Bioshock (PS3)

This is a review for Bioshock for the PS3.
I went into this game with high hopes, but instead was very let down. Many reviewers gave this game a perfect score, but I was very disappointed with the game. It is a First person shooter, and for the most part, especially for the beginning of the game, it all work well. Soon, you find that you can get things called plasmids, which your character can buy with money he finds, or just find it from dead people. You shoot this drug into your arm with a needle, which I found to be very indicative of what drug heads do. So, this game already promotes drug use. Anyway, the plasmids give you power to use lightning and fire, and other magical type powers. That, with the included ability to hack service bots to help fight for you, and that fact that you can use many guns in the game, help out in the action department. The real problem, is that the game is way too hard. Even at the easiest difficulty setting, which I was playing the game at, it's still too hard to even do anything, because you find that you keep dying, because there are so many hidden enemies. Also, they're all really strong, which makes it all very hard. I couldn't get very far in the game. It seems to be very interesting story-wise, but it's all actually very strange. The story is so weird it may turn you off to the game. I can't recommend this game to many people, unless you want to try something very different. Who knows, you may end up liking it.

Graphics: 9 out of 10
Sound and Music: 8 out of 10
Presentation: 10 out of 10
Gameplay: 6 out of 10

Overall: 6.8 out of 10

Mafia II

Mafia II is a fun game, and a great sequel, but why is it so short? Here's my honest review of 2K's awesome sequel to an already awesome game.

Mafia II is finally out on the PS3, and it's great. I played through the game two times I enjoyed it so much. However, therein lies the games main problem: it is way too short! I beat the game in about 4 hours, and you could probably beat it faster if you're really good at shooting. Basically, Mafia II is a story-driven third-person shooter set in the 1940's to 1950's. The story follows a war vet named Vito, and you play as him throughout the entire game. You'll stay in your apartment, and call your friend who tells you about your mission, and you eventually join the mafia. The shooting part of this game is the best one. You have an on-screen reticule you can move, and you basically push a button to pull out your weapon, and then fire it with another. Your character can crouch, and the aiming is also extremely precise and accurate; you can shoot an enemy from over 100 yards away and hit him with a pistol. Very nice!
Other gameplay moments involve driving all kinds of vehicles around 'Empire City', the games fictional city that resembles New York City in the 40's, and after a few story moments I won't divulge here, you end up in the 1950's. It's cool because now the cars are nicer and handle better, and everything in the city looks different. You can hide behind obstacles and use a simple button press to interact with things, and it all works really well. It is very obvious that 2K has spent a lot of time with this game.
The music and sound in Mafia II really stand out, because the radio plays old time hits from the era which you'll know right away, seamlessly mixed with some commercials that sound just like they're from the 40's. There are only 3 radio stations to choose from, however, so not a lot of variety. But the game's awesome orchestrated soundtrack for all of the cut scenes and other parts out of the car, are amazing and make the game more real. Sound effects in this game are some of the best I've ever heard. The gun shots actually are loud and sound real, and the voice acting is top notch, another great part of this game. I enjoyed playing the single player mode just to hear more of the story and voices.
The story is what will really propel you to play this game all the way to the end, because there isn't anything else to do in the city. This is not a Grand Theft Auto game, and I can't stress that enough. The only thing you can really do in the city is look around, and maybe rob a few clothing stores or gas stations if you need the cash, but not much else. The NPCs however do say things when you walk by them on the street. But that's about it.
I almost forget to mention probably the single greatest thing about Mafia II: the graphics. If you want a nice new PS3 game to show to all of your friends about how great the graphics look, Mafia II would be a great game to do that with. This game looks better than some games that haven't been released for the system yet, and that's saying a lot. At times, when you're driving on the roads, it looks realistic. The characters mouths move when they talk, and they're animated really well, both in the cut scenes and when you're playing. Textures on objects are very realistic, and polygon counts on everything seem very high. This is a beautiful game, and I think even better looking than 2K's Bioshock.

