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House of the Dead: Overkill - Extended Cut [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Thu, 11/03/2011 - 11:04
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Overall Feeling: 

As an on-rails FPS game House of the Dead: Overkill – Extended Cut offers plenty of thrills and tons of laughs from the moment you start the game up until the cliff-hanger ending.  There’s not much in the way of genre defining elements in Overkill but the grindhouse vibe and comedic elements does help elevate the game beyond just being yet another run-of-the mill arcade title.  The only downside to the raucous romp of blood and comedy is that some of the action drags a bit and certain boss battles are only tolerable when you have a buddy helping you out.  House of the Dead: Overkill – Extended Cut may not be great, but it’s a more than passable on-rails game that in a way is a one of a kind product.

The Pros: 

+ The grindhouse presentation is handled in the perfect way without feeling too gimmicky.

+ Humor may be adults only type of fair but it’s really damn funny and never over stays it’s welcome.

+ Bonus mini-games are a nice time-waster.

+ Local co-op play is an always appreciated addition.

The Cons: 

- Boss battles tend to drag on far too long and with no major change in attack scenarios.

- Some of the levels drag on for way too long without the immediate rollercoaster ride factor that’s expected from most on-rails games.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
7

Video games are supposed to be fun but rarely are they completely balls to the wall whacky when the situation calls for it.  Each game is supposed to have its own identity and tone, but it’s rare that we see a video game that tries to make us laugh or opts to provide an experience that is filled with so many weird moments that it in a way eclipses the general gameplay.

Ace Combat: Assault Horizon [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Wed, 11/02/2011 - 07:13
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Overall Feeling: 

Assault Horizon may present a drastic change in the Ace Combat series but the more Western approach taken in the game pays off exponentially.  Far from being a complete masterpiece of the flight sim/action genre, Assault Horizon does provide an extremely good base of how to make a game exclusively set in the air entertaining.  With lots of mission variety and stunning action moments thanks to the Dogfight Mode mechanic, Ace Combat: Assault Horizon is a totally unique game that thankfully doesn’t feel like an ill attempt at adapting an existing franchise to fall within the Call of Duty mold.

The Pros: 

+ Jet controls feel perfect and have the right mix of accessibility and skill required for advanced maneuvers.

+ Dogfight Mode is a terrific addition and thankfully doesn’t make the game too easy.

+ Story presents a mostly level-headed tale that feels real and isn’t hackneyed.

+ Mission variety is incredible and offers some tense moments towards the latter half of the campaign.

+ Visuals are nice across the board and in particular the fire and damage effects are top notch.

The Cons: 

- Some missions can drag on for way too long.

- Apache and bomber based missions present some nice variety but simply aren’t as much fun as the main jet missions.

- Online modes leave a bit to be desired.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
8

These days war games can be put into two distinct categories: modern warfare based FPS games or sci-fi based FPS games.  In between those two not so distinct types there may be a few titles here and there that branch off into another realm like an RTS for example, but the dominant force nowadays is developers force feeding us a FPS game with a “gritty” war feel to it.

Dance Central 2 [Review]

Submitted by Casey White on Mon, 10/31/2011 - 22:32
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Overall Feeling: 

The games mechanics and tech have all been given the upgrades that the fans requested. The new options for voice control on the menu system and the integrated co-op that allows you to dance with your friends at the same time are welcome additions to the game. The track-list however is a little south of 'impressive' and could have used a little more of that classic Harmonix awesomeness.

The Pros: 

+Voice controlled menus make navigation quick and easy.

+The integrated multiplayer allows you to dance together.

+The same gameplay that made DC1 the best launch title for the Kinect is back and refined.

The Cons: 

-The track list is pretty weak, which is kind of important for a game that's supposed to make you want to get up and dance.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
7

When Dance Central launched alongside Xbox's newest peripheral, the Kinect, one year ago (Happy Anniversary Kinect!) it was hands-down the best received game to take advantage of the hardware. To be fair, it wasn't a particularly stellar launch line-up to be fair... but even still a rhythm-based game from Harmonix is always a welcome addition to any new medium.

Spider-man: Edge of Time [Review]

Submitted by Casey White on Mon, 10/31/2011 - 21:52
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Overall Feeling: 

Fans of Spider-man as a series may appreciate the all-star voice-acting cast that bridges together the iconic Peter Parkers of the past and the numerous nods to the franchise's hertitage. It's just unfortunate the whole thing is wrapped around lacklustre combat and a game that forgot that it's swinging that brings the true visceral thrill of being Spider-man to life. 

