Christmas

Oh Christmas, time for the indulgence of our obsession with material possessions, which ironically originated from the birth of Jesus but whatever. Whoever you are you're probably wondering what video games your little video gamer is obsessed with this year. Well here is the run down. If you have a small rug rat who watches Nickelodeon 24/7 you might want to consider a game with one of those characters in it such as Spongebob. Other ideas could be Guitar Hero (despite it's T rating its not offensive), Super Mario Bros (Galaxy or New Super Mario Bros. Wii), or Dance Dance Revolution. If you have a teenager who watches MTV 24/7 then chances are he would love something like Call of Duty 4 or 6, Left 4 Dead, or Assassin's Creed. Even something like Halo 3 is good if he doesn't have it. Halo 3 is always good. If you have kid who is in college, for the most part the same games as teenagers will be good.

Call of Duty: World at War

The Call of Duty has been ringing in our ears since its debut in 2004, but what do we really love about it? The fact that we can convince our parents that it is historical lessons? The actual gameplay? The honor associated with fighting for your country? I don't know thats not my job. However it is my job to review games, and I think Call of Duty: World at War is a fairly popular game that deserves to be reviewed. Let me start off with a little note to parents: The only reason that this game is rated M is the very first scene. It is from the perspective of a man behind enemy lines and shows a man being beaten with canes and then having his throat slit. There is not that much blood, but I don't think that a kid under 12 could handle that kind of realism in a video game, and should stick to Viva Pinata. On a lighter note... this game is possibly the best FPS for the Wii. The online play is addictive and (surprisingly) doesn't get old. There is always a new perk or a new attachment to work toward. Or for that matter a new gun to work toward. The campaign follows the story of Pvt. Peter Ptrenko from Russia, and Pvt. Miller from America. Personally I find the American missions to be more fun because they are set in the jungle (and because you can stab Japanese people in the neck when they banzai attack you). The HUD is nice and neat. The online also has different modes: Barracks (for inexperienced players), Team Deathmatch (TDM), Free For All (FFA), Veteran (basically TDM for more experienced players), Hardcore TDM (no HUD, team kills on, and 1 shot 1 kill), Hardcore FFA (no HUD and 1 shot 1 kill), and Survival (Ultra freaking super hard TDM). This game is very, very fun.

Graphics: 9

Normal Gameplay: 8

Online Play: 10

Controls: 9

*Difficulty: 8

*Difficulty is rated as 1 being the easiest and 10 being the most difficult. It is not factored into the overall score.

Halo: Reach

We love Halo. Everybody loves Halo. Always have, always will. The first Halo was released on November 15, 2001. Halo 2 was released on November 9, 2004. The "final" chapter in the Halo trilogy, Halo 3 was released on September 25, 2007. Anybody noticing a pattern? Every 3 years Bungie treats us to a new Halo game, except for Halo Wars... 'cause nobody liked it but me. I really didn't have to go through all that to tell you that there was a new Halo coming out in 2010, but it was fun. The new Halo coming in 2010 is to be named Halo: Reach. This new Halo will be an FPS like most of it's predecessors (Halo Wars is such an outcast), and will cover the events prior to Halo: Combat Evolved. It will most likely carry the almost normal M rating (stupid Halo Wars), although there have been some rumors floating around about Bungie aming for a T rating. Of course that really doesn't matter because everybody knows that Halo does NOT deserve the M rating that it is given (seriously parents, listen). I hardly think shiny blue blood is going to turn your 12 year old into a repressed psycho. In fact I have played T games with far more objectionable content than Halo. ESRB, if you place games like Bioshock and GTA IV on the same level as Halo, you are seriously flawed. But enough of that little rant. As I previously said, it will cover the events prior to Halo: Combat Evolved. This means that it will probably be mostly on an entirely new planet, which should be exciting. So, check out wherever you like to buy from and see if you can preorder Halo: Reach. PS: There are also rumors that it will be on the Project Natal console, so keep on drooling for that.

Madden 10 (Wii) - 7.5

*Sigh...* Sorry about the lack of posting in the past two weeks. Unfortanetly us poor Wii owners were invited to the party, but left out in the cold if you get my metaphor. With cartoonish graphics and a cluttered HUD, Madden 10 comes to Wii. Now the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 versions were just as good as the Madden 08 that we all loved, but the Wii was given a game that just doesn't work. Where are the realistic graphics that we love? Where are the simple and fun controls? Where is the simple football? I don't know but it sure isn't in Madden 10. While it is fun, it doesn't live up to some of it's predecessors. It seems like more of a cross between Mario Party 8 and the NFL. If you are a hardcore NFL fan do NOT buy this, but if you like a fun party game with football flavor this is for you.

