The Halo series has always championed heroics and bravery.  Fighting insurmountable odds in the face of a relentless foe.  And while this still holds true, there is a new element that this latest installment to the franchise introduces.  Greed.  Contrary to the rave reviews, hype and despite the fact that the game was developed in only a year, I am not impressed.  This game, at it’s core,  is an expansion pack (as orginally proposed) watered down to resemble a completed product.   It has all the Halo components, but fails to deliver a memorable experience.  For example, there are no Elites, (Yes, I know they were busy handling Master Chief) and aside from a silenced SMG and revamped pistol, no new weapons.  I like the game, but it plays more like a Halo Greatest Hits Collection Redux than a new offering. Very little new is offered especially if you’ve already purchased the multi-player maps previously. See the Value section for more explanation.

Gameplay: 8.5

Being an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper means you don’t have the rechargeable shields and gravity defying leaps of MC, so Bungie takes a nostalgic step backwards and makes you find those good old fashioned health packs.  Which by itself is not a bad thing, but just one more thing you have done before.  The level design is also a throwback to previous titles.  The one thing I really looked forward to, was exploring the city.  But it is so dark and vacant (You will have to use the ODST VISR ((the equilvent of a HUD and a flashlight)) throughout most of the game) But  I have a question for every reviewer and fan: Was anyone else disappointed as to how little there is to do in the city?  For an occupied strategic location, such as New Mombasa, the opposition seems very scarce and weak.  You can’t interact with most doors or any civilian vehicles; Gosh, this feels like another unfinished vision like… Assassins Creed?! While most reviews are boasting a 6-7 hour campaign, that timeline includes a lot of walking between objectives, fighting re-spawning covenant troops and passing countless non-interactive objects.  The one exception being Intel Stations, that when activated,  gives you an audio recording and story boarded account of the event leading up to your arrival. If you weren’t less than impressed up until this point, this should clinch it.  Health packs and diaries…like we haven’t seen these before. Blech!

Sound: 7.5

A great soundtrack and the weapon effects are just what you would expect.  However, the city itself seems abnormally quiet and even the alternate levels (like the highway and animal reserve) are just absent of any unique ambiance.  Likewise, the voice acting toggles between good to horrible while the dialogue and writing is just plain horrible.  Very heavy handed and D-movie stuff.   Also don’t expect any new clever grunt lines, they’re all recycled.

Value: 7.0

Let’s tell it like it is.  This is a game that could’ve been offered for:

• Campaign and the Firefight Mode for $29.99 or as DLC.
• The three additional Multi-player maps as DLC.

But instead you are paying 60 bucks for a modest 5 hours and access to download all the multiplayer maps you probably already own.  For the more casual gamer, it might be worth it.  But for your hardcore Halo fan, you will buy it if only for the new maps and modes but the value for you is less than extraordinary.

Overall: 8.0

Let’s call a spade a spade.  It was no coincidence that right before E3 Bungie abandoned the expansion pack idea of Halo 3: Recon, only to re-classify it as Halo 3: ODST and decided at the last minute to include the Firefight mode to warrant the price increase.  Knowing that the brand would sell itself, they capitalized on it .  While most won’t hold any grudges due to an the Microsoft contractual agreement, I still find myself perplexed that almost no one has outlined the games shortcomings.  Or maybe they hope we’ll forget it, a s we stand in line for Halo Reach to be released in 2010.

I write this review as a warning.  While normally, I don’t bother to write bad reviews for games, I feel this one is important.   For example, you can’t feed gamers McDonald’s and tell them it’s Spago, we’re not that stupid. Especially when we’ve had reservations for this newest Wolfenstein for almost 8 years.  I would normally not give such explicit details about a game until I warned them of possible spoilers;  but this game HAS NO SPOILERS to further ruin the experience so:  The bottom line is you can’t half-ass a beloved and revered IP’s without expecting a backlash.

With that said, it appears publisher Activision may have learned a few of EA’s tricks over the years.  Give’em something pretty that has no replay value and hype the shit out of it.  Like cheap bookies, they seems to be playing the numbers and taking in as many suckers as they can accommodate.  As if P.T. Barnum was alive and well and running a software company.   In other words;  A piss-poor way to run any entertainment company.

