tag:gamereviews.indews.com,2007://1 2007-01-04T03:10:40Z We provide reviews for Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, Xbox, Playstation 2, and PC Movable Type 3.33 tag:gamereviews.indews.com,2007://1.20 2007-01-04T03:06:46Z 2007-01-04T03:10:40Z

Let’s take a trip back in time. The year was 2000. The Los Angeles Lakers were still dominating the NBA, radios were pumping the funky sounds of Bootsy Collins (at least mine was), and the gaming world was blessed with...

Scizzle Let’s take a trip back in time. The year was 2000. The Los Angeles Lakers were still dominating the NBA, radios were pumping the funky sounds of Bootsy Collins (at least mine was), and the gaming world was blessed with one of the greatest first person shooters of all time, Perfect Dark. Any gamer with a soul thought that that it was excellent as it competed with Goldeneye and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the best game for the Nintendo 64. Shortly after its release, Rare announced that a sequel was in the making and it would be released towards the end of the N64s life-span. It got delayed, so the Gamecube became what looked like a decent home, but with the Microsoft buyout of Rare, this became an impossibility. Hype built and the game was finally released for the Xbox 360, but could it live up to the first game and the building suspense? The story starts out with the protagonist bounty hunter, Joanna Dark and her father, Jack Dark breaking into dataDyne facilities. Some people get shot and the story goes no where until Jack has an unfortunate accident. Joanna tries to get revenge. That’s the story. Six years and they couldn’t improve on cloning presidents, aliens, and giant preying mantises. The only thing that is kept is how far-fetched it is. In one level, Joanna is in a very cold environment, but she continues to wear a belly shirt and low-rider pants. I don’t care how good your hips are, there is thing we call frost bite. It’s very painful and ugly. The game also seems to be more technologically advanced even though it’s a prequel. Are we to believe that the characters went through a process of de-evolution? Wake up Rare. Game play is pretty good. It’s not bad. It’s not fantastic. If there’s a game that describes average, this would have to be it. You run, you kill, and you win. That sums this game up. The different environments are nice. Joanna travels from arctic weather to the jungle to laboratories to night clubs. On the other hand, the graphics aren’t very good. At least they aren’t for a 360 game. It’s obvious that the graphics were made for the Gamecube and then, polished for the 360 release. A few other notes, the gun selection isn’t what it used to be. You can only hold so many. What made Rare first person shooters so popular is the ability to hold infinite amounts of weapons? It isn’t realistic, but its fun. Games need to find their roots. The vehicles aren’t necessary. The game is already to the point where each level is fresh enough. Adding this might have taken away from precious content. Finally, the sounds aren’t great, but the voices do match up with lips better than most games. This conclusion is difficult to write. For every good thing there was a bad thing and vice versa. This game is the definition of average. In fact, if you look average up in the dictionary, you’ll see a screen shot from this game. The only advice I can give is to rent it first to see how you like it. -Scizzle tag:gamereviews.indews.com,2007://1.19 2007-01-04T03:02:08Z 2007-01-04T03:09:26Z

This season, the NBA has become lopsided. The bad teams are very bad, the Detroit Pistons are dominating the Eastern Conference, and the San Antonio Spurs are dominating the Western Conference, so when things get boring and predictable, there’s only...

Scizzle This season, the NBA has become lopsided. The bad teams are very bad, the Detroit Pistons are dominating the Eastern Conference, and the San Antonio Spurs are dominating the Western Conference, so when things get boring and predictable, there’s only one thing that can be done; reach for your controller and pop in a basketball game. But which one? Why not grab the one with Shaq Diesel donning the cover? There are basically two modes in this game. The first is the basketball league that we are all used to. It can get boring at times, but the ability to unlock trophies and other awards for your Crib can keep it fresh. It’s also possible to change the statistics of your team. This can get really fun. Ben Wallace should not be shooting 96% from three-point range and Earl Boykins should not be racking up fifteen blocks while defending Yao Ming alone. The second mode is 24/7 mode. This is street ball at its finest. Play different modes like bomb ball, reverse controls, small ball, and random points. Compete your way to the top to improve stats, unlock shoes, unlock teammates from the NBA and celebrities like FLAVA FLAV, and become the hottest baller in the world. It can get hard at times, but there isn’t anything as difficult as the final tournament at Rucker Park. Jump shots don’t go in, lay-ups become air balls, and the only sound that can be heard on a dunk is “Clank!” Good luck. Graphically, this game is off the chain. Over 80% of the muscles in the face are present in this game, sweat drips from the players, and reflections are visible in the floor. This is just while in game play. The replays are amazing! I’m speechless! These are the best graphics that I have ever seen. 2K6 contains some very good underground rap music. If you’re not into rap, you’re out of luck. If you’re into rap, it’s your lucky day. The only problem you’ll have is that there aren’t very many tracks. Listen to it for a while, but then change to a custom play list. The only other major complaint other than the limited music is the glitch found in 24/7 mode. If you’re not familiar with half court basketball, after every basket or errant ball out of bounds, the player with control of the ball must check it up top. The problem is that sometimes when the comp has control of the ball, they won’t check it. Really, they won’t do anything. They just stand there. This forces the gamer to either quit the game and take the loss or reset the counsel. This game is a must buy for anybody that owns a sports game, plays basketball, or watches basketball, whether it be on a regular basis or occasionally. The replay level is through the roof, so it is definitely worth the money. Pick it up and throw it down. -Scizzle tag:gamereviews.indews.com,2007://1.18 2007-01-04T02:59:10Z 2007-01-04T03:09:26Z

You’re a young Russian who has just entered military training. German troops have just invaded your home country. It isn’t long before your comrade bursts into your tutorial to tell you that your fellow soldiers are under attack. You grab...

