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Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2 review: Running in place]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/16/sonic-the-hedgehog-4-episode-2-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/16/sonic-the-hedgehog-4-episode-2-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/16/sonic-the-hedgehog-4-episode-2-review/#comments

Searching for the proper metaphor for Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2, the best I can conjure is a glass of milk. There's nothing really wrong with it per se, but it's not exactly exciting either. It has some good qualities and is mildly refreshing, but when's the last you time you raved about a glass of milk?

Gallery: Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2 (5/15/12)

Continue reading Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2 review: Running in place

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 2 review: Running in place originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 16 May 2012 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>iosipadiphonemicrosoftmobilepcplaystationps3sonic-the-hedgehog-4-episode-2windows-phonexboxWed, 16 May 2012 11:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Game of Thrones review: Bowed, bent, broken]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/game-of-thrones-rpg-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/game-of-thrones-rpg-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/15/game-of-thrones-rpg-review/#comments

Translating the tome that is author George R.R. Martin's masterwork A Song of Ice and Fire is a task that must be both daunting and erratic. In its second season on HBO, the television adaptation of the series has been lovingly crafted into a marvelous weekly hour of television. In the video game world, developer Cyanide Studio has stumbled in its task thus far, releasing an abysmal strategy game that seemed to be created less in devotion to the source material and more in reaction to the franchise's new mainstream spotlight. With the studio's second effort at the series, the French developer has brought the Seven Kingdoms to life in a new, role-playing adventure.

Unlike the strategy title A Game of Thrones: Genesis, the RPG Game of Thrones feels like it was cobbled together by people who have genuine affection for the series. But Cyanide's ideas themselves seem more grand than the company is capable of delivering, showing stitches of the small studio's limitations throughout. It's the intention of the HBO series - with the budget of a SyFy original movie.

Gallery: Game of Thrones (4/25/12)

Continue reading Game of Thrones review: Bowed, bent, broken

Game of Thrones review: Bowed, bent, broken originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 15 May 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>a-game-of-thrones-rpgAtluscyanide-studiocyanide-studiosgame-of-thrones-rpgmicrosoftpcplaystationps3xboxTue, 15 May 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Max Payne 3 review: Nature of the beast]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/14/max-payne-3-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/14/max-payne-3-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/14/max-payne-3-review/#comments

Max Payne can't even find peace in a graveyard. A quiet moment of remembrance, dour and dusted in snow, is soon buried beneath the sound of gunfire. This man exists to kill, and the tombstone that names his murdered wife and daughter is there to provide cover.

The transition from emotionally tinged burial ground to functional battleground is at once touching and tasteless, presented in that kind of awkward, bittersweet combination that video games have gotten down to an art form. Can you really argue with the outcome? The cemetery perfectly recalls the birth of Max, the cynical, disheveled vigilante - and what better playground for Max, the cover-based shooter, than a plot of land filled with upright granite slabs? Rockstar can't outrun the nature of the game, no more than its wrecked anti-hero can escape his nature as problem solver via midair shooting.

Gallery: Max Payne 3 (5/14/12)

Continue reading Max Payne 3 review: Nature of the beast

Max Payne 3 review: Nature of the beast originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 May 2012 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Max-Payne-3microsoftpcplaystationps3Rockstar-Gamesrockstar-studiosxboxMon, 14 May 2012 13:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Starhawk review: Drop in, blast off]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/11/starhawk-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/11/starhawk-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/11/starhawk-review/#comments

Decked out with garish signs and weatherworn workers, the refueling platform looks more like a truck stop than a sophisticated piece of engineering. That is, until I walk to the edge of the platform and see an entire desert planet looming below. There's no time, however, to drink in the view. My comrades need help, so I call in a landing pad drop. A capsule screams in from the sky, smashing into the ground as the landing pad installs itself. I climb atop the pad and hop into a Hawk. The massive mech leaps into the air and, in a flash of whirring metal, transforms into a jet and rockets into the sky - at which point my beautiful flying machine is summarily obliterated by a more skilled pilot.

The setting changes - different planets, different platforms - but I've repeated the above exercise more often than I'd like to admit. I could do something else. I could call down a supply bunker or a tank. I could concentrate on building defenses, dropping down turrets and walls. Starhawk offers those options, but me, I've got to fly.

Gallery: StarHawk (E3 2011)

Continue reading Starhawk review: Drop in, blast off

Starhawk review: Drop in, blast off originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 11 May 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>playstationps3starhawkFri, 11 May 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Deja Review: Minecraft (XBLA)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/10/deja-review-minecraft-xbla/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/10/deja-review-minecraft-xbla/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/10/deja-review-minecraft-xbla/#commentsWe're of the firm opinion that your time is too precious, too valuable to be spent reading a full review for a game that was already reviewed many, many years ago. What's the point of applying a score to a game that's old enough to be enrolled in the sixth grade? That's why we invented Deja Review: A quick look at the new features and relative agelessness of remade, revived and re-released games.

Minecraft on Xbox Live Arcade is surreal. It's like eating jelly on eggs while watching a baby play in a lion cage: It doesn't belong where it is, but now that it's there you can't look away and, for some reason, there's a surprisingly delicious taste in your mouth.

Minecraft's shock value as an XBLA breakout isn't a result of it not making sense on the platform - in fact, it plays almost like a native title. It's surprising because Minecraft was never supposed to be big enough for a high-profile XBLA port. It's a voxel-based PC-only sandbox game with choppy graphics and no defined goal, which some argue makes it the opposite of a "game." Minecraft was never supposed to be a hit. It wasn't supposed to sell more than 5 million copies, generate $80 million or be played by more than 25 million people. It wasn't supposed to turn Markus Persson's developer persona, Notch, into a millionaire, a fashion icon, or a common name among Swedes and gamers alike,

But Minecraft has done all of these things, and now it's made its way XBLA. And just as it has everywhere else, Minecraft surprisingly succeeds.

