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Time Capsule: Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo Revival (GBA)
2008-08-24 06:58:00 The arcade in your hands.___________________________________ _________________________TOTAL SCORE: 9.3/10 CHOICE PICK_____________________________________ _______________________Before the days of Capcom adding Marvel characters into its foray of fighting games what with titles like X-Men vs. Street Fighter, Marvel vs. Street Fighter and Marvel vs. Capcom, there was Street Fighter 2 and its many incarnations. A trip to the arcade during the mid-90s was never complete without Street Fighter 2. Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo Revival arrived a decade after that original Street Fighter 2, incorporating several of the updates that its other iterations introduced. The result is a comprehensive Street Fighter 2 package that no Street Fighter fan and fighting game fan alike should do without.To start off with, this game, while essentially an on-the-go entertainment piece, doesn?t scrimp on its presentation. There are certainly a few changes here and there, but there?s really nothing major that ... More About: Time
Time Capsule - Marvel vs. Capcom: Clash of the Super Heroes (PSX)
2008-08-23 08:04:00 This port shouldn't have existed at all._____________________________________ _______________________TOTAL SCORE: 5.7/10___________________________________ _________________________Marvel vs. Capcom : Clash of the Super Heroes ranks up there as one of my most favorite arcade games of all time. I remember making quite a number of trips to the arcades every week just so I could play this game (didn?t have any console then). The superb animations, the frantic action and the ingenious tag-team battle mechanism kept me coming back even though I had already beaten the game several times over. How great it would be to be able to play this game from your living room couch, right? Wrong. While the Dreamcast version was a perfect arcade-to-console port, the PSX version is anything but ? it shouldn?t even have existed.This game brings the best of both worlds together: Marvel is represented by some of their most well-known characters like Spider-Man, Hulk, Captain America, War Machine, to name a ... More About: Time
Time Capsule: Metal Slug X (PSX)
2008-08-21 04:03:00 No coins needed. Enjoy it as much as you want.____________________________________ ________________________TOTAL SCORE: 8.8/10___________________________________ _________________________I remember watching people play Metal Slug X on the coin-operated arcade machines when I was a kid. But I didn?t actually go to play the game as the Metal Slug X arcade machines were famed for being coin devourers. One coin was never enough as you would probably die several times in the game ? not surprising given the game?s insane number of on-screen enemies and bosses that fill up almost the entire screen. As of the time of this writing, the arcade operator hasn?t pulled the plug on the Metal Slug X machines (though my favourite Marvel vs. Capcom 2 is gone), but why make a trip to the arcade when Metal Slug X goodness can be available right in your home?Reviewing retro titles like this could be a little difficult for me as I missed the PSX, N64 and Dreamcast era ? totally. I only owned my first cons... More About: Time , Time Capsule
Game Review: Soul Bubbles
2008-08-14 08:59:00 A masterpiece inside this bubble.__________________________________ __________________________TOTAL SCORE: 9.6/10 CHOICE PICKThe Good:Intuitive controls * Each world introduces a new theme on which new puzzles that force you to use your bubbles in different and creative ways are built upon, ensuring that there are always new challenges around the corner * While game gets hard towards the end, it is never cheap * Amazing visuals and musicThe Bad:Game never seems to reward you enough___________________________________ _________________________It?s easy to pass this off as ?just another one? given the increasingly huge number of puzzle game garbage that has been taking up unnecessary shelf space in the stores in recent months, but you would be doing yourself a great disservice if you let Soul Bubbles slip out of your sight. While the DS game library does have a rather impressive number of puzzle games, rarely has one been created with the ingeniousness of this game. Soul Bubbles is a d... More About: Review
Movie Review: Journey to the Center of the Earth
