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Video_Game_King

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3.9 stars

Average score of 54 user reviews

This game offers just as many reasons not to play as it does to play it. 6

From its beginnings in 1987, the Metal Gear series has always had a notable presence in the video game community. This holds especially true for Guns of the Patriots, as it seeks to wrap up the Metal Gear storyline with one last hurrah. In this light, the Metal Gear saga ends on a rather conflicted note. After all, Guns of the Patriots is not without its flaws. The story is needlessly drawn out and has a penchant for the absurd, and many of its side features are awkward, at best. In spite of the...

6 out of 7 found this review helpful.

Project X Zone is fantastic to watch. However, actually playing it is a more ambiguous experience. 10

Video games are a special medium. They offer unique types of experiences that other media have far more trouble encapsulating. However, the road goes both ways. Because of how video games operate, something that might work in another medium may not work in video games. Take Project X Zone, for instance. Its pixel art aesthetic looks amazing, and the high number of colorful characters should, in theory, form an enjoyable experience. And they do, as long as you ignore Project X Zone as a video gam...

4 out of 5 found this review helpful.

The most recent entry in the Fire Emblem series combines refined strategic gameplay and clearly defined characters. 0

Fire Emblem has never been a popular series outside Japan. In fact, the previous game in the series never even saw an international release. Part of this may be because the series as a whole was never given high amounts of publicity; another reason could be that the slow, strategic gameplay simply does not appeal to the casual audience that Nintendo has always pursued. Yet the quality of the games themselves has never been an issue, a fact supported with the release of Fire Emblem: Awakening for...

1 out of 2 found this review helpful.

A beautifully wrought tale of love and violence. 0

In most games, violence is considered a source of enjoyment and entertainment. Pandora’s Tower is not most games. Instead, it heavily condemns violence as a necessary evil at best and as a senseless evil at worst. This message is juxtaposed alongside a carefully wrought and beautifully executed relationship with one of the main characters, resulting in a fitting closer to the Nintendo Wii’s library.There is also an item creation system to play around with, but its logic is questionable. Items l...

6 out of 7 found this review helpful.

A complex but enjoyable stealth adventure. 0

A good rule of storytelling is to keep things simple. This way, the story can explore a few concepts in great depth without confusing the audience or weakening the plot. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty flagrantly breaks this rule, telling one of the most complex stories in any video game. Despite this, the game still succeeds. True, the plot isn't completely tight, but it somehow manages to tell a cohesive story with very well thought out points without collapsing in on itself. On top of tha...

5 out of 6 found this review helpful.

A thoughtfully crafted narrative about tragedy and perseverance. 0

It was during the mid 1990s that most video game franchises made the leap to the third dimension. Persona, though, is not most franchises; it took the series six years to fully enter the third dimension in the form of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3.However, such a long wait was entirely worth it. Boasting both an intricately thought out story, memorable characters, and a very strong battle system, Persona 3 is a worthy entry in the PS2’s storied history of role-playing games. The additions brough...

4 out of 5 found this review helpful.

A nonstop stream of steady action fit for a portable console. 8

If any one trait were to define the modern era, it would have to be speed. With YouTube videos and fast Internet journalism (among other things) promising instant gratification on a whim, quickness is often more valued than patience. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing, a statement that 3DS shooter Liberation Maiden proves this quite well. The game is only about an hour long across five stages, yet somehow manages to cram every single moment with fast-paced yet thought out action. The e...

5 out of 6 found this review helpful.

Solid stealth action surrounded by a dumb yet well meaning story. 2

A very controversial topic in video games is that of interactivity versus cinematics. While many believe them to be necessary tools in telling a video game story, many others feel that their overuse detracts from the interactivity that makes video games unique. Understandably, a narrative-focused game has to find a delicate balance between gameplay and cutscene to address both concerns. Oddly enough, though, the (relatively) recent 3DS remake of Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater seems to occupy bot...

5 out of 7 found this review helpful.