Graphics: 7

Controls: 6

Gameplay: 9

Realism: 8

*Difficulty: 6

*Difficulty is rated as 1 being the easiest and 10 being the most difficult. It is not factored into the overall score.

Okami - 9.8

Okami tells the tale of a god named Amaterasu who once defeated an 8-headed dragon named Orichi. Since his defeat, Amaterasu has slept in peace for 100 years. But now Orichi has broken free of his stony tomb and has cursed the land. You must rid the land of evil with the help of a bug-like thing named Issun, a Sake swilling warrior named Susano, and a wood sprite who needs a bit more clothing to satisfy an overprotective parent (no nudity though). The first and most obvious thing about Okami is it's graphics. WOW! Even my mom said that this game was beautiful. The whole game is like a huge Japanese painting, and a well done one too. This brings me to my next point. This may be nothing to teens, but to most parents it will come as a negative. This game is heavily based in Japanese religion. Amaterasu accumulates praise from people to upgrade himself. Not only that but Amaterasu is a god. At one point Orichi pins down Susano and demands him to praise him saying "utter those words I long to hear. That alone will unleash my power." OK back to something positive. The combat in this game is fantastic. The controls are very well suited to the game and very simple. One thing I didn't like about the fighting is that when you fight you are put into a small little circle that is like a cage. If you are more of the collector type, then there are thousands of items to collect that are hidden throughout the game. Overall this game is fantastic. One more complaint though: sometimes when you try to use the Celestial Brush (Amaterasu's main weapon that can be used paint things into existence or to draw the slash of a sword or a bomb), it sometimes randomly will be in the bottom right corner and will twich in random directions when you try and move it. OK thats it. GO BUY OKAMI!

Graphics: 10

Controls: 9

Gameplay: 10

Combat/Fighting: 10

Minigames: 10

*Difficulty: 9

*Difficulty is rated as 1 being the easiest and 10 being the most difficult. It is not factored into the overall score.

More Games to Look Forward To

Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces

In a world where there is no war... everyone... is... BORED! That basically is the plot behind the Wii's next flight simulation game. Instead of fighting for a reason, large companies fight for hire soldiers to fight and entertain the world. You play as a jet pilot. The controls can only be described as amazing. You hold the Nunchuk in your right hand and it acts as one big joystick to fly the plane. The Wiimote acts as the throttle to speed up and slow down. Overall it just looks like an artful game that may not be very Blazing Angels-esque in that it seems like the plot will be slightly more gripping than that.

Assassin's Creed 2

Assassin's Creed was the first of its kind: Medieval assassination. Wielding two short knives under his robe/toga thingy, Altair lept and dashed through the beautifully rendered ancient cities, killing 9 corrupt Lords that terrorized the land and all the people in it. Well, this game is back. This time you play in the Italian Renaissance era as the new assassin: Ezio. And this time (thankfully) you don't have to worry about falling in the water and drowing this time. This new and improved hitman can swim. We hope to see some new weapons and new acrobatic moves as well with the next installment in this fantastic game. And for all of you people who don't like tactics, go buy Ninja Gaiden II and be happy.

Playstation 3 Slim

It seems that Sony has developed a habit of releasing a console and then revising it after everybody has already bought it. The PS3 Slim is dropping some inches and some dollars. Not only is it going to be hitting the stores more competitively priced at $299, but it is 34% lighter and uses 34% less power. It was confirmed to exist in the Gamescom Conference in Germany by Sony. It will be hitting stores the first week of September.

Upcoming Review of Madden 10

Hey everybody! First of all I would just like to ask all of you to please tell your friends about this blog, as it needs traffic to continue. OK then. For those of you who are Madden fans, you will be happy to know that I am getting Madden 10 on the day of its release so that I can blog about it. So keep that in mind and check on the site around the 15th for my official review on Madden 10.

GI Joe: Rise of Cobra - 1

Don't even waste your time or money on this game. It SUCKS!

Next Gen Consoles on the Horizon? I don't Think So!

During E3 this year, the only "new" console or anything related to it was Project Natal, but that is still in prototype and will probably be delayed as long as possible. Let me tell you why. If anybody else noticed, the games shown in E3 this year were all fantastic! Red Steel 2 will be amazing for the Wii, Bioshock 2 and COD: Modern Warfare 2 will sell an estimated combined 1 billion copies, and God of War III will be fantastic for PS3. See right now they just harnessed the power of their systems and they are going to want to make money from that as long as possible. So settle down and stop saving up for that PS4.