Scizzle You’re a young Russian who has just entered military training. German troops have just invaded your home country. It isn’t long before your comrade bursts into your tutorial to tell you that your fellow soldiers are under attack. You grab you gun and begin your new life as a killing machine. This is the part where I write the story of the game, but I believe in my readers. Please, if you don’t know the story, pick up a book. End the ignorance that is plaguing the United States. If you live outside the U.S., it can’t hurt to learn something new. The graphics in this game are amazing. You can actually see the pain and fear in the faces of the main characters in the game, but, even though everybody else does appear real, they don’t show much expression. Explosions are very realistic. It looks like someone put an M-80 inside a G.I. Joe. The only visual flaw is the smoke grenade. When it first goes off, it looks cartoonish, but this is just a grain of sand on a beach of next-gen technology. The gameplay is better than any of the previous World War II games. You get to control soldiers from all three countries of the Allied Forces: Russia, Great Britain, and the United States. There are no longer any mercenary missions found in the Medal of Honor games, however, you do find yourself alone a lot of the time. This doesn’t seem very realistic. It would seem that at least two or three people would be by your side at all times. The biggest problem is when deciding to exchange a gun. A silhouette of the gun appears, and that’s the only aid available. It’s not very helpful. A name would help in this situation. Driving the tank makes up for this though. When I first heard that tank driving would be involved, my first reaction was, needless to say, negative, but it’s a wonderful experience. A video game actually did it right! Also, recovering health over time makes the game more fun than having to search for a health pack. The music to the game can’t be described as anything other than mood setting. It has the heroic melody that makes the gamer feel like he’s accomplished something. It takes you back to the 1940s. The voices sound realistic, but the accents are off. The Russians, the Brits, and the Americans all sound the same, and they are all speaking English. Russian is a language. The game is made for those of us who speak English, but realism is important in this sense. This game actually improved on World War II first-person shooters, which seems like it would be hard to do since it has been tried so many times before. Congratulations Activision and those of you and Infinity Ward. You have made a must play for everybody that owns a 360 or those who are going to buy a 360. I say play and not buy because the game isn’t very long. Many gamers could rent it and complete it before they take it back. None-the-less, it is the best game the 360 has yet to see. -Scizzle tag:gamereviews.indews.com,2007://1.17 2007-01-04T02:55:37Z 2007-01-04T03:11:13Z

It only took four Pro Skaters, two Undergrounds, and several spin-offs for Neversoft to create the next game in the Tony Hawk series, American Wasteland. It seems to be everybody’s opinion that the series has been falling apart, but can...

Scizzle It only took four Pro Skaters, two Undergrounds, and several spin-offs for Neversoft to create the next game in the Tony Hawk series, American Wasteland. It seems to be everybody’s opinion that the series has been falling apart, but can this new chapter finally bring the game back to its roots which made it popular in the first place? The story starts out with your character moving to Southern California for reasons that are unknown to everybody. The game takes you from Hollywood to Santa Monica to Los Angeles to Beverly Hills. Your main objective in the game is to collect pieces for a skate park, but, what seems like a good plan turns out to have severe consequences. The story is boring and pointless. It’s a good idea to skip over all of the cut scenes. In the eyes of many gamers, this game was just a giant tutorial. They’re right. You are told exactly what to do from the first mission to the last mission. The only people this game will appeal to is die-hard fans of the series. Otherwise, stick to Classic Mode. This at least gives the gamer a taste of what he/she fell in love with in the first place. However, this game doesn’t include the bonus levels that the current gen special edition contains. Both games cost $60. If you have a current gen system, stick with that. If that’s not a good enough reason to get the current gen version, the graphics are the exact same. Do they plan to get away with this? Give the gamers what they dished out their hard earned money for. The characters are ugly (both graphically and physically), the soundtrack only appeals to males with dirty, shoulder-length hair that use words like “Awesome,” “Dude,” “Wicked,” “Gnarly,” and “Cowabonga,” and the game is too easy. Playing on the hardest difficulty doesn’t seem hard. The only hard part is riding the newly introduced BMX. This was dumb. Leave the biking to Mat Hoffman. Tony is a skateboarder. I know what all of you have been waiting for. The commercials and other advertisements claimed that there are no loading times. What the developers did was make long hallways for you to skate through while the other areas load. It’s a step up, but it’s still boring. They could have at least put gaps in these areas to give the player something to do. Ah, gaps. That’s really the only good thing that’s back. There’s nothing more fun than going through each level and finding all of the gaps. This game did not bring the Tony Hawk series back to its previous level of superiority of extreme sports games. It’s still the champ, but there are no challengers. If you loved the previous Tony Hawk games, buy it. If you liked the previous games, rent it, play Classic Mode, find the gaps, and take it back. Its fun for a while, but it’s not worth the money. Happy skatin’, dudes. -Scizzle tag:gamereviews.indews.com,2007://1.16 2007-01-04T02:53:15Z 2007-01-04T03:09:26Z

Banjo, move over. Rare has a new platformer superhero. She’s graceful, she’s a princess, and she can do front-flips, but there is only one name that can truly describe her: Kameo....