There is nothing redeemable about this game. 0

Even among the worst video games imaginable, it is still possible to take away something positive from the experience. After all, not everything about a video game can be terrible, right? Alone in the Dark manages to break this storied tradition, as there is nothing redeemable to be found in this game. From concept to execution, absolutely nothing was done right.This even extends to the core philosophies driving the game’s development. For whatever reason, Atari decided to craft this in the vein...

1 out of 2 found this review helpful.

A highly deep and thoughtful medieval war game. 0

To fans of the series, Fire Emblem is primarily known for a handful of strengths, such as its complex political narratives, the depth of its strategic gameplay, the well written characters, etc. Path of Radiance, the first 3D entry in the series, changes absolutely none of this. In fact, it refines these traits quite noticeably. Although Path of Radiance asks for a high investment, especially at the outset, the payoff is indeed worth it, offering one of the most thought out and tactical experien...

2 out of 2 found this review helpful.

A remarkably detailed, masterfully wrought political shooter. 1

Politics are old hat for video games, and have been for quite some time. Ever since Big Boss contemplated the soldier’s place in the world, games have worked meaningful political messages into their narratives. So it should not be surprising that BioShock, released in 2007, was able to achieve this task, and indeed, that alone is not very noteworthy. What is noteworthy, however, is how well the game does it. Not only is BioShock a complex, thought-out treatise on the dangers of objectivism and ...

3 out of 4 found this review helpful.

A very gratifying game that takes its sweet time becoming that. 2

In 1997, Atlus released its first serious stateside Shin Megami Tensei game in the form of Revelations: Persona. (Technically, Jack Bros. preceded Persona by two years, yet it was a light-hearted dungeon crawler released for the doomed Virtual Boy, explaining its lesser significance to the series.) Unfortunately, this was not the best way to introduce non-Japanese audiences to the series. Ignoring the problems created in its spotty localization, Revelations was ultimately an obtuse, unexciting e...

2 out of 2 found this review helpful.

An unabashed yet delightfully odd Fire Emblem clone. 0

To most Fire Emblem fans, Tear Ring Saga is nothing more than a Playstation game that heavily borrows from Fire Emblem games before it. To be fair, there is reason why this attitude still persists: partly, it is because the game has yet to be translated, leaving players with little incentive to pick it up, yet a larger part is because this is completely true. Tear Ring Saga borrows a lot from Fire Emblem, from story and gameplay elements to minor sound effects. However, this by no means makes th...

0 out of 0 found this review helpful.

A cohesive, enjoyable, and all around fantastic video game. 0

Often times, the end of a console’s life cycle is when some of its best games are made. After all, it is at this point when developers are most comfortable with how consoles work, allowing them to do more with what the system can put out than at any other point in a console’s run. A cursory glance at video game history bears this out: Panzer Dragoon Saga is both one of the best Sega Saturn games and one of its last; Conker’s Bad Fur Day was released very late in the Nintendo 64’s life; and this ...

3 out of 4 found this review helpful.

A thoughtfully developed and incredibly well executed experience. 0

Sex and video games rarely mix, at least in a meaningful way. Although many video games feature sex as some aspect of their narrative, these scenes rarely contribute much to the overall story; instead, they are often times given out as a juvenile award, of sorts. However, recent visual novel Katawa Shoujo (Japanese for “Disability Girls”) manages to avoid this. Although rough along the edges, Katawa Shoujo manages to show the utmost respect both for its themes and sexual content, creating a memo...

4 out of 6 found this review helpful.

All the wrong kinds of moronic. 0

Xbox Live Arcade has proved an excellent platform for the release of older games. Because these older games are simple to grasp and to emulate on other systems, the platform has become a new opportunity for newer gamers to experience old classics. Yet this certainly does not mean that every game is deserving of rerelease. No game demonstrates this more efficiently than Resident Evil: Code Veronica: X HD. Just about every aspect of the game, from the story to the gameplay to the overall design, f...