2008-08-12 12:58:00 Journey to the cinema to see this journey._________________________________ ___________________________RATING: 3.5/5____________________________________ ________________________I have been seeing Brendan Fraser ? well, not literally, but on screen. Having just watched Fraser?s other film, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor a little over a week ago, I can?t help but to be a tad circumspect about this film ? especially after putting into consideration how The Mummy reeked of nonsense. But the amazing trailers for this movie blew away such inimical thoughts almost instantaneously and after watching this family-friendly flick, I am certain there needs to be a dichotomy between The Mummy and Journey to the Center of the Earth : The Mummy is just plain bad, but this film, while not perfect, is satisfying.As it title suggests, Journey to the Center of the Earth is based loosely on the Jules Vernes novel of the same name. Chances are that most of you would have already read the novel before... More About: Movie , Movie Review , Journey , Review
Game Review: Soul Calibur 4
2008-08-09 10:48:00 Soul great, soul fun._____________________________________ _______________________TOTAL SCORE: 8.8/10The Good:Skill-based weapon fighting mechanic a boon * Each character is unique * Over 30 characters with guest stars from Star Wars * Great new features like Critical Finish and Armor Destruction * Solid character creation mode * Tower of Lost Souls mode provides a comprehensive single-player experience * Extended replayability with online multiplayer * Lots of unlockables * Strong graphics and musicThe Bad:Star Wars characters are rather imbalanced * Haphazard Story mode * Omission of tag-team battle in online multiplayer______________________________ ______________________________If you have just enough money to pick up one fighting game, it would not be fallacious to say that you?re going to want to choose one that is different from all the others. But given the high rate at which fighting games are coming off the conveyor belt annually, each offering gameplay that is far too simil... More About: Review , Soul , Game
Movie Review: The Love Guru
2008-08-08 12:44:00 Mike Myers isn't a film guru, unfortunately.___________________________ _________________________________RATING: 2.5/5____________________________________ ________________________I haven?t had the greatest impression of The Love Guru before actually watching this film in the cinema ? no thanks to the less than stellar trailers and one of the dumbest posters ever to be used as a promotional material. A suggestion by my friend to have a go at this film over the latest action film Journey to the Center of the Earth proved fatal as I stared at the screen in disbelief for 1.5 hours at how this movie managed to be so stale, uninspiring and stupid - as far as the jokes about male genitals are concerned, at least.The Love Guru details the few days of Guru Pitka?s (Mike Myers) life as he travels from his hometown in India to the other side of the globe (America, to be exact) with a mission to aid Darren Roanoke (Romany Malco) in saving his marriage with Prudence Roanoke (Meagan Good) from L.A... More About: Movie , Movie Review , Review
Holiday 2008's Best Picks (Part 3)
2008-08-06 09:53:00 The Locust is humankind's worst nightmare.The mere imagination of the co-existence of monsters has always been enough to freak us out. That?s why game developers love monsters so much ? there are so many games that are built around these creepy creatures. This holiday season isn?t going to be spared from all the monster madness either. And in part 3 of this special feature, Powerplay blog is going to show you one of the more prominent and thrilling forthcoming monster games. Are you ready?Gears of War 2Remember the Lightmass Bomb that was dropped right into the Locust?s underground base in Gears of War? Well, bad news: Not only did the Lightmass Bomb not manage to wipe out the Locust, it had also caused a portion of the remaining human population to be infected ? most probably by radiation. And now, the Locust has found out that we humans are attempting to exterminate them and grown really aggressive. Portholes are swallowing cities by the whole and it seems that there is only one ... More About: Holiday , Part , Part 3
Movie Review - The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