Scizzle Banjo, move over. Rare has a new platformer superhero. She’s graceful, she’s a princess, and she can do front-flips, but there is only one name that can truly describe her: Kameo. The story starts out decently. Kalus is jealous of Kameo because Kameo was given the power of the elements by her ancestors, so Kalus releases Thorn, King of the Trolls. With the help of Ortho, a magical book, Kameo must rescue her ancestors and her mother from imprisonment and defeat Thorn before the trolls can conquer the Enchanted Kingdom. After a few obvious plot twists and a final boss battle, we come to the most confusing end sequence in gaming history. Try to understand it if you must, but it doesn’t make sense. It will have you scratching your head for months to come. This is one of the most original games that have ever been created. In a world with sports games that come out ever year that appear to be a carbon-copy of the preceding game in the series, it is a relief to see a game with so much creativity. Our star, Kameo, has the ability to transform into ten different elemental warriors by progressing in the game. Each elemental warrior has various powers which can be gained by collecting and using elemental fruit. All of the elemental warrior have specific tasks that they must do in order to complete the game. It is truly a team effort, so punch with Pummel Weed, soak with Deep Blue, charge with Major Ruin, or launch hot balls with Thermite, but, remember, there are a few downsides to this game. First, the game isn’t very long. The average gamer could complete it within a 24 period. Second, finding all of the elemental fruits is way too difficult. Yes, collecting this and all of the other objects (Elixirs of Life, Crystal Eyes, and secondary skins for the warriors) gives the game a high replay value, but a Spyro approach should have been taken where the pause menu will say how many have been collected in each area. On top of this, not everyone needing help can be helped. If a creature asks you to help him catch crows, tell him to go screw himself because there isn’t a thing that you can do for him. Third, the high scores are too high. To achieve a high score is to unlock a special item, but to achieve a high score is to not have a life. If you have the time and patience to work towards getting a high score, by all means, be my guest, but some of us have other things to do. These reviews aren’t writing themselves. Fourth, the game isn’t very difficult. Dieing isn’t uncommon, but neither is getting to the end of a level on one try. This game doesn’t even cause frustration. How is that possible? Lastly, the graphics are not of 360 caliber. If you look at the grass from above, you are able to see that it’s actually in squares. Rare, if you are going to make the grass high, make it so it doesn’t affect the graphics. Overall, all things aside, this game is fun. However, due to bad reviews by biased magazines and websites, a sequel does not look good. The only way we will find out the answers to all of these questions still present at the end of the game is for the sales to jump, so treat yourself and buy this game -Scizzle tag:gamereviews.indews.com,2007://1.15 2007-01-04T02:48:21Z 2007-01-04T03:09:26Z

Dolph: Whoa! Phat five-forty! Nelson: I'm gettin' agro on this kicker! Bart: Stomp that jiggle revert! Otto: Excellent! Your lingo is progressing nicely. Bart: Can I go to the bathroom? Otto: Uh, uh. Say it in snowboard. Bart: Um, I've...

Scizzle Dolph: Whoa! Phat five-forty! Nelson: I'm gettin' agro on this kicker! Bart: Stomp that jiggle revert! Otto: Excellent! Your lingo is progressing nicely. Bart: Can I go to the bathroom? Otto: Uh, uh. Say it in snowboard. Bart: Um, I've got to blast a dookie? Otto: Dook on! That was a classic episode of The Simpson’s. There’s one thing that isn’t classic, though. Amped 3 is a steaming pile of crap. I usually wait until the end to say this, but I’m not going to waste your time. Unless you have nothing better to do, do not read this review. Just stay away from the game. Story? Yes, there was an attempt at one, but studies show that comedians would make bad teachers. The writers for this game were so busy trying to be funny that they forget to make an interesting plot. The thing is that it’s disgustingly not funny. I make funnier noises on the john, and I’m not the type to laugh at fart jokes. I’m sorry, but this game is just sickeningly not funny. You’ll be lucky to make it through one cut scene. Graphics are probably the best thing in the game, and let’s just say that they don’t push the power that the 360 gives us. There are games with worse graphics on the system, but they still aren’t very good. Game play is almost as bad as story. You snowboard, you do tricks, and that’s it. The rest is old video game references telling you what to do on your current mission. It’s another very annoying attempt at comedy. Oh, by the way, your first goal is to ski in a bunny suit. Sound effects are pretty good, but the music is terrible. It’s nothing but main stream crap rock. When will video game developers learn that they can’t just put in music for their target audience? Mix it up. Give the average gamer something to listen to regardless of their taste in music. 2K Sports, what were you thinking? If you plan on developing a fourth game in the series, scrap everything from this game and start from scratch because this game was awful. Also, hire someone with a good sense of humor because five years olds could come up with a name like Weiner Boy. This game is nothing but garbage. Do not buy it unless you need an expensive skeet target. -Scizzle tag:gamereviews.indews.com,2007://1.14 2007-01-04T02:38:24Z 2007-01-04T03:09:26Z

Zombies are frightening, but after a while, they can only do so much for the horror genre. There has to be something new. There has to be someplace that the Resident Evil series is able to go. How about manic...

