Play Your Shape: Fitness Evolved

WOW! I played the demo for this game and all it included was a gym game, and while fun, wasn't the deepest experience.  Best Buy put Kinect games on sale and I read lots of good reviews (including the one by my good friend Hana) and decided this is one to pick up.  I am so glad I did.  The workout routines are fun, VERY challenging and don't seem to carry on forever.  The interface is clean and informative, the trainer isn't obnoxious and the fact that there is already added downloadable content shows that they plan on supporting this product for a while.  LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!

Review for Fallout New Vegas

One of my favorite games of all time is Fallout 3.  Then the same company announced it would be making Fallout New Vegas, I was really excited.  It's not a direct sequel in that Fallout 3 takes place on the east coast and New Vegas takes place in....you guessed it the Vegas strip area.  Many have complained that there is not much new to the engine or many new features, it's just an expensive DLC.  I am a little sad that there weren't very many new things added, but the ones they did are really cool.  You can now make your own ammo and other supplies at various work tables.  Also introduced is the concept of reputation in addition of karma as how people react to you.  Other than that it's a lot of the same old GREAT game!  I can see that this will suck a LOT of time out of my weekends.

Review for Castlevania Lords of Shadow

I have always been rather hot and cold about the castlevania series.  I love the story behind them and the game design, but I was still pretty young when they came out for the most part and they were crazy hard so I got to a certain point then didn't enjoy them anymore out of frustration.  When I first heard about the Castlevania Lords of Shadow game I got really excited because I figured that as an adult i would be more capable of handling the challenges the game would pose to me.  So far I am right and I do enjoy the game very much.  It seems really reminiscent of a God of War-esque game with combos and upgrading combat skills through orbs received from fallen enemies, but it is a very enjoyable game.  The boss battles are so far are very epic!  I don't want to go into too much detail as this is still a very story driven game, but the fact that Patrick Stewart is a voice actor for one of the main characters and the narrator I think is amazing!  Unfortunatly I sent it back before I could complete it due to spending WAY too much time fighting camera angles and aimlessly wandering looking for some trinket every other level.  Good game, just not quite polished in my opinion.

Kinect is here!

Kinect is HERE!  I'm not usually a day one adopter, but this is too cool to pass up.  Kinect is a series of 2 or 3 cameras that track your whole body and let you interact with the Xbox 360.  It also has a microphone for voice interaction as well.  The only downside of Kinect I've had so far is thta it take a LOT of room to use properly.  We had to rearrange our living room a little bit and everytime we want to play a Kinect game we have to push the coffee table one way and a chair the other way, but it's not horrible.

The Kinect comes bundles with Kinect Adventures.  This game makes great use of the Kinect.  There are 5 different games that you are challenged with they can be really intense!  Rallyball is like getting locked in a raquetball court with insane dodgeballs, but you want to get hit by the dodgeballs so they destroy blocks.  This was one of the demos that they first showed off the Kinect's (then Natal) potential.  My oldest's favorite game is Reflex Ridge.  This is the one that can have your heart rate up after a few minutes of play.  You have to duck, jump, sidestep and pose around obstacles to get adventure pins.  This game looks AMAZING!  I really wasn't expecting a bundle game to impress me as much as this does.  It's powered by Unreal technology for those who play games.  the soundtrack is well done too.  It's not uncommon for my oldest (or me) to be bopping along during downtimes or between adventures, and the fun thing is that your avatar will be mirroring your movements on screen.

The Kinect is a blast!  I have read a number of bad reviews for some of the launch games, but for the sensor itself and Kinect Adventures, it is a home run!  As is go get it and run home and play it now!

Angry birds

I don't pay for many iPod apps, but after it tried put the free demo and then got my wife hooked on Angry birds, I invested the $.99 for the full version. It comes with over 100 levels of maddeningly addictive catapult puzzles.
The game is hilarious and the sound effects are side splitting.  I'd you haven't tried it yet, you might be one of the last ones.
~Klint

Assassin's creed

Seems that this fall has been the season of sequels for games. In that spirit, I've been playing the originals to find out their roots. I've been playing assassin's creed in anticipation for the third installment due out in November. I'm really enjoying this game. I played all the way through the second one and enjoyed every minute of it and this one is no different. There are a few differences between the two games, but none that make the older one unplayable in comparison to the newer one. These games don't have fast frantic action of a devil may cry game, it's more of a thinking and planning sort of killing game.
A great over arcing story ties it all together for a very enjoyable experience.
~Klint

Play Halo Reach

WOW!  That's what was on my mind the entire time I was playing Halo Reach.  A prequel set just before the events of Halo Combat Evolved on the original Xbox this game was Bungie's swansong for the Halo franchise.  Bungie is no longer under contract to make Halo games for Microsoft and they did an AMAZING job on this one.  The graphics and story are beyond expectation and the multiplayer (which is something I've never really clocked in on the previous games) is really fun and has over 18 modes to keep things from getting boring.  I really can't say enough about this game, if you are even considering buying it, DO IT.  If you have an Xbox 360, BUY IT.  It's that good, that's all I can manage to say...must get back to controller now.....

