Deadly Premonition was supposed to be released three years ago under the name ‘Rainy Woods’ and while the title may have changed over the years, it is apparent not much else has. The game has major control issues, severely outdated graphics, a shoddy map system, and yet Deadly Premonition somehow perseveres and has managed to become one of the most charming games I have ever played.
For the sake of disclosure, I’m going to begin this review by stating that I have never been a huge fan of the original Devil May Cry series. The first three titles had their moments here and there, but it was the release of Devil May Cry 4 and the fact that you had to play through the game as one character and then play it through in reverse as another, that was the proverbial nail in the coffin of me never wanting to play any future Devil May Cry games. Fast forward five years and cue Ninja Theory, the developers behind the titles Heavenly Sword and Enslaved, who have been handed the reins of Devil May Cry and with them, the entire series has received a reboot, complete with a new style, new characters, and one hell of a new experience.
Mark of the Ninja Review
Author: Jeff McAllister
Developer Klei Studios had a lot to prove after their previous cartoon stylized titles of Shank and Shank 2 were the poster children of side-scroller mediocrity. While they had a fantastic art style to them, their gameplay was lacking and ultimately wasted in their repetitiveness. Their newest offering, Mark of the Ninja, brings the same fantastic art style but instead of balls to the wall, guts and glory, it takes players on a journey of stealth and sabotage. It’s a reminder that there really was a time when ninja games were about stealth and strategy. A time when games like Tenchu were once about using the tools at your disposal for quietly dispatching enemies and not just jumping into a group of enemies, hacking and slashing their limbs off like every other modern ninja based game.
Transformers: Fall of Cybertron Review
Author: Jeff McAllister
Transformers: War for Cybertron was the title that Transformers fan had been clamoring for. Gone was the aftertaste of the horrible movie games and the earlier games based on the alternate animated series. It brought the classic characters back to their roots and gave fans of the original series a look at where things had begun before the twenty year old cartoon started. Fall of Cybertron continues the story from War for Cybertron, (which if you haven’t played it yet, do yourself a favor and get to it) and not only brings new characters into the fold, but also a more enjoyable and stimulating story than the previous title offered. Gone is the “Dark Energon” tripe and in its place is an involved storyline detailing the Autobots frantic attempt against the clock to escape Cybertron and the behind-the-scenes activities that the Decepticons are occupied with in preventing the Autobots escape and ensuring their own survival.
Dyad Review
Author: Seán O’Sullivan
What is Dyad? I’ve cleared every stage of this game, got three out of three stars on the majority of them, and I’m still not quite sure, to be honest. There isn’t a way to tidily fit Dyad’s constantly-shifting mechanics into videogaming’s nomenclature, but it’s essentially a game of racing and twitch-shooting that plays second fiddle to a visual presentation that does its best to dazzle and scupper the player in equal measure.
Frogger Hyper Arcade Edition Review
Author: Jeff McAllister
Not too long after the release of the hyper-stylized Pac-Man Championship Edition on XBLA and the PSN, other arcade favorites started to receive the energetic overhaul. Galaga, the wave based space shooter was next in line and although it didn’t receive the same acclaim that Pac-Man did, it was still an interesting rejuvenation for an aging game. After the success of those re-tuned arcade games, it was only a matter of time before other companies started to jump on the neon bandwagon. The most recent title to hop on is the retro arcade monster hit Frogger, with Konami releasing Frogger: Hyper Arcade Edition.
Tiny and Big: Grandpa’s Leftovers
Author: Seán O’Sullivan
Tiny and Big: Grandpa’s Leftovers is a third-person physics puzzler with a unique set of gameplay mechanics that guarantees an experience unlike any other before it. Players assume the role of Tiny, who is on a quest to reclaim his grandfather’s bequeathed underpants from Big; an equally besotted – if slightly more megalomaniacal grandson. Big flees to higher ground with the sought-after garments on his head, setting the stage for Tiny to platform his way through a world made out of intricately-arranged objects that can be sliced, pushed, pulled, and launched via miniature rocket to facilitate traversal.
Dragon’s Lair Review
Author: Jeff McAllister
When you consider the fact that Dragon’s Lair has been available for just about every single platform imaginable, including but not limited to the Commodore 64, Sega CD, and even the Nintendo 3DS, since its original 1983 arcade release, it was only a matter of time before it made its way to Xbox LIVE Arcade. Now that it finally has, those who have never had the chance to experience the animated, almost thirty year old adventure classic are now able to do so in all of its original glory—with a few extra bells and whistles thrown in for unnecessary measures.
Starhawk Review
Author: Jeff McAllister
Ever wanted to play a game where you could have a building come crashing down from the blackness of outer space, instantly construct itself right in front of your eyes, and then dispense a giant mech that allowed you to take to the skies as it transformed into a jet? Well you’re in luck because it happens in the third-person shooter/strategy PlayStation 3 Exclusive title, Starhawk from developers Lightbox and Santa Monica Studios; and it happens quite often.
Starhawk is a multiplayer focused game that allows players to build up defenses to protect their team and pilot a variety of vehicle to assault the opposing one. The online multiplayer features the run-of-the-mill modes of Team Deathmatch, Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, and Zones –which is basically the same as the Conquest or Domination modes found in other games— but the addition of creating structures to aid your war brings a whole new level of ingenuity to the gameplay.
Minecraft XBox 360 Edition Review
Author: Seán O’Sullivan
If the runaway success of its cheap knockoffs is anything to go by, Xbox 360 owners have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Minecraft Xbox 360 Edition. Now that it’s finally arrived with a feature-set that’s considerably pared down compared to the PC release version, and costing ten times more than the Indie imitators, Minecraft might have its work cut out trying to justify the 1600 MSP asking price.
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