Best of 2008 - Categorical List Part One

The Out of Body Experience Award (Best Third-Person Shooter)

The Club
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Gears of War 2
Saints Row 2
Mercenaries 2: World in Flames

Third person shooters...hell, shooters in general, had an imposing year this year, but finding games that are "high-quality," maybe a more difficult. Mercenaries 2: World in Flames takes what made the last game great and gave you more of it. Same can be said with Saints Row 2. However, they brought back the old problems from the previous games so what makes them great is also what limits them. Gears of War 2 can be said the same thing, however the addition of the Horde Mode adds a better cooperative multiplayer aspect, along with the campaign itself. The Club was one of the more overlooked shooters. Even though it looks like the rest of the shooters, The Club is unique in that the game plays more like a time-based arcade game than any of the other competition. Then again, if you want unique, look at the final game Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. Improving upon a game that many loved is one thin g, but completely redoing it and making it the pinnacle of PS3 games was a high watermark that Kojima Productions managed to do.

The Retina Attachment Award (Best First Person Shooter)

Call of Duty: World at War
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2
Left 4 Dead
Resistance 2
Battlefield: Bad Company

This category seems to come in flavors: There's the WWII vintage flavor with a dash of startling violence and brutality (Call of Duty: World at War), another with standard tactical trappings mixed with MMORPG leveling (Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2), a game with buckets of blood with some cooperative play (Left 4 Dead), a game with three different modes and some great alt-fire weapons (Resistance 2) and an arcadey game with tons of explosions and humor (Battlefield: Bad Company). What tastes the best? Well, that's a tough one...

The Golden Clutch (Best Racing)

Motorstorm: Pacific Rift
Wipeout HD
GRID
Burnout Paradise
Pure

The racing category could very well be one of the more competitive categories this year. If you crave pure speed, Wipeout HD will more than suffice your hunger. With crisp, clean visuals and an excellent techno soundtrack (filled with tracks from both PSP games), WHD satisfies Wipeout fans and makes it more accessible to new players (especially with the $20 price tag). Next, there's Pure. Those who watch Pure may accuse this game of being like every single ATV game out there, but the beautiful graphics, sharp control and excellent course design makes this game one of the more fun games you could come across. Same can be said for Motorstorm: Pacific Rift. It can be called a more polished Motorstorm, but the beautiful graphics and fun courses makes this game even more fun. Want a challenge? GRID may be up your alley. Great controls, graphics and courses, with a great rewind feature that helps make the game more accessible. Finally, there's Burnout Paradise. Racing is great and intense, while the added content and the incredibly fun open world aspect improves on the Burnout franchise.

The Juiced Bar (Best Sports Game)

FIFA Soccer 09
Madden NFL 09
NHL 09
Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09
Top Spin 3

Since the next gen consoles have been out, Sports fans have had to look for other types of games to get a quality sports game fix. This year, the heavyweights have finally come out of the woodwork to make quality games. None has been more scrutinized than the Madden series, but Madden NFL 09 finally delievered on the promises made since the tech demo from 2006. It took a completely reworked engine, interface and gameplay, but Top Spin 3 also has joined the big boys of sports gaming with a fresh take on competitive tennis. Consistently, Tiger Woods' series has always had a certain amount of quality to it, but Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09 adds the same sheen with more features, a more robust create a character mode and even better graphics and an updated GamerNet database. The critical darling from last year, the NHL series, wows again in NHL 09, with one of the best Be A Pro modes in any sports game this year. Finally, Pro Evo soccer has always been a champs game when it came to soccer, but FIFA Soccer 09 has dethroned the king this year, thanks to excellent graphics, control and numerous options on the pitch.

The Platinum Mokujin (Best Fighting Game)

Soulcalibur IV
Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Bleach: Dark Souls
Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix

There were some solid titles for fighting game fans, so let's check out the top picks. Anime fans had reason to brawl with Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit and Bleach: Dark Souls. While both had some shortcomings (Burst Limit was short, while Bleach's single player takes a lot of getting used to on a DS), both gave quality fighting game action with their own unique twists. Then, there's Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix. A completely reworked, rebalanced version of the final Street Fighter II game, HD Remix takes the old classic and reworks it with excellent animation and a gentler learning curve. After that is the perennial Nintendo favorite Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Not much has changed in the actually fighting mechanics, but the sheer Nintendo fanboyism, followed by the numerous things you can unlock and experience, makes Super Smash Bros. Brawl one of the more developed and fleshed out fighters. And finally, there's this year's 800lb gorilla of fighting games Soul Calibur IV. The first HD Soul Calibur has some of the best looking stages and a robust create a character mode.

