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Six Months Later: The Unfinished Swan

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Tue, 04/23/2013 - 10:01
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When it comes to altering the perception that video games have as a base form of entertainment that simply consists of doing nothing but shooting or throwing 50 yard touchdown passes, 2012 was a rather banner year. 

God of War: Ascension [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Sat, 03/16/2013 - 07:51
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Overall Feeling: 

Once again technically impressive, the ever amazing visuals can’t save God of War: Ascension from being a rather tepid and disappointing game.  Lacking a true sense of soul and direction, Ascension seems to be all over the place with pacing that never finds its footing, combat that is riddled with small issues that prevent it from feeling refined or evolved, and a story that literally does nothing to advance or deepen the existing God of War mythos.  Aside from a surprisingly deep and fun multiplayer mode, this latest entry in the God of War series sadly shows major franchise fatigue that will likely have the biggest fans of Kratos disappointed with what has been delivered to them.

The Pros: 

+ Beautifully rendered worlds with varied art design.
+ Set-piece moments are impressive for their sheer size and scope.
+ Voice acting is solid as always, even in the case of Kratos being scaled back.
+ Multiplayer mode is implemented well and is rather addicting.

The Cons: 

- Pacing feels uneven and in some cases comes across as padded to lengthen the experience.
- Story is disappointing as it fails to expand the lore and further build up Kratos as a character.
- Combat feels uneven due to weak sub-systems and frustrating enemy habits.
- A lot of the puzzles and even the boss battles feel like they’re on autopilot since there’s no spirit to them.
- Sound design is horrendous and the soundtrack is lackluster compared to the works of Gerard K. Marino.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
7

The ever fierce warrior that is Kratos has returned for battle once again, yet this time the adventure he embarks on isn’t as memorable as his past efforts. As gamers I think we always have a lingering fear in the back of our minds that one of our favorite franchises may grow tiring, even if it maintains a level of quality that puts other titles to shame.  Rarely do we see top-tier games fall into a rut of things seeming complacent, but with God of War: Ascension such a thing is apparent in a game that despite the stunning visuals feels a bit stale and simply tired.

New PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale DLC Includes A Space Engineer and A God

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Wed, 02/27/2013 - 19:45
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Despite SuperBot Entertainment and Sony parting ways out of nowhere, the DLC plans for PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale aren’t being given the boot – at least for now.  After the arrival of the Fury Level and the arrival of Kat (Gravity Rush) and Emmett (Starhawk) as playable characters, PS All-Stars is set to receive yet another new level mash-up and two more characters.

Sony Ends Contract With SuperBot Entertainment, PS All-Stars Fate Uncertain

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Tue, 02/05/2013 - 07:42
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After taking to the stage during the PlayStation E3 2012 press conference, Sony is now showing SuperBot Entertainment the door in one of those ways akin to pushing out a would-be retiree out the door About Schmidt style.  Sony has announced that they’ve opted to cut their contractual ties with SuperBot Entertainment.

A Glimpse Into God of War: Ascension [Developer Interview]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Wed, 01/30/2013 - 10:23
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For nearly ten years the God of War franchise has been a staple of the PlayStation brand. First arriving on the PS2 in an almost unassuming fashion given it’s arrival in the lifecycle of the console and it’s somewhat humbled origins, God of War has since gone on to become the face of the PlayStation brand as well as being one of the premier titles in the action genre.

God of War: Ascension Multiplayer Impressions [Hands-On Preview]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Mon, 01/07/2013 - 07:45
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If there’s one important thing that this generation has taught both gamers, developers, and publishers it’s that hot trends do indeed have a major impact.  In some cases it’s easy to push aside a trend as nothing more than a fad for that given moment, but at other times it’s hard to deny the growth something has received and how it almost immediately becomes part of the DNA of the industry for better or worse. 

PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Mon, 11/26/2012 - 10:17
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Overall Feeling: 

PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale may fall short from being a complete celebration of the PlayStation brand due to some ho-hum design and presentation choices, but as a brawler the game excels at being fun.  Thanks to a nice amount of depth in how moves can be pulled off, PS All-Stars goes beyond being a button smasher as some thought needs to be put into battles, especially those that take place online or in a local competitive romp. If you’ve been a longtime fan of the PlayStation brand then PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale will likely put a huge smile on your face once you pick the controller up and suddenly see Sackboy deliver a suplex to Nathan Drake.

The Pros: 

+ The characters feel good to control and it’s amazing to see how they’ve been transformed for a fighting game.
+ Graphics stay consistent and feature some impressive effects and scale.
+ Controls are easy to get a grip of.
+ Online action is mostly free of annoyances such as lag or slow matchmaking.

The Cons: 

- Lack of a more cohesive or well-rounded story in the Arcade mode is disappointing.
- Certain characters don’t feel broken but could do with some more tuning.
- Presentation lacks a PlayStation personality to it as its plain in some areas.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
8

To a lot of people out there playing video games is nothing more than an occasional hobby, something that’s done to pass the time while on the bus or serving as the only outlet they have to be an all-star quarterback or take the Chicago Cubs to World Series and actually win.  Like anything, there are different levels of fandom since some people look at gaming as an intense passion and something they hold close to their heart.

PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale Final Boss Revealed + Intro Video

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Thu, 11/08/2012 - 11:29
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Sony may not be doing their best to promote PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale considering the game comes out in less than two weeks, but such a thing ultimately won’t have an effect on the overall quality of the product.  Debates about the similarities between PS All-Stars and the Smash Bros. franchise will likely continue until the planet Earth is invaded by aliens or suddenly goes boom, but the team at SuperBot Entertainment have done something that will likely please everyone who has been a PlayStation fan since day 1.

God of War: Ascension Multiplayer Beta To Kick Off Next Month + New Video

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Wed, 10/24/2012 - 09:22
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You wouldn’t think that’s such a thing is happening due to the lack of hype thus far, but a new God of War game is coming out five months from now.  Not a direct continuation of God of War III, Sony Santa Monica is nonetheless continuing the tale of sorrow, bloodshed, and anger in God of War: Ascension.  So far we’ve seen what the game has to offer in a brief single-player snippet and today we have more footage showcasing the new and somewhat controversial multiplayer mode.

Starhawk Developer Lightbox Interactive To Issue Layoffs, Potential Studio Closure Inbound [Update 2]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Wed, 10/17/2012 - 15:23
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Some rather sad news has surfaced today which may sting hard amongst those in the PlayStation 3 camp.  Official news hasn’t come in through the expected sources, but word has it that Starhawk developer LightBox Interactive will be issuing major layoffs and could be on the cusp of closing entirely in the next few days.

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