The Evolved Gaming Network

Final Fantasy XIII Review (X360/PS3)

VeRKK — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 02:46:30 +0000

The Final Fantasy franchise was always the staple barometer to the J-RPG genre, and with a couple of years of wait, can FF13 be the one to grab others? almost.

*Disclaimer*

Reviewing this game was to see if a non J-RPG fan would like the genre or the FF series specifically, the knowledge or lack of terms are foreseeable, so be aware that this review was done without having any experience with J-RPG’s or with any FF game. The game was reviewed with playing fully on the FIRST DVD and a small amount of gaming on the SECOND DVD on the 360 version, tha main rason i did not passed beyond that, is because i was stuck on a boss, even with help, and for that the game can take a good or a bad turn in any aspect, but this is my view of it from what i played, take that with a grain of salt.

Presentation:

Saving Cocoon, that is the primary goal from all characters to the universe, and while the regular people did not see a Pulse in the eyes before, things are about to change, this is an epic tale of couple of characters that had nothing in common before, but now they are at one to save Cocoon and to fulfill their destiny.

Stunning cut-scenes with fantastic lighting and detail, beautiful In-Game environments with plenty variety, character models look good, but not great, some of the enemy design is quite flat and blend, but for the most part, FF13 have a lot to sell, great story with nice plot twists and turns, with pretty substantial character development with some great dialogues, sadly, its inconsistent with its set-pieces, while most characters are intriguing, some are just boring, and while some of it works on the narrative side, gameplay wish, its just plain. A big part of the game is the linear style game with directed fighting sequences, and while it could be fun, the structure and the design could have been a lot better. Clear menus with plenty to upgrade and discover can be good for the ones that are not familiar with the lore or the basics of the combat mechanics.

Visuals:

Most areas look really impressive, but some look rough and un-inspired, but for the most part, the game look gorgeous with nice environmental detail that is clear to the eye, most enemies design is not really appealing, but at least the cut-scenes makes up for it for the grander moments of the game, going between flashbacks, real time and basically an overview of the plot is nice visually, since most of it look great, some minor hick-ups regarding the frame rate, but it is not crucial by any means.

Sound:

Somewhat fitting music at points, but overall im not a big fan of the music, some parts are just plain weird to the setting you are in, and some are just annoying regardless, and even though the effects are pretty awesome in-game and cut-scene wise, its not enough. The voice-overs in the game can be a hit or miss, some of it is related to the script, but there is a big problem with some of the characters, especially when the game goes to a more emotional level, plus side characters sounds awful with really bad accents that does not fit at all to the setting.

Gameplay:

As a semi turn based RPG, the game can take from 10 second to 15 minutes, depending on your skills, party members and tactics, and obviously on the enemy that is in front of you, while it may seem easy at first (i would say it was easy for the first two hours) the game picks up after a certain point, but even with that, someone like me who never had experience with these games, it was manageable to get the hang of the different classes, abilities and pre-made tactics.

Upgrading and purchasing weapons, potions and accessories can be done via a simple yet effective portal, which also work for saving the game, and it is placed at the right area, mostly after a big fighting sequence or a few small encounters, giving someone like me, a compulsive saver, a good place to make a mistake and try again, even though the game have a tendency to checkpoint right before a cut-scene instead of after, which is weird, but i can attest that the game is more friendly at the combat, at least for a while, after browsing through the different skill trees that you can evolve, i found myself upgrading minor yet effective skills that i didn’t even know i can upgrade, and perhaps it is just me, but i find it abit complicated to know what to upgrade or what is the right direction to go with the skill tree. Upgrading weapons and accessories almost essential for getting a substantial EXP boosts and rewards, which leads me to a small yet problematic situation the game, at parts you can use differnt shrouds to avoid or to use stealth of some sort to pass along enemies, but the structure of the main areas and side ares for rewards pickups can be deceiving, granted, there is a risk and reward situation for getting extra items with fighting, but it misses the point of the spell if there is no possibility to advance without having that fight done.

Linearity can be a problem, and even though i have no reference to something else, it is a massive problem because the structure of the fights and missions design is flawed, adding repetitive encounters to the area you are in, with the same weaknesses for the enemies can be a big grind for almost no rewards, and it is mandatory. Part of the problem is the un-appealing characters that you have to play with, even though they are great for the narrative, their weapons or skills are just weak and boring to use, and with the almost mandatory party members that the game throw at you, it could be frustrating, especially when it become hard for no apparent reason, even if it works on the narrative side.

The big and most challenging part of the game is the need to use tactics with the party members you have, if any, being a medic and assigning a commando party member can help with some, but can be slow or un-effective with other, finding the balance between what to trigger a stunned enemy and loosing health can be a problem at later levels, but once you are set with the main role for each party member you have and trying to evolve their skills with that mindset, could help quite a lot.

Pros and Cons:

Pros:

Fascinating story with some good character development, even if it is not perfect, it is surprisingly appealing.

Stunning visuals with hick ups, mainly the cut-scenes that are really impressive.

Easy to learn- hard to master fighting mechanics, it can be deep, but it can also be quite flat for the unfamiliar gamer.

Using different tactics and use age of different skills from the party members can be a crucial yet a fun thing to experiment.

Cons:

Facial animations\expressions can be quite rough, there isnt a lot of detail to it aswell, and it shows in the emotional parts that game have.

Lackluster music and twitchy voice overs.

Linearity can be a problem, not a big one, but it does exist.

Character motivations and acting could have been better, mainly the side\smaller ones.

In-game characters and enemies are lacking detail.

Battle ending statistics are annoying.

Structure to the fights and some of the main missions can be a problem for some.

Brutal boss battles at points, even if there is a way to scan the boss weakness, executing it can be quite hard.

Scoring:

Presentation:

9 Great story with mostly interesting characters, the banter is good.

Visuals:

8.8 Stunning cut-scenes and some amazing looking environments are being deluded with some roughness with character detail and animations.

