Review: Dragon Age Origins (360/PS3)

When Bioware first came out with Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, people knew that this company would continue to produce amazing, high-quality games. So, a decade after their incredible Baulder’s Gate series, they have brought the magnificent world of Dragon Age to the plate. Not only has it brought back the familiar play-style of KOTOR, but it's introduced a new element into the mix that you can never go wrong with: dragons.

The premise of Dragon Age begins with a country called Ferelden, which is facing a threat called the Darkspawn, and the only ones who can stop it are the Grey Wardens. Your character starts off with one of 7 choosable background quests, which all invariably lead to you becoming a Grey Warden. From that moment onwards, your main goal is to travel around Ferelden and gather an army to fight the Darkspawn, and to kill the Arch Demon (the leader of Darkspawn). This just so happens to be the nastiest dragon you’ll ever see, of course, and it's amazing.

What really makes Dragon Age amazing is that it's a perfect blend between Mass Effect, KOTOR, and Oblivion. This game really has a lot of depth to it that you can't find in many other games. Similar to Mass Effect, you find various companions to add to your party as you play. Each member has a special quest that unlocks once you hit a certain level of friendship with them, which adds to the already ridiculous amount of quests and things you can do. There is another, more important reason to gain your allies' trust, however; at the very last battle, all of your party members play an important role that can make a huge difference in the outcome. Let's not spoil the story though, and leave it at that.

Even more entertaining than the companion system, though, is the battles. You can switch between 4 party members and customize all of their tactics, armors, and weapons. This gives you a pretty wide variety of combinations. Each party member is either an Elf, Human, or Dwarf, and each of those races can be a Warrior, Rogue, or Mage (except Dwarves). Of those classes, there are 4 different specializations, such as Blood Mage, Reaver, Templar, Assassin, etc. As you can see, there’s quite a lot to customize for each character.

Alas, even with all of this customization, the game is lacking slightly in a few areas. After a while, battles do get pretty repetitive, and if you enjoy setting up each battle like I do, you might find yourself spending more time preparing than actually fighting. Another issue with the game is the familiarity. It's almost too familiar. Like I said earlier, it is a perfect combination of three very excellent games, but that means that it is also very similar to all of them in story as well. However, even an already known story is still pretty epic when you add dragons to the mix.

All in all, Dragon Age is without a doubt one of the better gaming choices of this decade. It's an incredibly well done, and more importantly, fun game, and it's being set up for what could be a very popular series in the future. With all of the extra-content downloads available for purchase already, I’m ready to pound out a few more intense hours with this game before Dragon Age 2 comes out on March 8^th. Do yourself a favor and pick up this amazing game, and pre-order the sequel while you are at it. You won't regret it.

Submitted By: Alex Abreu (Employee)

Review: Dragon Age Origins (360/PS3)

Import Review: Pokemon Black & White (NDS)

Finally, here comes the 5th generation of Pokemon! With 156 brand-new Pokemon, Pokemon Black and White sold 2.6 million copies on the first two days of release. As of January 9th, 5 million copies have been sold. Now, you may be thinking,"Wait, isn't that game coming out in March?" Well my friends, that's only for the USA. I personally couldn't wait for this game, so when my friend asked me what I wanted him to bring me back from his trip to Japan, Pokemon was my first choice. While I haven't completed this game, or gotten anywhere near close (since with my level of Japanese it takes me a great deal of time to play), so far, I am quite impressed.

It has some noticeable differences from the previous Pokemon games. First off, it has a 3D feel to it, and before you get too excited, I don't mean it's a 3DS game. I just mean that the graphics have more depth to them, and the world doesn't feel so flat in this one. The cut scenes have the same feeling too, and are really well done. Just by watching the opening cut scene, the graphical change in Black and White is obvious.

Also changing things up, instead of a single rival you battle throughout the game, you now have two 'rivals'/'childhood friends', Cheren and Belle. Beyond that, though, the plot remains the same: collect the badges and make it to the Pokemon League. However, I have noticed from the little I've played so far that Cheren and Belle have much larger, more significant roles in this game, as opposed to rivals from previous offerings. Basically, that means they show up a lot more often, which means more battles! Also, Team Rocket is no longer, and is now replaced by Team Plasma. They have a different belief system than Team Rocket; Essentially they think that because humans control Pokemon completely, the Pokemon are suffering, and should therefore be set free. This game is definitely more story-driven than previous Pokemon games, but it's still fairly straightforward.

