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Final Fantasy Dimensions - Prologue and Chapter 1 [Review]

Submitted by Isaac Calon on Fri, 09/28/2012 - 08:57
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Overall Feeling: 

Mixed. If released twenty years ago, FFD might have occupied the same hallowed headspace as the Squaresoft masterpieces of the mid 90s—all the ingredients look to be here in more-or-less the right quantities, and no one would balk at the $29 price for a full console RPG. Today, though, you have a decent iOS RPG with above-average graphics, sound, combat, and character customization, but the cookie-cutter character archetypes and job system—beloved and well-designed as they are—do not justify the headline-making price tag.

The Pros: 

+ Everything you love about Square's "golden years" are here—super-deformed characters, emotional twists, moogles, airships, tough bosses, crystals, menu-based combat, equipment, accessories, summons, etc.

+ Pretty sprite-based character visuals and animations, great spell effects

+ Good touch controls with a short learning curve

+ We've seen it before, but the job system is pretty great

The Cons: 

- Everything you hate about Square's "golden years" are here—goofy translations, the same old moody characters, random battles, an evil empire, epic but often nonsensical plot, etc.

- Poor pacing with little character development

- A possible lack of value for the price when compared to other good iOS titles

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
6

You could argue that Square Enix is trying something courageous with Final Fantasy Dimensions (FFD). You could argue that, alongside the veritable firehose of tens of thousands of freemium iOS games, they have brought a complete, high-quality RPG to the platform and that they are paving the way for other triple-A titles to charge the appropriate amount for the experience. You could argue their goal was to take a strong step towards your i-device becoming the gaming system you reach for even when you're at home and capable of playing on a console.

I don't think that was their goal.

Anomaly: Warzone Earth [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Tue, 09/25/2012 - 12:55
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Overall Feeling: 

Far from being the next step in the genre or one that simply excels in every category, Anomaly Warzone Earth provides some enjoyable RTS action on the PS3 even though it isn’t a shining example of excellence in the genre.  Artistically the game stumbles through enemy designs that are far from captivating, but the gameplay is basic enough that it’s enjoyable despite not having as much control as other RTS/tower defense games allow.  It may not be the best RTS game ever, but considering the dearth of them on the PS3, Anomaly Warzone Earth ultimately stands out as it’s a valiant effort by developer 11 Bit Studios to keep the genre alive.

The Pros: 

+ Controlling friendly units and issuing special abilities is easy thanks to the control scheme.

+ The battles may not be epic, but the enemies do put up a good fight which encourages different tactics be used.

+ The gameplay is easy to get into, even if you're a novice RTS/tower defense player.

The Cons: 

- Art design isn’t that memorable and almost borders on being the epitome of generic.

- Battles become a bit predictable at times, partly because not a lot of control is given of the friendly units.

- Story is run of the mill if not completely forgettable.

- Co-op mode feels like an afterthought.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
7

Certain game genres may be plentiful on the core consoles, but one that is extremely rare to make an appearance is RTS games. A staple of the gaming industry thanks to its surge of popularity in the early to mid-1990s, RTS games have usually found their home to be on the PC in part due to how it’s easier to manage half a dozen units with a mouse rather than a game controller. Such an immediate control preference has resulted in RTS games being a rarity on consoles like the Xbox 360. 

LittleBigPlanet Vita [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Mon, 09/24/2012 - 10:38
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Overall Feeling: 

Providing the same engaging mix of platforming and user creations that surpass our expectations, the debut of LittleBigPlanet on the PlayStation Vita has been worth the wait as the game feels perfect on the device.  Without altering the very DNA of the franchise, a slew of perfect mechanics have been added in LBP which take advantage of the Vita but thankfully don’t feel too gimmicky. In fact, the Vita centric elements of LBP actually enhance the game greatly as they fit the general spirit and in some cases enhance existing things such as the robust Create mode.  The LBP series may not be as new as it once was four years ago, but thanks to the Vita LittleBigPlanet feels as fresh as ever due to the clever usage of motion/touch controls and maintaining the imagination driven spirit the franchise has always been known for.

The Pros: 

+ Vita specific controls such as tapping the touch screen or tilting the handheld feel perfectly integrated and work wonderfully within the game.

+ Story mode may be a bit short, both in length and amount of levels, but the writing is excellent and each stage is highly memorable.

+ Visuals are outstanding thanks to the diverse art design and the graphical power of the Vita.

The Cons: 

- Load times are a bit long when it comes to accessing user stages.

- Playing online with other gamers features some noticeable lag.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
9

It may take an excessively long amount of time, but eventually a video game developer will reach the much awaited occasion of hitting the sweet spot that is finding a perfect gameplay formula.  Reaching the goldmine that is inventive gameplay which connects with a wide audience isn’t an easy or cheap thing to do most of the time, but even when such a thing does happen how long it’ll last is an entirely different issue.  

