knowledge Reviews

Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil (2001 Video Game)

The only klonoa game on the PS2 is fun, if a little too straightforward.

[6/10 · 10 November 2007]

The only klonoa game on the PS2, klonoa 2 is a fun ,if a little straight forward, fusion of old school and new school game design .

Like the first game, klonoa 2 takes 2D style scrolling platforming action and presents it in 3D graphics with twisty , turny camera work and it results in a game thats fun to play . Due to the simplistic nature of the gameplay and the linear level desing , things can get repetitive after a while but the presentation is so unique that you'll stick with it a lot longer than you'll intend to.

On a visual level, the game kicks ass. Though klonoa 2 is one of the early PS2 releases, the cell shaded graphics still look fantastic to this day and the music is great too.

Klonoa 2 is retro style , uncomplicated fun that isn't the most hugely challenging of games but its a playable , colourfull and cute way to kill a couple of hours.

Shaq Fu (1994 Video Game)

Awful. Play NBA jam instead.

[3/10 · 10 July 2007]

Shaquille o Neal is a BASKETBALL player who's popularity in the national BASKETBALL association allowed this BASKETBALL player to star in his own game. And that game was..... A fighting game . And not a basketball game . Strange , that. Now, this wouldn't be so bad if shaq fu was a good game but it isn't.At all.

Lame game play, poor character designs, annoying music- shaq fu is plagued with all these and more. What makes it all the more annoying is how shaq actually fights in the game , its so non threatening and ineffective against your campy opponents (who are far more versatile and better equipped than you )that you'll give up on it pretty quickly .

If you really want to play some 16 bit Shaq related goodness, stick to the NBA jam games because at least it lets O Neal do what he's good at. You know, basketball.....

God of War II (2007 Video Game)

A masterpiece.

[10/10 · 6 July 2007]

God of war 2 is an truly astonishing game that excels in all areas and easily stakes its claim as the PS2's last great piece of software, it really is an awe inspiring gaming experience.

Continuing the bloody adventures of kratos, God of war 2 expands and improves on everything that made the first game such a classic. The play time is longer, the graphics are better, the combat is more visceral , the plot is more epic -it will make you want to play until you loose the feeling in your hands!

The games ONLY problem is the same one that plagued its predecessor: bad replay value . Just like in god of war, you have to complete the game again in an incredibly difficult "titan mode" to gain all of God of war 2's extra goodies. The game is so damn good that you'll find your self attempting to complete the game again in titan mode but there's a good chance that it will just prove to be too hard and prevent you from getting full value from the game. Hopefully things will improve with the next game.

Bad replay problems aside, God of war 2 is an essential title- its a thrilling , exhilarating game that will surprise , excite and even scare you at times! Bring on God of war 3......

Bully (2006 Video Game)

Grand theft auto: the high school years......

[8/10 · 7 February 2007]

Unlike in real life, schools in videogames can be tons of fun. School daze, rival schools and many obscure Japanese dating sims use a school setting to create a good gaming experience. Adding to that list is bully (aka canis canem edit), a game that could also be also called grand theft auto: the high school years.

The game takes GTAs sandbox gameplay and applies it to school setting, so instead of police there's prefects, instead of gangs there's social cliques , instead of....women of "ill repute" there's kissable girls and instead of guns you have juvenile weapons such as stink bombs and sling shots. This doesn't mean that the sense of challenge has been toned down,though. The chases are fast and the fighting is pretty raw while the missions that include breaking into lockers and beating up people , will keep you on your toes.

The lessons are a nice little bonus also- subjects such as maths, English and chemistry are fun little games that reward you with goodies if you do well in them. Another bonus is the very good voice acting that rockstar games always excel in and the cheeky dialouge you hear during gameplay (" i don't know why they say poor people make the best boxers !").

The occasional poor camera angle aside, canis canem edit (thats "bully" if your American ) is a good sandbox game that has lots of fun features including the underused yet hugely enjoyable ability to throw marbles on the floor and wait for the consequences......

