Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Review (PS3)

Call of Duty has released this year’s installment. I took last year off, after I rented Modern Warfare 3 and was wholeheartedly disappointed in the game for being very cut and paste from the first two Modern Warfare games. I did enjoy Black Ops two years ago, so I had some hope for Black Ops 2. I have been thoroughly impressed with what developer Treyarch has been able to do with the franchise.

Treyarch has been able to pull off some impressive feats in the graphics department. I have not had any kind of slowdowns at all while playing Black Ops 2. There are some moments where things get a little muddy and blurred together, but overall, the game is pretty good looking. It’s not as good as Medal of Honor: Warfighter, but I can safely say that Black Ops 2 plays much better than it looks. During the cutscenes for the campaign, there are some impressive visuals going on. The close up facial animations and movements are very lifelike, and they help to bring some depth to some characters that I would normally not care about at all.  Environments in both campaign and multiplayer look very crisp and smooth. As I said before, there are times, like in all COD games where things get a little muddled together and lost in all the chaos, but the game overall looks very good.

The sound quality is great, just like it always is. The voice track is layered very well over top of the action, and I could almost always hear my allies speaking to me during the campaign. Guns sound like guns, and footsteps can be heard clearly. Voice acting was executed very well, with all of the characters sounding great. If you can get over the incredible amount of swearing, the voices aren’t too bad.

The gameplay is what Call Of Duty has always been known for, and Black Ops 2 does not disappoint at all. Controls are very tight and super responsive. Shooting is spot on, with very minimal hit detection issues, like I’ve noticed in the past.

Lets talk about the campaign mode a bit. Black Ops 2 is set both in the mid to late ‘80s and in the year 2025.  The game flips between these two time periods usually alternating between them. This can be a little jarring and does make the story a bit rough at times. The missions are paced very well, and offer some pretty cool semi-plausible tech that could come up in the next ten years.  The campaign mode has a moderately decent story that had me pulled in from the beginning. The near future setting helped draw in my attention, because I kept thinking that this what I was playing could one day happen. A fun change that was added to the campaign was the ability to customize your loadout before missions. This helped me play more to my style, instead of going with what they gave me and it is a great system. The only complaint that I have about the campaign is that there are secondary missions called Strike Force missions. These put you in control of a battlefield in a mild RTS type game where you can take direct control of any of your combatants on the field and beat objectives. These missions are optional, but do affect your ending depending on how well you do in them. I did not fare so well, and suffered the consequences. A final campaign note; Treyarch has included multiple endings depending on what objectives and conditions are met, so there are reasons to go back and replay the game. All in all, I thought that the campaign was very well done and thought that there was a lot of work put into it.

Moving on to the multiplayer function of the game, the multiplayer is split into two modes, multiplayer, and Zombies. We’ll hit the actually multiplayer function first. Matchmaking is quick and easy, with only some minor bugs on the server side of the PS3, such as trying to balance the teams, when there are already the maximum players and they’re split evenly. I have not noticed any lag, and only a few minor graphical glitches. Overall, the multiplayer modes are standard FPS fare, and they do what they’re supposed to do. Team Deathmatch is still my preferred mode, but Kill Confirmed (Where you pick up dogtags to earn points) is a nice diversion. Headquarters, Domination, and Search and Destroy are all back again as well. The maps are very well designed; with very little moment-to-moment when I wasn’t sure if an enemy was going to be coming up behind me. There are many pathways, and the levels don’t feel overly cluttered or too open. Treyarch put in a lot of work on designing the levels and they did a fantastic job. The create-a-class system has been changed since the last time I played a COD game, and it’s a great change. The system is called “Pick 10” and you literally pick ten things to use.  You can split these up however you want, score streaks don’t matter, and they just let you have fun with it. I made a class that had six perks and no guns or grenades. I made another class where I had two primary weapons, one with three attachments, and no grenades. They let you truly design your class the way that you want to. This system is probably one of the best things that Treyarch could have done to the Call of Duty franchise and I hope to see it utilized in other iterations. Another area worth noting is that the weapon attachments are unlocked by using your weapon, as is the camo for the weapons. Guns level up independently from the player, so if you want to get that Hybrid Optic sight for your weapon, you’re going to have to work for it and use that gun. As the player levels up they’re awarded Unlock Tokens to use to unlock new weapons, perks, and equipment, letting you choose whether or not you want to get something or save up for something better.

I didn’t get into the Zombies mode as much as I could have, though there have been some huge changes here too. First and foremost, there is technically only one map. It is split into four sections that the teams must travel around in to unlock various bonuses, weapons, and gadgets. Players load up into a bus and move to a different section. The whole thing makes it feel more like a first-person adventure game instead of a chaotic, team-based survival scramble. Each area offers different landscapes to explore, and there is a LOT to find. This iteration of zombies is pretty great so far, and I’m interested to see what Treyarch has in mind to expand it.

I’m going to be completely honest here. I thoroughly enjoyed Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. Treyarch has done some things to the series that desperately needed done. I will safely say that this is the best Call of Duty I’ve played in a very long time, maybe since the original Modern Warfare. Infinity Ward or whoever is making the next game needs to take note of what Treyarch has done and continue the momentum. I recommend Black Ops 2 to anyone who is looking for a fantastic shooter game and award a 9/10. See you online..

WWE '13 Review (PS3)

Another year has come and gone and another WWE game has been released.  This year’s iteration focuses very heavily on the groundbreaking Attitude Era of the WWE. Things have been changed as always, but the thing to remember here, is that this is a wrestling game. If you aren’t a fan of wrestling, you will not like this game, and vice versa. WWE ’13 is a solid entry into a great franchise and is continuing in THQ’s focus on making changes for the better.

First off, at the time of this review, there is a major game breaking bug with the Universe Mode of WWE ’13. Using a created arena will cause any changes you make to matches to make the game not load. We are playing on the PS3, so I’m not sure if this is a issue for all platforms, but it is a deal breaker for us on PS3.

The graphics for WWE ’13 are the best that the series has ever presented. The digital representations of the wrestlers are as true to their real life counter parts as they’ve ever been. The Attitude Era stars look and move exactly like they did fifteen years ago. The crowds look and move much more realistically than they ever have, and with correct placement of the WWE logo my wife glanced at the TV and asked if I was watching Raw. Arenas are faithfully recreated completely, and the classic arenas bring back some nostalgia that makes me feel like I’m back in the mid to late ‘90s again. Animations are fairly fluid, with moves flowing easily from one into the next. There are some hitches in the hit detection and some of the weapon physics are questionable at times. There is the occasional moment when out of nowhere a chair that was on the ground will fly across the screen for no reason.

The sound in the game is pretty good. Hits sound like they should, slamming down onto the mat sounds right, the crowd is hit or miss however. THQ used samples from actual live crowds to try and recreate the atmosphere of being at a live WWE event. Wrestler entrance music is pulled straight from reality. The announcers both ring announcer and commentary teams sound great. When using custom entrance music though, the ring announcer will be nearly impossible to hear due to some audio mixing issues. The commentary during the matches is better than previous years, but is still obnoxious at times, and tends to call what is happening just before it finishes happening, but these are minor complaints.

The gameplay has been refined further from WWE ’12 making one of the best simulated wrestling games ever created.  Controls are still easy to learn, but difficult to master, with reversals being mapped to one button again instead of two. The controls are also very tight and responsive. Animations are fluid and moves flow very well. There are environmental finishers and match specific finishers that each superstar can preform. There are numerous match types to play ranging from a simple one on one match to a sixteen man King of the Ring tournament to an inferno match. The big focus this year again is on the Attitude Era. WWE ’13 does away with the standard Road to WrestleMania mode from the past few games and has the players play through decisive moments in the Attitude Era. This mode has quite a few different unlocks providing you get all of the historical bonus objectives in each event. Attitude Era mode provides a great bit of nostalgia for those of us that lived through it, and for younger fans of WWE helps give them some history for one of the most important time periods for the WWE. WWE Universe mode is back for those who want to go through and manage every aspect of the WWE. Rosters, shows, and matches are all available to be changed at the whim of the player. If you want to add a new show with the old Attitude Era stars, you can. Feel like deleting Monday Night Raw from the schedule, do it. Universe mode allows the player to customize the WWE in any way they want to. Several trophies(achievements) are tied into the Universe mode, so you should at least work through it a little bit.

