone from a horse, but now you can assassinate your target from a horse. When you assassinate an enemy on another horse, Ezio leaps from his horse and in one swift move, mounts, assassinates, and steals the horse. A great time to use this technique, for example, is when there are multiple armored foes on horses, and if you time it right, you can make Ezio jump between multiple enemies and drop the entire squad without raising any alarms. One thing that you must remember though is horses do not blend in. A good assassin blends into their environment, and riding on top of a horse while in town puts a bigger target on your back. Another amazing innovation brought to life in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood is the ability to train your own brotherhood of assassins.

By rescuing villagers that need your aid, you can recruit them to your fratellanza. Once recruited you can send them off to perform various jobs all throughout Europe and more. Once the mission is complete you are rewarded with gold, and your assassin is awarded EXP and can level themselves up by increasing armor and weapons as they work their way through their way up to the top and become an assassino. This new innovation offers you a whole new level of gameplay as now you can create your own army of assassins which if they are not on a mission can assist you in times of need. If you have a small army in front of you, call upon your fratelli to unleash a storm of arrows that clears the way. On top of all the wonderful new innovations, the core gameplay returns with a polish that makes Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood a free running, rooftop jumping, eagle diving epic experience from beginning to end.

Europe comes to life in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and with the new landscape you are treated to wondrous new landmarks, detailed new cities, and new tombs and treasure to discover. There are moments that will leave you dazed in delight, such as climbing the Colosseo and overlooking the city at sunset, to exploring an ancient tomb to discover its treasure. Every facet of the graphics has been touched upon and all of this added effort shows off as you traverse through the various levels and cities. While the graphics do look very similar to AC II, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood improved the best, dropped the rest, and developed a breathtaking setting that your eyes will enjoy from sunrise to sunset. Not only has the environment received a beautiful polished touch, but the character modeling has also been given this gift. All the characters are shown with a very high attention to detail and when you see the characters interact with you and with one another, it's amazing how the citizens literally seem to come to life. Just like the paintings you can buy in the game, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood is a fast and fluid, beautiful piece of art.

In Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood your ears will have a feast of beautiful sounds as you traverse the city and progress through the story. Different environments will produce different music that can leave you speechless, such as hearing a haunting melody of strings as you climb a viewpoint to open up more of your map; or drive your heart beat as you get ready to unleash death from above on an unsuspecting guard as you infiltrate a castello.

The voice acting in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood is a showcase of quality from the very beginning moments. The voices combine with the character animation to make every encounter more believable than the one before it. Ubisoft also brings the cities to life by bringing your ears the sounds of the cities to add a layer of realism and allow your ears to enjoy every aspect of your avventura. Another audio treat that you will receive are great detailed combat sounds. All the sound effects from arrows bouncing off heavy armor, to swords clashing in the heat of battle have been painstakingly produced to help immerse you deeper into the world of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and from start to finish your ears will be thanking you.

One of the biggest worries for great single player games is always the inclusion of multiplayer. Since the beginning, Assassin's Creed games have always focused on giving you one of the best single player experiences you will ever find in gaming, however Ubisoft brings a highly innovative multiplayer experience in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. Multiple game modes are available, however the innovation comes in the form of how to play. You have a target locater in the bottom middle which will fill up the closer you get to your target, but here is the key, make sure you find the right target. When you're the hunter, you're stalking, observing, and waiting for that right moment to strike. When you're the hunted however, the game becomes one of survival. Finding places to blend in can be the difference between living to fight another day or finding a knife pierced through your back. Finding your prey also involves a lot of observation as you can unlock perks such as disguise and morph to help you slip amongst the crowds. If you were wondering if Ubisoft could develop an innovative and amazing multiplayer mode for Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, then wonder no more.

Lets sheathe our blade for a moment and regroup and decide if Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood hits the mark, or misses it completely. One question that needs to be answered is, "is this game AC II.5, or would this be better as DLC for AC II, or is this game so developed that it could be considered a standalone title?". Ubisoft has taken the time to develop a massive amount of innovations which help bring the already epic story to life like never before; and while ensuring an epic single player experience, Ubisoft put one right between the eyes with their multiplayer gametype. With all of these new innovations, a very in-depth story, and a great multiplayer gametype, Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood is one that you must have in the collection. Listen to your calling assassino for Roma is waiting for you to answer. Your brothers are here with you, we will not fail.

Overall Score: 9.1 / 10 Vanquish

....Incoming communiqe from the General, please stand by....

Welcome back soldier, we could really use your help. We have intercepted data from XboxAddict on the Sega title Vanquish. We want you to decipher the details regarding Vanquish and decode any intel you may find in regards to it's strengths and weaknesses. Time is critical soldier and this is a mission where failure is not an option. America is with you, make us proud....

....End communique....

Suit up and get ready to boost your way into Sega's latest third person shooter, Vanquish. From Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami, Vanquish brings speed and power with deadly accuracy. XboxAddict has declassified all available intel on Vanquish to give you a complete picture of the game. Toss that smoke, grab your weapon and get ready to run soldier because in Vanquish, if you blink you may miss your only opportunity for victory.

To start things off with a bang, we have to address the fact that in the world of 3rd person shooters, the competition is fierce. When you have mammoth AAA titles like Gears and more, Vanquish is coming out of the gate with something to prove. Platinum Games brings a story that takes place on an United States massive orbital space station titled, Providence, and as you will find out early, has been taken over by a Russian extremist group called the Order of the Russian Star. In an effort to save country, the United States launches their entire fleet which includes the main character Sam Gideon.

In Vanquish you play the role of Sam Gideon who is a chain smoking, adrenaline junkie, one man wrecking machine. Sam is a member of DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) and he brings with him some mammoth firepower in the form of assault and sniper rifles, rocket launchers, a lock on laser rifle and more. All of the weapons from your basic assault rifle to your heavy hitting rocket launcher can be upgraded multiple times and each time increasing stats such as accuracy, range, and power. This adds a great innovation to work on as you truly begin to unlock all the potential firepower. All this arsenal though would be relatively less effective without the best weapon Sam has to offer, the ARS (Augmented Reaction Suit). The ARS is a great innovation in Vanquish as it allows Sam to boost at high speeds via jets on the arms and legs, perform lightning fast hand to hand attacks, and even slow down time itself.

The fast paced gameplay of Vanquish is this game's standout triumph. In Vanquish you will experience time control like never before as you control your boost at lightning fast speeds to flank your opponent, then when you are in position, instantly make time stand still as you pinpoint your shots on various targets. Make no mistake, when we say that Vanquish is very, very fast, so having total control over time at both ends allows for some insanely fun combat. Another innovation that your ARS brings to the gameplay is that when Sam takes too much of a beating the ARS will slow time to a crawl and allow Sam some very valuable time he needs to boost to safety. The rest of Vanquish's gameplay is very solid, but the innovations other than the ARS suit are few and far between. Vanquish itself is divided into 5 various chapters, and each chapter contains between three to eight sub chapters to complete. The levels you will go through are all fairly linear, but when you are trying to take out a small army, the action never stops and is constantly adapting, which forces you to adapt on the fly. In Vanquish you will have a lot of cover that you may use, but beware for the enemies will use your hesitation against you.

The graphics of Vanquish are a sight to behold. Providence comes to life and brings with it beautiful settings and a phenomenal attention to detail. Each chapter your eyes will see levels unfold at blinding speed, and witness some incredibly polished character modeling that combine to make one epic ride from start to finish. Vanquish showcases an uncanny attention to detail which is amazing when you take into consideration just how fast this game is. From the lighting effects, the environment, all the way up to the intricate detail of your ARS, Platinum Games has done a great job in bringing gamers a visually striking game in Vanquish. The most impressive quality of the graphics, hands down, is the frame rate that Vanquish brings. With so much going on during the battles, the amazing graphics and the sheer speed of the game, Vanquish's biggest accomplishment is that it brings all of this to you without missing a beat.

While you are waging war at break neck speed, Vanquish pumps in some high energy techno music combined with some heavy metal inspiration. This is a great touch as it adds to the sense that the world is flying by you at blinding speed, and when in combat, brings the feeling of a truly fast paced war to your ears. During iconic moments of the game, the tempo will change and you realize that this is the calm before the storm. Once the action picks up though, hang on because the soundtrack will push you faster than you thought possible.

As we pause to let our jets cool down, there is a major point of this game that should be noted. Vanquish is not easy. While normal difficulty will pose a challenge, Vanquish's hard mode should only be attempted by those who want the smallest margin of victory. Another aspect that makes Vanquish a tough fight is the fact that boss characters do have an instant kill attack. This can become very frustrating, and on hard difficulty becomes insane if you do not use time to your advantage. When you combine the difficulty with the blinding speed of Vanquish, you have a true challenge to overcome.

Vanquish though does have its share of drawbacks that really hold this title back. For starters the game is very fast, but also very short. Vanquish can be completed in about six or so hours and offers no multiplayer and very limited replay ability. On top of that Vanquish's plot is very under developed which is a shame when you take into account its only a single player game. The character interaction is amusing, however, their development throughout the game is little to non-existent.

Vanquish was on target to make its mark in the third person shooter world and came very close by bringing very fluid, beautiful graphics, a gameplay style that was fast paced and innovations that set the bar for future titles to follow. Unfortunately, Vanquish's under developed story, limited character development, lack of multiplayer and a very short story with little to no replay ability, all add up to a game that should have been better. If Vanquish can return with more of a focus on the story and development, then it will have its sights set firmly on being one of the best third person shooters to date.

Overall Score: 8.5 / 10 NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2

When it comes to anime, very few can last the ages, however Naruto is one of those that stands above the rest. In Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2, Namco Bandai set their sights to deliver not only a beautiful game, but one that is true to the essence of Naruto and gives gamers a chance to play out some of the most pivotal fights from the show. Has Namco Bandai got a hit with this latest Naruto title, or does this need to get a little more training before it can master the ninja arts? Get ready to charge your Chakra my fellow ninjitsu students because XboxAddict is taking you deep into the world of Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2.

In this latest installment of Naruto, you have multiple choices such as online fighting and the crux of the game, the Ultimate Adventure mode. The online fighting is something that Namco Bandai have worked hard to polish, but after attempting a few battles you can see that they have made a fighting system that is very simplistic and easy to pick up and play, yet hard to master. The reason this is so intriguing is that for the fighting sequences you have 4 basic buttons: melee attack, ranged attack, jump, block. Also you can use different items while in battle as long as they are mapped to the directional pad as a hot key. Now here is where it gets interesting, you can use your Chakra to create new moves and ultimately turn the tide in battle. Given the fact that you press one button (B) to do melee attacks, you will end up mashing that button a lot, and when I say a lot, I mean a LOT. How this all ties together is the fact that with different directional pushes on the left stick and combined with both Chakra and melee, you can make Naruto perform some pretty flashy and effective moves. Also in the fighting you now have a partner that can be used in multiple ways to either help you by saving your life, or by adding his/her own power into your own attacks to increase damage and length of your combo.