I've heard that the ending of the story is completely different from other games, and it doesn't end with the Pokemon League. It also apparently has lots of replay value, as many things are not available until you complete the main story line, such as new areas and certain types of Pokemon. It's definitely strong motivation for me to keep trying to beat it! All in all, I think this is the best Pokemon game made since the original version, which is a lot coming from someone who almost lost hope in the franchise. I definitely recommend all you fans and true believers out there pick it up when it becomes available in March.

Submitted By : Layanie Ahlers (Employee)

Review: Prinny Can I Really Be The Hero? (PSP)

When I first laid eyes on Prinny: Can I Really be the Hero? for PSP, I was intrigued. I'm a huge fan of the Disgaea series, so this game, based on a minor side character (an exploding penguin with peg legs that acts as comedy relief), caught my interest. Upon closer inspection, I found that it is a platforming action game, as opposed to a strategy role-playing game like the series the namesake character comes from.

As I started to play it, I was pleasantly surprised. There was more depth to the gameplay than I had originally expected, and it was insanely difficult.... Anything you touch causes you to explode, and between the difficult platforming and the waves of enemies coming at you, you end up exploding a lot. Fortunately, you are given 1000 lives to use at the beginning of the game, and if you are anything like me, you'll need them all. I think after about the first three levels I had already used well over 200 lives. Beyond just the insane difficulty, however, there is an actual solidly-built game here. The controls are simple enough for casual gamers, with only 'jump', 'attack' and a 'ground pound' move being truly useful. While there are a few other moves at your disposal, you will probably end up not using them that much.

The 'jump' move, however, sometimes adds to the difficulty level. I'm used to being able to fiddle about with a jump's trajectory mid-air in most action games, course-correcting if I feel I'm about to fall into some bottomless pit. I suppose Prinnies suffer from being peg-leg penguins, as once you start a jump, you are commited to it. There is no flitting about, uselessly trying to save your jump from disaster. However, as frustrating as this was, especially in addition to the already staggering difficulty level, I admit that there was a part of me that really, really loved it. This gameplay is a kickback to the brutal gameplay in the late 80s and 90s that so many hard-core gamers remember fondly, and the game definitely feels retro in how it plays. There has been a growing trend in gaming recently that makes games too easy, in my opinion. I sometimes feel like I'm watching the game play itself instead of having any useful input as to what's going on. This game was truly a challenge, and I appreciate that I actually had to work hard to experience it.

That is not to say that I enjoyed everything about this game, however. The story, for one, is bland and boring, especially when compared to the rich and interesting narrative that the Disgaea series usually has. Prinny's story is basically about making the ultimate dessert for Etna the Demon Queen.... and....that's it. To be fair, however, action games are usually just that: action games. No one usually expects them to be shining examples of literary brilliance. Despite my minor gripes, I thoroughly enjoyed the game, and as the sequel has just come out, I expect I'll pick that up too and blow up 1000 morepenguins.

Submitted By: Tom Ferko (Employee)

Review: Mass Effect (360/PC)

Mass Effect is by far one of the best games I’ve ever played (it’s made by BioWare, known for their quality, so go figure). It contains massive amounts of game play time, originality, and personalization. I mean, how many games can you name off the top of your head that give you the option of choosing your own response to any situation presented? It really feels like you can select your own way of life in the game, as your dialogue choices are never just the obvious good, middle, or bad. Of course, this also means that they took the time to create multiple endings, with multiple situations and multiple variants. If you’re looking for a game to play more than once, then this is it. You can literally play this game over 50 different ways. The story is so good, with romance, action, and comedy interwoven into it, that you will want to play it that many times, too.

The most amazing thing about this game is the customization available for the main character. You can either play as the default avatar or create your own, male or female. You create their entire look, down to the type of eyebrows and scars they have, as well as their abilities and job class. Another fabulous thing about Mass Effect is that you get the chance to level up (no pun intended… maybe). Each level you earn will give you more points to add to better yourself (talents), and earn new abilities. It’s fantastic! Choose which direction you’d like to go and flow with it. Personally, I did a Vanguard because I thought it was the best of both worlds, Jedi-like abilities and brute strength, but you can choose whatever you want to go with your own personal play style.