WWE ’13 proves to be another solid entry into the WWE game franchise. There aren’t as many changes as last year, but there have been numerous refinements. Once they get their bugs ironed out, this game will be fantastic. I advise checking this out if you’re a wrestling fan. WWE ’13 beats it’s way to a nice 8/10. As always, See You Online.

Edit: Since publication, a patch has been released to fix the freezing issue, however all of your previous save data is corrupted and unusable including Universe, Create-an-Anything, and from surface appearances the progress made on Attitude Era mode. So....yeah…

Pokemon Black/White 2 Review (DS)

Pokemon is back for another romp in the Unova region. The first numbered sequels ever to grace the Pokemon world bring with them a number of changes that makes an experience in a world you've probably already played through seem new and exciting. There are enough changes made to these games to make a playthrough very worthwhile.

The first major change was that the map has been added to. There are quite a few new areas to discover and explore through. Players are given the option to pick from the same set of starters as the first Black and White games. Black 2/White 2 are set two years after the first games, so the world has changed a bit. Some areas have been altered or new places to visit have been added to them, such as the Castelia Sewers in Castelia City. Two new gyms have been added, and two have been removed, with the other ones receiving a makeover in order to keep familiar players from getting through them too easily.

The Pokedex has been updated as well. There are now 300 monsters to catch right from the start, making Black 2/White 2 (Hereby referred to as BW2) the games with the largest regional Pokedex ever. The online features are very functional. The Global Trade System is a fantastic way to get Pokemon from all over the world that may not be available in the games.

Graphically speaking, BW2 look amazing for DS games. Nintendo really pulled out the stops to make the environments pull the players in. The camera angle adjusts from time to time to bring some focus to the environments or to emphasize the scope of wherever you may be. Offering an occasional sweeping vista, or a zoomed out shot while crossing a bridge. Everything runs smoothly, and the sprites look just like they should. Sprites look like they should, and move very well through the environments. The various Pokemon look fantastic and really pop on the screen. The added environments and modifications to familiar places help to keep the sense of exploration fresh. Route Four for instance, used to be a desert wasteland, now it's a semi-developed suburb between Nimbasa City and Castelia City. There are quite a few new cities and caves to visit through too, so make sure you're exploring everywhere.

The sound design is exactly what you would expect for a Pokemon game. Digitized audio tracks that are a couple minutes long and loop endlessly until you leave the area, Digitized monster cries during battle and interaction with them. No voice acting, just beeps and simplicity.

When playing a main series Pokemon most players know what they're getting into. Get a starter, go to different areas of the map, catch and train various monsters, beat the area gym and move on to the next one. Players end at the Elite Four and the Pokemon League Champion and upon victory become the champion themselves and are free to explore the world. There is a new starting area, which helps to really drive home the point that BW2 are not the same as the original games. Some areas are locked off until you become the League Champion, which is great, and allows you something to do after you beat the game. The story is pretty standard fare, nothing really remarkable comes from it. The expanded map and Pokedex allow the player a LOT more catching and exploring opportunities than in previous games.

Other than the standard catch/train/battle mechanics, there are some new additions to the formula. Pokestar Studios allows you to make short movies with your monsters and see how you do with an "audience". The Battle Subway returns, as does the music theater. There are a few more new additions like Join Avenue that allow the construction of shops and upgrade them depending on how social of a Pokemon player you may be.

All in all, Pokemon Black and White 2 are a fully realized version of what Pokemon should be on the DS. The developers put in a lot of work to make sure that these games keep the same mechanics in a similar land, but offered enough changes to make adopters not feel like they've played this exact game before with a few mild adjustments. Pokemon Black and White 2 have earned a perfect 10/10. See You Online.

NBA 2k13 Review (PS3)

NBA 2K13 Review (Sorry it's a little late guys, been having some issues)

2K Sports is back with the newest installment of their critically acclaimed NBA simulation series, NBA 2K13.  Widely considered the top franchise for sports simulation, NBA 2K is sure not to disappoint.  This year’s installment includes a very special guest on the creative staff, Brooklyn Nets partial owner and hip-hop mogul Jay-Z, who takes on the role of Executive Producer.  For the first time in 2 years, “His Airness” himself, Michael Jordan is not featured on the cover, but the Chicago Bulls are still represented with former MVP Derrick Rose sharing cover duty with Los Angeles Clippers’ forward Blake Griffin and the 2 time reigning NBA Scoring Champion Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder.  This changing of the cover coupled with Jay-Z’s involvement points to a game that takes a step away from the tradition of your father’s NBA and into the modern day league.  However, if you are a basketball purist who longs for the days before “super teams,” there are more than 30 classic NBA teams to choose from in addition to the 1992 Team USA squad, more commonly known as “The Dream Team.”  Also included is the 2012 Team USA version of the Olympics from the London Games so you can settle once and for all which team was truly the better group of stars.

NBA 2K13 keeps gameplay relatively the same as in previous installations with a few minor tweaks.  This year not only does the right analog stick control shooting, but it can also control dribbling at the same time.  This is a major change in the gameplay experience because in previous years the stick could dribble or shoot.  Now you still have a wide range of dribble moves and fake outs that can be performed with various gyrations of the stick but once you hold down L2, the shot stick is activated allowing the user to execute many advanced shots not available by simply pressing square (although that is still an option).  Another addition to gameplay is “Signature Abilities” that certain stars and role players can posses.  These are things such as Kendrick Perkins being a “brick wall” and making it tougher for the opposition to drive to the hoop when he is in the paint or “floor general” that is attributed to many point guards that increases the offensive skills of teammates in the game with him.  There is even an ability possessed by players like Paul Pierce and Kobe Bryant that allows their game to become elevated in the fourth quarter.  These abilities are a welcomed addition to the way the game plays as it gives a more authentic feel to what you are accustomed to watching.

The popular My Player Mode from years past remains but is vastly different.  In addition to My Player, there is now a My Career that goes hand in hand with it.  These modes no longer focus simply on your player’s career on the court, but off the court as well.  Money has been replaced with Virtual Currency, or VC for short, which takes away some from the authenticity of the mode.  VC can also be earned from playing exhibition mode games and can be used in My Player, which again makes the whole experience less realistic.  The VC is used to purchase things such as game arrival suits, clothes to wear during Blacktop Mode, and gameday accessories (yes, if you want something as small as a headband you are going to have to fork out VC for it).  New features in this mode include having to choose between a sponsorship from Nike or Air Jordan (granted this happens after a mere 5 games) as well as meetings with the organization’s General Manager as frequently as you would like to discuss an array of topics.  This adds a sense of realism to the mode that it desperately needs.  The realism of the mode has sadly not been improved on otherwise.  As a mid-first round pick you are still gracing the cover of magazines and billboards before you even rack up time as a starter and you are idolized as the savior of a franchise even though you are a rookie bench player (think if Tim Tebow played basketball).  In keeping with EA Sports’ Madden NFL 13 which has Twitter in its career mode, NBA 2K13 has “social media,” an off brand Twitter that allows you to accrue a plethora of followers from current NBA players and legends to celebrities such as Pauly D and Justin Bieber (yes, the Beibs found a way into the game and can even be played as on the Celebrity Team).  These followers are gained by performing various tasks during your career.  For instance, if you nail a certain number of 3 pointers in a single game, Steve Kerr will follow you or if you dish out enough dimes, Magic Johnson will become a fan.  Overall the My Player/ My Career experience is fun, if not completely realistic.