Meanwhile Raven Software seems to be suffering from having way too much on it’s calendar of upcoming titles and spreading the “talent” paper thin.  You had the X-Men Origins: Wolverine released earlier this year, the upcoming Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 and Singularity slated for 2010. 

It is possible to honor the retro gameplay without being repetitive.  But this game borrows none of the lessons of the most recent Bionic Commando, or other great remakes.  It squarely sinks it’s hip-boots into the past, never questioning the tried and true formula and by doing so, delivers a predictable, stale game that only a young (mentally impaired) child could enjoy.

Gameplay: 4

Re-spawning enemies,  a narrow and crowded “open world’, smashing crates (with nothing in them) , endless looped chatter (If I hear, “I need suppressive fire!” one more time…).  This is great stuff, if we were talking about an late Xbox or early  Xbox 360 release.  But, between these oldies and load times, this game had little chance to succeed.  At least nowhere near where the publishers would have desired. It’s like watching one of the ABC’s Home Makeover Show‘s, only without the energy or enthusiasm of the lobotomized hosts.

Let me spell it out for you;  You walk and shoot Nazi’s.  You can optionally use an occult item (The Veil) to view and discover wall openings for gold  and intelligence.  The intelligence is nearly worthless as you read transcript after transcript of actors who learned their accents from watching Hogan’s Heroes.  And the gold allows you to purchase upgrades from a small and un-impressive arsenal.  The Veil feels like it was tacked on and provides too little in a game where you could simply blast the inept AI soldiers to shreds.

Sound: 3

I have heard the looped chatter, the stale gunfire and soundtrack in every other war game.

Graphics: 5

Running on the old Quake IV engine and charging 60 bucks is a brass balls move.  Having played Batman: Arkham Asylum for nearly 2 solid weeks previously,  I had little patience for the game’s lackluster mechanics.  But later, I played a hugely inferior game called Darkest of Days, and even under these horrendous conditions,  Wolfenstein seemed to hold it’s own for only an hour or so.

Value: 3

The single player is a 4 at best.  The multiplayer has only 3 modes Team Deathmatch, Objective, and Stopwatch.  Whereas the original had the cutting edge multi-player of it’s day, this one is slow to load and easy to forget.  Confined environments and limited  upgrades;  This is progress?!

Overall: 4

It appears to me that Activision was trying to sneak this one past the public and garnish sales BEFORE the big Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.  Very sad and very predictable but this is no way to sell games. Even rushed, crappy imitations  of the original like this.  

This latest installment to the Batman franchise does convincingly what no other effort (besides the comics) could achieve.  It creates a viable argument that the Dark Knight is no less insane than the prisoners he captures and incarcerates:  A central theme that separates “Batman” from the Dark Knight stories. Developer Rocksteady Studios then expounds on that idea with unprecedented actions and pacing that elevates it so far above any previous comic book game, you will need an oxygen mask to take it all in.

Gameplay: 9.5

Do not judge this game by it’s demo.  While the demo felt heavy handed and disjointed leaving me titillated and yet strangely confused, the actual release is flawless in it’s presentation and execution.  This 3rd person game seamlessly mixes action, stealth and exploration in a large environment.  The combat is a throwback to the original Prince of Persia, in other words, an eloquent button masher.  But the moves are varied enough to keep your interest.  Inflicting justice via punishment is rarely this much fun.  The camera tracks the action perfectly as you slam wave after wave of Joker’s henchman. Plus you get health, armor and Batarang upgrades throughout the game.

The standouts in the game include:

1. They perfectly balance the action as they incorporate Batman from the cerebral detective to the hard nosed fighter.
2. The use of an emotional AI with the henchman; As their reaction and moves are directly influenced by the fear you invoke.
3. No load screens!  No break in the action, yeah!
4. Gadgets and upgrades acquired can be used in new and inventive ways to topple the bad guys.
5. They employ the classic: easy to play but hard to master strategy in their challenge modes.

