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Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon [Review]

Submitted by Casey White on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 15:25
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Overall Feeling: 

Blood Dragons is a love-letter to b-movie sci-fi films from the 1980s. It is genius in its satirical take on the iconic sub-culture of the material itself as well as video games in general. Fans of action movies, the 80s, satire, or just goofy action games in general will fall in love with this game before the tutorial is completed.

The Pros: 

+Great sense of humor. 

+Sense of loyality its inspiration (80s action films).

+Same great gameplay of its predecessor (Far Cry 3). 

+Stunning visuals (both the neon in-game, and the 16-bit cut-scenes).

The Cons: 

-Character customization has been almost completely removed to make way for a straight forward leveling system (earn a level, get a new game-choosen ability).

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
10

Far Cry: Blood Dragon is a perfect, or rather the only, example of what fans of the 80s sci-fi/action b-movie genre have been hoping for out of video games for about the last 30 years. Of course that’s a pretty ridiculous standard for Ubisoft to try and live up to… but it was refreshing to see how serious, or rather not-serious, the team building the game took the project.

Star Trek: The Game [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 11:15
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Overall Feeling: 

Dull, repetitive, and lifeless. These are words I would’ve never associated with the Star Trek franchise but they perfectly encapsulate the experience that’s to be had in Star Trek: The Game.  As a companion piece to the movies there may be an ounce of enjoyment to be had since the film cast actually reprises their roles, with some actual luster and energy to boot, yet that isn’t enough to save a game that feels dated and like it missed every ounce of potential it held. 

The Pros: 

+ The film cast does a good job retaining the vibe found in their theatrical performances, especially that of Chris Pine.
+ Some of the locales do provide a nice visual style worthy of the Trek franchise.
+ Music is absolutely stunning.
+ If you ever wanted a co-op Star Trek game then now you have it.

The Cons: 

- Levels drag on endlessly and it doesn’t help that the actual variety is low.
- Visuals are below average and fail to convey the style found in the movies.
- Gameplay is dull and overly repetitive.
- A.I., both that of the companion character and enemies, is shoddy and often glitch prone.
- Story is passable, but has some major weak points and an enemy that’s nothing more than a tool rather than an integral narrative component.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
4

For the last sixty years we’ve had the Star Trek franchise as a key part of our culture, or at least our pop/geek culture.  Starting off small in a TV series that was in some cases ahead of its time, which is partly why it got the boot, Star Trek has gone on to become a major element of both the sci-fi world and genre TV in general.  Now rebooted under the direction of J.J.

Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Thu, 04/18/2013 - 17:54
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Overall Feeling: 

Failing to build upon any of the established game mechanics or possible narrative elements that could’ve been explored, The Devil’s Cartel is an empty game that features some passable shooting which is plagued by lackluster controls, scenarios that feel repetitive, and a lack of any replayability outside of earning more cash to buy pointless upgrades and superfluous wardrobe changes.  Instead of improving on things we simply have a game that has somehow regressed and in turn assures that the Army of Two franchise will die with a whimper rather than going out with a bang like a true boss.

The Pros: 

+ Action is somewhat passable on a very base level.
+ Campaign is short so it’s easy to blow through in an afternoon and gain a hefty amount of Trophies/Achievements.
+ There’s a button/mechanic that allows you to blow stuff up. BIG EXPLOSIONS!

The Cons: 

- Plot is silly and characters lack any true chemistry or likeable traits.
- Action scenarios get repetitive due to shallow game mechanics.
- Glitches and random crashes are abound.
- Visuals boast a diversified color palette, but the fidelity is poor and borders on below average at times.
- Big Boi and B.o.B are in this game. Why?  What purpose do they have?

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
5

Sometimes even the best game concepts can result in an experience that’s completely and utterly stupid.

The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Fri, 04/12/2013 - 04:58
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Overall Feeling: 

Developed with the best of intentions, it’s clear that Terminal Reality wanted to do something special in The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct but couldn’t under the guise of the powers that be.  Such a scenario has ultimately resulted in a game that has interesting elements such as survival gameplay which includes survivors who can be left to die or thrive, but such a thing is coupled with dull level design and combat that is clunky and poorly designed.  Fans of The Walking Dead will likely be disappointed with what Survival Instinct does, but those wanting to experience a different type of zombie FPS should at least rent the game or pick it up once it’s in the $5 bargain bin.

The Pros: 

+ Norman Reedus delivers a solid voice performance as Daryl Dixon.
+ Some of the survival gameplay/survivor elements are interesting.
+ The game is short.

The Cons: 

- Combat is painfully dull and doesn’t feel that good.
- Level design is built around fetch quests that have contradictory design logic.
- Graphics are way below average.
- This isn’t the game fans of the series deserve.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
4

When a video game is bad word quickly spreads about just how terrible it truly is. In this social media powered era it’s somewhat shocking that in a span of a day or two the reputation of a game, or developer in the case of Sweet Billy, can be tarnished since gamers are indeed an ever chatty and analytical bunch.

The Last of Us: American Dreams - Issue 1 [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Sat, 04/06/2013 - 13:32
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Overall Feeling: 

Expanding upon the lore of The Last of Us, American Dreams delivers a brilliant narrative focused on character building and making us, the readers, immediately care about what’s going on.  Presented with some beautiful art that blends an element of style with reality without ever going over the edge, it’s nice to receive a comic that simply isn’t a marketing tool.  It may be too early to peg The Last of Us: American Dreams as a breakout hit of 2013, but as of now the comic is certainly on the path of such a thing if the first issue is indicative of the overall quality of the series.