I had an open mind about presentation going in with Jay-Z on board.  The 2K series is well known as one of the best, if not the best, sports simulation game available.  I was curious as to what Jay-Z would bring to the table.  The presentation definitely has a hip-hop flair to it with the visual designs that include volume bars and speakers.  There are stylistic lines during the Sprint Halftime Report and even on the score in the lower right hand of the games.  While this gives the game a more modern, youthful feel, it takes away from the authenticity of the experience.  It has no effect on the gameplay, but the television style graphics were a nice touch in years past.  The commentating crew returns this year and is once again top-notch.  If you were to close your eyes (while someone else is playing, I wouldn’t suggest doing this during one of your games) it sounds as if the game is a television broadcast with the laughter and jokes as well as statistics that are spewed out when necessary.  The in game audio is arguably the best for any sports game out.  The soundtrack has a definite Brooklyn feel to it with many songs referencing the borough and the numerous Jay-Z tracks present.  The soundtrack is not bad, but it is not what I expect with a basketball game.  One minute you are listening to Run This Town by Jay-Z and the next you are hit with Viva La Vida by Coldplay.  Some of the tracks left me scratching my head, but overall, you get used to it.

My experience with NBA 2K13 was overall positive.  The gameplay and commentating are once again this year unrivaled for any sports game on the market and are improving with every new installation.   My Player and My Career are enjoyable if not entirely realistic.  And with Jay-Z on board the 2K Team swaps out television style visuals for a more modern look and a soundtrack that could be slightly biased towards the new look Nets.  Overall the game was well worth the buy.  I gave it an 8.5/10.

Borderlands 2 (ps3) review

First off, let me say that I am typing this up on my phone so bear with me for spelling errors and such.

Borderlands was a good game. Solid gameplay and good graphics, minus some issues with the graphics engine and a story that might as well have not been there kept the game from living up to my hopes. Borderlands 2 fixes most of these issues and leaves the players with a more complete game that feels a lot like what the first one should have been.

The graphics are an upgraded version of the previous game's engine. There are major texture loading issues, especially while driving or changing chracter skins. With this being the.second game in the series with these issues, I'm beginning to think that it's an engine issue, not a programmer issue. The art style fits the game very well, with characters popping out a bit more in the environments. There are also some very sharp looking environments and sections of the.world to look at and explore through.

The sounds don't really need much said about them. The characters are voiced well, and there is a good bit of dialogue to listen too. It is well written and moderately funny. I particularly enjoyed the lead villain in the early game, he had several very good lines. Guns have a nice pop when fired, though jumping more than once or twice in a row makes your character sound a bit like they're in an adult situation if you get my drift.

 Short bit about the story. There actually is one this time, complete with double crosses, twists, turns, and predictability. The story is fun and does have a good group of characters involved, including some familiar faces from the first game. I won't give away any spoilers, but I will say that this story line will not be winning any awards, but it's still way better than the last one.

 The gameplay is identical to the last game. Get a gun, kill things/complete missions and get shiny new equipment. This game focuses heavily on what loot is dropped by the enemies. There are millions of weapons to choose from and a major satisfaction is finding the gun that fits you. I have found a sniper rifle that I.absolutely love, outside of Borderlands 2 I do not use snipers so it's an interesting change of pace for myself. The enemy AI has been upgraded making your enemies much smarter than they used to be. I noticed quite a few times where the enemies would take cover while I was aiming at them, or split off into smaller groups to try and flank me during a firefight. There have been some moderate tweaks to the level up system and a persistent challenge system that helps give you goals to work towards while playing. The skill trees are still broken up into three parts, however each one is considerably different than the others, offering more options for things to spend skill points on. Focusing your points into one tree can make your character a specialized badass, while spreading them out over two or three trees can make them into an average murder machine. I found with my Commando that I was leaning towards spending points in the column for my turret, giving it more time on the field, rocket pods, and specialized ammo. Other options would have given me more health, more ammo capacity, faster reloads, and things along those lines. So, the game helps you tailor your character to your play style a little bit more. The persistent challenge, or Badass Ranking is a system that carries over all of your characters. As you complete challenges which range from dealing X damage with this type of weapon to kill X number of a certain enemy, you gain Badass Ranks, which convert to coins. You spend these coins on very small upgrades, 1% or less than 1% to various stats, such as Max Health and Gun Damage. These carry over all of your characters on your profile and help give you a little boost in online multiplayer. The online game is just like the single player, except with friends or strangers helping you. The difficulty scales depending on how many players there are, and the more people that are playing, the better the loot that drops. That said, the loot is not for everyone, it's first come first served, so if you are playing with strangers this can be a serious problem.

All in all, I've heartily enjoyed Borderlands 2. I played through some of the first one and felt no need to try and make it to the end to see what happened, because there wasn't any kind of pull for me to get there. Borderlands 2 has fixed that, and brought the series a little farther in terms of what can be done with a game like this. I'm awarding an 8.5/10 to Borderlands 2. See You Online.

Ratchet and Clank HD Collection Review (PS3)

There is a fascination with collections and HD collections this console generation. I feel as the systems age, the developers are getting a little more cautious about releasing any new IPs, so a lot of them are remastering some of their classics. Are these a cash grab? I think so, however, I also think that it's a great way to introduce players to some of last generation's (or before) great games without having to have an old console. I've purchased and played several of these HD collections in my time, and I do get annoyed because I'm buying something I've already played. However the nostalgic memories that the games bring back make up for my anger.

I've recently purchased the Ratchet and Clank HD collection, and the games are still great. They are what set up the same mechanics used in the Ratchet and Clank Future titles and the game play is still great, even ten years later. There are some hitches, in the graphics department, such as a couple framerate drops in some strange places that I noticed, but other than that the game ran fairly smoothly. The cartoonish smoothness of the environments does look a little odd, but the games are from last generation and did not receive a total graphical overhaul to meet up to todays standards. That said, they do look better than they did back in the day. As the series progresses from the first Ratchet and Clank through the second and into the third, there are improvements in the graphics that help to bring them closer to the modern style.

The sound quality is just as good as it was back on the PlayStation 2. The characters were voiced well and did not seem to need to be updated. The dialogue is well written and it's nice to see a back to back to back view of how the characters evolve throughout the series. There are a lot of jokes between characters, and a lot of humor that I did not pick up on when I was younger. Music is varied and well designed for each planet, setting a tone of mystery, but fun quirkyness as well. The enemies make various robotic noises that are expected and gunshots and explosions sound as cartoony and science fictiony as they should.

The gameplay is just like it was back in the early 2000's. Ratchet's wrench and the blaster are still the two most reliable weapons. Platforming is great, and the upgrade system remain unchanged. The games are still the same as they were, just remastered in glorious HD. Players must explore the levels and collect bolts to buy new weapons, gadgets, and upgrades. There are hoverboard races to play through, and as the games progress, the worlds get bigger, and more challenging. There are gold bolts for the player to collect throughout their travels, and often the worlds have the bolts hidden behind something that requires a new weapon or upgrade, forcing the player to come back and revisit worlds.Each game has a number of different weapons available to use and purchase, and quite a few different gadgets to help the players along their way. Also, starting with the second game, there is an upgrading system to the weapons that helps make them more useful in the later levels depending on how much they are used. The beautiful thing about the Ratchet and Clank games is that they allow the player to take down their enemies using just about any weapon they want, including hypnotizing and turning them into chickens. The games are great because while they tackle semi-serious issues (world domination and such) they do it while making jokes and having a good time.

This may seem like a very short review for three games, but I'm not 100% sure on how to write a review for a collection of something that has already been released. There's a good chance that most people have played one, two, or all three of the games in this collection so on one hand it's hard for me to recommend the purchase. On the other hand, it's Ratchet and Clank. I give the collection as a whole a solid 8.5/10. If you are the kind of person who enjoys having three games for half the price of one, this is a great deal. Also, if you are looking for a nice blast of nostalgia, or have never played the original Ratchet and Clank trilogy, get this. This is just like any other HD collection, so go and buy it. It'll look great next to the Jak and Daxter Collection and The Sly Collection.