Company Reviews

We have seen some pretty big advancements in gaming technology over the past few years. Xbox 360's graphics, the Wii... but who really takes the cake when it comes to innovation? Is it Sony, Microsoft, or Nintendo. Well I can say one thing for sure, it isn't Sony. Sony has brought absolutely NOTHING new to the table. The only thing that keeps them afloat is all the huge series' that are on Playstation, such as Final Fantasy and Metal Gear Solid, and the graphics. That's it. Microsoft is better off because they practically wiped out everything else with the release of the Xbox 360. It's jaw dropping graphics just blew everybody away, like that really bright flash thingy in Halo 3. However, strictly in terms of innovation... Nintendo wins. While the Wii may have bad graphics and childish games, it certainly is something different. In terms of a fantastic product I think Microsoft wins, and in terms of the biggest copycat I think Sony wins. Of course the brilliance of the Wii will be swept away in a few years with the release of Microsoft's Project Natal (see "Microsft Trumps Nintendo yet Again).

Aion's Release Delayed Yet Again

The MMORPG based around flight and a new combat system called PvPvE is delayed by another 19 days. This massively anticipated game features stunning graphics powered by a next-gen Crytek graphics engine. The plot of Aion involves world torn apart by a cataclysmic event that separated a beautiful world into an even more beautiful world and a world shrouded in darkness with rubble from the destroyed tower that previously connected them raining from the sky. You can choose to be a member of either of the two worlds, and in order to stop the

destruction of both worlds by the Balaur, a reptilian race released when the tower was destroyed. Despite all this rediculous plot its customization, graphics, crafting, and flight will make it a good addition to MMORPG lovers' collection.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare coming to the Wii

Two years after it's original release for PS3, Xbox 360, and PC, the ground breaking FPS is coming to the Wii. Its release will be on the same day as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. It will likely carry the same M rating as its predecessors. It will also be compatible with the Wii Zapper. I am definitely looking forward to it's release!

Microsoft Trumps Nintendo Yet Again

I have finally learned my lesson. NEVER BUY FROM NINTENDO! When Nintendo first released the Wii, the World was thinking "Controllers that sense motion? It can't possibly get more advanced than this." Long story short, the World was wrong. At E3 this year, Microsoft unveiled it's latest project to a handful of reporters and celebrities: Project Natal. This features controllerless gameplay. Instead of sensing the controllers' movement like a Wii, it senses your movement. Move through menus with swipes of your hand, and kick a soccer ball with no controller. Check out this this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YL06VwEmgzI

Any Suggestions?

Hey to anybody who reads this blog (I love people who read my blog)! Does anybody have any suggestions as for games to review or anything to make the blog better? Just remember I only have a Wii, so I can't do games that are for Xbox 360 and PS3 only. Please post your ideas/comments below!

Games to Look Forward To

Red Steel 2

Why Red Steel 2 you ask? I can see why you are questioning me seeing as the last Red Steel sucked so much. Well for one the cell-shaded graphics. CSG is not very common now as the game companies are going for realism, but cell-shaded graphics provide a certain stylistic touch that cannot be obtained in a realistic graphic game. Another thing is it's Wii Motionplus capabilities. We all know now how much control and response Wii Motionplus adds to the Wiimote, and I hardly wait to see that control applied to a swordfighting game. The final touch is that instead of recognizing only that the Wiimote moved, the Wii Motionplus allows it to sense the direction, speed, and angle. This means that no longer does a flick of the wrist equal a grand spinning finisher move. You have to spin now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52_klD2P-Wg

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Everybody loves the man in tights who pretends to be a flying mammal. Nothing in particular warrants this game much excitement, but simply that both movies were fantastic and the graphics from the screen shots look fantastic. With dark and steamy allyways and the eversmiling face of the Joker rendered beatifully on the 360, PS3, and PC graphics. I look forward to flying around and beating baddies with white makeup on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPnTSvX86Dw

Tony Hawk's Project 8 - 9.3

I have always enjoyed the Tony Hawk series, but I've only played the very first one for N64. That was until I purchased Tony Hawk's Project 8. I was not disappointed. The controls were basically the same as the original with a few additions seeing as the Xbox 360 has more buttons than it. Flipping was easy to control, and board flip tricks were easy to make into combos. Grab tricks can be performed while flipping, as can board flip tricks. I thought the addition of bone breaking and hospital bills made a great appeal of humor to a teenager. It was really fun jumping off buildings to rack up the highest hospital bill and number of broken bones. Another funny thing to do is knock people over in order to steal there "stokens" which can be used to buy new stuff. That brings me to my next point. You can go ANYWHERE. If you can see a building, theres a way to get onto its roof. Every sign can be grinded, and you can even spin on top of fire hydrants. Unfortunately i must say this game is not very realistic. In real life you can't grind a powercable or do a back flip from a standing still position. One thing I like about the Xbox 360 version is that the players in it aren't as stiff as in the PS2 and PSP versions. I haven't played it on PS3 so I don't know if its the same there. While some people might find this game a bit repetitive, I feel this game is great for any teen gamer who is looking for a funny and very fun game to play by yourself or with some friends.