The Jumpman (Best Platform)

LittleBigPlanet
N+
Mega Man 9
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts
Bionic Commando: Rearmed

Platforming games haven't been this strong in years, so deciding the five that should be on the list was the toughest its ever been. Let's start small with N+, the simpliest of the bunch. Don't let the sterile and colorless graphics fool you: it hides one of the most challenging and rewarding platforms on any system, portable or Xbox 360. Also on multiple systems, Mega Man 9. The return to form for one of the most iconic gaming characters, the ninth iteration of the series brings the character back to its roots, with old-school graphics and punshing gameplay. Speaking of retro, there's the remake Bionic Commando: Rearmed for PSN and XBLA. Again, punshing difficulty but a top notch graphical presentation and charming old-school feel will let old time gamers enjoy this lavish remake. Speaking of charm, there's Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts. The hilarious and inventive platformer allows more customization through vehicles to take on the numerous challenges the game throws at you. All the while, the game gives you a very sarcastic, satirical look in the nature of platformers themselves. Finally, there's the highly anticipated LittleBigPlanet. A tight, imaginative side-scrolling platformer is one thing, but to add the amount of customization that this game does is simply phenomenal in of itself. Of any of the games, LittleBigPlanet has the most longevity of any game on this list.

The Eureka! Award (Best Puzzle)

Braid
Boom Blox
Portal: Still Alive
World of Goo
Professor Layton and the Curious Village

Puzzle games seem to have had the biggest break-out year this year, from the standard types of puzzle games (Tetris Party) to the more obscure. This year, one of the first puzzle games that took notice was Professor Layton and the Curious Village. Featuring a watercolor art style with great puzzles, Layton uses the DS' strengths in new and different ways. Next, there's the Wii multiplayer extravaganza Boom Blox. More like a cross between Jenga and other game types, this charming game allows you to do all sorts of gane types. Next, there is last year's giant hit Portal in the XBLA expansion Portal: Still Alive. Those who missed the original game on The Orange Box would do well to download the game, while fans who have already completed that game are treated to 14 new puzzles to solve. World of Goo, WiiWare's charming puzzler, has you constructing towers and bridges to reach the goal with your little balls of goo. Finally, there's the enchanting critical darling of this year Braid. Braid has you manipulating time and platforming to areas in order to reach the numerous puzzle pieces and areas in the game.

Tune into our next podcast for the rest of our nominees. Future podcasts will announce the winners, along with the Top Ten Games of the Year

Dynamic Reviews - December 1st, 2008

Sonic Unleashed - Well, let's get right down to it, shall we? Sonic Unleashed is kind of stuck between the incredibly awful Shadow the Hedgehog and the abysmal Sonic the Hedgehog (X360/PS3). Meaning: There are actually a few bright spots, but like my grandpappy used to say, "No matter how much you polish a turd...it's a turd nonetheless."

Sonic Unleashed was said to be, according to SEGA, the return of the Sonic you know and love; back to his 2D roots. Unfortunately, as stated previously in a dynamic review, the game barely scratches the surface on that promise.

In fact, the game is predominately done with the "Werehog" sections, which play off as a mix of God of War and Furby. The problem is two things: 1) The camera is very bad when it comes to platforming and 2) As pertaining to the Wii version, using waggle on both the Nunchuk and Wii-mote to attack and the buttons and stick to parry and dodge, combat becomes an arduous task of shaking and convulsing to the point of near epilpetic fit.

Now, if the "Werehog" sections were a minor part of the game, this would be a minor wrinkle in an otherwise decent game. Sadly, it's 80% of the game and it feels like the game uses these sections to pad the rest of the game in time restraints. The good parts of the game, which is the 2 1/2-D old school Sonic style levels, which consists of maybe 5% of the game itself. The last 15% ends up being the 3D, behind the back stages, a la Sonic and the Secret Rings.

Add to the awful amount of cut-scenes and text boxes for incredibly generic characters in the game and you have a 10 - 12 hour game that brings more pain and embarassment than your friends finding out you play as a character called Cream the Rabbit. Current: 33%

Hasbro Family Game Night - Would you believe...nay, WANT TO BELIEVE...that I was excited for this game to be released? Call me crazy, but the fact of playing Boogle, Yathzee, Connect Four and other Hasbro board games had me interested in seeing how it turned out. And you know what, it all turned out just fine.

Games play exactly as you expect them to play, and the added variants of each game (example: Connect Four has "Advanced" and "Power-up!" mode) make the game more fun to play with others or by yourself.

There really isn't much more else to say about this title except that if you want to save money on purchasing these games and you have a Wii, you might be interested in picking up this game. Revolving: 72%

Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix - Finally, there's the impossibly long titled (and awaited) fighting game for the XBLA SSF2THDR...hey, I'm not spelling it out all the time. This game deserves a lot of praise by recreating the balance and precision of the last Street Fighter II title.

However, it's not perfect. I have yet to even get into an online match because of the glitchy matchmaking system. A severe disappointment, since this is what people were looking forward to when it came to this game.

Next, some characters and stages actually look worse with the update. Fei Long looks incredibly bland, as does his stage, and Guile looks absolutely ugly in this current state right now.