Keep an eye out for our next review, probably Madden '13, followed by Borderlands 2. Thanks guys and as always, See You Online.

#10: Squares Can't Jump.

#9: You Can't Always Get What You Want

#8: Some Assembly Required

#7: Incompatible Accessories

--Apologies for not having this posted last night. I completely forgot to post it here in addition to our Facebook page.--

NCAA Football '13 Review

    College football is back with this year’s EA Sports installment of NCAA Football.  While much of the game will look familiar to NCAA franchise players, there are some major differences.  We will explore the new features as well as some of the more familiar ones for those who may be new to the franchise.

    PRESENTATION:  The presentation in this year’s NCAA Football ’13 is similar to previous installments.  In all fairness, this is one department that did not need much improvement.  The visualization looks nearly identical to the real deal in that at first glance, the game could be mistaken for a Saturday afternoon game during the fall.  One minor addition this year is the ESPN bottom line that was absent from in-game play in previous editions.  Complete with “Priority Score Alerts,” this is a nice touch to an already astounding presentation.  Rece Davis joins Kirk Herbstreit, Brad Nessler, & Erin Andrews on the commentating team.  Herbstreit & Nessler return as the color man & play-by-play announcer, respectively, & Andrews is once again on the sidelines for injury & halftime reports.  Davis is in studio for in-game updates on action going on around the nation in career modes such as Dynasty & the all-new Heisman Challenge.  Overall, the presentation is a high quality aspect of the game.

    GAMEPLAY:  There are several new gameplay tweaks in NCAA Football ’13.  There are some small changes such as new quarterback animations, as well as bigger additions such as Reaction Time.  While the rushing game has been the subject of gameplay changes in the past, the passing aspect received several changes this year.  Now the wide receivers’ icons are greyed out at the start of the play & light up when the receiver becomes open.  Another improvement in the passing department is the emphasis on setting before throwing.  In the past if you were in trouble, you could always just scramble & throw & the receiver would bail you out with a nice catch.  This year, if your feet are not set first, there is a strong likelihood that the pass will be picked off, allowing for a more authentic feel.  The newest gameplay addition is Reaction Time.  This is exclusive to Road To Glory & Heisman Challenge modes.  By holding down a button time slows down, allowing you to choose a better path if you are a running back or wide receiver or a better target if you are a quarterback.  This can only be done a limited time, but you can earn time back by making good plays.  It is a very snazzy feature that adds a new bit of excitement to a Road To Glory mode that was getting somewhat stale.

    GAME MODES:  Road To Glory, NCAA Football’s career mode, returns unchanged except for the addition of Reaction Time.  You still play your senior year of high school before deciding on a school to spend the next four years trying to win the BCS National Championship as well as the Heisman Trophy.  Dynasty Mode is also relatively unchanged with you still becoming a Head Coach, Offensive, or Defensive Coordinator & trying to recruit high school prospects while playing out your season to win the BCS National Championship.  Exporting draft classes to the Madden franchise has been removed this year.  However, there is a new tool in recruiting, which is Scouting.  Now to go along with your 10 hours of phone calls to recruits per week, you also get to scout them for 3 hours.  This gives a more accurate projection as to what you are getting the following year.  It replaces a letter grade with an actual rating number.  This is a nice touch & another way EA Sports adds realism to their college football franchise.  There are also three new teams to embark on Dynasty Mode with in Texas State, UTSA, & UMass, all new to FBS Division I football this year.
    Heisman Challenge Mode is new this year & allows you to take control of one of a handful of former Heisman Trophy winners for a season & put him on any current roster to try to outdo his Heisman campaign & bring home the hardware.  Say you want to put Barry Sanders alongside his son at Stanford for a season, go for it.  Desmond Howard at The Ohio State University?  No problem.  Heck, you could even put Tim Tebow on a MAC team such as Bowling Green State University.  I first used Barry Sanders at his alma mater, Oklahoma State University, & personally I found this mode, while cool & entertaining, to be a bit too easy.  My first game I rushed for 547 yards & 9 touchdowns.  Those are truly video game numbers.  Every game I played, I topped Sanders’ stats from that week (which are shown at the loading screen along with other interesting information).  This mode is good in theory & is very fun, but it is very easy to have monstrous games.
  
 OVERALL:  NCAA Football is a fun game with lasting appeal.  Heisman Challenge Mode gives numerous seasons of play time, as does Dynasty Mode & Road To Glory.  While many things make this game a fine product, with the exception of a few additions, it is essentially last year’s installment.  I give this game an 8 out of 10. See you online.

#6: Klepto Cups

An Observation on the Late '80s/Early '90s

During this time frame, the console wars were beginning full swing. What do you feel the companies did right with their new consoles and what do you believe they did wrong?

During the late 80’s and early 90’s there were numerous consoles released for the public to purchase. Some of them, like the Nintendo Entertainment System and the Sega Genesis were awesome. Others, such as the 3DO, or the New Geo did not do well. Nintendo and Sega did several things very right with their systems. They both advertised well, although Nintendo being the bigger company had a lot more advertising power. The other ones did not get pushed nearly as hard by their companies and pretty much fell off the face of a cliff.

They both had very nice libraries of games for the consumer to play. They also had several first party games that were awesome. Nintendo had Super Mario Brothers and Sega had Sonic the Hedgehog. The exclusive games and company mascots helped Nintendo and Sega set their respective consoles apart from the others. The other consoles did not have nearly as many games, nor did they have their own mascots to try and bring people over to their systems.

Nintendo spent most of their time advertising their consoles as more child friendly. They even had quality control standards to make sure that the games were not too adult oriented. Games were not allowed to be overly violent or suggestive. Sega on the other hand, tried to target the older audience, the teenagers and college students. Sega marketed their system as more adult and something more like what older people would be interested in. They did not have any restrictions on what content that was forbidden, giving developers freedom to do what they wanted. Other console makers did not advertise their systems nearly as well, therefor not as many consumers knew about the other systems.

A final reason why Sega and Nintendo did so well where others failed was pricing. Nintendo and Sega had systems that were affordable. The Neo Geo, for example, was $650.

So, in all honesty, Sega and Nintendo won out in the race due to their advertising, their pricing, and their game libraries. If other consoles could have emulated the combination that the other two did, then this article may have a bit of a different tone to it.

Sources:

Kent, S. (2001). The ultimate history of video games. New York, NY: Three Rivers Press.

#5: Crowbar Conundrum

#4: Gotta Catch A Couple

#3: Revenge Of The Karts

#2: Nurses To Battle Stations

#1: Meet The Press

Brief background on each of our "Players":

Player 1 (brown hair): "GamesWithBeej" founder. Known for his situational Tourette's syndrome when he's holding any gaming device. Self-proclaimed "hardcore gamer", playing anything and everything he can get his spazzy hands on. His 3 favorite games are "Mass Effect 3", "Pokémon Blue" and "Perfect Dark". He is married to Player 3, and best friends with Player 4.

Player 2 (purple hair): One of the artists/reviewers. Known for her witty remarks and sarcasm. Loves any game she can play/find, but tends to avoid sports games. Her 4 favorite games are "Alice- Madness Returns", anything "Zelda", "Need For Speed: Carbon", and "Panzer Dragon (Orta)". She is best friends with Player 3.

Player 3 (black hair): One of the artists/reviewers. Known for her severe OCD and loving sarcasm. Everyone calls her a kleptomaniac (due to her obsession with hoarding coffee cups in "Fallout 3"). Her 3 favorite games are "Minecraft", anything "Pokémon", and "Fallout 3". She is married to Player 1, and best friends with Player 2.