The gameplay, while innovative, does have its faults. One of the biggest gripes I could find was the constant walking through a very limited version of the Hidden Leaf Village. Pre-set camera angles mean that your Ultimate Adventure is nothing more than running through an already defined layout of mini map area, after mini map area. This can, without question, become very, very boring very, very quickly indeed. Throughout your adventure you will come across different shops which can not only sell you various items, but will allow you to in essence, make items by ordering them. This however requires you to gather material, and how do you gather material you ask? In order for Naruto to gather material he has to constantly travel areas and stop to examine certain items or flowers that stand out in the map. This takes away from a lot of the fluidity of the game, and this leads us into the next drawback, the text reading.

In Naruto you will have to read a LOT of voice communications as you talk to different people throughout your journey. This is extremely time consuming and really makes the gameplay slow down till it almost becomes dull. When combined with the constant travel to the same areas over and over again, all the while trying to scavenge for some material, and the preset camera positions, would normally make this game one to pass on, except for believe it or not, QuickTime events.

One of Naruto's biggest strong points are the graphics. The background images are done in beautiful detail in an almost watercolor style artwork. The characters all come to life in very fluid animation and detail, and Namco Bandai is making sure that the fans of Naruto enjoy every visual moment of the game. What really sets off the graphics in Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 are the over the top crazy anime graphics of the boss battles. It really is the diamond in the rough because you trek your way through countless linear maps, spend almost half the time reading text from other characters, and put in all this boring effort to get to the boss battles, which I have to say are epic. These battles are what make this game enjoyable and each of them happen during a quick time event. To say more about them would to give away the best part of the game, however, when your strongest factor going for you are quick time events, then something is amiss.

In Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 the music offers us a beautiful piece to bring us to the main menu, and from there it all goes downhill and fast. During your adventure your ears are treated to a generic loop of music that plays over and over again. Granted there are times where you hear different music, such as boss battles and different levels, but most of the time you will be listening to a loop of music playing again and again. Now with that said, the music does offer various instruments within these loops such a flute and piano to help bring certain emotions through. This entry into the world of Naruto does not offer a wide, diverse soundtrack. Instead it offers up a limited amount of music (which is good) with a bunch of loops added in.

Now that we have covered the good and the bad, does this Naruto title do the anime justice? The answer unfortunately is no. With previous titles offering a better quality Naruto experience, this is not an Ultimate Ninja but more like a ninja-in-training. When you boil it down to the bottom line, the hours you will spend not only hearing repetitive music loops, but also trudging through repetitive linear maps with a fixed camera, far outweighs the beauty of the brief quick time moments. We're sorry Naruto, but the master is not pleased.


Overall Score: 7.6 / 10 DJ Hero 2

Welcome back ladies and gentleman to one of the greatest shows on earth. The DJ is in the house and is on track to crossfade some information regarding the blockbuster hit DJ Hero 2. We are going to take you on a literary journey through the melodies, bass drops, and more to show how DJ Hero 2 scratches its way to being a top contender in the world of music games. Put your hands up and get ready to drop the beat because your party just started, and your fans are all waiting for one thing, you.

First and foremost we need to touch on the equipment of DJ Hero 2. With other music games producing more equipment for us to purchase, DJ Hero 2 already takes a step forward by allowing you to utilize the original turntable equipment from DJ Hero. This goes a long way to saving you money and for those who are new to DJ Hero, there are multiple equipment options which range from one turntable, all the way to two turntables and a microphone to help create an amazing party and one unforgettable experience from the first beat, to the last.

Graphically speaking, DJ Hero 2 aims to put you right in the middle of some beautifully created clubs and venues placed in iconic locations such as London, Ibiza and more. Get ready for an over-the-top experience like you have never had before as you travel to different venues all the while subjecting your thousands of screaming dancing fans to some of the best music found in music games today. One cool innovative feature is that in DJ Hero 2, unlike other music games, you can actually use your avatar as an in game DJ character. This is a great innovative touch as it makes the experience feel more personal, instead of just a pre-made characters to perform with. Throughout your performances your eyes will be treated to some mammoth eye candy as you see massive animated visuals on big screens, strobe lights flashing throughout the club, and even bright colored lasers beaming overhead that pierce the dark venues and give your screaming crowd something to reach for besides your autograph.

In DJ Hero 2 you are given multiple gameplay types that allow you to take control of the music like never before. To start things off there is a quick play mode which is what the name suggests. It's a mode where you can instantly pick your mixes and instantly start the party off right. Not only can you just pick up and play in this mode, but you can also create, edit, and save multiple playlists so depending on the type of party you're throwing, you will never be short of music to perform with. Next on our tour we are going to be jetting over to the Empire mode. This is where the bulk of your fame and fortune will come as you travel through the story mode performing at different locations and clubs where everyone is waiting to hear what type of music you will play. Included in Empire mode you will have the opportunity as well to battle against some of the top DJ's in the world to prove you are a top talent DJ and a not just a flash in the pan imposter. Get ready to bring your "A" game to the tables as these battles will test everything you have learned and developed throughout your Empire career.

Another great mode that is offered in DJ Hero 2 is the party mode. This will allow you have the game itself play through its mixes and get the beats flowing until you or your friends decide that you want to jump in and take the party by storm. Xbox Live multiplayer makes its return in DJ Hero 2 and allows you to strut your stuff as you showcase your DJ talent and prove to others why they are opening for you and you are the real headlining act.

Also available is the DJ Hero 2 battle mode which enables you to tackle some of the best DJ talent in the world in an effort to prove once and for all, who is the best DJ around. Unlike other music games, DJ Hero's battle system is done in various ways. There are battles that judge how accurate you are in between checkpoints in the mix, battles that judge how many stars you can get, battles that will test how much you can make your streak grow and more. There is also the introduction of friends' challenges which throws down a challenge to see if anyone can step up to the tables and compete on your level.

Also included is the megamix mode where you can take on multiple mixes, perfect your skills, and get your groove on like never before. It goes without question, DJ Hero 2 allows an epic selection of different game types which means that there is literally something for everybody.

Included in all these modes are some brilliant new innovations that DJ Hero 2 provides that help solidify this game as one of the best music games available. First off, one of the new innovations is the addition of a freestyle scratch section where DJ Hero 2 gives you total and complete control to scratch the way you want to, how you want to. Before you were limited to pre defined scratches that were laid out in the arrangement, however, now the control becomes yours.

In DJ Hero 2, you not only get control over scratching, but you also gain control over your crossfading. In certain areas of the mix you will have the ability to crossfade in between two different tracks allowing you to now mix how you want and truly develop the track as you want to. This is a great new innovation because before you had to go by a pre determined crossfading path, well now the control comes back to you, the DJ. There is no way to be punished by losing your multiplier in this new freestyle crossfading section so feel free to go wild with your music and crossfade however you wish. Another great new innovation comes in the form of something that DJ Hero originally lacked, but now is back and better than ever, true audio sampling.

In the original title you were limited to various sound samples that you could trigger. While this was innovative, the sound sampling was limited to just five presets and in most cases did not fit the music playing. This has all been given a mammoth overhaul by now making the sound samples that you trigger actual pieces of music from the two tracks being mixed. Now when you hit the sample sections you are free to tap out a sample of the track playing which adds to the realistic feel and makes every mix sound better than before.

In DJ Hero 2 you now have ability to add a new layer to the mix in the form of a vocal track. Included in the party pack is a microphone which gives you the ability to put your musical prowess to the test by testing just how well you know your music. You may know how the lyrics go to the songs, however, the DJ is in control here and you will have to think on your feet, especially with features that the DJ can use such as crossfading and the infamous rewind feature. One of the great new developments with this new feature is that if you DJ'ing and someone is having trouble with the vocal track, you can still save the show.

With the focus of DJ Hero 2 being music, a lot of effort and attention has been put into the music score. The last DJ Hero game won numerous awards for its music which adds to the pressure of producing a sequel that not only lives up to the previous standards, but sets the bar higher than ever before.

In DJ Hero 2 some of the top talent in the world comes to life at your control. Iconic DJ's such as: Tiesto, Deadmau5, David Guetta, The Prodigy, stack the deck, and with such talent as Lady GaGa, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Janet Jackson and more, DJ Hero 2 brings every aspect of different music genres right to your fingertips for your ears to enjoy. Your ears will be treated to classic hits such as "groove is the heart" and more modern iconic tracks such as "Just Dance" by Lady GaGa, which all when compiled together gives your ears a beautiful eclectic mix that spans not only different genres but different decades and makes DJ Hero 2 a musical powerhouse, and with more music to be available via DLC the musical strength of this game is truly limitless.

As our record winds down let's review what makes DJ Hero 2 such an iconic staple in the world of music games. Massive new innovations to the mixes by allowing you to control both the crossfading and scratching as you wish make DJ Hero 2 the closest thing most of us will come to being a real DJ. Also when you combine the immense amount of game types with an updated epic tracklist, you now have tons of ways you can enjoy your favorite mixes the way you want to, after all, you are the DJ. With all these improvements and more, over the award winning original, DJ Hero 2 and Activision have set the bar for the competition and claimed itself to be the undisputed king of the wheels of steel.

Suggestions: For the future release of DJ Hero 3 Activision should include a DJ Hero mixer which includes all the crossfading and sampling functions while allowing a new way to control the individual levels of each track and allow two turntables to completely crossfade and mix just like a real DJ would. Activision could sell the mixer seperately for those who already have two turntables and for those wishing the complete package, they could package the mixer with the two turntables and microphone for a complete DJ experience.

Overall Score: 9.1 / 10 Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2

Welcome back my apprentice. It has been some time, but I knew that you would return for the truth. The Force is strong with Xboxaddict, and it's time that the review for Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II (TFU2) is finally revealed. This game reminds me of what a gold protocol droid once said: "How did we get into this mess..... I really don't know how". Kneel my apprentice and see both the light and the dark side of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II.

If ever there was a game where it had a great showing of light and dark, good and bad, its Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II. This game has been greatly anticipated and focuses to be a staple in the Star Wars Universe. Does this fulfill it's destiny and bring to life a legendary Star Wars experience? As the Emperor would say: "It is you who are mistaken, about a great many things". The Force Unleashed II does deliver in some aspects which we will cover, but ultimately in the end, this doesn't feel like a quality Star Wars video game, much less story. In Force Unleashed II, Starkiller is back, or is he? This is one of the ongoing questions that lingers throughout the entire game, and it's conclusion is up to you to decide.

Graphically speaking Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II at times is as Darth Vader would say "Impressive... Most impressive". Some of the levels such as Kamino and Dagobah are done in such beauty and detail that it helps bring you deeper into the Star Wars Universe unlike almost any other title. Not only are the environments a beauty to behold, but the character modeling is far more improved and with the introduction of some new Sith enemies to fight, it really provides an eye pleasing time. Also in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II, LucasArts brings some new tech toys in a new digital molecular matter, which brings more realistic physics and physical reactions unlike anything we have seen before. Another great graphic innovation for The Force Unleashed II is the inclusion of Euphoria which is a bio-feedback artificial intelligence system, which brings gamers one amazing experience after another throughout the entire game.