Graphics: 8

Controls: 10

Gameplay: 10

*Difficulty: 7

*Difficulty is rated as 1 being the easiest and 10 being the most difficult. It is not factored into the overall score.

Super Smash Bros: Brawl - 9.3

The SSB series has always played an important role in the video game world, and in my opinion has not lost it's touch for great combat and graphics. The lack of plot in these games is made irrelevant by the more than addicting combat. Simple fighting is very fun to do with friends or family or both. Everybody loves to play SSB. Super Smash Bros. Brawl features a new Single Player Mode which frankly I hate. I think the focus of SSB should be on multiplayer gameplay. Even so, the simple brilliance of the combat is so fun that there really isn't anything you should change. Sure, you can make additions all you like but really it comes down to hurling Link off the edge of a shattered bridge or an ancient temple. The graphics have improved some, but not very noticeably. The new characters are very fun to play as. My personal favorite is Ike, but I also like Pit and Sonic. The SSB series still has it's basic appeal after the original game released in 1999. SSBB has a nice "T" rating for Cartoon Violence and Crude Humor. This game is still a blast to play after 10 years of evolution.

Graphics: 8

Gameplay: 10

Combat/Fighting: 10

Controls: 9

*Difficulty: 8

*Difficulty is rated as 1 being the easiest and 10 being the most difficult. It is not factored into the overall score.

Excitebots: Trick Racing - 9

At first Excitebots: Trick Racing seems like another failed attempt to innovate, but really the point of the game isn't to innovate but to really just be crazy and have fun. Above all else this game is just a whole bunch of fun. It doesn't need violence or language to make it an enjoyable experience. Racing is the main theme of the game but small things to do during racing include baseball, darts, poker, pie throwing, and fishing. All of these done in very simple little minigames. Even though it is rated "E" a 13 year old like me still enjoyed bashing other robots off a desert oasis road while driving a neon green squid. I have to say also that the online play was very fun and connected quickly. Betting made it easy to make thousands of dollars in one race. Although it was often the case that you were drastically out matched by someone who had beaten the whole game and obtained every bot and color and track and medal possible. I also feel that the graphics in this game were very well done. The water sparkles in the sun, and the snow falls gently through the air all rendered beautifully on the screen. I feel this game is enjoyable for anyone no matter age or gender.

Graphics: 9

Gameplay: 10

Combat/Fighting: 8

Minigames: 8

Unlockables: 9

Controls: 10

*Difficulty: 7

*Difficulty is rated as 1 being the easiest and 10 being the most difficult. It is not factored into the overall score.

Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures - 7

When I first slid this game into my Nintendo Wii and started playing, I was not impressed. The gameplay was tedious and repetitive, the puzzles were mindbendingly easy, and the combat was boring and childish. The latter I was expecting seeing as it was an "E" rated game. Progressing through the game, the combat and gameplay were were the same, but the puzzles' difficulty had increased exponentially. The puzzles were also made harder by the fact that there was no "Call HQ" or "Talk to Midna" like in Medal of Honor or Legend of Zelda. Usually the puzzles are solvable with a few minutes' worth of figuring, pondering, and testing you can figure it out and with a sigh of relief you are on your way. I have one more complaint before I get to the good stuff. This game takes no use of the Wiimotes' motion capabilities. It is totally operated through buttons, which was very disappointing. Though the gameplay is simple and not very innovative, I feel I must say something about the comedy. The box states exciting gameplay which was frankly BS, but it also claims it has tongue-in-cheek humor, and that it lives up to. The cut scenes are usually sprinkled with small amounts of humor, and sometimes it is pretty funny. When you play as Indy and your partner is a girl, you can whip at her and smooch her. I wouldn't recommend this game for an actual teen, but more for a someone around 7 or 8.

Gameplay: 6

Combat/Fighting: 5

Puzzles: 9

Graphics: 8

Controls:7

*Difficulty: 9

*Difficulty is rated as 1 being the easiest and 10 being the most difficult. It is not factored into the overall score.