Continue reading Deja Review: Minecraft (XBLA)

Deja Review: Minecraft (XBLA) originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 May 2012 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>deja-reviewMarkus-PerssonmicrosoftMinecraftmojangnotchXBLAxboxXbox-360Xbox-Live-ArcadeThu, 10 May 2012 14:40:00 EST<![CDATA[The rules have changed: Suiting up for Super Monday Night Combat]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/10/the-rules-have-changed-suiting-up-for-super-monday-night-combat/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/10/the-rules-have-changed-suiting-up-for-super-monday-night-combat/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/10/the-rules-have-changed-suiting-up-for-super-monday-night-combat/#commentsAs free-to-play games are constantly changing, traditional reviews can't really do them justice, so Joystiq relies on a series of unscored review diaries to record our experiences with them. Today brings part one of our Super Monday Night Combat diaries.

In the future, the American dream is a crowd cheering a brutal battle for cash, prizes, corporate endorsements and bacon. Can't have the American Dream without bacon, after all. At least, this is the world Uber Entertainment has created in Super Monday Night Combat, the follow-up to 2010's (regular) Monday Night Combat. The premise is still the same: Opposing teams of 'pros' must escort regularly spawning A.I. bots to the enemy Moneyball, first team to destroy the enemy Moneyball wins. Bots are the only thing that can take a Moneyball down, but they have to survive through a staunch line of turrets, vicious arena bots and of course, several classes of aggressive (and perhaps insane) opposing players.

These classes all have special skills and abilities specific to their role, from the whimsical, Italian support class who can heal and place defensive turrets, to a giant gorilla in a pinstripe suit that can hurl flaming barrels. There's a mascot that can be beaten, shot and otherwise maimed for power-ups, announcers trying to sell products to the audience, and a weather-controlling blimp that can turn the tide of an entire match for the right price. All typical sport stuff, really.

Gallery: Super Monday Night Combat (8/20/11)

Continue reading The rules have changed: Suiting up for Super Monday Night Combat

The rules have changed: Suiting up for Super Monday Night Combat originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 10 May 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>mobapcsuper-monday-night-combatuber-entertainmentThu, 10 May 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The diary of a murderous skier: Spending real money in Tribes: Ascend]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/08/the-diary-of-a-murderous-skier-spending-real-money-in-tribes-a/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/08/the-diary-of-a-murderous-skier-spending-real-money-in-tribes-a/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/08/the-diary-of-a-murderous-skier-spending-real-money-in-tribes-a/#commentsAs free-to-play games are constantly changing, traditional reviews can't really do them justice, so we rely on a series of unscored review diaries to record our experiences with them. Today brings part two of our Tribes: Ascend diaries.

I gave in. I dropped $50 on Tribes: Ascend and haven't looked back. After three weeks of loving the game in its totally free form, I decided it was time to suck it up and unlock some other classes. And not only did that $50 get me a ton of Gold, but also a mess of bonus XP. Shopping time!

For the price of a full PC game, I unlocked seven of the game's nine classes, a variety of skins, and upgrades across all my classes, and increased the rate at which I earned in-game XP (the only currency that will upgrade weapons, packs, and armor, and which thankfully cannot be purchased with real dollars). I still have some gold coins to spare (the in-game currency that's converted from real dollars, which can't be earned), but I'm saving them for ... well, I don't really know. I'd feel weird spending them all.

Continue reading The diary of a murderous skier: Spending real money in Tribes: Ascend

The diary of a murderous skier: Spending real money in Tribes: Ascend originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 08 May 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hi-rezhi-rez-studiostribes-ascendTue, 08 May 2012 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Fable Heroes review: For every choice, no consequence]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/01/fable-heroes-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/01/fable-heroes-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/01/fable-heroes-review/#comments

In Fable Heroes, you and some friends take the role of cutesy Fable-based puppets, battling through a number of cookie-cutter levels on the couch or online. Put frankly, the game is a shameless abuse of the Fable property. The idea of a cartoonish hack-and-slash isn't necessarily a bad idea, if executed properly. Unfortunately, Fable Heroes struggles at its core concept.

Like most hack-and-slash games, the button scheme is fairly simple, featuring a light and heavy attack, along with a roll maneuver. You can open chests for various power-ups (some of dubious helpfulness) and there is a special move that none of my multiplayer party fully grasped. I knew how to do it, but for the life of me couldn't figure out when it was available. This led to rampant guesswork with limited success. The help section of the game didn't offer much assistance either. (Though it does include a 17-page description of all the power-up chests.)

Gallery: Fable Heroes (Marketplace, 3/4/12)

Continue reading Fable Heroes review: For every choice, no consequence

Fable Heroes review: For every choice, no consequence originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 May 2012 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fable-heroesLionhead-Studiosmicrosoftxblaxboxxbox-livexbox-live-arcadeTue, 01 May 2012 17:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Awesomenauts review: Feel the magic, hear the roar]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/01/awesomenauts-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/01/awesomenauts-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/05/01/awesomenauts-review/#comments

The theme song for Awesomenauts' Leon Chameleon goes like this: "Donnez-moi ton argent. Donnez-moi ton fromage. Je donne tu mon amour." My high school French teacher, Madame Rose, would probably take issue with the grammar, but it translates to "Give me your money. Give me your cheese. I give you my love."

I mention this to make a point. While Awesomenauts was certainly inspired by the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) genre, it is by no means merely derivative. It cobbles together a strong identity of its own, accomplished in part by translating a familiar experience into a new format, and in part by cribbing from the memories of the 1980s to create a Saturday morning cartoon that never existed.