Kung Fu Strike: The Warrior's Rise [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Thu, 09/20/2012 - 12:28
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Overall Feeling: 

Kung Fu Strike: The Warrior’s Rise is a throwback to classic martial arts films in every possible way due to it being simple, over-the-top, and just plain fun.  On the surface the game may seem rather easy given its colorful presentation, but beneath lays a rather difficult yet fun brawler that rewards patience and skill over endless button smashing.  Featuring a decent selection of stages and co-op support, Kung Fu Strike may not be one of the best XBLA games released in 2012, but it’s certainly one whose enjoyment can be appreciated by gamers looking to perform a spinning jump kick while battling warrior monks.

The Pros: 

+ Combat is easy but takes some skill to perfect.

+ Even with some design tropes the game manages to provide a consistent visual style that at times is actually nice to look at.

+ The experience may be long as there are only twenty stages, but there is near infinite replayability thanks to the co-op mode and the quest in perfecting individual stages.

The Cons: 

- Having a bit of additional combat depth would’ve been nice.

- A few of the stages do feel repetitive at times.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
8

Even though I may not have a black belt or have spent countless hours within a dojo practicing my craft, I’m a huge fan of martial arts.  There’s just something interesting about martial arts in general, not just for the element of kicking ass in a stylish way, but because it can say a lot about a person based on what style they practice.  We’ve seen a lot of games in the past go forth on a heavy martial arts journey, though it’s rare for these games not to be traditional 1 vs. 1 brawlers like Tekken or Mortal Kombat. 

Supermagical [Review]

Submitted by Isaac Calon on Wed, 09/19/2012 - 09:03
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Overall Feeling: 

It's easy to look past the overly cutesy story when you see Supermagical's gorgeous hand-drawn visuals, and you'll forgive some necessary grinding and softly suggested in-game purchases when you hear what is probably one of the best game soundscapes on the platform. The core mechanics of this puzzler—colour matching—were pioneered way back in the mid 90s with the Bust-a-Move games, but Supermagical adds a bit of depth to what existed and stacks powerups and allies on top. With a decent challenge curve it's a game that almost anyone can play and a strong bargain for the price point.

The Pros: 

+ Pretty graphics, better audio, and a consistent, unified theme tying it all together

+ Simple but varied gameplay complete with minigames; good challenge later on

+ Great value for you, your spouse, your kids, and your friends' kids

The Cons: 

- Childish; you won't fire this one up to show off your new iPad

- A bit grindy, and far moreso if you want to buy all the powerups in the game

- Not exactly pushing the medium or genre for innovation, though still well executed

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
7

I bought Supermagical on a lark when it was featured in the App Store—the coverage mentioned how charming the title is, and I had a road trip upcoming. While the game has a few minor flaws, it turns out my dollar was very well spent.

Resident Evil: Retribution [Movie Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Sat, 09/15/2012 - 14:40
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Overall Feeling: 

Resident Evil: Retribution is still an over-the-top movie which has people rappelling out of aircraft duel-wielding machine guns or a giant Licker roaming a faux Russia, but it’s a level of stupid action that isn’t inane or too fluffy; it’s just fun if you go with it and love that sort of thing.  A bit more mature in some departments, Resident Evil: Retribution tries some new things which work while others, such as the addition of established game characters, aren’t pulled off successfully due to somewhat shoddy writing and character development.  I don’t think Resident Evil: Retribution is an instant action movie classic, but it is good enough to have some fun with and it’s ultimately a continued improvement over past RE movies.

The Pros: 

+ The plot is a bit different, but it has some nice callbacks to past entries in the series, and is more reserved in getting to the action.

+ This may be the fifth time she’s portrayed the character, but Milla Jovovich does a good job portraying Alice and adding new dimension to the character.

+ Action scenes may be shorter this time out but thankfully they’re still shot well as everything is captured without shaky cam effects.

+ Once again Tomandandy deliver an excellent soundtrack that adds a nice layer to the film.

+ Albert Wesker (Shaun Roberts) is awesome. Seriously, make a spin-off movie or game just about him and I’ll be there day 1.

The Cons: 

- It’s cool to have Leon and Barry in the mix, but neither of them really does anything and they aren’t fully established as characters.

- The action oddly feels a bit shorter and a few sequences are missing an impact to fully convey what’s happening.

- The movie doesn’t feel unfocused, but at times it does feel like certain things were trimmed, though not affecting the meaning/impact of the plot.