Only time will tell if the balance is out of whack and who will be a top character (Fei Long and Balrog are my favs thus far), but for right now, I can't whole heartedly recommend the download, even though the updated (read: easier to perform) moves and some excellent stages give reason to keep playing. Revolving: 64%

That's it for this past weekend...next is Far Cry 2

Revolving Reviews -- Saturday, November 22, 2008

I went on a renting spree, so here are the games I'm playing and my thoughts and revolving opinions so far:

Sonic Unleashed (Wii) - OK, someone tell me what happened to "this will bring the classic Sonic gameplay from the Genesis that everyone loved." You know, how this game is going to be only in 2D and will just be that classic gameplay? If any of you find it, let me know.

What is there is something more akin to The Secret Rings, only you have direct control of Sonic through the Nunchuk. This becomes a problem when Sonic goes...well, fast. The control is too constrictive, making Sonic really fast but incredibly hard to control.

When it hits the 2D areas, the controls are better because you're only jumping and moving right. However, for some reason, when you do a long jump in the game it triggers a Quick Time Event during the jump, which seems to have no bearing on anything in the game.

Then, there is the Werehog levels. Not only are the controls horrible and completely go against what makes Sonic...well, Sonic...it aims to frustrate further with terrible level design and a completely unresponsive waggle and shaking to attack or attach to ledges with your stretchy arms.

And finally, there's the unskippable story cut scenes featuring "Chip", the flying ferret that looks and sounds like a cross between Truman Capote and Daxter in the Jak series. These scenes, which last around a minute - 3 minutes long, are excruciatingly bad with terrible dialogue and completely hokey storylines.

You also have to talk to random people on a map for whatever reason it may be, which also completely feels like a waste of time.

There is a reason why Sonic has gone completely downhill in the past few generations and it's because of games like this. Sega, PLEASE just make a brand new 2D Sonic. No story, no werehog, just running to the right and jumping.

And you might as well make it downloadable because no one in their right mind will buy this game on a disc again.: (Revolving) 34%

Left 4 Dead (X360) - Never have I played a game that had this good of A.I., not just by your enemies but also your teammates. I've played mostly single player thus far and I have to say that this game has some intense and frightening moments.

And this isn't just a situation everyone goes through. Thanks to the A.I. Director, every time you play a level, it's markedly different every time you load it up. So, when you die in an area and say to yourself "Hey, remember where the shotgun was", don't bother it won't be there. The level will be different.

With that, however, this game is quite short for a single player game and is made to be for multiplayer. So, as of right now, just playing single player, it's a solid 80%. I will try co-op and competitive though, so hold your breath for the update.: (Revolving) 80%

Need For Speed Undercover (X360) - Will someone please tell EA to just can the whole FMV thing? Unless you're doing it for tongue-in-cheek hilarity (Red Alert 3), it really has no business in any game...let alone a racing one.

With that out of the way, I'm enjoying Undercover more than I had anticipated. Still in the beginning races, but the Highway Battles are a lot of fun to play. Giving it a decent rating for now, but check in again to see how it goes after the beginning areas.: (Revolving) 75%

Next one will have Tomb Raider: Underworld and Luminous Arc 2.

Thoughts of the last few weeks

Some quick thoughts of the past few weeks/last month in gaming:

- I can't say that the quality in games have dwindled...but it hasn't improved either. Maybe I'm just looking at things in a different light when it comes to actual "criticism", but I seem to be less interested in the main details of the game (i.e., graphics, sound, control) and more interested in how the game feels overall.

Say, for example, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. I can concede that the game itself is basically the newer MK's with a slightly sillier tone and with a very gimmicky crossover aspect. But you know what, I'm having more fun playing this game on the PS3 than I have had playing Soul Calibur IV. Yes, Soul Calibur IV has the better engine, as well as the better graphics and (in some aspects) a much tighter control scheme, but I've been playing MKvsDC for the past few days now and, more and more, I'm enjoying the fighting mechanics and the absolute craziness that it provides. The game is tons more interactive with its environment and it actually faithfully represents each character in the game, which is highly surprising.

With that and Bleach: Dark Souls creeping up my fighting game time, I think Soul Calibur IV has more competition for Best Fighting Game than I initially thought. Gonna be an interesting race.

- Wow, did Gears of War 2 die on me quick! Me and the Flembot (Ruff3dgz) beat GoW2 last weekend...and I haven't touched it since then. Nor do I think I will for a while, unless someone wants to play Horde mode. Why is that?

Well, in honesty, as stated on the 12th episode on our podcast, I wasn't a fan of the competitive multiplayer. And after playing Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, it's more than easy to see why: There's no incentive to do so. There's no bragging rights, no feeling of "I'm better than you," no "Hey, mine is bigger than yours!" feeling I get from the game.

That's not the only reason either: The maps for online multiplayer aren't that great. Just like the first one, too many choke-points to get mowed down, most deaths feel too cheap and the levels just aren't that interesting. For me, too many matches end in specific areas that make the game feel too predictable in multiplayer.

I still stand on the single-player/co-op opinion however: Co-op is excellent in campaign mode. The areas in the game give the feeling of freedom, while keeping the level design compact and tense. The situations that happen in this game only flourish in co-op. And Horde mode is by far the best mode in this game. This is also helped by some outstanding A.I. that keeps situations tense and exciting.

Thus far, I still stand by my score: 85% - 90%, probably just an 86%.