Super Smash Bros. Melee (2001 Video Game)

Visually amazing and exciting, fun.Oh, and you get punch jiggly puff !

[9/10 · 1 February 2007]

Visually stunning, fun and cool , smash brothers melee is like an interactive celebration of nintendos gaming know how.

Its widely regarded as the gamecubes best game and i cant argue with that: few other games on the console can match melee's frantic sense of fun, its longevity , its amazing soundtrack and its opportunity to let you beat up jiggly puff (come on i cant be the only one whos thought of doing that).

If your a die hard fan of Nintendo this will be a dream come true- if not its will be a the most fun you'll ever have on a game cube .Either way you'll love smash brothers melee.

Mario vs. Donkey Kong (2004 Video Game)

Solid game play, fiendish puzzles and great graphics. Plus mario says funny stuff !

[9/10 · 26 January 2007]

Mario vs donkey kong takes the plumber and the apes ongoing feud to the gameboy advance in a game thats fun , addictive, mentally stimulating and highly playable.

The game takes the basic layout of the original donkey kong games , adds elements of super mario bros 2 and cute, coulourful graphics as well as marios chirpy ad-libs that never get tiresome ("mamamia!!! times up!).Throw in some surprisingly complex puzzles and you've got a great game on your hands.

Music wise the tunes are catchy and cute and when they speed up to signify time running out, it adds a welcome air of tension to an already challenging game.

Proving that Nintendo know their stuff when it comes to hand held exclusives, Mario vs donkey kong is a gem of a game that you need in your gameboy advance game collection !

Guitar Hero II (2006 Video Game)

Whether you like to rock or not, you'll have fun with this!!!

[8/10 · 26 January 2007]

Im not the hugest fan of rock music but i didn't have to be to enjoy the challenging , all thrashing, all strumming fun of guitar heroes 2.

The aim of the game is to use the games guitar controller and hit the peripherals buttons in time with the rhythm of the song on screen . Sounds simple ? Well it is in principle but in practice its a different story: you'll be working your fingers to the bone in attempt to be a gaming rock god and hopefully get that elusive 5 star review ! Music wise there's selection of songs to please even the most demanding guitar enthusiast . Fast , slow, hard , soft , there are all kind of songs to try out , including jams from the likes of alice in chains,rage against the machine, sting, guns and roses and more .

Whether you like to raaaaaaaaaaaaaawk or not, you'll enjoys hours of addictive rhythm action with guitar heroes 2. I know i did.

Kingdom Hearts II (2005 Video Game)

An unpopular opinion.....

[3/10 · 2 January 2007]

Square and Disney fans world wide will want to see me pinned to a mickey mouse edition crucifix for stating this opinion , but im going to go ahead and say it anyway: kingdom hearts 2 just isn't that good.

The product is something of an enigma, too convoluted and unengaging to work as a movie yet not playable and well designed enough to function as a game. So what does kingdom hearts 2 have to offer? Not much really, other than seeing mickey mouse dressed in a ganagsta looking coat , and donald duck hitting people .whoopee do.

It might seem like im being harsh on this Disney/squaresoft collaboration , but i have good reason . A game that offers you a chance to to travel to the many fascinating worlds of Disney and square characters has tons of potential for gaming greatness, and yet none of that potential is realised in KHII. All you get (besides stunning graphics and great music) is repetitive hack and slash battles, frustratingly linear level design and TONS of pretentious story bits that constantly interrupt the already unengaging gameplay.

Kingdom hearts 2 looks amazing, and sounds amazing but the end product is far from amazing. That is unless you like basic gameplay and mercilessly boring, pretentious story telling (which many obviously do, judging by how many millions it sold).Poor.

Space Invaders '95 (1995 Video Game)

Cute , colourfull, blasting action.

[10/10 · 18 November 2006]

Space Invaders '95 takes a cute , cartoony approach to taitos iconic franchise and its an approach that works brilliantly- Space invaders 95 is a hugely entertaining and fast paced game.