Scizzle Zombies are frightening, but after a while, they can only do so much for the horror genre. There has to be something new. There has to be someplace that the Resident Evil series is able to go. How about manic villagers? It’s a start, but how about giants, midgets, and a tale of vengeance. The story starts with the protagonist, Leon Kennedy, being dropped off in a small European city with the intent of rescuing the President of the United State’s daughter, Ashley Graham. When Leon first arrives, he is attacked by the villagers. With the aid of suave police officer, Luis Sera, and some conveniently placed memos, you discover that these people have been infected with Los Plagas, a mind-controlling plague. Along the way to escaping with Ashley, Leon runs into an old ally, Ada Wong, many horrifying enemies including the village chief, Bitorez Mendez, dead Napoleon knock-off, Ramon Salazar, and cult leader, Osmund Saddler, and an old acquaintance turned bad, Jack Krauser. The many twists and turns and the interesting and somewhat original characters keep the plot interesting. This is one of the best stories in a video game ever. The gameplay is truly wonderful. The Resident Evil series is known for keeping the gamer on the edge of their seat and this is no exception. The enemies are scarier than anything ever introduced to the world of animation. Even those that seem like a joke at first are horrifying once they take their true form. There were a few things wrong with the game, however. The first is the distance this game has come from the other games of the series. The newly introduced aiming system makes the gamer wonder if this is really a Resident Evil game. It is a fantastic game, but it has come too far from the originals, and, after a while, gamers interested in the horror genre will long for the old engine. Capcom needs to create two teams to work on the series: One that creates games with the new engine and one that creates games with the old engine. The mini-games such as Assignment Ada, which puts you in Ada’s shoes so you can see what she went through while you were playing as Leon, and The Mercenaries, which has you play as one of four characters to try to reach very high scores in several areas, are too difficult. They add to the replay value by allowing you to unlock new weapons for the main game, but it’s very hard. The guns are worth it though. The graphics are the better than any other game on the Game Cube. This is not an over exaggeration, they really are that good. The details are spectacular. One look and you would think that you were playing on a next-gen console. There’s not much more that can be said. They’ve got me speechless. The sound is as good as the graphics. It’s very mood setting. If you’re being attacked, it’s loud. If no one is aware of your presence, it’s silent. Just be sure to grab a Spanish dictionary before coming in contact with the villagers. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Resident Evil 4 is one of the greatest games of all time. Not much could have been done to improve it, but the old engine will be missed. Make sure you get his game, keep your gun loaded, and, remember, everything has a weak spot. Just make sure yours isn’t your bladder, or you mom might become shocked when doing your laundry. -Scizzle tag:gamereviews.indews.com,2007://1.13 2007-01-03T21:56:23Z 2007-01-04T02:43:47Z

Movie to game transfers never seem to go through right. Given, The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay is a clear exception to this tried and true analogy. However, beyond those high walls very few quality movie-based video games...

Indews http://www.indews.com/ Movie to game transfers never seem to go through right. Given, The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay is a clear exception to this tried and true analogy. However, beyond those high walls very few quality movie-based video games can be found. Well, although not a direct movie to game, meaning it is more of a comic to movie to game kind of transfer, The Punisher is actually a surprisingly fun title that other games of its type should take note from. Most of the Punisher basically involves killing people. Never before has a game offered so many methods of dispatching foes. In The Punisher there are over 100 different ways of torturing and killing enemies. 100! That is simply an unbelievable number. Whether you want to go hand to hand, bust out a blunt weapon, pull out an uzi, or use a stationary object in the environment like open flames to punish your enemy with, it's all there and it's all just so much fun to do. The Punisher is also equipped with some good acrobatic moves as well as a wide selection of deadly weaponry. The weapons range from machine guns to shotguns to flamethrowers to grenade launchers. All of the guns you'd expect to find show up, and each has its use for dealing with the enemy (and some seem to be there just because they are cool, like the flamethrower). The moves range from "quick kills", essentially stabbing your knife through a guy's head for an easy kill, to grabbing an enemy and using his body as a shield to protect yourself from enemy bullets. Very useful, indeed, however, the game is still an ordinary action game at heart, and that is represented by the frequent bosses that must be faced (and they aren't quite as easy as the regular baddies to take down). Visually, the game is quite beautiful and it does well to add to the gameplay. Each well designed kill is backed up by beautiful graphics that spew out detailed blood and show your pitiful enemies in tons of terrible pain. Characters and moves are well designed and animated, helping to make those deadly kills more exciting. The levels are also detailed quite well, and the environments match the game by all means. The game isn't Splinter Cell, but the graphics are just where they need to be to make the game fun. Luckily, The Punisher also sounds superb in most instances. The music isn't exactly Halo (okay, sorry for the two comparisons, I'll stop now, I swear), but it gets the job done and matches the fast-paced action feel of the game very well. The sound effects are amazing and the gurgling sounds and screams of pain really make you feel like you are in the shoes of the Punisher, dealing punishment to all the baddies. There is just nothing like holding your enemy over the side of a building and hearing him whine and beg for his life as he belches out all the information you need to know (and then the satisfaction is only increased when you let go and let the bastard fall four stories to his death). The voice acting is also superb and the dialogue was very well written and presented, helping to draw gamers into the pretty good storyline in the game. The Punisher may not go down in history as being one of the pioneering video games that broke the monotony of movie to game transfers, but it still ends up being a fun, quality game that most gamers can come to appreciate and enjoy. It won't win any awards, but it may find a comfy little spot right on your shelf in the near future. tag:gamereviews.indews.com,2007://1.12 2007-01-03T21:54:08Z 2007-01-04T02:45:54Z