This however, is not to say that The Force Unleashed II does this a lot. In total there are four original levels (Kamino, Cato Neimoidia, Dagobah, and Salvation), and each of them are broken down into different parts or sub-levels. This means that Kamino, for example, is a beautiful level, however, out of the game's nine levels, three of them (1/3) are staged in Kamino. Looking forward to enjoying a stroll through Dagobah? In all fairness so were we, however Dagobah is a beautiful 15 second walk down a path where Yoda greets Starkiller in front of the cave that Luke entered in Empire Strikes Back. Starkiller has no idea who he has just encountered and there is a dialogue about five lines long between the two, Starkiller enters the cave, cut scene, Starkiller exits the cave, says his goodbyes and leaves. That's it, in the time it just took for you to read that description you could have run through the one... yes one.. level of Dagobah. Another one of the game's many disappointments was that our jet packing bounty hunter Mr. Boba Fett himself was teased as being in this game, well he is, for a 20 second cut scene, and that's it. Search your feelings and you will see that a lot of the graphic potential has been slashed in this game.

The gameplay of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II has been improved upon from the original. Your favorite Force powers are back with a vengeance and they bring with them a new Force power, the Jedi Mind Trick. When combined with Euphoria, the Jedi Mind Trick brings a unique experience as you will see your enemies attack one another, and sometimes even throw themselves out a window or off a ledge. While this is limited to only effecting some enemies, the bulk of your enemies can be under your control, and if you upgrade the Jedi Mind Trick, you will be able to manipulate more than one enemy.

Be careful though, the effects of the Jedi Mind Trick, are short lived. Another nice innovation of the gameplay is the introduction of a target lock feature, which was missing out of the original. This greatly helps in your camera position and camera control when you are in battle against multiple enemies and you are on a small platform. Your Force powers aren't done yet though, in The Force Unleashed II you can combine your powers on either enemy or object. For example, you can grip a stormtrooper, throw your saber at him and impale him, then shock him with lightning, and to finish it off, toss him into another enemy or object. Doing that will actually net you an achievement, but it's a great example of what you can do when you combine your powers. One of my personal favorites would be to grab an object, charge it with lightning, then toss it and it becomes a Force Lightning grenade.

Who can talk about Star Wars without mentioning the music. Throughout the game you will hear some music influence taken from the prequel movies, some original work, but most importantly, John Williams' famous score rings throughout the game bringing classic moments back to life and makes us all remember the great quality that used to be. All the music has been remastered however one great feature is when the game calls upon you for certain fights, you will hear certain iconic music that helps immerse you deeper into the Star Wars Universe. A great attention to detail has been put into every aspect of the sound of The Force Unleashed II. When you are blocking stormtrooper blasts or dodging lightsabers, every sound has been carefully constructed to bring audio bliss to our ears.

Star Wars: Force Unleashed II does however have its drawbacks, and unfortunately they are huge. We have already mentioned the levels in Force Unleashed II, however, we have to point out that this game is one that can be beaten in about four or 5 hours. To put things into perspective, it takes you longer to watch 2 of the original trilogy movies than to complete one play through The Force Unleashed II. This is a major disappointment because fans of the games and movies were hoping for an epic Star Wars adventure, but I'm sorry to say, this is not it.

This game had huge potential to develop the story of this more with the additions of classic iconic characters such as Yoda and Boba Fett, but after watching the scenes that they are in, you wonder to yourself, why did they even put this in the game? You can find my lack of faith disturbing, but in the end Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II has a lot of failed potential.

When you are a game that has to only focus on a single player story, then you have to make sure that your story is not only epic, but developed properly and without major holes. Unfortunately the story of The Force Unleashed II is far from epic, and even contains massive plot holes even in one of the endings. There are a lot of faults with Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II, but the short, badly written storyline has to be the number one factor that prevents this from being a great title.

As we wrap up our adventure through the Star Wars Universe, it's important to note that this game has some amazing aspects to it, but in the end, it's the core story that disappoints most. A wise Jedi master once said: "That is why you fail", and unfortunately because the story does, the overall score fails as well. Clear your mind and search your feelings and decide for yourself if Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II is worth a purchase. May the Schwartz... I mean Force Be With You.

Suggestions: A more in depth, epic Star Wars story with proper character development, and a well written plot.

Overall Score: 7.5 / 10 Fallout: New Vegas

Dean Martin said it perfectly: "I go to sleep and keep, grinning. If this, is just the beginning. My life is going to be, beautiful.." Welcome my friends to a place where your wildest dreams can come true, where you can amass such fortune and wealth you become your own legend, welcome to America's Playground, welcome to the Entertainment Capital of the World, welcome to New Vegas. Bethesda and Obsidian have teamed up to give you a wild ride through the wastelands and desert city in Fallout: New Vegas, and we here at XboxAddict take aim in bringing you details surrounding one of the most anticipated games of the year, and remember, the house always wins.

Now to kick things off with a bang, we have to note that this is not Fallout 4. Fallout: New Vegas is a totally new storyline based in the wastelands of New Vegas. The game is constructed using the Fallout 3 engine which goes to show proof in the old' phrase, "if it's not broken, don't fix it". With that in mind, Fallout: New Vegas sees your interest and raises you a full house worth of important innovations and adjustments to bring you a truly epic story where you get to shape every aspect of it.

Graphically speaking, Fallout: New Vegas brings Sin City to a light that we have never seen before. Famous iconic landmarks such as the Hoover Dam, the New Vegas strip, and more have all been brought into such detail, that you feel totally immersed into a whole new world of lies and sin. A lot of the objects that you will find in New Vegas you will remember from Fallout 3 (desks, file cabinets, etc..), however, the detail of your entire environment has been orchestrated masterfully in an effort to give gamers a very unique, deep, and amazing journey. Obsidian and Bethesda have worked hard and bring to the table an amazing version of The City of Lights.

One of the main aspects that make the Fallout games so great is the user defined, in-depth storyline. Fallout: New Vegas offers gamers not only new factions, but sub factions as well that will definitely tilt the scales of control, and these faction's opinions of you. This is where your decisions make a great difference as you try to figure out who is bluffing you, and who has the nuts. With these different factions, and different power grabs, you may think to yourself that New Vegas should be yours instead, well in Fallout: New Vegas it can be. Now not only do you have option A and option B, but you can also opt for option C - total chaos and anarchy. How you play is up to you, but just remember that everyone wants that top spot.

The play control is something that a lot of gamers hoped that Obsidian and Bethesda could improve upon, and they have listened by giving us not only an updated control scheme, but they have made their infamous perks system a major success. One of the many new introductions in Fallout: New Vegas is the Hardcore Mode. When you are in Hardcore Mode, the game will monitor how much you drink, how much you sleep, and how much you eat. All of these aspects and more you will have to pay attention to if you wish to survive the desert city, and cash out in top form. Don't expect to go days without sleep and expect to hit that target in the distance. This is a wonderful new innovation as it introduces a more realistic survival aspect to an already amazing adventure game.

In Fallout: New Vegas you still have the V.A.T.S. targeting system, however, this time the percentage numbers fluctuate greatly depending on the combat situation. What this means is that the V.A.T.S. system takes into consideration, not only the damage your body has sustained, but in hardcore mode, it also takes into consideration how hydrated you are, and even goes further by taking into account the amount of sleep you get. Obsidian and Bethesda have hit the jackpot in creating such an amazing gameplay experience, they could just break the bank. Earlier we mentioned that New Vegas' perks system has become an amazing hit, this is because now when you wish to master both the pistol and the assault rifle, you can now select just 1 perk called guns and that increases your stats with every weapon that uses conventional ammo. This brilliant scheme is set up perfectly to allow every gamer now, a much more focused and user developed character like we have never had before.

Not to cash in too early, Obsidian and Bethesda bring another major improvement to the gameplay of Fallout: New Vegas. Now you can not only use the V.A.T.S. targeting system, but you can truly gain control by aiming down the sights of your gun. This helps immensely as you strive for that all important head shot, not to mention conserves valuable AP points to use when V.A.T.S. is needed. Fallout: New Vegas brings another new aspect into the mix, by introducing the ability pick plants and in essence make food and aid items from them. Another great new feature of New Vegas is the addition to more items and aid you can create. Now you can build your own ammo, make your own weapon modifications, even follow a recipe for food and aid. All of this is done by giving the gamer more areas to make and construct these items. In Fallout: New Vegas you will not only have your new advanced workbench, but you can also come across campfires and more that will help aid you in your efforts. Fallout: New Vegas was betting all in on these innovations and thanks to the effort of Obsidian and Bethesda, they took home the title.

New Vegas is a true ace up the sleeve. Now when you turn on the radio of your trusty pip-boy, you can hear Mr. Vegas himself, Wayne Newton over the airwaves as he fills you in on the latest and greatest in New Vegas. As you take your adventure through the wasteland of New Vegas you will hear sounds and music redone from Fallout 3 which helps put this game in perspective, and also brings a familiar aspect to ensure that we enjoy every moment we can in New Vegas. Obsidian and Bethesda have outdone themselves as they bring a star studded voice cast. A lot of polish has also been applied to the voice over's.

Now as we tally up our winnings, we see all this innovation and all of this amazing detail and the total figure is that Fallout: New Vegas is one amazing game. Now even though it is not truly Fallout 4, so much effort has been put into making New Vegas an amazing experience all in its own. With a major improved control scheme, the introduction of Hardcore Mode, beautifully detailed environments and national landmarks, Fallout: New Vegas is the real Entertainment Capital of the World.

Overall Score: 8.9 / 10 Castlevania: Lords of Shadow

Welcome my brothers and sisters to the eternal and epic struggle between good and evil. Have a seat and let your eyes read my tales of love, of loss, of deception, of honor, of light, and of darkness. Light your candles, grab your cross, and say a prayer for your soul as we enter the world of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow.

We begin our journey through the undead and the wicked with our hero, Gabriel Belmont. Our hero has already suffered greatly at the hands of evil by witnessing his beloved wife Marie murdered by the dark spirits that thrive on death. Twisted and torn between revenge of his murdered wife, and becoming God's savior to the people of the lands, Gabriel must struggle with more than just vampires, ogres, and ghouls, he must battle his very soul and choose his path that will grant him not only salvation, but peace as well.

My dear holy warriors, now you will find that controlling Gabriel through his adventures into darkness and death is relatively easy. Armed with your combat cross, Gabriel has a wealth of different combos and attacks at his disposal. You will have to master your wits and abilities if you wish to survive the darkness ahead, and dethrone the Lords of Darkness. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow also provides you with a multiple selection of various secondary weapons such as dark crystals, daggers, and even holy water to help you dispel the darkness and bring light and hope to a land that has been devoid of both. In this latest installment in the Castlevania series, Gabriel will not only obtain various artifacts to help and aid him through is adventure, but now we are given something very special, light and dark magic. Each offers Gabriel different options and aids from allowing him to heal his wounds while striking in combat, to turning his daggers into explosive weapons of death. This also does a great job showcasing the inner turmoil that, throughout the story, Gabriel must contend with.

Throughout the game you will notice that the camera is in multiple fixed positions depending on where you are in the land. A user controlled camera is not available in this game, and in most cases that would be a complaint, however, in this title, it is a blessing. By locking the camera depending upon where Gabriel is allows gamers the ability to worry less about what they are looking at, and more on surviving the night. This helps the game by focusing more on the interactions with various puzzles, as well it helps by allowing you to focus on the enemies you are fighting. Jumping, climbing, running, and more have been simplified to ensure that not only are the basic controls easy to master, but using Gabriel's more advanced combos become a breeze and add a more fluid aspect to your combat.

