Archive for December, 2009
Review: Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4
Posted 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
Posted 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
Posted 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.
Review: The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena
Posted by: | CommentsThe Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay was one of the greatest games available on the original Xbox. It still holds up fantastically today, both in game conventions and graphics. Starbreeze has revived the Riddick franchise with the release of Assault on Dark Athena, the next chapter in the story. However, with so many expectations to live up to as the sequel to a game so well-received by fans of the movies and franchise, how does it stack up? Unfortunately, not so well. It comes off as only a poor tribute to the original game, falling short in multiple areas. This is quite disappointing, as the original was such a treat!
Review: Tornado
Posted by: | CommentsThe DS is home to a wealth of immersive and creative titles, though many of us may not realize it. Unfortunately, a glut of these games are hindered by their poor stylus-centric control schemes and thus miss the mark when they could have delivered much more. In the case of interesting little platformer Tornado, forced excessive use of the stylus ruins the entire outing. Where solid gameplay designs and interesting execution flourish, touch mechanics are too much of a chore to allow you to enjoy the game.