Player 4 (yellow hat): One of the reviewers. Known for his co-op skills and love for "sporty" games. Preference for sports games, but plays the occasional FPS. His 3 favorite games are "Mortal Kombat", "MLB: MVP Series" and "UFC: Undisputed Series". He is best friends with Player 1.

Spec Ops: The Line (PC Review)

After a very long delay we finally have a new review for you. Spec Ops: The Line was released on Tuesday and it is an interesting game to say the least. Gameplay and graphics-wise Spec Ops: The Line does not try to do anything out new or inventive. It is your standard current gen third person shooter built on the Unreal Engine. However, if you can stick through the average gameplay you're rewarded with a great story of rebellion, betrayal, and consequence.

Spec Ops opens up with a very intense on rails chopper sequence to get you into the setting and helps you to meet the characters of your squad. The environments look good, but there are a lot of times where textures fail to load, and I noticed a lot of pop in of textures and objects. From a distance the setting of a post sandstorm Dubai is gorgeous. The scenery does tend to get lost in the browns of the sand and the sandstorms though. Interiors were a stark contrast to what was seen outside, with much more color than the browns of sand and whites of buildings. Textures of glass statues, carpeted staircases, hallways and offices looked beautiful. Character models move fluidly, and a lot of detail went into facial movements. There were several times when I stopped to look around at the sights, or take in the horrors of the war.

The sound design does a good job helping with the mood as well. Dialogue between characters in between firefights help establish personalities of the squad. Orders get shouted out and enemy positions are called out during fights. There are some out of place moments where reloading while nothing is happening causes your character to yell "Cover me, I'm reloading" while all else is silent. There was even a spot where this happened and it actually alerted an enemy that I was behind him. Music in the beginning is a nice and heavy rock tone, but as the story progresses, it becomes very somber and helps to bring home the seriousness of the situation. There is an online multiplayer that has an adversarial mode where you fight the other team for the most kills. This mode allows for standard shooter multiplayer unlocks such as guns and cosmetics. There isn't any interaction with the environment here so yeah. There is another mode where you fight the other team and the environment takes center stage. This mode is actually kind of fun, but fairly limited by the options available. Multiplayer is not Spec Ops' strong point.

The gameplay is actually the part of the game that is the most disappointing. The third person mechanics are ripped right out of any other third person shooter on the market. Run, take cover, blind fire or take aim until your enemies are dead. Then move to the next spot and do the same thing again. There are some environmental factors that help the battle. Firing into the sun makes enemies hard to see due to the light. Sandstorms pop up randomly (Seriously, they are fairly random in both location and duration) and there are places you can shoot out windows or walls to release the built up sand to alter the battle field. These elements are welcomed in what is otherwise an average third person mechanic. The controls are a little laggy at times, and occasionally don't do what they are supposed to. There is a confusing button map where the melee button is the same as the vault over cover button. I spent several very inopportune times punching the air behind me when I wanted to jump over a wall to push forward. Also, sprinting towards cover does NOT always work, sometimes you slide in, other times, you stand at the wall or barrier and become a human target. Your enemies are not always the most intelligent. There were several times when the enemies would be in a nice entrenched position where I was having difficulty shooting them, and they decided to sprint out into the middle of the field. The partner AI was particularly deadly though, and saved my ass on more than one occasion.

(Story Spoilers Ahead! If you don't want spoilers, skip this paragraph and just accept that its a good story)

The story is the saving grace here. It is based on the Joseph Konrad novella "Heart of Darkness" and does a fairly good job of telling the story. You lead a squad of three into Dubai on a rescue mission after a disastrous sandstorm destroys the city. There is a squad of American soldiers there already, but they sent out a distress call so you go in to figure out what happened. There are a few spots where you have to make some very tough decisions and as you play through the campaign you see how what is happening is effecting your squad and character.  There are even a couple moments where when I finished them I just sat there mouth half open going "Holy crap I just did that." The game focuses on what war does to the characters on your team on a mental level and that helps to make the characters more than a bullet sponge you get in other games on the market now. There are several very emotionally powerful moments that the game showcases very well.

All in all, Spec Ops: The Line shows how to give a military shooter some heart. The story is fantastic and the character moments are some of the best I've seen in a game in a while. But story alone, does not make a great game. Other than the story, the game is fairly average and I would call it two night rental at best. Give it a second playthrough after you beat it and really understand what is happening. Spec Ops: The Line earns itself 6.5/10. See You Online.

Things have started happening!

Friends, We here at GamesWithBeej pride ourselves in providing reviews and news pieces with an occasional opinion piece thrown in there. But, there have been a few unexpected hurdles in this process. Namely, I, the guy who has been running this show, am poor and can barely afford to pay rent as of late. I have thought of a solution to the problem.

GamesWithBeej is expanding! I have added for sure one additional review person full time, and am working on getting a system to allow me to get a few more games. Also, we are developing a gaming based comic for your reading/viewing pleasure. We've also added a Facebook profile.

So, like us on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/gameswithbeej
Follow myself on twitter - thebeej82490
friend me on PSN - thebeej82490

This venture rests on your support. If you like us, share us. Tell your friends about what we are and what we do. Thank you for everything and as always, See You Online!

Thoughts about PlayStation Plus

I know, the lack of reviews is getting frustrating. I'm upset myself, but I am poor so the drought continues. I do have another opinion piece for any serious gamer who owns a PlayStation 3 though. Do yourselves a favor and purchase a subscription to PlayStation Plus. It costs $50 a year and pays for itself regularly. I've had mine for six months now and it's one of the best investments I've ever made.

Every month subscribers get discounts, freebies, and exclusives. The discounts are on games, dlc, avatars, and themes. Same for the freebies. You get exclusives like early access to demos/betas and exclusive betas/demos. I know free games sounds too good to be true, but hear me out on this one. This month (June 2012) subscribers were gifted with twelve free games. Yes, I said twelve. And they aren't piddly crap either. A lot of them are full retail games. Virtua Fighter 5, Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One, Just Cause 2, WarHammer 40k: Space Marine, Choplifter HD, Zombie Apocalypse: Never Die Alone, LittleBigPlanet 2, and Saints Row 2 are a few of the offerings.

Past months have given us a couple PSOne Classics along with a couple free PSN games. Discounts are always welcomed, and last week when the "Ultimate Editions" were unveiled, PSPlus members received them at a 40% discount. When I look through my list of games on my PlayStation, I can count at least 35 of them that were free (My HDD is a 320 gb) because of my PSPlus subscription. That translates into a LOT of cash.

Basically, I think that the PlayStation Plus program is a great thing for you to invest in. Sony has not let me down yet with it. There are occasional lulls in stuff, but the next week usually balances them out with an influx of awesome. That said, See You Online.

An opinion on Diablo 3

So, I was planning on getting this one. I really was. I have read a lot of articles on what to expect, and I was thinking "well, I've played Diablo 2, and this is supposed to be similar...Now I'm nervous." So, I played in the open beta, and I got exactly what I expected. What took me back a step was the server issues. It took me two hours to log on to the beta. So, I read a lot of reviews of Diablo 3 since it was released, and I am not happy. I know I should make my own opinions, but I'm a little on the poor side right now. Things that upset me a bit about Diablo 3: Not a lot of gameplay innovation, I always have to be online to play it, servers not working, accounts being hacked, average graphics.

None of those things I have read were good. I wasn't impressed with the graphics, I didn't like the gameplay that much to be honest. And, the cherry on top, I can't play it without an internet connection!? That pisses me off. I like to play games, online or off. I do not think that the player should be forced to be online to play. Say I wanted to play at my parents house while I'm visiting. They have a mobile hotspot for internet so their internet is limited; or I'm visiting my grandmother who doesn't have internet. I know I should be spending the time with my family, but that's the first example I could come up with. The DRM is not fair to the player. So, sadly, I do not think I will be picking up Diablo 3. I know a lot of this opinion is from my impressions from the beta, but everything I said stands true.