2008-08-04 10:49:00 Bury this mummy and run away.____________________________________ ________________________RATING: 1.5/5____________________________________ ________________________Dormant for 7 years, no one could have blamed you if you thought that The Mummy franchise was well and truly dead. Gone were the suspenseful atmosphere and solid action sequences that each of the Mummy film brought. Fortunately, someone decided to revive the franchise and give it another go-around ? and the result is The Mummy : Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, the third entry in The Mummy franchise. With a new director at the helm, as well as new scriptwriters and an almost new cast, the production crew had all the right ingredients to make this Mummy film one of the better, if not the best, movies in the franchise. The bad news is: They didn?t go according to the recipe and ended up producing a dish that is in equal parts awful and forgettable.This film begins interestingly enough to capture my attention: Several thousand years... More About: Movie , Movie Review , Review
Movie Review - Batman: Gotham Knight
2008-08-01 08:57:00 Not bat. Not bat at all._____________________________________ _______________________RATING: 3.5/5____________________________________ ________________________It isn?t every day that we see a partnership between American and Japanese talents with regards to the production of a film. And when that film is actually one that has got to do with Batman , there is no doubt that anyone with the slightest interest in animation or Batman will be hyped up about it. That?s what Batman: Gotham Knight seeks out to achieve: to stoke up interest in The Dark Knight. It is a series of 6 short movies that is designed to bridge the gap between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. On that count, you could end up being addled and disappointed because Batman: Gotham Knight fails miserably in its task ? it doesn?t seem to be in any way connected to either of Nolan?s Batman films and the 6 short movies do not tie into a single narrative; instead, they are disparate.However, what you have here are 6 refreshing s... More About: Movie , Movie Review , Review
SUPER Rant: Humpty Dumpty Portable is Falling Down
2008-07-31 07:14:00 There was no way I could have spent my money on a console which doesn?t have much of a future, right? Well, I didn?t think that it was possible too ? until now. I am staring at the grim reality ? the very grim reality of what the PSP has to offer in the future ? that is, in terms of software. In fact, I think that there isn?t a more appropriate word to describe the PSP games line-up for the forthcoming months than this: Pathetic ? it is in every way disappointing and the situation doesn?t seem to be getting any better.Alright, let?s get things straight first: I bought the PSP because I wanted to play Medal of Honor Heroes 2, God of War: Chains of Olympus, FlatOut: Head On, and some of the fighting games. I was expecting the arrival of more exciting PSP games within the immediate year and beyond. Sure, there are indeed such titles ? Vahalla Knights 2, Destroy All Humans: Big Willy Unleashed and one my most highly-anticipated PSP titles, Resistance: Retribution, but for most parts, th... More About: Portable , Super , Rant
Game Review - God of War: Chains of Olympus
2008-07-30 06:37:00 This game is the god._____________________________________ _______________________TOTAL SCORE: 9.7/10 CHOICE PICKThe Good:Solid plot * A visual powerhouse * Great combat sound effects * Memorable score * Accessible, intuitive, tight and responsive controls * Hidden treasure chests, platforming sections and puzzles provide diversity * Great variety of enemies * Mini-games provide fun diversion from combat * Several unlockables, including collector's edition-esque specialsThe Bad:Levels are relatively linear___________________________________ _________________________During a console?s lifespan, there would at least be one good game that would be released on the platform ? and that game would be such a masterpiece that it would make you rethink what the console is really capable of. The game in question here is God of War: Chains of Olympus ? and this game is what Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword is to the DS ? it pushes the technical boundaries of the console and introduces gameplay so in... More About: Review , Game , Chains of Olympus
Holiday 2008's Best Picks (Part 2)
2008-07-29 03:55:00 Mortal Kombat vs. James Bond vs. DC UniverseMirror?s Edge and Call of Duty: World at War aren?t the only games that you should look out for this holiday season. Part 2 of this special feature will pick out another 2 promising titles for you to drool over.007: Quantum of Solace Bang! Boom!We haven?t seen a 007 game for a while now, but all that?s about to change. Due to debut around the film?s release, this game is essentially one of the many movie tie-ins that come off the conveyor belt every year, which unfortunately, are notorious for being bad. But if current impressions are anything to go by, Quantum of Solace certainly isn?t going to be one of them.Developed by Treyarch, which is also handling Call of Duty: World at War, Quantum of Solace is anything but your typical action game. In fact, this game is what Treyarch describes as a hybrid 3D person game. What this means is that the game will play out in both first-person view and third-person view. When Bond is moving normally an... More About: Holiday