The Pros: 

+ Writing is perfect in the tone it captures.
+ Faith Erin Hick’s art style really creates a wonderful mood in the game along with being nice to look at.
+ The story isn’t being too obvious in laying out clues or point blank telling us the history of everything.

The Cons: 

- This was only the first issue and I want more immediately.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
9

Taking something from one medium to another is by no means an easy feat nor is it one that results in immediate success.  At times some rather brilliant moves can be done when a film/TV show is expanded upon by becoming a novel or something else, yet most of the time it’s obvious we’re only receiving a franchise expansion as a means of a marketing tool.

Luigi's Mansion 2: Dark Moon

Submitted by Casey White on Sat, 04/06/2013 - 10:49
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Overall Feeling: 

Luigi’s Mansion 2: Dark Moon is a “Summer Blockbuster” of a video game. While you don’t walk away with anything of substance or any real lasting effect from the game, the enjoyment you get out of it is worth the cost of admission. As long as you’re not expecting deep game play, character development, or a compelling story-line, you’re sure to be happy with this particular 3DS purchase.

The Pros: 

+Fun and interesting game play

+Unique combat mechanic that never really gets old

+Inventive boss battles beyond the “hit me three times in the weak-spot” tedium

The Cons: 

-3D doesn’t really add anything to the game

-Some progression of Luigi would have been nice (he’s still terrified of his own shadow after clearing multiple mansions?)

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
8

Luigi has been a character that’s lived in his brother, Mario’s shadow for nearly three decades now. Sure, he’s had the odd outing of his own, most notably Mario’s Missing and Luigi’s Mansion, but at the top of this year Shigeru Miyamoto promised us this would be Luigi’s year. The focus, for once, is on the perpetual “player 2” this year, and it begins with a sequel to what is (easily) the best game that Luigi has ever stared in: Luigi’s Mansion.

The Art of Bioshock Infinite [Product Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Wed, 03/27/2013 - 08:11
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Overall Feeling: 

Fans of BioShock Infinite won’t want to miss this chance to take an inside look at what Irrational Games sought to achieve with their latest project and what sadly made the cutting room floor. Featuring images that are truly beautiful, The Art of BioShock Infinite features an amazing glimpse at the creative process of video game design leading up to when everything is in a playable form.  With a hearty amount of pages and a manageable price tag, gamers and lovers of video game art owe it to themselves to pick up The Art of BioShock Infinite.

The Pros: 

+ Layout is perfect since it features plenty of full-page art highlights.
+ Nice amount of focus on concepts that aren’t in the final game.
+ Brilliant art from beginning to end.
+ Price is very reasonable for the content that’s provided.

The Cons: 

- A bit light on the full creative process and development stories.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
10

Going through the creative process of a video game is always fun since so much stuff occurs during the three or sometimes five year cycle a game may be in active development.  If we can notice key differences when a game appears at an event like E3 and then finally hits retail then what could’ve gone on during a more extended time period?

Dead or Alive 5 Plus [PlayStation Vita Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Mon, 03/25/2013 - 07:05
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Overall Feeling: 

Suffering from some of the same issues that have plagued other fighting games that made the leap to the Vita,  DOA5 Plus is an enjoyable if slightly flawed game that is nonetheless still worth checking out.  Maintaining the same brisk and intense combat the series is known for, the only downsides to the arrival of DOA on the Vita comes in the form of visuals that are a bit uneven and the lack of any compelling or noteworthy bonus content.  Even with the game being a direct port of an almost year old game, DOA5 Plus is still a solid effort that will likely be enjoyed by longtime fans and those new to the franchise.

The Pros: 

+ Combat has made the perfect transition to the Vita.
+ Online play is smooth when it comes to match performance.
+ Having all the stages and characters unlocked from the start is nice.
+ Characters, at least some of them, look quite good in the game.

The Cons: 

- Graphics are uneven when it comes to character models and quality of the levels.
- Touch Fight mode was a complete waste of time and effort to put in the game.
- Online matchmaking can be a tad slow at times.
- The lack of major bonus content is disappointing.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
7

Once believed to be in a position similar to the early days of the PlayStation 3, the feeling that the PlayStation Vita doesn’t have any games is slowly beginning to fade away.  To most of us it’s apparent that the Vita does have some interesting games to play, but on the surface it may appear to some gamers that the console is a bit light when it comes to compelling or simply diverse software.  Things have indeed started off slow for the Vita, as is always the case with any hardware in the early days, but the momentum is beginning to pick up with the release of Dead or Alive 5 Pl

StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm [Review]

Submitted by Casey White on Mon, 03/18/2013 - 19:43
Posted in
Overall Feeling: 

Heart of the Swarm does what every good expansion/sequel to a Blizzard title (or game in general) should. It expands on the original concepts, without killing the reason we fell in love with it in the first place, and brings something new to the table. At first glance, the changes to the competitive gaming (easily the biggest part of the game for most gamers) seem subtle, but after playing with the new units for a bit, it’s easy to see just how drastically the game has been changed for all levels of gamers.

The Pros: 

+Improvements to the play and feel of the campaign mode.

+New units drastically reshape the gameplay in competitive, with subtle tweaks to the play-style.

+Top-tier production value that we’ve come to expect from Blizzard.

+Some of the most visually impressive gameplay and cinematics in the RTS genre. 

The Cons: 

-F*ck the Zerg.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
9

Does anyone else feel the connection between Blizzard Entertainment and Wolverine? Seriously, it’s been bothering me all week… Every time Blizzard comes out with a new trailer, a new game, an expansion, or whatever I hear, in my head, “We are Blizzard, and we’re the best at what we do and what we do is…” roll the title and display whatever it is they are showing off that particular day of the week.

God of War: Ascension [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Sat, 03/16/2013 - 07:51
Posted in
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.

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