There are different settings of difficulty available for the game, so noobs like me can enjoy it just as much as a hardcore gamer. The game play is really smooth, with no falling into “nothing” and having to restart that section, having the game “hang up” on you, or any glitches where some character's arms were twisted back behind them in a physically impossible way. The graphics look great, the worlds you visit are well done, and the character interaction is smooth. The only complaint I had was that perhaps the easy setting was a little too easy, and the selection of weapons wasn’t very impressive. I think they were aiming at story more than anything, which as I mentioned earlier, really shines in this game. It's entrancing and it draws you in within the first few moments. There’s no waiting for the game to 'get good'. It’s fast paced and you have the choice to either follow the story straight through, or do the side quests and earn more XP. The Leveling Up part is also set at a good pace where you don’t necessarily have to “grind” to get the experience.

Lastly, everyone should know that the character you play and progress with in Mass Effect 1 rolls over into Mass Effect 2! You can also replay Mass Effect 1 with your end-game character, taking your level and items with you. If you were like me and beat the game twice and got to the highest level and completed everything, you will start Mass Effect 2 with even better bonuses. Pick up Mass Effect today, try it out, and love it! I know I did.

Submitted By: Brittany Stalker (Employee)

Review: Heavenly Sword (PS3)

Heavenly Sword is an older PlayStation 3 game, released in 2007, which still manages to offer hours of fun despite its age. The game was made especially for the PlayStation 3, and it showed gamers what the system is capable of. With character models that display a whole range of emotions in every part of their face, stellar motion capture performances, and breath-taking backgrounds and visuals, this game stands up to the test of time.

Heavenly Sword is an action game where you play as Nariko, a heroine of a small tribe trying to protect a legendary sword that holds a power like none other. This sword has the ability to change forms, which is what the combat system is based on. Instead of merely mashing on the main buttons to pull together amazing combo attacks, you have three different sword forms with matching stances that can be used. Holding L1 puts you in the ranged stance, where the sword separates into two parts that are swung around on chains (this drew a number of comparisons to God of War, but there's a reason it's used in both games: it's awesome). Holding R1 will trigger the power stance where you are slower, but your sword attacks are much stronger. You default to the speed stance, where your attacks are conversely weaker, but much faster. Nariko will automatically block attacks when you aren't attacking, and an interesting concept here is that you need to match the incoming attack type with the correct stance in order to properly block it.

In addition to Nariko, you are also thrown into the shoes of a young, playful girl named Kia from time to time. Her play style is completely different from Nariko, in that her weapon of choice is a bow gun. As such, her levels usually focus more on stealth, dodging, and marksmanship as opposed to just slaughtering everything in her path. The most awesome thing about these levels, however, is the 'aftertouch' feature. After you shoot an arrow, you can hold a button to suddenly zoom in on the arrow as it's flying. In this mode, you can physically change the trajectory of the arrow by either using the joysticks or the PS3's vastly under-used motion sensing technology. Incidentally, Nariko can also use this feature whenever she shoots a cannon. It's a lot of fun, and very satisfying to follow the arrow all the way to its intended, unfortunate target. All in all, Kia's levels definitely make a nice change of pace, but they aren't thrown in too often to where they're annoying.

Heavenly Sword, in addition to just being a fun game, also contains a number of unlockables, including new combos, behind-the-scenes videos, character art, and more. There is also a higher difficulty level that you can access after completing the game the first time. This adds to the replay value of the game, and even though it is short, it's truly fun, and I admit that I love this game and enjoyed playing it. If you haven't already done so, do yourself a favor and pick up this modern classic today.

Submitted By: Gerald Shaw (Employee)

Review: Fallout New Vegas (360/PS3)

“We’re near a legion slave camp now; I’ve....been here before. Let’s get one thing straight, if I see any crimson, I’m taking the shot,” Boone said, suddenly breaking the long silence. I knew he had seen Caesar's agent approach me as we left New Vegas, and now he was laying his cards on the table. Despite everything we had been through, if I did business with Caesar’s Legion, Boone would have no more business with me.

“As long as you don’t mind me joining the fun,” I said, a half lie. I wasn’t quite sure how it would pan out, but I knew it would be dangerous to alienate Caesar, especially now that his army had control of the Hoover Dam. It was the largest fresh water source left in the continental United States, and the self-styled master of history was attempting to create the first hydraulic empire after the Fall. I wasn’t willing to let go of Boone with his expertise either, but the NCR sniper’s family had been killed by the Legion and he was itching for revenge. Sooner or later I would have to cross one or the other. Juggling the events ahead was going to be tricky.

