Tag Archives: War

The Hits and Misses of 2012: Part 2 of 4

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Hey everybody, this is James B. Boss here to both wish you all a Happy Holidays and bring you my picks of 2012. This year has been an interesting run for a lot of video game titles and many of them were great hits, while some of them were either a gigantic blunders and some were just surprising or tragically unsung. I can go on about how the WHOLE year in gaming went but that would just be boring and it’s late, so without further delay, here are my picks.

I’ll start off with my blunder of the year because I hate ending things with a sour note. I would start by saying that Resident Evil is one of the best survival-horror franchises that I have ever played in my life and the one thing that I always wanted was a good Resident Evil game with multiplayer mechanics, so when I heard about Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City, I was filled with joy and I reserved my copy right away, but when I finally got my hands on it and started playing it, I was greatly disappointed. The game’s story brings gamers back to the Raccoon City incident of Resident Evil 2 and 3 but the time the story is told through the eyes of the Umbrella corporation’s Spec Ops team. You can choose from one of six characters of the team to play as, and each character has their own unique set of skills that they can use to their advantage on the battlefield.

There's no way this can be anything but perfect... right?

There’s no way this can be anything but perfect… right?

This is all fine and dandy but once you start fighting the more advanced enemies, (or B.O.Ws) some of these abilities become kind of useless. I honestly found myself using the Cloaking, Super Armor, Incendiary Bullets and Painkiller abilities most of the time. Speaking of B.O.Ws, I would like to talk about the zombies, because majority of the time, they are the only enemies that you encounter. It’s not until later one that you encounter the more familiar threats like Hunters, Lickers and the American Spec Ops forces. The Lickers are annoying because they can strike from anywhere and walk on the wall, while Hunters are the biggest assholes in this game, as they have attacks that can knock you down and once that you’re down, they can just maul and camp until you’re dead. B.O.Ws aside though, the most frustrating thing about this game was the stability of online play. This game is home to some of the sloppiest matchmaking I’ve ever seen. When you look for a game by yourself it doesn’t take that long at all but when you are in a group of four people, it takes an eternity. I once went to the bathroom for five minutes and when I came back, my party and I were still in the process of looking for a lobby. There were also times when I entered a game and chose my character but would spawn with a duplicate of my character. So I either mastered the art of the secret shadow clone technique or it was a bug. Spoiler, it was a bug. In the end, while had some fun with this game, it was fairly short lived. Even with the downloadable content to play as the American Spec Ops team, it still was not enough for this game to stand out as a memorable title. Playing this game was like buying a big tub of Strawberry ice cream that looked delicious  but finally tasting it and getting a mouth full of Salmon sherbet.

Alright now for my surprise of the year and a surprise it is indeed. My surprise pick hails from the  Nintendo 3DS library and it’s name is Code of Princess. The game has a simple plot; You are a princess who takes a legendary sword that was handed down through the royal family to destroy the forces of evil. The game play is a pretty traditional 2D beat-em-up-in-the-spirit-of-Final Fight game. You can choose up to four different characters in story mode but more characters can be unlocked by playing through the game.

get-a-sneak-peek-at-code-of-princesss-pre-order-bonus

Thankfully, this lends itself well to repeated playthroughs.

One of the most appealing features of the game is its Multiplayer mode. You can play up to four people wirelessly using the Nintendo 3Ds’s wireless function and play through either versus mode to beat each other up, or you can help one another in the games’ story mode. Code of Princess also has RPG elements that allow you to strengthen you characters but strangely, you can only use your powered up characters in Story mode. The only drawback that I can think of for this game, is that there is SOME lag when you play with others. This is game is quite fun and I am glad that I decided to buy this game on a whim, because if I didn’t, I would have missed out on a really good game.

OK! It’s time for my super-ultra-awesome pick of the year. My top game of the year is none other than a game that I reviewed earlier this year and absolutely gushed over: Transformers – Fall of Cybertron. I chose this game because everything about this completely satisfied me to the point where I was left speechless. I remember playing the prequel, War for Cybertron and remember it being a great gaming experience but I was left hungry for more. When I got wind of the sequel, the first thing that went through my mind was the question of which characters they going to put in the next game?

Hey cool, Optimus Prime and... wait, is that...