Sound:

8.5 While most of the voice overs are solid, unfitting music can be a big downer.

Gameplay:

8 I like the battles and i really enjoy the tactics, but the structure and design of the game can be a big problem.

Replay Value:

9 This is a big big game, not sure if there will be a need for a second run, but I’m sure one run will do it.

Conclusion:

Final Fantasy XIII is a great game with flaws, for me, the inexperienced J-RPG player, the flaws are not necessarily a problem with the genre or the series, but at points i can see why people would love it, but at other points, i can see them seeing it like i did, where it was a bit stretched at points, but for the most part, FF13 is a great experience, if not for the gameplay, its for the narrative, which is weird for me to say, since i don’t have any interest in J-RPG’s or the FF series in general.

Final Score:

BioShock 2 Big Daddy Plush Doll Unboxing

WouldYouKindly — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:01:27 +0000

Another addition to my BioShock collection has finally arrived, the Big Daddy Plush Doll. I must say when I ordered the plush doll I expected nothing more than a completely stuffed doll, so I was quite surprised when I opened the box and saw the level of detail that was put into this toy. The [...]

Tweet Defense now available for iPhone and iPod Touch

WouldYouKindly — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:25:00 +0000

Ex-Gamerscore blog staffers and Promethium Marketing founders have released their first iPhone game, Tweet Defense. About: A lethal marketing virus has turned half the world’s population into brain eating zombies. Now they are after your brains! Tweet Defense is a pick up and play Tower Defense mobile game featuring several unique defense towers and waves of zombies with [...]

Steam’s Square Enix, Eidos Week Day Two

WouldYouKindly — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:00:48 +0000

The second set of deals from Steam’s Square Enix, Eidos Week is 66% off Battlestations and Order of War bundle. You can purchase them individually for 50% off or in a Battlestations and Order of War bundle for 66% off. Links and Pricing: Battlestations Midway – $9.99 Battlestations Pacific – $17.49 Order of War – $14.99 Battlestations and Order [...]

Lady Gaga makes her Rock Band debut

WouldYouKindly — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:50:53 +0000

Lady Gaga will make her Rock Band debut next week with the Lady Gaga Pack 01 as well as a special Lady Gaga cover by South Park’s own Eric Cartman. Lady GaGa Pack 01 will include: -Bad Romance -Just Dance -Monster -Poker Face The Cartman version of Poker Face will be separate from the Lady GaGa Pack 01. Price: [...]

NHL 2K11 Cover Athlete Revealed

WouldYouKindly — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:43:08 +0000

2K Sports announced today they have signed Ryan Kesler, star two-way forward for the Vancouver Canucks and 2010 Winter Olympics hero, to be featured as the cover athlete and spokesman for their upcoming video game, NHL 2K11. Kesler, a vital member of the upstart 2010 U.S. Olympic hockey team, captured the collective attention of sports [...]

Rage Quit Radio Vidcast Ep. 33

FrustratedFury — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 14:25:40 +0000

We be back again! This week we have a full house and some passerby’s. Disorganized as always, but still here to talk about Army of Two: The 40th Day, Borderlands, Star Ocean 4, and Lunar Silver Star Harmony. We also mention/discuss our favorite villian in games. As always, you can watch us live every Monday, Friday, and Saturday nights right here: www.justin.tv/frusratedfury

Divided into 3 parts:

Watch live video from Rage Quit Radio on Justin.tv

Stuart Black set to reboot shooter gun play with new IP: Bodycount

WouldYouKindly — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:51:25 +0000

Set to rip apart the First Person Shooter and deliver genre-defining gun play that comes alive in an orgy of bullets and destruction, Codemasters today confirmed that Bodycount is the new IP in production at Codemasters Studios Guildford. Designed by Creative Director Stuart Black (co-creator and designer of Black, 2006), Bodycount is being created by an [...]

NC Update 3/8

Rejected Gamer — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:04:29 +0000

Here are the latest videos and DS Demos available from the Nintendo Channel.

Videos

1. Nintendo Week 3/8 (11:44)
2. Poke’mon HeartGold and Soulsilver versions TV Spot 1 (00:30)
3. Poke’mon HeartGold and Soulsilver versions TV Spot 2 (00:30)
4. Max & the Magic Marker Info Video (01:53)
5. Dracula: Undead Awakening Info Video (00:50)
6. Elemental Masters Info Video (01:33)
7. Trauma Team Walk-Thru: Surgery (03:20)
8. The Lord of the Rings: Aragon’s Quest Info Video (01:17)

DS Demos

Battle of Giants: Mutant Insects (Dist. Ends 03/14)

Dragon Age: Origins PC Update 1.03 details

WouldYouKindly — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:47:07 +0000
Dragon Age: Origins has been updated to 1.03 details below. * Various changes have been made to code and resources to support the Dragon Age: Origins – Awakening expansion pack. Most of these changes do not affect Origins itself * Some players were experiencing increasingly long load times. A major cause of [...]

Steam’s Eidos Week

WouldYouKindly — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:25:19 +0000
This week on Steam, SQUARE ENIX and Eidos are having a publisher week all week long with a set of different games discounted each day. Monday deals: 50% off the following games: Hitman: Codename 47 – $4.99 Hitman: Blood Money – $4.99 Hitman 2: Silent Assassin – $4.99 Deus Ex: Game of the Year Edition – $4.99 Deus Ex: Invisible War – [...]

Nintendo Downloads for March 8th, 2010

WouldYouKindly — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:10:34 +0000
Your weekly Nintendo Downloads. WiiWare Max & the Magic Marker Publisher: Press Play Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Comic Mischief Price: 1,000 Wii Points Description: One day Max gets a mysterious marker in the mail. Not knowing better, the first thing he draws is a wacky, purple monster. As soon as the marker leaves the paper, the monster comes to [...]

DSiWare Update 3/8

Rejected Gamer — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:06:02 +0000

Here is your weekly update of games coming out for DSiWare.

There are four games coming out this week for DSiWare.