Gallery: Awesomenauts (12/6/11)

Continue reading Awesomenauts review: Feel the magic, hear the roar

Awesomenauts review: Feel the magic, hear the roar originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 01 May 2012 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>awesomenautsdtp-entertainmentmicrosoftplaystationps3ronimo-gamesxboxTue, 01 May 2012 15:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Bloodforge review: God of sore ... thumbs]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/27/bloodforge-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/27/bloodforge-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/27/bloodforge-review/#comments

Even before diving into Bloodforge's gore-soaked, beast-slaying combat or encountering one of its screen-enveloping enemies, the XBLA brawler announces itself as a God of War wannabe. From its pissed-off protagonist to its female narrator, the hack-and-slasher channels Kratos' exploits before the first entrails stain your sword. There are certainly worse series to crib from, and Bloodforge, while significantly flawed, generally feels more like a fan-made tribute than a cash-grabbing copycat.

The first thing Bloodforge hits you with isn't some ugly monster's sharp steel, but a striking visual presentation. Contrasting a desaturated color palette with buckets of bright blood, Bloodforge looks like it may have jumped off the paneled page of a mature graphic novel. The dark vibe is further complemented by sopping rain storms, snowy landscapes stained with viscera, and marshes blanketed with mist. If all that doesn't set the tone, silhouetted corpses impaled on spikes and hanging from nooses should do the trick.

Gallery: Bloodforge (XBLA)

Continue reading Bloodforge review: God of sore ... thumbs

Bloodforge review: God of sore ... thumbs originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bloodforgemicrosoftxblaxboxxbox-livexbox-live-arcadeFri, 27 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Legend of Grimrock review: Less is more]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/27/legend-of-grimrock-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/27/legend-of-grimrock-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/27/legend-of-grimrock-review/#comments

I think I have video game amnesia. Nowadays, I play something, watch the credits roll, and then involuntarily purge it from my memories. Admittedly, that's a bit odd, seeing as today's games are chock-full of lavish setpieces and retina-searing "water-cooler moments." Meanwhile, my childhood memories of the lo-fi Game Boy Dragon Quest games are still crystal clear. Legend of Grimrock reminded me why.

Much like those 8-bit bites of role-playing bliss, Grimrock leaves nearly everything to the imagination. Who are these four prisoners, what did they do to deserve this frequently fatal, square-by-square dungeon crawl, and why is one of them a minotaur? While there is a minimal overarching plot, I got to fill in those blanks moment-by-moment and really own my experience. With no overly chatty character nor long-winded cut-scene in sight, character motivations and interactions were mine to imagine.

In all things - plot, combat, and even the act of simply moving forward - Grimrock is refreshingly minimal, an extremely satisfying whole cobbled together from your every little "aha" puzzle-solving moment and "ahhh!" near-death experience.

Gallery: Legend of Grimrock

Continue reading Legend of Grimrock review: Less is more

Legend of Grimrock review: Less is more originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>almost-humanlegend-of-grimrockpcFri, 27 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Prototype 2 review: Stalkin' New York]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/25/prototype-2-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/25/prototype-2-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/25/prototype-2-review/#comments

For the sake of fun, we're willing to put up with a lot a ham-fisted plots, characters, settings and whatever else isn't directly related to gameplay. I'm not exactly sure how much I'm willing to put up with, but it's a line that Prototype 2 crossed very quickly.

Like its predecessor, Prototype 2 features some of the best free-form locomotion of this generation. Combat is easy control and allows for a variety of tactical options, so long as you're willing to stick it out long enough to earn them. If only the rest of the experience weren't wrapped up in a mucusy, repugnant membrane of inane plot, forgettable characters and terrible dialogue, Prototype 2 would be much, much better off.

Gallery: Prototype 2 (2/16/12)

Continue reading Prototype 2 review: Stalkin' New York

Prototype 2 review: Stalkin' New York originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>activisionmicrosoftpcplaystationprototype-2ps3Radical-EntertainmentxboxWed, 25 Apr 2012 19:15:00 EST<![CDATA[The Walking Dead: Episode 1 review: The value of people]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/24/the-walking-dead-episode-1-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/24/the-walking-dead-episode-1-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/24/the-walking-dead-episode-1-review/#comments

In the zombie apocalypse, we'll all be human resource managers. We'll need to make harsh critiques on the value of one human against another in a post-apocalyptic scenario. At least, that's what the first episode of Telltale's The Walking Dead adaptation has taught me.

As someone who's mapped out his strategy for the zombie apocalypse countless times, I always told myself I'd keep my humanity; I wouldn't become the monster I was trying to survive. And then I chose to rescue a grown man over a helpless child.

Gallery: The Walking Dead

Continue reading The Walking Dead: Episode 1 review: The value of people

The Walking Dead: Episode 1 review: The value of people originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 24 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>iosipadiphonemacmicrosoftmobilepcplaystationps3telltale-gamesthe-walking-deadxboxTue, 24 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Deja Review: Disgaea 3: Absence of Detention]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/23/deja-review-disgaea-3-absence-of-detention/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/23/deja-review-disgaea-3-absence-of-detention/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/23/deja-review-disgaea-3-absence-of-detention/#commentsWe're of the firm opinion that your time is too precious, too valuable to be spent reading a full review for a game that was already reviewed many, many years ago. What's the point of applying a score to a game that's old enough to be enrolled in the sixth grade? That's why we invented Deja Review: A quick look at the new features and relative agelessness of remade, revived and re-released games.