Abandoning the games traditional, sterile visual style in favor of kid friendly manga look, the game is certainly easy on the eyes. But don't be fooled by its quirky haunted house and food themed levels, this game is quite the challenge ! It takes the gameplay of the very excellent space invaders 91 and adds new elements and attack patterns to it that will keep you on your toes.

The action is fast and frantic but varied enough to prevent repetition , while the power ups are a welcome addition that come in hilarious guises (one of them is a giant bowling ball ).

If any old school purist tells you that 1978's space invaders cant be topped, let them play this cute , colourful and hugely playable version to show them that it can be.

Rastan (1987 Video Game)

You know , this was rated as one of the greatest games ever , once ......

[3/10 · 18 November 2006]

Back in 1991 ,Your Sinclair magazine , voted this game as the 54th best game of all time. And as a young , wide eyed kid at the time i would have agreed with that decision. Now though , that decision seems quite funny when you consider how rastan looks nowadays-IE: not like "best game ever" material.

Rastan is a monotonous , straight forward and boring slash em up .Its theme of a barbarian warrior fighting monsters has tons of potential for gaming greatness that isn't met in this laboured action game.

Surprisingly , one of rastans biggest flaws is the character of ratsan him self ! Ratsan is a cumbersome, sluggish sprite who is so awkward to use that you will end up being killed , blasted or burned by enemies purely because of his snail pace interactivity. Its frustrating - just like the game in its entirety.

Im pretty sure the staff of "your sinclair" might have second thoughts about that "54th best game ever" decision now.....

Zoo Keeper (1983 Video Game)

A classic !

[10/10 · 1 August 2006]

Zoo keeper is one of those 80s games that despite being an absolute classic, never reached the level of popularity that pac man , mario and the other usual retro picks got. Why ? I couldn't tell you. But what i can tell you is that zoo keeper is just pure, challenging fun.

The game play mixes elements of donkey kong and pacman to create a game thats addictive and challenging. The quirky sound effects and music are funny while the cute, coulorful graphics are top notch. Its just an all round great effort.

If you ever see an old arcade cabinet that happens to have zoo keeper on it do your self a favour and put a 20p/quater/100 yen coin in and play that bad boy. You'll thank me for it later.

God of War (2005 Video Game)

An absolute classic.

[10/10 · 3 June 2006]

God of war is an instant classic, its a visceral, exciting, intriguing adventure of a game that grips you in away that few games can .

Playing as kratos (one of the most bad ass game characters ever) god of war invites you to solve the brilliantly conceived puzzles and fight the truly awe inspiring monsters of a game that pushes the PS2 to its limits.

God of war excels in all areas -amazing graphics , a simple but brutally effective combat system, Great character designs, a beautifully haunting score and a storyline that you actually give a hoot about.The only problem (and i stress the word "only") is that it has bad replay value-to get all of the games extra goodies you have to complete the game AGAIN in a pretty darned impossible "god mode". Apart from that though, its all good.

God of war is one of my favourite games ever and if you haven't played it then i suggest you do . Now.

Fantastic Four (1997 Video Game)

Awful. A waste of a good license.

[1/10 · 20 May 2006]

A scrolling beat em up featuring the fantastic four should be tons fun. The characters powers and abilities should be well suited to a video game and could offer a great gaming experience.

Sadly, no one told this to the developer behind this awful playstation adaptation of marvels first family- the fantastic four is awful and the only interactivity you should have with it is when you use the disk as a frisbee.

This is a failure on all levels- poor graphics, jerky controls, bland level design, weak sound and a criminal waste of a potentially great license.

Go read the comics or watch the movie instead -anythings better than wasting your life playing this game.

Dead or Alive 4 (2005 Video Game)

As the saying goes, looks aren't everything...

[4/10 · 20 May 2006]

Ever since its debut in the late nineties, the dead or alive series has produced absolutely beautiful looking games .The 2005 instalment is no different -this game is a graphical stunner! The characters look highly detailed and the backdrops that they fight against are incredibly realistic.

Like the saying goes though, looks aren't everything and Dead or alive proves it-it may be easy on the eye but gameplay wise its as severely lacking as its always been.

