Super Mario 3D Land - Nintendo 3DS Game Review

As a Nintendo 3DS owner I feel like my money has been spent on the future rather than the present. The majority of games that made me excited for the 3DS have either been held back by Nintendo or set back for later release dates. Kid Icarus Uprising is the main reason I chose to purchase the latest Nintendo Handheld, however with that pushed back to somewhere in early 2012 hopefully, my choices have been few and far between. Mario is the mascot of Nintendo and always provides fans with great games from every genre, I was extremely thrilled when Super Mario 3D Land was announced, as well as Mario Kart 7. As we look forward to some of the big titles that will be hitting the 3DS I finally start to feel like this was a good investment and 3D Land is definitely the way to kick things off.

Killzone 3 Playstation 3 Game Review

Killzone 3 is arguably the most anticipated Playstation 3 game of the year, fans expectations and the hype surrounding the games release are at an all time high, will it live up to the hype or disappoint fans ?

There have been many First Person Shooters in recent years but not many manage to make you feel like you are the person behind the gun, allot of the time it just feels like you are turning a camera angle. Killzone 2 made players feel as if they were actually in a warzone, weight made every gun, every movement, and everything in Killzone 2 feel as real as it possibly could in a video game. Combine this with a futuristic Sci-Fi setting and gorgeous visuals and you get one of the best FPS's of all time. Killzone 3 improves on some of the technical issues Killzone 2 had and adds some fantastic new additions to make the gameplay feel fresh but familiar.

Dead Space 2 Game Review

Dead Space 2 is not a game for the light-hearted, it's full of scary, intense, action-packed moments that will have your heart racing. Everything that made it's predecessor great is back and improved upon, to make one of the best games of 2011. Dead Space is by far the best horror franchise to grace the next-gen consoles, it's the modern-day Doom and one of the best gaming experiences on the market to date.

Even though it has been three years since the events of the first game, our protagonist Isaac Clarke is still having a rough ride. At the beginning of Dead Space 2 he awakes on a space station known as The Sprawl. He finds the station overwhelmed with an outbreak of reanimated corpses called Necromorphs. The action is right in your face from the get-go and it never gives you a chance to rest, even when enemies are nowhere to be seen, the game makes you feel like every corner, hole, or shadow could be hiding a deadly secret.

ilomilo Game Review XBOX Live Arcade

The first thing you will notice about ilomilo is that it is possibly one of the most adorable and cute games ever to hit the XBOX Live Arcade. The bizarre, yet extremely beautiful patchwork world of ilomilo is reminiscent of games like LittleBigPlanet, but manages to retain it's own unique feel and art direction. The two little stars of the game are ilo and milo, adorable little plush creatures who want nothing more than to be reunited. These two delightfully cute little guys always seem to end up stranded apart from each other and it's your job to reunite them, solving the puzzles and using the strange gameplay mechanics to successfully reach this goal. This is a wonderful little game full of charm and fun.

As i previously mentioned, the goal here in each level is very simple, reunite ilo and milo. The characters will begin at opposite ends of the cubic maze and you can switch back and forth between the two, controlling one at a time. The game begins cheerfully with it's cute adorable charm, but soon begins to get extremely difficult. You can manoeuvre various types of blocks around the environment and they will create new paths and ways to reunite you with your missing friend. Special carpets can be used to walk over the edges of cubes, changing the direction of the cubic maze, and the maze itself is filled with pesky critters who want nothing more than to get in your way. The key here is planning ahead, to solve these challenging puzzles you will need to visualize your next move three steps ahead, to work out how to get where you need to be.

Lost In Shadow Nintendo Wii Game Review

The Nintendo Wii was definitely the stand-out console of 2010 when you look back at the exclusive titles released for the system, this has continued into 2011 with the release of "Lost In Shadow" an inventive and unique platformer that follows the shadow of a boy and it's journey up a tower to be reunited with it's master. If you have played ICO and Limbo, think of what a mixture of those two games would produce and that's what to expect here.

The simple, yet genius idea of how light and shadow interact is the concept that makes Lost in Shadow such a unique platforming experience. Sometimes the complex level design and difficulty can get in the way of what is truly a wonderful game, however the solid gameplay and fantastic art direction make this one of the games not to miss out on in 2011.

LittleBigPlanet 2 Game Review

Little Big Planet 2 has had allot of Playstation 3 fans on the edge of their seat in anticipation ever since it was announced, it should come as no surprise that this game is an almost perfect masterpiece in modern gaming. The platforming has been greatly improved (although it was already brilliant), the community tools are much smarter, the levels feel even more clever and unique, and all the new additions make this an early candidate for 2011's game of the year awards.