And while most games would have just dumped Batman into Arkham’s cell blocks, Rocksteady really put the extra work into creating the entire island for you to explore and gives you a rich history of the fabled prison from it’s roots to the present day.

The story mode alone along with The Riddler‘s challenges will take you 15-20 hours and be prepared for some good old fashioned Boss battles.

Sound: 9.5

Like in Ghostbusters: The Video Game, the team did not skip out on the talent and the voice acting is paramount to this games success.  Reprising their animated roles,  Mark Hamill is the Joker, Kevin Conroy is Batman, and Arleen Sorkin is Harley Quinn.  The score is meticulous and stays clearly on Batman and his trials on this, his longest night.  Bravo!

Graphics: 9.5

You can tell these guys and gals did their homework.  Of course Batman looks magnificent,  but Arkham is the real show stopper here.  A modern day Alcatraz.  The attention given to the architecture is exceptional.  It really gives you the feeling of this once magnificent east coast estate that has fallen into decades of disrepair and ruin. Throughout the facility you can see influences that range from Gothic to Victorian. And then building on that, there are terminals and state-of-the-art containment grids and contraptions that really add to the illusion that this place has had a long history of occupation and chaos.

Also, pay attention to the cape.  I could watch that tattered material for hours.

Value: 9

I must first express my extreme disappointment in the Collectors Edition.  The Batarang was plastic, with worn (battle damaged) marks and there wasn’t even a bat symbol on it.  14 inches of Chinese plastic. (Blech!)   Go online and find a respectable substitute.  The patient diary doesn’t contain anymore information you could get by completing the game and the bonus disc is something they could have posted online.  All that aside, the game is great enough for me to dismiss them all.  The main story and challenge modes are enough to satisfy the most die hard Bat enthusiast.

Overall: 9.5

This game is the David that swallowed Goliath.  They challenged themselves to take on a big, scary, corporate  franchise and they not only took it to town, they gave it drinks and called it their bride.  A monumental example of what can be accomplished when researching the material really means something, as opposed to simply tacking it on a press release.  They take the best of the series creators and contributors (special note to acknowledge Neal Adams and Frank Miller and of course, Bob Kane)  and make it their own.

Easily, Game of the Year material.

Ah, Science.  That volatile little powder keg of discovery and mistakes.  A playground for man to play god, create monsters and then have them run amok in their technological fortresses.  Good stuff.  And a good basic plot for developer Twisted Pixel Games Xbox Live Arcade title, ‘Splosion Man.

I had the good fortune of running into Michael Wilford the CEO of the company in the Xbox booth at Comic-Con last week.  He was playing the game by himself and I crept over to take a look.  He paused, saw me and said, “Have you had a chance to play this yet?”  I said, “I had to tear myself away from it to come here.”  He smiled.  I had no idea who he was but we chatted for several minutes about the game.  He told me that after their first game The Maw, it took a team of only 9 people 6 months to make it, using their own proprietary engine. Wow!  That’s people who love what they do and it shows in their latest offering.

At it’s core the game is a 2D-ish puzzle platformer.   You run and jump and super-jump exploding up to 3 times before you have to re-charge on a flat surface or sliding down walls.  There’s exploding barrels and nitro-barrels, plasma barriers and switches.  It’s not new stuff but they take what’s already been imagined and make it uniquely their own. Give some of that Old Time Religion, as the song says.

Gameplay: 9.5

With 50 levels of single player and and additional 50 levels of multi-player this game is a beast to reign in.  And the difficulty ramps up very quickly.  This is not a Ninja Gaiden throw-your-controller-out-the-window but you will crack the casing at least a few times. From talking with Michael there were some concerns that having so many levels would distract your average gamer, but the clever level design justifies the additional expanse and only adds to the games value and appeal.  The pacing of the game is exceptional.  Certain levels feel impossible but they smartly have save points that allow you to continue and recoup.  As you play through they also include FREE gamer pics and a premium theme for completing the game.  This is something, every developer should take a note from.  Reward the PLAYERS!

