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Most Recent: Reviews
Dead Space: Extraction Review: Pure Fun on Rails
Dead Space: Extraction is another chapter in the horror-laden universe Visceral Games created back in 2008. Extraction is a prequel to the first Dead Space, and shows the gruesome details of what happened aboard both the colony and Ishimura before Isaac and his crew got there. Originally made for the Wii, this rail shooter from 2009 was ported to the PlayStation 3 in 2011 with incredible results – and an HD facelift. Surprisingly, Extraction isn’t just another rail shooter. (more…)
Reality is Broken Review: Jane McGonigal Wants Games to Change the World
“Those violent games will turn you into a serial killer.”
“You’re wasting your life playing that game.”
“Wouldn’t you rather go outside?”
We’ve all heard the complaints about what video games are doing to a generation of young people. Thankfully, as we move further away from the creation of the modern video game, more people who have grown up with games realize these complaints are hogwash. But what if playing games could actually make gamers better people, and even change the world, while we’re at it? That’s the premise behind Jane McGonigal’s first book, Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World. Is reality broken? Do games make us better? Can they change the world? Even after reading Reality is Broken, I’m not sure. (more…)
1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die Review: The Ultimate Top 10 List
Think about this for a minute: everyone likes top 10 lists. There are plenty of people out there who like video games, and many of them have at least one favorite. Now, imagine adding these two things together in a mixing bowl along with full-color screenshots, all-encompassing write-ups, and an organized timeline of these games’ release dates. What do you get? Naturally, you get Tony Mott’s book 1001 Video Games You Must Play Before You Die. (more…)
Dead Space 2 Review: Eviscerates the Hype With a Frighteningly Good Game
EA’s Visceral Games got the attention of the gaming community back in 2008 with the original Dead Space. The universe has since expanded, spawning comics, novels, animated movies, and a Wii rail shooter. Dead Space 2 is a superior game to the first one, but not at the expense of it. The original is excellent, but the second took every aspect of the first game and made it better, from the character development to the navigation in zero gravity. Even the story and characters have a depth the first did not and, to make matters even better, now there’s multiplayer, bringing Necromorphs to life in unimaginable ways. Isaac Clarke is back, and – despite a little issue of not remembering what happened in the last three years since the first game ended – he’s tougher than ever. The sequel has better graphics, better guns, and better mechanics – but does it live up to the hype that’s been building up around the series for more than two years? (more…)
Mindjack Review: An Intrusive Headache
Ever since Square Enix teamed up to publish games by other developers, the quality of the company’s branded output hasn’t been quite the same. This logic is proven with the recent release of developer FeelPlus’ title Mindjack. The attempt to make it a unique multiplayer shooter was well-intentioned, but once Mindjack is put to the test, it crawls like a handicapped, elderly secret agent. (more…)
LittleBigPlanet 2 Review: It’s Sacktacular
LittleBigPlanet 2 is the sequel to one of the PlayStation 3’s most beloved games. In the original, Media Molecule won our hearts by introducing the adorable protagonist, Sackboy. The second game continues in the same thread – it’s a platforming game in which Sackboy must play the hero and save the “world,” as it were. But in addition to all it has to offer by way of the single player, they’ve also expanded their multiplayer – in the first, you could make your own levels; now, you not only make your own levels, but you can even link them together to create entire games – and more. LBP2 touts itself as “not just a platforming game, but a platform for games,” in which you can make twin-stick shooters, shoot ’em ups, racers, and even first person shooters. But bringing such a huge amount of content to the table doesn’t come without pitfalls. (more…)
Posted in PS3, Reviews, Top Story
Tagged LittleBigPlanet 2
Kirby’s Epic Yarn Review: A Game That Doesn’t “Suck!”
At E3 2010, Nintendo’s press conference included a slew of long-awaited titles for the Wii, including the likes of Donkey Kong Country Returns and Epic Mickey. Kirby’s Epic Yarn joined that list, and with its release, it is clear that Nintendo carefully stitched together a modern-day masterful performance. Side-scrolling gameplay is back, and Kirby is here to prove it! (more…)
Posted in Reviews, Top Story, Wii
Tagged Kirby's Epic Yarn
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II Review: Starkiller Strikes Back in a By-the-Numbers Sequel
When it was released back in 2008, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed was met with stinging jabs from the critical community. Some of the game’s oft-mentioned flaws included repetitive combat, a poor camera, lame boss fights and a nearly broken targeting system. I did not share my compatriot’s problems with the game and actually found The Force Unleashed to be one of the better action-adventures of 2008.
But here we go again with Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II. (more…)