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5 (25) 4 (47) 3 (35) 2 (7) 1 (1) 3.8 starsAverage score of 115 user reviews
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I'll counter that 0
Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers is a game that's hard to judge. It's going to provide something radically different for different people, and your own enjoyment of it will depend heavily on your history with the Magic card game itself. In short, Duels of the Planeswalkers is a great introduction for newcomers, but might not offer the level of depth and customization that Magic veterans ultimately seek.For those not in the know, Magic the Gathering is a ridiculously complex (but...
5 out of 5 found this review helpful. -
Heavy handed action 0
The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay had an atmospheric combination of action and stealth that managed to be entertaining, even if it was a bit short and straightforward. Five years later we get a remake/expansion pack, Assault on Dark Athena, and it seems that not a whole lot has changed for Riddick in that time. Dark Athena provides the same brand of heavy handed action that its predecessor did, and delivers it in a similarly brief package. The result is a mixed bag whose validit...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
A comeback is like a yo-yo 0
Punch-Out!! is one of those "classic" Nintendo franchises. You know, the kind that everyone who played it back in the day can't seem to get enough of. So while I had never played a Punch-Out!! game for myself, I continuously heard good things about the series everywhere I turned. Thus, when the updated Wii version came out, I decided it was high time I jump in and see what the fuss was all about. Long story short- I wasn't disappointed. Punch-Out!! is a ton of fun in a "down to earth" sort of wa...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
See you in Hell, Jack! 0
MadWorld is a game that I've been following for quite a while, and my general anticipation for it has been fluctuating all along. A first glance suggested that it would offer tons of style and personality, yet it remained to be seen how the gameplay would back up that initial impression. The result simultaneously hit all my hopes and fears, as MadWorld has a great presentation, but lacks the substance to have any lasting appeal.The main thing that MadWorld lacks is pure content. This is a crimin...
3 out of 3 found this review helpful. -
Bringing flattops back 0
Having never played the original Bionic Commando, Bionic Commando Rearmed provided me with an opportunity to play an updated version of what has been described as nothing short of a classic. After playing the remake for myself, I can certainly see why the game has earned the reputation is has. Bionic Commando Rearmed is a freakishly entertaining old school action game that should be a worthy purchase for anyone willing to overlook a few dated design quirks.At its core, Bionic Commando Rearmed is...
7 out of 8 found this review helpful. -
There ain't no party like a Moai party 2
Rhythm games are great. At their best, they are able to take incredibly simple gameplay ideas and turn them into a fully realized game that's a ton of fun to play. And Rhythm Heaven is certainly one of the good ones. It takes the simplest rhythm ideas possible (ie, tap with the beat), and embeds them within a slew of crazily entertaining minigames. The result is an experience that is as fun as it is accessible, which is the truest mantra of any great rhythm game.At its core, Rhythm Heaven is kin...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
One giant fart joke 7
The original Fable was an interesting experiment, but ultimately didn't deliver on enough of its promises to have any lasting impact. When Fable II was announced, many (myself included) thought that the franchise's second outing would take the opportunity to right all previous wrongs. This proposition couldn't be farther from the truth. Fable II does nothing more than retread old ground, once again failing to deliver on its overly ambitious promises.The main selling point for Fable II is that ev...
12 out of 21 found this review helpful. -
Attempting the impossible 0
I will be one of the first to admit that I think Resident Evil 4 is one of the best, most innovative video games ever made, plain and simple. Yet whenever such a game comes out, the inevitable question always surfaces: How can a sequel possibly live up to the standards set before it? The short answer is that it can't- but it also doesn't need to. Resident Evil 5 is more or less content to bring us more of the fantastic gunplay that defined Resident Evil 4, and as a result is another thrilling ac...
9 out of 9 found this review helpful. -
More "Halo" than "RTS" 0
It's always nice to see an IP as popular as Halo branch out and try something different- in this case via Halo Wars. It only helps matters that a team as qualified as Ensemble Studios was willing to take up the task, and they bring their usual level of quality to the table. At the same time, Halo Wars is a bit more "Halo" than "RTS", the result of which is a generically entertaining strategy game that is shadowed by a handful of shallow design elements, and may only appeal to a limited fan base ...