Sound:  9.5

The sound here is better than any arcade title released yet.  From the explosions to the chattering of the main character everything here is fun and conducive to the overall experience.  Special accolades must be made to the composers:

Joshua R. Mosley: Single-Player tracks

John DeBorde: Muliti-Player tracks

Matt “Chainsaw” Chaney: “Donuts Go Nuts” track.  This is the best track since Portal’s “Still Alive.”

You  can download the entire soundtrack at www.Splosionman.com

Graphics: 9

I don’t want to give away too much, but as fast paced as this game is, hover around the rest points and check out the environments. From the Pause menu to to the opening screens there’s lots to see and take in.  And as you would expect the explosions are beautiful, man!

Value: 9

There is 100′s of hours of gameplay here.  Even if you take the “Cowards Way”  there are still the time trials and multi-player.  I can’t wait to see the DLC for this game.  I would personally love to see a replay mode where you can revisit your best times or other players attempts and slow the action down to see all the gory details.

Overall: 9.5

The best value I have seen for the money in years.  And I am an Xbox Live Founding Member.  This is undoubtably the smartest 10 bucks (800 MS  Points) you could spend.

On a personal note:  Please let me know when you guys/gals announce your next project! An MMO?  Please?!

I stand before you, a conflicted man.  In most genres I consider myself somewhat of a purist.  I usually have a set of unwavering standards, strictly rooted in honoring the pioneers that gave us such wonderful distractions or enhancements designed to distract and entertain us.  Laxatives for the mind meant to help digest the copious amounts of  entertainment fiber force fed us in the daily grind of modern life.   But let’s be honest,  nowadays at Comic-Con nobody comes here for comics anymore. They come for swag, sex and to ingest the best table scraps of some of the most worthless and worthwhile media you could ever imagine.

It’s a like taking a pop culture shotgun to the head, pulling the trigger and then examining the splatter later on to sort the essential brain matter from the garbage.  With lots of cons and heroes littering the crime scene.  So let’s get down to brass tacks.  Having attended this event off and on for the last fifteen years I can attest to the following:

1. The symbiotic relationship of the entertainment industry (aka Hollywood Scum with great swag) and the comic world, over the last few years, has birthed an extraordinary child akin to a modern day Goliath.  And the after-birth has created a legion of old school disciples that loathe the Twilight-ization of their beloved Con.  Get a group of costumed friends to chant, “I love Twilight!”  on the floor.  I dare you!
2. It’s really not about comics anymore.  Whereas, in the days before the internet or the comic grading system, you bought from dealers you knew or trusted and would willingly pay more for items based on the relationships.  Now, it’s all about price. Dealt from vendors who have rarely opened a comic book much less read them.  There are exceptions, but most of them do not even attend due to booth prices.  I will now plug Ralph’s Comic Corner in Ventura.  Go buy your comics here!

Rather than post a litany of trivial complaints and rants, it’s better to digest this beast and sort through the excrement.  Let’s find out what they eat and what they should be ingesting.

Things You Didn’t See But Should Have

Comics:

WonderMark by David Malki published by Dark Horse Press.   A wonderful assortment of reproduced woodcuts accompanying viciously wicked satire.  A must buy for anyone within click radius.

Art:

Check out the exclusive wooden robot designs at:  www.supermodifiedstudios.com  Beautiful, limited and affordable.  The trifecta of any collector.

The craftmanship on these models is extraordinary and well worth the investment.

If you love robots and clean design these are an unbeatable value.

Apparall:

Some of the most original fashions and designs I have seen in years is at www.fatrabbitfarm.com

Video Games:

My one, true love.  Check out these overlooked gems!  I will be reviewing each in the coming week and/or days.

Cyborg Mice Arena video game available on Xbox Live Community Games for only 200 points!

Developed by Bioroid Studios it is basically the brainchild of one man, Martin Robaszewski.

Now I played a very early build of this at last years Comic-Con and was really impressed with the gameplay.  But he has really turned up the heat this year.   It’s basically a 2 stick arcade survival shooter.  But there lots of upgrades and supports 1-4 players.  And even on the easy levels this is one challenging game.  I suck at it and still keep playing.  That, for me, is the hallmark of a great game. For 200 MS points check it out you cheap bastard!