Little Big Planet 2 contains 30 fun filled levels that tell the story of Negativitron, a horrible beast which has invaded Craftworld and is gobbling up all the cities on the planet. Just as you did in the first game, you play as Sackboy and you've got to travel to various spots on the globe and run, jump, shoot, grab, or fly your way to saving the day. The storyline is not exactly the games strongest point, although it definitely doesn't try to be. This game is all about cuteness and fun, both of which you will find plenty of on your adventure.

No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle

In 2008 the Nintendo Wii seen the release of a surprisingly violent game in "No More Heroes". This game had brutal violence, sex, bloodshed, and seemed out of place on the otherwise squeaky clean Nintendo Wii console. Suda 51 invented a unique world which felt half-way between his previous works and something far into the future, mashed-up with Japanese cinema, punk style, and classic spaghetti westerns. While the game lacked polish and had far too many issues to be considered a modern day classic, it became a cult-fan favourite and deservedly so.

Sin and Punishment: Star Successor Nintendi Wii Game Review

The guys at Treasure have been delivering some of the most thrilling intense action-packed games since the early 90's, games like Gunstar Heroes on the SEGA Genesis and Ikaruga (a personal favourite of mine) are just a few of the almost legendary titles released by Treasure. Now they are attempting to "wow" us with their signature run-and-gun style gameplay on the Nintendo Wii with "Sin and Punishment: Star Successor". This is a sequel to a cult Nintendo 64 game, only ever released in Japan. This is a strange choice for release in western country's but it is without a doubt one of the best decisions made by Treasure as this is one of the best shooters to hit the market.

To be honest, the story here really isn't important but it goes a little something like this, There is a girl who is not quite human that you need to protect from some bad guys who can transform into gigantic monsters, there really isn't much more to it than that.

Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon review

Ever since Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon was unveiled in Japanese videogame magazines, a long time ago, I've wanted to play and love this game with a passion. Everything i could see from the early pictures and videos of the game made me believe this was a game made just for me, a mysterious storyline set in a world reminiscent of Silent Hill (with less violence), fantastic art and high production values highlighted by beautifully rendered cinematic's, Ghosts and Demons, as well as the feeling of isolation and desperate hope for answers. Everything about this game screamed success from my point of view. While some might find the dated and sometimes awkward controls a reason to avoid this game, this did not effect my decision and i am pleased to tell you this game is a modern day classic.

(The beautiful sky brings the world alive, while retaining the feeling of isolation)

A Space Shooter For 2 Bucks! Game Review

With so many big-budget video games being released in time for Christmas, It's surprising that "A Space Shooter For 2 Bucks!" is what my attention has been focused on. This little gem from the minds at Frima Studio is the latest Playstation Mini to be released and it's actually really fun.

When the Playstation Minis started rolling out last year they didn't do much to impress or overwhelm Sony fans. A Space Shooter For 2 Bucks! might well be the first of these "Minis" to consider purchasing. The game is incredibly fun, contains slick controls and solid gameplay. Everything here is simple, but done very well. The most impressive part about this whole thing though, is that you can purchase this game fore a mere $2. It's not the next Mass Effect or Call of Duty game, but it's a fantastic little gem that can keep you entertained for a few hours a week.

A Space Shooter For 2 Bucks! is a vertically-scrolling arcade shooter, much like the old classics, with a bit of a twist. The games 16 stages are split into two eight-stage zones, and the stages in those zones can be selected and played in any order. This makes the game feel less linear than the old classic arcade shooters and gives you a sense of freedom and exploration never seen in games like this. It's a really smart idea by Frima Studio. Some stages are ancillary with uninspired bosses, but the majority of stages are home to the primary bad guy's. Each stage has it's own unique purpose, defeating the ancillary stages will upgrade your ship and make it's defences stronger, while taking out each of the games bad guy's will allow you to use their special attacks in future stages, giving you a stronger attack.

999: 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors - Nintendo DS Game Review

For the last few nights i have been delightfully surprised and astonished with an unexpected Nintendo DS title, 999: 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors. This game has shocked me and impressed me in so many way's, delivering one of the most immersive and enriching gaming experiences of 2010.

999 i what you would call a "Text Adventure" or "Visual Novel" translated for the western market and given an M-rating (for mature content) which is a rarity for a DS game considering the majority of DS games are for a younger audience, with a family friendly atmosphere. But more than anything the game is just one big mindf*** that will drive your brain to the brink of insanity, before delivering you with the most satisfying experience you will ever find on a hand-held system.