1 out of 2 found this review helpful.

An incomprehensible experience like no other. 7

It is very difficult to find the proper words to describe El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron in an accurate manner. The game could best be described as a Devil May Cry-esque action game, but that is only part of what makes the game so unique (at least given its competition). What makes the game truly memorable is the various types of insanity on display. There is little to no cohesion between scenarios, and the game somehow manages to defy expectations and logic on an almost regular basis. Ye...

5 out of 7 found this review helpful.

A highly well-executed transition into the third dimension. 3

The jump to the third dimension is always a risky move for a traditionally 2D series. Obviously, the addition of another dimension will drastically change how a series operates, sometimes changing it entirely. In fact, many series received heavy criticisms for their first attempts at 3D ( Sonic, Castlevania, Mega Man, etc.). The Legend of Zelda, fortunately, has avoided this fate with Ocarina of Time, its first foray into the third dimension. Although it’s not perfect, Ocarina of Time manag...

2 out of 4 found this review helpful.

A series of good ideas ruined by an insultingly simple execution. 0

While there are several Christmas games available to gamers ( Daze Before Christmas, Christmas NiGHTS into Dreams, etc.), very few Halloween-themed games exist outside licensed games based on Halloween-themed material. Double Fine intended to rectify this when they released Costume Quest, a Halloween RPG available for the Xbox 360 and PS3. With this game, they have proved that it is possible to create a good game based on Halloween. Unfortunately, aiming to tailor the game for a younger audi...

1 out of 4 found this review helpful.

One of the most stunning games for the SNES. 5

While many people first experienced Square’s foray into the strategy RPG genre through Final Fantasy Tactics, that game was not their first attempt at making a strategy RPG. Just two years prior, the company released Bahamut Lagoon for the SNES. Doing what few, if any other games did before it, Bahamut Lagoon heavily mixed elements from both Fire Emblem and Final Fantasy into an incredibly gratifying package. Actually, calling it a direct combination of Fire Emblem and Final Fantasy ...

12 out of 16 found this review helpful.

A highly creative platformer that does a lot with time travel. 0

In recent years, people have been debating whether or not games are art. Although some examples are older games ( Panzer Dragoon, Earthbound, Out of This World, etc.), most gamers cite modern games made after 2000. One of the most common examples is Braid, an independently developed platformer released in 2008. Part of the reason is its striking watercolor art style and calming soundtrack; a larger reason is its imaginative and satisfying use of time mechanics, blending adventure ...

3 out of 3 found this review helpful.

An interesting combination of old and new. 0

At first glance, Super Mario Galaxy 2, the latest Mario game, seems to resemble the original Galaxy a lot. In fact, not much has changed between the two games; you will still jump from planet to planet, collecting stars to rescue a princess from Bowser. In fact, the game starts off in almost the same way, recycling the introduction nearly verbatim. However, while Super Mario Galaxy 2 borrows a lot from its predecessor, it still manages to add enough to the formula to be considered a wort...

0 out of 0 found this review helpful.

A unique experiment that fails to achieve any of its goals. 3

Despite the title, Revelations: Persona is not part of the Revelations series, but of the long-running Shin Megami Tensei series of JRPGs. In fact, Persona was actually the first major Shin Megami Tensei game to be released outside Japan, meaning that it was the first experience many gamers had with the series. Knowing this, it would make sense for Atlus to use this as an opportunity to polish any flaws in the original Shin Megami Tensei games and start the franchise with a cl...

3 out of 3 found this review helpful.

It takes a lot of risks, and the end result is somewhat mixed. 11

The Final Fantasy series has experimented with its gameplay since the beginning, explaining why the quality from title to title has varied considerably. Final Fantasy XIII, the latest game in the series, sums up that spirit as perfectly as it can: certain parts come across as well written, highly involved fun, yet other moments are hackneyed portions that demonstrate what not to do in a game. However, in the end, Final Fantasy XIII is a game which improves on many of the concepts from pre...