Splosion Man from Twisted Pixel Games, LLC.  Also available on Xbox Live for 800 points.  I had the pleasure of speaking with one of the games developers who informed me that the same team that did The Maw (also an excellent game) produced this gem in 6 months with a team of 9 people!  It’s a 2D-ish platformer that employs an exploding man trying to escape the confines of the Big Science Labs that created him.  50 levels with multiplayer and unlockables including an exclusive premium dashboard theme, gamerpics, and Avatar accessories.

Expect a full review of this game shortly.

Darkvoid from Capcom is the Rocketman game that never materialized.

I had the opportunity to play this for about a 1/2 hour and it is one of the hidden gems of the entire show.  In an alternate universe Tesla’s wildest dreams are realized.  You fly, land, shoot and repeat.  Seems straightforward enough but the gameplay here is what Iron Man should have been, but sadly never was.  (Don’t hold your breath for Iron Man 2.  I played it and it sucked just as much as the original).

Developed by Airtight Games this is the team that worked on Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge for the Xbox.

Release date: September 22, 2009.

And finally Dragon Age Origins from BioWare.

While every fanboy and his mother was checking out Left 4 Dead 2, I was checking out the latest game from this legendary developer.  I got to play the game for over an hour and this feels like a Never Winter Nights 2 that we have always wanted.  With over 6 years in development the quality, diversity and gameplay are everything you would expect from this AAA team.  Lead designer Mike Laidlaw was kind enough to talk with me and  guide me through the customization options, upgrades and moral choices and how they affect the overall story and experience.  Release Date October 20, 2009.

Next Installment:  Things That Should Never Have Been at Comic-Con

Bad Veins

First albums are a tough row to hoe.  Especially when being new to any scene. The images you project are more the selling point than the actual work itself, the music.  I do not like to box the content presented to me, except when it is an inept piece of crap that begs for the insult of comparisons.  Which is most music, I find, nowadays.  Bad Veins is the really rare exception.

The arrangements presented here are phenomenal.  They sound like a silent movie soundtrack that should be playing along side a yet unreleased  Wim Wenders movie.  Lush and unexpected in their range, simplicity and quiet distant grace.  Like the The Black Keys, they make the most out their sonic duo.  Whereas most groups try and impress you with the sheer volume or shameless violent reverb, Bad Veins take a refreshingly awkward approach.   Their music doesn’t  punch you in the face,  as it more like gradually works it’s way into your pores and then slowly envelopes you. Like taking mushrooms at a jazz concert.  It radiates sound and feeling from the center until you can feel it in all your extremities.

There is a definite storytelling occurring here.  While most groups today are making singles this is an album.  Events unfold and experiences are conveyed to the audience.  It invades your most private thoughts and memories and then peels them into hot boil bath until perfectly crispy and warm.

I can see a lot of writers that will want to cage the vocals into some sort of Snow Patrol box.  Not me.  Firstly, I hate Snow Patrol and second, it doesn’t accurately express the range of what’s being expressed.  If I had do compare them, I would say they are more akin to Jonathan Richman. It’s honest and and almost timid in the presentation.  Their is a fear and struggle as lead singer Benjamin Davis croons his message as if he is confessing a private sin to his best friend. All while band mate Sebastien Schultz pounds the punishment like throwing exclamation points down from his pulpit of drums.  It’s abundantly clear that like any good writer these guys stick to the golden rule: Write about what you know.

The production here is wholly inspired.  It’s not overdone and its obvious the band fought hard to deliver their vision without compromise and untainted by industry clowns who ‘know what’s good for them’.  From the opening track of “Found”  you realize you have stumbled upon a humble greatness that rarely occurs here on the Left Coast.

This is a grand, almost epic album.  One of those that is so surprisingly good that it makes me afraid for them.  The sophmore effort is going to a killer boys.  As everyone who gives this debut a good, strong listen will be expecting bigger things next.  And understandably so.  This album deliver everything that audiophiles like me want to hear.  It can’t be easily categorized, it gets better after each listening and is written and delivered like you are peering into a diary.