Play Rock Band 2

I've been playing Rock Band 2 on and off for the better part of a year (I think it was a birthday present) and gotten pretty good at it.  I'm far from playing expert on more than a few songs but for the most part I play hard mode and do pretty well.  Well, after I finished up Halo 3 I was looking through my slim library of video games and remembered that I hadn't finished the tour in Rock Band so I put it in.  Turns out I was only a couple of cities away from finishing the tour and it only took a night or two.  I haven't played guitar hero franchise much, but I do like the rock band instruments much better than the guitar hero ones.  the songs and available library for download are comparable.  Rock Band 3 gets released in a month and has the option of pro level songs where you can actually learn chords and learn to play the songs from what I understand.  Sounds AWESOME to me!

ga

Play Halo 3

With the upcoming Halo Reach release I realized I've played every halo game but halo 3.  I've enjoyed all of them (even ODST) and cannot wait until Reach so I had to know how the story "ended."  This was teh first halo on the 'next generation' consoles and it looks great.  The story telling was well done and clear as long as you can hear the audible cues (Sgt telling you to go to the river or such) but that can be difficult when playing during nap time or while people are talking to you so I missed a few of those.  Luckily if you take a while to start heading in the right direction a little chevron will appear on your HUD and point you in the right direction.  The only thing I can't really sink into is the multiplayer.  I've become a "realistic" combat multiplayer fan (ie Bad Company 2, Call of Duty) where a shot or two and you are done, but in Halo I've put a rocket within 3 feet of a guy and he survived to stick a shotgun up my nose then beat me over the head with it.  Just a COMPLETELY different kind of playing i think, but it has remained the number 2 in number of players playing on Xbox Live so it can't be bad.

All in all a great game, can't wait for Reach to come out!!

Play Alan Wake

I started my GameFly subscription back up and the first game I received was Alan Wake.  I have read/heard many rave reviews about this game and they are justly deserved.  I've only gotten to the third episode as of this writing but the story, graphics and gameplay are amazing.  The thing that really amazes me is that instead of levels each interval is structured like a TV episode complete with theme song, title shot and "previously on Alan Wake...".  This is an amazing game about a writer who comes up to the pacific northwest to get a break and try to re-energize to get his creative juices flowing again and mysterious and firghtening things begin to happen in the dark.  He must fight people and creatures who are shrouded in darkness to try to find his abducted wife.

AWESOME game, you owe it to yourself to play this if you own a 360!!

play Plants vs Zombies

I played the demo of Plants versus Zombies (PvZ) at the apple store on one of the iPad demos a little while ago and it had everything unlocked and didn't really have time to learn the game, so I went home and downloaded the demo for the computer and LOVED it.  I bought the full version for the iPod touch (it was much cheaper and I could enjoy it while on jury duty) and zoomed through it and loved every minute of it.  It is by Popcap games who put out other great games like Peggle and Bejeweled.  PvZ has a great sense of humor about it and lots of strategy as to how you will spend your resource (sunshine) to effectively build your defense against the oncoming zombie horde.  The changes in locale from front yard, to back yard w/ a pool and then too the roof as well as day and night battles make for fun challenges.  There are lots of mini games thrown in to break the routine too. 

I HIGHLY recommend this to any ipad/pod/phone user and anyone who can play flash games on their computer too.

Review of Red Dead Redemption

Red Dead Redemption is one of those "open world" games set back in the wild west just as the railroad starts to bring the easterners towards the wild country.  You play as a bounty hunter and can really determine how the populous views you.  You can choose to do good deeds and increase your "honor" or rob and steal and decrease it.  There are also lots of side quests to do and collectables to find.  I just started the Marksmanship challenges where you have to shoot birds out of the air or coyotes before they have the chance to attack you (PETA calm down...they are only pixels).

There is also a mulitplayer aspect of this game I look forward to trying where you can roam about the open world and encounter bandits, have mulitplayer deathmatches and duels or form a posse and go bounty hunting.

A great game that is beatiful to behold.  I highly recommend picking this one up

review of Splinter Cell: Conviction

I'm usually a pretty big fan of Tom Clancy's games, they require more thought than Rambo tactics and are usually pretty accurate to life. The splinter cell series is no different. Conviction picks up with Sam Fisher totally washing his hands of Third Echelon and looking for clues into his daughter's death. Through manipulation and threat to a nation that betrayed him but he still loves he gets sucked back into a world of stealth action that he knows too well.

In this game they implemented a few changes that really upset the purist in the fan base. I'll admit that I often had a hard time completing a splinter cell game due to the insane difficulty level. It was toned down considerably and made more of an action game. Think more Jason Bourne movie vs something if the bad guy spots you he is going to call 20 of his gun toting friends and make it impossible for you to succeed.