The next Star Wars game has arrived, and this one is unlike any other Star Wars game. Star Wars: Republic Commando is an engaging, beautiful, squad-based FPS title that hopes to knock your pants off with fun gameplay and plenty...

Indews http://www.indews.com/ The next Star Wars game has arrived, and this one is unlike any other Star Wars game. Star Wars: Republic Commando is an engaging, beautiful, squad-based FPS title that hopes to knock your pants off with fun gameplay and plenty of Star Wars theme. Thankfully, it mostly does just that. In Republic Commando, you assume the role of an elite commando in charge of a kick-ass squad. These commandos aren't your average clones, they have been specially augmented, trained, and equipped to handle the toughest situations. The game starts off in the middle of the Clone Wars, pitting your team up against tons of droids. From there, you must use your squad wisely. Few games can get squad-based gameplay right, but Republic Commando has seemingly accomplished this task. Each of the units in your squad has a specialty and those specialties will come in handy during different parts of missions. They will be required in certain parts and also, used wisely, can be beneficial in other parts. Using the abilities of your squadmates usually just requires the simple tap of a button. Thankfully, the AI of your squadmates is fairly high and they are good at taking out enemies, so you can rely on them to cover your back and won't feel completely alone. Republic Commando is a beautiful looking game in most regards. Accompanying the solid gameplay and great squad control are the great graphics and special effects. The game is sparkly and plenty appealing to say the least. The maps have plenty of Star Wars theme with many taking place in setting similar or the same as the movies (including the desert in Episode II). They are well designed and the environments are well planned out. The characters were all extremely well designed and animated, giving the game a very polished and fluid look and feel. Phew, the developers seem to have hit all the right notes with the audio section of the game as well. The various weapons all have great sound effects and there's constant chatter between your squadmates, helping to draw you into the battle. The voice acting is superb and the dialogue was very well written. The effects, as mentioned, are punchy and vibrant, giving the weapons a solid sound. As you would expect from an FPS game, Republic Commando includes a multiplayer mode. Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, and other modes you would expect are all present. Although they aren't overly well implemented and the multiplayer options are by far not the best aspect of the game, they do provide plenty of replay for gamers who are drawn into the game. There is nothing overly new or intuitive but at least its there, which is more than can be said for many games. Republic Commando isn't necessarily the best FPS, or even the best Star Wars, game ever made, but it is still a whole lotta fun to play and it is a quality game that any Star Wars fan should be more than pleased to own. tag:gamereviews.indews.com,2007://1.11 2007-01-03T21:51:46Z 2007-01-04T02:46:22Z

Being a psychic seems to be a hot topic in gaming these days. Every other day it seems as if a game comes out empowering gamers with psychic abilities. This newly crowded genre has a new entrant: Second Sight. Powered...