In other news, I'm trying to pull together enough money to get Dragon's Dogma and Max Payne 3. I'll be sure to post something if I get that around. So, until next time my friends, See You Online.

Tribes Ascend (PC Review)

With a severe lack of games coming out and that I have absolutely zero money right now I bring a recommendation of a Free-To-Play game. Yes, I said Free-To-Play. The game is Tribes Ascend on the PC and frankly, it's one of the best free games I've played.

The game is online team based multiplayer only except for a couple training options. The graphics are pretty decent and rendered using Unreal Engine 3. The environments are huge though fairly empty save for an occasional tree or tunnel. There are quite a few options for the quality of graphics as well so you don't have to have a top of the line video card to play. I do have the graphics maxed out and the game does look pretty good. The audio is pretty much what you would expect from a shooter.

Tribes Ascend makes several alterations to traditional shooter gameplay by adding in jetpacks and a skiing function. Jetpacks are on a limited, though regenerative fuel source and help you to fly rather high into the air. The skiing function lets you pick up ludicrous speeds going downhill (I actually said "I'm going to plaid" at one point(That's a SpaceBalls reference for you young folks who may not know(look it up))) when combined these two functions let you zoom around the map and escape or get into danger very fast. Kills are difficult to get from time to time due to the speeds of the other players so there is a lot of skill involved in lining up shots. There are a few classes for you to choose from ranging from lightweight and very fast engineers to overarmored and lumbering juggernauts. All weapons feel powerful and have an impact that you would expect them to have.

A key component to the game is the payment structure. You have absolutely zero obligation to spend money on this game and that is true this time. You will not unlock any kind of unfair advantage by spending cash and upgrading early. The game remains balanced and allows veterans and beginners to be on the same level equipment-wise. There is a nice bonus if you do spend any amount of cash and that is giving you a permanent boost to XP gained. You unlock classes and upgrades using XP or real money so the boost is a nice thing to have.

All in all, I was very surprised by this game and I think you should give it a shot. I mean, it is free to download and play so why not? I'm awarding an 8/10. I'll be working on a Diablo 3 review in a few weeks when it releases but that is the only thing I can confirm for sure right now. I'm thinking about getting Max Payne 3 and Ghost Recon Future Soldier, but I'm still on the fence with those. So, until next time, See You Online.

Mass Effect 3 Review Part 2

9.5/10. I know, it's strange to see a review start with the score, but there it is, plain as day. I will save you all the effort of reading further if you just want to see my score. Now, for the review portion.

As I have touched on, the games graphics are fantastic. The characters look brilliant, though they are still a little stiff in the animations. I'm not a big fan of Shepard and Liara doing the robot when they are hugging, but take the honey with the vinegar I suppose. There were some slow downs in a few cut scenes where there was a lot of action, some of this got fairly bad towards the end game, but it's livable. Environments are still beautiful and it was truly something to see the sheer size of a Reaper in the background while I'm fighting something else.

The story is great and I'm not going to spoil it for anyone. Just know that it's a fairly powerful ending. The gameplay as I have said is stellar, the tweaks and adjustments made to the combat systems make the game great. I spent a lot of time on the single player in part one, so I'm going to spend this time talking about multiplayer.
 Multiplayer is squad based with different classes and races available for play. Teamwork is paramount if you want to succeed in these missions. The different classes have several different races for you to use which adds some fun because you no longer have to be only human. Each race has different abilities within the class so you can find what you want and go with it. Weapons are fully customizable in multiplayer as are your powers, though you are limited to three pre-chosen powers and only two weapons at a time. As you play through missions you earn credits to buy packs containing boosters, weapons, characters, weapon mods, or equipment. These rewards range from nearly pointless (ammo refill when there are ammo drops around) to awesome (grenade launching assault rifle) and they are chosen at random. Multiplayer is fun and I'm glad that they added it, though it wasn't needed. In all honesty, I was considering not playing multiplayer, but I'm glad that I did.

On that note, I am going to stop rambling and let you guys get back to your gaming. Resident Evil Operation Raccoon City comes out soon and I might be getting that, Diablo 3 is coming out on May 15th so look forward to that. Otherwise, again, Mass Effect 3 has earned a 9.5/10 and See You Online.

Mass Effect 3 Part 1

The Reapers have arrived. Earth is under siege and millions are dying by the hour. A massive galaxy-wide war has broken out and the only hope is to unite the races or die. That is what greets you at the opening of Mass Effect 3. As you may or may not know, I have been invested in this game for quite a while (see my story on completing Mass Effect 2) so I was eager to see the decisions I've made in the past come to a head. I have played single player for about ten hours and played a few rounds of multiplayer and here's my thoughts to this point.

The gameplay has had some changes made to it, some subtle, others, not so much. The skill system has been fleshed out a bit offering six levels of upgrades instead of four. However, at level four you are given two options for how to progress your powers. This goes for Shepard and all squad mates. Controls are tight and responsive, and Bioware has helped to make a few changes to the cover system that put it more in line with a Gears of War type game which is great. You can now do combat rolls in any direction, sprinting is faster, and you can roll around cover and to either side of doors or setups similar to doorways. There are also some areas to do running jumps and ladders to help vary the combat situations a little bit. Some more changes are to the enemy AI. Enemies are smarter and I have found myself having to have a strategy in battle instead of going in and just letting my team take care of what I'm not paying attention to. Enemies will use verticality, flanking, and lob grenades to get you out of cover now. They provide covering fire for each other and continuously keep pressure on you. I have found the gameplay changes to help the series out quite a bit.

Going on with some more gameplay changes, Planetary Scanning from Mass Effect 2 is still around, but it's drastically different. Now you roam your sector and press a button to scan nearby and the game will tell you if there are "war assets" nearby. You go to the planet and start your scanner and follow the line to where the thing is, launch a probe, and you're done. If you scan too many times in a Reaper controlled area, the Reapers will come after you and if you don't escape in time, you die. The weapon system is mostly carried over from Mass Effect 2, except there are more options and you now have access to weapon mods to customize your weapons. There are also weapon upgrades you can purchase and you are allowed to customize your armor if you choose to.

Bioware was also nice enough to include a multiplayer mode this time. The wonderful thing about the multiplayer is that it is 100% optional. There is no NEED to play it at all if you don't want to. The mode is similar to Gears of War's Horde mode. You face waves of enemies until you either die or complete the mission. There are six levels to play on and this mode does offer you the ability to play as different races which is kind of neat, but other than that, there is nothing really groundbreaking. It's a fun diversion, but that's it. I haven't played too much to know a lot about it.

The graphics have been improved to a fantastic quality. Characters are still kind of stiff during cut scenes and they don't quite touch each other when they have moments of touching each other. Environments are fantastic and seem nearly realistic at times, though the water in the opening sequence is pretty terrible. Another small note is that occasionally in the opening sequence I would encounter background characters randomly popping into the background of the scene as if they were teleported there. There are also several points where you get a before the war and a during the war picture and the contrast is hauntingly beautiful. The mood is set and this game is quite a bit darker than I was expecting it to be, even though I knew it was about a war for survival. I feel like I have actually been hit at a small emotional level and that is impressive.

The games sound design up to this point is as we can expect. The returning characters sound like they always have and the new ones have some great actors behind them. The music is fitting and helps to bolster the tone that this could be the end of everything. There are some lip syncing issues but they don't detract too much from the rest of what is going on.

That's all for now. This is a huge game, and I will write more about the choices I've made in the past affecting my game now at a later time. Until then, please get this game and enjoy it. Till next time, See You Online.

A story of my journey to complete Mass Effect 2 SPOILERS AHEAD!

Ok, I am excited. Mass Effect 3 is going to end a story that I have built. Sort of anyway... I am going to tell you a story of a boy and his game. It is a short story that has a (SPOILER) happy ending. There are mild spoilers ahead from the first two games, so do not read if you haven't played them.