Disgaea is a series that just seems to work better in portable form. The series' approach to character building - in which you can basically raise levels to stratospheric proportions with time, effort, and the best power-leveling locales - is more suited to on-the-go play. It's a lot easier to make your way through the randomly generated Item Worlds to level up your gear in thirty-minute commute blocks, putting your system to sleep as needed, than it is to devote hours to a single grind session squatting in front of a TV.

It's for this reason that I tend to invest far more time in the portable versions of Disgaea than their console counterparts. I'll generally put down the console editions once I've cleared the main story, but I'll invest an absurd amount of time in the portable editions to scout out many of their extras, simply because the format makes them more easily digestible. The number of hours played on my Disgaea 2 PSP save have long since passed the triple digits.

Now, we've got Disgaea 3: Absence of Detention on the Vita. I've always felt that D3 was the weakest of the series in terms of both gameplay and its story and characters. That doesn't mean it's bad, just not as good as some of the other installments. I had hoped that playing it in my preferred format would change my mind, but, unfortunately, it didn't. It's still my least favorite Disgaea game. However, it's still a very good portable strategy game with several noteworthy new additions.

Continue reading Deja Review: Disgaea 3: Absence of Detention

Deja Review: Disgaea 3: Absence of Detention originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>deja-reviewdisgaea-3-absence-of-detentionplaystationplaystation-vitasonyvitaMon, 23 Apr 2012 15:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Amoebattle (iOS, DSiWare)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/portabliss-amoebattle-ios-dsiware/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/portabliss-amoebattle-ios-dsiware/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/portabliss-amoebattle-ios-dsiware/#commentsDid you know that you can download handheld games now? That's amazingly convenient! The only inconvenient part of it is finding the right games to buy -- and that's where we come in, with our Portabliss column. In each installment, we'll tell you about a downloadable game on the iPhone, iPad, Android device, DSi, 3DS, PSP, etc. Today: Amoebattle.

Traditionally, real-time strategy games have been the domain of the PC. Attempts have been made to move the genre to other platforms in the past, some more successful than others, but demanding complexity and mouse-centered control schemes have typically kept it from flourishing elsewhere. Enter Amoebattle, a real-time strategy game for iOS (with a DSiWare version on the way next month). Cute though it may be, the heart of real-time strategy definitely beats below its adorable exterior.

Continue reading Portabliss: Amoebattle (iOS, DSiWare)

Portabliss: Amoebattle (iOS, DSiWare) originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsAmoebattledsiosipadiphonemobilenintendoportablissFri, 20 Apr 2012 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Trials Evolution review: Try, try again]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/trials-evolution-review-try-try-again/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/trials-evolution-review-try-try-again/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/trials-evolution-review-try-try-again/#comments

I made a huge mistake. "So help me, Richard, if I don't review Trials Evolution," I said back in March, "I'll start walking to Oklahoma right now."

That was when I was younger, more foolish and willing to march to someone's house to get a downloadable game.

The Ben of mid-April, however? He knows better. He knows that a sequel to 2009's Trials HD, expanding greatly on the finely tuned physics masterpiece of the first game, would be a dangerous game to review. Not because it isn't good - sweet lord, it's glorious - but because reviews are things that happen quickly after release. What I want to do with Trials Evolution is play it for another decade. Maybe then - maybe! - I could speak to all the content RedLynx added this time around.

But here we are, and this is a review. So here it is: Trials Evolution is excellent.

Gallery: Trials Evolution (3/22/12)

Continue reading Trials Evolution review: Try, try again

Trials Evolution review: Try, try again originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftredlynxtrials-evolutionubisoftxblaxboxxbox-live-arcadeFri, 20 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Splatters review: Slip, slide, splat]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/18/the-splatters-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/18/the-splatters-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/18/the-splatters-review/#comments

Physics-based puzzle games can be a little hit-or-miss - sometimes literally. While the element of unpredictability can be addictive in games about knocking down structures with furious birds, it can also lead the way to frustrating trial and error when the physics refuse to cooperate. The Splatters on Xbox Live Arcade hits more than it misses, but it has a few issues that keep it from splashing onto the walls of the physics puzzle hall of fame.

Gallery: The Splatters (XBLA)

Continue reading The Splatters review: Slip, slide, splat

The Splatters review: Slip, slide, splat originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftmicrosoft-studiosspikysnail-gamesthe-splattersxblaxboxxbox-livexbox-live-arcadeWed, 18 Apr 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir review: Behind you!]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/13/spirit-camera-the-cursed-memoir-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/13/spirit-camera-the-cursed-memoir-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/13/spirit-camera-the-cursed-memoir-review/#comments

There's a very special, very terrified place in my heart for the Fatal Frame series. While Silent Hill encourages (and occasionally forces) me to run away from its horrors, Fatal Frame has always required me to not only face my fears, but to do so for as long as my nerves can take it. With a ghost-killing camera as my only weapon, I learn that the best photographs deal the most damage - and the best photographs are always close-ups.

It may not say so on the box, but Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir is indeed a Fatal Frame game, one that puts an augmented reality spin on the traditional, heart-taxing action. Unfortunately, in bringing Fatal Frame to the camera-equipped 3DS, Spirit Camera takes the series where it was never meant to go: your well-lit living room.

Gallery: Fun with Spirit Camera

Continue reading Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir review: Behind you!

Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir review: Behind you! originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsnintendospirit-camera-the-cursed-memoirtecmoFri, 13 Apr 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Skullgirls review: Close, but no cigar]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/13/skullgirls-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/13/skullgirls-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/13/skullgirls-review/#comments

Despite the fresh renaissance the fighting game genre has grown into over the last couple of years, the medium is still dominated by the superpowers that brought it to its knees during the late twentieth century: Capcom, Namco Bandai, SNK Playmore, etc. Now, however, a new challenger comes.