Indews http://www.indews.com/ Being a psychic seems to be a hot topic in gaming these days. Every other day it seems as if a game comes out empowering gamers with psychic abilities. This newly crowded genre has a new entrant: Second Sight. Powered by Free Radical Design and Codemasters, Second Sight hopes to separate from the vicious pack and make a name for itself. It has all the tools in place, but can it combine them to produce a special game The gameplay is the usual run for a psychic themed game. As you struggle to figure out your past and who you really are, you will be empowered with many interesting and useful abilities.Ranging from the aforementioned telekinesis to basic healing to taking control of your enemies altogether.These abilities will be used countless times throughout the game in order to get out of tough spots, access information, and reach places at first thought to be unreachable.Of course, the game can't only be based around psychic powers. Stealth also makes its presence felt in Second Sightat least somewhat.It was fairly well designed (although the incredibly stupid AI which can't see more than 10 feet also contributes) and implemented. Of course, stealth isn't the only option.If you'd like to just run around and shoot everybody, that's always an option as well.Bust out the machine gun, cut down everybody in sight, lay low for a while, and move on as if nothing ever happened.At least the game presents multiple path options to follow for completing levels. Squad based gameplay also makes a brief cameo. In some levels you are placed in a squad or are buddied up with a non-playable character. On one hand the NPC can help dispatching enemies, but on the other hand, and one level in particular, protecting another character is always annoying and things never seem to go like they should. Controlling Second Sight is not a difficult task.Firing at enemies or using your psychic powers is as easy as using a button to target and then pressing the appropriate button for the action, nothing too complex there.However, the camera can be quite a hassle at times, primarily since you have to walk far into a room before the camera will follow you in and you can begin to look around.Switching to first person can tend to help, but it always seems like the standard camera is always one of the worst parts of a game. Second Sight is mostly a beautiful looking game. Character models are very well done with detailed, well mapped faces and realistic muscle shapes and appearances. They are also well sized and proportioned.Environments aren't overly detailed, but they look good enough and are very interactive.The special effects, primarily those induced by using one of your many psychic powers, are the high point of the graphics.The FX are radiant and really contribute to the game's appearance. Audio wise, Second Sight is also fairly solid. The sound f/x are mostly spot-on and everything ranging from gunshots to footsteps sound just about right.Even better, the voice acting is extremely well done.All of the characters were cast excellently, all sounding just as they character should.The dialogue was also very well written, helping to contribute to a solid story.The music isn't really a factor, in fact, you probably won't even notice what little there is.Overall though, the sound ends up being a positive factor. Simply put, Second Sight is easily one of the upper class psychic themed games currently available. On that note, it is even one of the better actions games available and its compelling storyline is definitely rare in many video games. For these reason, Second Sight would make at least a good rental. tag:gamereviews.indews.com,2007://1.10 2007-01-03T21:49:23Z 2007-01-04T02:47:34Z

You are out for a drive around beautiful California. You check your rear view mirror and you see red and blue lights going off in the distance. Youre adrenaline picks up. You mash the pedal of your BMW to the...

Indews http://www.indews.com/ You are out for a drive around beautiful California. You check your rear view mirror and you see red and blue lights going off in the distance. Youre adrenaline picks up. You mash the pedal of your BMW to the floor and youre speed quickly rises. 120. Multiple police cruisers are now on your tail. 130. The cops are now bumping you in hopes of boxing you in. 140. You blow right through a roadblock. 150. There are now unmarked cars, SUVs, and helicopters trying to stop you. 160. You blow through a gas station to take several of the vehicles out. Sound exciting This is just the beginning of Need for Speed: Most Wanted. The game starts out with you as a newcomer to the racing scene. First, youre harassed by the cops. Then, youre taunted by the other racers. Your goal is to pick them off one at a time by beating them in races in order to climb the blacklist and for a chance to get their pink slip. At least thats supposed to be your goal, but five minutes into the game and your real goal will be to see ultimate douche bag, Ronnie McCrae fly through his windshield. This character is the ultimate nerd (and thats pretty bad coming from someone who writes video game reviews). There is only one thing that could make up for someone whos more annoying than the stickers that hold CD cases shut: a super-hottie. EA manages to do this by hiring the lovely Josie Maran to play Mia Townsend. In this world of enemies, its good to have an ally or is it In order to challenge the next member on the blacklist, you must first complete certain tasks. There are two types to choose from: bounties and races. Whats a racing game without races The variety of races is what keeps this series going after so many years. First, theres Circuit, which is a lapped track to see who can get done first. Next, theres Sprint, which is a race from one point in the city to the next. Then, theres Toolbooth, which is basically a time trial. You have to get from one tool booth to the next in the given amount of time. Then, theres Lap Knockout, which is just like Circuit except that one driver is removed after each lap until one remains. Drag is a very short race where you have to learn how to shift. It may seem to difficult to master shifting, while avoiding traffic and turning a corner, but the one-touch lane change makes it a breeze. Finally, Speedtrap is where there are several points in the race where your speed is going to be taken. Your goal is to have the highest combined total of speeds by the end of the race. Now, lets not forget about the bounties. These are so exciting. Youll be given a task and your job is to complete it. The multiple goals keep this game fresh. You can be told to do almost anything like evade the police in under/over a certain time, or to cause so much money in damage, or even to disable so many cruisers. The only thing that remains constant is that you must evade the cops. To do so, you can knock down signs, gas stations, or water towers and then hide in any of the designated spots pointed out on your mini-map. All in all, this was one of the greatest racing games of all time. The only downsides were Ronnie Douche Bag McCrae, and that the cars with lower stats seem to win as often if not more often than the cars with better stats. Its like the better car you have, the better car your competitors have. If it wasnt for these two things, I would say that this is the perfect racing game. -Scizzle tag:gamereviews.indews.com,2007://1.9 2007-01-03T21:45:11Z 2007-01-04T02:48:01Z

There are many addictive puzzle games out there. I can remember some that I had spent hours on at a time. I had spent months mastering games like Tetris, Dr. Mario, Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine, and, more recently, Noah's...