- Which actually brings me to another point: Reviews. I think the concept of Final Reviews are horridly misleading. When me and Bryan started this podcast, we made sure not to call out opinions of games "Reviews" because they are in no way final (because, in honesty, we're still going through the game to give one). But, if you think about it long and hard, does a 9.5 from 2 years ago really stay a 9.5? Honestly, I don't think so.

Take for example a game that was released in 2005 that recieved amazing reviews: Call of Duty 2. Now, play this game. You would not say it's a 9.5 or a 9 today, would you? Absolutely not: Maybe an 8 or a 7.5. But some unwitting person is going to look at a review from that far ago and go "Hey, why would I get Game X that is $60 and came out this year, when this game got a 9.5 3 years ago?!" and not realize that the review is outdated.

I think Final Review scores shouldn't be used in the first 3 months of a games release. I think it should have a revolving score. For example: Fable II came out in the 3rd week of October. Upon playing the game, a player gave it a 9.0 for the experience. However, a week later, Fallout 3 comes out. He starts playing that and seeing the improvements the game has and gave that a 9.0. He then goes back to Fable II a month later, recalling the thoughts he has from the initial playthrough:

Does this game hold up?
How does it stack to the other RPG's that have been released?
Do I see myself playing this game in another 3 months?

If you say yes to the 3rd question, the review continues to revolve until the person decides there's nothing really more to say about the game. Then, you do the "post-op review," which is the score you'll give the game until something else is released that could challenge the game for that score (if it recieves a high one).

This not only helps games that have a long shelf-life, but also games that have been given an initial bad review is given a second lease in life because a reviewer was either distracted by another game or otherwise.

This is actually how I do game "reviews" and such; Hopefully we can implement that in future shows or blogs. Or maybe I'll just do it on this blog.

- So, in the spirit of things, here are my revolving mini-reviews of a few games:

Call of Duty: World at War: The game feels like CoD4, acts like CoD4...even tastes like it at times. But the lack of cool weapons and the fact that artillery strikes and dogs come up as more annoying than exciting and tactical really dampens the multiplayer. I haven't touched single player, but with so much coming out right now I don't see myself getting to it until the next year. So, this score is indicitive only of the multiplayer: 70% (Revolving)

Fallout 3: Initially, I gave the game an 80% - 85%. I liked the game for its humor, art design and its sprawling landscape to travel in the game. The story didn't grab me at all during that time, however, and I felt the combat was on the frustrating side. For example: What I like to call "Cross-Eyed Aiming". I got annoyed by the fact that I'd line my shots perfectly, but for some reason they would still miss my opponent. On top of that, I felt V.A.T.S. was too easy to exploit, leading to me being frustrated by combat in all of its entirety (except, which shocked me, melee combat).

So...for my second run-down of revolving reviews, I have to state something: I am actually growing on the combat. Sure, it took me 12 hours of gameplay, being at Level 6 AND bumping my stats up high enough in Big Guns and Small Guns, but I'm starting to enjoy combat and the actual helpfulness of V.A.T.S. Also, the surprisingly visceral combat is satisfying when you're on your last limb and you use a combat shotgun to blow your opponents head clean off.

But with that, comes more frustration: The map is not detailed enough for my liking, so I get lost getting to certain areas in the game. The perks thus far doesn't do anything for me at all either: they almost seem...negligable, which is completely unlike the other Fallouts which makes your experience much different depending on your perks.

The only thing that hasn't changed is my feeling of the story: Still kinda stinks in my opinion. But, for the time being, my revolving score stays at 80% - 85%: 83% (Revolving)

Mirror's Edge: I'm about 40% finished with Mirror's Edge...and it's freaking frustrating as all hell. Not the game itself, however: The setting is somewhat soothing and unnerving at the same time, which gives a strange sense of dread and zen that few games seem to insue (or at least try to). The platforming is spot-on and the running segments are really exciting.

Emphasis on RUNNING segments. Combat really stinks in this game, which makes me feel like it should have been taken out entirely. Combat, in honesty, doesn't work in this game at all.

From what I can see, Mirror's Edge is a concept that can actually have some ground. This may be one of those pillar games that may either improve on the second part or get someone with a very novel idea to really hit a homer on the game. However, as it stands, it's a great concept in need of a great game: 77% (revolving)

Resistance 2: So, I have to be honest: I'm never going to go into the single player aspect of this game. I'm sorry, it's far too boring and rudimentary for me to slog through...especially since there are games that are far more deserving of my time.

What I will say is that the co-op is nothing short of brilliant. After a few rounds of co-op, I was instantly hooked on its action-RPG like trappings. I strongly...and I mean STRONGLY..suggest that any and every first person shooter with co-op adopt this type of gameplay immediately for now on. Can you imagine if Gears of War 2 had a similar dungeon-hack, level up aspect to it?

On top of that, competitive multiplayer also shines with an excellent experience system and some of the most intense firefights you can come across. Simplicity definitely helps in multiplayer for this game...I just wish it wasn't so simple in single-player: 81% (Revolving)

And Finally...

