Rock Band 2 is the one of the best rhythm games I’ve ever had the pleasure of spending time with over the years. Even when new installments of Guitar Hero or Singstar hit shelves, I couldn’t bring myself to get as excited as I do for simple DLC installments to the Rock Band Music Store. I’m a regular rhythm game connoisseur and have played more than my fair share of them in my lifetime, but for band-based realistic play, you just can’t beat the variety of songs, the different ways to play, and the attention to detail Harmonix has clearly put into its now flagship title.
Archive for November, 2010
Impressions: Rock Band 3
On November 29, 2010
In Impressions, Xbox 360
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Impressions: James Bond 007: Blood Stone
On November 29, 2010
In Impressions, Xbox 360
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While most view GoldenEye 64 as the pinnacle of Bond gaming, there’s another that’s near and dear to my heart, and it is 007: Everything or Nothing. I’m not sure exactly why I’m so partial to that excursion. Perhaps it’s the fact that it was one of the first games I played and completed on my slim PlayStation 2. Maybe I was giddy over another decent Bond adventure starring Pierce Brosnan. Whatever the reason, I played that game to death, and haven’t enjoyed a Bond offering as much ever since. Quantum of Solace was playable, if bland, and I’m sorry to say that James Bond 007: Blood Stone seems to be following in its footsteps. Is this due to the fact that Daniel Craig’s no-nonsense, shoot first and ask questions later-style is too permeating or is it because the game tends to hold your hand almost the entire way through?
Review: Dragon Ball: Raging Blast 2
On November 29, 2010
In Review, Xbox 360
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Dragon Ball Z is sorely lacking in passable fighting games. When you look at how impressive the repertoire of Naruto releases really are in terms of graphics, mechanics, and voice work, it’s kind of upsetting considering Dragon Ball Z’s status as classic shonen anime, one that started many lifelong love affairs with the genre or anime itself. The last decent release that comes to mind is Dragon Ball GT: Final Bout, but that was years ago. There were some shining moments on the Super Nintendo and some equally impressive sprites therein, but none of those made it beyond import status. Dragon Ball Z Budokai was impressive for a while, but never really sated the hunger I have for a spinoff title that address canon character stories, a wide variety of characters, or true-to-the-show voiceovers and lines.
Impressions: The UnderGarden
I tend to purposefully seek out bizarre and relatively off-the-beaten-path adventures when I choose my games. Upon being offered the chance to play and evaluate Artech’s The UnderGarden, I was baffled. What would this strange, colorful world hold for me, and would it capture my imagination the way I had hoped? In a word, no.
Review: God of War: Ghost of Sparta
On November 24, 2010
In PSP, Review
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As long as you’ve got Kratos, a decent mythological storyline, and tight controls, any installment of God of War is going to shine. You could argue that it suffers from the “same” syndrome, rarely improving on its core mechanics and offering the same jollies at every turn, but isn’t that what its imitators are for? When similar releases can’t seem to get the basics down pat, i.e. Dante’s Inferno, I’m thankful that the franchise that launched a thousand cookie-cutter spinoffs remains what made it so memorable in the first place.