Skullgirls, the debut title from Reverge Labs, is unique in that it's one of the very few original IP fighting games to come out since the genre regained its popularity. What's more, its also an anime-style 2D fighter from an American development studio, which is crazy. I've been following Skullgirls' production since it was announced last year, and as much as I wish it were the paradigm-shifting indie darling the fighting game scene so desperately needs, that is sadly not the case.

Gallery: Skullgirls (XBLA/PSN)

Continue reading Skullgirls review: Close, but no cigar

Skullgirls review: Close, but no cigar originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autumn-gameskonamimicrosoftplaystationps3psnreverge-labsskullgirlsxblaxboxFri, 13 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Fez review: Hats off]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/12/fez-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/12/fez-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/12/fez-review/#comments

Whenever a game is hyped to stratospheric proportions, many times over a course of years, it enters a volatile realm of public reception.

When a game has won numerous awards before its launch, is one half of an industry documentary, and is developed by an outspoken, opinionated man, it resides in a universe of its own and players are relegated to describe it in one of two ways: with blazing praise or incendiary criticism.

Fez is on fire, and it burns with a brilliant, red-hot, yellow-tasseled flame.

Continue reading Fez review: Hats off

Fez review: Hats off originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>FezHatmicrosoftphil-fishpolytronRenaud-Bedardtrixelsxblaxboxxbox-liveThu, 12 Apr 2012 16:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Anomaly: Warzone Earth review: Reverse defense]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/10/anomaly-warzone-earth-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/10/anomaly-warzone-earth-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/10/anomaly-warzone-earth-review/#commentsFiled under: Reviews, Microsoft Xbox 360

In the year 2018, what initially appears to be a comet crashes into Baghdad with seismic force. Just like that, Earth has been invaded. Anomaly: Warzone Earth tells the story of the brave members of the fourteenth platoon, the military group that responds to the disaster first and (with any luck) the group that will still be around to fire the final shot.

Anomaly: Warzone Earth is a tower defense game in reverse. As events unfold, aliens have set up encampments and Earth's soldiers are the new invaders. Towers and turrets dot the landscape. Extraterrestrial vessels hover over scorched soil and the remnants of apartments and office buildings. The loss of human lives is palpable. Now soldiers must take back each captured zone by bringing the fight to the aliens.

Gallery: Anomaly: Warzone Earth (XBLA)

Continue reading Anomaly: Warzone Earth review: Reverse defense

Anomaly: Warzone Earth review: Reverse defense originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>11-bit-studiosanomaly-warzone-earthmicrosoftpcxboxTue, 10 Apr 2012 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Diabolical Pitch review: Field of nightmares]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/06/diabolical-pitch-review-field-of-nightmares/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/06/diabolical-pitch-review-field-of-nightmares/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/06/diabolical-pitch-review-field-of-nightmares/#comments

You are McAllister, a living legend in baseball, hunched over on the mound while gripping your lifeless throwing arm one moment after throwing a record-breaking out. Next thing you know, you're in a car accident, and wake up at a demented, run-down amusement park called Queen Christine's Dream Land. There, a man in a suit with the head of a cow explains that you can get your arm back to form by throwing your way to the castle at the end of the park -- while wearing a bionic arm.

This is Diabolical Pitch, the latest XBLA title from Grasshopper Manufacture. As odd as it sounds, what's important to note is that this game is dependent on Microsoft's Kinect peripheral, and every throw by McAllister is a real-life throw by you.

Continue reading Diabolical Pitch review: Field of nightmares

Diabolical Pitch review: Field of nightmares originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>codename-ddiabolical-pitchgrasshopper-manufacturekinectmicrosoftxboxFri, 06 Apr 2012 17:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Xenoblade Chronicles review: A cut above]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/06/xenoblade-chronicles-review-a-cut-above/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/06/xenoblade-chronicles-review-a-cut-above/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/06/xenoblade-chronicles-review-a-cut-above/#comments

I'll confess, I wasn't terribly excited for Xenoblade Chronicles at first. My experience with other "Xeno" titles (Xenogears, Xenosaga) could perhaps best be described as contemptuous. To me, those titles paraded the worst elements of Japanese role-playing games in front of a spotlight, gleefully showcasing the genre's biggest flaws to the world for excruciatingly painful stretches. Going into the nitty-gritty of why I find those games awful is another article entirely, but suffice it to say that another Xeno-game wasn't exactly high on my want-to-play list -- until I started hearing nothing but praise for Xenoblade from like-minded JRPG genre fans. Imagine my surprise at popping the disc into my Wii to discover a game nothing like Xenos past -- a game that, instead of stubbornly shoving the worst parts of JRPGs in your face, makes substantial advancements to the genre.

Gallery: Xenoblade Chronicles

Continue reading Xenoblade Chronicles review: A cut above

Xenoblade Chronicles review: A cut above originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 06 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>monolith-softnintendowiixenoblade-chroniclesFri, 06 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect Star Wars review: Needs Force feedback]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/kinect-star-wars-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/kinect-star-wars-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/04/kinect-star-wars-review/#comments

Let's just get this out of the way: in its current state, the Kinect can't deliver a true lightsaber experience. The device's input lag combined with the hardware's finicky nature simply won't allow it. That's not to say that Kinect Star Wars isn't without its merits. There are a few decent ideas hidden in its sub-games, even some fun to be had, but the overall package is lacking.

I suspect some Star Wars fans (or parents of Star Wars fans) will find its Force pull irresistible, but even the most dedicated Jedi is likely to find it underwhelming.