- The directing and 3D effects are good but lack some of the flourish found in Resident Evil: Afterlife.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
7

When a movie goes on to spawn sequels so much that it becomes an established franchise it’s hard to know what to expect. In some ways we as movie viewers know that a few returning faces will appear and that the action will remain same more or less (swashbuckling sword action/martial arts brawling), but in some cases sequels in a franchise can feel like completely new movies by having a different tone or style.

Mass Effect 3: Leviathan DLC [Review]

Submitted by Isaac Calon on Tue, 09/11/2012 - 10:03
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Overall Feeling: 

Leviathan provides an interesting new chapter to the ME3 story, and it's clear that a good deal of thought and care went into both the narrative and encounter design, but it doesn't match ME2's best efforts, most notably Overlord or Lair of the Shadow Broker. The DLC provides some beautiful new areas to explore, answers questions and fills in some of the rich lore of the ME universe, and challenges the player with slight innovations during some stand-out action scenes. Still, with a misstep in revealing information too early and no truly difficult decisions to make, it's a little short and a little plodding for the price tag.

The Pros: 

+ Strong writing and voice acting, and some interesting, challenging twists on combat scenarios

+ Suitably creepy and mysterious, and well-paced overall with several ups and downs

+ New weapons, a new power, and decent payoff towards the main plot

The Cons: 

- Coming this late after ME3's release considerably lessens the impact of the events in Leviathan—I wish I could have played it on release

- Slower-paced "detective" work is fine at first, but once the player has exhausted the eye-candy and grown used to the mystery, sections can drag on

- Probably a little pricey for the value, especially when compared to past DLC

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
7

Commander Shepard's exploits, male or female, have sold millions of copies of their games in our universe, safe-guarded billions of aliens in theirs, and have made headlines in both by including the ability to punch out reporters mid-sentence and explore cross-species, same-sex, and even old-fashioned hetero loving with accompanying make-out scenes. The intellectual property has been much-loved and simultaneously reviled, most recently by the outcry over ME3's original endings.

Ratchet & Clank Collection [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Fri, 09/07/2012 - 10:54
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Overall Feeling: 

Joining exceptional HD remasters such as the Sly Collection, the Ratchet & Clank Collection retains what made the original games so much fun and in the process injects more visual flare thanks to high-res textures. The first three R&C games included in the collection exactly mirror their originals in the gameplay department so there may not be any surprising elements such as sudden integration of the PS Move or brand new content, but the games are still pure enjoyment from top to bottom.

The Pros: 

+ They may be old, but the gameplay in each of the three R&C games holds up incredibly well.

+ Insomniac’s style of writing is nearly flawless as there are loads of brilliant one-liners or pure gags in the games.

+ Idol Minds has done an excellent job at porting the R&C games in addition to giving them a visual boost.

The Cons: 

- Not having any supplementary content (bts videos, audio commentary, etc.) is kind of disappointing since this year marks the 10 year anniversary of the series.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
9

Years ago if you told someone that the video game industry would release old games done up in a higher resolution you probably would’ve been laughed at.  After all we didn’t see such a thing occur going from the PS1/N64 to the PS2/Xbox/GameCube outside of special things such as Capcom remaking the first Resident Evil game or Konami putting a twist on Metal Gear Solid via the Twin Snakes. These days it’s common practice to see a popular game from a previous generation surface again with HD visuals and perhaps a few other things to make gamers willing to double dip.

Papo & Yo [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Mon, 08/20/2012 - 08:53
Posted in
Overall Feeling: 

A brave example of what video games can achieve, Papo & Yo is a daring game that doesn’t hold back in providing a dramatic narrative to gamers that is neither dumbed down nor too heavy handed. On top of providing an emotionally deep narrative that never falters, Papo & Yo also provides the substance required as its platform centric gameplay is enhanced by a beautiful world that not only is nice to look at but feels alive thanks to the detail provided and the fact that it often moves and shifts during certain scenarios.  The premise of Papo & Yo may not be for everyone, but the game does an excellent job at tackling a subject matter some of us may be familiar with and in the process provides a game that is not only fun to play but delivers a strong message.

The Pros: 

+ Narrative is tackled perfectly and has the right amount of dialog and required exposition.

+ Gameplay is straightforward but is fun and enhanced by the favela world which often morphs and shifts.

+ Art design is amazing and is filled with picturesque moments that feel natural.

+ Feels unique top to bottom through quirky things like using cardboard boxes as hint tips.

The Cons: 

- A few odd glitches appear but none break the game.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
10

Sometimes I really wonder what goes on in this industry as things are kind of in a weird place.  We see entertaining games hit the market but many of those are simply retreads of one thing or another and in turn lack a certain weight to make the experience truly impactful, whether it’s in respect to the gameplay or the lasting impact it has on gamers.

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.

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