1.18.2008

Review of Assassins Creed - PS3/360

Assassins Creed was a game I heard a ton about before it came out then it fell silent once it was released. I was excited to get it, I rented it before Christmas for 360. Then I received it for PS3 from my sister. I put both in for comparison and came out wanting to play only the PS3 version. Sorry GamerScore...

Game: Assassin's Creed
System: 360, PS3
Rating: 8/10
Replay Value: Fair
Collection Recommendation: Buy

What is it?
In Assassins Creed you play mainly as a Assassin in the Middle East - Time Unknown to me. Its a free roam world like that of the Grand Theft Auto style. You can explore how you want, and gather as much information or assist as many a civilians as you like before continuing to your main assassination. Mind there is a small bit of research needed to continue it doesn't hold you back. The game has a 'futuristic twist' Ubisoft was excited about, I wasn't excited about it and kinda find it awkward at times.

Play/Control
Their was a lot of talk about how this game is controlled before it was released. Their is an odd "puppet system" for controlling your Assassin, which both had and has a good amount of complaints. I've picked it up pretty easy, the control works well for what you need it to do. I worried for a minute if I could use it successfully, but I've had no issues. Others I talked to didn't like it though. The input also comes in two forms, aggressive and passive these arn't as hard to manage as I was thinking they may be, they end up working well.

As far as the play, it gets repetitive pretty quick since their is about 4 things to do over and over in each city. This is just as far as what you need to do, spy, pick-pocket, save people and interrogate people. You do them all over and over each city, it does get progressively harder and isn't the exact thing always. Similar enough though, I was hoping in this next-gen gaming they would have at least disguised it! This is the major complaint I hear though. The play otherwise is pretty awesome, although I am impressed by the assassinations and climbing tall heights. I found it to be really fun, not much repetition to spoil it for me. I think its good content, and alot of fun, they should have just put some more mix in there.

PLAYSTATION 3 Vs 360

Heres where my meat and potato go. I love my graphics! As I mentioned before I tried them both together to see how they looked. They looked stunningly different! My friends whom were over at the time said "different as night and day" the 360 smooths it down alot and the draw distance is shorter (how far you see), with the playstation you easily see dust being stirred up and blowing around. I also noticed on the 360 I got really irritated with the same voice clips playing over and over and over, so much I almost wanted to put the game down!! The playstation it seems that they just have nothing new to say... this is referring to the citizens around town that just comment as you play. Playstation definitely looks much better, I even think it seems to play better. I suggest it if you have the option, otherwise the 360 version is fun, kinda annoying to listen to the banter though.

1.08.2008

Nice VC Games this week.

Wow! Nice VC games this week... I'd have to say the BEST (well for NES) so far. Woah! So glad to see Startropics on there, I love that game. If you haven't played it something it wrong with you... Its almost a Zelda clone, not really in my opinion since it has a good storyline to go with it, but its great. :D Never thought of it as a Zelda clone but it is, same walk, same attack (not a sword, but a YoYo) and Heart 1/2s for lives.

Reallly GOOD game... :/ I almost want to buy it. I love it, replay is so good too, but I have the cart. Only game that could top that is Crystalis. Are you listening SNK and Nintendo? :D


StarTropics - NES - 500 Wii Points

The King of Fighters '94 - Neo Geo - 900 Wii Points


StarTropics is totally worth the buy if you like RPGs...
If you think you'd like it or someone else would... should get some Wii points and get it.
Please consider clicking the link below and buy from Amazon, it helps us out! Enjoy it, its a great game.

1.04.2008

Game Review - Beautiful Katamari

I've decided it would be a great idea to get my Game Reviews on here! :D I am pretty critical and honest about games, and really see them from a different angle I think. We'll discuss all kinds of aspects of it, and if you want to know more just ask!

Beautiful Katamari
System: Xbox 360
Rating: 8/10
Collection Suggestion: Buy

What is it?

Beautiful Katamari is an odd game from Japan. If you've played the other Katamari games your familiar with this oddity. In Beautiful Katamari your father - The King of the Universe - is an excellent tennis player, being so good he smashes a ball through the sky and creates a black hole that creates havoc and eats many solar bodies across the universe. Your father the magical guy he is insists you (The Prince) and your cousins help fix it, by rolling up junk on Earth to become the new bodies in space.

The majority of game play takes place in shops and across earth rolling into as many items as you can to make a huge ball of random junk. This is nicely varied, I assumed it would get boring quick, but to my supprize they backed it up pretty well. Every level starts in a new location in the same world (of Earth) but with new goals and item types there interested in. It always feels new for doing the same thing, which I find as a plus. Even when completed with goals, you have the opportunity to out do yourself or find items and cousins hidden in the level.

Play
I find it interesting to play, but I am amused pretty easy sometimes. I really enjoy the dynamics of it, if you stick to a light pole or a ruler it actually makes it like a ball that rolls with a light pole jammed into the side! For me the rolling takes quite a bit of effort to make your father happy though! I was lucky alot of times to actually get his goals, which does become easier once you grasp what size you need to be to pick up items and which makes you bigger faster. I could see good strides once I figure this out.

Control
The control of the game is a bit odd... it uses both thumb sticks to drive around, it works but it makes the control kinda odd. I'd occasionally get stuck some places, which were logical places to get stuck, but getting out would get on my nerves (timer doesn't help). Once you learn how it works the control does decent. I personally think the Left Stick being a bit higher than the Right makes it kinda awkward, but it plays nicely. There are areas that you need to balance for control to get across areas like shelves full of books, yet I didn't have a problem keeping where I wanted to be as I expected.

Fun
This game in interesting, if you don't like weird Japanese games, odd games or simplicity you most likely won't like it. If you like quirky odd games where you can jump in and play its a good one. When you get to stick civilians, dogs, cats, houses, and other oddities its really amusing. I really got a kick out of watching people flail and kick around crazily when picked up. It really isn't that 'simple' of a game, it gets pretty complicated, but as far as learning. Really only have to figure size of items and roll on them!

I think its a good game for people who like oddity. A good game for people just to pick up and play, you don't really need to know alot to play and have a good amount of amusement to go with it! I'd put it under the buy list. Also feels like a good relief when your mad at the world, roll it and its citizens up, show them the stars! It wouldn't be a deal at its original $60, but now marked down, its worth your buy.

Buy this game!