Animal Crossing: City Folk: It's Animal Crossing. On Wii.

And after 2 days of playing the game, that's really all I can come up with. It's still great...in fact I prefer Animal Crossing on a console than I did on the DS (after 1 month, I was done with Wild World). I can see myself playing this for more than that amount.

So...yeah, it's Animal Crossing. And odds are, if you know you like it, you already bought it and enjoying it.

By the way: Name: Wiz, Town: Forked, Code: 1676-7189-7595

And I got some pears, so if you want what I have, be sure to bring some of your fruit so we can do trade: 70% (Revolving, First Look)

And with that...back to work.

Midnight Madness: Gears of War 2

Remember, remember the 7^th of November when countless people started lining up in front of their favorite video game retail store to be one of the first to buy their Gears of War 2 for the 360. Now this wasn't a Halo 2 or 3 kind of release but a midnight release is one of those things you should probably do if you really enjoy the game series or want to just have right at 12:00am.

My decision to pre-order the game didn't happen until that night actually as I was driving back from work. I drove past my house to towards the closest Gamespot store to just ask if it was to late to get a pre-ordered game. To my surprise, I was able to place my pre-order down at the store and come back at 10:00pm to get a number for the pick fiasco started at 12:00am. It was 6:30pm when I did this so I drove back home to wait.

Around 9:20pm, I decided to drive down to the Gamestop close to me and see if any line was forming. I got there and only two people were waiting. Actually, two kids that were under the age of 18 but I couldn't say anything because the parents were around and they seemed to understand what the game entailed (they were talking about how they play the game with their children. It's better then playing dumb and blaming everyone else for the violence children see). I went right behind the two children as the third in line. This was around 9:30pm. The line started to grow to around 20 or so by the time 10:00pm hit and others started to trickle in after 10:00pm.

I was number 3. I think it really says something about your character when you are willing to wait for a game and be in the top ten recipients to get it first. Or it just says you are such a big nerd you are willing to wait for this game. Either way, it tells you something about yourself.

I went back home and started to play more of James Bond: Quantum of Solace. Time flew as it became 11:40pm in a blink of an eye (at least it seemed that way playing as Bond; James Bond). Time again to drive over to Gamespot to get in my 3^rd place in line.

A bigger line was formed this time around then at around 10:00pm but I did take my place as third in line without any problems or rants from the spectators behind me. 12:00am hit and I got my nice, new Gears of War 2 game with some goodies I wasn't really expecting. The drive home was a sweet one, like taking a test and knowing you aced it as you walked out the room.

I got home and noticed all the nice things you got from this pre-order extravaganza which included:

• A free Gears of War Comic (nice but nothing crazy)

• 48 hour Gold membership to Xbox Live

• 7 additional maps

• A gold plated hammerburst rifle

• Exclusive dashboard theme optimized for the New Xbox Experience (I like this one)

Not bad for just paying full price for a game.

I popped in the game and it felt like riding a bike again with wide eyes and a glazed happy look on my face. The game is really good and I'm happy to be a part of this midnight madness.

My "Left 4 Dead" Movie

If you watched the teaser Valve posted on October 31, 2008 for Left 4 Dead, you might have been impressed with the CGI production of this game so far (like I was).

When watching it, I was thinking that this game could be the next "Resident Evil" or "Max Payne" game turned to movie. If I had to choose the actors/actresses that would portray the survivors, here are the four that I think would be a wonderful fit for Louis, Francis, Zoey and Bill.

Louis

Actor's Name: Arlen Escarpeta
Reason: I saw this character in We Are Marshall and stumbled upon him while looking to create this blog entry. The facial features match up really nicely with the game trailer and he looks young enough to play Louis. Other notable actors I thought would be good for this role were: Will Smith, Jeffrey D. Sams

Francis

Actor's Name: Collin Farrell
Reason: The guy looks like he was made to be a 'bad ass' so adding some tattoos and a beard will fit his style. He is the 'big name' actor I have for this selection process but I think it can still work with who is left. Other notable actors I thought would be good for this role were: Ty Olsson

Zoey

Actresses' Name: Megan Fox
Reason: After seeing her in the movie "Transformers", I knew she would be back and what better movie then Left 4 Dead. The characteristics are there and I think Megan would look really nice holding a shotgun. Other notable actors I thought would be good for this role were: Sofía Vergara

Bill

Actor's Name: Burt Reynolds
Reason: I know you are probably laughing at me with this choice but when looking at him and Bill from the game, it's kind of scary how simular they look (not their voices, Bill has a cooler voice then Burt). Also, their first names start with 'B' so it's hard to not like this choice. Other notable actors I thought would be good for this role were: Ed Harris

This is my cast for "Left 4 Dead: The Movie", Who would you pick for your cast?

The Unseen Art Form: Criticism

Many people who peruse the gaming sites for reviews of games don't seem to realize that it takes a special type of writer to draft and create a worthwhile review. Few writers in any medium gain notoriety with its peers or with the mainstream: such examples like Pauline Kiel, Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper.