Now we turn, my dear brothers and sisters, to the wonderful graphics of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. Graphically speaking your eyes will be treated to a wide, beautifully depicted, landscape throughout the game. Every land from the Dark Lord's castle, to the underground sewers, to the forests that you must travel, are all blanketed with incredible detail and beauty. Every level becomes a feast for the eyes as you traverse the wild on your quest to extinguish the darkness from the land. Even the cutscenes provide an amazing visual experience all on their own by showcasing key moments and events with incredible detail and beauty. Not only has the landscape received such beautiful work, but the new character models for your enemies bring new life back into the darkness and add a more realistic touch in combat. A wonderful example would be the new vampire models which most resemble deformed winged demons of hell, armed with incredible speed, powerful fangs, and now dual wielding knives that they use to go for the throat.

Not only will you deal with the undead, but now you must face one of your biggest oppositions in Caslevania: Lords of Shadow by confronting the various titans. In regards to graphics and the character models, you will notice a great attention to the sheer size scale of these massive titans. Standing right next to a titan, while being a first class ticket to the afterlife, will help you understand the sheer size of it as you barely come up to the top of its fingertip. The one downfall of this game graphically only comes when you attack and destroy multiple creatures of the night. The game screen will freeze for a tenth of a second, and while at first this is not something big as you see yourself frozen in mid attack in all this beauty, but it does tend to take you away from the fluidity of combat. This thankfully though does not happen often, and through my experience with this 2 disc game, it has only happened twice.

It is time my fellow vanquishers of the night, to talk about another of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow's great accomplishments; the music. As a personal Castlevania fan, prayers were said that this game not only lives up to the extremely high quality of its history, but surpasses and evolves the series by providing the iconic scores and sounds we have all come to expect from such a quality series. Having listened to the soundtrack and how it ties in with the sounds and the action, Castlevania: Lords of Shadow boasts one of the best orchestral game soundtracks my ears have ever heard. There is nothing more satisfying than hearing a church choir singing a hymn of salvation as you drive your cross through the heart of a demon, or hearing the deep tones of a cello signifying the inner struggle and turmoil that Gabriel must go through.

There are moments as well when you will hear the soundtrack pay its homage to the long line of quality Castlevania titles of the past by incorporating various remixed parts that not only help show off the lineage, but give fans of the series a true taste of what Castlevania should be. The voice acting as well receives high marks as the story is narrated by Patrick Stewart. Not only will you be given an amazing soundtrack, but every voice fits every character perfectly, just like you expect from a Castlevania game. Demons, devils, villagers, and more all shine through in the attention to the voice acting. Even the ambient sounds such as waterfalls, or even a haunting whispering hymn in the background not only add a more realistic feel for the game, but they enhance the already amazing quality overall.

For now unfortunately our tale must come to an end in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. We have refrained from discussing anything in regards to its epic story as this is an experience that every gamer should enjoy and discover on their own. With amazing graphics, an iconic musical score, a fluid movement and combat system, and more means that this title is one that every gamer must have in their library. Always remember holy warrior, that the greatest weapon against the darkness, is the light of God. Ready your cross and say a prayer for your salvation because the darkness of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow has arrived, and you are our savior.

Overall Score: 9.1 / 10 Spider-Man Shattered Dimensions

*Hmmmm.. let's see the headline on today's front page of the Daily Bugle...*

[notices the big front page banner]
Wait... What??!?!?

!!Attention Daily Bugle Readers!!
!!Attention Daily Bugle Readers!!
The Daily Bugle has announced that
Spiderman Shattered Dimensions is
UNDER REVIEW by XboxAddict!!

XboxAddict is bringing an in-depth look at the latest installment featuring Spiderman! You will get a detailed review of all the gameplay mechanics, visual eye candy, and all the bad pun jokes you can thwip your web at. As all of you know our editor-in-chief Mr. J. Jonah Jameson is adamant that you readers understand everything there is to know about Spiderman Shattered Dimensions, so that way you have the full truth behind the man... err...mask.

(More on page A4)

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(Continued from A1)

We all have looked up from time to time to try to catch a glimpse of our city's favorite spider. We have all wondered, at one point or another, what it would be like if we could have the same abilities as he does. In Activision's new release of Spiderman Shattered Dimensions we finally get our wish granted. For the first time we get to experience Spiderman across multiple dimensions; four to be exact. Each of which give a unique perspective and play style that all combine into one story which has Marvel's stamp of approval. Ever wonder, if he has so much power, then why doesn't he perform such amazing moves that clear groups of enemies in an instant? In Spiderman Shattered Dimensions you get to fully unlock all of Spidey's true potential and turn him into the web-slinger we have always wanted to be.

Spiderman's main focus of his combat is fluidity. Every move seems seamless when deep in a 100 or even 200 hit combo, but the real beauty rests in something that has always seemed to be Spidey's downfall... the dreaded camera. Granted Peter Parker does take good photographs of our web-head, but in some previous Spiderman games, we have not enjoyed a good camera system.... until now. Thankfully in Shattered Dimensions we get a new and improved camera system that will allow you to easily track and follow Spidey almost better than Parker himself.... how does he get those great pictures?? Through the new camera system, gamers can enjoy the new lock on feature that makes combat much more easy and allows a greater sense of control by allowing you to auto focus lock and auto center the camera onto enemies, and that is something that is important when you are zipping around tall buildings, or falling 50 stories from one.

There is however a little bit of a learning curve when it comes to managing your camera while you are crawling from walls to ceilings, or vice versa. When you climb to different surfaces it helps to auto center the camera to ensure that you get your right bearings, however, after a little practice and getting the feel of the camera, you'll be moving like true Spidey in no time.

The sound for this game is eerily good. Every single little detail has been taken into account in regards to making this the most authentic Spiderman game...ever. (I know a bit dramatic but it sells right?.. right???) Throughout the different dimensions you will be treated to some classic Spidey voices which personally helps the game a lot. A lot of attention was given to the voice of the spider and that shows by having Neil Patrick Harris (Spidey's voice from the MTV cartoon) play the voice of Amazing Spiderman, Christopher Barnes ('90s cartoon series) voices up the infamous Noir Spiderman, Josh Keaton (Spectacular Spiderman cartoon) brings to life the voice of Ultimate Spiderman, and wrapping up the amazing voice cast is Dan Gilvezan ('80s cartoon Spiderman and his amazing friends) who shines in the role of Spiderman 2099.

The attention to the detail of the music shows in every aspect of the game and is a big reason why this could possibly be the best Spidey game we have ever had.

Visually speaking, Spiderman Shattered Dimensions showcases our hero in various dynamic fashions. Such examples would be: In the Noir dimension you play a more stealth focused role by stalking and taking your enemies out from the shadows, and of course avoiding bullets (seriously I'm allergic to bullets, it says so on my medical bracelet). In the Amazing dimension you are treated to bright vibrant colors and amazing crisp detail. Every boss battle brings (try saying that 5 times fast) forth a true sense of evil as they are brought to life in amazing detail. You'll laugh with Deadpool, cry with... well.. Deadpool, and cheer with... well... never mind you get the idea.

Other bosses thankfully bring forth their own twist on evil. Electro has ditched the green and yellow and now has gone for the no pants pure energy look like he's competing head to head with Dr. Manhattan of The Watchmen, for the best build of pure energy (Even that didn't sound quite right). Spiderman Shattered Dimensions offers a more linear level style of play, but that's not to say it's a bad thing as you'll soon read about.

Most of the level design is brilliantly laid out and innovative. For instance when you go up against the Sandman your level consists mostly of him as a massive tornado that is just destroying the level in front of you and forces our favorite spider to whip from one flying debris object to another (Yes his sand does get everywhere). The Deadpool level brings Spiderman to an oil rig to compete on his own show... yes that's right, I can't believe it either but Deadpool has his own show called Pain Factor. Imagine what a real game of Survivor would be if you were the only one stranded on a metal island with not just Deadpool's mocking, but an army of his heavily armed unpaid interns, by unpaid interns... I mean his fans, and by fans I mean a bunch of crazy thugs with big guns. Some of the new innovative levels also include your favorite web-slinger performing some amazing halo... wait.. can't say that.. umm.. High Altitude Low Opening scenes in which not only do you have to dodge explosions, trains, and cars, but you also get to engage in combat while doing so. So while the levels may be more linear than past Spiderman games, this saves us the hassle of expansive tiresome fetching in a city with a bad camera (yes there are a few fetching parts in this game, but because it's levels are more linear, it makes it a far less annoying feature).

Each level also brings with it a section of Spiderman's web-of-destiny, which are 15 individual mini challenges that Spidey can try to achieve throughout the course of the level. This was a great idea in that it helped add a lot more focus on variety than just swing and punch (I'm a good dancer too). Through your completion of your web-o-destiny thing, Spidey will earn bonuses that will help unlock more abilities in combat upgrades, individual character stat increases, as well as other suits in his multi-dimensional closet (It's got to be that big for all his boots).

(Concluded on page A8)

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As we swing our way home, we must ask ourselves if this game is truly a great Spiderman game, or if this is just another time our favorite spider gets lost in translation? (I really liked that movie) Thankfully XboxAddict can say that this is very close to the Arkham Asylum of the Spiderman world. The level innovations, Deadpool.. I mean boss scenes (he always tries to work himself in somehow), the ease of movement and combat, the wonderful attention to the sounds of Spiderman, and more make Spiderman Shattered Dimensions hands down one of the best, if not the best, Spiderman game we have had the pleasure of playing. If you are a fan of Deadpool... I mean Spiderman, then this game is a must have. We'll see you on the thwip side.

By: Brent Roberts...err...Eddie Brock

Overall Score: 8.9 / 10 Blacklight: Tango Down

[incoming transmission... XboxAddict review of Blacklight Tango Down... Transmission begins in 3..2..1..]

With the summer time upon us, the need for good games rises with the temperature. Thankfully the people at Ignition Entertainment bring Blacklight Tango Down to the Xbox Live Arcade. We are going to go through the good and bad and see if this title sets a new standard for XBLA titles, or if it falls by the wayside of games that just fell short.

Ok to start things off; Blacklight Tango Down delivers next to nothing as far as story goes. There is a small story about some form of battle or conflict between the Blacklight U.S. forces and a group who call themselves The Order (who also are a group of ex-U.S. special forces). Sounds interesting, however, none of this is even explained unless you decided to hunt through the how to play menu and read it for yourself. This is kind of a drag, but at least the good thing is that we don't have to sit through a horrible story right?

There are multiple modes in Blacklight Tango Down, such as various multiplayer maps and the Black Ops section. The multiplayer modes are what we have come to expect such as variants of Team Death match, plant the bomb, capture the flag, and more. One of the things that make the multiplayer so interesting is the fact that the game comes with 12 maps! For FPS fans, getting 12 initial maps at release is huge, and this is not a retail release, but an XBLA title.

A wide variety of maps, plus with a total of 8 vs. 8 support means that Blacklight Tango Down will provide hours upon hours of fun. The Black Ops mode can be played via single player, or you can do online co-op with up to 3 other players. Black Ops a more story driven mode, but since the story is next to non-existent, it's just another way to earn XP and shoot a lot of people. You will gain less XP per kill in Black Ops, however, you will earn a XP bonus for completing a Black Ops level. One great feature is that you will be able to level up your character across the different modes.

