The Reviewcast

Lego Harry Potter is an action-adventure puzzle game, developed by Traveler’s Tales and published by Warner Bros. It was released on June 29th in North America, and June 25th in Europe. The game is based upon the Lego Harry Potter line, and the game covers all the plot points from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. (Books 1-4).

Those familiar with the story and details of the Harry Potter franchise should easily understand what the game is trying to convey with its incessant actions to portray dialogue, witty tie ins to the books and the movies, and inside jokes. However, those people that have stayed away from the Harry Potter series for so many years, will find the cutscenes in this game rather odd.

The game kicks off in Year 1, Harry is being dropped off at his Aunt Petunia’s and Uncle Vernon’s after his parents have both been killed in a horrific murder. He lives with them for a while, only discover that he is actually a wizard, and has been invited to attend the magical school of Hogwarts. The game progresses and Harry teams up with two fellow wizards, a red-head Ron Weasley and know it all Hermione Granger. Throughout the game, Harry, Ron, and Hermione will be the three main characters that the player can call upon to help solve various puzzles, tasks, or complete lessons.

Any Lego game veteran is already familiar with the basic format of the Lego series. Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4 doesn’t stray too far from that path; however, it does have its own unique ideas that it brings to the table. For example, rather than each level being at a set in stone location, with it’s own set pieces, you will notice that you do a lot of wandering around in the same locations, during Lego Harry Potter. Doors and objects that you couldn’t pass previously, will seemingly open up later on in the game as you learn more spells and become more experienced in the game.

Since this game is seemingly geared toward a younger audience, there is a guide that shows you the way to your next task. He takes the form of a ghost, and he leaves bits of Lego pieces, in a path, so you can follow the trail and know where you are going.

The “Hub World” for the game is located in The Leaky Cauldron and Hogwarts. Like previous Lego games a hub allows players to go between levels and in Lego Harry Potter Diagon Alley and Hogwarts function as hub areas, however Hogwarts is a constantly changing environment and includes a number of puzzles and opportunities to unlock new characters within itself. The Leaky Cauldron is where you can wander around, purchase new characters, buy new spells, unlock different cheats, and experience the building of Gringotts, which will be discussed later.

The puzzles in the game are pretty straightforward, and they shouldn’t be too frustrating for any certain player. A basic puzzle could include moving Lego pieces from point A to point B, and stacking them up in the order they are shown in a picture. Where the more thought out puzzles would task you with building a bridge out of Lego pieces to cross a certain section, with no tips or hints on how to do so.

Each character (generally Harry, Ron, or Hermione) has their own unique attributes that help aid you along your puzzle solving and collecting. For instance, Ron can use his pet Scabbers to crawl through tight spaces, and unlock switches to doors that couldn’t be reached previously. Hermione is exceptional with books, so she is able to solve puzzles that involve bookcases, and bookshelves. Another example, is controlling Hagrid’s dog, Fang to dig out certain areas, and progress through the levels that way. Having each character have a special attribute is what makes the game enjoyable, and each puzzle you stumble upon, refreshing.

Along with different characters having different abilities, throughout the game you will be told to attend “Class” where you will attend a lesson and acquire a new spell to use in-game. You start off with a simple lifting spell, Wingardium Leviosa, that allows you to interact with various objects, build Lego pieces that you see lying around, and play around with characters that you see wandering around. As you advance you will unlock spells that deal with all sorts of things. Some spells fend off certain enemies that you encounter, others put Pixes in a blue bubble, so they will drop what they are holding.

Potion Making is another integral feature that the game introduces. This involves collecting different bits of a potion, to get the effects that you want. For instance, certain areas of the game require you to be a specific character to progress. In this situation you would create the Polyjuice Potion, and “shapeshift” into that character. Other potions grant you “Super Strength”, while others make you invisible temporarily.

Once a level is all said and done, the player has the opportunity to replay that level without the limitations of the story. Free Play. This is exceptionally great if you are wanting to complete everything there is to the game, and collect everything available.

Collecting is one of the forefront of any Lego game, and this is no exception. Much like other Lego games Lego Harry Potter has a large number of collectibles for players to discover; there are over 100 unlockable characters, 200 golden bricks for players to collect and levels also include ‘students in peril’ which players can attempt to rescue. Gold Bricks are awarded for any number of things, and are typically the most common form of collectible you’ll find during your adventure. Unlike other Lego games that feature “10 Kits” in each level, Harry Potter offers 4 sections of the Hogwarts Crest for each level, that you can choose to discover along the way. Collecting objects in Lego Harry Potter isn’t necessarily hard; however, you will have to dedicate a fair amount of time to collect them all.

After you have collected a fair amount of golden bricks, you are given the opportunity to travel down into Gringotts, and complete some Bonus levels, and mess around with the in-game level creator. The Bonus levels aren’t like the normal levels found during the game, however, these are special levels that require certain tasks to be completed before moving onto the next section. These levels are alright, at best. But they are required if you are planning on going for it all.

The graphics look wonderful for a Lego game. Vibrate colors, unique Lego set-pieces and designs, are what you will see when you pop this disc in. However, the music is what really sets the game up for a trip through nostalgia lane. The music will be familiar to any fan of Harry Potter. When wandering through the castle of Hogwarts, you will be presented with the familiar Harry Potter theme song. In addition, other locations in the game have unique music to go along with them as well, that really set the mood for the game.

The game features splitscreen multiplayer only, and does not have any form of online co-op as of now (keep your figures crossed). I played through a big chunk of the game with my brother, and the game was at its best with a co-op partner. This is because puzzles in the game were easier to manage with another human player, rather than having the CPU doing his side of the work. If my brother and I were to separate the game would automatically go from our one screen, into splitscreen. This was a great feature that I appreciated immensely. It masked all the “No! Don’t go there yet!”‘s and the “Wait for me! I can’t get passed this, come back and help me through before you go on!”‘s because we could each do our own thing without fear of dragging either one of us with them.

The Achievements for this game aren’t necessarily difficult to unlock, but they definitely won’t be the quickest. A minimum of two playthroughs is required to obtain them all, and a good chunk of time will have to be allowed to obtain your coveted 1000. Typical to most other Lego Games, there are achievements for completing every chapter in the game, collecting an assortment of thingamajigs throughout, and doing character specific tasks that require you to think outside the box. Some of the rather unique achievements include turning down all the sound and sound effects in the library, or scaring 20 characters with a Ghost character.

The bottom line is this, if you are a fan of the Lego game series, you will not be disappointed with this addition. Better yet, I’d be willing to say this will be one of your top Lego games to date! Along the same lines, if you are at all a Harry Potter fan, then I’d suggest giving this game a shot. It will present familiar situations from the books and movies, and will give players the opportunity to live out their Harry Potter fantasies. With it’s unique charm, humor, and gameplay, the game is a standout in the Lego series. I will give this game an enthusiastic thumbs up!. This game is $50 brand new, and with a few discounts and some sales, it’d be hard not to add this to your collection.

Alan Wake is a psychological action thriller game developed by Remedy and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360. It is played like a third-person shooter, and was released on May 18th, 2010 in North America and May 14th, 2010 in Europe.

The game opens up as you are introduced to Alan and his wife as they are entering the mysterious town of Bright Falls. What they think is going to be a mini-vacation, only turns out to be something far worse. Alan is a prolific writer who, as of late, has been having a terrible case of writers block. Alan hasn’t written anything for nearly 2 years, and in order to overcome the writers block, Alan’s wife, Alice, thinks he can find some inspiration for his next story at Bright Falls.

Alan and Alice arrive to the shore, and immediately go to retrieve their keys from the local diner. They become acquainted with their cabin at Cauldron Lake, and along the way get into a bit of an argument about why they are really spending time at Bright Falls. Knowing Alice’s extreme fear of the dark, Alan ventures into the night to get away from her for a while. Little does he know someone, or something has approached Alice and taken her away.

Alan’s new goal: Save Alice and discover the mystery of the town Bright Falls.

What is seemingly normal by day, becomes an entirely different animal by night. Bright Falls inhabitants are somewhat normal, everyday people. However as the sun goes down, and the lights go out, the town turns into something that is mysterious in its own respect. Darkness takes over the town, and possesses its inhabitants and the objects in the town.

The story of Alan Wake is one of the greatest aspects the game has going for it! I would delve more into the overall plot of the story, because there is a lot more to tell. However, for fear of spoilers, I’ll leave it at here. One of the greatest experiences of the game is figuring out what exactly happened to Alan and his wife Alice. Why the characters act the way they do at night, and all the other mysteries presented in the game.

A prequel to the game was released before the game came out. These are short episodes that set up the initial atmosphere of the game, and small plot elements. These episodes, titled “Bright Falls”can be found in the Alan Wake Game Discussion thread, in the Game Discussion forums.

Alan Wake is told in an episodic format, with 6 episodes in all. Each episode is of varying lengths, some are roughly an hour, while a few last up to 3 or 4 hours. I almost wish that the game would have stuck with the shorter episode lengths, and just added more episodes into the game. Because this is where the game really shines! When the episodes last longer than just an hour or so, you start to feel as if you are just rambling around, seeing the same scenery that you’ve already seen for the past few hours. Most of this is when you are wandering through the forests in the game.