Indews http://www.indews.com/ There are many addictive puzzle games out there. I can remember some that I had spent hours on at a time. I had spent months mastering games like Tetris, Dr. Mario, Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine, and, more recently, Noah's Ark. However, MiXem Deluxe does not fall in the same category as these games. There are many addictive puzzle games out there. I can remember some that I had spent hours on at a time. I had spent months mastering games like Tetris, Dr. Mario, Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine, and, more recently, Noah's Ark. However, MiXem Deluxe does not fall in the same category as these games. It starts out as a decent game. You have to mix colored blocks in order to make new blocks, which can be put in a line of three or more in order to clear those blocks. Anyone who has taken an art class should be able to figure it out. The problem is that it's the same thing over and over. There are three types of game: endless, time attack, and depth quest. If it isn't obvious, an endless game is one where you play until you lose (the blocks reach the top of the screen). A time attack game is one in which you have to get as high of a score as possible in 3 minutes of play time. Finally, depth quest is a game where you have to clear so many rows before you lose. It starts with a goal of 10 rows, and when that's beat, guess what you can choose to play with a goal of 20 rows. Hold your gasps, people. Guess what happens when that's complete. 30 rows! You see where I'm going with this. There are very few changes over the period of a game. I can't sit here and bash a game for an entire review, though. I did like the use of the right mouse button. It doesn't happen very often and it's good to see a change. It's also original. There are too many knock-offs on the market these days, but Mooktown is really coming with something that is creative. There's also the graphics. For a puzzle game, these are fantastic. They were very impressive. I also liked the fact that you can turn down the volume. This was because the music sounds very closely related to the theme song to Sex and the City (not that I ever watched it!). Two minutes into playing and I was reaching for my Nate Dogg CD. Overall, I would recommend "rent the game" or "try out the free demo". Check it out at http://www.mooktown.com/pc_gameslist.html. tag:gamereviews.indews.com,2007://1.8 2007-01-03T21:42:54Z 2007-01-04T02:49:06Z

Legos and Star Wars are two words that have only been mixed in kids toys. Never before has this combination emerged in the gaming world. But all that is about to change now that Lego Star Wars has hit gaming...

Indews http://www.indews.com/ Legos and Star Wars are two words that have only been mixed in kids toys. Never before has this combination emerged in the gaming world. But all that is about to change now that Lego Star Wars has hit gaming shelves. It has picked up a fair share of hype in the months prior to its release, and now it has the chance to prove whether it was worthy of that hype and set a good start for such a unique game concept. Needless to say, Lego Star Wars is one of the most fresh and unique game ideas to come about in quite a while. Obviously, as the name sounds, the game tends to lean pretty heavily on a childish approach, meaning limited violence. Despite all of this, the game can definitely appeal to older gamers as well, but primarily only to die hard Star Wars fanatics. The gameplay in Lego Star Wars is incredibly simplistic in nature. You have one button with which you can use the Force to push back enemies, move objects, etc, an attack button to cut down foes or deflect blaster attacks (which you will be doing a lot, trust me), and a rarely used jump button. That's pretty much it, other than the four movement keys that is all you will need. Sound easy That's because it is, too easy. The game doesn't need to be complicated because there are very few features and things you can do, and there are also unlimited lives, so the game doesn't need extra buttons. Really, this game feels more like a flash game you would download for free off of the internet rather than a full published PC game. Oh, and just for kicks, you can run the game with two people, meaning a friend can use some other controls on the keyboard, and you guys can be bored together. Yay! Graphically, the game at first seems quite appealing but after a while of game time it becomes increasingly obvious how little effort was put in. Although nothing overly sparkly or eye-catching, the graphics present the "Lego" aspect of "Lego Star Wars" very well and they help to give the characters distinction. However, after a while, the graphics begin too seem too date, as there are really few special effects, and even those aren't well detailed. If a developer wants to make a game with average graphics on purpose to match the feel and setting of the game, they at least need to back it up with great FX or solid gameplay, and Lego Star Wars fits neither of those bills. Really, it is the audio department where the game can't seem to hit the right notes. On one hand, the game has great Star Wars music, with all of your favorite epic songs playing triumphantly. However, on the other hand the game only has average sound FX and absolutely no, that's right no, voice-overs. Not one single line of talking in the entire game. Are you kidding me These characters, rather than talking, just use acting and motions to try to recreate what happened in the movies. How many different ways are there to say boringDespite its originality and unique concept, Lego Star Wars just did not translate well into a video game. Compared to the feature rich, high quality games that are currently available, Lego Star Wars just appears ancient and empty, unworthy of your hard earned dollars. tag:gamereviews.indews.com,2007://1.7 2007-01-03T21:39:38Z 2007-01-04T02:49:44Z

The boys at Bioware have done it yet again. After a stellar release of Knights of the Old Republic, gamers and critics doubted when they decided to dump the sequel to another studio and instead focus on Jade Empire, a...