Visually speaking, this game is amazing. For an XBLA title, gamers will be amazed at the quality and detail that they see put into not only the characters and enemies, but in the environment as well. The levels are big and expansive and gamers will love the fact that attention to detail plays an important role in every aspect of the visuals in this game.

Some of the unique new features are the introduction of the Hyper Reality Visor(HRV) and items such as the Digi-grenade. The HRV plays the role of a gamers' map and provides locations on health and ammo stations, to hack points and incoming enemies. This option though doesn't last forever and needs time to recharge, so use it wisely. The Digi-grenade is a fun twist to a standard frag grenade, instead of exploding it creates a bubble of pixilated interference, blinding your enemy for a short amount of time. One thing though with these new grenades is that if you throw one on yourself, you can be affected by your own grenade so be careful you don't blind yourself right before a firefight.

The sound of Blacklight is done well, but is very repetitive. Blacklight's menu music to me became annoying after listening to it loop over and over again as I browsed the different menus. The music though in the game was good. It's not going to stand out as some amazing piece of video game greatness, and it's not going to be so horrible you play this game on mute. It provides a very dark electro style soundtrack, which accompanies the various intermittent vocals very well.

The gameplay is your standard FPS style controls so you can expect to be very familiar with them from the very beginning. Blacklight Tango Down also delivers a reward system in the gameplay called Weapon Tags. What these Weapon Tags(WT) do is alter the aspects of not only your weapon that you use in the game, but your own character as well. WT's can be used for things like increasing gun damage, to shorten the time it takes to re-heal your character. There are tons of these Weapon Tags and it's a complete random drop chance for you to obtain one.

Along with the Weapon Tags are the weapons themselves. Each one of them customizable with various scopes, clips, barrels, and more, which means that Blacklight brings gamers hundreds and hundreds of ways to fully customize your character.

I guess the big question for gamers is: "Is this worth 1200 MS points?" The answer to that question is yes. Blacklight Tango Down delivers stunning graphics, hundreds of ways to customize your character, 12 multiplayer maps with more mulitplayer modes, plus innovative ranking and upgrading systems. This could easily be a $49.99 retail title, so 1200 MS points to play one of the best FPS on XBLA is a deal.

Suggestions: One thing that I would like to see in a future sequel is the addition of a well written story. Something that makes people want to play a dedicated campaign on top of multiplayer.

Overall Score: 8.5 / 10 Castlevania: Harmony of Despair

*CUE OMINOUS CATHEDRAL MUSIC*

The Summer of Arcade is in full swing, and this week we are treated to an innovative marvel of a title in Castlevania: Harmony of Despair. Konami has been putting forth a lot of effort in this latest installment of Castlevania for the Xbox Live Arcade which will hit the marketplace like a shattered cross. Come follow me into the depths as we explore the 2D world resurrected to perfection in Castlevania: Harmony of Despair.

From the very opening screen you can see that one innovation of many that stands out in front is the addition of multiple characters. Each one brings to the table their own benefits and has their own individual skills that they can learn which when combined w/ other players enhances the gameplay to a whole new level. The innovation of Castlevania Co-Op Multiplayer makes its first introduction in this Xbox Live Arcade title. With different multiplayer modes, Castlevania: Harmony of Despair ignites a flame in the series that rekindles the desire even more for Castlevania.

You want to take Alucard into battle w/ five other players? Go for it. With a total of six player Co-Op gamers will have to work together more than ever if they wish to scale through the castle and defeat the Dark Lord himself. I know some purists out there will say that "Konami has hurt the franchise with the addition of multiplayer" or they may say "Castlevania is supposed to be a single player game". Well rest easy your worries because there is a dedicated single player mode which takes you through all the adventure you can swing a whip at. Take heed though bold adventurer, for the challenge of Castlevania: Harmony of Despair is not to be taken lightly. After going through this on single player, I cannot stress enough how difficult the challenge is. We won't go into the story so you can experience it for yourself, but be ready for one challenging adventure.


Graphically Castlevania: Harmony of Despair is pure to its 2D roots. As you wander and venture through the different floors of the castle, and experience different rooms, your eyes will gaze upon amazing and colorful detail. Enemies are brought to life with exceptional detail and quality and the surrounding backgrounds are a sight in themselves to see. This however doesn't do the game justice, for as you start your quest and zoom the map all the way out, you will see how every level overflows with beauty and how every inch looks and feels just like Castlevania should. The boss characters have all been designed with amazing detail, and provide gamers with a definite feel of joy when you bring one of these demons down. Everything from the characters, levels, enemies, and even the individual weapons have all been done with precision attention to detail and quality. Welcome back to the world we all love, Castlevania.

How can you do a review of Castlevania and NOT talk about the music of it!? From the opening menu selection screen your ears hear a choir chanting which immediately makes you feel at home in Castlevania. The previous game Symphony of the Night opened with a choir, and this takes it to a whole new level. When you are in the game each level has not only its own dedicated soundtrack, but its own dedicated boss music as well. One cool little innovation that I love was the fact that you can now change up the music by individual level, and you can also change up the boss music accordingly. The soundtrack can be summed up as "CC" or Classic Castlevania. High energy synths erupt out of the songs all the while injecting tons of excitement with each passing moment. Grab your whip and say a prayer because we're not done with Castlevania yet.

The gameplay of Castlevania has always been known for providing hours and hours of enjoyment and Castlevania: Harmony of Despair delivers us one amazing experience that should not be missed. As it was mentioned earlier, this game is a serious challenge. The basic jumping, hacking, and dashing are the core foundations for Castlevania, and you will need to utilize all of these and more in order to breech through the castle and defeat evil. Gamers will be excited when they see that the standard controls are all there, but this time they are enhanced. By simple adjustments to enhance an already proven control scheme, Konami ensures gamers that the core controls remain unchanged, and that gamers are given the option to change up the control style as they see fit. Time to play Castlevania, the way YOU want to. Thank you Konami!

As we put the final nail in this coffin, we look back at the experience and feel a sense of uneasy peace. From the enhanced 2D glory that we have grown up with, the amazing customizable enhanced classic soundtrack, six player Co-Op, to the time tested proven gameplay, Castlevania: Harmony of Despair is an amazing addition into a series already known for quality titles. This is one of the best arcade titles released, and for 1200 points you and your friends can finally track Dracula, and put an end to his evil..... for now...

Overall Score: 9.5 / 10 Final Fight: Double Impact

Side scrolling greatness returns with a bang in Final Fight: Double Impact. Capcom has done it again and this time they have given gamers a wonderful surprise. The title says it all however; gamers will love the fact that they are getting 2 games, yes two games for the price of one! I'm going to break this review up into two parts to cover both games (Final Fight and Magic Sword).

For those new to Final Fight the story is very straight forward. Mike Haggar was a professional wrestler who was elected Mayor of Metro City. During his campaign he promised to handle the crime in the city, much to the dismay of the Mad Gear Gang. Enraged by this action the Mad Gear Gang kidnaps Haggar's daughter Jessica to ensure that crime continues. Haggar decides then to take on the gang, however, he makes sure to bring along some help, by enlisting the aid of Cody (Jessica's boyfriend), and Cody's sparring partner and ninjutsu master Guy. Together the three of them are determined to take back Metro City and rescue Jessica before its too late.

Gamers will battle their way through 6 stages of Metro City in their attempts to rescue Haggar's daughter. You'll fight your way through areas such as a subway, uptown, and more. The enemies you will encounter will take the gamer back to a time where the names changed, but only the colors differed between the enemies. This is your basic side scrolling button mashing game that is a perfect port of the 80's arcade title and is a perfect showcase as to why Final Fight was one of the best arcade brawler/button masher games ever made.

Some of the new updates for Final Fight allow gamers to choose graphic modes of "smooth" and "crisp" which will give gamers a more HD look to their title. As well, gamers will have the option to adjust their video display. One of the "classic feel" options given to gamers is that they can play their game in an actual arcade cabinet. This is nostalgia at its best because not only is the monitor set inside the cabinet, but the original artwork is also displayed on the sides to provide gamers the feel like they have stepped back in time.

One feature that takes me back in time is the soundtrack. All the music has been remixed in Final Fight, however, you can still hear the traditional music. This means that the great 80's arcade music still rings loud and clear and is always a sign that Capcom has made sure to not only bring the classics back to life, but improve on them as only Capcom can.

Final Fight: Double Impact also introduces a new feature to gamers which is called the vault. By completing certain challenges which will appear at the bottom of the screen, the gamer will unlock different items in the vault. One thing to note is that there is a heavy amount as well of Street Fighter images and references in the vault. This is due partially because Final Fight was originally supposed to be a Street Fighter sequel, however, this was changed when the game ended up becoming nothing like Street Fighter.

The second game of Final Fight: Double Impact is called Magic Sword. This game takes place on an unnamed planet and is laid out like a traditional platformer. Gamers will side scroll their way through jumps, traps, and tons of enemies that will constantly keep you on your toes. In Magic Sword a "Black Orb" is the source of the evil in the game and is the main quest to either destroy or obtain it.

The graphics again on Magic Sword have the same HD touches that gamers will get in Final Fight, including the same video modes as well. The soundtrack however, has been remixed just like Final Fight to provide gamers a more modern feel to an arcade classic such as this. Your sword swings, magic attacks and more are even enhanced to give gamers an "updated" feel on such a classic arcade title.

Throughout your adventures gamers will play as the barbarian who wields a sword and shield. If a second player joins in on the fun, then they will become a character that wields a heavy axe. One of the many features that make this game great are the additions of allies. These range from a ninja to a knight and more and their sole purpose is to assist the gamer by various powers and abilities, attacks and the levels gamers will gain improved weapons such as samurai swords, broadswords, flame swords and more. Also, Magic Sword will entice you with various magic spells that the gamer will have at their fingertips. From lightning, to fire, to screen clearing glory and more, Magic Sword gives gamers an amazing amount of firepower at their disposal.

Magic Sword takes place over 51 levels of platform enjoyment, enemy slashing goodness. Gamers will start in the bottom of the overworld map which is laid out like a giant tower, and just like you imagine it would, you will have to work your way through the tower to the top. Through these levels gamers will battle their way through fire, ice, and more as they strive to reach the top of the tower and confront the "Dark Lord". Once there the gamer will battle it out for either good or evil and decide the fate of the world.

Final Fight: Double Impact is going for 800 MS points and is worth every penny of it. Updated graphics, sound, and the ability to transform the game into the actual arcade makes this game a must have in any game library. In today's gaming world its rare to see a title that not only has stood the test of time, but has become a benchmark for many of the games we play now. This title will give you hours upon hours of enjoyment as you try to unlock everything in the vault and go for the achievements as well. Strap on your gloves, get your sword and shield ready to go because Final Fight: Double Impact really does make a mammoth impact!

Suggestions: Bring out more of your classics in the Capcom library.

Overall Score: 8.8 / 10 Dragon Age: Origins

Bioware. A company known for making solid gaming titles such as: Mass Effect, Star Wars: The Knights of the Old Republic, and Baulder's Gate have done it once again. Dragon Age Origins is Bioware's latest attempt at bringing a solid Action/RPG game to the masses; to which we all bow in thanks. Dragon Age Origins immerses gamers into a world where your decisions, actions and even interactions will truly make a difference in your world and your character's lives. This game is filled with moments that make the gamer "feel" connected in multiple ways.