Title: Flips: The Bubonic Builders
ESRB: E for Everyone
Genre: Other
Number of Players: 1
Cost: 500 DSi Points ($5)
Wi-fi Support: No
DS Download/Wireless Play: No
Camera Support: No
Mic Support: No
Developer/Publisher: EA

Title: 4 Travellers: Play Spanish
ESRB: E for Everyone
Genre: Education, Multiplayer
Number of Players: 1-4
Cost: 800 DSi Points ($8)
Wi-fi Support: No
DS Download/Wireless Play: Yes (wireless mp)
Camera Support: No
Mic Support: No
Developer/Publisher: AGENIUS

Title: Dracula: Undead Awakening
ESRB: T for Teen
Genre: Shooter
Number of Players: 1
Cost: 500 DSi Points ($5)
Wi-fi Support: No
DS Download/Wireless Play: No
Camera Support: No
Mic Support: No
Developer/Publisher: Chillingo

Title: Elemental Masters
ESRB: T for Teen
Genre: Fantasy Card Game
Number of Players: 1-2
Cost: 800 DSi Points ($8)
Wi-fi Support: No
DS Download/Wireless Play: Yes (wireless mp)
Camera Support: no
Mic Support: No
Developer/Publisher: Ibxgames

Go ahead and check these games out in the DSi Shop Channel now, have fun!

Wiiware/VC Update 3/8

Rejected Gamer — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:37:38 +0000

Here is your weekly update of game releases for Wiiware and the Virtual Console.

Two Wiiware titles, and one virtual console title will coming at you this week. Here is the info for each of them.

Wiiware

Title: Dracula: Undead Awakening
ESRB Rating: Rated T for Teen
Genre: Shooter
Number of players: 1
Online Connectivity: Yes (Leaderboards)
Cost: 1,000 Wii points ($10)
Created by: Chillingo

Title: Max & the Magic Marker
ESRB Rating: Rated E for Everyone
Genre: Platformer, Puzzle
Number of players: 1
Online Connectivity: No
Cost: 1,000 Wii points ($10)
Created by: Press Play

Virtual Console

Title: Final Fantasy II
ESRB Rating: Rated E for Everyone
Genre: RPG
Number of players: 1
Cost: 800 Wii points ($8)
Console: Super NES
Release Date: 10/19/1991
Developed/Published by: Square Enix

Be sure to drop by the Wii Shop Channel and check these games out.

2K Games Partners with Playboy Magazine for Mafia II

WouldYouKindly — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:28:45 +0000
2K Games announced today that it has signed a license agreement with Playboy magazine for a unique in-game integration to use more than 50 of their vintage covers and Centerfolds in Mafia II, this year’s highly anticipated epic mobster game for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Windows PC. Set in the fully realised and [...]

Valve to deliver Steam & Source for Mac

WouldYouKindly — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:17:36 +0000
Valve announced today it will bring Steam, Valve’s gaming service, and Source, Valve’s gaming engine, to the Mac. Steam and Valve’s library of games including Left 4 Dead 2, Team Fortress 2, Counter-Strike, Portal, and the Half-Life series will be available in April. “As we transition from entertainment as a product to entertainment as a service, customers [...]

Super Newtronic now available for iPhone and iPod Touch

WouldYouKindly — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:12:57 +0000
Combining Sir Newton’s physics with mesmerizing electronic sights and sounds and revolutionary controls, Super Newtronic is a new and addictive app for the iPhone and iPod touch that is available now. The premise is simple: Use the metal balls to break all the blocks by drawing energy lines with your finger. The ball will bounce off [...]

Fallout New Vegas Screens

WouldYouKindly — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:58:46 +0000
The first set of Fallout New Vegas screens have hit the internet showing off new weapons, enemies, companion commands and Sunset Sarsaparilla… Wait what the hell is this Sunset Sarsaparilla? I want my Nuka-Cola dammit!

Toy Soldiers Review [Xbox 360]

WouldYouKindly — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 17:16:12 +0000
I remember growing up as a kid spending hours preparing for battle, each toy soldier had their own carefully placed positions and weapons, ready to ambush their enemies. I remember how much fun I had fighting off hordes of imaginary enemies to finally emerge victorious as I invaded the enemy toy box. I now have [...]

Resident Evil 5: Lost in Nightmares DLC Review

INFECTED503 — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 00:06:44 +0000

If you are a Resident Evil fan then you’ve probably already picked this DLC up and played though it. If any of Evolved Gaming’s Staff Writer’s owned a PlayStation 3 version of Resident Evil 5 then a review of it’s DLC would have been more timely. But as it turns out Drew, @FrustratedFury, is the only one with a copy and its on the Xbox 360. Therefore as we a community website we turned to the community to find a gamer that still owns Resident Evil 5 on the PlayStation and is willing to still play it. Now we did have to go all the way to Peurto Rico to find said gamer but @HECV stepped up and helped out with the following “Guest Review” of the fist Resident Evil 5 DLC “Lost in Nightmares”. Stay tuned for his review of the second RE5 DLC “Desperate Escape” in the coming days.

Also if you didn’t know the Resident Evil 5 “Gold Edition” is being released this coming Tuesday, March 9th, 2010. On the PlayStation Blu-Ray both DLC episodes will be included. The Xbox 360 edition will contain Voucher Codes for the DLC. Now on to the review.

Resident Evil 5: Lost in Nightmares Review
By Hernán E Colón

This DLC takes place in Ozwell E. Spencer estate, one of the key founder’s of Umbrella. Resident Evil fans will notice how familiar the place looks. Doors will open slowly in first person view and you can examine the main door three times to enable the classic camera mode; and there are more references to the classic Resident Evil throughout.

The atmosphere is just as creepy and tense as classic Resident Evil games. The only new bits of story are found in diaries and most of the cut scenes are the complete flashbacks you see in the main game. The new enemy is called Guardian of Insanity and is very powerful!, but walks slow because of a huge anchor that it carries. Throughout this chapter you will find different types of weapons depending on the difficulty you play and the Guardians will show up in different places randomly which adds a bit of replay value. There are a total of 18 hidden stars to find but only help on your final score for the leaderboards.

It took me 1:37 to finish it on my first try. One thing to note is that there is no saving system and that means you will need to finish this DLC in one sitting. A total of 5 new achievements/trophies to collect. You also get to play as Barry Burton and Excella Gionne on the Mercenaries mini-game.