Each episode opens up with a “Previously on Alan Wake” scene. Where it highlights what events happened in the previous episode. This makes for excellent stopping points, so when you boot the game back up, you can easily remember what just happened in the plot. Along the same lines, each episode concludes with some sort of cliffhanger or plot changing twist, that really makes you want to continue playing. In this respect, the game really feels like you are playing a television show.

Another neat thing the game does to add to the atmosphere is close each episode with a song from a real-world artist. These song wrap up the chapter, and relate to the events that just occurred in the chapter.

Alan Wake is not a scary game in any respect. However, some of the moments the game presents really add to the tension of the game. These mostly occur when Alan finds himself in a tight situation, without a gun and without a light source. You are left to fend for yourself, and survive until you can reach it to a safe checkpoint, or house/cabin that will have the materials you need.

The narration from Alan and the manuscript pages you find throughout the game do a great job off filling in the gaps left in by the game. This helps add to the atmosphere of Bright Falls, and it creates a better understanding of the characters and the town.

Another thing the game does is use advertising and product placement to make real life products, known. Such as when Alan Wake answers his phone he flips open a Verizon Wireless cell phone. Or when he recharges his batteries he picks up the Energizer batteries to replace his with. Billboards shown in the distance are also used to advertise real life products.

The gameplay of Alan Wake is great, but not excellent. It focuses on light and guns to fend off animated objects and possessed townsfolk. Alan can use his flashlight to weaken enemies and finish them off with bullets, or use a flare gun to vaporize any enemies in the vicinity. Turning on generators will cause nearby lights to activate, creating safe pockets for Alan to stand in. These safe pockets of light are the checkpoints of the game.

The combination of light and gun elements in the game really flows well throughout the course of the game. When enemies are approaching, you have to concentrate on using up your flashlights battery, inserting new batteries if you are to run out, then firing whatever gun you are using (pistols, shotguns, hunting rifles, etc) and reloading that as well. Combat is easy to learn, and you won’t have any trouble coming up with different strategies to use to beat the darkened enemies.

Flashlights also come in all different designs as well. Each having it’s unique advantages or disadvantages. The “Heavy Duty Flashlight” has a considerable durability upgrade compared to the old one. Later on you can get two different variants on flashlights as well as get your hands on another light source known as the lanterns. These drain significantly faster, but have a wider range and do more damage to the shadows surrounding your enemies.

Besides the conventional weapons like the gun and the flashlight. Alan is equipped with flares, flashbangs, or the Flare Gun. All of these weapons remove the darkness of enemies so you can have the opportunity to shoot them. Some of these are more common than others in the game, but all of them are useful in tight situations.

Alan Wake features a few driving elements that are basically “Go from point A to point B” making brief stops along the way. Each car is equipped with the headlights that can be used to shine light on the enemies, and then run them over to destroy them. The driving elements in the game aren’t necessarily fun, but they aren’t boring either. At least for me, I would sometimes find myself running down a path looking for the next waypoint, or collectibles, when I would realize I had been running for a while and not seeing much. I had neglected to realize I was supposed to be driving a car at this point and had to travel all the way back to get one.

There are a few puzzles in Alan Wake. Mostly consisting of finding the keys through various obstacles to unlock a door you saw previously. Or working your way through a barn or a cabin, to try to come out at the other size. The puzzles are all cleverly done, but nothing really stands out as especially challenging or unique.

For the completionists out there, there is a lot to collect and discover in the game. Manuscript Pages, Coffee Thermus’s, Television Programs, Radio Broadcasts, Cultural References and the works are all presented in the game for the player to play for a long time.

The Manuscript Pages are the most notable of the collectible items in the game. These pages are scattered throughout the course of your adventure. Some are placed along the way, others are off the beaten path. However, collecting them all will present a broader scope for the story, and each manuscript outlines the going-ons of other characters, events, etc. that are taking place, are that are going to take place in a short while. What is really neat is the fact that in order to collect all the Manuscript Pages you must replay the game on Nightmare difficulty to fill in the missing gaps. Once you find a Manuscript Page, you can then listen to the main character, Alan Wake narrate what is presented on the page.

The Coffee Thermus’s are hidden in various places during the game. On kitchen cabinets, on a desk, on a picnic table in the woods, everywhere you would expect to see a thermus, there is one. The Coffee Thermus’s don’t do anything for your character or your experience in the game, but they are there for your to collect nonetheless. There are 100 of these out there for you to discover and collect.

Television Programs, Radio Broadcasts, and the Cultural References all pretty much go hand in hand. In different rooms or cabins in the game, you will sometimes stumble across a television or radio that you can turn on and view/listen to what it has to say. These sometimes give you an insight to what is currently going on in the town, or it shows something that relates to your current situation. The Cultural References are pretty much signs and posters that you can learn more about if you are in a new location.

The graphics of Alan Wake are well done, as far as graphics go. In game places, and characters are finely detailed, and outlined. During the cutscenes the screen turns into a wide-screen format, and this only enhances the character’s appearances further. I already outlined the music at the end of each episode, however the music presented in game is well done as well. Everything about Alan Wake only adds to the overall experience of the game, music included.

Alan Wake does not feature any sort of multiplayer experience. So the adventure is all up to you! You alone can discover the world of Bright Falls and save Alice, along with Alan and his partner Barry.

As promised, Downloadable Content has been said to be on its way in the near future. Those of you that buy the game new, will be receiving the first downloadble episode free of charge. Others will have to pay $10 for another Alan Wake experience. An additional episode has also been announced, which everyone will have to pay the 800 Microsoft Points for.

In conclusion, people are going to have mixed opinions on Alan Wake. But as far as I’m concerned, Alan Wake is a fresh experience, topped with interesting characters, and a unique setting. Some may fault the game on its awkward pacing, and drawn out scenes, however, you become so absorbed in the game, that you shouldn’t even notice this. Everything the game sets out to accomplish adds to the atmosphere of the game. The music, graphics, characters, setting, plot, all give the game a Twin Peaks feel to it. Which isn’t a bad thing by any means. I give Alan Wake an enthusiastic thumbs up! for being something different, and standing out from the traditional third-person shooter. However, if you don’t see yourself enjoying this game at full price, I’d highly recommend purchasing it if you can find it for $40 somewhere. It’s definitely worth it!

Pokemon Heart Gold and Pokemon Soul Silver were released on March 14th, 2010 in North America. Both games are enhanced remakes of the original titles Pokemon Gold and Silver. The games are developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo. Heart Gold/Soul Silver are adventure RPG games, where the player collects, trains, breeds, and battles with Pokemon that they find on their adventure.

The Pokemon craze has hit NoobToob. There are many avid Pokemon fans that are chatting it up about the game, and others that refuse to even speak the word Pokemon. With both sides of the spectrum noted, this review is intended to give the “Pokemon Haters” a fresh new perspective of the series, and hopefully allow them to realize that there is something for everyone in a Pokemon game. Additionally, I hope that this review gives Pokemon fans that were hesitant to pick up HG/SS, a reason to want to buy the game as soon as possible.

I’m going to attempt to review this game from the perspective that the reader knows little about the Pokemon universe, because some of you may not. However, I’m not going to go into every little detail, just the important ones, as to keep the interest of those familiar with the series. And plus, I want to leave some aspects of the game for the person to discover for his or her self.

The story of most Pokemon games is fairly straightforward. HG/SS doesn’t deviate from this method. HG/SS takes place 3 years after the events of Pokemon Red and Blue. The region the player is now located is known as the Johto Region, and in this region new Pokemon species have been discovered, and new gym battles are ready to be challenged. The game kicks off with the protagonist, whose name is chosen by the player, visiting Professor Elm’s Lab to deliver a special gift to the neighboring Mr. Pokemon. To do this task, Professor Elm allows the player to choose from one of the three starter Pokemon to take with him/her on their travels.

Soon into the game, a mysterious character breaks into Professor Elm’s Lab and steals a Pokemon for himself. You have now got yourself a rival, who will challenge you to battles throughout the course of the game. Events unfold, and you soon interact with the nefarious Team Rocket. Team Rocket has a scheme, as usual, to try to control Pokemon from wrongdoings, it’s your job to stop them, all the while trying to become the Pokemon Master.

Plot and Story isn’t really Pokemon’s strong point, the game really shines with the collecting, training, and adventure aspect of the game. Along with trying to stop Team Rocket and their evil plans, the player’s main goal is to collect all 8 gym badges and conquer the Elite 4.

Along the way, players will travel from town to town, talking to people, completing small missions in order to progress, and battling wild Pokemon in caves, grass, or water. The game is in third person while the player is traveling. They are able to visit houses, heal their Pokemon at PokeCenters, or even buy stuff at the local Pokemon Mart. When the player is en route to go to the next town, they have a higher chance to battle wild Pokemon.

The game uses real time to make the appearance to the game differ. If you are playing during the morning, the scenery will look drastically different than when you are playing your game during the night. Along with this, the Pokemon you can catch are affected by the time of day. Some only appearing during the day, and others only at night.

Gym Battles are a special point in the game, where the gym tests the players skill and the Gym Leader awards the player a shiny badge for being victorious. Each gym badge is spread throughout the game, and can really be used as a checkpoint of sorts to allow the player to note their progress in the game. Each gym consists of a mini puzzle the player must solve, with trainers to challenge them along the way. Once this is all done, the player has the opportunity to face the Gym Leader for the Gym Badge. Each Gym is unique in the fact that it focuses on one particular Pokemon type. For instance, you could be battling a gym where their forte is Electric Pokemon. That means it wouldn’t be wise to bring in a bunch of Water type Pokemon, because you know you have a higher chance of being defeated.