The Pros: 

+The best voice-acting cast of a Spider-man game, ever.

+Tons of references to the TV series and comics, both braisen and obscure.

+Stellar writing that takes advantage of the classic Spider-man wit and intelligence.

The Cons: 

-Bland combat that forsakes the classic free-flow style of the previous series.

-Everything takes place inside in-doors which means there's not a lot of room to swing.

-Everything 'game' about the title feels uninspired, and worse like a back-track for the series as a whole.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
6

To provide this review with a little bit of a context, Spider-man has been the only comic book series I've followed with any regularity since the early 90s when I first got into comics. While my interest in other series waned, and I found myself focusing more on other pursuit, Spider-man has always had a knack for swinging me back around and keeping my interest over these many years. Oh, and you can add on to that the fact that a number of Spider-man games will forever be on the top of my lists: Spider-man 2, Maximum Carnage, Separation Anxiety, etc.

X-Men Destiny [Review]

Submitted by JJ Webb on Mon, 10/31/2011 - 20:36
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Overall Feeling: 

Everything you will experience in X-Men Destiny you have had before, and better.  The repetitive button mashing combat, the basic dialogue choices, the subpar levelling up system all fail to bring anything fresh to the table.  That's not to say that there is no fun to be had in (insert developer hear) title.  If you are indeed an X-Men fan you still might have to dig deep, but the enjoyable moments will happen.

The Pros: 

+X-men characters look great and they use a healthy variety of them.

+Certain moments in the game pay off and you're left feeling happy that you are a nerd.

+Voice acting for all the main characters feels proper.

The Cons: 

-None of the elements of gameplay feel polished.

-Way too much unused potential for this universe.

-Levels are very linear with a ton of invisible walls.

-None of your choices in the game really feel like they have an affect.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
5

Some of my fondest memories as a kid were waking up on Saturday mornings, getting a bowl of the cereal that had the most sugar in it, and sitting a foot away from the TV and watching the 1990's X-Men cartoons.  So you should understand the excitement I originally felt over a year ago when an X-Men action/RPG was announced for current Gen consoles.  You might also, upon further reading, understand my disappointments with how it simply falls short...on almost every occasion.

Infamous: Festival of Blood [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Mon, 10/31/2011 - 08:13
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Overall Feeling: 

Infamous: Festival of Blood may be a rather simple and short side-adventure in the Infamous world, but it’s definitely a memorable one that should be experienced. Building upon what the series is known for, developer Sucker Punch delivers some nice action and new powers along with continuing their forte of having relatable characters and fleshed out stories.  Festival of Blood isn’t a one trick pony that will only be fun to play on Halloween but instead serves as a terrific adventure in the Infamous world and I hope we see more like it in the future.

The Pros: 

+ New powers like Shadow Swarm are fun to use and changes up the gameplay slightly.

+ The city of New Marais hasn’t undergone a massive change, but the festive vibe of the town and darker color palettes really add to the atmosphere.

+ There aren’t too many new enemies but fighting vampires and Bloody Mary is fun.

+ PlayStation Move controls feel good and don't hinder the game in any way.

The Cons: 

- Final boss battle left a bit to be desired.

- Campaign length and bonus quest length may be too short for some since everything can be wrapped up in around four hours.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
8

Ever since it first hit the PlayStation 3 in 2009, the Infamous franchise has become synonymous with classic comic book storytelling – all done wonderfully through the medium that is video games.  There may not be any comic book pros or legends on the staff of developer Sucker Punch Games, but the Infamous series has always delivered the perfect mix of realism and complete fantasy with characters that have true depth and personality to them.

Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Thu, 10/27/2011 - 12:04
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Overall Feeling: 

Skylanders: Spyro’s Adventure isn’t the Spyro reboot that fans of the series were hoping for, but the end result is an imaginative game that has some interesting concepts. The world of Skyland may not be appealing to a wide range of older gamers, but young kids will likely be captivated by the world of Skyland and the task of becoming a Portal Master.  The unlikely scenario of using action figures to access game characters brings a nice element to the game that isn’t just rooted in corporate greed but instead tries to provide a physical presence to a video game and in that respect it succeeds.

The Pros: 

+ Using the Portal and actions figures brings a nice twist to the game.

+ Gameplay is very easy going but slightly addictive due to leveling characters up.

+ Battle Mode offers some nice competitve fun.

+ Portal and action figure tech works well.

The Cons: 

- Gameplay variety is a bit limited.

- Story is slight run-of-the-mill kids’ stuff that isn’t as balanced as it could be.

- A few aspects of the art design are honestly a bit hard to look at.