Holiday 2008's Best Picks (Part 1)
2008-07-27 05:22:00 Call the mirror to the edge of its duty.Publishers have the propensity to release really promising titles towards the end of every year, perhaps hoping to catch the holiday season shoppers just in time ? and this year?s no different. Let?s check out the potential game-of-the-year titles in the offing.Mirror?s Edge She knows kung-fu!Innovation is never bad ? though how well the final product turns out is another question altogether. The game wheeling the innovation cart last year was Portal, Valve?s first-person puzzle game, but for this year, we have Mirror?s Edge. When this game was announced earlier this year, it really caught my attention. The first screens and footage of Mirror?s Edge showed that this title certainly isn?t your archetypal first-person game ? well, the tell-tale sign is the game?s focus on acrobatic action instead of the usual gunplay.Alright, it is easy to get confused here. First-person acrobatic action? What?s exactly is Mirror?s Edge all about? Though the sto... More About: Holiday , Part
Game Review: Medal of Honor Heroes 2
2008-07-24 14:31:00 A worthy receiver of the Medal of Nonsense.________________________________ ____________________________TOTAL SCORE: 6.9/10The Good:Great presentation * A graphical accomplishment * Immersive aural experienceThe Bad:Missions are very linear and lack diversity * Laughable, if not non-existent, A.I. * Hopelessly poor save mechanism * Disappointing online 32-player multiplayer______________________________ ______________________________Medal of Honor Heroes 2 is a game that could either turn out really good or really bad for the PSP. A game ported over from the Wii, Medal of Honor Heroes 2 could very well be a rushed port should the developers decide to just cash in on the game instead of tweaking and polishing it for the PSP, but fortunately, that isn?t the case. What you have here is the full Wii game minus the on-rails arcade mode in your hands ? with the gorgeous cut scenes, voice-overs and online 32-player multiplayer support intact. That being said, the flaws present in the Wii gam... More About: Review , Game
Game Review:GRID
2008-07-18 10:12:00 The closest you can get to an actual racing experience.______________________________ ______________________________TOTAL SCORE: 8.9/10The Good:Impressive interface * Strong visuals * Realistic damage system * There is a replay camera * Flashback option available * Considerable diversity of game modes * Total control of your race team * Personalization of name for audio cues and instructions * Long career mode * Solid multiplayerThe Bad:Replays cannot be saved * Inconsistent audio cues and instructions * Only 45 cars * No tweaking of cars_____________________________________ _______________________2007?s Colin McRae DiRT delivered an awesome racing experience of fantastic proportions, blending a wide selection of vehicles that range from trucks, ATVs to race cars with a visual engine so impressive that the game completely immerses you in it. Coupled with a realistic damage system and one of the sleekest interfaces ever to grace the screen, DiRT was definitely one of last year?s better... More About: Review , Grid , Game
Game Review - FlatOut:Head On
2008-07-12 14:24:00 Nothing new, something worse.___________________________________ _________________________TOTAL SCORE: 7.6/10The Good:New soundtracks * Carnage mode from the Xbox 360 version is presentThe Bad:Same game as the 2006 original, FlatOut 2 * Inconsistent visuals * Poorer framerates * Unresponsive controls_________________________________ ___________________________The original FlatOut 2 came out in mid-2006 for the PC, PS2 and Xbox and I played the PC version. For a racer that encouraged carnage (ala Burnout), and whose mini-games involved smashing drivers through the windscreens of their cars, FlatOut 2 was certainly a refreshing experience. Bugbear Entertainment has since remade the game for Xbox 360 in the form of FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage. Not merely content with the aforementioned, it remade the game again for PSP in what could be said as the latest game in the FlatOut franchise: FlatOut: Head On.Of course, some changes are to be expected. Right off the bat, you will notice that there... More About: Review , Game