There are 8 gym badges in all and once all 8 have been collected, the player can then tackle the real challenge. The Pokemon League. It has been your goal from the beginning to vs these 4, best of the best, trainers. The Elite 4 tests your training skill and battling skill, forcing to prove whether or not you truly are a Pokemon Master.

The wild Pokemon vary from area to area, so collecting them all isn’t as easy as simply staying in area and completing battle after battle. The player must explore, and adventure throughout the land of Johto in order to further complete their Pokedex. In order to add a Pokemon to his/her Pokedex, the player must battle the wild Pokemon and then catch it using a Pokeball, and its other variations.

Battling in Pokemon is fairly straightforward. When a battle is initiated, the view switches from a third person perspective to a battle screen, in which the player sees their Pokemon and HP on one side of the screen, and their opponents Pokemon and HP on the other. The bottom screen of the DS consists of 4 options that the player can choose from in order to finish a battle. Fight, Bag, Run, and Pokemon are all four options from which the player can choose.

Depending on the type of Pokemon, the Fight option allows the player to select from four moves, some of which will deal damage to their opponent. Other moves, however, can raise your Pokemon’s stats during the battle, or lower your opponents. If the player is battling a trainer, then their goal will be to make their opponents Pokemon faint. But if they are battling a wild Pokemon, the player has a chance to throw a Pokeball at it to catch it. The chance of catching a wild Pokemon differentiates according to a variety of factors. HP, Level, Pokeball strength, etc. all play a factor in whether or not the Pokemon will be caught.

The Bag option is similar to the Bag that the player can access from the menu screen when they are not in battle. It allows the player to use items they have collecting throughout the game to heal their own pokemon, raise their stats, or throw a Pokeball at their opponent. Items can be used strategically in order to win battles.

The third and fourth option are to switch out your Pokemon for one that is better suited to win the battle, and to Run from a wild Pokemon.

Pokemon come in a variety of types. These types include Fire, Water, Grass, Psychic, Electric, Rock, etc. and most combinations thereof. It is vital to capture and train Pokemon with varying types, so you are not weak against any certain type of Pokemon. This is because the battling aspect of the game is essentially a complex Rock-Paper-Scissors. For example, a Fire Pokemon will be stronger against a Grass Pokemon. Grass is better against Water. Water is better against Fire.

However, the complexities arise because there are not only three options to work into this web. There are nearly 20 different types of Pokemon, all with their strengths and weaknesses. Another example would be how a Ghost Pokemon is strong against other Ghost Pokemon, and Psychic Pokemon. However Psychic Pokemon aren’t strong against it. The combinations of types, strengths and weaknesses, may be a bit overwhelming at first, but you will have the basics down in no time, and you will begin to realize the importance of knowing which Pokemon are good against which Pokemon.

Pokemon types aren’t the only thing that play an important role in winning a Pokemon Battle. A Pokemon’s stats and level also play a key part in finding yourself victorious. A Pokemon’s level is determined by earning experience by battling against Pokemon in the wild or those owned by trainers. Once you have earned enough experience, your Pokemon will grow another level where it has the chance to learn a new move, or potentially evolve. The higher the Pokemon’s level, the easier it is to take down a Pokemon of lower level, regardless of type.

Training and evolving Pokemon is one of the highlights of the game to me. As your Pokemon grow in level, not only do they become stronger, some also have the chance to change appearance slightly. By doing this, your Pokemon is still the same Pokemon, just in a different, usually stronger form. These Pokemon are including in the “Gotta Catch Them All” phrase, so if you really want to be the Pokemon master you are going to have to collect, train, and evolve all the various types of Pokemon in the game.

Breading is another aspect of the game that people seem to enjoy. Some stop trying to be Pokemon Trainers, and would rather be known as Pokemon Breeders. That is fine. Breeding consists of giving two of your Pokemon to the day care, and allowing them to produce an egg version of the female Pokemon. Breeding is beneficial because you can produce multiple copies of a certain Pokemon, and bargain them off for trading. Breeding also can improve the Pokemon’s base stats, essentially making them stronger than they would be later on. Or allowing them the ability to learn specific moves that they wouldn’t have been able to learn if you hadn’t breeded them.

Pokemon HG/SS is a real nostalgia trip for some players. Because the game is more or less a replica of the original Pokemon Gold and Silver games, players will be familiar with the towns, adventure, and story of the game. However, HG/SS isn’t just a simple copy and paste with updated graphics. The game goes a long way to try to make it stand out from the original title.

Similar to the mechanic in the Yellow version of Pokemon, where Pikachu followed behind you, HG/SS allows the first Pokemon in your party to follow behind you wherever you go. This may seem like a simple feature, however you don’t realize how much you enjoy seeing your “buddy’s” following behind you, until they don’t any longer. Going back and playing previous versions of Pokemon will no longer be the same, because you won’t have the guy you’re training by your side at all times.

Along with the new following Pokemon mechanic of the game, Pokemon HG/SS is brought up to the 4th Generation standard of Pokemon. With battle moves, and graphics alike, the game shows a resemblance to how Pokemon Diamond and Pearl feel in regards to gameplay. In addition, the game follows more closely to the Pokemon Crystal adventure, where the entire game you are trailing the Legendary Pokemon Suicuine, but only coming ever so close to battling it. New areas are also present in this remake, including a brand new layout for the Safari Zone, and new Gym puzzles and appearances.

In addition to all the added feature the game, all old locations and mechanics make a reappearance for this title. The annoying phone calls from previous trainers are still around. The Bug Catching is still here, and better than ever. As well as many things that any long time Pokemon fan will remember from the original games.

Pokemon HG/SS is compatible with all previous generations of the game, making it possible to train, and collect all the Pokemon available from the game. Some involve trading with other versions, however they are still able to be present in the game.

Included with your purchase of HG/SS is the brand new Pokewalker peripheral that really personalizes the Pokemon experience, allowing you to take with you one of your Pokemon wherever you go. The Pokewalker allows you to level up your Pokemon one level according to how many steps you take while your guy is in there. Also, you can play simple minigames that give you the opportunity to spend your Watts, points you earn in accordance to how many steps you take, on trying to find items, or battling random wild Pokemon. The Pokewalker isn’t really meant to revolutionize the way of Pokemon, however it is a nice little gimmick that allows you to “Play Pokemon” when you aren’t really “Playing Pokemon”.

The Pokemon local and internet WFC, allows you to trade, battle, or participate in various minigames against other trainers. There is a lot to do over the WFC, but most features added into HG/SS are the same features that were present in Diamond and Pearl. Connecting your game to WiFi only further enhances the Pokemon experience, making it more accessible to collect and train any Pokemon you desire.

The game isn’t over once the Pokemon League is defeated. Like the original game, you soon realize after being crowned the Pokemon Champion, there is a lot more to do in the game than was initally presented. Some of this includes revisiting the old world of Kanto and collecting the 8 badges there. Working your way up the ranks, training your Pokemon, and seeing if you have what it takes to vs the ultimate trainer, Red. Participating in the Pokemon Battle Frontier, where different game modes are set up to shake up the way you play the game a bit. The replayability in this game is astounding, and you won’t be playing for a mere couple of hours and finish it. The game will take you multiple, if not over 100 hours, depending on how dedicated you are, to finish everything this game has to offer.

In conclusion, Pokemon HG/SS is any Pokemon fans wet dream. You won’t be disappointed with what this game has to offer from the collecting, training, battling, breeding, or adventuring aspects of the game, this game has a little something for everyone. For those fans that are hesitant to pick this game up because they think it’s just a simple remake of the game they have already played, for the most part it is. But it’s so much more than that as well, and I’m sure you won’t be disappointed if you pick this game up now. For those that are completely against the idea of anything Pokemon, don’t think of it as some childish game. Think of it as a wonderful experience where you get to train, and grow closer to the Pokemon you collect. They are with you from the very beginning, you’d be hard pressed if you were indifferent to them by the end of your adventure.

I can’t exactly pin point the exact reason why I, personally enjoy Pokemon so much. Maybe its for the nostalgia of the game, it’s what I grew up playing. Maybe it’s the collecting, training or adventure aspects that I really enjoy. If I were to try to explain what is so great about the series to someone completely against the idea, the honest truth of it all is I can’t even put it into words. All I can say is, just try it! If you still absolutely hate it after putting in some real time into the game, then come talk to me. But I’m sure after a few badges under your belt, and maybe even after a Pokemon League Championship won, you’ll think of the game a little differently.

All in all, I give this game a enthusiastic thumbs up. For $40, you are buying yourself an experience that will last many days, and many hours as you try to collect, train, and conquer the Elite 4. Soon enough you will be your very own Pokemon Master!

The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom was released on Xbox Live Arcade on February 17th, 2010 in North America. Winterbottom is a 2-D side scrolling puzzle game developed by The Odd Gentleman and published by 2K Play. It is a black and white style game, where color is present only to add focus to specific objects in the game. The game uses a film-grain effect and projector-effect trimmings in an attempt to make it have a classic movie feel to the game.