The game play just encourages lazy button bashing tactics with its 'one button-sets-off-endless-multi-hit-combos attack system. Even the most calm and collected player can be reduced to a button mashing goon with controls like these- DOA 4 plays like a dumbed down version of virtua fighter.

But the worst thing about the gameplay ? The absolute worst thing? Its the counters. While games like tekken, virtua fighter and king of fighters have counters that take skill and timing to pull of , DOA's are the complete opposite. The counters here can be performed at the touch of a button and take off unfairly huge amounts of energy. This quick and easy counter system invites you to be over reliant on it and results in boring matches in which you and your opponent spend half a round waiting to hit each other . Its frustrating.

Dead or alive 4 is both super good looking and superficial. I'm tempted to say that things might improve with the sequel but judging by this franchises track record I severely doubt it.

Tekken 5 (2004 Video Game)

One of the best fighting games you'll ever play.

[10/10 · 20 May 2006]

After disappointing fans world wide with the gameplay changes in tekken 4, It must have been pretty clear to the development team about what action to take for the next tekken installment : make every one happy again! And by that i mean take the game back to when it was at its very best- when their were juggle combos and a noticeable lack of gravity .

Well, making every one happy is exactly what namco did with tekken 5 and it has paid off beautifully-Tekken 5 is one of the greatest fighting games ever made ,its the beat em up equivalent to heaven .

Tekken 5 has it all- beautiful graphics, easy to learn/hard to master gameplay, a genuine sense of reward and a collection of well balanced characters -all unique in their own way .It even has arcade perfect versions of tekken 1,2,3 and starblade as unlocakble games that you can play at your own leisure! Honestly , you'll feel spoiled playing it.

The only problem with the game is its awful 3rd person adventure mode ,"the devil within"- an incredibly tedious mode of play in which jin wonders around drab halls and corridors solving boring puzzles and fighting hordes of uninteresting opponents. Hopefully the next games attempt at a value increasing bonus game mode will be lot better.

Thankfully though the devil within doesn't over shadow the absolute greatness of Tekken 5- one of the best beat em ups you'll ever play .

Soulcalibur III (2005 Video Game)

Materfull compared to other games. Compared to its own high standards it falls a little short. ...

[8/10 · 20 May 2006]

Compared to the competition, soul calibur 3 is a god amongst games- a true piece of art. However, compared to its 128 bit predecessors, the latest in namcos superior slash em up series is over ambitious- its attempts to improve on perfection isn't quite successful.

There are new modes and game play tweaks that I commend for trying to elevate the series to new heights-but they just complicate things . Examples? Well, the character creation mode is a great idea in theory, but in actuality is full of restrictions and is no way as customisable as that found in the wwe games for example. The chronicles of the sword mode is fun and thought provoking for a little while but eventually drags on and feelslike a chore to earn money rather than a genuinely fun game. Also, the tale of souls mode which is basically the arcade mode with little bits of inconsequential story and shenmue style QTR bits thrown in really feels slow.

" OMG !!!YoU Don't kNoW WhAt yOuR SaYiNg" is probably what the more overzealous of you are thinking , but don't get it twisted-I don't hate this game-this game is great! Its still got that classic game play (although some characters moves have been needlessly changed) , absolutely stunning graphics and that epic soundtrack that the games are known for. And also on the good side of things are the new characters ( particularly zasalamel ), who are all cool in their own way (except setsuka-yes i know I'm nitpicking).

Its just that compared to soul calibur 1 and 2 it feels like its trying to be much more than it actually is. That doesn't mean that its not a classic , it just means that compared to its own high standards it falls a bit short despite having more characters moves stages and better graphics than ever.

Still, soul calibur 3 wipes the floor with 95% of games out there though - and that counts for something! Oh and all those who mark this review as "unhelpful" clearly feel hurt that i insulted their darling setsuka. Well listen up fanboy/girl : SHE Ain't REAL ! And even if she was ,she wouldn't be caught dead with you.