Game Review:Turok
2008-07-07 15:41:00 The sum of all flaws.___________________________________ _________________________TOTAL SCORE: 6.5/10The Good:Many ways to tackle a given scenario * Secondary fire mode for each weapon introduces strategy into gameplayThe Bad:Story seems rushed and uncompleted * Inconsistent weapon damage system * Inconsistent difficulty * Inconsistent checkpoint allocation * Inconsistent A.I. * Environments lack variety * Really poor visuals__________________________________ __________________________The archetypal bad-guy soldier, the blood-thirsty demons, the mutated bugs and slugs ? all too often, these are the enemy subjects of most FPSes. But it seems that someone woke up one day and realized something that everyone else may have forgotten: Dinosaurs. The prospect of wielding a shotgun and blowing up a dinosaur?s brain sounds all too exciting ? and that?s where Turok delivers. Surprisingly, it didn?t come out all too well.Needless to say, for a game with dinosaurs, there is certainly an interest... More About: Review , Game
Game Review:Corvette Evolution GT
2008-07-03 15:39:00 Limited budget kills the unrealised potential._______________________________ _____________________________TOTAL SCORE: 7.0/10The Good:Sleek interface * Decent number of options available * Handling of each car feels unique and the steering, tight * Track details and features are impressive * Commendable track designThe Bad:Visuals could have been better * Cars disappearing for a split second * Short draw distance means that you may have to rely on mini-map to anticipate turns * Difficulty levels are ignorable * Lack of online multiplayer______________________________ ______________________________The DS is becoming an increasingly popular platform for new developers to create games for, which shouldn?t be much of a surprise considering that a huge budget isn?t really needed to produce a DS game and that the DS already has a huge ready-made market of both casual and hardcore gamers. Island Racing Studios is one such new developer. Its maiden game: Corvette Evolution GT. Judging from i... More About: Review , Game
Game Review:Ninja Gaiden 2
2008-06-28 09:03:00 Epic disappointment. _________________________________________ ___________________TOTAL SCORE: 7.8/10The Good:Beautiful environments * Superior combat animations * Deep combat system * ChallengingThe Bad:Insane number of invisible walls * Dead environments that lack any significant lifeform * Extremely linear * Difficulty is cheap in some parts * Horrendous experience-ruining camera * Minor technical glitches_________________________________ ___________________________Touted as the direct sequel to one of the greatest action games on Xbox, hype and high expectations are the ineluctable accompaniments of Ninja Gaiden 2. Coming out a full 4 years after the debut of its predecessor, Ninja Gaiden 2 retains the basic formula of the said game ? which means more fast, slick and furious combat, but still manages to improve upon the original in a few areas. Enhanced visuals and new weapons are just some of the additions, but truth be told, for every step forward, Ninja Gaiden 2 takes a step ba... More About: Review , Game
Game Review:Space Invaders Extreme
2008-06-23 14:53:00 A commendable remake.Pulling off a respectable celebration for the 30th anniversary of a famous franchise is certainly no easy task. But Taito has accomplished the aforementioned with its Space Invaders franchise with great panache ? by releasing what could possibly be the nth remake of the original 1978 classic. Make no mistake: Space Invaders Extreme isn?t a mere haphazard rehash, but one that not only manages to stay true to its roots, but also produce some fantastic additions that do well to complement the tastes of today?s ever-demanding gamers.The premise from yesteryear remains pretty much similar: You?re in control of a spaceship, attempting to fend off the endless marching posse of alien formations ? all the while shifting from left to right and vice versa at the bottom of the screen. The aliens retain their somewhat pixellated forms and nope, your spaceship can neither move up nor down, so players expecting a total reinvention of the franchise are advised to move on. But t... More About: Review , Game
Game Review: Speed Racer