The story in P.B. Winterbottom is, for the most part, pretty non-existent. P.B. Winterbottom has a quirky obsession with eating Chronoberry Pies. He is willing to do anything it takes in an attempt to snag and eat as many as possible. Winterbottom travels through time in order to scour as many pies as he can. The devious Winterbottom even goes as far as stealing the delicious pies from innocent children, in his mad journey of stealing these pies.

The game is witty and charming at its heart. It uses rhymes, its art style, and music style to really immerse the player into the puzzles you are trying to solve. The narrator of the game relays information to P.B. Winterbottom through catchy rhyming lines, and clever remarks. Along with the catchy tune in the background, and black and white filter, the game stands out artistically from most games.

The game starts off when P.B. Winterbottom wakes up to discover he has the power to record his actions, and then watch his copies reenact what he had just previously recorded. He uses this new-found ability to steal pies from innocent citizens, and solve puzzles throughout his world in order to reach the pies at the end of the level.

Winterbottom uses a hub-world in order to break apart the different sections of the game. The five main worlds are black and white, until completed, where they then have a color poster on the door of the world. In each world the game introduces a new element that the player must master in order to progress further in the game. Each of the five worlds has nearly 10 levels each, resulting in a total of 51 story levels for the entire game.

The story levels of P.B. Winterbottom are where this game really shines. The levels in each world vary in length, with the first few levels being merely tutorial levels that introduce you to the new recording-time element featured in that world. Later levels use the new element and have the player implement this way of thinking in order to solve various puzzle.

Puzzle difficulty ranges from simply recording a version of Winterbottom and using his copy to flip a switch so the real Winterbottom can go through the door and nab the pie. To recording a few recordings, having them complete certain tasks, all the while you have to collect the pies presented in the level in a specific order.

It is difficult to describe the different elements that this game has to offer, but in a similar manner as Braid, each new element has you thinking in a different way, and using the time-recording ability in a way that you most likely wouldn’t have thought possible. One example of this is when, early on in the game, Winterbottom enters a world where only the copies of himself can collect the pies. This presents new challenges where timing really matters, and you must use some real thinking in order to progress through the game.

One my complaints about the “every world has it’s own time element” approach is that just as you begin to master the element that the game presents you at the current world, it pulls the rug right out from under your feet and presents you with a whole new time-recording element to master. I almost wish the game wasn’t separated into different worlds at all, but was more of a progression with P.B. learning more and more abilities as he went on throughout the game. I guess you can’t have a cake and eat it too, though. Right?

However, as the difficulty of the game ramps up, so does the satisfaction it presents. Every puzzle the game offers makes you think in a new and unique way, and upon solving a puzzle you will have that moment where it all clicks, and you figured out what you need to do. Once you have completed a level, you will feel a moment of satisfaction because you had to really think your way through, before immediately acting on the situation.

Each level has a limit on how many Winterbottoms can be created for that level. For example, if the level only allows you to record Winterbottom one time, if you try recording him again, the previous recording will be overwritten and the new recording will take its place. Similarly, if a level allows you to record several Winterbottoms, all the Winterbottoms will move in unison, playing out what they were recorded to do, but the last person in line will be the one that is overwritten.

One of the downfalls for some of the puzzles are when the game allows you to record up to more than just a couple copies of yourself. You would think that this would open up a whole new door of complex puzzles, but whenever this opportunity is presented it feels more like a cluster of Winterbottoms going every which way. There are some puzzles that make good use of the multiple-copy feature, but this happens few and far between. Nevertheless, the puzzles in Winterbottom are still challenging and unique, and force you to think in different ways each time.

The controls of P.B. Winterbottom are fairly simple and straightforward. The A button is used to make your character jump, X makes Winterbottom pull out his umbrella and whack other Winterbottom recordings across the screen, and the Right Trigger is used to record your character’s actions. While holding the Right Trigger, a film-like border goes around the screen, and the sound changes. Any action you complete while this is occurring will be repeated back once you release the trigger.

Overall, the main story levels are where this game really shines. The unique use of puzzles, and recording features allows for a diverse gameplay experience.

The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom also offers a time-trial feature, and uses the Xbox Live Leaderboards to track players progress. The levels presented in the time-trials are drastically different than those offered in the main story levels. The player is judged on how fast they can collect all the pies, and the fewest amount of copies they can collect the pies in.

While this feature is a nice addition to the game, it could use a bit of fine-tuning to make it seem less like a last minute add on to the game. It is almost comparable to the time trial feature in Mirrors Edge, for those that have tried that out before.The time-trial levels add nice replayability to the game, and force the player to hone their skills to reach the top of the leaderboards. Most of the achievements for this game are tied to how many time-trial medals you receive, and how many copy-trial medals you receive. So if you are looking to perfect this game, this is where you will be spending most of your time.

In conclusion, The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom is a clever game that uses a black and white filter to make it have a classic black and white movie feel to it. The story levels are each unique in their own right, and each world uses a different time-recording element to make them stand apart from one-another. The art style, catchy music, and character design all blend together nicely to make this game stand out from the traditional XBLA game. If you’ve got any doubts about whether or not this game is for you, think of it as the Clank levels in Ratchet and Clank: Crack in Time mixed with a little Braid. Still not sure? Try the trial, that will definitely let you know if it’s for you or not.

I’m giving The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom a hearty thumbs up because this game really implements everything I like to see from puzzle platforming games. It’s only 800 Microsoft Points, which is comparable to $10 I believe. I believe that is a fair price for a gem like this, and on sale, the game should be a definite pick up!

The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks was released in North America on December 7th, 2009. It is the fifteenth installment of the Zelda Series, and the second Zelda game to make its way to the Nintendo DS. The game is an action adventure puzzle game, where the player controls the main protagonist, Link through many dungeons and cities all while he is trying to accomplish his ultimate goal. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks is a cell shaded, cartoon style Zelda game where the characters and world look similar to those that were in Windwaker and Phantom Hourglass, previously.

The story takes place One-Hundred years after Phantom Hourglass. The game starts off as Link, a boy who is learning to become an engineer, must attend his initiation ceremony at Castle Town, and be awarded the title of Engineer by no one else but Princess Zelda herself. However, upon arriving at Castle Town, young Link receives an urgent letter from Princess Zelda pleading for him to sneak into her room, because she has a suspicion about why the “Spirit Tracks” have been disappearing. She believes that the problem lies in a forbidding place known as the Spirit Tower.

Events occur at the Spirit tower which end up leaving Princess Zelda as a spirit and Link in a bad condition. Link and Zelda’s Spirit must now team up in order to revive the Spirit Tracks before they disappear, retrieve Zelda’s body before the Chancellor can use it for unfathomable evil, and restore peace to the land.

Spirit Tracks continues in the same style that Phantom Hourglass did, in which the player controls Link by using the stylus for all of his motions. Attacking is as simple tapping on the enemy a few times and slashing across the screen with the stylus. Moving Link is by moving your stylus along the screen in the direction you want Link to go, and picking up and throwing items is manageable by tapping on the item you want to pick up, and tapping on the object or enemy you want to throw the object at. If you have played the previous installment, then you are most likely already familiar with the core gameplay of Spirit Tracks and how the controls work.

Spirit Tracks is can easily be broken into three main chunks: Exploration, Spirit Tower, and Overworld. A combination of this three gameplay elements is what makes up Spirit Tracks. Although not all of these elements are the greatest to play, they still fit well when put together.

The first element of exploration is done by controlling Link and going into caves, dungeons, houses, or just exploring the main land of the city. It is the main chunk of the game, and by far the most fun. Link can talk to citizens to obtain hints on what he needs to do, or sometimes they even progress the story a bit. Playing as Link during the exploration bits of the game, is where the game really really shines. It brings back fond memories of older Zelda games, and challenges the player by making them think their way through puzzles, or fight their way through a dungeon and battle a boss.

This element of Spirit Tracks is set up in the same way that nearly every Zelda game is set up. Arrive at the town, learn a little bit about their problems, solve puzzles in a dungeon, earn a new item, use this item on the boss, find whatever relic or emblem you are looking for, rinse and repeat. Spirit Track takes this formula and tweaks it just enough to get it right. You won’t only just use the new item you receive to puzzle your way through dungeons, however you will use a combination of various items to work your way to the end.

The puzzles in The Legend Of Zelda: Spirit Tracks are done phenomenally well. Although you might feel they are trivial at first, and a bit redundant. By the second temple you will have to really think your way through various parts of the level, in order to finish it. It takes higher level thinking, and great execution in order to complete some of the temples in the later half of the game, and this is where the more hardcore Zelda fans will get their challenging fun.

The weapons that Link receives in Spirit Tracks are similar to weapons he receives in other games, with a few minor additions. You still get the boomerang, bombs, etc. However a Whirlwind item makes an appearance early on in the game, where you point the weapon in the direction you want to use it and blow into the mic to send a whirlwind in the direction it is pointed. Also new appearances include a whip and sand wand. The weapons used in Spirit Tracks are used in a way where it doesn’t feel frustrating when trying to use them. They are all simple commands that can be mastered in due time.