Gallery: Kinect: Star Wars (2/7/12)

Continue reading Kinect Star Wars review: Needs Force feedback

Kinect Star Wars review: Needs Force feedback originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>kinectkinect-star-warslucasartsmicrosoftstar-wars-kinectxboxWed, 04 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Yesterday review: Hit me baby one more time]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/yesterday-review-hit-me-baby-one-more-time/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/yesterday-review-hit-me-baby-one-more-time/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/yesterday-review-hit-me-baby-one-more-time/#comments

Pendulo Studios promised Yesterday would be dark, gritty and just on this side of disturbing, and it most decidedly is. Yesterday introduces friendly characters simply to kill them off and it doesn't shy away from jamming bullets through almost everyone's head. It examines -- in detail -- torture, Satanic rituals and axes to the face, all within a complexly layered storyline about a young(ish) man's quest to find himself.

Yesterday tackles heavy subjects such as love, immortality, the Spanish Inquisition, BDSM, poverty and sociopathic homicidal maniacs, all accessible with a point and a click. The art style is lighthearted enough to support Pendulo's trademark comic relief while keeping the story moving forward in a serious way -- seriously fast.

Continue reading Yesterday review: Hit me baby one more time

Yesterday review: Hit me baby one more time originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Mar 2012 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventurefocus-home-interactivepcpendulopendulo-studiosSTEAMyesterdayThu, 29 Mar 2012 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[MLB 12: The Show (PS3, PS Vita) review: Ahead in the count]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/mlb-12-the-show-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/mlb-12-the-show-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/mlb-12-the-show-review/#comments

Baseball is a polarizing sport. Either you love the drama of every at-bat, every line drive and double play, or you think it's boring as all get-out. It's a tough experience to translate into a game, especially in a manner that's, you know, something you'll want to keep playing.

The MLB: The Show series by Sony's San Diego Studio has been the top baseball sim for several years and a solid exclusive to Sony's platforms. But this year is a big one: Sony's launched a new handheld, the PlayStation Vita, and it's debuted MLB 12: The Show on the platform, hoping to achieve parity between the handheld version and the PS3 game, the latter of which certainly hasn't been neglected this season.

Once again, Sony's knocked it out of the park.

Gallery: MLB 12: The Show

Continue reading MLB 12: The Show (PS3, PS Vita) review: Ahead in the count

MLB 12: The Show (PS3, PS Vita) review: Ahead in the count originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>mlb-12-the-showmoveplaystationplaystation-vitaps3san-diego-studiosceasonysony-san-diegovitaThu, 29 Mar 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Closure review: Go into the light]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/closure-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/closure-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/closure-review/#comments

Light is a fundamental part of existence. It pulls forms out of the dark, giving them shape, distance and color. Without light, everything we know would perish, leaving behind a barren, invisible world. Closure takes the fundamental nature of light one step further: where there is no light, there is oblivion.

Continue reading Closure review: Go into the light

Closure review: Go into the light originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 29 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>closureeyebrow-interactiveplaystationps3psnThu, 29 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Chaos Rings 2 (iOS)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/28/portabliss-chaos-rings-2-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/28/portabliss-chaos-rings-2-ios/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/28/portabliss-chaos-rings-2-ios/#commentsDid you know that you can download handheld games now? That's amazingly convenient! The only inconvenient part of it is finding the right games to buy -- and that's where we come in, with our Portabliss column. In each installment, we'll tell you about a downloadable game on the iPhone, iPad, Android device, DSi, 3DS, PSP, etc. Today: Chaos Rings 2.

During GDC this year, Cave Vice-President Mikio Watanabe implored smartphone and tablet game developers to price their products appropriately: a high-quality game should come with a higher pricetag. Square Enix's Chaos Rings 2 certainly follows Watanabe's advice.

At $18 on iPhone and $20 on iPad, it's among the higher-priced big-name iOS releases. But that old adage of "getting what you pay for" applies, too, as Chaos Rings II is a superb RPG that easily justifies its premium pricetag.

Gallery: Chaos Rings 2 (iOS)

Continue reading Portabliss: Chaos Rings 2 (iOS)

Portabliss: Chaos Rings 2 (iOS) originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Mar 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>iosipadiphonemedia-visionmedia.visionmobileportablisssquare-enixWed, 28 Mar 2012 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Ninja Gaiden 3 review: To be blunt]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/27/ninja-gaiden-3-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/27/ninja-gaiden-3-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/27/ninja-gaiden-3-review/#comments Ninja Gaiden 3 is all murder and no execution. It places utmost importance on the periphery, neglecting the mechanisms of combat while splashing blood across the screen and desperately sniffing the air for just a hint of remorse from its protagonist. The franchise has never been more accessible as a result, and never more disposable.

Ninja Gaiden's internal clockwork is still in there somewhere, albeit stripped of intricacy. The speed and fluidity of movement abolishes the perceived distance between thought and on-screen reaction, and there's a pleasant cadence of killing injured foes, one by one, after you've hobbled them with a barrage of sword slashes. And the Izuna Drop, which lifts a dance partner into the air before spinning them headfirst into the earth, remains one of the best (and safest) moves in any action game. If you're supposed to feel bad about all the unrestrained killing, as Ryu is meant to after a curse turns his arm into a veiny vector for his victims, maybe it shouldn't be quite as much fun.

Gallery: Ninja Gaiden 3 (1/12/12)

Continue reading Ninja Gaiden 3 review: To be blunt

Ninja Gaiden 3 review: To be blunt originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Mar 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftninja-gaiden-3playstationps3team-ninjaxboxTue, 27 Mar 2012 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Kid Icarus Uprising review: Uplifting]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/23/kid-icarus-uprising-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/23/kid-icarus-uprising-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/23/kid-icarus-uprising-review/#comments

Kid Icarus: Uprising for 3DS is more than the return of a long-dormant Nintendo franchise; it's effectively the birth of a new franchise that feels nothing like anything else in Nintendo's lineup. It's fresh, exciting, funny, and has the ability to be customized deeply to the player's interest and comfort level.