There is a delicate touch that makes these writers sound intelligent, knowledgable about the entertainment medium they are covering, and be completely understandable to the broadest number of people possible.

Knowing this, exactly how many people who work on 1UP, Gamespot, Kotaku, Joystiq, IGN and the other enthusiast sites seem to have this way of words? Very very few, in my not so humble opinion.

In fact, I can possibly name 3 writers and one personality that can fit the description, while giving few "up-and-comers" that may also reach this threshold.

What made me think of this suddenly? Well, in the 6th and most recent episode of "Opinion Unlocked," I made a few comments about some of the writers on some of the enthusiast sites:

Ryan Scott 1UP.com - Ryan Scott is the soft-spoken former member of "The Brodeo", GFW Radio. Known more for his PC gaming than console gaming, Ryan also has an iffinity for retro games. Most recently, he reviewed Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood for the DS, giving it the highest of ratings for 1UP: A.

Mark Bozon IGN Nintendo - Mark Bozon is the more outspoken type on the Nintendo Team, which leads to him calling out developers and forum users on the Nintendo Voice Chat podcast. "Boze", as he is affectionately called, gave the game a 6.8, citing reasons such as a shallow combat system and unimpressive story.

Aaron Thomas Gamespot - Aaron Thomas is another outspoken type who frequents The Hotspot and From the Bleachers podcasts. Much like Mark Bozon, he's outspoken to the point of calling out developers and forum users for things that he feels are clearly opposite of his opinion. He recently had a lot to say about Zack Snyder being signed to a 3 year deal with EA, which can be heard on The Hotspot podcast.

Now, these are only three of the writers I discussed on our podcast and there's plenty more to say about others, but let me start with these three writers. First off, it's clear that the three of these writers are on these sites for one distinct reason: Their love of gaming. It's clear from the offset that these people know, in some way or another, that they know what they are talking about.

However, these three writers/contributors all did something that made me cringe this week. First off, Ryan Scott's review of Sonic Chronicles was written to the point of fanboy fanaticism, not articulate criticism. This was especially odd for a contributor who, for all intents and purposes, always gives a good review or opinion on games that are fair and concise.

"The idea of a Sonic the Hedgehog DS role-playing game from BioWare (Mass Effect, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic) sounds like one of EGM's elaborate April Fools' jokes. But it's real, it's here...and it's awesome." is the opening sentences for his review.

In a time where a lot of reviews complain that people don't read the reviews, just the review scores, Ryan gave a clear reason why you are probably better off not reading the review: You're not going to get a concise criticism, you're gonna get why I think this game is "awesome".

The review itself is well-written, with some decent reasons why the game is great, but he doesn't even touch the negatives of the game. This is not my opinion, this is a clear fact: There is always something negative in a game. There's always something that can be better. Brushing off any negative criticism just to show how much you love the game isn't criticism: it's fanboyism.

The exact opposite can be said for Mark Bozon, IGN Nintendo Team editor. Mark Bozon gave a scathing review of the game, giving it a 6.8, saying that the game itself is purely fan service and for everyone else, it's a very basic RPG. Throughout his 2-page review, he slams the game for numerous things that, in honesty, shouldn't have been slammed in the first place. At no point did Bioware nor Sega say that this game was to be a "hardcore, story focused" game that will appeal to said base. Bozon seems to forget who the audience is for the game and as such, should review it as so.

That's not to say that he shouldn't cite his opinion on the game, he very well should. It's just that, for the type of game it is, you shouldn't knock it for something it isn't. That's along the lines of saying: "Soul Calibur IV is a bad fighting game because there is no hand-to-hand combat" For Bozon, this is actually out of character: He's a decent writer who often has a good opinion and fair and balanced point of view.

Lastly, there's Aaron Thomas. I don't know if it is because of inexperience or from a very outspoken and confrontative personality, but Aaron Thomas seems to make these statements that more than ruffle a few feathers. His comments on Zack Snyder's contract with EA was resulted and him saying that all he's going to do is put more crap on gaming system, without even knowing what he's going to put on. Objectivism? I think not.

Also, looking at his most recent reviews, he seems to be put on the bottom rung to review such key titles as "PAIN: Amusement Park" and the PS2 version of "Mercenaries 2: World in Flames". It's easy to see why: He gives the game some good props and some necessary demerits. The score, however, is just appalling considering what he wrote: A 3.5 for the PS2 Mercenaries, even though he gave the game a lot of good things.

Makes sense to you? I didn't think so. In fact, the last game he reviewed that got any type of top billing was "Hot Shots Golf Open Tee 2". Since then, Aaron's reviews have been tucked neatly in the back, so you have to search for them to find them.

I only mention this because the industry needs a fully functioning and respectable press to further itself as a medium. If no one criticizes the critics, who will keep them in line professionally? A mere "honor amongst writers" isn't going to do it, which is why I set to do this podcast and blog not only to shout my own opinion into a crowded pool, but to also give a constructive opinion on the people who provide coverage to the game sites we look at.