If you’re looking for more Resident Evil 5 or want an excuse to come back, this DLC is a good chance to do so. For 400 Microsoft Point or $5 on the PSN I’d say this DLC is worth a try.

Well there you have it. DLC that is actually worth picking up! Let us know what you think of the Lost in Nightmares Episode in the comments below and look for a review of the second DLC Episode Desperate Escape in the next few days.
A big thanks from everyone here at Evolved Gaming to Hernán for doing a review and for Capcom for providing a review voucher token.

©2010 The Evolved Gaming Network. All Rights Reserved.
.

Week in Review: The Finale

Rejected Gamer — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 20:34:04 +0000

Topics: Super Street Fighter IV, Infinity Ward/Activision, Shiren the Wanderer, Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing, Heavy Rain, & Battlefield Bad Company 2.

Intro music performed by “In Flames” off their album “A Sense of Purpose”
Outro music performed by “Outkast” off their album “Idlewild”

Direct link [right-click, save as]

BioShock 2 DLC release date and pricing announced

WouldYouKindly — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 23:03:45 +0000
2K Games announced today that the Sinclair Solutions Tester Pack, the first in a series of single and multiplayer downloadable content for BioShock 2, will be available on March 11, 2010 from both the Xbox LIVE and Games for Windows-LIVE for 400 Microsoft Points, and from the PlayStation Network for $4.99. Sinclair Solutions Tester Pack, the [...]

Valve announces Portal 2

WouldYouKindly — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 20:42:31 +0000
Valve, creators of best-selling game franchises (such as Left 4 Dead, Counter-Strike, and Half-Life) and leading technologies (such as Steam, Source), today announced sequel to 2007’s Game of the Year coming this holiday Portal was originally released in 2007 and earned over 70 industry achievement awards. Unfortunately no other information other than that tiny bit above. Hopefully [...]

Radio Flare REDUX now available for iPhone and iPod Touch

WouldYouKindly — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:31:22 +0000
Chillingo has announced the launch of Radio Flare REDUX for iPhone and iPod touch. Developed by indie developer studio radiolaris, the game is a stylized side-scrolling shoot-’em-up featuring groundbreaking music and multi-touch gameplay. Radio Flare REDUX combines shoot-‘em-up gameplay with a revolutionary soundtrack which affects the game itself. Enemies move in time to the music, while [...]

Nintaii 2 now available for iPhone and iPod Touch

WouldYouKindly — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:00:58 +0000
Concrete Software announced today the release of Nintaii 2 for the iPhone and iPod Touch to be sold in the iTunes App Store. Nintaii 2, the follow-up to the popular game Nintaii, is a strategic puzzle game that includes 100 brand new levels with new features and obstacles for enjoyable and challenging game play. You can [...]

Rock Band DLC: The White Stripes, The Futureheads and More

WouldYouKindly — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:44:20 +0000
Available next week on Xbox 360 and Wii (March 9) and PlayStation 3 (March 11): · The Futureheads – “Decent Days & Nights” + · The Futureheads – “Hounds of Love” + · The [...]

Playstation Store Update for March 4th, 2010

WouldYouKindly — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 01:49:20 +0000
Your weekly Playstation Store update. Price Updates * Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo Sale (now $4.99, original price $9.99) Downloadable Games Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-slick Precipice of Darkness: Episode 1 and 2 (Bundle) ($14.99) Episode 1 and 2 Bundle is the first two installments in the RPG-adventure game series based on the web comic [...]

Steam’s Weekend Deal 75% off of Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising

WouldYouKindly — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 01:38:07 +0000
This weekend on Steam get Operation Flashpoint for 75% off, that’s only $7.49! About Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising Operation Flashpoint: Dragon Rising is a game about a fictitious conflict on one of the Sakhalin islands, a conflict that is in danger of erupting onto a global scale. The player takes the role of a US soldier, [...]

Preview: Resonance of Fate

Rejected Gamer — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:21:18 +0000

Resonance of Fate is said to be “getting pushed out to die in the battle of RPG-supremacy for March, 2010.” Quite possible indeed, considering Square-enix releases its role-playing powerhouse Final Fantasy XIII not more than a week prior to RoF. Or maybe Sega & Tri-Ace have a fight in their hands they intend to win.

Now you and I both know there is no way in hell Resonance of Fate will ever out-sell FFXIII, but that’s not saying it cannot be a better game.

Of what I’ve seen so far from Tri-ace’s next RPG saga, the combat system looks to be one of the most interesting and strategic systems in an RPG yet. It doesn’t hurt that this title also looks beautiful and revolves around gun combat unlike most traditional JRPG fare.

Expect a review here @ RJG.com. Till then, feast your eyes on these screens and visit: http://www.sega.com/rof/index_us.html#/home

The Rock Band Network Music Store Goes Live

WouldYouKindly — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:38:15 +0000
Harmonix and MTV Games announced that the Rock Band Network Music Store opens to the public today, giving Rock Band fans and music lovers a new avenue to discover music and providing musicians and labels the opportunity to produce and promote tracks for the Rock Band platform. The Rock Band Network, announced in July,is aground-breaking [...]

The Rock Band Network Music Store Goes Live

WouldYouKindly — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:38:15 +0000
Harmonix and MTV Games announced that the Rock Band Network Music Store opens to the public today, giving Rock Band fans and music lovers a new avenue to discover music and providing musicians and labels the opportunity to produce and promote tracks for the Rock Band platform. The Rock Band Network, announced in July,is aground-breaking [...]

EA Partners and Hothead Games Team up to Deliver DeathSpank in 2010

WouldYouKindly — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:30:09 +0000
EA Partners and Hothead Games announced an exclusive publishing agreement that will bring DeathSpank to Xbox LIVE Arcade and PlayStation Network in 2010. Developed under the vision of The Secret of Monkey Island creator and industry icon Ron Gilbert, DeathSpank blends a story filled with Gilbert’s unique humor and wit with classic and addictive action [...]

