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Switch Galaxy [PlayStation Mobile Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Wed, 03/06/2013 - 09:08
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Overall Feeling: 

Simple, fast, and incredibly effective, Switch Galaxy is a thoroughly fun entry to the PlayStation Mobile library since it has a premise that is perfect for short gameplay bursts.  Easy to control yet filled with depth due to the way tracks are presented, Atomicom has done a wonderful job at doing something different within the arcade racing genre and in turn have delivered one of the must-own games for the PlayStation Mobile platform.

The Pros: 

+ Gameplay is tight, fast, and fun.
+ Music has a nice collection of subdued yet futuristic sounding buttery beats.
+ A surprising amount of depth is provided thanks to tracks with multiple paths to take and ship upgrades to acquire.
+ Visuals are consistent and look incredibly smooth.

The Cons: 

- Art direction could’ve used some more variety.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
9

A new old-school arcade inspired racing game has arrived on the PlayStation Mobile service which thankfully isn’t mediocre or almost perfect – instead it’s simply addicting.  Developed by the team at Atomicom, which comprises of former veterans of the classic UK studio Psygnosis, Switch Galaxy is a simple title at its core, but the gameplay featured in it is what makes games with an arcade edge so addicting.

Chimpact [PlayStation Mobile Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Wed, 02/13/2013 - 08:23
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Overall Feeling: 

Providing an almost puzzle like take on the platforming genre, Chimpact is a fairly straightforward and pleasant PlayStation Mobile game that thankfully doesn’t falter with its focus on touch controls. The amount of content within the game somewhat bleeds together as things are similar, despite the addition of secondary content which has only minimal effects on the experience, but as a simple PSM game Chimpact is worth your time if you just want to have an easy going gaming experience.

The Pros: 

+ Graphics are lush in their crispness and how fluid everything is.
+ Levels have some nice variety to them along with a steadying rise in difficulty.
+ Price point is good for what the game offers.

The Cons: 

- Gameplay could’ve used some more interaction within the environment to help deepen things.
- Touch controls are slightly sensitive and it doesn’t help that the game lacks a tutorial.
- The chimps have no character to them that makes them appealing other than their cute facade.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
7

Partaking in a bit of light-hearted gaming is always good for the soul since endlessly playing action games or trying to do a perfect lap on a particular course can ultimately eat away at our gaming souls. So what better way to let loose and relax a bit than with a new PlayStation Mobile game in which we send a cute chimp flying. No, Super Monkey Ball has not gone the PSM route as a completely original game has arrived in the form of Chimpact.

Gun Commando [PlayStation Mobile Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Thu, 01/24/2013 - 11:09
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Overall Feeling: 

The style may not be suitable for those with a tea-bagging/Doritos/Code Red sensibility, but for people fond of older FPS games such as DOOM then Gun Commando is certainly worth checking out.  Far from being short in the content department, Gun Commando delivers an experience that feels accurate for the era it’s trying to mimic and more importantly it’s simply a fun game to play thanks to the almost endless amount of replay and entertainment it provides. 

The Pros: 

+ Concept is amazing in capturing the old-school vibe.
+ Both control methods work well.
+ Level design and boss battles are engaging despite their simplistic tendencies.
+ Price is perfect.

The Cons: 

- Default control sensitivity is a bit too touchy.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
9

Despite the attitude that may be present today, the first-person genre has indeed evolved over the last twenty-five years.  There may be a current creative malaise abound which has FPS games being nothing more than carbon copies of each other in the hopes of being the much sought after big thing in the gaming world, but back in the early to mid 1990s things were vastly different. 

Radiant Flux [PlayStation Mobile Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Fri, 01/18/2013 - 11:22
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Overall Feeling: 

As a throwback to 8-bit shmup games there’s a small sliver of enjoyment to be had in Radiant Flux but it’s not enough to rescue the game from the mediocrity it rests in.  The brutal difficulty of the game may be appealing to some, though the lack of unique character in the art direction and gameplay department will leave a feeling of disappointment and potential regret over spending $3 for the game.