1 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
A return to roots 3
I've been playing Fire Emblem games for as long as they've been on American soil, and while the series may have its ups and downs, the general quality of strategic gameplay and prolific storytelling has been consistent throughout. When it was announced that the original Famicon Fire Emblem was getting a DS remake, I was excited to see where the franchise got started. The result is more telling than I expected- Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon stands shoulder to shoulder with its successors, and does a...
5 out of 5 found this review helpful. -
Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwww 0
The Maw is a great example of a solid, if unspectacular arcade title. It's cheap, it's short, but it's fun while it lasts. Sprinkle a good dose of charm on top, and The Maw becomes an enjoyable little romp that many should consider to be worth the price of admission- even if it fails to leave any sort of lasting impression.Like many arcade games, The Maw is straightforward in nature. You lead this purple creature around, feeding it anything and everything in sight. The Maw can grow in size and g...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
The grim reality of episodic content 5
Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness Episode One is a game that I can't quite decide how to judge. On the one hand, it has a witty, in-your-face style of humor that's generally entertaining. On the other hand, the RPG elements don't really live up to the game's price tag. In the end, I think the dividing line for most will be how far they let the game's funnies carry the rest of the package and whether it is far enough to justify the game's relatively high entry fee.F...
13 out of 16 found this review helpful. -
Revived once more 2
Castlevania is one of gaming's longest running franchises, and somehow manages to continually pump out new titles every year or two. Order of Ecclesia is the latest entry, and brings back much of the same style of action and adventure that we've come to expect from the series. It's a fun title for sure, but the series' extreme aversion to innovation is catching up with it, making Order of Ecclesia feel all too predictable.That's not to say that Order of Ecclesia is a direct carbon copy of the pr...
2 out of 3 found this review helpful. -
User-generated content for the everyman 0
One of the recent "buzz phrases" in gaming has been the notion of user-generated content. Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts is a follower of this idea, but perhaps not in the way you might initially think. It strikes a fine middle ground between a rigid mission structure and the freedom of vehicle building, the result of which is a stellar game that is easily recommendable to a wide audience.Most user-generated content games (such as Spore and LittleBigPlanet) provide seemingly limitless playgrounds...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
Perfection in a nutshell 0
Games can be great in a number of ways. They can push forth new ideas, ones that will manifest themselves as staples for years to come. They can strike a chord with players, generating unforgettable moments. Or they can take what has been done before, and do it better. Dead Space falls into this last category. It borrows the best ideas from some of gaming's landmark titles, and combines it all into a shooter that gets as close to perfection as any game could hope to do.Dead Space doesn't even tr...
5 out of 5 found this review helpful. -
Adventure doesn't fly higher 0
Prince of Persia has always been a staple franchise for excellent platforming- a showcase of high flying acrobatic feats, if you will. And for the most part, this reboot of the series carries the standard high. Throw in some stellar production values and a compelling narrative, and it's easy to overlook a few rough edges in favor of this action-packed ride.The heart and sole of any Prince of Persia game has always been the great platforming. The Prince can perform a wide variety of stunning acro...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
Ball throwing goodness 0
At first, I wasn't really sure what to expect from Boom Blox. On one hand, it looked like a clever game based around a simple, easy-to-learn concept. On another hand, it looked like it might try to rope players in with a gimmicky task, thus churning out another casual party game for the Wii. The result, for better or worse, falls somewhere in between. Boom Blox should appeal to all players to some extent, but might not offer quite enough depth to keep everyone coming back for more.Boom Blox's bi...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
The sleepiest of sleepers 0
Every now and then, great games get lost in the shuffle. Among an onslaught of top notch titles, it's easy for a game- especially a smaller, less publicized game- to get left behind. World of Goo is an absolutely fantastic puzzle game that suffered such a fate, and is destined to be the sleeper hit of the year.At its core, this is a puzzle game through and through. And with close to 50 original puzzles, there is a lot of room for variety. Fortunately, World of Goo doesn't disappoint in this cate...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
One-trick zombie 0
Valve is a developer that takes their time when making games. When they do release a title, it's usually of high quality- the problems tend to come in the quantity department. And their newest venture, Left 4 Dead, is no different. "Zombie survival horror" has simply never been done this well, which is why it's disappointing that there isn't much to do. A noticeable lack of content is the only thing holding Left 4 Dead back from being an otherwise stellar shooter.If you've played other recent Va...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
War never changes 0
It is impossible to talk about Fallout 3 without making the inevitable comparisons to The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. After all, they are both open world RPGs made by the same development team at Bethesda Softworks. And after playing both games, it's clear that Bethesda has a very distinct style that permeates their games. Among all of the similarities, however, Fallout 3 manages to be just different enough to feel fresh, and be a compelling game in its own right.The first thing fans of Oblivion...