It is, in short, an excellent game. And it's one I almost didn't bother to play, because -- to put it charitably -- its controls are a barrier to entry that is uncharacteristic for Nintendo. To put it bluntly, the controls are uncomfortable and hard to get used to. Nintendo is aware of this, hence the stand. I was fully ready to write the game off based on the controls, if only it weren't so consistently awesome in every other way.

Gallery: Kid Icarus: Uprising (1/19/12)

Continue reading Kid Icarus Uprising review: Uplifting

Kid Icarus Uprising review: Uplifting originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Mar 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dskid-icaruskid-icarus-uprisingnintendoproject-soraFri, 23 Mar 2012 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Portabliss: Angry Birds Space (iOS, Android, PC, Mac)]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/22/portabliss-angry-birds-space-ios-android-pc-mac/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/22/portabliss-angry-birds-space-ios-android-pc-mac/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/22/portabliss-angry-birds-space-ios-android-pc-mac/#commentsDid you know that you can download handheld games now? That's amazingly convenient! The only inconvenient part of it is finding the right games to buy -- and that's where we come in, with our Portabliss column. In each installment, we'll tell you about a downloadable game on the iPhone, iPad, Android device, DSi, 3DS, PSP, etc. Today: Angry Birds Space.

Love it or hate it, there is no avoiding Angry Birds. It's everywhere. It's in your phone, it's on the toy shelves, it's tied in with movies and, if all goes according to plan, it will be spun off into its own movie before too long. Today, Angry Birds takes off for the final frontier in Angry Birds Space, a project that evidently has enough gravitational pull to get NASA itself involved.

And yet, when you get right down to it, it's just more Angry Birds with a few extra tricks up its sleeve -- not that there's anything wrong with that.

Gallery: Angry Birds Space (3/8/12)

Continue reading Portabliss: Angry Birds Space (iOS, Android, PC, Mac)

Portabliss: Angry Birds Space (iOS, Android, PC, Mac) originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Mar 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidangry-birds-spaceiosipadiphonemacmobilepcportablissrovioThu, 22 Mar 2012 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Sine Mora review: A shmup in time]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/21/sine-mora-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/21/sine-mora-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/21/sine-mora-review/#comments

Growing up in an era where arcades and shooters were king, I have plenty of fond memories of games like Raiden and 1943. As the genre has evolved, difficulty has dramatically increased -- as has the number of bullets -- relegating my interest into the realm of fascination rather than participation. I can certainly appreciate a game like Ikaruga, for example, but I've come to terms with the fact that I lack the dedication to ever finish it (or probably even clear the second level).

That's why Sine Mora is so refreshing. It offers up both a serious challenge for serious shooter fans and a palatable experience for lapsed addicts like myself.

Gallery: Sine Mora (Gamescom 2011)

Continue reading Sine Mora review: A shmup in time

Sine Mora review: A shmup in time originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>digital-realitygrasshopper-manufacturemicrosoftmicrosoft-studiosSine-MoraxblaxboxWed, 21 Mar 2012 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Deja Review: Silent Hill HD Collection]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/20/deja-review-silent-hill-hd-collection/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/20/deja-review-silent-hill-hd-collection/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/20/deja-review-silent-hill-hd-collection/#commentsWe're of the firm opinion that your time is too precious, too valuable to be spent reading a full review for a game that was already reviewed many, many years ago. What's the point of applying a score to a game that's old enough to be enrolled in the sixth grade? That's why we invented Deja Review: A quick look at the new features and relative agelessness of remade, revived and re-released games.

Unlike Joystiq's reviews, our Deja Reviews don't include subtitles. If they did, this one would read, "Silent Hill HD Collection: Still crazy after all these years." Silent Hill 2, the oldest of the two games included in the HD Collection, was released over ten years ago now. Many people (myself among them) consider it to be not only one of the best horror games ever made, but also one of the best games of all time.

After ten years, having played through it multiple times, it still pulls me in.

Gallery: Silent Hill HD Collection (TGS 2011)

Continue reading Deja Review: Silent Hill HD Collection

Deja Review: Silent Hill HD Collection originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>konamimicrosoftplaystationps3silent-hill-2silent-hill-3silent-hill-hd-collectionxboxTue, 20 Mar 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City review: Evacuation plan]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/20/resident-evil-operation-raccoon-city-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/20/resident-evil-operation-raccoon-city-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/20/resident-evil-operation-raccoon-city-review/#comments

Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City assumes a lot about the player. It takes for granted that you already know the fiction going into the affair, that you already know about its character classes and that you already have people in mind for your squad. It thinks you know about the special abilities and unlockables of each class, and how to access that content, right from the start.

Those who missed out on Resident Evil 2 and 3 may not appreciate the small bits of fanservice developer Slant 6 Games has tossed in, but that's minor compared to how much context is missing elsewhere.

Gallery: Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City (10/31/11)

Continue reading Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City review: Evacuation plan

Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City review: Evacuation plan originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>capcommicrosoftpcplaystationps3resident-evil-2resident-evil-3resident-evil-operation-raccoon-cityslant-sixslant-six-gamesxboxTue, 20 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Yakuza: Dead Souls review: What a twist!]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/16/yakuza-dead-souls-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/16/yakuza-dead-souls-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/16/yakuza-dead-souls-review/#comments

I've got to hand it to Yakuza: Dead Souls. It resurrects an old antagonist with a prosthetic gun-arm, unleashes a zombie apocalypse on Tokyo and still manages to take itself seriously. The only real difference between Dead Souls and Yakuza 4 is some thoroughly mediocre gunplay and, well, the living dead.