The Pros: 

+ 8-bit visuals are decent for what they are.
+ Those who favor a challenge will enjoy what the game offers up to a point.

The Cons: 

- Art direction lacks character.
- D-pad only controls are a hindrance.
- Production seems slightly shoddy through lack of game options and inability to actually pause the game.
- Level progression is poor since everything blends together too much.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
3

The games continue to roll on PlayStation Mobile and the latest offering to arrive on the service is none other than a new shmup game.  Right now some of you out there may be groaning upon reading this since the shmup genre is one that’s a bit too easy to tackle when it comes to making small indie titles whose purpose is to deliver a rich gameplay experience as opposed to jaw dropping visuals.  I don’t think the shmup genre is completely played out in the mobile space just yet, but the arrival of Radiant Flux on PSM does prove that not every title can be an absolute gem.

Life of Pixel [PlayStation Mobile Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Sat, 01/12/2013 - 05:18
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Overall Feeling: 

You shouldn’t let the premise alter your perception since Life of Pixel is far from being a perfect nostalgia trip.  A hearty amount of passion may be felt within the game due to the premise and era appropriate art direction yet the end result is a game that is rather shallow due to gameplay that has no spark and is plagued with design issues.  Ultimately Life of Pixel is a title that is simply missing the magic of the games it drew inspiration from and is far from becoming one of the more memorable titles to arrive on PlayStation Mobile.

The Pros: 

+ Longtime fans of video games will adore the premise.
+ The different visual styles of each console is replicated well.
+ Price is affordable.

The Cons: 

- Level presentation is lacking character due to missing elements.
- Most stages rely on luck rather than skill.
- Platforming becomes tedious over time.
- One music track = repetition to the max.
- Levels are rather short.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
5

An ever constant element of our culture is that of nostalgia. No matter what generation it may be, there’ll always be a time in which people will want to recollect on what once was, either to relive the glory days or merely look upon something that was once part of their life.  Prior generations were fond of looking back at old TV shows or glam rock music, but these days people seem to be interested in looking at old video games.

Haunt the House: Terrortown [PlayStation Mobile Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Wed, 01/09/2013 - 09:21
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Overall Feeling: 

Adding a little humor and charm to PlayStation Mobile without being overly saccharine, Haunt the House: Terrortown is an enjoyable offering that’s simply hampered by its dearth of longstanding content.  The gameplay within Haunt the House is easy to get into and is filled with laughs, yet it does seem to be lacking a sense of skill that would push it over the top in the fun department.  Minor gameplay shortcomings aside, there isn’t much to harp on in Haunt the House aside from the small selection of levels, which even then provide a nice amount of fun.

The Pros: 

+ Premise is fun and well executed.
+ Art style is perfect for the tone and is one of the most polished games to appear on PlayStation Mobile.
+ Controls are easy since performing ghost possessions is a breeze.

The Cons: 

- Content is a bit lacking due to the small selection of levels.
- Gameplay feels a bit underutilized in how things are presented.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
7

At times it can seem like a given project, or a service in this case, can be practically dead due to the lack of info or promotion we receive for it.  Usually at the end of the day what makes something a hit no matter what is whether or not people know about it, and in the case of the PlayStation Mobile it seems like not a lot of people know that the service provides quality games.

Crash Planets [PlayStation Mobile Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Wed, 12/19/2012 - 08:49
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Overall Feeling: 

Evoking shades of the mid-tier/low budget PS2/PSP games that are released in Japan, Crash Planets has a concept that is silly yet could’ve made for a fun game if it wasn’t for the constant control issues that plague the experience.  Compared to the other key offerings made on PlayStation Mobile within the last two months, Crash Planets is a valiant effort considering its origins, but it fails to meet the standards that make for an entertaining game, even when looked upon as a bite-sized adventure.

The Pros: 

+ The concept may be strange but at least it’s original.
+ Content is varied within the main mode.