Mafia II will please the gamers looking for a solid story single player game with strong characters and good 3rd person shooting gameplay. There are some pretty good downloadable content available, but it's just too bad the main story is so short.

Graphics- 9.8 out of 10
Sound and Music- 9.8 out of 10
Presentation- 8.9 out of 10
Gameplay- 8.9 out of 10

Overall- 9.2 out of 10

Tomb Raider Trilogy

Ever since I played the original Tomb Raider for the Sony Playstation, I have been hooked on the 3rd person action adventure genre. Sure, Mario 64 came before it, but Tomb Raider was more realistic, more violent, and more engaging in an 'I'm Indiana Jones' sort of way. Lara has never seemed to fail to capture my attention, and the same is true with Tomb Raider Trilogy for the Playstation 3.
The game is a culmination of three games that were released for various platforms over the past 5 years. Tomb Raider: Legend and Tomb Raider Anniversary, which are included on the disc, have never been seen before on the Playstation 3, so it's nice to see them upgraded with new HD graphics. Tomb Raider: Legend almost looks like a PS3 game, the graphics are that good, and Anniversary looks great too, although it has already gotten the Hi Res update on the PC.
The formula is similar to anyone who knows anything about the Tomb Raider games, however, there are some big differences. First of all, is the control. In the old Tomb Raider games for the Playstation, you had to press forward to make Lara move forward, and no matter where the camera was, that is how it worked. Forward to move forward, sort of like Resident Evil 2. Well, Crystal Dynamics has redone the entire game engine, and it's now a whole lot easier to move around. The results are amazing. It makes exploring the vast environments so much more fun, and easy.
The graphics need to be mentioned here, because although Tomb Raider: Underworld, (the latter game of the bunch) is of course the best looking, the other two games don't look that bad at all. Legend has received an upgrade to the polygon and textures, as well as High Definition output to the tv, allowing for beautiful environment and characters that only the PS3 can allow. The games runs smooth throughout, with no slowdown at all.
Sound is beautiful, and the soundtrack on all three games is well orchestrated. From fast action violins, to trumpets, and slow music for the wandering/exploring sections of the game, it all fits perfectly to create the mood. And, of course, Lara's voice acting is some of the best you'll find in any game. That goes for the other characters as well. All three games implement the same idea: Lara is trying to uncover mysteries from all over the globe, from Peru, to Tokyo, in order to unravel the game's story. The story in all three games are very good and thought out, and I don't think it will take long for another movie to be made of this series. Again. Lara is such a recognized character, and everything she does seems to evoke mystery and wonder. This is an amazing collection titles for your PS3, and there are easily over 100 hours to be put in here. At around $40 for the whole trilogy, you are really getting a bargain in game value. And for Tomb Raider fans, there is a custom PS3 theme, and avatar for your 'Home' character, as well as Developer Diary videos for each game, and a few videos of Lara Croft and the Guardian of Life. You can't go wrong with this collection if you're a fan of Lara like I am.

Graphics- 9.1 out of 10
Sound and Music- 9.0 out of 10
Gameplay- 9.1 out of 10
Presentation- 9.1 out of 10

Overall- 9.1 out of 10

Front Mission Evolved

Action games are pretty easy to come by for a gamer, because whenever you have a gaming system, you've got to have a game that delivers straight up action. Front Mission Evolved is an action game through and through, and certainly delivers the player with much to enjoy and participate in. Right from the start of this game, the action begins, and it's fun till the end. The easy control scheme is what makes the game so much fun. It is extremely easy to control your 'wanzer' (basically a walking battle tank) throughout the terrain because the control is very responsive. You can glide and even hover over everything whilst firing you weapon(s) and avoiding enemy attacks. The camera takes a simple role in this game--behind the players mech. This makes it easy to see not only yourself, but enemies around you. The locales are very varied, ranging from tropical to inside space stations. Not only do you get to pilot a giant robot, but there on missions where you as the main character must fight on foot. These missions offer variety to the game. However, piloting your 'wanzer' is the most fun, and gladly, most of the missions have you doing this. The story is well played out, and the voice acting and characters do a great job of telling it. The story really helps the single player game go smoothly.
I have few complaints about this title, except that the graphics for the character models, (the humans, not the tanks) looked much better. They aren't that bad, but the developers could have done much better with the models, especially since this is the PS3 where talking about. Nevertheless, if you're looking for a fast, fun, action-packed game with pretty scenery and great music, you cannot go wrong with Front Mission Evolved. It's one of the best of 2010.