The Ocarina, for lack of a better term, in Spirit Tracks is the Spirit Flutes where songs can be played to uncover hidden locations or resurrect statues that help you through parts of certain dungeons. Some statues tell you where every treasure is on that floor, and others give you advice on how you should approach an enemy. The instrument of choice in Spirit Tracks almost takes a back seat in this game, because it serves a limited purpose where it is mostly optional, however it is still a nice touch to the game, overall. It is used by selecting the item from the item bag, and blowing into the mic when you are on the color pipe you want to play.

Another addition that makes an appearance (and my personal favorite thing about the DS series) is the ability to take notes on your dungeon and town maps. This ability allows you to jot down little information or hints you receive when talking to different townsfolk or reading another sign or map. You have the power to note a treasure chest on your map, to make sure you come back at a later time. Or even write down information you may need to solve a puzzle that could be hard to solve if you tried memorizing it all. The ability to write notes on screen may seem like a simple idea, however it is useful and a method of the game that should not be taken lightly.

The second element of Spirit Tracks is the Spirit Tower. After each temple is completed you must make your way back to the Spirit Tower to collect the next piece of map. In the same fashion of Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Knights are roaming around that, if they spot you, will hunt you down and kill you in the blink of an eye. However Spirit Tracks took a very different approach to the Spirit Tower, when compared to its predecessor. Instead of using a running race against a clock, and frustrating gameplay mechanics that just never seemed to work, Spirit Tracks has you track down three red droplets.

Once you have collected the three droplets on the first floor, Link has the power to destroy a Spirit Knight and gives Zelda’s Spirit a temporary host body. You then traverse the other floors of the tower as Link and a Spirit Knight, overcoming obstacles and finding unique ways to get past objectives. The Spirit Tower is not nearly as irritating as it seemed to be in Phantom Hourglass. Nintendo has taken a similar method and executed it entirely different.

The third and final element of Spirit Tracks is the awful, horrible, overworld. The overworld is broken up into four main chunks, with only limited areas available at the start of the game. Each chunk of the map is a different area of the Land, with different species inhabiting it, and different climates in each area. The train traversal is a simple tracing of the path you want to go, and allowing the train to take you there. You will have to occasionally shoot something out of your path with the canon, or blow your whistle to get something to move out of your way, but other than that you just watch the train go, and go, and go. For quite some time.

The only real challenge the train segment of the game takes is trying to pick a path that won’t be guarded by other trains on the track. If that is the case, you are most likely screwed at the point you realize a train turned on your same path, and any attempts to turn around end up in the demon train catching up to you and ramming you. When this happens you are then sent to the location you started at, and must make the journey again. Sometimes it would take me up to 5 or 6 attempts before I would just put the game down, or finally make it to my destination. If you thought driving the boat was bad in Phantom Hourglass, this is only ten times worse. And it doesn’t help the fact that there are no teleporting check points you can use to get from place to place either. No, you must make each journey, there and back, every time you want to go somewhere.

The train rides are sometimes given a break when you discover a rabbit that you have the opportunity to catch in a net and deliver to a person looking for rabbits. The game cuts into a ten second mini-game screen where a rabbit is hopping around and you must use a net to catch it, with poor reaction time on the net’s part. However these side-tracks only happen every so often and if you fail at catching a rabbit it may be some time before you ever see one again. Either way the train segments of the game cause the player to play in a way they shouldn’t and really messes up the pacing of the game.

For those Zelda fans who want to complete everything the game has to offer, there are collectibles available that makes the game have a lasting effect. Through various things like your stamp book, where you use a book and find stamp stations to put stamps in your adventure books. These are often a little out of the way and take extra exploration to discover, however this is not a bad thing at all, and most are fun to think about how to get to. Other collectibles take the form of finding treasures in chests that serve the purpose of trading them in to upgrade your train, or selling for rupees. These are a nice addition, because you can also trade locally with people to collect them all!

For those that care about the music, Spirit Tracks offers a great collection of sounds that offer up a great feeling while playing the game. I have tried listening to the game with the DS Speakers and the headphones, and the game really makes you feel immersed if you have headphones on. With the music playing in the background, the sound of Link’s footsteps as he travels through a dungeon, and his voice as he attacks an enemy is really music in my ears.

Unlike in Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks does not feature online multiplayer this time around. It is all local, and if you have someone to play with (which more often than not, you will not) it will keep you occupied for a total of ten minutes. However only one game-card is required, so this does make things easier when looking for people to play with in the multiplayer mode.

Multiplayer consists of each player attempting to collect as many force gems as they can before the time runs out. Various obstacles can get in your way, such as the environment or the Spirit Knights who roam around. Swords are not available in this mode, so it basically just an all out battle for who can get to the gems the fastest. Special power ups are a nice advantage because they allow the player who receives them various abilities such as using a shock power to knock force gems out of players, or granting the user invincibility for a short while.

Overall The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks brings a huge smile to my face. It is a nice addition to the franchise, where the puzzles are thought provoking and sometimes challenging. The Spirit Tower is actually worthwhile this time around, and changes up the way the game is played for a short while. The overworld is horribly done, in my opinion, and could have been handled differently by giving the player check points or songs to teleport you to different locations on the map. The appearance of Zelda as a main focus of this game is a great addition to the hardcore Zelda fans, and it really brought Zelda’s character to life. Instead of being a “damsel in distress” at the hands of Ganon, she plays a pivotal role in helping Link restore peace to the land. In conclusion, Spirit Tracks is a beautifully done game that is a must buy for any Zelda fan that enjoyed Phantom Hourglass, even a little bit. It takes everything from Phantom Hourglass and improves upon it (with the exception of the overworld). For those of you who never got around to playing Phantom Hourglass, I would still say to give this game a try, because you may find you enjoy the cute look, and challenging puzzles that the game offers. I give this game a hearty [b]thumbs up[/b] because I know I have already spent hours playing this game, and still know there are many, many hours to come.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves was released on the PS3 on October 13th, 2009 in North America. It is an action-adventure, puzzle solving, stealth action, video game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony. Uncharted 2 is the sequel to the highly acclaimed PS3 title Uncharted: Drakes Fortune.

The story takes place a couple of years after the first installment. Nathan Drake wakes up on a train, in the arctic weather, that is hanging off a huge mountain about to plummet down to its doom. Drake has to find a way off the train and a way to survive safely. While all of this is happening, the story takes a leap back in time to a couple of months prior to Nathan on the train, and it reveals just a little about the adventure set up before you and what Nathan Drake has gotten himself into. The way that the story leaps in time and goes back again works really well with what Uncharted 2 sets out to do. Most people would think that this would create a confusing atmosphere for the story, similar to Prototype did with its story. However, Naughty Dog got it right with this game, and allows the player to figure stuff out as the game goes along, even playing up until the point of the train scene later on in the game.

The overview of the game’s plot revolves around the mystery of Marco Polo and his journey. During his travels, Marco Polo departed with 14 ships and over 600 crew. When he arrived at his destination a couple of years later, he showed up with only 18 or so passengers and only 1 ship. The game focuses in on the mystery of the other 13 ships and just exactly what Marco Polo may have found during his travels.

Honestly, the game doesn’t let you put it down. While the game is broken up into various chapters, the chapters flow so seamlessly that you hardly even notice when a chapter ends and a new one begins. And even if you do notice a new chapter, the story is so intriguing and the gameplay so much fun that I had a really hard time of stepping away from the game.

Many familiar faces make a reappearance in this new Uncharted installment. I won’t go into much details here, because I don’t want to ruin any surprises; however, any loyal Uncharted fan will be happy with who returns in this game. Along with the old characters, new characters are also introduced. Chloe Frazer and Harry Flynn are just some of the new members that join this all star cast. Chloe could be regarded as the new Elena, while some might say Flynn is the new Sully. Nevertheless, each new character has a unique personality of their own, and each brings an imported element to the table, with a fresh story and diverse personalities.

Uncharted 2 doesn’t stop there, with its intriguing storyline, and engaging set of characters. The game takes on a personality of its own, and really feels like a cinematic experience that you can play. Chalk full of love, betrayal, and mystery, Uncharted 2 offers up a wonderful gaming experience that any gamer can appreciate.

Uncharted 2′s gameplay is similar to the first in many ways. The traditional run and gun, platforming, puzzle solving experience is all there. But Uncharted 2 took all of those features and improved upon them in many ways. Uncharted: Drakes Fortune was primarily set in the Forest and in Temples. What Uncharted 2 does, is gives you a huge range of environments from taking down an enemy on the city streets, to using a grenade launcher on top of a hotel building to destroy a helicopter. It’s all there.

For those that enjoy collectibles, Uncharted has that too. To go with the money earned by doing various in-game tasks (explained later), Uncharted 2 brings back its old treasure system, where treasures are scattered around in precise places each chapter for the player to discover. The treasures don’t add too much to the overall gameplay elements, but they are still a nice addition to the already fantastic game.

From the beginning of the game you will notice that Uncharted 2 added more stealth elements than the previous game. During the second chapter, your mission is to break into a museum and steal a rare artifact. Harry Flynn and Nathan Drake dress in all black, and must secretly sneak in to the museum and take down enemies without being seen. This adds a nice, fresh, element to Uncharted 2′s gameplay that wasn’t really seen in the first game. Some chapters in Uncharted 2 feel a bit like Metal Gear Solid in a sense, and it isn’t a bad thing by any means.

