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Sleeping Dogs [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Tue, 08/14/2012 - 08:25
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Overall Feeling: 

Featuring a land we haven’t explored before and a mix-up in the core gameplay department, Sleeping Dogs easily delivers one of the best open-world experiences we’ve been provided with this generation.  Not molded after GTA nor  intent on capturing the over-the-top vibe of the Saints Row series, Sleeping Dog establishes its own identity which features engaging melee based combat, action oriented driving, and a narrative that feels fresh despite treading in familiar territory.  

The Pros: 

+ Melee based combat is thought out and has the perfect mix of direct fun while still being challenging.

+ Hong Kong truly feels alive and is designed in a way that’s both fun to explore and simply look at.

+ The story goes into familiar territory but is entertaining thanks to some good writing and amazing performances from the cast.

+ Gun combat doesn’t feel tacked on and provides some nice bursts of variety.

+ Driving doesn’t feel like a chore nor do the secondary missions that are strewn about Hong Kong.

The Cons: 

- The upgrade system for the fighting moves is a bit odd in how it’s presented.

- Some of the last few story missions feel out of place despite being fun to play.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
9

Sometimes we encounter a bit of an inner conflict during our life. Things such as a work dilemma or a relationship problem may make us think deeply about what we’ll want to do and ultimately what side we’ll land on. But such things are trivial when compared to a police officer working deep undercover. Obviously we likely won’t ever know what such a thing is like, but it can somewhat be ascertained that even amidst a den of thieves, thugs, and pure criminals there’s bound to be some friendships created or even an ounce of compassion here and there.

Hybrid [Review]

Submitted by Adam Ward on Tue, 08/14/2012 - 07:51
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Overall Feeling: 

Hybrid takes your typical third person shooter, turns it on its head, adds a jetpack and says go at. While it certainly carries a unique and refreshing twist on the genre, Hybrid's fast pace gameplay is not for everyone. Not to mention the lack of single player... Sup with dat? If you're a run and gun shooter fan, this game is for you.

The Pros: 

- Cover to cover warfare provides a unqiue flare to the third person genre

- The multiplayer map interface awards players with bonus experience

- Delivers all the basic game modes a multiplayer game should

- 3 on 3 action keeps the intensity on high

The Cons: 

- Lobby finder takes forever to locate a game

- No story mode

- Fast pace gameplay is not for everyone

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
7

Hybrid is some crazy stuff... and after playing it sporadically over the past week I'm still trying to figure out if that's a good or bad thing.

5th Cell, the team behind the awesome, if you think it, you can make it, Scribblenauts, took the idea of a third person shooter and changed it as we know it. Is it ground breaking? Meh. Is it unique? Hell yeah!

Gravity Rush [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Thu, 08/09/2012 - 10:16
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Overall Feeling: 

With a central mechanic that hasn’t been done before, Gravity Rush manages to provide an entertaining experience that’s enhanced by terrific art design and storytelling.  Despite a few flaws being more than present such as weak combat design and missions that fall into a familiar pattern, Gravity Rush still manages to be compelling since the central element of shifting gravity is truly that much fun.  In addition to featuring some beautiful art design and a world that feels like nothing we’ve seen before, Gravity Rush is one of the rare Vita games out there that is hard to put down since it provides pure entertainment from start to finish.

The Pros: 

+ Gravity shifting is both fun and actually has meaning for the core gameplay elements.

+ The world presented in the game is beautiful both artistically and graphically.

+ The game may be inspired by anime and manga, but the narrative does have a lot of substance to it without feeling too contrived.

The Cons: 

- With only two attacks and three special abilities the combat is rather lacking.

- The narrative may make the missions have an impact, but a few of them are lacking in the gameplay department.

- Boss battles get old rather fast due to their “hit the glowing red” spot routine.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
8

No matter from what perspective you look from it’s hard to find originality these days.  Unlike previous console generations, the arrival of the HD twins ushered in an attitude in which publishers opted to lower the risk vs. reward factor and merely go for the big reward i.e. selling a ton of units and making boatloads of money.  This in turn has resulted in games being released which are merely derivative of each other or are simply yet another installment in a long running franchise.

The Expendables 2: Videogame [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Tue, 08/07/2012 - 11:59
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Overall Feeling: 

Once again we have an ill-conceived game based upon a movie as The Expendables 2: Videogame is pretty much a complete time waster.  It truly is difficult to find something good about the video game debut of The Expendables since everything is poorly designed, doesn’t feel that good to control, and looks utterly terrible most of the time.  With none of the spark found in the actual film and a plot that doesn’t even match the events of the film its shares the title of, The Expendables 2: Videogame only serves as a guide as to how to make a bad video game.

The Pros: 

+ The voice acting is so bad that it’s funny. Seriously, the voice of Jet Li’s character is near comical in how racist and stereotypical it sounds.

+ If you like shooting at enemies that look like different types of Army Men then you’ll love this game.

The Cons: 

- Controls feel disconnected as there’s no sense of where the characters are aiming.

- None of the Expendables have the standout personalities like they do in the films.