The 999 experience begins with our hero Junpei, an average collage-aged kid, waking up in a haze of cloudy memory in a place he's never seen before. As he begins to regain his senses, he begins to realise the grim situation he is faced with, he's been kidnapped. Already the players interest has been captured with this gripping opening and from here thing's just get better and better. He soon realises that he's not only been kidnapped, but kidnapped and left somewhere in the middle of the ocean on a ship. He soon meets up with eight other victims and together they discover the truth, they've been gathered together by a madman to play through a sick twisted human experiment called "The Nonary Game". At this point, even so early in the story i could tell this was something special, something we don't often see in gaming any more and it made me want to unravel this mystery.

Mario All-Stars Limited Edition Game Review

For anyone who grew up with Mario, the thought of him turning a quarter of a century old is daunting. Well, Mario has just hit the 25 year mark and Nintendo have decided to celebrate their flagship Mascot's birthday by rewarding fans with Mario All-Stars Limited Edition game package for the Nintendo Wii. It's a repackaging of an old Super Nintendo game with a few extra goodies, but is it worth your money ?.

If you ever owned the original Super Mario All-Stars then you will know exactly what to expect here. This is a collection of the four NES-based Mario games, from Super Mario Bros. 1 to 3, including the addition of "The Lost Levels" (originally in the Japanese version of Super Mario Bros 2). All of the games come in their SNES form with improved visuals and character designs. For any hardcore Mario fans out there this will sound like heaven, however causal fans might need a bit more to capture their interest.

Fluidity Game Review

Fluidity is one of the more unique and creative titles to hit WiiWare this year. You play as a body of water, however you don't control this protagonist directly, you help guide and move the water around some delightfully visually impressive worlds by rotating the environment. The game is not a new idea, i still remember playing hand held versions of this concept as a child, but it's refreshing, fun, and a great way to spend a few hours of your day.

TRON: Evolution Game Review

TRON is a movie franchise that should have great video games, however, the usual tie-in movie games with the release of a big budget film have disappointed gamers in recent years so what can we expect from TRON: Evolution.

TRON: Evolution fills the gap between the original 1982 film and the upcoming sequel. You play as a system monitor who is trying to stop Clu's rise to power. It's a third-person action adventure game with allot of Parkour (just think of Mirror's Edge) and combat. Although it's not as good as any of these games it's sort of a mix between Mirror's Edge, Assassin's Creed, and Prince of Persia, but glow-in-the-dark. If you are a big TRON fan then you might find the story rather interesting considering it explains what happened to Flynn and expands on the TRON universe while answering a few questions, but it's nothing ground-breaking. Also the very sexy woman from House MD "13" does all the voice work, that was the thing i enjoyed most about this game to be honest.

Red Dead Redemption Game Review

The American West is the setting for many great movies and novels, but when it comes to video games this setting has been ignored or overlooked. Rockstar, the team behind the phenomenally successfully "Grand Theft Auto" franchise, have decided to give this setting the time and credit that it truly deserves by offering fans a Grand Theft Auto-like experience in the wild west. Red Dead Redemption sets the standards extremely high for future westerns, no developer has approached this time period in the video game industry with as much passion and heart as Rockstar clearly have and this is the reason we are looking at the best western game ever made.

One of the main achievement's Rockstar has managed to pull-off in Red Dead Redemption is the authenticity of America's history. Allot of delicate modern-day issues like racism, immigration, federal government power, and personal freedoms are in Red Dead and Rockstar has an uncanny ability to hold a mirror up to society and remind us all that these issues are deep within the history of America.

Rather than preaching politics to you, Red Dead Redemption places you in the shoes of the fairly neutral John Marston. Marston, a former outlaw gone straight has found out that history has a way of catching up with you. Those who were once his friends have now become enemies, leaving Marston alone in these cruel, harsh, lawless lands to fight for his and his family's survival. While this may sound slightly cliché, the game is anything but cliché and provides one of the most enriching stories and plot twists you will ever see in a video game.

Nail'd Game Review

Nail'd is an off-road arcade style racer which focuses on speed and chaos rather than real physics. We have seen this in recent racing games like Pure and the Motorstorm franchise, but the majority of modern-day racing games focus on realistic physics and arcade racing fans have been left with little to cheer about. Nail'd is the latest arcade-racer to hit the market and although it's not perfect, it's extremely fun.