I had the first Mass Effect on my 360. I played the hell out of it. Defeated Saren, killed off Kaiden, by God I didn't even kill off Wrex! I had a magnificent paragonish heroine that survived Sovereign and saved the Council. I even slept with Liara. My file was glorious and I had some amazingly high hopes for what lay ahead for FBeej Shepard. Then I got Mass Effect 2 on my 360 and played through about a quarter of the way when my disc got damaged. I didn't buy a new one and it just sat there unfinished. Later on, I got a copy of Mass Effect 2 as a gift for my PC. Boy was I ever excited for that! I would finally finish what I started, kinda. I didn't have MY Shepard. Sure, her name was FBeej because I'm creative and all, and I only played though one game with her, but she was mine.

Sadness again struck on the PC version of Mass Effect 2 for me. I was playing through some of the Overlord DLC pack and for some strange reason when I began to travel the world in the hovercraft my computer crashed to a blue screen of death! I was interested, and from that point forward, whenever I tried to keep going I would blue screen. I know I could have just quit the mission and it would have been done, but that wasn't the point. I wanted to play the entire game, not miss out on any of it.

So my saga continued on to my PS3, at this point in the story I no longer had a 360. I purchased the game for the second time (third if you count the PC present) and began my playthrough. I played the motion comic making the big decisions from the first game which was nice to be able to do. Killed Kaiden, Saved the council and Wrex, slept with Liara. I had a shell of what was my former FBeej Shepard. I was alright with her. As I played through Mass Effect 2 I realized just how far I didn't make it when I was playing on my PC or my 360. I only had Miranda, Jacob, Mordin, and Garrus. I didn't have half the available squad members even! I kept on playing, getting all of my crew members, including the DLC ones like Kasumi and Zaeed. Things were going so swimmingly I figured I would have to eventually screw something up, and I did, I lost Miranda's loyalty by siding with Jack. The story moved along and I assumed I was going to lose a lot when I progressed into the end game. But by some act of divine intervention, I slept with Garrus and made it through the Omega 4 Relay into the Collector base without a single casualty. I have no idea how it happened. I moved on through picking my team and splitting up duties. By the final boss fight I had what I felt was the worst squad I could have, Soldier FBeej, Tali, and Kasumi. Holy crap what a terrible decision that was. (My usual squad was Garrus and Zaeed or Mordin, I like to deal a lot of pain very quickly) I had to change up my tactics but we made it through fighting the final boss and a thousand different Collector Drones. I was awarded with my ending cut scene. I had finished Mass Effect 2 and was happy to say that I did not have any casualties within my crew and happy with my Shepard.

FBeej Shepard lived with her crew and I was sad. I had finished a game that I loved so dearly. The only thing left for me to do was wait impatiently for Mass Effect 3 to come out. Thankfully, we won't have to wait too much longer, it comes out in three days! I don't know about you guys but I cannot wait to see the end to FBeej Shepard's story. I will have a review up as quickly as I can, but please be patient with this one as it is going to take a while. I have Tuesday and Wednesday off of work so I will be playing extensively. Also, I am getting the Collectors Edition so I'll be sure to tell you guys how much awesomeness Bioware packed into an $80.00 package.

Several side notes - 1. You guys should read the Mass Effect novels. They are fantastic not only at expanding the universe of Mass Effect, but they're decent Sci-Fi novels too. 2. GamesWithBeej is thankful for your support and as always I'm going to take this chance to remind you to share us with your friends. We want to become something awesome, and we can't do it alone. 3. Potential other reviews down the road: Minecraft(maybe), Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City(maybe), Diablo 3(for sure), Prototype 2(maybe), Max Payne 3(maybe). Well, that's all for this update guys. See You Online.

Final Bits - Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

There isn't much left that I can say about this game that would be new. Higher levels increase your powers to the point of true badassery and some of the later game areas look absolutely gorgeous. Getting out of the woods and into the plains is just breathtaking for me anyway. I do like to look at scenery a lot, but that's not important. The gameplay remains solid all the way to the end and I was pleased with how the story played out. This is a game that I believe everyone should pick up and play providing you enjoy a reasonably deep RPG experience. I'm awarding Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning a 9/10 and tell you to go play it now!

In other news, I am getting Mass Effect 3 on Tuesday and providing I'm not working I will be playing the entire day. I feel like ME 3 is going to be another "Review in Progress" so stick with us here and we'll have a review up in a much more timely manor than we did with Kingdoms of Amalur. So, until next time, See You Online.

UFC Undisputed 3 Review

Alright everyone, it's time to reveal the first review from my new sports guy, so be nice.

After 2 years, THQ came back into the Mixed Martial Arts scene with the latest installment of their UFC Undisputed franchise.  The lengthy time in between releases was well worth the wait.  UFC Undisputed 3 is by far the best game in the series and has taken great strides in the sports video game world as well.  THQ has put their sports franchise right up there with EA Sports’ Madden, Sony’s MLB: The Show, and Take Two’s NBA 2K in terms of overall gaming.  Every aspect of this game is well developed and, unlike previous installments, is easy to play right from the get-go.  This review will take an in-depth look at the many features UFC Undisputed 3 has to offer.

GAMEPLAY: This year THQ has implemented various changes to the Undisputed franchise’s well known controls.  As soon as the game is booted up, there is an option for which grappling system is desired: Pro or Amateur.  Pro is the traditional grappling controls with the right stick being rotated in half-circles and extended turns one way or the other for major or minor transitions that was used in the previous titles.  Amateur, on the other hand, is available for gamers unfamiliar with the previous installments, or who found the transition system of old to be too difficult to master.  This control scheme uses a simple flick up on the right stick for major transitions or a down flick for minor transitions.

Aside from grappling complaints, another issue addressed by THQ was their sometimes impossible submissions system.  As someone who recorded 3 career victories over 2 years’ worth of UFC Undisputed 2010, I can say that this is a very welcome change.  Gone are the days of simply shining the right stick and praying for a successful submission (or escape, for that matter).  It has been replaced with a much easier mini-game that appears as soon as a submission is attempted.  A large, hollow Octagon appears on the screen with two colored bars, one red and one blue.  The red bar represents the red corner fighter while the blue bar does the same for the fighter out of the blue corner.  Whoever initiated the submission has the outer bar and must overlap the inner bar with the right stick for a successful submission while the inner bar must avoid his opponent to escape.  While the inner bar remains the same size-wise, the outer bar shrinks as the struggle goes on.  The outer bar varies in size depending on various situations: the state of the opponent (a rocked opponent gives a larger bar for the submission-attempting fighter, resulting in a higher probability of a successful submission), the positions of the fighters (it is far easier to submit someone with an armbar from full-mount or a rear-naked choke while having the opponent’s back, rather than trying a kimura from the bottom), the opponent’s submission defense rating (the higher their submission defense rating, the smaller their bar will be, making it harder to overlap it), and the attacking fighter’s submission offense rating (it is much easier to pull off a submission with Frank Mir who has a large submission bar than it is with Mirko Cro Cop who has no interest in submissions).  As the submission is in place, there is a bar on the screen that shows how close the submission is to being completed.  If the red corner is successfully overlapping the blue corner, the bar will be mostly red, but if the blue corner has almost escaped, the bar will be mostly blue.

                The UFC’s slogan is “as real as it gets” and THQ has taken every step to accomplish the same task.  How often do you see a fighter KO an opponent and before the guy even hits the ground, the victor is pumping his fist in celebration?  I never have.  Another new feature is called “Finish The Fight.”  Once your opponent is knocked out, you have the option of pouncing on him and landing a few more shots a la Dan Henderson and Michael Bisping, you can taunt the poor sap like Anderson Silva, or you can simply wait for the ref to wave the fight off.  It is a welcome addition to an already staggering game.