From the incredible storyline, amazing character development, beautiful soundtrack, and very deep game play; gamers will rejoice to know that Bioware brings the gamers all of these and more in Dragon Age Origins. This is something that I will explain in greater detail later, but for now follow me through the wonderful qualities of Bioware's "bar setting" Action/RPG game, Dragon Age Origins.

Bioware's classic system of "target and fire" is combined with a traditional party system to lay a solid foundation for a wonderful title. In Dragon Age Origins however, gamers will experience one of the most "in depth" and detailed game play experiences ever. Gamers will have more "choices" or options in each and every battle than your traditional RPG. Multiple battle tactics to learn per character plus the options to fully customize your character so that you can set up your own "pre-determined" actions and bring the gamer to a new level of involvement and control in a RPG. Gamers now have a control system where they are able to designate the type of action that a "non-user" controlled character can perform in the middle of combat.

You can customize almost every single aspect of combat for your entire party in your "tactics" making the gamer feel for the first time like they are in total control over every aspect of every character in their party. A good example would be if you have mages in your party, you can map out your tactics so that while your user controlled character is in battle, you can have your mage not only attack the same enemy as you however, but you can also have your mage automatically heal your entire party when the character's health reaches a user defined mark (i.e.: 50%).

Another amazing feature is that you can also pause the action during the middle of combat which allows the user to automatically redefine what tactics they wish to use which means that gamers will always have the ability to control every single battle throughout the game and designate talents and skills in all aspects of every character in your party. Bioware also implemented brilliant ideas by allowing your parties health to auto regenerate once a battle is over, and if one of your party members has fallen in battle they will come back to life (however, they will receive a stat penalty which can be removed with an injury kit).

Auto saving as well whenever you enter another room or building also ensures that the gamer has the most recent spot to resume their game. Speaking of saves, I have to touch on this one part: SAVE OFTEN. You may have a very powerful party, however, one slip in your tactics or you try to be too brave and bold from the beginning and Dragon Age Origins will have you restarting from your auto save point. I personally save after each battle inside a building to ensure that I do not have to go through that battle again just to get to where I am now.

One flaw of the game play system is not the camera, which normally is a cause for concern with most games (the camera is actually good though not great) but a fundamental "bottleneck" problem. What this means is that if you try to draw your enemy to an enclosed narrow area such as stairs or a narrow hallway you will find your character will still attack your targeted enemy, however, only one of your party, or two if you are lucky, will be able to fit on the stairs which means that if you try to be tactful and utilize a "bottleneck" tactic by funneling your enemies toward a narrow area, the gamer will only be able to use part of their party to attack. Bioware however, has worked around this issue somewhat by allowing each party member 2 sets of weapons which means that using your custom made tactics you can have members who can not reach the battle with a normal melee weapon can switch automatically to a ranged weapon and fire away.

This seems sort of like a partial fix, but doesn't seem to fully address the issue as most of your battles will require you to use some form of tactic decision making and with gamers not always being able to fully utilize a true tactic system due to the fact that your options are far more limited in narrow areas. A minor setback in an overall amazing game play system.

To me this is a major factor in my determination for game of the year. Most games have a generic soundtrack that usually gets blended into the background and becomes unnoticeable. However, it is the music that sets the stage for the game and provides gamers with the emotion and passion that they feel at various points throughout the game. Dragon Age Origins has hands down one of, if not the best game soundtrack that has ever been compiled. From the opening menu music, gamers are blessed with a hauntingly epic theme which spills over into every area of the game. In the beginning for example of the noble hero quest you will be subject to a royal and noble soundtrack that will make the gamers feel like they themselves are of true nobility and an heir to the throne itself.

Gamers will hear the drums of war crying out for a charge on the battlefield, they will hear the soft whispers of a maiden's plea for peace and tranquility, they will also hear the thundering of trumpets as you emerge triumphant in your quests and battles. The voice acting is good at times, however, gamers will still hear the occasional stereotype of a character through their voice. The reason I say occasional is due to the fact that most of the time you are treated to voices that fit the mood and scene perfectly.

You will hear a king's command to attack as the Darkspawn army approaches, you will hear demons whispering promises to you in deserted castles, and more. The soundtrack is only half of the beauty when it comes to sound, as the sound effects as well are wonderfully tailored to match every aspect of every situation.

Case in point if you listen closely you can even hear the "twang" of the bow string as the character launches an arrow towards the opponent. Every aspect of the sound has been painstakingly done to perfection and with the orchestral music to back up the wonderful sound effects. Dragon Age Origins has set the bar for music and sound effects in gaming. If you have the chance to pick up the collectors edition, you are in for a treat as the entire soundtrack for Dragon Age Origins is on there.

The graphics in this game are very good. The general scenery is good, however, it feels a bit empty in places and I believe that was intended to keep the frame rate high. If you are in a field you can see some wonderful backdrop scenery, however also on the horizon you will not see trees or rock formations until your character gets close to them and uncovers the area on the map. The building models look very detailed and when you enter them, the attention to detail is very well done. In castles you will find various touches that show a lot of work went into the graphics such as illuminated torches and lanterns, fireplaces, bookshelves, and more. The character detailing is also very good, however, most of the armor types do look very similar in between sets.

What this means is that a basic chainmail chest piece made of iron looks very similar, if not identical, to one made of steel. While true that individual piece development is very tedious and takes up memory, it also allows a greater sense of individuality for each and every gamer.

The enemy modeling is highly detailed on some enemies, however, not all of them really feel or look that detailed. An example of this would be a wolf, just a basic generic enemy, however when you are in battle, the wolf's attack and animation look just average and the detail itself of the enemy looks ok at best. This however, can not be said for some of the other demons and Darkspawn that you will encounter. Some of the demons summoned by mages look absolutely stunning and hideous at the same time. Gamers will be able to see much more detail out of some of the more advanced enemies than the general ones.

For example, lets say you manage to run into some bandits. All of them will appear to be very similarly dressed even if they are wearing different armor, so don't expect much as far as a variation there, however, get your party near a spirit door and battle some mages and you will see that attention to detail stand out almost everywhere you look.

In summary; Bioware has delivered a title that will delight gamers for years and set the standard for other companies to follow. Bioware never disappoints in delivering a story that is unparalleled in its quality, a soundtrack that will stand the test of time, and an overall brilliant game play experience that will always excite and never disappoint.

Every aspect of Dragon Age Origins from start to finish combines high attention to detail and an unending love for providing some of the best gaming experiences. I would say that this is an essential part of any Xbox 360 collection.

If you are looking for a game that will keep your attention for days and months at a time, envelop you in a story that is all based around you, provide you with an amazing soundtrack and sound effects, and ultimately give you a gaming experience you will never forget.... pick up Dragon Age Origins.

Suggestions: Maybe figure out how to make the frame rate high while upgrading the graphics a bit. I wouldn't touch the sound quality, gameplay quality, or anything else except a tweak or two of the graphics.

Overall Score: 9.0 / 10 Dead Space

Overall: Overall this game surp@!%#*!es my expectations on many levels. I can not rank it a 10 due to the fact that in my opinion there is no "perfect" game. This does not mean however, that it is a bad game by any means. Dead Space not only meets and exceeds expectations in multiple fields of gameplay, audio, and visual joy, but it also delivers something that I haven't seen in a long time in a video game.... an amazing story.
There is also a treat for gamers of this game in the fact that there is an animated movie (which gamers can download from the marketplace) that provides an AMAZING prequel story to the game itself. Gamers who decide to view the movie (which is broken up into multiple parts on the marketplace) will be treated even more to a very rich and involving story line that leads up to the events of the game itself. Gamers who decide not to watch the movie will not experience any loss or diluted storyline; so think of the movie as an "extra bonus feature" that is not essential, but it does add to a deeper story.
From its innovative gameplay, to the eye popping visuals, and a soundtrack and effects that will curdle your spine, Dead Space offers a truly unique experience in that it will set gamers on the edge of their seat from beginning to end. There is also a high replay value with this game for those who wish to get achievements so if you manage to miss and achievement or two on your first play through, then not to worry because once the game is over, you WILL want to experience the story again.
Like I have said I can not rate this game a 10 because I do not feel that there will ever be a "perfect" game, however, Dead Space takes the bar that I personally feel was set by Bioshock and not only goes over it, it takes the bar and smashes it to pieces. I know that it's a big comparison given that Bioshock won game of the year from a lot of different reviewers, however, if Gears of War 2, Fable 2, and Fallout 3 were not being released this year, this game would be a CLEAR WINNER for game of the year. My recommendation is to stop reading this review and head to the nearest place that sells video games and buy this game. In today's gaming world, very few games offer such a deep and involving storyline, and we must take note of when a gem like this arrives. Dead Space so far to date however, EASILY has my vote for GAME OF THE YEAR! Take a bow EA, this game was flat out AMAZING! Thank you for giving gamers what we have been craving for, for a long, long time!


Gameplay: Dead Space provides gamers with a gameplay experience that will set a new standard for up and coming games to live by. From combat to exploration and even puzzle solving the tools that Dead Space provides gamers brings forth a gameplay that is hard to p@!%#*! up.
First off is the view of the game, it is over the shoulder and not first person which is absolutely perfect considering the extra amount of environment it allows you to see. Movement with the character is relatively slow and with the addition of a run button allows the game to keep moving along at whatever pace the gamer decides to go. This game also does not have a "quick turn" feature (which can be resolved by spinning the camera to the location you want and hit LT) so gamers who wish to have a feature like this are not left out. This makes the characters movement very realistic and when you are facing yourself with very narrow hallways it helps to add a heightened sense of horror and suspense since you can not just turn immediately around to see the monsters charging you. This may sound as an inconvenience to some gamers, however like I said before will provide a much more horrific experience.
Dead Space also provides gamers with a "stasis" power that will allow them to, in essence, freeze anyone or anything temporarily. This is very useful if you find yourself in a situation that is incredibly intense and you want to "slow" the experience down for your salvation. This also has another added bonus in that it allows gamers to finish off their opponents in the way they want to. Stasis is a power that we have seen on many other games which is true, however, the stasis power in this game is activated by the gamer only while your weapon of choice is drawn and ready to fire. This makes for a seamless flow from "freeze to fire" and is a M@!%#*!IVE improvement from other games where you have to first use the power, then arm your weapon. In Dead Space its press one button then unleash hell.
Another great innovative idea is the kinetic powers that you obtain. True other games have kinetic energy powers that the gamer can use, but thankfully the same attention to gameplay detail with the stasis power can be found in this as well. Gamers can have their weapon drawn and ready to shoot, and then use kinetic energy to grab an explosive canister and then unleash the canister and fire almost simultaneously. The flow of the gameplay for these two features was very risky, however the developers have put a lot of time and effort into making sure the transitions were smooth and almost instant.
One of the great features of this game is the Zero-G mode, where just like astronauts you get to jump and fly around and latch onto ledges and platforms that would normally be out of your reach. Zero-G is not everywhere in the game, and will take the gamer a bit of time to get used to. One of the reasons is that in Zero-G if you jump onto a wall, then that wall is your new floor, the ceiling from before is now behind you. It takes a bit of time to get used to the fact that your bearings go all to hell when in Zero-G if you're not careful; however once you get used to Zero-G movement it’s incredibly simple and innovative.
The puzzle solving of this game is also done in a way where gamers will not break their controller in frustration. By providing gamers with a "sense of direction" (Press in RS), you are able to see where you are "supposed" to go next. This is a great innovative idea that will allow gamers the protection of not getting lost inside such a mammoth ship. When activated a blue line will light up from your character's feet and shine for a few seconds showing you the "path" that you can take. The reason I say "can" is because this is a m@!%#*!ive ship and there are other areas to explore so you may not want to always "follow the path", but that is for the gamers to decide. There is one gripe that I do have with this "guide" system, and that is if you're not facing the direction you need to go, the camera and your character itself will turn automatically, so I do recommend that you only use this IF you are not in a fight for it will in essence turn your back to your enemy and allow them to attack you over and over again.
A lot of detail has been taken into account in providing a very fluid, smooth moving game that will delight not only hardcore gamers, but relative newcomers as well. This game has a lot to offer in the terms of gameplay but one thing is for sure the developers got it right and thank you for that