The hand-to-hand combat in Uncharted 2 is vastly improved from the first game. In the first game, you would run up to an enemy maybe push square a few times, and that would be it. In Uncharted 2, you have to tap square at precise moments, and hit the triangle button to counter an enemies hit, in order to take your opponent down. Each takedown of an enemy is unique, each offering a different display of over-the-back, or throwing against the wall, takedowns.

The gun gameplay elements of Uncharted are almost identical to the first game. It is still the same over the shoulder shooting, with a tiny reticle that you can use to aim the weapon. However, Uncharted 2 offers a wider range of guns, and a whole lot more ways of using the guns available. One of these ways that I particularly enjoyed was the ability to pick up gas tanks, throw them up into the air, and fire at them to make them cause a huge explosion, defeating your enemy. Grenades are no longer controlled by the motion control of the PS3 controller, but are now a button press that works really well for aiming them accurately.

The game offers a nice slew of puzzles that are sometimes difficult to solve in nature. I found myself scratching my head a couple of times to figure out what to do next when solving specific puzzles in the game. However, don’t let this turn you off from the game if you aren’t a puzzle fan, because Uncharted 2 creates the perfect balance of puzzle and combat gameplay, and also features in game hints that will help you out if you’re stuck on something. Along with the traditional puzzles of “solve this” or “do this a certain way” Uncharted 2 relays puzzles in its platforming elements as well. Climbing buildings isn’t always as straightforward as you may assume. Sometimes you really have to think before you leap, or you may find yourself falling to your doom.

Uncharted 2 also features a multiplayer mode and cooperative mode, allowing people to use their uncharted skills against one another. They both have a big range of maps and missions to choose from, and both use characters from the game to create a nice multiplayer experience.

In the Uncharted 2 multiplayer, there are a few mission types you can choose from. The traditional team deathmatch, deathmatch, king of the hill, and plunder are just a few of the different multiplayer modes available to play in Uncharted 2′s multiplayer. Characters from the main game are playable during the multiplayer games. And from the menu screen you can choose which character you prefer to be. During each game, you accumulate points and money that you can then use to level up and unlock new items in the “Uncharted 2 Store”. In the store, you can buy various perks, similar to the perks found in Call of Duty 4. “More ammo in ammo containers” and “Better hip fire accuracy” are just a few of the perks available at the Uncharted 2 store. Along with the ability to buy perks, you can also buy more character skins, and taunts to use when playing multiplayer games.

The Cooperative Mode is a three player, co-op game that sets you on a little mission and all three players must work together to defeat the enemies and complete the mission. Enemies are strategically positioned so that teamwork must be used in order to complete the mission successfully. There is limited platforming elements in the cooperative mode, however what is there, is similar to the platforming found in the main game. The money and points earned while playing the cooperative mode can also be used in Uncharted 2 store just like the stuff you earn from the multiplayer can.

Some may compare the Uncharted 2 multiplayer and cooperative mode to that of Gears of War. However, in my opinion the multiplayer lacks the substance needed to compel you to wanting to play more. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad that the multiplayer is there to keep people playing Uncharted past the main game, however I think Naughty Dog needed to spend a little more time on the multiplayer in order to make it feel more than just a tack on to the main game. The co-op mode is fun for a little while, but after playing the same missions more than once, they just get tedious. Each mission is awesome the first go around, but after a couple of go-throughs, I don’t think it will hold up as much as Naughty Dog was hoping it would.

The sound in Uncharted 2 is pretty good. The music in the game creates the perfect atmosphere for the player, creating just the right amount of tension while adding just the right mix of notable tunes to make them memorable in their own right. Overall, the music featured in the game goes perfectly with Uncharted 2′s epic moments.

The graphics shown in Uncharted 2 are phenomenal! They are arguably the best graphics on the PS3 to date. Using between 90 to 100% of the Cell’s processor and 25 GB of a single Blu-ray Disc, Uncharted 2 holds up on its deal of using the maximum capacity a single game can and still run smoothly. Realistic environments, people, and places are all at the forefront of Uncharted 2′s graphical campaign. The only thing I did notice while playing was some blank stares from characters at certain points in the game, particularly Chloe. However, that is just a tiny thing I noticed and it really doesn’t affect the graphics as a whole.

Overall, Uncharted 2 is the perfect blend of Stealth Action, Puzzle solving, platforming experience. It offers unique gameplay and story, all the while sticking to its true elements that made Uncharted so successful. The platforming elements really shine when they put you into dangerous predicaments and make you “solve” your way out of them. There are still those moments where you have to run and gun, however they aren’t tacked down by not being able to destroy the enemy quick enough, because the game uses realistic bullet damage, and enemies have a mind of their own when it comes to battling Drake. The multiplayer may feel second-hand when compared to the single player, however any Uncharted fan will still enjoy the multiplayer just because of the environment, and it offers more Uncharted for those that are craving it after the completion of the main story. The graphics and sound of Uncharted 2 create the perfect blend, and really add to the aesthetics of the Uncharted franchise. If you enjoyed the first Uncharted, then there will be no reason why you shouldn’t pick up its predecessor. If you didn’t get the chance to play the first game, the game doesn’t necessarily build off of the first games story, however it does reference to it at some points. And for those that didn’t like the first game, for whatever reason, I would still recommend picking this game up, or at least renting it, because it only improved upon what the original Uncharted set out to do. I give this game a huge [b]thumbs up!![/b] and would definitely say that it is worth every dime of your $60.

Fat Princess is a downloadable game for the Playstation 3. It is developed by Titan Studios and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was released worldwide on the Playstation Network Store on July 30th, 2009.

Fat Princess is a tale of two Princess’s who stumble upon a Magical Cake that forces those that eat the cake to keep eating and eating. Upon finding out about the magical cake, and the Princess’s terrible predicament the opposing Kings wage war against one another and the Legend of the Fat Princess begins.

Fat Princess is a cartoon-esque Real Time Strategy game with its own unique style and enticing gameplay. The player takes control of a character whose sole purpose is to work with its other teamates to complete the task at hand. Various game modes are available that allow for different playing styles and great variability when it comes to playing matches.

The game’s story mode does a good job of teaching you the ropes of the game, and allowing you to familiarize yourself with the controls, gameplay, and strategies. There are 6 chapters in all and, for me at least, this went by extremely fast. I was done with the story mode in just a couple of hours, and was ready to move on to the next thing. The story mode was fun while it lasted, and it was did a fine job of outlining a lot of the circumstances you will see while playing the game.

Each chapter covers a different game mode, and each chapter is played on a different map. The game offers hint bubbles that pop up at the bottom of the screen to give you various helpful hints and things that you may not have thought of on your own. All in all, the Single Player Story Mode aspect of the game was good for what it’s worth, but the game didn’t strive itself for being a single player experience but really made its name with the Multiplayer that it offers.

Game modes are fairly simple, and even though they aren’t modes that we haven’t seen before in other games, they are rather unique in the respect that the Capture the Flag mode is really Capture the Princess. Players are able to bring cake to their captured Princess so when her minions try to save her she will weigh so much that it will be harder for them to carry her back to their base, and in turn they will move slower and take longer. Other modes include, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Outposts, or Save the Princess 3 times.

At the beginning of each match, you are a common character, with limited to no abilities to use. Before you leave your castle, or base, it is usually helpful if you put an ability hat which grants you new sets of abilities and changes your class. Whether you find ability hats in your castle at one of the hat machines, or kill an opponent in battle and steal their hat, ability hats are generally easy to find and you will find yourself constantly changing classes mid-battle.

Warrior- The Warrior is the front of the line, always attacking and in battle class. The Warrior wields a sword and a shield, and can power up his attack to do a sort of on ground spin move, that is deadly to its opponents. Once upgraded, the Warrior drops the shield and holds a Spear that has a longer range and more attack damage. The Warrior has the most Hearts (Health Points), and is the class to use if you want to make a dead sprint and capture the Princess.

Mage- The Mage is a class that stands back and uses magic from afar. At it’s first stage it uses Fire Magic, but once upgraded it can use Ice Magic that slows the enemy for a short amount of time. You can focus your attacks on one enemy in particular, or create a magic ring that hits more enemies but does less damage. Either way the Mage is one bad ass class that shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Priest- The Priest is the healer of the group. It’s a White Mage that stands way back in the fight and heals its teamates with its staff. Along with the Mage, it can also concentrate its attack at one teammate, or create a ring that encompasses many teammates. Once upgraded though, it turns into a deadly Dark Mage that drains the life out of the opponent, leaving them at just one more attack. Either way you choose, the Priest is a real big benefit to your team, and it is always a better strategy to go into battle with a Priest at your side.

Archer- The Archer class is exactly that, an Archer. it can stand far away, or over chasims and fire their arrows from a distance to hit their opponents. It doesn’t do much immediate damage, but little by little those arrows dwindle down their opponents health until there is little left fight. The Archer can be upgraded to hold a Shotgun type weapon that shoots Five Arrows out, and does more damage, with a wider range.

Worker- The Worker, doesn’t see battle much, but is just as useful. Their main job is to feed cake to the captive Princess, chop down trees to collect wood for their base, build bridges, doors, and other various things that need Working on. The Worker can also upgrade the Ability Hat Machines to make them produce Upgraded Hats so the classes are then upgraded. Once the Worker Class is upgraded, though, they then hold a deadly bomb that can be thrown at enemies from a distance or up close.