Hey cool, Optimus Prime and… wait, is that…

My first glance of the new roster of who they included was interesting to me but the one who got my attention as soon as I looked at the list was the Dinobot leader, Grimlock. This blew my mind when I because not only was I a Dinobot fan butI always wondered how they would portray his character, as in Transformers lore, he wasn’t an @$$-kicking cyber T-Rex until he got to planet Earth. When it came time for High Moon studios to show off gameplay footage for Grimlock, they pulled out all the stops. It was amazing to see him in dinosaur form on the planet Cybertron and seeing him slash and rip Decepticons to pieces. The Multiplayer feature in this game was also satisfying as well. Character customization was back and players were able to create their very own Transformers once again. On a personal note, since I reserved my copy of the game, I got to play as big rig Optimus Prime, which mad it even more awesome. Fall of Cybertron was the game that I was waiting for as a fanboy and as a gamer. It delivered on EVERYTHING it promised; A great story, improved online and offline game mechanics and a buffed character roster. It may have not been this year’s best game but in my book it is a title worthy of a gold medal.

– James B. Boss

Gaming News – Final Fantasy XIV taken offline, cinematic touts “A Realm Reborn”

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Square Enix’s recent foray into the world of MMO’s was recently taken offline in grand style. The Final Fantasy XIV servers were shut down in preparation for SE’s reboot of FF XIV, called “A Realm Reborn”. In a press release from Square Enix, dated October 2012, the PS3 version of the rebuilt game touts a completely customizable UI and a more traditional feel to the controls.  The PC and Playstation 3 versions are set to be released some time in 2013. 

Source > Joystiq

While I’m not admittedly big into MMO games, I AM an avid Final Fantasy gamer (save for the MMO games) and the concept of one of these games in a massively multiplayer online setting has been one that I’ve been a supporter of for a long time, provided that it’s done properly. we’ll definitely be following this with some interest as it develops. 

– Evo out

Review – Transformers: Fall Of Cybertron

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Hey everybody, James B. Boss here with my latest game review. This time, we got Transformers: Fall Of Cybertron, which is the sequel to the previous entry in the series, War for Cybertron. Two years ago, the  High Moon Studios introduced gamers and fans of the series to their take on the Transformers universe through Transformers: War for Cybertron, which is considered a prologue to the overall series, because it tells the story of the war between the Heroic Autobots and the Evil Decepticons before they came to Earth. War for Cybertron did its job by pleasing both gamers and fans with its gameplay and story but at the same time left them craving for more. Two years later, High Moon Studios released its long awaited sequel, Fall of Cybertron, with the hopes that it too would satisfy gamers and fans alike.



PRESENTATION: 4/5

Fall of Cybertron’s story takes place after the events of the previous chapter where we last saw Optimus Prime and his fellow Autobot warriors constructing the Ark, which would let them escape and find a new hope of survival. However, Megatron finds this unacceptable (because he’s Megatron) and decides to thwart the Autobots plans of escape. As the story progresses, you will be able to witness the many wonders (or in this case, wreckage) of Cybertron. Graphics in this game are as spot-on as the previous game, to the point where they compliment the metallic coloring of the Transformers and the planet Cybertron so the characters really look like denizens of the planet. The sounds in this game are also incredible. From firing a gun to hearing a character transform to vehicle mode, everything sounds exactly like it should. Additional amounts of nostalgic awesome were added by the fact that legendary voice actors Peter Cullen and Gregg Berger came back to voice Optimus Prime and Grimlock, respectively. Fall Of Cybertron also introduces other characters from the Transformers series such as Jazz, Cliffjumper, Shockwave, the Combaticons and the Dinobots.


GAMEPLAY: 5/5

Like WFC (War for Cybertron), FOC is played in third-person view but there have been a few slight cosmetic tweaks. For starters, the displays for your life gauge and ammo count are now located at the bottom of the screen and you now have a rechargeable shield that stands between you and unbelievable pain. Aiming, transforming and shooting are pretty much the same as the last outing, so there’s no need to have to learn any wacky new control schemes. During story mode, you can acquire different weapons by finding their blueprints hidden throughout the stages and purchasing them at the Teletraan-1 store. The play style for all the story mode characters is pretty much the same run-and-shoot deal until you get to play as Bruticus and Grimlock. Both have an entirely different play style from the rest and can cause massive havoc and carnage, making them the highlights of the game’s campaign mode. Bruticus attacks by using his flamethrower, melee and trigger ability, all of which do massive amounts of damage. Grimlock on the other hand, fights using his sword, shield and of course his Mechagodz, er, I mean Dino form. Sadly, these two are only playable in story mode, but the multiplayer section of the game has enough customization perks to turn your own Transformer into a war machine in their own right. Character customization is back and it too has gone through some improvements. In the previous game, players were only able to choose the body of your avatar and change its color. Now, players can change their character’s head, arms, legs and even the wheels and wings. Additional parts for your character can be unlocked by purchasing them. To get points for purchasing items, all you have to do is simply play multiplayer and you got yourself some spending money. It’s like fundraising with a big old laser gun. There are also different game modes in online multiplayer such as Team Deathmatch, Conquest, CTF (Capture the Flag) and Escalation. While all this seems pretty dandy and all, the online lobby and matchmaking process can be a little sluggish and sometimes, you might find yourself shooting or running into a wall, because of the lag.