Indews http://www.indews.com/ The boys at Bioware have done it yet again. After a stellar release of Knights of the Old Republic, gamers and critics doubted when they decided to dump the sequel to another studio and instead focus on Jade Empire, a unique Action Role Playing Game set in a mythical Japan. How they managed to do it will never be known, but the fact of the matter is that Jade Empire stands as a pinnacle in the genre. It is a new name that future games will be compared to. The gameplay is similar to that of any action RPG in that you basically roam around, solve quests, and fight enemies. Fans of KOTOR will definitely feel right at home as everything from the menus to the inventory to the quests to the combat setup is all fairly similar. Except, what Jade Empire has to offer that is unique is its use of Japanese mythicism and an overall great storyline. The game will suck you in and never let go both because the story is interesting and the gameplay is downright addicting. First off, you will have the choice of selecting a quick fighter or a strong one. You can select from pre-made character models and stats or go through and customize one for yourself. After some brief tutorials you will be released to journey the empire, follow a good or a dark path, and ultimately decide the both your own fate as well as that of the empire. Along the way you will meet many followers, each with his or her own unique abilities, as well as learning many different martial arts, weapon, and magic styles. On top of the solid gameplay and storyline, Jade Empire is also one of the prettiest looking games of the year. Blood is really the only questionable aspect, but it doesn't affect the overall look of the game. The graphics are, without a doubt, top-notch. The environment of the world will make you feel like you jumped into a famous landscape painting and decided to have a look around. The character models of the possible players you can choose from the start are well detailed and modeled as are the NPC's you interact with. The creative sights that you will encounter, such as a version of heaven, will have you gawking at the screen. Simply put, there will be no disappointment found here. Jade Empire, additionally, sounds wonderful to say the least. This game offers a nice selection of music as you explore the world. The sound FX of the fighting is done quite well too. Overall though you most likely won't be paying as much attention to the sound as you would the screen, but still those who can appreciate the hard work placed into the soundtrack and effects won't be disappointed. On top of all that the game carries thousands upon thousands of lines of well written dialogue that all received excellent voice overs that really help to draw you into the game. Jade Empire should win RPG of the year hands down. It just gets every single aspect right. The gameplay is solid, the graphics are beautiful, the story is enthralling, and the sound is quite pleasant. Overall it ends up being an extremely appealing package to any and all fans of the genre. tag:gamereviews.indews.com,2007://1.6 2007-01-03T21:37:35Z 2007-01-04T02:50:15Z

Halo 2 is finally here, and with it has come incredible hype and a rabid fan base who really seem ready to defend Halo even to death. Nevertheless, a fan base can only be kept with quality games, and Bungie...

Indews http://www.indews.com/ Halo 2 is finally here, and with it has come incredible hype and a rabid fan base who really seem ready to defend Halo even to death. Nevertheless, a fan base can only be kept with quality games, and Bungie has set out to make Halo 2 as superb in every single aspect as it possibly can be. While it may not have made every part of Halo 2 perfect, the overall package is one that shouldn't be missed. If you've played Halo, you probably already know about the gameplay, so here is a quick summation of what new weapons you will see. There are quite a few new and modified weapons in Halo 2. The most notable are the new sub-machine guns, which can be dual-wielded (discussed soon) for maximum damage. Watch out though, the kick given off by firing the weapons is considerable, and it has to be compensated for. Both the pistol and the battle rifle have been modified as well (with the former being relinquished of it's almighty scope that the latter being given a scope and a more concentrated, more deadly, highly accurate three round burst, respectively). The main thing to talk about with Halo 2's gameplay is its amazing AI. Both marine and Covenant AI has been drastically improved over the original title, making the battles in this game a really hectic experience. Marines are much more useful this time around in many ways. For one, they used better tactics when engage the enemy and now can actually kill a few aliens. But more importantly, they now are able to drive vehicles, allowing the Master Chief in all his coolness to manage the deadly weaponry on the vehicle and take out the enemy (since we all know how pathetic the AI Marines were at taking out the Covenant using vehicle weapons). As for the Covenant, they now present a much more formidable foe. Although not quite as noticeable on Easy or Normal difficulties, the Heroic difficulty is almost as difficult as Legendary in the original, and the new Legendary difficulty is downright one of the hardest things a gamer will ever come across. You will have to pull out all the cards and use every trick in the book (with a touch of luck thrown in) to take on the new Covenant AI that will use very smart tactics in engaging you. Always remember one thing: watch your back! In the graphics department, Halo 2 has tried to go all out, making very pretty on one hand but it also created a few bugs along the way. On the upside, even in hectic, large battles the game generally rums smooth and uninterrupted (without those matrix-like slow motion instances in the previous Halo). On the downside, especially in the cut-scenes, when a new scene first pops open there are generally instances where you can see graphics that are horribly ugly for a second until the bump mapping and the sparkly touches can load up. While not overly bad, these graphics loading issues are still annoying and seem like they could have been dealt with. The audio aspect of Halo 2 is also superb. Each weapon has a sound that matches it perfectly, bullets whistle through the air and ricochet off walls or give that slight slosh sound upon penetrating flesh, needlers ping when being reflected by the Master Chief's shield, and just about everything else sounds just as it should. Put plainly, the sound effects are downright awesome ranging from the explosions, to the grunts and battle cries, to all of the different weapons. Halo 2 ends up being a nearly perfect game and a nearly perfect sequel. Although it could have used a little more length on its campaign mode (and a better ending for it as well), it offers so much in its multiplayer component that the game can be played from here to eternity. Any fan of the original game should not delay in picking this game up.