The maps of Fat Princess are all unique and have a great amount of variability. Each map is exactly symmetric so either side you get put on, Red or Blue, you have a fair advantage, and the map doesn’t cause your loss. The maps range from a tropical beach, exploding lava, or fighting on shipwrecked boats to capture the opposing Princess. Maps are unique in the sense that they all have their shortcuts that can be discovered, and add a fun distinction that makes you look forward to going to each and every particular map.

The customizability in Fat Princess is little, but it’s there. While playing through Story Mode or Online, you unlock different patterns for your character, and from the Main Screen you can choose to suit him or her up however you choose. Purple hair, braided beard, and yellow skin. Or Red Spiked hair, gruffy beard, and dark skin. It’s all up to you, and each way you make your character different should make you stand out on the battlefield, if only slightly.

Another mode the game has to offer is the Gladiate Arenas. This is a mode where you choose a class and fight through hoards of enemies and various rounds, trying to make it to the end. For such a cutesy game, you would think this to be fairly simple, right? Wrong. I have yet to beat round 8, or 12 rounds with any of the classes, and still haven’t found a strategy that works best for me. I’m not sure if this is a good or bad thing, because I can’t get past any of the Arena’s, but it also gives me something to work towards. I guarantee that you will spend hours battling your best in the Arena, trying to stomp through all the rounds to make it through till the end.

One of the main features of the game, and the key driving points, is it’s Multiplayer Experience. The game allows you to set up online matches with ease, or search for a certain game type with the click of a button. After trying for a while, if you finally get the online to work, then it’s pretty enjoyable and you will have fun playing the game modes outlined above, but that is just it. You only get put into a match 1/4 of the time, if that. And once you are put into a match the connection might be so terrible with everyone lagging around that it’s too unbearable to even play. This might kill the game for some, but for me I’m still enjoying myself playing the Single player, hosting small private matches, or setting up CPU’s and playing with them. The fact that the online is broken at the moment doesn’t necessarily murder the game for me, I would like it to work flawlessly, but at the same time I know they will fix it soon, and will have it up and running in no time.

All in all the game is solid at its core. The quirky charm, and fun artistic style really make this game stand out amongst the crowd. The unique playing style, Capturing the Princess, and just the overall feel of the game really flow together seamlessly to make a wonderful experience that you can’t get anywhere else. I think that $15 might be a little on the pricey edge, and it would be better picked up at $10, but if you can find someone to share this with, then you are really in luck because you won’t be disappointed. I give this game a huge huge thumbs up because I keep going back to it day in and day out, and the charm of the game hasn’t even rubbed off yet.

Prototype was released on the Ps3, Xbox 360, and the PC June 9th, 2009 in North America. It is an action adventure sandbox game developed by Radical Entertainment. It is an original IP and does not have any prequels and sequels as of now.

The game takes place in New York City, where a virus is attacking and infecting people. The military are willing to do whatever it takes to stop the virus from spreading, and they don’t mind hurting a few thousand innocent people along the way. The story doesn’t open up much at the beginning of the game, but through the use of unique cut scenes and plot development you begin to figure out what is going on in New York City and what happened to Alex Mercer that led to him becoming a superhuman.

Generic cut scenes are shown throughout the game. At the beginning of missions or at the end a cut scene might play to fill you in on what’s going on. However something unique about this game is the ability to absorb people on the Web of Intrigue. This is basically a huge spider web of memories where various people know information on what led to your being this way. By absorbing their being, a short scene of pictures and dialog flash by giving you even more insight into this deadly virus that is consuming New York City.

Alex has the ability to shape shift into mostly anything he pleases. He can absorb military men’s genetic code which then gives him access to their memories, experiences, and physical appearance. With an easy two button combo, you can make Alex take on any appearance you want and get by any security guarding your way. Along with being able to shape shift into other human beings, Alex can also turn into specialized versions of himself by literally making his fist into giant blades that cut down any foe in his path. Or even make him have a shield for hands and arms. And early on you get the ability to make your hands powerful rocks that can smash through giant tanks and barriers.

All of this may sound exciting, if done right it could have been one amazing game. However, Radical Entertainment fell kind of short and decided to throw as many enemies as they could into one city, and make Alex virtually unstoppable by smashing through dozens of enemies at a time. Taking on tanks, helicopters, and the works Alex pretty much can’t be beaten. Now I have died a couple times already, but that doesn’t forgive the reason that everywhere you turn you are getting shot at, and there really isn’t any cover system except for on top of buildings. By creating the biggest explosions, and wreaking the most havoc, you are able to take on hundreds of military and infected at once, single handedly.

One thing that this game has going for it, and one thing that really impresses me the most is the use of different powers that are available to Alex. The game gives you a really good opportunity to play as you please, by offering you a variety of upgradable powers that seem limitless. If you are going for the swift and quick route, you may choose to pull out the six foot long blade arm and deliver some fast, deadly blows. Or if you prefer to play on the defensive, you are able to turn your hand into a giant shield and bash through enemies that way. Each power is unique in its own way, and this is something that really impresses me with this game. Every power is able to be upgraded a couple of times and this makes them even more unique in every way. One power that you have at your disposal is the ability to wield dual claws with each hand. At first this power seems pretty basic as you hash and slash through the enemies, but as you upgrade it you can find out that you can slam your claws into the ground and make a giant spike appear on a locked on enemy.

The upgrading doesn’t just stop here either. You are also able to upgrade your speed, jumping, gliding, etc. with the experience points you earn. You can increase your running speed, your jumping distance, your gliding length, basically everything that needs upgrade can be with this game.

Some upgrades available to you are the choice to purchase devastator attacks which is Alex’s most powerful form of attacking. Once purchased you can use the new power to destroy large amounts on enemies all in a single blow. One specific devastator attack that I’m pretty fond of is his ability to send dozens of razor sharp tentacles from his body and absorb a lot of enemies nearby. There are a few of these within the game, and they are all different and extremely powerful!

Experience points are earned by defeating enemies, destroying vehicles, or completing missions. With most sandbox titles this game has the main quest missions along with the side challenges. The side challenges are pretty generic and don’t really have much to do with the game. Basically most of them are “complete this obstacle in the specified time” or “destroy X amount of enemies in 30 seconds” and they can be somewhat addicting to perfect. Each side mission allows you to earn a bronze, silver, gold or no medal during each task. If you complete a time trial, for instance, in the allotted time you will be awarded a medal for your work. It’s a pretty simple concept, but I think it works. I’ve grown addicting to doing these meaningless trials, just to get the best score/time. I’ve already set my goal to get all Silver medals, because the Gold ones are way too out of my reach.

I basically need to shave off 5-10 seconds out of my time in order to achieve the best medal. This brings me to my next point that if you are able to complete the ultimate task of besting all the missions with a Gold medal, you can then unlock the chance to do Platinum medal missions which are only for the most daredevil players out there. I can’t even imagine how insanely hard these would be to beat, and how quick you would have to complete the time trials in order to finish these. One semi-big complaint that I have with the side challenges is that you aren’t able to restart the challenge in the middle of it. There has been many times when I have accidently missed a roof or over jumped, and I know that I have no chance of finishing the challenge within the specified time, but I have to complete it anyway because it doesn’t let me restart from a menu or anything. However, after failing a mission a screen pops up that asks you if you would like to restart the trial, which is pretty convenient.

The main story missions are pretty fun for the most part. Infiltrating bases, taking down hoards of enemies at their base, or destroying tons of infected super beasts has never been so much fun. Some missions have you sneaking up to a certain military officer, absorbing his power, and then walking right into the enemies’ base unnoticed. This is awesome to do because one of my favorite things to do in games is to hide in plain site. Alex has the ability to transform himself into any person he pleases, be it an unknowing civilian that has no specific purpose. Or a military officer who, once acquired, gives you the ability to fly choppers around New York City. All of the different ways to complete a task are thrilling and a fun way to play a game.

Enemies in this game are more or less the same throughout. There are different types or “factions” of enemies that appear, but the enemies within each faction are more or less the same. The US military possess battle tanks, armored personnel carriers and attack helicopters. In addition the military are armed with various weapons such as assault rifles, grenade launchers and missile launchers. The Marines set up fortified areas within New York, deploying turrets, guards and barricades on the streets.

The infected come in different forms based on how long they have been carrying the virus. The least infected people are usually showing zombie like symptoms. They are pretty easy for Alex to defeat and don’t pose much of a threat. On the other hand, larger, more powerful forms of the virus include the Hunter creatures, which are massive and extremely strong.

The missions are spread out on the map at a fairly far distance, and it takes quite a while to get from mission to mission. It’s usually easiest to glide from the rooftops, but even this can take up to several minutes to get across the map. Once you upgrade your powers to be faster, it does cut down the time from mission to mission just a little, but I think they should have broken the accessible areas in New York City up a bit, instead of laying down the whole city for you to run back and forth from.