It's not a terrible idea when it comes down to it. Half the fun is seeing how Yakuza's eclectic cast deals with being recast in what amounts to a Resident Evil game. It has resident psychopath Goro Majima waging a one-man war against the undead horde. It has Kazuma Kiryu punching out a zombie for heaven's sake. It's all good fun, particularly for existing fans of the series.

Gallery: Yakuza: Dead Souls (PS3)

Continue reading Yakuza: Dead Souls review: What a twist!

Yakuza: Dead Souls review: What a twist! originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>playstationps3segayakuza-dead-soulsyakuza-of-the-endFri, 16 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Unit 13 review: Fired up, feels okay]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/16/unit-13-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/16/unit-13-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/16/unit-13-review/#comments

Developer Zipper Interactive cut its teeth on the PlayStation 2 with the SOCOM series, becoming legend to military shooter fans with a trio of outstanding titles. In the following generation, however, Zipper hasn't been as consistent. Initially, my time with Unit 13, the dev's new military shooter for Vita, was nothing short of a love affair, but after only a few hours the game quickly lost steam.

Rather than offer a story, Unit 13 presents itself as a set of over 35 missions, which offer a variety of objectives. Some require covert infiltration and some, for instance, must be accomplished within a specific timeframe.

In the beginning, Unit 13 does a great job of pushing its leaderboard mentality, where score is king and it's your runs versus the world, but the entire framework feels meaningless. Orders are barked at you, and you execute them, with little in the way of reasoning other than, "These dudes are bad, so kill them before they do their bad dude things."

Gallery: Unit 13 (PS Vita)

Continue reading Unit 13 review: Fired up, feels okay

Unit 13 review: Fired up, feels okay originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>playstationplaystation-vitaunit-13vitaZipper-InteractiveFri, 16 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tales of Graces F review: Comfort food]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/16/tales-of-graces-f-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/16/tales-of-graces-f-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/16/tales-of-graces-f-review/#comments

When I was but a wee nerdling, I had an unhealthy obsession with Brian Jacques' Redwall book series. While other children frolicked in parks or used superior numbers to overwhelm prey or whatever normal children do, I dreamed of talking mouse-people and magic swords the size of thumbtacks. Over time, however, even Child-Me realized that I was basically being asked to pony up for slightly different spins on the same swords 'n' sorcery 'n' rodents-for-some-reason story. Same journey progression, same character archetypes, same pervasive message that badgers are the Best Animal, etc. But I read, like, 14 of the things, because they were comfortable -- the literary equivalent of a hug or that Snuggie no one knows you own.

Namco Bandai's Tales series hedges its bets on a taking up a similar role in the lives of its fans. Tales of Graces F doesn't reinvent any wheels or cure Japanese RPG characters of their tragic case of radioactive bedhead, but it's an especially strong showing from a series that knows how to make you instantly feel right at home.

Gallery: Tales of Graces F (3/15/12)

Continue reading Tales of Graces F review: Comfort food

Tales of Graces F review: Comfort food originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>namco-bandaiplaystationps3talestales-of-graces-fFri, 16 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[FIFA Street review: When players collide]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/15/fifa-street-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/15/fifa-street-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/15/fifa-street-review/#comments

There's no way FIFA Street could have merely been an additional mode in FIFA Soccer 12. The latter takes to the conventional styles of soccer, where setting up plays and well-timed crosses are the keys to victory. The former focuses on "the beautiful game," where one player juggles a ball around with blinding grace, tricking an opponent into moving one direction while taking the ball in the other.

FIFA Street utilizes the Player Impact Engine found in FIFA 12, which relies more heavily on the physics of players and the ball instead of using only animations. It's a good starting point for a game that, compared to other FIFA titles, spotlights soccer tricks more than ever. The end result, however, turns into a "FIFA lite" of sorts, with shoddy action frighteningly reminiscent of the problematic FIFA 12 demo.

Continue reading FIFA Street review: When players collide

FIFA Street review: When players collide originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 15 Mar 2012 20:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eaea-sportsElectronic-Artsfifa-streetmicrosoftplaystationps3xboxThu, 15 Mar 2012 20:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Mario Party 9 review: Rolling like a boss]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/14/mario-party-9-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/14/mario-party-9-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/14/mario-party-9-review/#comments

Those who have not followed the Mario Party series in recent years could be forgiven for dismissing its 9th console entry as yet another attempt to milk an aging franchise. Hell, even as someone who's been mini-gaming around the Mushroom Kingdom since it required being tethered to an N64, I had trouble mustering enthusiasm for the latest sequel. Allowing that big "9" on the box to mislead you, however, would be a mistake on the level of hiring Bowser as a babysitter.

You see, Mario Party 9 -- the series' first entry in nearly five years -- feels surprisingly more like a thoughtful reboot than a phoned-in rehash.

Gallery: Mario Party 9 (E3 2011)

Continue reading Mario Party 9 review: Rolling like a boss

Mario Party 9 review: Rolling like a boss originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Now that 2012 is here, bringing with it the impending doom of modern civilization under the talons of Quetzcoatl, let us look back fondly on our foolish visions of how the world might have ended.

One of my personal favorite apocalyptic theories concerns the robot uprising. And wouldn't you know it, Shoot Many Robots is here just in time to remind us of what a glorious end we could have faced at the unfeeling hands of machines gone mad. I can think of no better way to celebrate the end of the world. Actually, strike that, I can.

Gallery: Shoot Many Robots (10/27/11)

Continue reading Shoot Many Robots review: Robocalypse now

Shoot Many Robots review: Robocalypse now originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>demiurge-studiosmicrosoftplaystationps3psnshoot-many-robotsubisoftxblaxboxTue, 13 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EST