EA Partners and Hothead Games Team up to Deliver DeathSpank in 2010

WouldYouKindly — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:30:09 +0000
EA Partners and Hothead Games announced an exclusive publishing agreement that will bring DeathSpank to Xbox LIVE Arcade and PlayStation Network in 2010. Developed under the vision of The Secret of Monkey Island creator and industry icon Ron Gilbert, DeathSpank blends a story filled with Gilbert’s unique humor and wit with classic and addictive action [...]

Digimon Battle Open Beta Registration

WouldYouKindly — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:17:01 +0000
WeMade Entertainment today announced plans to launch the first-ever online Digimon game, Digimon Battle. The massively multiplayer online game will bring the original animated TV Series, Seasons 1 – 4 (“Digimon Adventure,” “Digimon Adventure 02,” “Digimon Tamers,” and “Digimon Frontier”) to life online with real-time battles and an interactive world to explore. Players will take [...]

Digimon Battle Open Beta Registration

WouldYouKindly — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:17:01 +0000
WeMade Entertainment today announced plans to launch the first-ever online Digimon game, Digimon Battle. The massively multiplayer online game will bring the original animated TV Series, Seasons 1 – 4 (“Digimon Adventure,” “Digimon Adventure 02,” “Digimon Tamers,” and “Digimon Frontier”) to life online with real-time battles and an interactive world to explore. Players will take [...]

Playstation Comic Store Update for March 4th, 2010

WouldYouKindly — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 19:55:39 +0000
Your weekly Playstation comic store update. * 2000AD Prog # 1669 – $ 1.99 * Army of Two # 2 $ 1.99 * Donald Duck and the Unexpected Guest – $ 0.99 * Donald Duck in: “Gone With The Wind” # 2 [...]

Raging Thunder 2 now available for iPhone and iPod Touch

WouldYouKindly — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:12:26 +0000
Raging Thunder 2 is now available on iPhone, iPod Touch and Android. From Polarbit, comes the most intense, high-speed reckless driving experience ever. Featuring online, cross-platform multiplayer, Raging Thunder 2 allows players to challenge strangers around the world to heart pumping racing action whether on an iPhone or Android phone. Get behind the wheel of a [...]

Aliens vs. Predator Review

Rejected Gamer — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:08:11 +0000

Two of RJG Staff members chose to fight the everlasting battle between Alien vs. Predator. Which side did they choose, and how did the fight turn out, find out more after the break.

Developer: Rebellion
Publisher: Sega
Genre: Sci-Fi Firs-Person Action
# of players: 1 player offline,2-18 online
Price: $59.99
Consoles: PS3, 360, and PC

B4’s Opinion:

I’m not too knowledgeable of the Aliens vs. Predator franchise, and have not played too many of the video games based on it. I’ve seen the one okay movie(AVP), and the one terrible movie (requiem), and played the arcade game, but that’s about it. What I felt like this series was missing was a storyline that actually brought you in,and made you care about what was going on. I’m sad to report that AVP has not faired much better in this regard whatsoever. That, tied in with the glitchy controls, bland level design, and lack of polish in the MP modes makes AVP an afterthought in my opinion.

I’m not saying that the concept here isn’t intriguing at all, it’s just not very well thought out. The idea of splitting the story into three different sections (Alien, Predator, and Marine) is a nice concept if, and only if it actually keeps the storyline consistent amongst all three campaigns. All you need to know is that the Marine Campaign requires you to escape from the fight between Alien and Predator, the Alien campaign requires you to destroy the predator, and vice versa for the Predator campaign, that’s about it. Argue it with me all you want, but it was the best way I could put it all together for you.

The variety as to what you can do with each of the three different characters did make the gameplay unique to a certain extent, but each one faulters in one area or another, making the experience more tedious than fun most of the time. It was fun to be able to jump from the top of buildings, and do stealth kills as the predator, but the melee attacks were awful, and wouldn’t respond half of the time, especially when you were fighting the aliens. This was also a major problem when you were playing as the Alien.

The Aliens had an excellent sense of speed to them, but the mechanic of climbing up walls could often leave you feeling disoriented. The Marine Campaign did have solid first-person shooter controls, and was very helpful in telling you where to go next because of the straight-up hud system that it had, but the flashlight would only illuminate a short distance in front of you, and the gameplay itself was just lacking any sense of excitement, until the end at least, but I don’t want to spoil it for you.

The overall design wasn’t bad, but it was bland and repetitive. I would have like to have seen a campaign that spanned across three different, but what I got instead was the same levels from a different characters point of view. The character models of the different creatures looked really good up-close, and the voice acting was decent, but very cheesy. The music was tense, dark, and moody, and really played into the idea of making you feel scared. I won’t go into too much detail about the multiplayer modes, but I will say that they are very fun to play, but using your xp just to unlock skins instead of actual character upgrades did piss me off a little bit.

To sum it all up, AVP was a somewhat fun and unique game that to a certain extent captures the style of the franchise. What it lacks in polish, it makes up for in some fun first-person action and creative ideas. (C+)

- Matt H.

X3R0’s Opinion:

If you’re looking for a game that does a decent job combining all the aspects of the Alien vs. Predator series, then this game is something to look at. If you’re looking for a new game to play, then this game isn’t for you. Yes, the 2010 release of Aliens vs. Predator is, in my opinion, the best in the series, but it falls short at becoming a game that everybody will rant and rave about. Aliens vs. Predator is filled with issues, beginning with occasional glitches, poor combat mechanics, and an overall simplistic storyline, but it does have some qualities that makes this game stand out.

The overall story of AvP encompasses all three arcs into a cliché story. As I mentioned before, the story is short and simple, either run to safety, escape, or hunt…that’s it! There seemed to be potential of this game having a very good solid storyline if there was more time spent with it. It was exciting to see the story split up amongst the different characters, but the shortness of the overall story took away from getting connected with the characters.

Besides the story being short, the overall combat system wasn’t the greatest. The Marine combat is by far the closest to a straightforward shooter while the others are based on stealth and melee, and the melee isn’t anything to right home about. As the Predator you’re able to jump around from tree top to roof top utilizing the Predator equipment found in the movies. You first start off with just the basic, wrist blades on each hand and a laser. As you progress through the Predator missions, you begin to pick up more weapons that make the game more enjoyable, but you’ll still be utilizing the wrist blades more for attacks, which was a burden majority of the time. The burden comes from encountering some glitches and unresponsiveness while I was battling the Aliens and it felt like you were playing a bad boxing game…punch, block, punch-punch, block, rinse and repeat.