The games setup is very simple, the main focus is on Career Mode, where you can race with either an ATV or MX Bike where you can race through several leagues and courses in quest of winning the Nail'd Championship. Most races consist of 3 laps around a course, however, Nail'd will sometimes mix the action up a bit, "mutators" add quirks such as infinite boosts, or no collision with other drivers to races. Or there are Stunt Challenges were you will have to complete tracks within a specific time while performing some of the many impressive tricks to gain a high score. There is a great deal of variety with the tricks, however, something as stupid as running another player off a track can be considered a trick which is a bit strange. The game also contains multiplayer racing for up to 12 players at one time, this will likely be the portion of the game which will hold players interests for a long time.

Splatterhouse Game Review

The development of Splatterhouse was originally given to Mark of Kri developers Bottlerocket Entertainment back in 2007. Namco snatched the title away early last year and gave it to the team behind 2008's Afro Samurai game. After 4 long years we can finally play Splatterhouse, but was it worth the wait ?, no.

Splatterhouse starts off more or less the same as the classic 80's arcade hit original, protagonist Rick is lying in a pool of his own blood as Dr. West drags his girl friend Jen away. An ancient mask offers Rick a deal, put on the mask and destroy Dr. West and all his creations, if this is done Rick will save his girl friend Jen. From then on the game is pretty much a bad VHS horror movie gone wrong from the 80's.

Splatterhouse rolls around in Lovecraftian themes that feel pretty tired in 2010, but the games slightly goofy sensibility takes the edge off of this somewhat. The game does nothing new and feels standard at best. The game follows the basics for a traditional third-person action game, light and heavy attacks, upgrades and better combos, quicktime kill moves, and hordes of pawn-like enemies followed by one oversized tougher enemy. This is the standard layout for a game like this and Splatterhouse doesn't even attempt to add it's own unique feeling or twist on this traditional layout for a third-person action game.

MotionSports Kinect Game Review

With a less than impressive line-up for the launch of Microsoft's Kinect, a system which uses motion sensing technology, MotionSports Kinect is just one of many games which fails to impress. Ubisoft's MotionSports features six different sports that are broken down into various challenges. The big problem is MotionSports fails to deliver the accurate, engaging, and enjoyable experience that Kinect Sports provides.

In MotionSports your real body movements are mapped onto your on-screen character, using the Kinect technology. You'll compete in various challenges, set in a variety of sports such as football, skiing, soccer, boxing, hand gliding, and horseback riding. The list of sports contains some familiar well-known sports, but there are some strange additions here. Even stranger is how the challenges in each sport don't seem to represent the sport very well. For example, playing football (American) will consist of you running down a pitch avoiding tackles and throwing the odd pass, rather than actually playing a game of football.

Disney Epic Mickey Game Review

Mickey Mouse was once an icon loved by all, he was in countless animated films and shorts, even some great video games. His fall from grace has seen his reputation slowly taken away from him, he is no longer the household name which captured the hearts of everyone back in his early days. Mickey is more of a corporate symbol these days, rather than an actual character. He is on merchandise all over the world but he has been in fewer films and he has had a notable absence from the video game industry for quite a while now. It's a shame to see a once beloved character reduced to this, however, Disney Epic Mickey may just be his ticket back to the top.

In developing Disney Epic Mickey, Warren Spector and his newly-formed Junction Point team sought out to recapture the magical feeling Mickey used to portray. The game manages to show one thing above all else, Mickey is just as capable, if not more, at supporting a Pixar-like adventure which not only amazes us with it's spectacle and design but tugs at our heart with it's strong character development and remarkable love for Disney lore. While there is allot holding this game back from being a truly great game, the passion the developers clearly had while making this game is enough to provide us with an utterly brilliant story and some delightful nostalgic moments worth our money.

Donkey Kong Country Returns Game Review

The reason that Nintendo are able to compete with their rivals (Sony, Microsoft) is the fantastic catalogue of games based off their many successful franchises. Donkey Kong is the latest character from our childhood to make a "HD return". Donkey Kong Country Returns is an almost perfect remake of one of Nintendo's classics and with nothing to complain about, other than the brutal difficulty, fans will be ecstatic with this latest choice from the Nintendo archives to receive a High Definition remake.

The developers seem to have approached this game with old-school values, mixed in with new-school techniques to appeal to modern fans. It is a game made with love, you can really see the passion the developers had for this franchise and the final product is phenomenal, it joins New Super Mario Bros and Kirby's Epic Yarn as a modern day 2D classic.