With most adventure sandbox games, there is always a fair share of collectibles. In Prototype, those collectibles are scattered throughout New York City in various places. Giant blue orbs are floating on top of buildings, or behind trees that you can collect to earn a bit of experience. There is no real purpose to getting these, because they don’t add to your powers or health, other than the fact that there is a trophy/achievement for collecting them all. Along with the blue floating orbs, are orange floating orbs. These are Hint Orbs that, when collected, give you a hint on different ways to play the game. From what I have seen so far, all the hints are pretty generic, and you most likely already know how to do them without having collected them. There really isn’t an addicting quality to collecting in this game, and I don’t see myself spending hours scrounging the city for the last few orbs.

The game play of Prototype is fairly simple to get used to. Switching from power to power is a quick button combination, which allows you to easily switch from power mid battle. There is even a convenient shortcut menu that allows you to switch to powers even easier. However, something that isn’t great about this game is the physics and the way you travel around buildings.

Buildings can be climbed easily by just sprinting up the side. Now I understand that Alex is some sort of superhuman, but c’mon. I mean how many times can you run up the side of a building before it gets tedious. And the buildings are really huge! So it takes a few seconds to run up the side of them, but it never gets shaken up and you are constantly running up buildings so you can find a vantage point to glide from.

I wasn’t going to compare this to inFamous, but it’s just too hard not to. In inFamous, climbing buildings looks really realistic. Cole grabs onto windows or various things sticking out of the side and makes his way to the top of the building. In Prototype, I climbed up a building, and he grabs on to thin air!! Some might correct me by saying that he’s “sticking” to the building like Spiderman and climbing up that way, but I think it’s just plain ridiculous for a next gen game. I see where he is climbing up, but even if there isn’t anything to grab onto on the building he’ll still make his way up easily. It’s as if the developers just took a simple tool and outlined each building, instead of taking the time to go into the details and make it realistic.

Another time that I noticed was when I climbed up and over a fence. Instead of Alex’s hands grabbing the fence and hoisting himself over the top, he grabbed the air above him, and pushed himself over. He seriously reached his hands up and over his head, and did the hoisting motion when there was nothing there lifted over the fence. I usually wouldn’t take notice to simple stuff like this, but after seeing it happen over a dozen times, it’s starting to really annoy me and make me feel like the company didn’t take the time to polish the game in a way that I would have liked it.

The graphics are literally a piece of shit. The opening cinematic made me have hope for what the graphics would look like, after hearing some not so good things. However, that’s pretty much the only nice thing about it. When running around New York City or bashing up enemies, the graphics look of that of a last generation game. I could have easily been playing this on my Playstation 2 and seen the same result. I just don’t understand why with as much hype as this game had, and the amount of attention it had gathered, why it didn’t properly finish the game with up to date graphics and polish.

All in all, this game is just an alright gaming experience. I will definitely say check this out, because the wide range of powers and upgrades keep this game going. If not for the poor graphics and awful physics I would definitely give this game a thumbs up. However, these complaints are just too hard to ignore and are far more in your face than they should be. The game gives you a wide range of powers and makes you feel like a real bad ass as some points in the game. Taking on loads of enemies as a single super human can be fun at some points, but doing it over and over again can lessen the excitement for me, as a gamer. I’ve got to give the game credit where it’s due though, because if not for inFamous spoiling me with its gaming goodness, this game would have been a lot more appealing to me than it is now. However, when competing with similar game genres and releasing them at the same time, you’ve got to pull out all the cards, and that is where Prototype fell flat on its face. I’m going to go ahead and give this game a thumbs down purchase at $60, but I encourage all of you to go ahead and rent it or get it from gamefly or something. Or even wait for a price cut, because the game is worth it at a cheaper price like $20 or $30 bucks.

So unless you were super stoked for this game and have nothing else to play over the summer, I would suggest just holding still on this title, and playing it some other time when your backlog is finished, and you have a little extra money to spend.

inFamous was released on the Ps3 on May 26th, 2009 in North America. It is a sand-box style, parkour developed by Sucker Punch for the Playstation 3. inFamous is a standalone title that does not have any prequels or sequels to this date.

The story takes place in a place known as Empire City. The protagonist, Cole MacGrath, was sent to deliver a special package that causes a major explosion and obliterates everything in the surrounding area. Cole is the only survivor of this disaster, and he awakens in the middle of a crater not having any clue as to what had just happened.

The explosion gave Cole electric based powers, and he is free to do with them what he chooses. The game then jumps forward two weeks and Empire City is in shambles. People everywhere are getting sick, and evil runs the city. The government has decided to quarantine the surrounding area leaving the citizens to fend for themselves. The media has blamed Cole for the explosion, and when you are walking down the street people run away, or call you names as you pass by. Cole is then given the choice whether he wants to help the same citizens that are causing him grief, or simply take his own path and care about no one but himself.

At the beginning of the game, you are limited to where you can explore. At first you can only explore what is known as the Neon District. This is only a small section of Empire City, but there is still a multitude of things you can do. There are various missions, side quests, and objects to collect. The city doesn’t vary much in diversity, but running around and jumping from building to building can keep you occupied for quite some time.

The game is set up with various missions that you must accomplish in order to progress the story, and move on to different districts. On your map, the main quest missions are outlined in blue, the side quest missions are outlined in yellow, and the good-karma/bad-karma side quest missions are outlined in yellow-blue and yellow-red respectively.

Missions are activated when you run to a certain place on your map, and find a certain person that you need to talk to, and they will give you your mission. You may think that running within the whole district would take quite some time, but Sucker Punch did a great job of keeping the missions grouped together so you can basically command and conquer. Main quest missions are used to progress the story, and are delivered through a woman named Moya who communicates to you through use of a walkie talkie thing. The main quest missions vary greatly and are always neat to look forward to.

Side quest missions, on the other hand, can get a bit tedious at times. The game developers did a great job having a variety of tasks, but at times you will have to do the same mission several different times, only slightly different. With just this little nuisance, the game is constantly changing pace and even though you may know that you have done a certain mission type already, you can always choose to complete it a different way.

One of the game’s main elements is choosing between being a Hero or a Villain. This is most dominantly featured when the game provides you with Karma Choices and you must choose between doing the right thing, or doing what is best for yourself. One example of this is early on in the game when you are provided with the opportunity to get past a group of guards that are guarding the way out of the city. A mob has formed just before the guards, and you are told to get past them by either fighting the guards yourself (Good Karma) or firing a bolt of lighting from the crowd, make the guards think the mob has done it, and make everyone go down fighting in a huge riot (Bad Karma). This is one of the major highlights of the game for me, because the game is constantly giving you these opportunities and it is fun to choose between the two, and it is nice to know that you are given different ways to complete the missions, which adds a lot of replayability.

Along the same lines of the Karmic changes between good and evil, Cole varies in appearance according to which side you choose. If you are playing the good route you are presented as a clean looking Cole with blue lighting. If you choose the evil you are dirty, black, with scars and red lighting. The difference between good and evil doesn’t just stop at Cole’s look though, powers are drastically different according to which Karma route you choose, as well as the way citizens of the city react when they see you. If you choose to be a villain, the crowd will randomly attack you when you run by, and be visibly ruder to you when you are passing by.

Another key point to the inFamous game play is the powers that are presented to Cole as you progress through the game. Initially you are only given the standard electrical zap, but as the game moves on Cole is given the ability to electrical ground pound, throw grenades, and grind on rails. You are able to upgrade powers in the game by spending experience points or unlocking them by doing specific story based missions. With the constant improvements with your powers, and the differences between good and evil powers, the game offers you a limitless amount of ways to play the game.

One of the amazing things that this game offers is through its use of experience points. Whether you kill an enemy, heal someone lying on the street, complete a side quest mission, or find one of the game’s collectibles, you are constantly presented with the Call of Duty feel of a +3 or +20 experience number flashing up on the screen. This gives you the sense that you are accomplishing something, and you essentially are because you are then able to buy more upgrades for Cole. This alone makes you want to spend time defeating enemies because you want Cole to be the most powerful he can be.

Because this game is a sand-box game at heart, there are also a fair share of collectibles that aren’t necessary to the game, but do add to some of the experience. There are nearly 350 Blast Shards to collect, and I believe 32 Dead Drops to discover. Blast Shards are scattered around the districts and are fairly easy to find. You must push L3 and then look at your radar, and a little blue dot will appear when a shard is nearby. Finding shards is usually just as simple as climbing to the top of a building and jumping to a nearby ledge where a shard is residing. Blast Shards go two fold. They give you a bit of experience, but once you have collected a specified amount, they give you an extra circle-charge on your health meter/attack meter which increases Cole’s attributes.

Along with this Dead Drops go just a touch deeper in the sense of being a collectible. In order to find Dead Drops, you must also push L3 and look at your radar, but then a gray sonar is sent out and as you get closer the sonar gets more and more precise. The sonar is usually a darker gray in the direction that you need to go, and these are most commonly found on top of buildings. Dead Drops are found within satellites which then give you some back story on the game. Every Dead Drop you discover delves just a bit deeper into what went on before the blast.

All in all, the game is a great game to add to anybody’s collection. I would recommend buying this if you plan to play as both the evil side and the good side, because completing both will take up a good chunk of your time, and they are both worth playing through. Be it the game play, the story, the power ups, or just the fun or messing around in the city, everything that I have seen that inFamous has to offer has been a step above superb!! This game will suck away your day, because once you begin playing it’s always just “one more mission, one more mission” and before you know it 5 hours has gone by. In my opinion this game is a 100% thumbs up and is a great game for any gamer to check out.