Review – Page 12

Review: Call of Juarez: Gunslinger

Call of Juarez: Gunslinger takes all the stereotypes of the Wild West and exaggerates them as far as they can go: famous bandits like Jesse James and Billy the Kid are real enemies, bar fights and scuffles with outlaws are commonplace, and duels in the streets are usually the best way to end a disagreement. Gunslinger utilizes these in conjunction with streamlined gameplay, well-paced storytelling, and attention to detail to create an entertaining and exciting shooter. (more…)

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June 19, 2013

Nintendo 3DS

Review: Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D

Donkey Kong Country Returns for the Wii proved that the veteran Nintendo mascot wasn’t resting on his laurels: the big ape has plenty more adventures to go on and countless bananas to recover. Beautiful visuals, spot-on platforming, a wonderful variety of levels, and Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong at the helm once again made the Wii title an instant classic.

Barrel blast ahead to 2013 and we have Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D: a port of the game to the Nintendo 3DS. Amazingly, the 3DS version converts everything the original game had to offer, as well as adding a handful of exclusive new levels to challenge the heartiest of DK lovers. Unfortunately with this transition, Returns 3D manages to also retain some of the flaws of the first game and creates its own faults in the process. (more…)

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June 4, 2013

PC

Review: Anomaly 2

It was only two years ago that we were first shown just how fun a reverse tower-defense game could be with the release of Anomaly: Warzone Earth. Building mobile units to travel through a battlefield destroying powerful alien structures instead of defending stationary towers was a novel idea that gave the tower-defense genre a new layer of gameplay. With the release of Anomaly 2, 11 bit studios expands upon the “tower-offense” idea of the first game by adding a new transformation ability to the mix as well as a brand new storyline and deployable units to experience. (more…)

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May 28, 2013

Nintendo DS

Vault Play: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

Nearly five years have passed since we took on the role of Phoenix Wright, the up-and-coming defense attorney that shook the legal world back in 2005 on the Nintendo DS (2001 on the Game Boy Advance in Japan). Only a few months back we were graced with the announcement of a brand new Ace Attorney game from Capcom. Though Phoenix held his own in the fighting ring a la Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, getting back in the courtroom is where he’s most comfortable; cross-examining witnesses, finding contradictions, and spouting out catchphrase after catchphrase. (more…)

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May 23, 2013

Xbox 360

Review: Double Dragon II: Wander of the Dragons

Remaking a classic video game is tricky work. Developers have to capture the essence of the title that made it popular many years back, while updating it to fit the norms and requirements of modern video games. No matter how good the remake may be, some fans will inevitably scoff at the blasphemy the developer has bestowed upon their beloved franchise. Some of these remakes are excellent, such as 2012’s Double Dragon: Neon, a wonderful blend of cooperative combat, cheesy humor, and 80’s flair with great appeal to both old fans and new gamers. And then there are games like Double Dragon II: Wander of the Dragons that has so little in common with the source material and it’s riddled with utterly broken game design that it’s a disgrace to those that enjoyed any previous Double Dragon game. (more…)

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April 15, 2013

Nintendo 3DS

Review: Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon

Everyone knows Mario’s skinner brother Luigi has always been in the portlier plumber’s shadow. Luigi has rarely stolen the spotlight for himself, even when he’s playing tennis, driving go-karts, or in the background of most of Mario’s outings. The Gamecube launch title Luigi’s Mansion was the green brother’s first real solo game, but since then Luigi has gone back to playing second fiddle to Mario. That is about to end with the release of Luigi’s Mansion: Dark Moon on the 3DS.

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March 25, 2013

Xbox 360

Review: Darkstalkers Resurrection

Capcom is a leader in the arcade fighting game scene and arguably the company behind the genre’s best titles. Iconic characters Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li, among others have a dedicated place in many a gamers’ hearts, thanks in part to Street Fighter’s flawless blend of 2D combat, thrilling action, and tournament accessibility. Left in the shadows, perhaps fittingly, has been Capcom’s other 2D fighting series Darkstalkers. The gothic setting, fantasy-influenced roster of combatants and smooth fighting system à la Street Fighter has been dormant for over a decade. Thankfully Capcom has given the series a reboot in the form of Darkstalkers Resurrection, an HD port of the series last two arcade titles: Night Warriors: Darkstalkers’ Revenge and Darkstalkers 3. (more…)

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March 21, 2013

Playstation 2

Video Review: Silent Scope

Silent Scope is a memorable, unique arcade shooter. Not so much on the consoles. Here is my newest video review [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cINx-CV_ayw&w=420&h=315] Laters, Jsick

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March 21, 2013

Nintendo 3DS

Review: Castlevania: Lords of Shadow: Mirror of Fate

The Castlevania series has enjoyed years of success on handheld systems. The previous three games in the series on the DS were arguably some of the best in the entire series. However, a reboot of the franchise occurred on the consoles in 2010 with the release of Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. The new game retained the gothic setting and whip-based action, but replaced much of the mythos with a fresh take on the story and took a more hack-n-slash, God of War-like approach. While this may have reinvigorated the franchise on the consoles, it has absolutely no place on the handhelds. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow: Mirror of Fate is a victim of itself, trying to blend the new style of Lords of Shadow with the “Metroidvania” gameplay the DS and GBA games have perfected, but instead falls short in almost every category. (more…)

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March 14, 2013

Nintendo 3DS

Review: Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan

I recently had the opportunity to review a game very similar to Etrian Odyssey IV on the 3DS, Unchained Blades, itself a port from the PSP. I reference this past review because Etrian Odyssey IV does everything right that Unchained Blades did wrong. This fourth installment in the Atlus dungeon crawling RPG series is the best entry the entire genre has seen in a long time, and if we’re lucky it will start a steady influx of quality titles.

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March 12, 2013