Who are some writers, podcasters or personalities to look up to? I'll give you a few right now:

Shane Bettenhausen - 1UP.com: Much like Bozon and Aaron Thomas, Shane is very outspoken. But, Shane also is respected with forum users and podcast listeners as a highly intelligent speaker who talks about his points of view very well and convincingly. His comic foils off of Garnett Lee turns into comic gold, while his off-the-beat path of criticism gives a fresh take on gaming criticism.

John Davison - Whattheyplay.com: John recently left 1UP.com to start up the site whattheyplay.com, which is a site devoted for parents to find out which games are truly appropriate for their kids. To be an enthusiast gamer and a father is a tough balancing act (I should know, I am one), but to tap both funnels to balance out your writing style and your form of opinion is uncanny. John is also on the 1UP Yours podcast with Shane and Garnett. He provides an insight on gaming that is altogether different from most, while alienating no one who look for a "to-the-point" criticism or "in-depth analysis". For now, I think John Davison is the unspoken "Roger Ebert of gaming".

Adam Sessler - G4's X-Play: From the beginning, G4 and Adam Sessler has gone hand-in-hand. He is the face...ok, Morgan Webb is the face of G4, but he's undoubtedly the most respected person on that channel for his insightful opinions and often witty comments about the gaming industry itself. On X-Play, he's a decent host that breezes through the show with his relatively lax style. Outside, on Sessler's Soapbox and in public, he tells it like it is.

As a vet who's seen the past in gaming, but can also analyze and scrutinize the current events that affect the industry not only by playing the games but seeing what outside influences can affect gaming as well. As a journalist, Sessler is the closest there is.

As for up and comers, take a look at N'Gai Croal of Newsweek, the entire cast of Giant Bomb (Jeff Gerstmann, Ryan Davis, Brad Shoemaker), Jennifer Tsao of 1UP.com, Stephen Totillo of Multiplayer Blog and Greg Miller of IGN are reviewers and writers you should take notice of.

The main point I'm getting across is that there is a difference between a good review and a bad one, just as much as there is a difference between a good game and a bad one. The same things apply: Read the review, not just the score. Always scrutinize and criticize the coverage you are getting from all of these enthusiast websites and ALWAYS tell the difference between a reviewer who deserves your respect and trust, then just some guy who posted a few paragraphs and a number and call it a day.

You're allegiance shouldn't be with just one site.

A Time Without Internet: A Gamers Confession

The Story

I moved into a new apartment on Saturday September 20th, 2008 with some furniture, a bed, my computer but NO INTERNET.

To some, that detail about the internet isn't a big issue but for the gamer and computer guy inside of me, it was hard to wait for my Comcast router to arrive and be installed. That glorious day was scheduled for Thursday September 25, 2008. So, I had to wait until then.

I found myself hard at work placing items in the correct spots in the new apartment on Sunday, Monday Tuesday and Wednesday. I got a lot done in a short time after coming back from work. After that, I would have popped in a game and just zoned out for a bit but every time I did, I felt alone, lost and confused since I had no one else to share my gaming experience with. Instead, I would start watching a movie to pass the time.

After a movie each night (4 different movies total) and trying to find some satisfaction with playing Geometry Wars 2 without an online connection, Thursday finally came around and the Comcast technicians provided the equipment needed to get me all set up with cable and internet. This small change in my life improved my gaming attitude enough that I bought the Game Pass from Blockbuster for $21.99.

The Revolation

This brings me to a conclusion that I might not be totally insane about how important it is to include online features in games today. It took 5 days without internet for me to observe that feature's importance.

We even see in some reviewed games if the online game play is good, bad or just not there and how the score can go down without an online focus . Why develop a game that will not touch the online market?

One of the easiest things people do is an online leaderboard and even something like that can be a good feature for game developers to embrace. Knowing who you can beat ahead of you and feeling the gratification of doing so can mean a lot for a gamer. How can developers do that for simple games like RPG's and Action games that don't use the online concept much?

The Conclusion

Developers need to think about the online part of their game along side other areas like story line, gamplay, etc... This does add a bit more to the weight of a gaming producer or manager but that's what happens with this industry we call video games. The dynamic nature of hardware being updated, gaming discs holding more and more information and also internet accessibility will be a part of gaming that will always be improved and is necessary for consoles and handhelds a like.

Fail to the King

Two years ago, during X06, Microsoft announced a bunch of stuff for the then fledgling XBOX 360 that got a lot of people excited for the system. However, there was one surprise announcement during the X06 news conference: Doom for Xbox Live Arcade. The bigger surprise? It was released the same day it was announced.

And honestly, I completely dug Doom for XBLA. For some reason, the pixelly look and fast shooting, along with it's unabashedly rough look still has a charm with it that, to this very day, is still a blast to play.

Since then, Marathon: Durandal was released on XBLA as well, with an updated graphics engine and a boost to 60 fps. Result? A decent XBLA shooter with an uncanny ability to make the end user nauseus after 20 minutes of play. As you can probably guess, I stopped playing it well before.

And now, the next in the PC classics that are being released on XBLA is the foul-mouthed, yet revolutionary Duke Nukem 3D, which paved the way for the shooters of today with its interactivity and personality.