As you played the Aliens, you have the opportunity to move about practically anywhere you want to via the walls, ceilings, or floor. Your enemies stand out a lot more than the other two characters as the alien recognizes living beings based off of pheromones. The alien utilizes no weapons other than melee, but the speed and openness makes up for that. Between the speed and the open exploration, you’ll end up disorientated quite a bit.

The biggest complaint I have about the game is the sense of direction. If you don’t pay close attention to what is going on, you will end up not knowing where you have to go and spend countless minutes figuring it out. The Marine’s radar had an arrow showing you which way to go, the downside to that is, it floats all over the place. It seemed too sensitive to location. The Predator uses a beacon design, only showing you the end location, so it is up to you to figure out how to get there. Playing the alien has the worst direction help I have ever seen in a game. I simply doesn’t have anything.

It may seem that this game was a complete failure, but there are quite a few things that make this game unique. The way the story is separated and kind-of interweaved into the other story arcs is very interesting. As you play the different characters you’ll see subtle events that either happened or hasn’t happened yet in other story arcs. The graphics of the Predator and Alien looked sharp! There were a few times between the sounds and the visual effects, I thought I might have been watching a Predator or an Alien film. There were many sound effects that seemed they were taken from the films, i.e. radars blips, sounds of the Aliens and Predators, the gush of air when the Predator takes his face mask off, and the transition between the sight modes.

The multiplayer is probably the most exciting part of the game! With its seven different modes, you’ll have no reason to say there’s nothing there for you. Game variants range from Death Matches to Domination, with dash of a “Horde” and “Zombie” modes. The only complaint that I see about the multiplayer is the lack of encouragement to keep on playing. The experience you gain won’t benefit your online characters, except in looks. That’s right, the only thing I noticed that my experience got me was more character skins.

Although AvP gives a decent video game nod to the franchise, it needs more substance than how many ways can you kill an enemy. The game is very creative giving you the three sides of a basic story, but it lacks at drawing you in, leaving you with no emotional connection to the characters. The multiplayer experience is fun, but with no perks, other than character skins, you’ll soon be shelving this title for one of the many other games coming out this spring. (B-)

- Mike K.

Just Cause 2 Demo now available on XBOX LIVE

WouldYouKindly — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 12:05:36 +0000
Prepare yourself for some extreme chaos creation in this non-stop adrenalin-fueled demo of Just Cause 2. Whether freefalling from thousands of feet, hijacking enemy fighters in mid-air or simply blasting your way through military compounds on the ground, as agent Rico Rodriguez you’re guaranteed to leave your mark on the tropical island of Panau. With [...]

Evolved Gaming Podcast Episode 77: “Heavy Rain…(spoilers)”

INFECTED503 — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 06:07:34 +0000

This is Evolved Gaming Episode 77!

This week Cory, Drew, Zac, and special guest: the Founder and Editor of The Broken Controller, Andrew (aka: TastymouthfulBC), bring you what they have been playing and

The News:

PSN is down, experiencing game crashing errors
SOCOM hacker hacks Sony blog, convicted
Nintendo trademarks Last Window/Hotel Dusk 2 in Europe
Mass Effect 2 Firewalker DLC coming in March
Steam UI beta live; Half Life 2 achievements spotted
Rejected Fallout 2 Child Killer icon
Starcraft 2 beta keys being sold for $300
Super Mario Galaxy 2 being released on May 23
DSi XL releasing in US on March 28 for $190
Warner Bros acquires Arkham Asylum dev Rocksteady
Final Fantasy producer says FF7 remake would be “unrealistic”
Final Fantasy iPhone games on sale

Spoiler discussion of Heavy Rain

Shoutouts/outro

As always make sure to send feedback/comments/questions to podcast@evolvedgaming.net

Direct Download Here (right click, Save As…) Subscribe in iTunes

©2010 The Evolved Gaming Network. All Rights Reserved.
.

Steam’s Midweek Madness: Indie Games Sale

WouldYouKindly — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:18:20 +0000
This week on Steam get 7 different Indie titles for $2 each, or get them all in the Indie pack for $9.99. The titles are Gridrunner, Space Giraffe, Bullet Candy, Bob Came in Pieces, Altitude, Super Laser Racer, and Galcon Fusion. Links and Pricing Midweek Madness Indie Game Pack – $9.99 Gridrunner – $2 Space Giraffe – $2 Bullet Candy [...]

Nintendo Downloads for March 2nd, 2010

WouldYouKindly — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:34:22 +0000
Your weekly Nintendo downloads. WiiWare Mega Man 10 Publisher: Capcom Entertainment, Inc. Players: 1 ESRB Rating: E (Everyone) – Mild Cartoon Violence Price: 1,000 Wii Points Description: Fans of all ages can enjoy the newest entry in this historic 8-bit franchise. As a special service to new players, there’s an Easy Mode – a first for a Mega Man game. This new [...]

Rage Quit Radio Vidcast Ep. 32

FrustratedFury — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 12:26:16 +0000

We’re back after a two week break…and we’re back on JustinTV…yes we know we said we were done with JTV, but Ustream just didn’t have the viewers that we needed. Anyway, here’s what we talk about this week: Heavy Rain, Army of Two: The 40th Day, Star Ocean: The Last Hope and many more. Plus, we have an in depth disscussion/rant on fanboyism and defending a console for no good reason. It’s actually a nice watch. As always, you can watch us live every Monday, Friday, and Saturday nights right here: www.justin.tv/frustratedfury

Divided into 4 parts:

Watch live video from Rage Quit Radio on Justin.tv

Watch live video from Rage Quit Radio on Justin.tv

Watch live video from Rage Quit Radio on Justin.tv

Watch live video from Rage Quit Radio on Justin.tv

©2010 The Evolved Gaming Network. All Rights Reserved.
.

