[Geek] Touching Has Never Been So Good: A Review of The Nintendo DS
Over the years, Nintendo has never failed to deliver a great experience in a hand-held system. The DS is no different. With N64 quality graphics and sound, an inventive stylus control system and more than a few familiar games, the DS will be a force to be reckoned with. It also may become Nintendo's last hope console-wise, considering the lag in sales for the Gamecube. The main thing that impressed me about the DS is that it really is "revolutionary."
[Geek] Viva San Andreas!
A review of "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas"
First, let me assure you that "GTA: San Andreas" is NOT for the immature. Parents, if your children show enough intelligence to separate real and unreal, there is little to worry about. But, if your kid is very impressionable and tried to do a backflip rail slide after playing Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, steer clear.
(Don't) Think Like a Sniper
"JFK Reloaded." You may have heard about this game in the news, on the Internet or in the paper. You probably assumed it's just another example of a violent video game in extremely bad taste. But it's worse than that. There's something very different about "JFK Reloaded," something that makes it bizarrely sinister.
What Went Wrong with Fable?
Fable. Even if you aren't in with the video gaming culture, you've probably heard of Peter Molyneux's most ambitious project to date. Years in the making, the idea behind Fable was to have a world that you completely shaped—you kill a man, 10 game-years later, his son returns for your head. Save a kid's life, and he could return the favor one day. Plant a sapling as a boy, and when you're a wizened old man, you can see that it's grown. Unfortunately, Fable doesn't accomplish this.
Innovation: A Review of Tales of Symphonia
When someone thinks of a Role Playing Game, they picture a group of characters with gravity-defying hair standing in a row waiting to take potshots at an equally outrageous group of enemies waiting across from them. Well, Tales of Symphonia includes most of that, but there is some variation on the tried-but-true RPG formula: the "Get-Attacked-While-U-Wait" approach has gone out the window.
Rap and Basketball
Have you ever had a really bad idea? I mean, ever had a quick thought and then slapped yourself for thinking it? That's what those evil Midway executives did—only instead of slapping themselves, they tried to market it. I can see the meeting now.
Just Killing Time
A Review of "Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind - Game of the Year Editon" Platform: Xbox/PC
I usually review newer games, but after picking up a copy of "Morrowind: Game of the Year Edition," I had to review it. I love this game. It's in-depth, creative and innovative, and most of all, it's totally freeform. You can go anywhere at any time. You are given specific missions, but the world is open to you. There are three "continents." Each one contains a core quest, which the player is pushed towards constantly, and hundreds of varied quests, which have to be discovered and explored. The missions range from delivering a letter to killing a god. Likewise, the difficulty fluctuates greatly. Replay value is almost obsolete. You will be totally content without replaying anything.
More Fun Than a Barrel of Spiders
Let's be honest—we've all wanted to be Spider-Man at some point or the other. Who wouldn't want to be able to swing around New York and beat up thugs? Well, now you can. "Spider-Man 2" allows you to traverse the whole of Manhattan, as well as Roosevelt, Ellis and Liberty Islands. The buildings are all detailed to the bone, and there are NO loading times for simply exploring the map. The combat system allows several enemies to be fought at the same time, and features a wide variety of attacks and skills to be used. As an added bonus, Bruce Campbell, star of "The Evil Dead," plays the narrator.
A Third-Person Shooter
A Review of "Red Dead Revolver"
Never again will I laugh at the clichéd spaghetti westerns my uncle likes to watch. After playing "Red Dead Revolver," I think I might even start watching them myself. You take control of the bounty hunter Red, whose family was murdered by a group of outlaws. The game starts out as Red travels to a small town, somewhere in the West. He's ambushed by a murderous group of banditos, though they soon realize what a mistake they've made. A few days later, all that's left of the unfortunate marauders is being dragged in a cart to the local sheriff. From there out, the real story begins.
Where's the Monk?
"Van Helsing—The Game" looks and feels like a medieval "Enter the Matrix" and plays like "Devil May Cry 2"—both of which flopped. Fortunately, it also manages to combine the good parts of the two (well-planned shooting sprees and superhuman powers) without the bad parts (glitches and monotony). Oh, and the graphics make me happy. All main enemies are well thought out, the areas are spooky and original, and the expressions on the faces of the characters are groundbreaking. Still, while the graphics are excellent, the sound leaves something to be desired. There is little music, and most of it is a bit bland.
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