- Plot is dumb, like Sunday afternoon TV D-grade action movie bad.

- Camera moves in some really awkward positions and pans out too far so at times it looks like ants are shooting at one another.

- Having a limited number of Expendables playable in the game is dumb.

- Missions end abruptly and basically have no variety to them.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
2

Sometimes it’s fine for a video game to be simple. As much as I may shout to the heavens about video games being original and pushing the boundaries of their particular genre I’m perfectly fine with blowing stuff up every two seconds without having to look deep within myself for some type of emotional meaning. Being a child of the late 80s/90s I was reared watching the glory days of action icons like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, and Dolph Lundgren in action classics such as Commando, Blood Sport, and Rambo amongst others.

Deadlight [Review]

Submitted by Casey White on Mon, 07/30/2012 - 19:27
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Overall Feeling: 

Deadlight is a unique blend of vintage side-scrolling adventure mechanics (in the vein of SNES/Genesis classic Flashback) with slick modern visual (akin to Limbo) that deals with some dark and mature themes surrounding a small group of survivors in a post-apocalyptic ‘end of the world’ zombie setting.  The game feels good, although vastly different from most modern ‘platformers’, and offers an interesting story-line focused around survival and rescue, with a nifty little twist in the third act. 

The Pros: 

+The storyline, while not completely original, is an interesting one and offers a little more weight than we generally see out of an arcade title.

+The controls are smooth and work well, even though they aren’t exactly ‘traditional’ for games of its genre.

+The length of the game is just about right, it fits snuggly in the ‘short but sweet’ category that arcade games should. 

The Cons: 

-There is no replayability for the casual gamer. Unless you’re a competitionist or an achievement whore when the game wraps up (just over 2 hours) you’re done for good.  

-Some of the artistic choices in the game mar the level design and can cause some unexpected deaths. 

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
7

In all honesty I’d nearly forgotten about the side-scrolling adventure genre. I say adventure as opposed to ‘platformer’ because what Deadlight, and its predecessors, provided is something much grander than what most people would associate with the term ‘platformer’ (namely titles like Mario, or Sonic). While it’s true the gameplay focuses around the same core mechanics: running, jumping, navigating through a labyrinth of 2D obstacles; the game styling is completely different.

London 2012 Olympics - The Video Game [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Fri, 07/27/2012 - 09:18
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Overall Feeling: 

As a sports game and one that just so happens to represent the biggest sports event in the world, London 2012 Olympics fails to make an immediate impression that is overwhelmingly positive.  The game does its best at adapting a variety of events in video game form, but ultimately none of them stand out since they feel repetitive and aren’t that much fun.  Lacking any immediate charm, enjoyment and everything else that makes for a fun game doesn’t help London 2012 Olympics as it’s ultimately a shallow experience that feels like it’s half a game.

The Pros: 

+ None of the games are too complex in such a way that it’s annoying to play.

+ Visuals are decent for what they are and don’t look last-gen terrible.

+ Some of the events do a decent job at replicating the rhythmic nature found in the actual sport.

The Cons: 

- Main Olympic mode is lackluster as it doesn’t represent the celebratory nature of the event.

- The various sports events may be different their nature, but the controls and game mechanics don’t do a good job at representing such a thing.

- Replayability is limited since the online modes are rather bare bones and there isn’t much to do other than Trophy/Achievement hunt.

- A few key sports are missing such a fencing which would’ve worked quite well in the game and provided nice variety.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
5

There aren’t too many things in the world which can have millions or in some cases a billion or so people completely enamored and unified in a sense.  With some countries favoring certain types of sports compared to others (such as the lack of appeal North America has for European soccer) it’s kind of understandable why the world isn’t one big happy family as dreamt of in things like Star Trek.  But outside of traumatic events, the world does occasionally band together in a slightly competitive but friendly way through the Olympic games.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Mon, 07/23/2012 - 12:03
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Overall Feeling: 

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD finally is a game that is filled with obvious passion and more importantly has the same addicting skateboarding action we all loved nearly a decade ago. A few things may be different and there’ll definitely be an adjustment period for those who played the original Tony Hawk games for fifty or more hours, but the end product is still one that’s fun and hasn’t lost its edge or appeal in any way.  There may be a few lingering things here and there that will slightly annoy longtime Tony Hawk fans, but in the end Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD is a return to the glory days of the franchise.

The Pros: 

+ Visuals are perfect and so is how the stages have been refined and expanded upon from an artistic perspective.

+ Controls are responsive so busting out tricks isn’t a problem.

+ There may not be a huge amount of levels in the game, but what’s provided is fun and still presents that same addicting desire to do a perfect run or achieve a 140K score.

The Cons: 

- HUD feels a bit cluttered or at least too big during gameplay.

- Not having a direct tutorial mode for any newbies may present a steeper learning curve.

- Multiplayer options are a bit barebones.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
8

The passion gamers have for certain things can be so intense that it’s almost unhealthy and a bit unfair to an extent.  Liking something is fine, but obsessing about every minute detail can result in an unhealthy obsession and in turn make it hard for developers to give provide what some people deem as an “adequate” or “faithful” experience.  We should definitely hold developers to a high standard but in the case of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD it seemed like some gamers were expecting the second coming of a gaming masterpiece like the industry receives once every decade.

Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Mon, 07/09/2012 - 13:40
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Overall Feeling: 

Despite being someone that hasn’t enjoyed the previous Lego games I walked away from Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes with nothing but a smile on my face since it’s that good.  Combining the things we know about Batman, Superman and their other super powered friends, Lego Batman 2 delivers a game that has engaging gameplay and more importantly has a narrative that isn’t scoff worthy or falls flat towards the end.  The game may not be perfect as things like the open-world Gotham don’t feel fully utilized, but if you’re a fan of Batman and want a fun game to play while we wait for the next masterpiece from Rocksteady then Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes is definitely worth your time.

The Pros: 

+ Gameplay is really fun and has a tremendous amount of variety.

+ Each of the heroes feels perfect and are used in interesting ways.

+ Graphically the game may not be a beast but it has a lot of charm and more importantly it looks good most of the time.

+ The writing and voice acting adds a lot of depth and its fun to see key characters react in unique ways.

The Cons: 

- Co-op play being limited to local only is just odd.

- Having an open-world Gotham is nice but it doesn’t feel like it was pushed to its full potential.

- A few of the stages drag on for far too long.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
8

I always like to try new video games since that’s not only my job as a writer extraordinaire but it’s what we as gamers like to do.  Most of us have our go-to games or genres, but every once in a while it’s good to pick up something new and give it a shot. With that said, I was never a fan of the Lego games by any means of the imagination. I don’t know if it was their simplicity, the whole Lego gimmick, or the somewhat shoddy controls, but whether it was Lego Star Wars or Lego Indiana Jones I tried my best to stay as far away from those games as possible.

Spec Ops: The Line [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Fri, 07/06/2012 - 12:52
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Overall Feeling: 

A complete surprise on nearly every front, Spec Ops: The Line manages to keep the entertainment factor high while delivering a game with a surprisingly deep message.  Perfectly balanced in the gameplay department with battles that require thought, strategy, and actual aiming skills, gamers looking for a competent action game will find just that plus more in the game as the pacing is perfect and the battles are ever intense. Spec Ops: The Line is a game that is impactful and is simply effective in showing that war can be a hellish experience that can break even the most skilled soldiers.

The Pros: 

+ Story is beyond good in how it makes players think about their actions and ultimately what the casualty of war is.

+ Combat is handled in a smart way with enemy encounters that are challenging and consistently intense.

+ The lighting adds a tremendous amount of mood to the game and presents some breathtaking visuals.

+ We may have yet another game starring Nolan North, but the voice acting is excellent as the main cast delivers stunning performances, especially that of Bruce Boxleitner as Konrad.

+ Dubai looks beautiful and doesn’t feel too gamey in how it was adapted for a video game.

The Cons: 

- Multiplayer is just kind of there and doesn’t feel like it’ll have a long-term community.

- Visuals look less than optimized in a few areas as there’s a lot of Unreal Engine 3 texture loading and pop-up.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
9

Despite being glamorized for years in film, TV, and even literature, war is ultimately a hellish experience that is devoid of any true glory or things that can make someone feel proud. Now that’s not to take away from the valor that soldiers have who are fighting overseas, but I think there’s a slight disconnect when people imagine what war truly is. Up until now we haven’t seen too many games depict war for the hellish experience that it is but Spec Ops: The Line does a wonderful job at balancing the reality of the situation while giving gamers something to sink their teeth into.

Max Payne 3 [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Thu, 06/28/2012 - 10:24
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Overall Feeling: 

The various churning gears in Max Payne 3 result in one of the best action games to ever be released. Filled with action that has a glint of realism to it while channeling the spirit of classic Hong Kong cinema, Max Payne 3 is an action game that knows what its strengths are and simply plays those up in such a way that they never falter during the single-player campaign. From the acting to how the combat feels and how thought out the multiplayer modes are its almost unreal how good Max Payne 3 is since it delivers on all fronts.

The Pros: 

+ Gun combat feels amazing in how the weapons react and how easy aiming is.

+ Graphics have loads of detail and small touches which make the world actually feel tangible.

+ The narrative may not have a GTA amount of depth to it, but Max’s dialog and the tone of the game is perfect for a Max Payne adventure.

+ The acting in the game is perfect as it feels completely natural and James McCaffrey is once again amazing as Max Payne.

+ Multiplayer modes bring some traditional goodness while instilling a mindset in gamers that isn’t CoD: Favela Edition.

The Cons: 

- Certain action segments may be too much for some people in how suddenly outlandish they can be.

- The special camera effects used during cutscenes can be a bit much at times.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
10

When something is taken from someone that can sometimes result in the person being broken to the point where they have no reason to live.  How is someone supposed to move on in their life when something they’ve cherished has been taken away from them, perhaps in an unjust way?  With Max Payne 3 gamers found themselves in a rare situation in which their feelings echoed those of the protagonist, this time a grizzled ex-cop with a penchant for hard liquor.

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