OVERALL: 4/5

In the end, Fall of Cybertron has indeed, lived up to the hype set by its predecessor. With improved gameplay, graphics and customization options, it is THE Transformers game that every fan has been waiting for. Whether you are playing as an Autobot or a Decepticon, you will find that this game will satisfy both your cravings as a fanboy/girl and a gamer. Even at the end of the story mode, you will still be craving for more. It is a wonder if High Moon Studios will consider making a third in the series, but until that day… “TIL ALL ARE ONE”.

FINAL SCORE: 13/15

– This is James B Boss, transforming and rolling out

Day 10 of 31: God of War

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Welcome to Day 10! Today we are looking at one of those games that is immediately recognizable to anyone who has been gaming for the past few years. A title so gloriously bloody and ridiculously fun that they have made three Playstation console titles, two PSP titles, and a mobile release of this franchise.

 

 

Megan here! To me, God of War = gory goodness. This game is so much fun to play simply because it basically makes you a super powerful demigod whose sole purpose in life is to beat the living crap out of every single being that has screwed him over or that just pisses him off in some way or another. When I first saw previews for this game I was already excited for it. I love games that mix elements of beating the crap out of things with good storylines and alluring characters. Kratos was definitely one of those characters for me. Here is this guy *SPOILERS* that killed his entire family under the will of someone else and now has to deal with the consequences. *END SPOILERS* I couldn’t help but somehow feel like if someone made me do something to that like my family I would do almost the exact same thing that Kratos did (or at least I’d like to think I was that awesome that I could just walk around kicking @$$ and taking names like he does although to be honest I think that my reaction would be more along the lines of crying in a corner for weeks on end). The areas that this game takes the player to are gorgeous. I loved traveling through Athens and the many other areas of this game and seeing the breathtaking views that the God of War team were able to create. Not to mention the characters themselves looked stunning. Nothing gave you the feel of how pissed off Kratos really was until you got a close up of him ripping a Medusa’s head off. Speaking of ripping enemies heads off, the gameplay in God of War was another thing that I really enjoyed. I liked that even though you were ultimately running around and button mashing to beat the enemies running at you, the inclusion of quick time events broke up the gameplay enough that it never felt monotonous or boring. Also, having Kratos climb, fly, jump, and solve puzzles throughout the game also helped keep things exciting. Overall, if you can’t already tell I highly enjoyed this game. Soooo, if (when!) God of War IV comes out, I am ready to get back to playing as one of my favorite guys  that people love to hate and hate to love and show the gods what they have coming to them!

–Megan Highwind has left the party.

 

I was afraid that we were not going to talk about this title, but it looks like we are… so WIN. Ok, so I’m just going to let it out right now by saying, GOD OF WAR IS BAD@$$! I say this because it was one of the few games at that time that takes its blood and gore content to the next level. When I first saw Kratos rip an enemy in half, I said to myself “holy crap, did he just do that”? Turns out that that was only the tip of the iceberg. Next to come up was, ripping the eye out of a Cyclops’s face, impaling a Hydra’s head through a ship’s mast, killing innocent bystanders just to get orbs and mindlessly murdering assorted Greek Gods and mythical figures. I mean seriously, this game is not at all afraid to show now much pain you can inflict on your enemies, let alone innocent people. The weapons in this game were also a hoot. You get the blades of Athena, the blade of Artemis, and a set number of spells each having to do with a certain Greek God (*cough* Army of Hades was all you needed). You can also upgrade your weapons by collecting red orbs as you progress through the game. You can acquire these red orbs by killing enemies (or innocent people), breaking objects or if you feel up to the task, you can have sex with women. Yeah you heard me, you can upgrade your weapons by getting laid. The puzzles and boss battles were also some of the most awesome points of the game and sometimes the boss battles themselves were like figuring out a puzzle. You couldn’t just go up to the boss’s face and beat it in like you do everything else. Sometimes there was another step to do before you could do any damage at all to the boss and to me, that’s what made this game so much enjoyable. God of War, has indeed left it’s mark in the gaming world. With a beautiful soundtrack, memorable characters and awesome story line, it’s no wonder it has such  a large fanbase. For those of you who would like to check this game out, don’t worry. There so many ways to play this gory masterpiece.

– James B. Boss