- No online components really hurt the experience since cross-country Skylander battling would’ve been great.

- Some of the dialogue is really, really, really grating.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
7

It’s interesting to look back over the years and see how the video game industry and games as a whole have evolved.  Back in the day the jump games used to make would simply consist of a bump up from 2D visuals to 3D and so on but now games are something more than that.  These days we have video games that fully rely on motion control while others specifically utilize game-specific peripherals – which has become a love it or hate it situation amongst some.

Battlefield 3 [Review]

Submitted by Casey White on Wed, 10/26/2011 - 23:53
Posted in
Overall Feeling: 

Battlefield has always been a series focused on co-operative team play, massive battles encompassing land, sea, and air as well as a showcase of a variety of different military vehicles. The 'third' instalment of the series doesn't diverge from the tried and true formula, but does make some much-needed tweaks to the over-all gameplay to advance the series into the modern generation of FPS titles and beyond.

The Pros: 

+Team-focused combat sees a return, and gets some balance tweaks.

+Impressive graphical upgrades over the series predacessors. 

+A more compelling single-player campaign then previous ventures.

+Bigger better battles that let you take the fight on virtually every front.

The Cons: 

-The main story feels like it cribs a little to heavily from Call of Duty.

-A couple of bad-apples can ruin the experience real quick, as you are reliant on your teammates.

-The flashlight/laser sight system can be abused for annoyance VERY easily.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
8

Outside of the Bad Company sub-series, Battlefield has never been a series that's been held up by its deep or interesting story. What story was offered in the games previous was little more than an introduction to the mechanics of the game; an extended tutorial if you would. That's probably the reason why Battlefield 3's story-mode isn't getting a whole lot of focus from reviewers. Reviewers and gamers alike will be jumping into the game with one focus in mind, and everything else as a secondary.

Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Mon, 10/24/2011 - 08:59
Posted in
Overall Feeling: 

Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One takes the franchise in an interesting direction that doesn’t quite pay off. Playing with some friends is nice at first but the experience quickly becomes tiresome due to repetitive gameplay that in a way is missing some of the charm the R&C franchise is known for.  Exotic weapons and humor may be abound in All 4 One though it just isn’t enough to elevate a mediocre campaign and gameplay that as a whole has been slightly toned down to accommodate a wider audience and multiplayer support. Ratchet & Clank veterans may want to give All 4 One a go merely to see what sort of adventures the game has to offer, but just be ready for a Ratchet: Deadlocked type experience - a game that’s almost forgettable after you spend four hours with it.

The Pros: 

+ Multiplayer action is relatively easy to get into and doesn’t make the game feel crowded.

+ Nothing radical may have been done, but the art design and visuals are still charming.

+ Voice acting is still terrific and adds a tremendous amount of character to the game.

+ New weapons are fun, whether using them in tandem with teammates or by your lonesome.

The Cons: 

- Missions tend to drag on way too long.

- Boss battles are simple and never break away from a standard “stand on closed platform, shoot boss 50 times” routine.

- Story really holds no weight and is disappointing all around when considered as the start of a new trilogy or merely as a spin-off.

- Levels feel too open and don’t have too many showcase puzzle or platform elements.

- Friendly A.I. is usually decent but it can glitch out at times and do simply stupid things.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
6

There are a lot of established franchises out there that for some reason or another continue to hold our interest. For nearly a decade Insomniac Games has worked hard on keeping our interest piqued by the Ratchet & Clank franchise, which is one of the few platforming games still available today. Becoming a staple on the PlayStation 2, the Ratchet & Clank series has thrived as the adventures of the Lombax Ratchet and the robot Clank have continued on the PSP and of course the PlayStation 3.

Kirby's Return to Dreamland [Review]

Submitted by Jen Alaggia on Mon, 10/24/2011 - 06:57
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Overall Feeling: 

The new Kirby game manages to avoid the same-y feeling of platformer sequels by adding cool new gameplay features and accessible multiplayer. If you've played previous Kirby games you know what to expect, but it's a very fun play through nonetheless.

The Pros: 

+Excellent classic Kirby gameplay

+New copy abilities for this version, including Super Abilities

+Fun mini-games

+Four-player co-op easy to jump in and out of

The Cons: 

-Relatively short

-Multiplayer characters very uneven

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
8

Kirby is back in a new adventure in classic Dreamland style. This new true-to-form game sees our pink ball of hero running through Dreamland to help a crashed alien to collect parts to repair his spaceship. In order to blast through the levels Kirby collects copy abilities ranging from the new Whip and Leaf, to the old and missed Ninja and Wing.

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