Graphics- 8.3 out of 10
Sound and Music- 8.9 out of 10
Gameplay- 8.8 out of 10
Presentation- 7.9 out of 10

Overall- 8.0 out of 10

Field Runners (PSP Minis/PS3)

This is a mini review for a mini game.

Field Runners is a mini game that is for many game systems. This is a review for the PS3 (download) game from Subatomic Studios.

To begin, this game is easy to play. It is basically a strategy game where you must place weapons on a map. The "runners" are the bad guys. They will run from one point of the screen to the next. Your goal is to kill the runners before they get to the end of the screen. The good thing about this game is that there are over 100 rounds. There are also maps to unlock. This game ranges from being easy to difficult.

Overall Field Runners is a very basic game. Destroy the enemies before they get to their destination. This game can be fun but after a while it can get tiresome. It's just a bunch of killing.

Graphics: 7 out of 10

Sound and Music: 5 out of 10

Game play: 7 out of 10

Overall: 6 out of 10

Red Faction: Guerilla

Red Faction has always been about one thing. It has lots of things that continue throughout the game series, but one thing stands out the most in every game. You get to blow things up. Lots of things. And not just items, but walls and buildings. You get to decide how to destroy the environment. Volition has crafted a wonderful in-game physics engine that allows the player to destroy the environment in any way possible. It's called the Geo Mod Engine, and it's updated to 2.0 for Red Faction Guerilla. Now, what you thought was possible goes to the extreme.

The story has always stood out in these games, and it's no exception in this one. You play as Red Faction freedom fighter Alec Mason, whose brother you watch get killed right in front of you by the Earth Defense Force. The Earth Defense Force, or EDF as everyone calls them, is in control of the planet Mars, where this story takes place, and is in charge of watching over the workers who mine the planet for resources. They want to basically build another Earth, and they will do whatever necessary to achieve that goal, even if it means killing the workers. All of the activity on Mars is watched over by the eye in the sky, Hydra, an orbiting space ship that monitors all activity on the planet, and ensures that the EDF are always in control. There is a small group of freedom fighters, called the 'Red Faction', who are beginning to see the atrocities the EDF perform and are doing their best to stop them. You join up with them right away, and the fight begins.
The other Red Faction games were first person shooters, but this game is third person, and it works because there can be a lot of action on-screen at one time, and it would be easy to get lost if you couldn't see your character. This game is completely, free-roaming, meaning you can go anywhere you want, and do whatever you like. If you want to level an EDF command center before you begin a Red Faction mission, you can do that. You get to choose what to do next. There are a ton of weapons and explosives to help you along the way. But, what has to be mentioned the most, I think, is the amazing Geomod 2.0 game engine that Volition has constructed for this game. Basically, nearly everything on the surface of Mars can be crushed, blown up, or smashed with the tools you carry. Also, it all acts like it would in real life; so if you shoot a rocket into the top of a building, the pieces will fall off and break the floors beneath them. It is all a site to behold, and only newer game consoles and PCs could deliver such breathtaking scenes.

The games sound and music are really good, and I must mention the music is astounding, sounding very much like high budget movie music. It really puts you in the mood and makes Mars come alive.

