My only serious complaint was that it was almost too manly, and my PS3 leaked testosterone every time I played for more than a few hours at a time. Aside from that, the story is interesting, the puzzles were fun despite being easier than those of GOW2, the combat was solid (despite rage of the titans being completely useless), the boss battles were epic and boner inducing, and the environment and character design were straight up eye candy. Kratos is probably the best character you can't relate to. He's such a kill happy douche that you can't really feel sorry for him, and at times i feel like I'm playing as the villain. He's such a badass though that it's forgivable :)
Reviews
8 Reviews
BioShock 2
(2010 Video Game)
The return to Rapture is a delightful one
19 October 2011
Bioshock 2 may have sacrificed storytelling for cleaner gameplay, but the story is still well written and better than your average VG narrative. Sophia Lamb isn't nearly as charismatic as Andrew Ryan but does a pretty good job of getting me to despise her, making her a decent antagonist at worst. Gameplay tweaks seem minor at first, but dual wielding guns and plasmids, the ability to melee with any weapon, and the new real time reflex-based hacking system made a world of difference. I had more fun protecting the little sisters in this game than the first. Probably due to the unstoppability I felt having improved plasmids, weapons, traps, and ample time to set up and unleash my inner Macaulay Culkin whenever I was ready to harvest.
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
(2001 Video Game)
The very definition of "mindf*ck"
19 October 2011
Warning: Spoilers
This game made sweet love to my mind in a cheap motel and never called back the following day. MGS2 isn't just a game, it's an experience. It's a thrilling, intelligent, and emotional roller coaster ride with twists and turns at every corner. I achieved such a high level of immersion on my first playthrough that I found myself questioning reality by game's end. Though initially annoyed by Konami's decision to make Raiden the main protagonist, I did enjoy seeing Solid Snake from a student perspective. Seemingly all knowing mentor who's better equipped and provides support when you're stuck is an appropriate role for a character who exudes unparalleled badassery and pimptitude. The soundtrack was pretty good. The improvements in gameplay over the original are vast. The first person aiming is a godsend, and the improved AI made toying around with enemy soldiers infinitely more fun and versatile. Every phase of the game is "Solid". Pun intended.
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
(2004 Video Game)
Best game in a series of gems
19 October 2011
This is favorite MGS game! The story is amazing, and manages to build on what was established in the prior game, set the sequel up for a thrilling conclusion while simultaneously being a fresh and unfamiliar narrative. I love sneaking around in urban settings of past games, but the jungles of 1960's Russia are a refreshing alternative that adds a new dimension to the conflict at hand. Not only is it you versus enemy soldiers and armed vehicles, but it's also you versus nature. The gameplay is as good, varied, and balanced as it gets in the series. CQC and interrogating guards never get old, and the hunting aspect provides a fresh new challenge. The Boss fights are among the most entertaining in the series, and the fight with The End is one of the best in any series ever.
Mega Man X
(1993 Video Game)
Simply Xcellent!
18 October 2011
Best Mega Man game ever. Fantastic level design, charming character design, fun boss fights, and brilliant soundtrack. The maverick weapon set is easily the most useful and balanced in the X series. Item and upgrade locations were well-thought out. The story is simple yet interesting, and Zero is a badass and a pimp. While the sequels don't deviate far from the formula, X1 manages to execute every aspect of the formula the most efficiently. Its main strength lies in its flawlessness.
Story - 8/10 - Though most of it is told behind the scenes (game manual), the story is an engaging one. It starts with a dream. A dream by Dr. Light. In this dream, robots and humans live and work side by side as equals in a peaceful utopia. In order to see to it that this dream became a reality, Light created a prototype for a new generation of robots that could think and feel emotion, like humans. 100 years later, Dr. Light's research and prototype, Mega Man x, are unearthed by geologist Dr. Cain, and similar robots are replicated and mass produced based on X's designs. Despite the potential for progress this new generation of self-aware robots present to the advancement of society, the game explores the negative ramifications of bestowing free will onto artificial intelligence. At the game's outset is a war waged on humanity and a robot uprising that Mega man X is tasked to quell. And quell he shall.
Gameplay - 10/10 - The X series adopts the classic series formula of fighting 8 robots, inheriting their weapons, and using the acquired weapons in a rock paper-scissors manner against their maverick brethren for an added advantage. The game is non-linear in that you can choose between any of the 8 maverick stages to tackle in any order. Unlike the classic series, X can dash and wall-kick, calling for a more fast-paced experience with tighter control and a greater emphasis on mobility.
Despite the game taking place well after his passing, Dr. Light wasn't going to let something as trivial as his death prevent him from supporting X's justice-serving endeavors on the battlefield. Hidden throughout the game are capsules housing holographic recordings of the good doctor, and armor upgrades that enhance X's fighting prowess and badass potential. The leg upgrade gives X the ability to dash, the chest upgrade reduces damage sustained by player hatin' mavericks, the buster upgrade improves his ability to raise hell with a powerful fourth level charged shot, and the helmet upgrade allows X to unleash Zinedine Zidane caliber headbutts onto unsuspecting blocks guarding secret rooms that may or may not be holding key items.
There are plenty of items to collect on top of armor upgrades. 8 hearts tanks are scattered about the stages, as well as 4 subtanks. Each heart tank adds a couple units to X's life bar, and the sub tanks can be used to replenish health in the middle of a stage if you're on the verge of death. This game is also home to one of the greatest easter eggs ever; the hadouken upgrade. At some point in his life, Dr. Light apparently trained under Ryu from Street Fighter and learned the hadouken fireball technique. Should you meet certain requirements in the game, X can also learn this technique and use it to completely dominate anything in one hit.