Do yourself a favor and check them out on iTunes or purchase the disc from Amazon. Or do the really cool thing and buy the vinyl LP from Dangerbird Records.

I am rarely frightened of sales catalogs.  I have been offended, disgusted, irritated and even titillated by them.  Am I so old that I don’t recognize the strategic marketing value of fear?  Have my years of objective indifference to humanity finally caught up with me?  In their latest marketing campaign they are calling it a FUNdamentals Sale.  Call it whatever you want, but mannequins replacing hard working American models is wrong. I mean who is going to want to wank off to any of these caricatures?  Where is the soft tissue of the Victoria’s Secret or even Sears catalog?  This whole scenario plays out like an Onion.com article, published by the Republican Party. Unfortunately,  it’s no joke and only speeds the cultural-employment  death spiral we can all feel.  Models losing their jobs?!  When will this insanity stop! I submit the following as evidence in a trial of both bad taste and a testament for the inanimate that cannot defend themselves.

Look, I am the first to admit that I gave up on humanity a long, long time ago;  But when marketing does rear it ugly head,  it gives me pause.  Don’t be fooled by the ‘slick’ humor or cultural references….this is cost savings, wrapped in humor and digested by the fat guys upstairs to keep their cushy corporate libidos gyrating for another year.  Need more proof?

This is like if the producers of Weekend At Bernie’s decided to do a modern remake of Vincent Price‘s House of Wax for the MTV generaraton!  And the “cast” delivers dialogue and comedy to parry anything those films had to offer. True horror material to be sure.

And it doesn’t stop at the commercials, it’s in the friggin stores!  They stalk the sales isles and occupy every sales corner with their horribly perfect representations of what they think people aspire to become.  It is beyond insulting that this company trolls the lowest depths to lure the stupid and most inept individuals to buy products based on this crap.  Orange County, I am looking at you.

Now in their defense I will say that they have succeeded to do what few companies have ever achieved.  And that is to blatantly insult everyone, Blacks, Whites, Asians, Hispanics the whole human race.  And if you aren’t embarrassed by this:

1. There is something seriously wrong with you.

2. You may be in the minority not represented here ie. American Indian.

3. Go and check out the great sale at Old Navy!

In the future Old Navy needs to leave the comedy to professionals in business suits in Manhattan.  Or to 12 years olds borrowing their Dad’s video camera to create a viral campaign.  Either way, this approach to marketing is the Edsel of our time and an Epic Fail on so many levels it boggles the mind to think they aired such swine fodder.

I for one will be procuring my precious retro t-shirts, hoodies and cargo shorts from a more reputable establishment.  I wonder if Kmart is still open?

Available on WiiWare for 600 Points!

Sometimes downloading games via Nintendo‘s WiiWare service feels a lot like gambling.  Since there are no free demos, you pay for the price of admission and hope you are not disappointed.  So on Monday I rolled the dice with a title called Bit Boy!! published and developed by Bplus and all I can say is that it is the best 6 bucks I have EVER spent, except for that one time in Mexico but I digress….

You control a Bit Boy pixel named Kubi as he traverses through a variety of worlds modeled after the numerous generations of gameplays past.

Now I know I have stated in past reviews that love in a game cannot be programmed but I am saying it again, so there.  This is one of those very rare gems where you can tell the talented people who made this love their games and their history.

Gameplay: 9

Your game worlds are divided into 6 categories: 4 bit (Bit Boy), 8 bit (Bit Boy II), 16 bit (Super Bit Boy), 32 bit (Bit Boy 3D), 64 bit(Bit Boy 64) and lastly 128 bit (Bit Boy Wii).  The idea is that you must rescue your pixelated friends to end each level.  Each bit world contains 5 maps that you must conquer to be admitted into the higher levels.   Now I could rattle off a half dozen games that emulate the kind of game-play represented. But I won’t.  That’s the real fun and magic behind the experience, especially if you’re from the Pong generation.  As the game unfolds you will re-experience the joy and frustrations of your gaming career.  The hook is, that like all gamers,  you want to see what’s next and that gleefully pushes you to finish even the most frustrating levels.  I have rarely smiled continuously for 6+ hours.