The Warriors (2005 Video Game)

THIS is how you turn a movie into a game!!!!!!

[25 January 2006]

To be honest I'm surprised that the warriors wasn't made into a game sooner! Its theme of rampaging gangs beating each other up is perfect game material.

Well regardless of how long it took to come, all that counts is that its here now and that its tons of bottle hurling , graffiti spraying ,face punching fun !!

This is easily one of the greatest games to be based on a movie , not only in terms of gameplay but in terms of staying true to the film . In fact not only does it stay faithful to the film, it actually expands on it -the warriors adds a new back story to the movie that fits snugly besides the existing plot! It really is a commendable achievement.

In terms of authenticity the game excels. The game captures the grimy, gritty , down beat 70s look of the film brilliantly and features hilariously macho dialouge delivered by a cast who for the most part actually featured in the original film!

The gameplay combines the "crime em up" mechanics of GTA with a "def jam: fight for NY" like combat system , and its pretty easy to pick up-you'll be robbin bums for cash and breakin into cars in no time .However on an ethical level you may feel a bit opposed to playing a game in which mugging and vandalism allows you to progress.However if u can stomach the excess then you'll enjoy some great gameplay

On the whole this is one of the best games to be based on a movie.Its a grimy, tough, gripping classic.Great stuff.

Golden Axe II (1991 Video Game)

A second helping of hacking and slashing action .

[12 January 2006]

The second in the all slashing all hacking golden axe series is a fun game that improves on the first on every level, except those catchy tunes .

The level design has more gritty details and the magic attacks look way more impressive than before. There's nothing really bad to say about it-besides the fact that the creatures you abuse to gain steal magic from aren't those thieving little dwarfs who were so fun to beat up on. ah well.

Golden axe II is a lot of fun for those wanting a second helping of monster hacking action, lack of dwarf beating aside.

Metal Slug 2 (1998 Video Game)

Difficult at times but still great .

[2 January 2006]

Metal slug 2 offers pretty much more of the same kind of gameplay as part 1 but when you consider how much fun the first one was, thats not a bad thing at all ! All the classic metal slug ingredients are here - brilliantly animated sprites, that morbid sense of humour , great level design , tons of cool weaponry , that classic blast em up game play and hilarious ,yet catchy, music.

Unfoutunately, the same problem that have plagued the whole franchise is also here - its insanely hard difficulty . When this game gets hard believe me it gets hard ! The amount of projectiles the games designers expect you to dodge is way, way too much . Also the metal slug vehicles, which are supposed to be an important part of the game just aren't really as fun to play with as the characters are on foot .

But despite being mega hard, the games greatness shines through and proves that when it comes to old school shoot em up thrills, metal slug games are up there with the greats

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005 Video Game)

Not bad , but if you really want to experience anakins switch to the darkside, stick to the movie

[22 November 2005]

Considering how plot driven and epic revenge of the sith was, you would think that the spin off game would be something a little more than just a straight forward hack and slash em up, but thats just what it is- a straight forward hack and slash em up.

Its not a bad game , but its blandly linear level design and button bashing gameplay ensure that its not a great one- if your not an undemanding star wars fan , then you'll find this pretty average .

There are attempts to add depth to the game with the bonus missions and a fun two player mode , but ultimately what it all boils down to is hacking and slashing droids, walking a bit and hacking and slashing droids some more.Its Golden axe with light sabers if you will.

Presentation wise the game is great, the film copies the look of the film well . It copies the sounds brilliantly too- not just the iconic light saber noises among others but john williams masterful score thats so adventurous and epic that it makes the game seem ten times better than it actually is .

Not bad but if you really want to experience anakins switch to the darkside, stick to the movie.

SVC Chaos: SNK vs. Capcom (2003 Video Game)

A missed opportunity.

[22 November 2005]

Capcoms fighting games may have always had the upper hand over SNK in terms of popularity and user friendliness, but when it game to presentation, SNK were always superior.

The graphics they used for their games were always so much more detailed better looking than capcoms cartoonish sprites.