Sound - 10/10 - The soundtrack is just straight up audible chocolate that never spoils. Not a single track in the game is lacking, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a better use of electric guitar in a 16-bit game. Sound effects are also impressive and sound fairly accurate.
Story - 8/10 - Though most of it is told behind the scenes (game manual), the story is an engaging one. It starts with a dream. A dream by Dr. Light. In this dream, robots and humans live and work side by side as equals in a peaceful utopia. In order to see to it that this dream became a reality, Light created a prototype for a new generation of robots that could think and feel emotion, like humans. 100 years later, Dr. Light's research and prototype, Mega Man x, are unearthed by geologist Dr. Cain, and similar robots are replicated and mass produced based on X's designs. Despite the potential for progress this new generation of self-aware robots present to the advancement of society, the game explores the negative ramifications of bestowing free will onto artificial intelligence. At the game's outset is a war waged on humanity and a robot uprising that Mega man X is tasked to quell. And quell he shall.
Gameplay - 10/10 - The X series adopts the classic series formula of fighting 8 robots, inheriting their weapons, and using the acquired weapons in a rock paper-scissors manner against their maverick brethren for an added advantage. The game is non-linear in that you can choose between any of the 8 maverick stages to tackle in any order. Unlike the classic series, X can dash and wall-kick, calling for a more fast-paced experience with tighter control and a greater emphasis on mobility.
Despite the game taking place well after his passing, Dr. Light wasn't going to let something as trivial as his death prevent him from supporting X's justice-serving endeavors on the battlefield. Hidden throughout the game are capsules housing holographic recordings of the good doctor, and armor upgrades that enhance X's fighting prowess and badass potential. The leg upgrade gives X the ability to dash, the chest upgrade reduces damage sustained by player hatin' mavericks, the buster upgrade improves his ability to raise hell with a powerful fourth level charged shot, and the helmet upgrade allows X to unleash Zinedine Zidane caliber headbutts onto unsuspecting blocks guarding secret rooms that may or may not be holding key items.
There are plenty of items to collect on top of armor upgrades. 8 hearts tanks are scattered about the stages, as well as 4 subtanks. Each heart tank adds a couple units to X's life bar, and the sub tanks can be used to replenish health in the middle of a stage if you're on the verge of death. This game is also home to one of the greatest easter eggs ever; the hadouken upgrade. At some point in his life, Dr. Light apparently trained under Ryu from Street Fighter and learned the hadouken fireball technique. Should you meet certain requirements in the game, X can also learn this technique and use it to completely dominate anything in one hit.
Sound - 10/10 - The soundtrack is just straight up audible chocolate that never spoils. Not a single track in the game is lacking, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a better use of electric guitar in a 16-bit game. Sound effects are also impressive and sound fairly accurate.
Resident Evil 2
(1998 Video Game)
Human flesh...it's what's for dinner
18 October 2011
This was the first survival horror game I ever played, and thus, the first game to make me anticipate nightfall for full enjoyment. Your surroundings have to be engulfed in darkness if you want your pants scared off properly. You can choose to play as one of two protagonists; Claire, sister of S.T.A.R.S. member Chris from the first game. Or Leon, who is presented with the greatest first day rookie cop assignment ever; to survive a zombie apocalypse. The game's soundtrack was atmospheric, and really captured the ambiance of a desolate setting, housing unfamiliar and unnatural horrors in its shadows, and a lingering hope for survival beyond those shadows. The game is a perfect compromise between shooting, puzzle-solving, and pop-up scare tactics. I also enjoyed the fact that you could play a second side of the story directly after beating one disc, and vice versa. That made for 4 different scenarios and a lot of added replay value.
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis
(1999 Video Game)
Possibly the best in the series
18 October 2011
For a side game meant to hold fans over while the series moved on to the next generation of consoles with RE:Code Veronica, RE3 is a strong contender for best overall game in the franchise. The ability to quick turn, toggle while targeting, and mix gunpowder were welcome gameplay additions. Back to back playthroughs are rarely ever the same as solutions to puzzles and pop-up scare locations change, and player decisions influence the way the plot unfolds. RE3 closes out the Raccoon City chapter of the game with S.T.A.R.S officer Jill Valentine's final attempt to escape the giant graveyard, evading zombies, mutants, Umbrella mercs, and a powerful new Bioweapon; Nemesis. Like Mr. X before him, this nemesis will stop at nothing to locate and end you, and is far more equipped to do so. As if having the hunting prowess of Predator, the speed of a Jamaican sprinter, NFL linebacker bulk, and the face of Sam Cassell weren't scary enough, they had the audacity to give this guy a rocket launcher!!
BioShock
(2007 Video Game)
This game is ballin
18 October 2011
Well-written, immersive narrative. Top notch dialogue and voice acting, and amazing atmosphere. Rapture is easily my favorite fictional failed utopia overrun by cosmetic steroid abusing half-mutants. I would never visit, but I think of it fondly. It has a lot of action/adventure and survival horror elements, but more importantly, a lot of violence. And you can never have too much violence, can you? No, of course not silly! On top of shooting things (which is reason enough to buy anything) you get to set things on fire with the flick of your wrist, freeze things, and throw people with your mind. Makes me feel like a jedi, but less Ewan McGregor-esque.
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