This game really makes you feel like you're part of something bigger than yourself, because the game world is so large and vast. There are desert badlands, and EDF controlled areas filled with vehicles and buildings. The graphics are amazing with lighting and textures on the surface of Mars that look real. Everything in this game runs smooth. I never saw any slowdown whatsoever.
I enjoyed playing Red Faction Guerilla very much, and I very much look forward to what Volition has in store for their next game in this series.

Graphics- 9.8 out of 10
Sound and Music- 9.5 out of 10
Gameplay- 9.9 out of 10
Presentation- 9.1 out of 10

Overall- 9.5 out of 10

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is upon us, and I give you my own personal review of it. It must be mentioned that I am a very big Metal Gear Solid fan, and I have been ever since I experienced Metal Gear Solid on the PSOne. That game is amazing, and I may write a review for it in the future, but for now, let's focus on Hideo Kojima's fourth opus on the PlayStation 3.
First of all, the graphics are beautiful. This game really pushes the power of your ps3, and you can tell in the in game graphics, which all of the game's cut scenes implement. The game needs to install in each of the chapters in the game, and it takes about 3 minutes each, which sucks, but it's worth it to see each new area introduced. I won't give away the story except to say that it plays a major part of the game. Most of the game unfolds during cut scenes, so you won't be playing that much, but there is a lot of gameplay too. I just think there is more cut scenes than gameplay, which makes for an unsatisfying game. You play as the legendary Solid Snake, who is aging because of the Fox Die in his system. The game is set in the future, with technologically advanced weapons and weapon launderers. The boss fights are great and epic feeling, and probably the most exciting part of the game. What I found to be disappointing is that you don't even need to sneak around, which Solid Snake is famous for. The action in the game is also too easy because you can buy weapons at any time from Drebin, using points you gain from picking up weapons on the battlefield. I just breezed through the environments, making my way to each boss battle, and eventually, to the end of the game. The game is also very short. It is definitely a game that needs to be experienced on the PS3, for the interactivity and graphics alone. The music is also very good in this game.
Solid Snake has seen better games. This is not one his best.

Graphics- 9.9 out of 10
Sound and Music- 9.8 out of 10
Gameplay- 5.9 out of 10
Presentation- 9 out of 10

Overall- 5.5 out of 10

Shatter

If you think that a video game cannot improve upon the 'Breakout' formula of game, then think again. Shatter is a downloadable title for the PS3 that takes much from the beloved game, but is much more fun and in my opinion, better. 'Arkanoid' by Taito made things interesting with power-ups, but Shatter really takes the cake by making boss battle and different worlds to explore. This is the type of game you will want to play over and over again just to get the highest scores on the leaderboards. There are 10 worlds to discover, and each of them has different music and backgrounds, and of course, the challenge level goes up on each. The main concept of the game is to hit a ball back and forth and shatter blocks in order to increase your score, using a paddle a la 'Breakout'. However, unlike the classic paddle game, you get to suck in air or blow out air in order to slightly guide the ball in the direction you want it to go. For instance, when you shatter some blocks, points fall out of the block that you can see, and you need to suck them into your paddle to gain them. Otherwise, they just float around the level. There are all sorts of power ups such as 1ups, and Manueverball, which lets you control the ball even more. The fun gameplay is here and it's very good. This game addicted me to it not long after I bought it, and it is still fun to play.
But, what must be mentioned about this game most of all, is the music. There's a terrific soundtrack for each world, by 'Module'. The music is perfect and catchy. It's a drum and bass sound with elements of house and techno/trance music, and it works perfectly for the game. I played through each of the worlds just to listen to the new tunes! If not for the game, try this title out for the terrific music. I will be honest, it's one of the best game soundtracks I have ever heard in my life.
Shatter doesn't disappoint, and for it's low price on the PSN ($7.99)it deserves to be added to your gaming library.

Graphics- 8.6 out of 10
Sound and Music- 10 out of 10
Gameplay- 9.5 out of 10
Presentation- 9.1 out of 10

Overall- 8.9 out of 10