Like Doom, very little of the game has been changed or redone. The vintage, pixelized look and the cheesy one-note lines remain lovingly intact from the original source. All the levels and the secrets are just the way you remember them.

And for people who are still fans of Duke Nukem 3D, that is some great news.

....

Now for my prespective:

I used to love Duke Nukem 3D. When it first came out on PC, it was the one game I played very often and actually convinced me in some sort of way that I was into PC FPS' (that actually turned out to be false).

The thing is, I had a very protective mother when it came to the games I played and the movies I watched at the time of its original release. So...you guessed it...she bought me the CENSORED version of the game. That means no blood, no strippers, no foul language and no dirty double-entendres.

And I know what a lot of you are thinking: "You definitely played the wrong version of the game...you were meant to play it as it was originally intended!" So, I was actually looking forward to playing it on XBLA.

My opinion? I completely hate Duke Nukem 3D. The game itself is so crass and unnecessarily raunchy that it becomes highly annoying just to hear Duke speak.

Now, don't get me wrong, I was a fan of Conker's Bad Fur Day, which is one of the most raunchy and crass games ever made. However, Conker was intelligent in the way of making a game that parodied other games in some ingenious ways. Duke, however, is raunchy for raunch's sake. Even if you believe he's a satire of 90's action films, it still isn't funny no matter how you look at it.

And, I don't know why, but the verticality of the game feels very off. It doesn't really feel like your jumping correctly in its platforming sections, where most of the secrets end up being stashed away. When you feel like you're jumping and that the placement at the end of your jump doesn't feel right, there are definitely problems.

In the end, Duke Nukem 3D almost seems pointless to be on XBLA in my eyes. It's also incredibly telling that I found the game more fun in its more subdued and censored version, then the crass and vulgar uncut version that lies here today.

....

However, one idea I do have that they should consider as the next release on XBLA: Unreal Tournament. To me, this game still holds up to this day.

...

Finally, I'm playing Lock's Quest for the Nintendo DS. So far, it's not a bad base building game, but it's nothing extraordinary. I just can't seem to understand why this is getting such great buzz around it. Kind of wishing I bought Dragon Quest IV instead.

...

And that is all kiddles. Bryan and I will be recording the podcast on Friday, to be released sometime this weekend. We will also release the special episode with our faves of the year so far and are most looking forward to games. Be sure to download!

- Brad Wiswall now gets why Duke Nukem would randomly pull out a $20 in the censored version for no apparent reason.

Why can't I sit down? Oh, right, because Mega Man 9 is kicking my ass...

Maybe it's the nearly 20 year gap between the first Mega Man and now. Maybe it's the fact that I've actually memorized the layouts of the first two Mega Man games. Maybe I've been so accustomed to analog controls and more complicated feature sets that actually help you play a game.

Or maybe...just maybe...I don't remember Mega Man being nearly THIS hard.

After spending what little money I had yesterday on Wii Points to get Mega Man 9, I dove in thinking that I could pick an enemy that looked easy enough and, within the hour, defeat at the very least 2 of the enemies.

The time is now 12:15 the next day...and I haven't defeated a SINGLE LEVEL.

This is for three reasons:

1) The level design is easily one of the hardest 2D side-scrolling platforming designs I have ever come across and it continually hands me my ass each and every time I have an impercise moment.

2) The Wii Remote is what I've been using to play the game, which I'm realizing is a problem because my big thumbs can't seem to get precise control with the tiny D-Pad and buttons. This will probably lead me to use the Classic Controller tonight just to see if that was the problem or if the controls actually need some work.

and

3) I've refused to go online to look at FAQ's, Walkthroughs, and Cheats. I beat both Mega Man 1 and 2 without the help of any of these three items when I was barely in the double digit age range when I beat both (I think at least, I may have been 10 when I beat Mega Man 2), I refuse to use them now, especially since I chose to play it on Wiiware where "Trophies" and "Achievements" are not even a concern. I wanted the purest, old school feel when playing probably one of the most obnoxiously old school games I've played in years.

That being said, if I can beat the game without the need of a guide, this will be my personal gaming achievement I've had in a long time.

And lord knows I need that since Flem-bot has been handing me my now positively bruised posterior in Geometry Wars 2.




- Brad Wiswall enjoys his small victory with Pacifism against the Edgz.

Welcome to the Official Blog of Opinion Unlocked!

Hello and welcome to the Official Blogspace of Opinion Unlocked, brought to you by Bryan "Ruff3dgz" Fleming and Brad "Gamakarmica" Wiswall. On the podcast, we discuss numerous topics surrounding the gaming industry and what they mean to enthusiast and casual gamers alike.

On the blog, we discuss the topics in greater detail, as well as talk about random happenings in the industry and elsewhere. You may also find bios of the two "Main OpUns", as well as profiles on some of our favorite designers, games and game mechanics. So keep it here on The Official Blog of Opinion Unlocked, where gamers of all types can be heard!

- Bryan Fleming and Brad Wiswall