Dilemmas like this are what puts Fallout: New Vegas a step above the previous Fallout titles. Every Fallout game that has come out since the first turn-based RPG on PC has opened with the line “War… War never changes.” Fallout: New Vegas actually takes this theme and makes it the core mechanic of the game.

The city of Las Vegas was left largely unscathed by the massive nuclear war that shaped the Fallout setting, and now numerous factions are battling over the remaining resources. Your character can serve as a champion for one of these factions, or as a wild-card in the wastelands, throwing sand into the gears of each faction’s war machine as you fight for a free New Vegas. Gone are the days of being able to do every faction's storyline on the first play through.

Much like comparing a regular Mustang versus a Shelby Cobra, a quick glance might give the impression that Fallout: New Vegas is built from the same mold as its revolutionary predecessor, Fallout: 3. The graphics are similar and the deep loneliness of the wastes are still ever-present. The titles might look similar, but under the hood, it’s a whole different beast. Combat still incorporates the VATS system of Fallout 3, but now has the added bonus of an “Aim Down Sight” feature much like Call of Duty. Many mainstays of the Fallout series have returned, like Super Mutants and Rad Scorpions, but there is also a whole host of new beasts competing for the chance to make a meal out of you. The game is still an open sandbox, but is now much larger in scale.

Like any RPG, the game has multiple side quests, but rather than just playing fetch, these missions add more to the story than even the main one (especially the jobs given by some of your NPC partners). The back-story of New Vegas is absolutely enthralling, and those who finish the game just to see the ending will miss out on events that could have been the story line for an entire game. The way you manage these quests are as open ended as the game; you can side with a megalomaniac dictator or shoot him like a snake. Either decision can have a massive effect on how the rest of the game plays out.

The game does have its setbacks, however. For example, you can kill numerous types of enemies by just jumping on top of a rock and shooting them repeatedly, even if they are WAY beyond the scope of what your character’s level should be able to handle. Many of the bugs that were present in Fallout 3 still rear their head from time to time, not enough to ruin the fun, but sometimes enough to remind you that you’re playing a video game.

Overall the bugs aren’t enough to spoil the rich experience of the game. No other game even comes close to New Vegas in terms of scope or story. The amount of time it takes to beat most games doesn’t even allow enough to scratch the surface of this one. With that in mind, a fair warning: you might as well trade in your JRPG’s and your ‘hack and slash’s when you buy this game, you likely won’t be playing them again.

Submitted By: Daniel Dewey (Employee)

Review: Call of Duty Black Ops Multiplayer (360/PS3)

The seventh game in the Call of Duty series, Call of Duty: Black Ops, hit shelves November 9th. With everyone having such high expectations of this game, I couldn't help but have a gut feeling that this game wouldn't live up to the hype. Luckily, my gut feeling was wrong.

To be honest, my only initial interest in getting this game was for the zombie mode, because who doesn't love slaughtering zombies? Imagine my surprise, then, when I found that I enjoyed the rest of the online play as well. In fact, it seems a bit better than Modern Warfare 2's online play, with a lot of changes and added features. Some of these are admittedly the same, just with different names though. One that particularly stands out to me is the Second Chance feature, which gives your teammates the opportunity to revive you once you unlock pro... as long as you aren't a team killer or anything, in which case you might be out of luck. Clan tags, titles, and emblems are now all fully customizable, with the ability to create your own from a variety of icons to choose from. Unfortunately, all this customization isn't free, and like all the guns and equipment, have to be unlocked and purchased. Fortunately, the new Wager Match option, which allows you to bet on the outcome of your games, makes it easier to acquire the cash for all these new things.

While there are a lot of changes and new additions, there are unfortunately some things that got taken away. The biggest example of this is the lack of Commando Mode, which is unfortunate for all you knifers out there. In addition, the knife is actually much harder to wield in general in this Call of Duty than any of the other games in the series. The nukes are also gone, and have been replaced with... dogs. Yes, dogs. They are back, and they are harder then ever. Both dogs and gunships require an 11 kill-streak to acquire, which is now the highest streak available in the game, down from 25 in previous installments. While that is a bit of a shame, it fortunately does not take away from the game's fun factor.

Overall, I'm really enjoying this Call of Duty, and even the single player campaign has been a blast so far, with a story that seems much better than the games in the rest of the series. It really is outstanding, so much so that I don't want to spoil anything for you. You'll just have to pick up a copy of Black Ops today, if you haven't done so already.

Submitted By: Layanie Ahlers (Employee)