So the fact that SNK vs capcom (a beat em up where characters from the two companies games battle each other)would be presented in SNKs style of graphics and animation is a good thing indeed! However thats perhaps the only good thing in this game.

The amount of characters you get to fight with is pretty minuscule compared to the tons of fighters playable in capcom vs snk 2. And the selection of characters themselves isn't really the line up i was hoping for.Also the music is awful and the backdrops are uninspired.

Great looking, but undeniably a missed opportunity .

Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (2005)

Mind blowing.This is how a final fantasy movie should be done !!!

[10/10 · 12 November 2005]

Final fantasy advent children is an exciting , visually incredible thrill ride that more than makes up for that 2001 atrocity "the spirits within ".

Without the pressure to appeal to a non gaming audience and imitate reality that plagued the last FF film , advent children devotes its running time to letting its characters be themselves and look damn cool and the process .

And speaking of looking damn cool,thats just what this film does ! The animation is beyond stunning ! Realistic and fantastical at the same time , the visuals are a marvel to behold.

The pace of the film is perfect as well- just when the plot the starts to get a bit weighty , an action sequence comes in and allows you to give your brain a rest and take your eyeballs on a CG roller coaster !

And the action....good lord the action....The battles in this movie are just...wow. The action sequences are slick , exciting , engrossing and just beautiful man ! The sequence where cloud and his comrades do battle with a giant airborne monster is enough to have you giving the movie a standing ovation before the film even finishes ! If this serves as an apology for the final fantasy : the spirits within , then apology accepted.Every one involved deserves a pat on the back.

I'm not even a big final fantasy fan ! So the fact that I'm raving about it so much is an indication of its greatness. Go see.

Crisis Zone (1999 Video Game)

Serious fun with a machine gun.

[12 November 2005]

Crisis zone is essentially time crisis with a machine gun -which is no bad thing at all! Like the time crisis games before and after it , the objective that the this one offers you is pretty darn simple : KILL ALL ENEMIES! Consequently, Crisis zones simplicity is its strong point - blasting away at armies of knife welding, helicopter driving , gun blasting terrorists is an adrenaline pumping exercise that is fun enough to stop its straight forward nature from being repetitive.

Crisis zone is a great arcade-like experience that will have you spouting Schwarzenegger like one liners and screaming "diiiiiiiiiiiie" at the screen in no time.

Tons of fun .

Dynasty Warriors (1997 Video Game)

If you like beating people up with ancient Chinese weaponry, then its up your alley......

[22 July 2005]

The first of a series of games that went on to be extremely popular on the 128 bit consoles, Dynasty warriors is a solid stab-em up that takes its inspiration from warriors of Chinese legend. Unlike the sequels that are chaotic action strategies, the first DW game was a straight forward , but enjoyable one on one fighter.

The characters are nicely designed and the many weapons they weld, from swords to spears, make the fighting styles different and diversifies the gameplay.

Like many other one on one beat em ups though , there isn't much else to do other than fight people so its life span depends on how much you like to beat people up with ancient Chinese weaponry and for how long you like to do so.

Dynasty warriors definitely isn't the best weapons based fighting game on the PS1 (that honour goes to soul blade ), but its not very far behind !

The King of Fighters 2002: Challenge to Ultimate Battle (2002 Video Game)

King of fighters, the way it used to be.

[20 July 2005]

From 1999 to 2001, the king of fighters series featured elements of game play that fans weren't too happy with such as strikers and four character teams. So, the brains behinds the franchise decided to take the game back to the way it was in 1998- when fans were most happy with it. It worked.

KOF 2002 is almost as good as its inspiration- . The game play is good old hardcore stuff, and the backgrounds and character sprites are as excellently detailed as ever.The music , which features updated renditions of songs that featured in the games previous incarnations are also very good .

The only thing that stops king of fighters 2002 from bettering the all conquering 98 edition is the absence of great characters like Heavy D , saishyu and bryan battler and the addition of annoying ones such as angel as well as kula diamond.

Though its not quite up to KOF 98 standards ,2002 its still 2D fighting thats hard to beat.