2008-05-12 15:16:00 Alas! A movie license game that is recommedable to all!It may be time to surrender the old cliché that movie license games would never be good away. Thanks to developers who have finally woken up to the idea of actually putting in effort in producing a movie tie-in rather than hiring some pubescent adolescents from a game development beginner?s class and shoving them up to the developmental seats, we have here a movie-based game that is very much enjoyable. For gamers who have been taking umbrage at the offensively bad movie tie-ins in recent years, Speed Racer will come as a relief. This may yet be a positive sign that more quality movie license games are to come.At first glance, Speed Racer may across as another oh-so-terrible Hot Wheels: Beat That!, what with its various preposterously colorful tracks, environs donned in equally blinding colors and somewhat ?cheap plasticky feel? of the vehicles. However, the game is anything but. In Speed Racer, you have a game that not only cap... More About: Review , Game
Game Review: Iron Man
2008-05-09 11:07:00 Decent package of Iron . Typically, I would have given movie tie-ins a miss. But after watching the debut of Iron Man on the big screens, and being so captivated by it, I decided to tweak my modus operandi and give the video game counterpart of the film a try. Well, I simply can?t get enough of Iron Man, can I? A movie tie-in Iron Man for the DS still is, so I wasn?t expecting too much from it ? just enough to ?complement? the film scenes from Iron Man that just wouldn?t stop flashing in my mind. After seeing the credits roll and toying around with the game a little more, I am convinced that Iron Man for the DS does pack in ample decent enjoyment to justify your bucks.For those of you who haven?t caught the film yet, don?t expect to be enlightened by the game. While the game does use still shots from the film, it must be noted that for most parts, the game?s storyline doesn?t revolve around that of the movie. And for those of you who have caught the movie, be delighted to know that R... More About: Review , Game
PowerPlay Blog will be back soon!
2008-05-06 15:10:00 A temporary semi-withdrawal from gaming, but how can I ever sustain from it for long?What happened to my Xbox 360 and DS during this period?During this period of 'semi-withdrawal', my Xbox 360 hasn't seen a new game disc inserted into its drive for more than 4 months. Burnout Paradise was the last game my Xbox 360 saw, but I never really got into it and since I wasn't playing any new Xbox 360 game, I decided not to renew my Xbox Live Gold subscription which ended in February.But fortunately for my DS, it saw some action in Ninja Gaiden: Dragon Sword (which is impressive), Teenage Zombies: Invasion of Alien Brain Thingys (which is excruciatingly boring and mind-numbing) and most recently, Iron Man (which I must say is surprisingly acceptable for a movie tie-in).What can you expect?A review of Iron Man for DS on this blog soon! Just remember to check back. Hm. I would like to have Ninja Gaiden 2 and Race Driver GRID in June (both Xbox 360) too. And I would also like to see how Rac... More About: Blog , Back
the river flows
2008-02-11 14:01:00 After being overwhelmed by the demands of studies and social networking tools, I have decided to temporarily withdraw from gaming until 2011. This withdrawal period may last longer than forecasted, but I still do keep up with gaming by checking up on gaming websites regularly and reading game magazines. It is sad to withdraw from this hobby after 6 years of hardcore gaming, but my ultimate ambition is still to be a videogame journalist, a dream I have been harboring since 2004, so hardcore gaming as a hobby, and hopefully as a career, will still surface one day.However, you can continue to support me by reading my articles at my new poem blog that touches on personal life. http://www.mrone-theriverflows.blogspot.c om/ More About: River
Game Review - Call of Duty 4:Modern Warfare
2008-01-08 15:19:00 Modern perfection.More than 2 years ago when I decided to dive right into the WW2 FPS genre, I picked Call of Duty 2. At the time of the purchase, it was one of the newest WW2 games and though I hadn?t really experienced any prior Call of Duty games, I had no problems getting into Call of Duty 2. But Call of Duty 2 was much more than just an ordinary gaming experience for me ? it was a memorable experience. Its single-player was in every way cinematic, atmospheric and intense, with a solid multiplayer component backing it up. Fast forward to today, and what you have is Call of Duty 4, the official successor to Call of Duty 2. If Call of Duty 2 was excellent, then make no mistake: Call of Duty 4 is perfect ? everything has been executed with unerring precision. Infinity Ward has delivered yet another flawless and immersive gaming experience in Call of Duty 4, which still manages to improve greatly on its predecessor in several ways.Perhaps the single, biggest change from Call of Duty... More About: Review , Game , Modern
