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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.

Papo & Yo [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Mon, 08/20/2012 - 08:53
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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.

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.

Dirt Showdown [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Mon, 07/30/2012 - 13:09
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Overall Feeling: 

Despite coming from a good pedigree that has proven to be entertaining in the past, Dirt Showdown in an uneven experience that wants to combine two racing elements into one cohesive experience yet fails in the process.  Codemasters didn’t stumble by greatly altering the mechanics of Dirt, but the ensuing changes in race types and the general tone of an event results in a game that’s far removed from the skillful racing the series is known for and is also miles away from reaching the fun offered in games such as Burnout.  With content that quickly becomes repetitive, Dirt Showdown ends up being the perfect example of what not to do when creating a spin-off for a popular game.

The Pros: 

+ All the cars still feel good to drive and are totally responsive.

+ This may be the fourth game in the series, but the visuals in Dirt Showdown are as pleasant as ever.

+ The UI may not be as slick as past installments, but the game still sports a unique and highly effective presentation.

The Cons: 

- Event types are dull, lack skill most of the time, and become old hat extremely fast.

- There’s not enough new content to actually justify Showdown being anything more than a DLC add-on pack or a mid-tier digital game.

- Gymkhana events still don’t necessarily capture the true essence and scope of the sport.

- The announcer redefines annoying.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
5

As gamers we always expect something very specific from the games we play. Most of the time it’s standard to expect a game within a particular genre to deliver something such as a stealth game actually entailing stealth tactics to be utilized. But on top of games fulfilling their genre specific traits, it’s also common for specific franchise games to be held to a certain set of expectations that if in the hands of an able development team are usually met. 

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.

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.

Ghost Recon: Future Soldier [Review]

Submitted by Casey White on Mon, 06/04/2012 - 11:33
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Overall Feeling: 

Ghost Recon Future Soldier takes the core concepts of the Clancy franchise of games, and in particular Advanced Warfighter, then speeds everything up. The political intrigue and complex plot-lines involving world powers playing covert games behind the scenes are still there, with a much more fluid and quick-feeling gameplay. Fans of Tom Clancy will appreciate the themes of the game, while gamers in general will appreciate how fluid everything feels now.

The Pros: 

+The speed of the gameplay has been greatly improved and feels more fluid.

+The toys offered by the game, flying drones, magnetic vision, EMP grenades, etc. are a lot of fun.

+Gun Smith mode should be the new benchmark in video game weapon customization.

The Cons: 

-The multiplayer is extremely niche, requiring a specific kind of gamer-mentality to be enjoyed.

-Kinect features feel a little tacked on and still have that ‘novelty’ feel.

-The story has a tendency to be lost in the game’s more fast-paced/action oriented style.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
7

I think my love of shooters in general is pretty well known by this point. Generally speaking if there’s an action/shooter than needs to get the ‘professional opinion’ on Shogun Gamer, it’s something that’s slid across my desk. What a lot of people probably don’t know though is that I’m an even bigger fan of the sub-genre of ‘tactical shooter’. I’ve been following along with game series like Splinter Cell and Ghost Recon since their inception. Rainbow Six still has my favorite moments in gaming, of all time.

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