Microview: Puzzlegeddon

Rejected Gamer — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 02:15:58 +0000

Part real-time strategy, part match-5 puzzler; Puzzlegeddon is undeniably fun and addictive.

What Pieces Interactive did to the simple game of match 5 colored cubes in a line (or row, or chain), is turn those simple colors into attack and defend resources for your in-game avatar. See, you are not alone on this playing field. Your enemies come in the form of alternate avatars that are also scrambling through their 6×6 grid collecting resources. Stay alive and win – it’s not at all that simple.

Developer: Pieces Interactive
Publisher: Tecmo
Platform: XBLA, PSN, PC, iPhone

When not in the mood for frantic battle-action, I spent my time playing the puzzle-focused Poison Peril. Both modes are tons of fun, with tons of reply value and un-matched game-type flexibility. And as expected, multiplayer is viciously nerve-wrecking and challenging, while still keeping you coming back for more.

If you like puzzle games, don’t skip on Puzzlegeddon. The same goes for fans of real-time strategy titles. It’s simply too much fun, at its price point, to not support. [A-]

NC Update 3/1

Rejected Gamer — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:45:13 +0000

Here are the latest videos and DS Demos available for the Nintendo Channel.

Media Summit Videos

1. Super Mario Galaxy 2 Trailer (02:00)
2. Super Mario Galaxy 2 Gameplay (01:59)
3. Monster Hunter Tri Trailer (02:50)
4. Sin and Punishment: Star Successor Trailer (01:17)
5. Sin and Punishment: Star Successor Gameplay (01:18)
6. Disney Guilty Party Trailer (00:33)
7. Tetris Party Deluxe Trailer (01:20)
8. Lego Harry Potter Years 1-4(Wii) Trailer (01:31)
9. Nintendo DSi XL Trailer (01:35)
10. Poke’mon Heart Gold/Silver Trailer (00:50)
11. Poke’mon Heart Gold/Silver Poke’walker (00:50)
12. WairoWare D.I.Y. Trailer (01:01)
13. America’s Test Kitchen: Let’s Get Cooking Trailer (01:16)
14. Lego Harry Potter Years 1-4(DS) Trailer (00:35)
15. Mega Man 10 Info Video (01:58)
16. Rage of the Gladiator Trailer (01:06)
17. Cave Story Trailer (00:42)
18. Warioware D.I.Y. Showcase Trailer (00:46)
19. Art Style: Rotozoa Trailer (00:56)
20. Art Style: Light Trax Trailer (00:47)
21. Photo Dojo Trailer (01:20)
22. X-Scape Trailer (00:43)
23. Metal Torrent Trailer (00:43)

This Weeks Videos

1. Nintendo Week 3/1 (15:43)
2. Dart Rage Info Video (01:24)
3. Happy Hammerin Info Video (01:56)
4. What’s New at Animal Crossing City Folk: March (02:06)
5. Trauma Team BTS- Voice Actors (01:59)
6. Dance Sensation Info Video (01:23)
7. Chicken Riot Info Video (01:48)
8. Rooms DS Info Video (01:08)
9. VT Tennis Info Video (03:43)
10. Globulous Party Info Video (01:46)

DS Demos

No New DS Demos this week

DSiWare Update 3/1

Rejected Gamer — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:59:49 +0000

Here is your weekly update of games coming out for DSiWare.

There are four games coming out this week for DSiWare.

Title: Flips: Terror in Cubicle Four
ESRB: E for Everyone
Genre: Other
Number of Players: 1
Cost: 500 DSi Points ($5)
Wi-fi Support: No
DS Download/Wireless Play: No
Camera Support: No
Mic Support: No
Developer/Publisher: EA

Title: Globulous Party
ESRB: E for Everyone
Genre: Party Game
Number of Players: 1-2
Cost: 500 DSi Points ($5)
Wi-fi Support: No
DS Download/Wireless Play: Yes (wireless mp)
Camera Support: No
Mic Support: No
Developer/Publisher: Globz

Title: Let’s Golf
ESRB: E for Everyone
Genre: Sports
Number of Players: 1-2
Cost: 800 DSi Points ($8)
Wi-fi Support: No
DS Download/Wireless Play: Yes (same system mp)
Camera Support: Yes
Mic Support: Yes
Developer/Publisher: Gameloft

Title: VT Tennis
ESRB: E for Everyone
Genre: Sports
Number of Players: 1
Cost: 500 DSi Points ($5)
Wi-fi Support: No
DS Download/Wireless Play: No
Camera Support: no
Mic Support: No
Developer/Publisher: Virtual Toys

Go ahead and check these games out in the DSi Shop Channel now, have fun!

Wiiware/VC Update 3/1

Rejected Gamer — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 17:52:45 +0000

Here is your weekly update of game releases for Wiiware and the Virtual Console.

Three Wiiware titles, and one virtual console title will coming at you this week. Here is the info for each of them.

Wiiware

Title: Dart Rage
ESRB Rating: Rated E for Everyone
Genre: Sports
Number of players: 1-4
Online Connectivity: No
Cost: 600 Wii points ($6)
Created by: JV Games

Title: Happy Hammerin
ESRB Rating: Rated E for Everyone
Genre: Mole Bashing Party Game
Number of players: 1-4
Online Connectivity: Yes (leaderboards)
Cost: 500 Wii points ($5)
Created by: GameBridge

Title: Mega Man 10
ESRB Rating: Rated E for Everyone
Genre: Action, Platformer
Number of players: 1
Online Connectivity: Yes(DLC Pay & Play)
Cost: 1,000 Wii points ($10)
Created by: Capcom

Virtual Console

Title: Fatal Fury Special
ESRB Rating: Rated T for Teen
Genre: Fighting
Number of players: 1-2
Cost: 900 Wii points ($9)
Console: NeoGeo
Release Date: 09/16/1993
Developed/Published by: D4 Enterprise

Be sure to drop by the Wii Shop Channel and check these games out.