I really enjoyed the game and thought the story was very good and well presented. It was kind of short but very worth the time.

Review of Bad Company 2

I picked up bad company 2 after trying the multiplayer beta out on xbox live and really enjoying it. The multiplayer stresses teamwork and communication over lone wolf tactics and Rambo run and gun techniques. The fact that most of the players in Modern Warfare employ that methodology kept me from buying that game. I'm really starting to enjoy the online game (a rare thing for me) and the single player campaign is challenging. One of the best things about the game that takes getting used to is the fact that nearly all buildings are destructible. It makes tactics change when enemies are guarding a door you can blow a hole in the wall with a grenade or a skylight with C4.
I like this game mostly because it isn't something BRAND new, but it's a new seasoning on a familiar dish.

Review Mass Effect 2

 

Where to begin with game? I never got around to playing the first game and now I truly regret I didn't. The story in this game is so rich and deep that the dialog sections are almost as enjoyable as the combat and missions. The game almost plays like a movie and the way the dialog choices are set up you pick a "feel" for how you want to respond as opposed to reading out your entire response beforehand. I think that this feature alone makes the dialog more enjoyable to experience.

I can't write enough positive stuff about this game. If you own an xbox360 you owe it to yourself to at LEAST rent the game.

Ghostbusters the game review

I've always been a fan of the Ghostbuster movies, it's something I grew up on.  When I heard that they were making a Ghostbuster video game I was more than skeptical (most movie games kinda suck) but then I found out that the designers got the original actors to do the voice overs!  Oh yes, Venkman, Winston, Egon, and Ray are back in their full pixel glory and it sounds the same.  They even got Janine!  Actors aside they story is great and it's presented as if it was a movie in the series, movie credits and all.  The player is cast as a rookie in the ghostbuster crew they the ghostbusters are using to test experimental equipment on, so that means beside your usual proton pack, you get slime blowers and shock blasters and more.  It's a fun , but short trip through a childhood favorite.

On a side note, Netflix just recently put the 2nd movie on their instant watch list and my youngest daughter LOVES it.  We've watched it a few times and it really got me in the mood to play this game.

Castle Crashers Review

I purchased Castle Crashers an XBOX Live Arcade game shortly before the holidays.  I fell in love with it instantly.  It brought back so many memories from the old NES and SNES games like double dragon, Final Fight, TMNT, and River City Ransom.  It's a side scrolling arcade fighter (not like Street Fighter) with a great sense of humor.  The first time I fought the CATfish boss I was laughing so hard I nearly died (in game of course :) There are lots of stuff to find and collect, and you can hop online and play w/ up to 3 other people.

This was only 800 MS Points (about $10) and I think it's well worth the money.

Fallout 3 Review

I bought Fallout 3 on it's release back in 10/28/2008.  So why am I reviewing it now?  Well it's partly because I've never had a need to review a game, and partly because I keep picking it up and playing it.  Bethesda has added many hours of gameplay through Downloadable Content.  There is not much I can find at fault with this game, the scenery is beautiful and the story if well thought out and lengthy.  Also there are miles and miles of wasteland to explore with side quests to keep you busy for hours beyond the main quest line.  There are many head nods to pop culture icons (the main character's armor can look like Mad Max) and allusions to the first two games (which Bethesda had nothing to do with) that make the observant smile in between supermutant skirmishes and ghoul battles.

All in all a GREAT game and I can't wait till the new Fallout comes out in the fall.

Assassin's Creed 2 Review

Assassin's Creed 2 is the direct sequel to Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed (that met with mixed reviews).  I am very thoroughly impressed with this installment.  The graphics, story, and gameplay are amazing.  It's thrilling to climb up the side of a massive palazzo, run across town to find a target and jump off a roof and assassinate a Borgia courier.  There is a lot of things to see and collect (if you are the type that enjoys completing every aspect of a game) beyond the main story line.

The story line is one of family, betrayal, conspiracy, and hidden societies set against 1400's Italia.

A very good game, I don't see much replay value beyond the first time through, so I recommend this as a rental, especially if you have a no due date rental service as GameFly.

Batman Arkham Asylum Reviewed

One of my favorite games of 2009 was Batman Arkham Asylum. The story was written by a guy (his name escapes me) who used to write for the animated series. He came up with a brand new story, instead of trying to tie it into a movie which was a great move as the story is GREAT. Batman returns the Joker to Arkham only to have the Clown Prince take over the Asylum and the inmates become his personal gang, inculding the high profile ones like Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn.
They gameply was really good, a wonderful mix of puzzle and action I haven't had since Metroid Prime. Lots of exploring, collecting and stealth in this game.
The only thing that detracts from this game is it's length. It felt short. The story moved at a good pace, but it would have been nice to add a few more "bosses" or someother story twists.
A great game that is worth a look.