Interview: Jonathan Knight
By · CommentsSpawn Kill and several other gaming outlets were graciously invited onto a conference call with Dante’s Inferno executive producer, Jonathan Knight. During said call, Knight divulged some particularly interesting information regarding the upcoming hack-’n-slash extravaganza, including details involving an animated feature film, why the decision was made to adapt The Divine Comedy into a video game.
And in a particularly interesting turn of events, Knight was kind enough to divulge his thoughts on the criticism surrounding the video game adaptation, admitting that the game is a “bastardization” of the original poem, but its merits far outweigh the criticism levied against it. You can check out Knights’ insightful answers to the questions I was lucky enough to ask below to prep yourself for the February 9th release.
Editorial: A Menagerie of Multiplayer Modes
By · CommentsMy game is best played in a pitch black room with the soft glow of my television piercing the darkness. The battle cries of obnoxious ten-year-olds do not tear through my eardrums. I do not waste time with team members who have no desire to play correctly or fairly. Silence and solitude are freedom; gateways to platinum trophies, 100% completion, and a committed relationship with the game in the disc tray. So why am I forced to venture into the sordid world of multiplayer whenever a new release beckons to me from the wild of the retail storefront?
Preview: Battlefield Heroes
By · CommentsWith all of the fervently-paced, action-packed FPSs available for various types of gamers, when a brand new one is released it really needs to stand out above the rest. Something needs to give it that extra oomph so that it will move units, draw more players in, and rise above the rest of what’s out there.
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Review: Gears of War 2
By · CommentsGears of War – one of the most popular franchises currently going on the Xbox 360. When a sequel was announced, we just knew that the second time would be a charm. And it had to be, because though the original Gears was an excellent third-person shooter, it still had its issues, namely in multiplayer. It was promised that everything we hated would turn into a magical ride on the COLE TRAIN, BABY! Alas, the same problems that plagued the original Gears are still alive in its sequel. Though it’s more of the same, it’s…more of the same. However, don’t fret. That’s definitely not a bad thing, as the original Gears remains one of the best (and one of my favorite) shooters on the 360 to date. Gears of War 2 follows suit, but those changes we were promised? They’re as visible as Fenix’s neck. However, what remains is still a visceral, raw, and chainsawin’ good time. The noticeable updates make your trek all the bloodier, and what’s presented is quite the adventure.
Review: Tank Universal
By · CommentsIt’s been a pretty long time since a game has sucked me in for hours, to the point that I forget that I might need to be cooking food to eat, or getting the laundry out of the washer…or even the fact that I should be doing something more productive. Tank Universal, a fantastic retro throwback very much reminiscent of Tron, is that very game. Since I got the opportunity to check it out, I’ve logged quite the amount of hours basking in the glow of my little laptop that could.
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Review: Guitar Hero: Van Halen
By · CommentsBarring Guitar Hero 5’s revitalization of the series, Guitar Hero is becoming a bit of a one-trick pony. Take the latest iteration: Guitar Hero: Van Halen. Given out for free with the purchase of Guitar Hero 5, the full retail release has finally reached store shelves. It “features” 20 rock “superstars” alongside 80s rockers Van Halen in a wholly underwhelming exercise in tedium that reminds me exactly why I treasure my quality time spent with more polished offerings that rely less on filler tracks completely unrelated to the featured band and more on making my experience feel like a unique one with some of the music I love. Perhaps this game is a real treat for the hardcore Van Halen fans still truckin’ out there — after all, they are quite the prolific outfit — but even for franchise fans, this is most certainly a miss.
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Review: Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure!
By · CommentsThe Rainbow Islands series spun off from Bubble Bobble as a sequel, opening the door to a brand new franchise. Following the “true ending” of the original Bubble Bobble game, the game was an adventure involving human forms of the iconic dragons Bub and Bob, escaping from rapidly sinking land masses via rainbow. It might sound silly, but it garnered mostly positive critical reception and received several sequels. The latest of which, Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure, was recently released via WiiWare and the Xbox Live Arcade. While it manages to capture most of the magic that made its predecessors memorable, much of the whimsy is dwindling with this next-gen update.
Review: Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4
By · CommentsAlmost a decade after the release of Persona 2: Eternal Punishment, gamers outside of Japan were treated with the third installment of the Revelations: Persona series of Shin Megami Tensei. Completely revolutionizing the series and the way gamers saw the Persona side stories, Persona 3 was a groundbreaking exercise in what is truly fun about RPGs. It introduced many innovative new facets of gameplay that were completely refreshing to play through rather than sit through the same old, stale RPG for the umpteenth time. With such a stellar effort that even prompted the add-on disc to come to America, it was naturally going to be a tough gig to follow. Not surprisingly, however, Atlus has hit another home run with the release of Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4.
Review: Lock’s Quest
By · CommentsThe DS is arguably the best haven for RPGs. It’s impossible to name on one hand the amount of fantastic RPGexperiences that have come in such a small package. Recently I had the pleasure of playing Lock’s Quest, THQ’S latest entry into the DS library. Players follow young “Archineer” (those skilled with building) Lock into the midst of a war being waged between the diabolical Lord Agony and his droves of Clockwork soldiers. On what seems to be just another normal day, Lock is requested by his grandfather to begin building a wall by the sea. However, amidst his building, he is approached by a man who announces the arrival of several Clockwork soldiers intent on destroying the village and whatever gets in their way. With this, Lock is caught up in an intricate web of villainy and tyranny, and the player is dragged in as well.
Review: All Star Cheer Squad
By · CommentsI think it’s safe to say by now that cheerleading sims are not my cup of tea. In fact, the majority of gamers wouldn’t give All Star Cheer Squad a second glance as they breeze through the Wii section at their favorite store. However, for its intended audience (namely little girls or even some adults who have always wanted to be cheerleaders) it’s actually quite the solid title.