Week in Review: Feb.21-27, 2010

Rejected Gamer — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 21:56:39 +0000

Topics: Aliens VS Predator, Fret Nice, Crap of Defense, Puzzlegeddon, & P.B Winterbottom

Intro music performed by “Incubus” off their album “Make yourself”
Outro music performed by “Bilithic” off their album “empire”

Direct link [right-click, save as]

Review: Fret Nice

Rejected Gamer — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 22:35:13 +0000

Not only has Fret Nice developer Pieces Interactive prove they can put together an inventive and fun platforming title, they’ve also proved they aren’t afraid of trying something different. Busting out the ol’ plastic guitar to play a platforming game sounds like a lot more fun than it really is, but that doesn’t mean the game falls short of being “purchase-worthy”.

Publisher: Tecmo
Developer: Pieces Interactive
Genre: Musical platforming
Platform: XBLA – PSN

Unlike your favorite Italian plumber platforming games, Fret Nice doesn’t rely on head-stomping as its primary attack maneuver. Instead you’re instructed to play riffs on your guitar in accordance with specific enemy attributes; a simple premise that is fairly intuitive and quite an interesting mechanic. When using a standard game-pad, Fret Nice is reminiscent of the Patapon or Loco Roco games; and controls just as well as it should be expected to. On the other hand when using a guitar peripheral the control scheme throws all intuitiveness out the window, and leaves you with confusing – and often broken – controls.

Looking past Fret Nice’s controller woes won’t be hard for anyone looking to jump into a bright, colorful, and competent platforming game which looks and feels like nothing you’ve ever seen this side of next-gen. Each of FN’s levels, and bonus stages, are well crafted and full of surprises down to the great boss encounters. The only thing holding back consumers from jumping into the world of Fret Nice is its aesthetics. While I’m a fan of the art design Pieces Interactive have chosen to roll with here, its bright, acid-trip appearance will most definitely scare off anyone who can’t open up to another’s approach. Those same people will be missing out on an enjoyable experience.

Not everything is grey and brown. Not everything is something before it. Fret Nice is a step forward in the right direction of music-based platforming games. And as disappointed as I was to see the idea of controlling my in-game avatar via plastic-axe fall short, it opened my eyes to how much fun Fret Nice is on the merits of its mechanics alone. [A-]

-Jeffrey deMelo

Heavy Rain Impressions by @Cory_Grimes & @FrustratedFury

INFECTED503 — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 23:06:32 +0000

Today we have both Cory Grimes and Drew “FrustratedFury” giving their impressions of the PS3 exclusive Heavy Rain. This noir crime drama is brought to us by Quantic Dreams, developers of Indigo Prophecy. This is more an interactive story then a game. Told through the lives of four people; their actions all trying to answer the question: ‘How far would you go to save someone you love?’

First we have Cory Grime’s impressions:

Heavy Rain is a game that should be experienced by anyone who is a fan of games. It shows how completely different from the norm a game can be and be brilliant at the same time.
The gameplay is similar to that of Quantic Dream’s previous title Indigo Prophecy – using the controller in ways to complete motions, but is done much better than it was in Indigo Prophecy. The things you do with the joysticks range from the mundane – like shaving or setting a table, to the intense – like a car chase or a fight. The gameplay may be hard to comprehend at the beginning, but soon becomes easy and intuitive. This gameplay is innovative and could totally be a new wave in gaming, to be used in games of the future.
The plot is complex and reminiscent of the Saw films, only good. In the game, you are tested to see how far you are willing to go to save someone you love. Each character in the game has a different story, and their stories often intertwine. The story has a branching narrative based on what you do, so each playthrough could have a different outcome based on your actions. The story is also gripping, and you can bet to experience a ton of different emotions to the game.
The characters are fully developed and seem real, unlike stereotypical video game characters. Each character’s story is interesting and different in its own way.
The graphics are mind blowing and showcase what the PS3 is capable of; not only in cutscenes but in gameplay as well. There are several jaw dropping moments caused by the graphics.
I think Heavy Rain is possibly one of the best games ever made. It is new and innovative in a time where gamers are given sequels and mediocre titles. It is definitely my game of the year and I doubt it will be topped. If you own a PS3, you must own this game!

and now Drew’s “FrustratedFury” impressions of Heavy Rain

So, I sit down with a Dual Shock 3 controller in hand. I have an audience with me consisting of Rage Quit Radio’s Joel and Alan (and special guest, Montay.) After the origami folding installation process, we begin. Right away, I’m hooked. What I didn’t know was that my viewers were hooked as well. It felt like we were in a movie theater watching the newest summer blockbuster. The crazy thing is that the things I were doing were everyday mundane things: taking a shower, drinking some OJ, setting out dinner plates. That’s how powerful Heavy Rain really is! Anyone in the room will be glued to the screen to see what happens next.
Then, after brief introduction to all the characters, the real drama begins.
Heavy Rain will keep you guessing the entire time you’re playing. At one time, I thought everyone could possibly be the Origami Killer. The story telling is so top notch I actually started to feel emotional for some of the more tragic characters. Everything from button presses to moving the controller in a direction makes you feel like you’re trying to do it will all you might just to get the point across. Knowing that your characters can die at any moment really does put you in distress mode. There were many times I shouted out loud, as well as my audience, when a close call happened.

The tone is very impactful as well, you really feel depressed during the beginning of the game due to what the main characters are experiencing. You really feel flustered and panicky during one of the moments where your character could die. This is all conveyed through the music, dialog, and settings. Even the button responses that flash up on the screen get shaky and blurry during stressful moments. The developers know how to keep you entranced in the game and story.

Honestly, if you have friends who don’t play games you should have them at least watch this game. Both Joel and Montay agreed that watching was more of an experience than playing it; and I couldn’t agree more. I haven’t finished the game as of yet but I can safely say the hunt for the Origami Killer is one NO ONE should have to miss.

Well there you have it. Possible the “best game(s) ever made” and if you’re not a gamer just watching someone else play Heavy Rain may make you one quickly.
Are you picking up Heavy Rain and going after the Origami Killer? How far would you go for someone you loved? Let us know your experience with Heavy Rain in the comments below; and Happy Hunting!

©2010 The Evolved Gaming Network. All Rights Reserved.
.