There is also a co-op mode and once a level is completed you can collect diamonds in warp mode.  It’s a faster version of the game as you race to collect points and outlast the digital demons that pursue you.

Plus you can employ 2 different control schemes.  The Wii remote can either act as a virtual joystick or you can lay it on the side and play like an old nes controller.

Graphics: 9

I have seen my fair share of retro throw backs. Most simply emulate or re-create arcade greats but few get the subtle details right.  From the choice of colors to the textures used every element of this game gets the era right.  In my opinion this game should be studied at any university that offers courses in video game history.

Sound: 8

While the primitive soundtrack and sound effects lends itself well to the game, I would have preferred to have seen a progression as the levels advanced. It’s a small criticism and nothing that deters from the experience.  Just a minor detail from a highly critical reviewer.  You can all remain seated.

Overall: 9

While most developers and publishers are pushing for the next big next generation console game, it’s refreshing to see a game that prides itself so highly on gameplay and fun.  That’s the foundation of ANY game and remember you read it here first.

This is the kind of game that spawns Fanboys (the good kind) and I consider myself one of them.  And for only 600 Wii Points (6 US Dollars) this is an insanely great value.  Oh and if you don’t buy this game, you are not my best friend and I won’t invite you to my birthday party.

Fans of this should also check out Retro Game Challenge for the DS and Cubivore for the Gamecube.

Available on Xbox 360 (Reviewed), Playstation 3 and Wii

The original Overlord developed by Triumph Studios and published by Codemasters released in 2007 for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 and Microsoft Windows was a huge sleeper hit. It took an innovative and  fresh approach in creating a darker Fable-like world that incorporated unique gameplay elements as you loom and devour townships with hordes of minions to do your evil bidding.  Slaughtering sheep and setting grass on fire to flush out enemies was a welcome departure from the standard RPG being offered at the time for consoles.  Fans of the series appreciated the high production values and the wicked sense of humor presented.  And like most great titles, it was the smaller attention to details that made it great.  Not that it didn’t have issues, but surely those shortcoming would be addressed in the sequel.  Wrong!

As with any follow-up, you want to keep the aspects that made it great while improving and expanding it’s core mechanics.  And with a few exceptions,  Overlord II has largely failed.

Gameplay: 6

Like the original, you use the RS (right stick) to control the camera and direct your minions and the the LS (left stick) to move your Overlord through the terrain. Unfortunately, the scale seems almost smaller in this game.  Instead of creating a larger more open world, it feels cramped and heavy handed as you drudge through to find your next target marker. The level design is confusing and frustrating as you try to control your evil horde and target objectives.  This coupled with the wonky camera and poor AI makes the game frustrating.  Not because you’re doing anything wrong but because more times than not you are competing with a poor targeting system and unclear objectives.   There is also little value in upgrading your armor and you can easily complete the game with only upgrading your minions. Just don’t count on them to retrieve gold and treasure for you. Your faithful are as stupid as a drunk supermodel as they neglect to target loot and upgrades to give to their master.

Now you do get the chance to pummel the empire and citizens with catapults and board ships to not so distant islands.  But the best addition is that your puny friends can now ride wolfs, spiders and fiery salamanders to access a limited number of areas, so you can’t say the developers didn’t at least try to include new gameplay elements, but these fall short in the limited range they can explore and the booty they retrieve.

I hope you like load times, this game has them everywhere.  I could forgive an Xbox title for this due to the limited hardware but with the muscle of the current consoles,  there is no excuse.

Sound: 6

The sound bits are consistent with the original.  You hear the banter of the minions and the epic orchestral soundtracks. But look closely and the characters dialogues sync up like a bad foreign subtitle.  Explosions are flat and frankly uninspired.  If not anything, the game is consistent in that the shortcomings permeate every area.