1 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
Woo baby, yeah! 0
The original Gears of War was one of the Xbox 360's first "must own" titles, but the good folks over at Epic Games weren't content to rest on their laurels. They set out to make a direct sequel that would best its predecessor- and in short, they succeeded. Gears of War 2 is bigger and better than ever before. It takes every piece one step further, and the result is a "larger than life" action game that's a blast from start to finish.The campaign in Gears of War 2 immediately gives off more of a ...
8 out of 8 found this review helpful. -
Grabbing defeat from the jaws of victory 0
When I first heard about Star Wars: The Force Unleashed last year, my hopes were high. The pieces seemed to be in place for a Star Wars renaissance of sorts. And while the original story and some of the force powers are entertaining in spurts, the obvious 1990s style gameplay missteps take center stage in the long run, and make The Force Unleashed a game that frustrates more often than it captivates.The most glaring, and perhaps most frustrating things about The Force Unleashed are gameplay flaw...
7 out of 8 found this review helpful. -
Braid will break your brain 0
When done right, I have always liked "puzzles" in games, even though different people seem to quantify the term "puzzle" in different ways when it comes to video games. Whether you simply think of a "puzzle" as a jigsaw puzzle, or just any challenge that requires a step by step procedure to complete, Braid has them. Lots of them. And they are really, really good. Braid is a puzzle game in every sense of the word, and it will attempt to break your brain in as many ways as possible.Which, of cours...
4 out of 4 found this review helpful. -
The game that wouldn't end 0
Japanese RPGs may be past their heyday, but those with a keen eye and an interest in the genre should be capable of picking out the good ones from the pack. At first glance, Persona 3: FES looks to be one of those hidden gems. It's got an interesting design, strategic combat, and likable characters. But in the end, it's weighed down by many of the same trappings the genre is known for, as it's repetition and excesive length hold Persona 3: FES back from being an otherwise stellar Japanese RPG.Th...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
Tennis: Hardcore Edition 0
I love tennis. And seeing as Top Spin has been my tennis franchise of choice since 2003, I was certainly excited to see what the new installment would bring to the table. What I got, however, was radically different from anything I could have expected. While the Top Spin franchise has always been more focused on creating a realistic tennis simulation when compared to its competition, Top Spin 3 takes that idea to a whole new level. Top Spin 3 is a great tennis simulator, but just might be too ha...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
If techno were a game 0
Rez HD isn't the first of its kind for me. That is, a game that I simply don't understand. I hear all the good things people are saying about the game, but upon downloading and playing the game for myself, I have to admit that I am stumped. Because to me, Rez HD is a repetitive, no frills, and unwieldy shooter that failed to get me excited in any way, shape, or form.That includes the game's techno-centric atmosphere that I heard so many good things about. All the audio in the game is a slew of t...
