Saturday, 6 November 2010

Kinect Joy Ride Game Review



Joy Ride was originally going to be a free download for everyone on Xbox Live but Microsoft decided to make it one of their main launch titles for the highly anticipated "Kinect", which uses motion sensor technology. I'm sure everyone has pretended to drive some sort of imaginary vehicle with their arms at some point in their life, i personally used to do this at McDonald's drive through with friends, but the point is Joy Ride finally makes this a reality.

Joy Ride drops players into the world of casual arcade racing powered by Microsoft's motion sensing system, Kinect. The game is full of vibrant beautiful colours and lots of challenges, providing a very fulfilling package for anyone who chooses to give it a test drive. The game is designed to feel approachable for anyone, it feels like it has something to keep everyone happy but the only problem is the controls, Kinect just seems to ruin what would otherwise be a fantastic Xbox Live Arcade title.



Thursday, 4 November 2010

Kinectimals Game Review



Christmas is approaching fast and for anyone considering buying Microsoft's Kinect, they might be interested in Kinectimals. The game is extremely cute and places you in a world where you can take care of you're favourite big cat species. The game looks absolutely fantastic and will surely find a place in the hearts of most children, even some adults.

Kinectimals may well be the cutest game ever made. There are over 30 felines in here and every one looks adorable, cute, fluffy, and most importantly they look real. The animations are outstanding and really help bring these little guys to life. Everything looks beautiful, the environments are colourful and feel full of life and this helps make the game feel like it's more than just a video game. Young children will be blown away the first time the get to select a little friend, the Black Panther is my personal favourite.



Wednesday, 3 November 2010

Sonic Free Riders Kinect Game Review


Microsoft's Kinect has finally arrive and there are a bunch of titles already available, most of which are family party games for kids. Sonic is the only big-name franchise to hit Kinect with Sonic Free Riders. It's definitely one of the more exiting titles and if players take the time to learn the controls they might find this hoverboard racing game with Sonic and friends a delightful experience.

As previously mentioned Sonic Free Riders is a hoverboard racing game which has seen entries on the Gamecube, Nintendo Wii, and Playstation 2 in the past. Players race around closed circuit tracks launching of ramps, attacking each other with weapons, grinding, gliding, and boosting their way to victory. None of the previous titles have received much success but with the gimmick of Microsoft's Kinect to back the latest game, Sonic might see more success this time around.



Tuesday, 2 November 2010

Dragon Ball Raging Blast 2 Game Review



I loved Dragon Ball Z/GT as a child and still do today, so when a new game is announced i am always extremely interested to find out if they have finally managed to give the fans what we have been waiting for. Namco Bandi have released a string of games dedicated to the franchise but none have ever felt like the perfect Dragon Ball game, i always come away expecting more and wondering why certain characters, story missions, or items have been left out. This year we have the second in the Raging Blast series, Dragon Ball Raging Blast 2, and sadly it is just another disappointment.

Dragon Ball Raging Blast 2 is fairly similar to most other fighting games with a few twists that fit in with the Dragon Ball universe. You manoeuvre some of you're favourite characters from the TV show and battle on huge environments pulling off signature moves from the series. Characters scream and groan when powering up creating the authentic Dragon Ball feel, sound, and look in each battle. The transformations make this feel like every battle has been just ripped out of the the Anime and it will please fans.


Sunday, 31 October 2010

Demon's Souls Game Review



Demon's Souls is one of the Playstation 3's biggest exclusive titles so naturally there has been allot of interest in this game. The game is an RPG modelled on western style fantasy and the main thing you will realise as soon as you start playing this game is that Demon's Souls is a punishing and brutal game when it comes to difficulty, much like the games from my childhood which did not hold your hand, allow you to save, and when you died you lost everything.

The main thing you would have heard about Demon's Souls if you have been doing any research on it, is that it's extremely difficult, how difficult you ask ?, you can't even begin to understand until you play it for yourself. One of the most challenging thing's about the game is that you can't pause, ever. This no-nonsense approach is exactly what games used to be like, just get straight into the action and survive, it's absolutely fantastic to see this type of game in the modern era because we have not had anything like this since the day's of the NES. You have the option to map weapons and items to you're D-Pad and i suggest you use this while you have the chance, you don't want to be in a battle with one or two of the many devastatingly brutal one-hit-kill enemies without being fully prepared. But just be warned, even when you are fully prepared the chances are you will still die.


Friday, 29 October 2010

Super Mario Galaxy 2 Game Review



Super Mario Galaxy 2 is the sequel to one of the best games you will ever play, this means it has a lot to live up to and i am pleased to tell you it matches the brilliance of the first game, even exceeding it in certain areas. Some of the most creative and Imaginative level designs you will ever see in a video game are beautifully brought to life with the vibrant bold colours. The immense variety of enemies, power-ups, and worlds make this a truly unique expirience and sets this game apart from any other 3D platformer on the Wii, maybe even the world.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 uses the same game engine, same controls, and same basic concept which made the first game such a hit with fans around the world. The developers found out what did and did not work with the first game and they have managed to use this to create another masterful game which offers one of the most fun and fulfilling experiences of our generation.


The original Super Mario Galaxy was a game built on creativity, everything felt unique and looked marvellous. They took the traditional 3D platformer and turned it into a perfect example of what games should be about. Players had the ability to roam standard Mario-style levels to miniature planetoids with their own orbital gravity, while still utilizing the same familiar gameplay mechanics.


Thursday, 28 October 2010

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 Game Review



Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 will impress on first glance with it's fluid character animations and beautiful graphics, topped off with fabulous backdrops that help bring the Star Wars universe to life. This however is sadly as good as it gets, a short campaign with an average storyline fail to capture the imagination of what a Star Wars story should be, as well as a lack of depth and re-play value make this a game really just for the fans.

The Force Unleashed 2 is the same as it's predecessor for the most part, it's the Force like you've never seen it before. The result is extreme supercharged versions of what we are used to seeing in the films. The experience goes from a typical hack 'n slash to a Force-embued beat 'em up where you can create some of the most devastating and destructive action sequences in a video game. Through your playthrough you will take on many situations that seem Force-exaggerated, move vast objects with the power of the Force, as well as dismembering whoever is in your path. Dismemberment is one of the welcomed new touches that makes the game feel and look much more like a game from the Star Wars universe, it is also sickly satisfying and fans of the movies will be very pleased with this new addition.