Graphics: The visual eye candy of Dead Space can be found at every turn. From the opening scene you can tell that a lot of time was put into making every single detail of this game absolutely authentic and amazingly real. Not a lot of games recently have put such attention to detail into the gamer's environment, thankfully though, Dead Space provides.
The character models to start out with are AMAZINGLY life like and the interactions are mind blowingly real. This helps bring to life the whole story of Dead Space b/c it will bring gamers a deeper appreciation for all the characters, both living and dead... and we'll get to the dead ones here soon. Not only is the human interaction between player and other humans amazing, but the interaction between the gamer and the environment. From picking up a cell phone in a tram station, to reading a magazine left on a desk of a fallen solider, this game does a great job in its attention to detail. One of my favorite moments was when I was reading the writing in blood on a bathroom wall asking their god to save them from the horrors and monsters, then right underneath it only 2 words "We're ******" where you can tell the last letter is smeared in a bloody streak downwards to a hand, not a body, but just a hand. That is just a small taste of how twisted the visuals can be.
The enemy models are something that not only provided me with an amazing horror experience, but the variety and detailing of each makes this game one of my personal favs. It’s not just like there are different colored enemies or the same enemies, just with more health and armor, but there are subtle differences that make this game go from good to great. For example one of the creatures is a baby that has been genetically mutated for "the cause". It sprouts 3 tentacles which not only sway life like, however, it also has an "Alien face hugging" characteristic which makes every enemy in this game a force to be reckoned with. There are many graphic and gory details about every single enemy in the game that, thanks to the developers taking their time to do, make every single encounter something to be not only feared but appreciated. From pregnant exploding demons, to m@!%#*!ive armored brutes, and incredibly fast moving stalkers, this game is a visual eye candy from start to finish.
The gamers also have the ability to dismember their fallen either by gunfire or by a curb stomp that would shatter every bone in your body. The limbs and dismemberments throughout the game provide such a realistic feel due to the simple fact that everything was painstakingly thought through w/ a high attention to detail. If you see a dead body in the chair and you shoot the head from behind, the whole body reacts to the sheer force of the shot, not just the head. Bodies breakdown and flop around differently depending on what limbs you decide to remove. If you have an enemy that is running at you and you shoot its legs out, the legs will stay and twitch and pulse their remaining blood supply amongst the ground while the demon will just use whatever limbs it has left to crawl after you and end your life.
Dead Space's environments are absolutely amazing. You are placed into a m@!%#*!ive "planet-cracker" (reminds me kind of like a "star destroyer" from star wars) and this ship is M@!%#*!IVE. From the very beginning gamers are dealt a m@!%#*!ive amount of eye candy when it comes to the detailing of the enviornment. From areas of a green house that provide highly detailed plantlife and overgrowth going up and down the walls, M@!%#*!IVE storage facilities w/ multiple levels, to the simple comm. panels that you interact with throughout the game, no detail was missed. You will come to areas that have shattered gl@!%#*! and bodies everywhere w/ an emphasis on HEAVY blood loss, and you can see almost every single individual tendon that makes up not only the human corpses, but EVERY single enemy you face.
Last but not least is the communications that you receive via a "pop up" video screen. These encodings are done absolutely perfectly from the static to the real life images you see and will provide you a little taste of what you can expect to experience. The quality makes the gamer feel that they are actually communicating with the other person on the other side of the screen and it helps to add a tremendous amount of realism to the game. These "pop-up" videos are thankfully stored in your database so that you may (like I did) view them again and again and again. In summary from start to finish, EVERY visual aspect of this game is absolutely amazing and it hopefully will become a mark for other games in development to achieve and surp@!%#*!.


Audio: The audio in Dead Space is second to none. From the very moment you insert the game into your console the audio begins to take you on a horrific ride that will constantly beat your ear drums into submission. This game was MADE for a 5.1 system, by providing gamers an audio experience that does not happen very often. From Dead Space's "Twinkle Twinkle little star...” in the very opening, to the very last scene of the game, the soundtrack is something that I hope future games take into consideration. It has its moments that will raise your blood pressure, and tense your body as you get a "feeling" that will sweep over you without letting up. It also has its moments of accomplishment which when experienced in the context of the game itself lends gamers a greater sense of accomplishment. Many of times after a conclusive victory I found my heart pounding and adrenaline rushing through my veins which only elevated the sense that I just slaughtered something BIG.
The soundtrack does something else that I rarely see in most survival horror games, it goes completely silent. Just ominous sounds of the environment with no musical score to back it up provides an unbelievable amount of heightened tension, that not only will lead gamers into a false sense of security, but allow a much more dramatic climax when BANG everything goes crazy. This soundtrack also is a key for providing many "JUMPING" moments, where you may think after you've gone through a battle that you've won, but you're dead wrong. I've had experiences where after a battle I have thought to myself "I’m so glad that’s over with" and the music will go silent again, then BANG with out warning the game takes an immediate turn for the INTENSE and I barely have a chance to catch my breath.
The sound FX as well are worth mentioning all in themselves due to the simple fact that it is VERY rare to play a game where depending where your character faces will determine where you hear your enemies come from. I know that there are many other games where (in a surround sound system) you hear different effects from different speakers, however, what sets this game apart is the CONSTANT variety of sound effects. You will hear everything from static coming from a comm. link, a baby's cries, laughter, screams, chains and pipes dragging and being dropped, panels breaking, gl@!%#*! shattering, and many, many more.
Now to another fun part, for all gamers, the weapons. Dead Space provides you with an arsenal that is not only fun to use, but sounds every bit as good as every other element in the game. From a scorching searing flamethrower, to a head ripping buzz saw weapon, every single weapon provides gamers with audio heaven with every single shot. Once upgraded your weapons as well develop a different sound. You can start out with a simple amazing sounding projectile sound from your basic plasma cutter, but when fully upgraded sounds like you are unleashing a hand held a-bomb explosion with every shot. The sound for the weapons is absolutely amazing and the fact that the gamer can customize and develop their weapons just as they would themselves makes upgrading every weapon worth it just to hear it go boom.... and boom it does go.
The voice acting in Dead Space is VERY well done. Different tones of voices indicate different emotions that the gamer will feel. It's and experience that will allow the gamers to actually feel what the other person is going through on the other side of the screen. There will be times when you will hear frustration, anger, rejoice, laughter, praise, and more. Thankfully the dialog as well is not done in a way that makes you regret playing this game and is very well written and provides some amazing insight as to the history of the ship and its crew. What is amazingly done is the way the audio from other actors interacts with the audio from other people and creatures alike. You will hear the horrific screams of an attack; you will hear the sobbing stories of a man who just wanted to get home to his family but in the end, takes his own life. You hear it all in the voices of your team as well as in the silenced voices of the now dead crew.
This when combined with the soundtrack bring to the gamer an audio experience that hasn't been seen for a very, very long time. If you do not own a surround sound system, do not worry as this game will easily provide your ears with such a harmony of sound and effects that all that is needed by the gamer is to turn up the volume. This game has it all and the soundtrack and effects are by far some of the best I have heard in a long... long time....
"Twinkle Twinkle little star.... How I wonder how dead you are” Enjoy.


Suggestions: Its hard to imagine what to ask the developers, its like trying to improve a ferrari. The visual and audio qualities of this game are top notch, however if there is one thing that I could say to them, it would be one word: SEQUEL... actually it would be multiple words: MAKE THIS GAME A SERIES

Overall Score: 9.9 / 10 Ninja Gaiden 2

Overall: Ninja Gaiden 2 is a beautifull follow up to the original xbox title Ninja Gaiden. The game pits users against a seemingly m@!%#*!ive demon army that is determined that we mere humans suffer and perish at the hand of the archfiend. If you're looking for a deeper plot than what I just wrote, then sadly you would be at a loss, for the story is very very loose and there are a few moments that the gamer will say to him/herself "how did we go from there to here?" The plot of Ninja Gaiden 2 is loose at best.

From the beginning, the story has a chance to make some sense and possibly dive deeper into the intricate emotions of the characters, sadly though it does not. From the beginning Ryu must "babysit" a character that serves literally almost no purpose in the game except to provide some "shirt busting" eye candy. The plot development though is what they should have focused on more @ Tecmo, instead of a character that is just there to take up space. This game had so much potential but alas, it falls short in the plot development, very very short.

This normally would be a sign of bad things to come when a game's storyline isn't well developed, but alas this game def. has some qualities that pull its ninja hind parts out of the fire, but not all the way. The old Ninja Gaiden has provided many xbox users and "old-school" NES players the chance to dust off the sword and gear up for one m@!%#*!ive battle after the next. The original games provided users the ability to "trigger" enemies based upon new areas that they enter or explore, and Ninja Gaiden 2 is no different. I'll dive into this in more detail in the gameplay description, and try not to get off topic of this summary.

This title does provide users with a multitude of levels and areas to explore. Ninja Gaiden 2 takes gamers on a journey between distant realms of demonic nature, to the Statue of Liberty, to an old japanese village, and more. Gamers will also appreciate the attention to detail of the accuracy of information of the ninja that was taken into account for this game. Details such as weapon names, the use of the weapon by the ninja, ninja magic or "ninpo" in the game and more will provide hours upon hours of enjoyment for gamers. This isn't a game where the ninja weild lazer swords and shoot particle cannons, this is a game where ninjas use authentic ninja weapons as well as ninja magic "ninpo" to obliterate your existence from the game. This is a wonderfull feel in that it provides a more modern twist while still showcasing a part of Japanese culture and history that has long been over exploited and done with "over-the-top" effects, but deserves every bit of recognition and praise. An example would be in Ninja Gaiden 2 you come to face what are called "gun" ninjas that wield automatic guns and are very acrobatic and hard to hit. This is a good example of how the game puts a modern twist on such a anceint way of life.

Ninja were traditionally very, very intelligent. It is easier to consider them the "special ops" of feudal japan. They utilized deception, intelligence, strength, inginuity and more to complete their missions. Granted some missions did involve @!%#*!@!%#*!inations, however, they were also deployed to gain valuable information and report back. The ninja, if caught, had to outsmart its adversary every chance they got so they maintained the upper hand in the fight. Ninjas as well utilized gunpowder in various ways from traps for enemies, to "ninja magic", and more. This is one of many wonderfull details that Ninja Gaiden 2 takes into account and then provides a modern twist for gamers of today. This game is a great example of how a proud culture from hundreds of years ago has thrived in all of our minds and hearts due to the mystery that is the Ninja.