Game Review: Ultimate Mortal Kombat
2007-12-28 13:09:00 Boon to newbies and nostalgic gamers, but bane to veterans.There seem to be a handful of classics making a return to the DS this year, including Contra 4 and the games in Namco Museum DS. Ultimate Mortal Kombat is another one of those games, packing in arcade classic Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 and Puzzle Kombat from the more recent Mortal Kombat Deception. Having experienced neither the original arcade UMK3 nor the puzzle game in Deception, I must say that Ultimate Mortal Kombat is really my first brush with the long-running Mortal Kombat franchise ? it is a fresh experience. And it turned out quite well.Essentially a 2D fighter, UMK3 still holds up well after so many years. There is a great selection of characters available with some unlockables to boot. Typical of conventional fighters, controls are made up of convoluted combined button presses, which I am not too fond of. It should be a breeze for Mortal Kombat veterans, but for newbies like me, Other Ocean Interactive, which handl... More About: Review , Game
Foward 2008: DS Gaming in 2008
2007-12-24 04:32:00 A general look at DS gaming in 2008 , the trends, what to expect, personal commentaries, rumors, and wishes and hopes for the DS in 2008.2007 was a consummate example of Nintendo?s dominance of the gaming handheld market. With the DS Lite constantly topping the sales charts throughout the entire year, there is no doubt that the handheld is the hottest gaming device in the world right now, and will still be the hottest in 2008. 2007 is coming to a close, but you can be sure that 2008 is going to be another great year for DS and DS Lite owners.Since the inception of the DS platform in late 2004, there haven?t been many third-party hardcore games for the handheld outside of the occasional RPGs from Square Enix and other smaller publishers, but that?s understandable since the underpowered DS isn?t built for the hardcore crowd, but instead, geared towards the more mainstream audience. For months after the launch of the DS, it was not a surprise to hear someone say that the DS wasn?t capab... More About: Gaming
Game Review - Hot Wheels: Beat That!
2007-12-21 04:20:00 Hotly Terrible: Smash That!Perhaps it was my liking for racing games, or perhaps it was my time spent with Hot Wheels toys during my childhood that prompted me to have a go at Hot Wheels: Beat That! Whatever it was, the game is the closest virtual experience you can get to playing with real Hot Wheels toys. Yes, Hot Wheels: Beat That! is authentically Hot Wheels, so you can be sure of that nostalgia shot if you ever need one, but does it necessarily mean that the game is hot?Surprisingly bare-bones, there are only 3 options that you can select upon booting up your copy of the game. The Challenge mode is basically your career mode that can be found in any other racer, while you can view the unlockable concept artworks in the Media Gallery. Options allow you to tweak the sound and that?s all.The Challenge mode is fairly linear, and although there are 3 game types, namely Quick Race, Eliminator and Rampage, you are forced to progress through all the 12 tracks in the game, each with the... More About: Review , Game
Forward 2008: Personal Commenatries ++
More articles from this author:2007-12-18 14:27:00 Personal commentaries on each console, predictions, more on what to expect, juicy tidbits and speculations.Xbox 360Suffice it to say that the Xbox 360 will remain comfortably in its current position through 2008 . While I wouldn?t dare say this 2 years ago when Devil May Cry 4, Bladestorm: The Hundred Years? War, Grand Theft Auto 4 and the like are still PS3 exclusives, they are not now, and there is even a chance that the Xbox 360 versions of these games may even better their PS3 counterparts ? think extra downloadable content and you will know what I mean. The launch of Home on the PS3 may change this, but that will take some time for details to be worked out and for that period of transition, the Xbox 360 will have that all-important edge.Microsoft needs Final Fantasy 13 on the Xbox 360 to increase Japan sales. Meanwhile, in Japan, the Xbox 360 is still not doing well, though Japanese favorites like Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation, Ninety-Nine Nights (N3), Eternal Sonata and Blu... More About: Personal , Forward 1, 2 |