2 out of 7 found this review helpful. -
Strawberry on the shortcake! 0
No More Heroes is a game that not everyone will like. In fact, I bet there are those who will hate the game with a burning passion. But you could say that about any game. And while No More Heroes certainly has its glaring issues, there are a handful of redeeming qualities to be found that make No More Heroes a straight up entertaining experience. Everyone may not appreciate its finer points, but I was one that found myself in the camp that enjoyed the game's wacky sense of humor, in-your-face pr...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
Ninjas are badass 0
Ninja Gaiden II is a bloody mess. And I mean that in the best way possible. Practically the entire time you'll spend playing the game is filled with flying limbs, and geysers of blood. But the mess is all just for show. And while it's a good show indeed, the real heart and soul of Ninja Gaiden II lies in the same place it has with every other entry to this long-running franchise- its awesome action.Ninja Gaiden II is an action game, and it takes the meaning of the word "action" extremely literal...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
Doing things the hard way 0
The original N was a fast paced, challenging, but ultimately fun and addicting 2D action platformer that also happened to be a freeware flash game. And while its new sequel, N+, is no longer free, that by no means stops it from being just as fun. And just as damn hard.But that's okay, because any self respecting gamer likes a good challenge. And that's exactly what the difficulty in N+ stems from- a good challenge. This isn't the kind of game that constantly throws cheap tricks at you, encouragi...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
Full circle 2
Square Enix has been making RPGs for pretty much ever, and the whole spiky-haired, teen angst phenomenon is most likely their fault. Needless to say, the whole thing has been overplayed, and in many situations just feels wrong or unnecessary. Fortunately, The World Ends With You is here to set the record straight, and show us that the "teen angst" vibe doesn't need to be a narrative cop out. Square Enix has finally brought their own story-telling mechanics full circle, and the result is a game t...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
Critical thinking is the key to success 0
There is something to be said for a healthy dose of charm in a game. When a game is genuinely charming, it leaves you with a distinctly warm, fuzzy feeling that's hard to beat. Professor Layton and the Curious Village is one game that is superbly charming by any measure. Its clever brain teasers don't hurt proceedings either, and the overall package is a strong one that will have you constantly coming back for more.It's not just one thing that lends Professor Layton its charm either. The beautif...
3 out of 3 found this review helpful. -
Take me down to the Paradise City 0
There exist racing games that like to give you fancy cars to purchase, like BMW's and Ferrari's. There exist racing games that have car shops, where you can pay for car tune-ups and part changes. There exist racing games that involve you racing around a simple oval race track. Burnout Paradise is a racing game that does none of those things. Burnout Paradise is a racing game about racing- plain and simple. That means high speed thrills, crazy courses, and lots and lots of crashing.That's what th...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful. -
War is serious business 0
As a long time fan of the Advance Wars series, Days of Ruin comes off as kind of the bastard child of the series to me. It certainly doesn't look like your typical Advance Wars game, but after you play it for a bit you'll realize that its gameplay is so Advance Wars. This means that Days of Ruin is a solid strategy game that should appeal to fans of both the genre and the franchise, though the new look alone might not be enough to endear the game to newcomers.Most of the new vibe comes from the ...
4 out of 4 found this review helpful. -
Baby steps 0
As a guy who has played almost every Mario Kart game in existence (the GBA's Super Circuit and the Arcade GP being the exceptions), I always go into a new Mario Kart game with some level of reserved expectation. I always feel like there is plenty of potential with a game like Mario Kart, but the series' history of playing it safe has taught me to not hope for too much. And for the most part, this is once again the case with Mario Kart Wii.That's not to say I didn't like Mario Kart Wii. In fact, ...
2 out of 2 found this review helpful. -
A brawler for the ages 0
Super Smash Bros. Brawl is a game with something for everyone. Granted, it has more for some than others, but between the hectic brawls made for up to four players, the lengthy story mode that travels through Nintendo's most popular franchises, and the loads of nostalgia crammed in every corner of the experience, it's a game you'd have to be crazy to hate. Unless you're one of those jerks that Jeff mentioned.At the same time, not everything in Brawl is for everyone. While Brawl offers a whole lo...
1 out of 1 found this review helpful.
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