Gameplay: For those thinking that this game is going to be a fun and enjoyable romp through feudal japan that pits your ninja skills against an army of foes waiting to end your journey, you will be partially satisfied. Instead of having images of a multitude of enemies laying at your feet in pieces as you celebrate your much deserved victory, you will find yourself instead shouting and smashing things from your controller to tv due to the difficulty of this game.

First off is the camera that is provided for the gamer. This is huge considering that the camera will be the only thing you can control to actually see the enemies on the screen that are attacking you. The camera moves around by user control and has the ability to center its focus with the push of a button, however, users will have to literally start thinking in a 360 degree field of view in order to fully grasp the concept of this camera. Many of times users will curse the camera, and feel that death is coming for them in the forms of enemies that are off the screen that the gamer can not see. There are two ways to combat this sensation, one way is to turn the camera sensitivity all the way up.

Even when this is done, the camera can still hinder the gamer in a multiple of areas, esp. when critical jumping and timing is needed and you have a barrage of flaming arrows and throwing stars winging their way towards the back of your head. The second option involves the gamers to start thinking in a 360 field of view. If your character is in a big open training area, then thanks to the amazing new A.I. that I will be going into detail more, understand that enemies, like yourself, do not want to die so they will flank and attack from behind if possible. This means that the gamer must always keep his/her head on a swivel if they want to avoid death from off the screen. A good example would be if you were faced with 3 enemies in front of you all standing in a row. You then focus your attacks on the one in the middle and ignore the other two for now. The other ninja that you did not attack will pivot around behind you and try to flank you and surprise you with attacks that will be next to impossible to block or avoid.

This is all thanks to the new A.I. that Ninja Gaiden 2 provides gamers. The enemies in the game are a lot more bent on survival for themselves and will do anything from ranged attacks to sneak attacks in order to try to gain the upper hand against you in a fight. This will also come into play when you go after the boss battles for now their A.I. has also been improved upon to provide gamers a true challange which some will find at times to be next to impossible. With all the improvements that have taken place in Ninja Gaiden 2 in regards to enemy A.I. this is a great example of how you can take something amazing and make it even better.

Ninja Gaiden 2 also provides users with some of the most fluid and intense combat fighting situations that are to be found on a video game. Combos and obliterations are the main focus of this and provide multiple ways of dispaching your foes to another world. Every weapon in the game has multiple obliteration techniques that the user can do in a fight that will end it shortly, very very shortly. This works out beautifully considering that most of the time you are faced with more than 3-5 enemies at a time. By using the ability to end one enemies life in a few strokes, the user can then turn his/her attention to the other enemies that have now by most part either taken up flanking positions or have worked their way directly behind you. Using the obliteration techniques as well provides a colorfull zoomed in mini cut scene where the enemy finally falls at the hand of your blade which will seem interesting at first, but then you will find it to become very repetitive, however, since there are multiple weapons at Ryu's disposal and every one of them have multiple obliteration sequences, the user will not be at a loss for limb removal enjoyment.

Combos also are a main focus of Ninja Gaiden 2. True its one thing to end the fight quickly and enjoy the pleasure of converting your enemies into piles of limbs, but Ninja Gaiden 2 also allows the gamer to smash, over and over and over and over and over..... and over again every single opponent that stands in your way, and this is one of the ways that Ninja Gaiden 2 shines above all. When you are faced with multiple demons and you are thrashing out a 60 hit combo or up the fluid gameplay of the battle allows Ryu to literally bash the ever loving crap out of anyone and will leave gamers shouting at times "ooooooooooooohhhhhhhh snap!!! DID YOU JUST SEE THAT!?!?!?!" This is because the fluid action sequences of Ninja Gaiden 2 are injected with some serious "roids" that take the gameplay from enjoyable to extremely enjoyable.

Just as every weapon has multiple obliteration techniques, Ninja Gaiden 2 provides multiple "Ultimate Techniques" that can be unleashed at the mere press of a button, but don't start to think that this is a "golden ticket" to get through the game. In order to do Ultimate techniques you will need to "charge" your character up. This is done by holding the attack button for a few seconds, however, once charged you are totally defenseless. This is where the stratagey comes into play for the gamer. Stratagy is key for the timing of this move, and I can not stress enough the word KEY. This is not a move that is to be pulled off when its 20 on 1, however, this is more suited to 3 on 1 or so. When the gamer charges this ultimate technique they are rewarded with a mini cut scene of Ryu using his tools of his trade to rain hit after hit after brutal and bloody hit into his opponents. Multiple weapons mean that the gamer is treated to m@!%#*!ive, and I repeat, M@!%#*!IVE ultimate bashings. Imagine slicing through an opponent in a 30 hit ultimate technique, switching then to your staff (or whatever weapon suits your fancy), and raining down another 35 hit combo for a glorious total of 65 ninja bashing hits!

I mentioned earlier that parts of this game is controller smashing hard, and I still mean every word of it. Ninja Gaiden 2 commands every bit of respect and focus that you can provide, for if you give anything less, then kiss your lil ninja tail goodbye. This is a game that will test gamers focus with every turn. The original Ninja Gaiden for the 360 had its moments of frustration and this sequel is no different. A major improvement for the gamer is the ability to regain lost health after a fight. Instead of going through a battle now, taking damage, and then hopefully making it to another save point before you have to use your health items, the gamer's health will refill to a point. Ninja Gaiden 2 offers now a "red bar" that will steadily grow as you take damage in a fight. This is health that will not be restored at the end of the fight. Right now fans are breathing a sigh of relief, however, that is soon counteracted by what the enemies bring to the table.

This game will pit you in situations that are phenominally hard. When you start out there are 2 forms of difficulty. Acolyte and Warrior provide the "easy" and "medium" difficulties and for the common gammer not accustomed to Ninja Gaiden, they will seem like "hard" and "yeah right impossible." For instance there is a boss battle, that after you make it through that you have to immediately fight 8-12 more hard enemies, and THEN the level is over. If you should happen to expire while you are fighting these extra death dealers, then you will have to start all over at the main boss battle again, and then move on to the 8-12 enemies that already stopped you in your path. This will provide hours upon hours of challenge for the gamer, but will also allow a great feeling of accomplishment upon p@!%#*!ing levels and areas. I've mentioned the difficulties of Acolyte and Warrior, however, I have not begun to stress the challenge of the next 2 levels of difficulty, mentor and master ninja.

With the mentor difficulty you face an even greater challange that is not for the faint of heart. An increase in in the A.I. means that this difficulty will be a source for many sleepless nights and replaced controllers. This however, pails in comparison to the other difficulty setting, Master Ninja. For the common gamer Master Ninja difficulty will seem to them like the developers were sitting around and thought to themselves "what would a gamer never be able to beat?" I say this because Master Ninja is a difficulty that is beyond anything we interpret to be hard. Your ninja skills will have to be honed to a razor's edge in order to even stand a chance against your opponents in this difficulty. Enemies will attack, and attack, and attack again without hesitation. They will use every single move and method they can comprehend to end your journey right then and there. Upon completion of the Master Ninja difficutly gamers are awarded 100 gamerscore points, however, in my eyes they should receive a medal. If completion of mentor is an impossible challange, then completion of Master ninja will test gamer's devotion when faced with an impossible scenario. I can not stress enough the difficulty and frustration that awaits you in master ninja.

As I mentioned gamerscore earlier, this game provides users w/ creative achievements that force the gamer to explore and search the levels instead of just blasting through enemies and levels with a bloody sword (granted you can just do that as well if you so desire). Some of the achievements range from: completing certain levels, using only 1 weapon throughout the game, beating it on a certain difficulty, etc... This provides a great replay value for the game in that users will have to run through Ninja Gaiden 2 multiple times in order to gain a full 1000 gamerscore points. There are some secret achievements, however, with a little exploration most can be obtained fairly easily.


Graphics: The graphics on Ninja Gaiden 2 are absolutly stunning. Ryu comes to life like we have never seen him before and the battles are stunningly beautifull esp. when you have the oppertunity to view him in HD. The backgrounds, even for being rendered landscapes, provide a beautifull backdrop in every single level and help to institue a feeling of belonging to the gamer. This beauty starts from the very first min. the gamer puts the disc in the 360 and does not end till its all said and done. Gamers will see beautifull graphics on every level, from very well done water effects as well as some goregous fire detailing, and more.

This also means that every single battle that the gamer goes into will be done with absolute beauty. From your encounters with common enemies and foes to major boss battles and epic fights, everything is laid out for the gamer in one beautifull package. Seeing limbs and heads removed in such fluid HD beauty is something that you will be hard pressed to find in any other game. The graphics are truly top notch and its all thanks to the wonderfull developers at Team Ninja, who is also responsible for other graphically stunning games such as Dead or Alive. Team Ninja leaves no attention to detail out in the construction of Ninja Gaiden 2. The detail doesn't just stop at the landscapes in the background, but continues on to fill every single aspect of the game, from trees, to bulidings, everything is shone in a goregous p@!%#*!ion that will impress even the most critical of gamers. From old japanese villages, to modern day cities, to the depths of hell, every moment shines with stunning graphics.

The detail involved in the enemies are also very impressive. Every imperfection, every eye, every single small little detail is displayed for the gamers enjoyment. The detailing in Ryu's adversaries truly make for a graphically staisfying time. Gamers will see things from the flames coming from the eyes, or the bolts of lightning rain down from above, to the pavement of a street, to the subtle leaves of a tree. This game holds nothing back when it comes to graphics and is one of the most visually stunning games you can find on the xbox 360.

Audio: This is where I have to find a little fault with the game. Being an audio producer/dj I tend to focus on the music to help create the environment and emotion that will help define a gamer's enjoyment. I have recently purchased a copy of the soundtrack for the original Ninja Gaiden on the xbox b/c I wanted to do a direct comparison and see what improvements, if any are apparent. Sadly though I was disappointed.

The music soundtrack to Ninja Gaiden 2 does little to help the gamer immerse themselves into the level and the boss music sounds pretty much the same from level to level so there is little variation there as well. Also, there are no tracks that provide the same type of feeling that we once got when playing the original Ninja Gaiden, and for a game that took many years to develop I felt that this was a big disappointment. I was expecting a japanese influenced soundtrack that branched into intense dark electronic beats to signify intense situations that you will find yourself in, to the lull of softer music for when you are venturing around the levels. Unfortunetly I was fairly disappointed in the soundtrack, however, thats not to say that this game does offer some redeeming audio qualities.

The sound FX that the gamer will hear with every single swing of a weapon is done brilliantly. The clash of swords, the impact of projectiles, the boom of explosions, all of it and more sound crisp and clear and will leave the gamer wanting more. The voices of the bosses also bring out a sense of amazement. From the misleading softness, to the booming b@!%#*!, every boss has their own individual charcater and because of this and it brings the gamers of Ninja Gaiden 2 a treat when the times comes for the final confrontation. Ninja Gaiden 2 does have its faults in the audio department, however, when compiled against the big picture of the game experience, will leave gamers with a very enjoyable experience

Overall Score: 9.2 / 10

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