33 out of 40 found this review helpful.

A series of notable changes which amount to nothing. 0

The beginning of 2010 is proving to be an odd time for video games. On one end of the spectrum is the group of new IPs with no ties to other series, like Darksiders, Bayonetta, MAG, and Dante's Inferno. On the other side is the collection of sequels to major releases of the past few years, like BioShock 2, Mass Effect 2, Mega Man 10 and Final Fantasy XIII. However, the truly weird part is that both sides lack creativity, relying mostly on the designs of games before them. In that sense, No More ...

3 out of 4 found this review helpful.

Exactly what a sequel should be. 0

Currently, the video game industry is driven by sequels; rather than risk a lot of money on a new series, game companies would rather stick to a franchise that has previously proven itself. Unfortunately, developers do not show any signs of relenting any time soon, so if they are going to maintain an entire medium mostly through sequels, they should at least know how to do it. Assassin’s Creed II is a prime example of how to make a sequel. The first way it proves this is by detaching its...

24 out of 24 found this review helpful.

A decent entry in the series, but aimed mainly at longtime fans. 6

Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn is the third America-released game in the Fire Emblem series, and the first sequel to a previous Fire Emblem game that American audiences have seen. Normally, sequels are an opportunity for developers to try something new or fix any flaws in the first game. While Radiant Dawn certainly refines many of the features from Path of Radiance, it also mucks up several features that previous games in the series have been doing correctly for years.  Being a sequel to the GameCub...

14 out of 14 found this review helpful.

So many good ideas, but the execution essentially ignores them. 1

If Sony’s first console were known for two things, those things would be JRPGs and trying new things. Obviously, Breath of Fire III serves as a great example of both these attributes in action. However, many of the ideas it tries to implement either are of little consequence or flawed in some way, shape, or form.Breath of Fire III starts with the protagonist caught in a magic crystal, confused, not sure of what is going on or where to go. Soon, however, he unites with two young thieves and the g...

3 out of 3 found this review helpful.

A somewhat good idea that ends up destroying itself. 0

One concept that many game companies still have trouble grasping is, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." For some reason, they see it fit to take a good game, add some unnecessary features, and totally ruin anything people liked about in the first place. A perfect example of this is Paladin's Quest, its major "fix" being the removal of MP for casting spells. While it sounds good in theory, this, and many other factors make the game a poorly developed RPG without a single good quality to it. As me...

0 out of 0 found this review helpful.

A few good ideas ruined by awful controls, graphics, and gameplay 0

When talking about old school games, a combination of robots and beat 'em up gameplay would be like a match made in heaven. Something just feels natural about beating the bolts out of robots with your iron fist. Throw in the ability to create your own custom robot, and unique, randomly generated enemies, and a great game is born, right? Then how did Cyborg Justice, a game featuring all three of these elements, end up being so dreadfully atrocious? The game's intro starts with a spaceship crashin...

0 out of 1 found this review helpful.

The dark realism and murky atmosphere make this a great game. 4

During the Playstation era of video games, Konami created an array of classic titles for just about every gamer. For the person who loved complex plots and Hollywood production values, there was Metal Gear Solid; for the RPG gamer, there was Suikoden; for the gamer who wanted a good story and fun non-linear gameplay, there was Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Silent Hill is no exception; by improving the foundation set by Resident Evil, it became one of the most memorable survival horror game...

2 out of 4 found this review helpful.

Aside from the grating dialogue, Prince of Persia is great. 0

In the gaming world, many games earn the status of ALMOST perfect. Often, a game will have several great factors that could add up to perfection if not for a few minor flaws. No game demonstrates this better than the latest Prince of Persia. The cheesy story and minor platforming issues keep the new Prince of Persia from being an otherwise perfect game. The game’s first flaw comes up even before buying the game: the Limited Edition that came with pre-ordering from GameStop. It comes with a bonus...

0 out of 0 found this review helpful.

