Archive for September, 2009
Review: Bubble Bobble Neo
Posted by: | CommentsBubble Bobble has seen profuse commercial success throughout the years. It’s received several different spinoffs as well as addictive puzzlers that work given the franchise’s silliness and outright whimsy. The original game has been given a fresh coat of paint this year with Taito’s impressive revival, Bubble Bobble Neo. Even though it may look different on its exterior, it still retains the lighthearted charm that you’ll remember fondly from your childhood.
Review: Section 8
Posted by: | CommentsHalo-killer. It’s a certainty you’ve heard this expression before. Halo, at the height of its popularity, and even now, continues to be one of the top contenders for multiplayer gamers and simply those who wish to experience an entertaining first-person shooter. Many titles have come and gone that have not quite “killed” Halo, at least not in a similar fashion. Though Section 8, an offering provided by SouthPeak Games has not been touted as the death of Halo multiplayer games, it certainly is simple to see where it has garnered its inspiration from. While you have certainly experience a more solid and engaging shooter before, Section 8 manages to captivate and enthrall with 32-player online skirmishes and a single-player campaign that, with a bit more polish, could have been something much more noteworthy than the final product turned out to be.
Mini Review: Defense Grid: The Awakening
Posted by: | CommentsTower defense titles are a dime a dozen, from the sprightly, “is-it-really-tower-defense” types such as Crystal Defenders, to the universally-loved, such as Desktop Tower Defense, and even the criminally underappreciated games such as Lock’s Quest. At this point in time, however, it seems as though the genre may be beginning to stagnate, as there hasn’t been too many improvements by way of innovation over the years. With the release of Defense Grid, a very obvious tower defense title, thankfully we can breathe a sigh of relief with the fact that tower defense does have a chance to grow and evolve.
Editorial: Quell The Flames of The Fanboys: Broaden Your Horizons
Posted by: | CommentsThe vast array of video game consoles available in this day and age is infinitely astounding. Who could ever have guessed that after witnessing some of the first fantastical bleeps and bloops of games such as Pong that the industry would explode into such prosperity as it has? While the early years of gaming offered little more than arcade choices and a few home video game consoles, the gaming subculture has blossomed into a regular bazaar, teeming with multiple console choices, a massive amount of software, and even more people willing to veg out in front of their televisions and monitors for hours at a time.
Review: Raven Squad
Posted by: | CommentsWhen you take all the zeniths that comprise one particular genre and infuse them with another , you usually have a title on your hand that should enjoy moderate success. However, in order to create a premium sort of product, you must first ensure that the elements you are blending ensure the highest quality. In the case of Raven Squad, touted as a bizarre hybrid of FPS fragging and RTS decision-making, blurring the genre lines is a task best left to more skilled developers.