                In between rounds you are given advice from your cornermen on what you are doing well and what needs improved upon.  This is identical to what is seen on television and can be very useful.  The advice is accurate to what is being done in your match and if listened to, can make a huge difference in the upcoming round.

                Last but not least is the new “simulation” energy setting.  In the old days of UFC Undisputed 2010 you and your buddy could relive the Stephan Bonnar vs. Forrest Griffin match from the original TUF tournament with no problem at all.  That option is still there, but so is the option to have more realistic energy depletion.  With this new setting turned on, a fighter losses energy with every kick and every punch thrown.  Quick jabs require less energy than a Jon Jones spinning back fist and punches require less energy than kicks.  The energy will replenish, to an extent, during times of little or no action and in between rounds.

PRESENTATION:

                The fighters in UFC Undisputed 3 look unreal.  And by that I mean exactly, perfectly real, just like their real-life counterparts.  Even the PRIDE legends look like they did when they were actually fighting in PRIDE.  It is amazing the amount of detail that has gone into each fighter’s appearance from Rampage Jackson’s mean mugging prefight to Anderson Silva’s thin goatee in his PRIDE days.  Even Greg Jackson looks like Greg Jackson for goodness sake!  The visuals are stunning and when using Event Mode, it’s almost as if you are watching a real UFC pay-per-view.

                Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg take their familiar places as UFC commentators while Bas Rutten and Stephen Quadros return to MMA with their take on PRIDE Mode matches.  Rogan and Goldberg add realistic commentary as many of their lines were taken from live UFC broadcasts and put into the game.  Rutten and Quadros took to watching actual game footage and calling it as they see it.  Both teams are very entertaining and give you a sense of watching an actual UFC or PRIDE event.

                One cool addition this year is fighter entrances.  While they are not very long, there are a nice bonus for those who want as close to the real thing as possible.  These are fully customizable for created fighters as well.  Everything from the walkway to the trainer interaction to how they act once entering the Octagon is all fair game.  The lighting is customizable with seven colors to pick from and so is the background music (although you have to choose from what options they have).  This can be different during title fights and regular fights and PRIDE mode has its own created entrances.  There are also over 100 each of fighter call and victory scenes to pick.

                Highlight Reels are new to this year’s game as well.  Creating them is easy since your last 50 rounds are saved into a database for easy selection.  There are options to remove the crowd noise, commentators, and impact sounds from either your entire highlight reel or clip by clip if you want.  The option to select background music is there along with screen effects and transitions between clips.  The only downside to this feature is the insane encoding time.  For a one minute clip you are looking at no fewer than 40 minutes of encoding.

GAME MODES:

                Career Mode has received an extensive overhaul.  The cutscenes have been replaced with actual footage of UFC fighters discussing their memories of whatever stage of your career you are in whether it is your first professional bout, your fist title shot, or your first loss to name a few.  Your created fighter will be better overall than last year, allowing him to be more competitive quicker and there is less time in between fights.  There are many new training games that will help your fighter to improve various aspects of his game.  You still begin your career in the World Fighting Alliance but now you can win the WFA Championship.  You can stick around and defend it as long as you wish.  The offers from the UFC will continue to come as long as the wins do.  Once you do decide to move to the UFC, there are many options there as well.  Frequently you will be given the opportunity to move up or down a weight class for one-off fights and if you clean out your division or are on a bid of a skid, a permanent change my be suggested.  PRIDE will also offer you fights and entry into their Grand Prix.  With all of the options, Career Mode could be played dozens of times and never get old.

                Ultimate Fights Mode has been changed for the better as well.  Instead of a list of things that must all be memorized and completed at once, a timer and the task pops onto the screen throughout the fight, instructing you on what to do.  Can’t get all the goals in one go?  No problem.  Ultimate Fights saves your progress, allowing you to go back and retry for goals that you have yet to achieve while not having to worry about the ones you have already gotten.

                PRIDE Mode allows you to step back in time and enter the Saitama Super Arena for some good old fashion Japanese MMA.  Head stomps and soccer kicks are legal is this beautiful recreation of the last true UFC competitor.  Everything is authentic to PRIDE from the lavish entrances to the referee and even the “Screaming Lady,” Lenne Hardt is present.  You can also take current UFC fighters and use them in PRIDE Mode as well as take PRIDE legends and put them inside the Octagon.

                Title Mode and Title Defense Mode have returned, relatively unchanged.  The only real difference is that in order to use a fighter in Title Defense Mode, you must first clear Title Mode with that fighter.  These modes did not really need changing, nor did Tournament Mode and Event Mode, two more modes that also make their return this year unchanged.

OVERALL:

                Overall, UFC Undisputed 3 made the 2 year wait well worth it.  Instead of putting out another mediocre game, THQ took a break, regrouped and put out what is quite possibly the greatest MMA game ever.  It is also a top 5 sports game after the inclusion of many new features such as PRIDE Mode, Finish The Fight, and revamped those is desperate need of it like grappling and submission controls, Career Mode, and Ultimate Fights.  This game is a definite buy for any sports video gamer and a must-have for any MMA fan, purist or upstart. We award UFC Undisputed 3 a 9.5/10 See You Online.

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning Review in Progress Pt 2

I have to say I am impressed. I have played a bunch of quests and have leveled up a bit, experimented with all weapon types, and have explored a good portion of the first part of the world. I haven't made it too much farther along the main story, but what I can say is that it is decent from what I have played, even though a bit on the predictable side so far. There are a lot of quests to do and experience points are very easy to get, making leveling up no problem. I have not yet reset my character, mostly because I enjoy what I have right now. Reaching a new level allows you to place one point in any skill you want to, and grants three points to divide up into three skill trees. You are allowed to appoint your points however you want, all three in one category, or spread out. Progressing up these trees allows you to unlock powerful attacks and abilities. Also while these progress you unlock destinies relating to where your points are going. Destinies give you bonuses relating to whatever category they correspond to, Might, Sorcery, or Finesse.

The crafting system is surprisingly deep with weapons and armor being able to have as many as five components in them. Potions can have four ingredients and do anything from skill boosts to health refills. I can smith pretty much anything I want to make providing I have the parts, and I can craft whatever I need to keep from dying. It's all about experimenting. Providing your alchemy skill is high enough you can experiment with ingredients and if it turns out to be a failure you will get an unstable potion which grants you a random effect. These random effects can be anything from weakness to fire to a massive experience boost, it just depends on how lucky you are.

I have noticed several slowdowns during combat, mostly when I loose track of my character due to about six or seven other enemies attacking me at once. The slowdowns only occurred when most battle participants were attacking or using abilities. They aren't exactly a problem, as they are very brief, but they aren't a plus either. The enemies are varied and you have access to enough attacks and combos to make the fights a lot of fun. Combat has numerous options for how to proceed. Personally, I haven't been a fan of the stealth, but I never have been in any game. I go for a head on attack and try to kill the enemy before they get me.

Exploration is definitely a rewarding thing to do due to the amount of things hidden in the world. There are chests to loot, hidden items to stumble upon, and Lorestones to find. Lorestones give your character some XP and give you a bit of history about the world. If you happen to find all Lorestones in an area, you are rewarded with a permanent boost to your abilities. Lockpicking, pickpocketing, and other unlawful acts are available for you to dabble in if you so choose as well.

The quests are what you can expect from this type of game. They range from kill X enemies to fetch quests, to go here and defeat this person. While mildly repetitive, they are still a lot of fun and offer a lot of extra gameplay aside from the main story. Factions offer specific multi-quest stories that add to the backstory. They also award "Twists of Fate" depending on what choices you make during the quest lines. Twists of Fate give you a bonus to your stats.

All in all, while I've put a good bit of time into this game, there is still a lot of content I haven't even come close to experiencing. From what I've played so far, I do recommend that you pick this one up, but I am not comfortable giving a score yet as I still am only in the first major part of the game. Stick with me and I'll have a score up with some more details soon. Until next time, See You Online.