Graphics: 6.5

I have been flamed on this one but I ask you to put in the original Overlord and compare the two.  Clipping, frame rates and general detail on everything is substandard.  Even when you walk through banners in your tower they just hang there and let you pass.  The cut scenes are fairly well done, but the editing is horrible.  You get a few seconds, then fade to black and another appears to pick up where the last left off.  This happens countless times and only confirms my suspicions that this game was not given the proper resources of talent to fully realize it’s potential.

Overall: 6

I know that based on their track record Triumph Studios is capable of a much better, polished game.  And for whatever reason they have failed to build on what could have been a great property.  If you doubt my criticism of the game, please go rent it and try to find a multiplayer game.  You will have to try several times,  as nobody is playing and I traded mine in just as soon as I completed it. Do yourself a favor and buy the first Overlord used for 15 bucks or so.

I will also play the Wii version developed by Climax Studios just to see if the game is worth a second look.

For all you haters, check out my gamertag: gunfart just so you know I completed the game.

Available on Xbox360, PS3, PC and Wii

Although officially Ghostbusters: The Video Game is to serve as a 3rd virtual movie for the franchise, it is largely an expansion and revisiting of the previous 2 films peppered with new backstory and dialogue. Which is not a bad thing, because personally,  I would have been pissed if Stay Puft and Vigo had not been represented in the game. And For the most part developer Terminal Reality and publisher Atari get it right largely because of their persistence to have the project piloted by the previous episodes and the original cast. Written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis it features ALL the original voices including Ernie Hudson and yes, the legendary Bill Murray.  (On a side note, I want to personally thank Mr. Murray for his contribution).

Gameplay: 8

First the bad news.  In the single player campaign there is NO co-op mode.  This is a huge omission as after seeing the the game in various phases of development at trade shows for the last 2 years, fans were adamant that this be included.  We wanted our friends to share in the experience as their favorite respected ghostbuster wrangled the paranormal pandemonium.  And while you can team up with your friends in multiplayer, it would have been an exceptional experience in the single player campaign.  Amen.  Now, for the copious good stuff.  Although you play as the “rookie” new recruit, the game makes you feel as though you are a real part of the team.  This game, unlike many licensed titles, does not feel like it was ported and molded to fit into an existing platform.  While many developers would have chosen to build on an existing engine (ie. The Unreal Engine)  Terminal Reality chose the bold move to develop a new one they call the Infernal Engine.  This really allowed the team to get the physics, particle effects and lighting needed to truly capture the ghostbusting experience.

Trapping ghosts is fun!  You can analyze them, discover their weakness, and either blast or wrangle them with your proton stream into a trap.  It’s just like the movies!  Your destroy objects around you, upgrade your Proton Pack and PKE Meter abilities, set traps and recover them.  Evening having to vent the overheated pack in the middle of the mayhem contributes to the immersive quality of the game.  It is very apparent from the first minutes these guys and gals love the property they are re-creating. My only complaint is that the level design is extremely linear.  You trot from point A to point B, save game and repeat.  When you get to a big open space, brace yourself  for a ghost battle.  The design just sucker punches any real surprises you might expect from your supernatural foes.

The biggest surprise in this title is that multiplayer is not just an afterthought tacked on at the last minute.  Teaming up with your friends and blasting away the afterlife for cash and upgrades only highlights how great this game could have been had they included this feature in the single player mode.

Sound: 7.5

Hope you like Ray Parker Jr.’s original theme song.  Actually, you only hear this during the load screens as the soundtrack to the original movie plays throughout most of the game.  It creates a great background and lends itself nicely to the games spookiness.  A little repetitive at times but most people will hardly notice.

Graphics: 8.5

The rendering here is beautiful, unlike the Wii version that chose the cartoon styling, everything from the character likeness and their movements to the Proton Packs and the Ecto 1 are faithfully recreated.  I could watch the proton stream bursts for hours.

Overall Value: 8

If you ever wanted a Proton Pack or Ghostbuster Flight Suit, this is your game. Go buy it now. Even if you just liked the movies there is enough variety and (gasp) ENTERTAINMENT (We sometimes forget that in the gaming world) to warrant a buy here.  Fans will enjoy and appreciate the care given to the franchise and new players can expect to be thoroughly entertained (there’s that word again) for hours.