The Cons: 

- Both the analog stick and touch controls feel less than responsive and completely undermine the experience.
- The blaring techno music feels out of place.
- There really aren’t any gameplay, narrative, or visual hooks since everything is barren.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
5

It didn’t exactly take long, but the first game made by an average Joe has hit PlayStation Mobile in the form of Crash Planets. Perhaps I shouldn’t had used the term average Joe since not everyone out there possesses game programming skills, but Crash Planets does mark the first time in which a game has been released on the PS Store that was made using the publicly released PS Mobile SDK (software development kit).  So in a lot of ways Crash Planets is a true indie game in the purest sense but that doesn’t translate to an exceptional gaming experience.

Surge [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Wed, 12/12/2012 - 08:46
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Overall Feeling: 

Taking an established formula, Surge injects a massive amount of originality into the puzzle genre thanks to an engaging touch mechanic and gameplay that is surprisingly nail biting.  The game as a whole may be simple in it’s approach and direction, but Surge is far from being yet another forgettable puzzle game since it’s one of the more well-rounded games to not only appear on the PlayStation Mobile platform, but the puzzle genre in general.

The Pros: 

+ Gameplay has the perfect balance of accessibility and engaging difficulty.
+ Touch mechanic works well within the game.
+ Having bonus Trophies and Leaderboards is a nice addition.

The Cons: 

- Game would’ve benefited from having an additional mode, especially a free-for-all with custom options.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
9

It’s never easy for a video game to take form no matter what the concept is.  At times a certain base may be in place, but for a developer to take that and try to create something that’s new and feels fresh is no easy feat at all.  Trying to figure out how to take something that sounds good on paper and make it be fun to play can at times prove to be far too difficult to actually make a reality; especially when it involves the puzzle genre. 

Puzziball [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Wed, 11/28/2012 - 10:25
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Overall Feeling: 

Serving as the perfect example that we should be cautious of free games, Puzziball is a shallow title with mechanics that aren’t dreadful yet aren’t entirely fun.  The small amount of stages within the game that aren’t paid DLC may be enough to keep someone busy, but Puzziball is so forgettable that I doubt anyone will be motivated to play the game past the first themed world.

The Pros: 

+ It was free and the download size is small as it’s only 69MB

The Cons: 

- Gameplay is dull.
- The amount of free content is somewhat small.
- Art style is horrendous in a mid 1990s kind of way.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
3

Sometimes when an item is free it can either mean two things: company x is being nice to us or the product is so bad that it’s obvious a decent profit won’t be made.  It’s somewhat rare for games to be free, yet every now and then we are lucky whether it’s a piece of DLC or in this case a new title for the PlayStation Mobile platform.  Being an open minded gamer and one that’s always on the search for new titles to play on my Vita, I decided to download the completely free game that is Puzziball.  Too bad that the game ultimately turned out to be so painfully bad to play that

Alien Breed [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Tue, 11/27/2012 - 08:53
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Overall Feeling: 

As a reminder of the more simpler days of the shooting genre, Alien Breed holds up well today as it’s neither a dull shooter nor is it an arcade one that can be easily completed in twenty minutes. Combining the best of both worlds, Alien Breed has gameplay that’s accessible yet has a rather enjoyable grinding nature that encourages exploration.  With a nice collection of content thanks to two existing releases and the addition of eight new levels, Alien Breed is a welcomed addition to the PlayStation Mobile software library.

The Pros: 

+ Both the classic and enhanced visuals are nice to look at.
+ Gotta love the creepy OST and shriek of the aliens.
+ Controls are simple and totally responsive.
+New levels offer some nice variety alongside the more natural stage design.

The Cons: 

-  Not being able to switch between classic and enhanced visuals in between levels.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
8

There are some video games out there that are so good that they simply become timeless.  No matter how far certain graphical or gameplay leaps may be made, there are a select few games out there that simply remain good no matter how old they are.  Titles like Pac-Man and Doom can stand the test of time even if they don’t have HD visuals since at the end of the day what makes a good game is how good the actual gameplay is.  Now the classic shoot-em-up action of Alien Breed has been re-released for a younger generation and yes - the game is still that damn good.

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