Good on its own, but not as good a Banjo Kazooie game. 0

Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts is the latest entry in the Banjo Kazooie series, a series that dates back to the N64. Although it started as a platformer in the vein of Super Mario 64, the latest entry is more of a kart building game than a 3D platformer. And while the new gameplay mechanics do not make Nuts & Bolts any less a Banjo Kazooie game, they certainly do not make it a good one. In the eight years since their last adventure, the bird and bear duo have become fat and lazy. Grunty’s s...

1 out of 3 found this review helpful.

A mixture of legitimately hard and infuriatingly cheap. 0

Many gamers complain that games today are too easy. They feel that a game should last longer and be more of a challenge, especially for $60. Team Ninja must have heard this, since Ninja Gaiden II, their latest game, is the hardest action game made since Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening. However, the game’s frustratingly hard difficulty has roots in both legitimately demanding situations and cheap technicalities that the development team did not fix. Ninja Gaiden II starts with Sonia, a promisc...

1 out of 1 found this review helpful.

There's not much reason for Nintendo to release this worldwide. 0

Of the three video game factions, Nintendo fanboys seem to be the most vocal about what they want. Once a Nintendo fan starts complaining about the lack of an English release of Mother 3 or the absence of a Kid Icarus sequel, it is hard to get them to stop. However, what many fans seem to forget is the quality of the games in question to begin with. In the case of Mother 3, the Japan only release seems reasonable, given the overall quality of the game. Unlike the previous games in the series, Mo...

2 out of 5 found this review helpful.

The best of both the old school games and the modern entries. 0

It seems that the more Final Fantasy progresses, the further it gets from its roots. As time passes, each game loses more of what made many fans fall in love with the series in the first place. Square made Final Fantasy IX in order to ensure that nobody forgets the traditions and origins of the series. The result is an enjoyable RPG that combines the old school feel of the NES games with the cinematic presentation of more recent games. The game starts with Zidane, an Aladdin-esque street urchin/...

1 out of 1 found this review helpful.

Although a short game, Metal Gear Solid is also a pretty good one 0

Most video games have the character generally killing any enemy that comes in your way, and find ways to support the weakness of the enemy. First person shooters give you a continuous flow of ammo to shoot at any enemy in view; platformers generally have enemies die within one to two jumps on the head; even RPGs, which are not known to show an outward preference to violence (compared to games like Duke Nukem and Carmageddon, at least), encourage killing enemies as a means to progress through the...

3 out of 4 found this review helpful.

Many good aspects watered down with excessive cutscenes. 0

Modern day Square seems to have lost their ability to make good RPGs, as of late. Final Fantasy XII was a pretentious, narcissist game that was in love with itself to the point where it did not want any gameplay mucking up its story. Final Fantasy XIII does not seem to be making matters better, as it is so egomaniacal that it is already having a few sequels developed, even though it has yet to be finished, let alone released. Chrono Trigger DS is bound to be nothing more than a very lazy port of...

0 out of 3 found this review helpful.

Living in the shadow of Final Fantasy VI, yet never as good as it 7

The second installment in any Final Fantasy “trilogy” always happens to be the odd one out. Often times, it will try to do something completely different from its predecessors, expand on a concept previously touched upon in earlier installments, or both. However, the tragedy is that in doing so, the game ends up average; not quite as good as the first in the trifecta, and definitely below the standards of the Final Fantasy to follow. Final Fantasy VIII, unfortunately, follows suit, but it a uniq...

3 out of 5 found this review helpful.

This game would've been better if they bug tested the combat. 0

Every gamer knows of Squaresoft’s (now Square Enix) famous series, Final Fantasy. It was made as a going out gift, but ironically, it was so much of a success that it allowed Square to avoid falling from the gaming world. As with all successful video games, a follow up was started soon after. However, as does happen with many sequels, it just didn’t live up to the hype and expectations set forth by the original. First off, before anyone who hasn’t played the original fears that I will spoil the...

0 out of 0 found this review helpful.