Review: Dark Sector for the Xbox 360

The Xbox 360 game Dark Sector is a unique take on the third person over-the-shoulder action game and it has an interesting storyline that will keep you entertained while you play through it. The game follows a Hayden Tenno, a CIA operative in a former soviet state where a malevolent virus has threatened the populace. Hayden is infected at the beginning of the game and it mutates him giving him the ability to grow a three-bladed weapon called a “glaive” at will. The glaive can be thrown at enemies and it will return like a boomerang. On top of the glaive Hayden can pick up and use any weapon in the environment; however enemy weapons have proximity detectors and will blow up if you go too far away from the body so you have a very limited range with stolen weapons. You also always have your pistol but ammo is in short supply so when you can use the glaive it is highly advisable.
Throughout the game there are a few sewers that act as hubs for a black market operation where you can buy weapons and upgrades with money that you find lying around the environment. You will encounter many enemies in bio-suits throughout the game as well as zombies, a byproduct of the virus. Your glaive will play a key part in the game, it will be necessary to open locks and to take down some barriers so it is important to master the mechanics. The game is appropriately titled since many of the environments are very dark and can be slightly difficult to navigate. But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a variety of environments many of the environments are outside and very light.
The games controls are decent but can be a little slow at times, especially when zombies are attacking and you want to attack quickly (the problem is similar to the pistol melee in Halo, why does the Master Chief flip the pistol? It is a waste of time and the glaive melee can be slow like this too) The camera view is similar to Gears of War so it is no problem. The graphics aren’t bad and the glaive can actually slice off limbs which is probably a main reason why the game is rated “M.” The puzzles can be a little difficult to solve without a guide but when you realize that throwing your glaive at electric panels or fire will temporarily charge it or light it on fire allowing you to then electrify or set fire to an object that will help immensely. Overall the game is not bad but not worth going out of your way, I wouldn’t pay more than $20 on it (I actually got it free)
Gameplay: 8
Story: 8
Replay Value: 7
Graphics: 8
Overall: 7.75

Console Warranties

I decided to write this opinion piece in light of a trend that I am finding to be quite annoying in video games. As games have gotten better graphically, been able to store more data, and do all kinds of new crazy stuff the rate of broken consoles has skyrocketed. My dad bought an Atari 2600 in the early 1980's it still works fine to this day. I never had a problem with my Sega Genesis, Nintendo 64, or Playstation 2. However my family, as a whole,has gone through 2 Xbox's and my brother's Xbox 360 has needed repair twice in as many years. The first problem was the "Red Ring of Death" which was fixed under Microsoft's warranty. However this new problem is something diferent and isn't covered so he as to pay $100 to get it fixed.

I was reading through the Microsoft warranty on the Xbox 360 and it only covers faults by the manufacturer (which is common and fine they shouldn't have to fix it for free if YOU mess it up) up to one year from the purchase date. You need to provide some kind of proof of puchase to proove that the console is within one year of its original sale date. The warranty was extended to three years on the older models because of the RROD but only for the RROD. If you have any other malfunction (even if it was faulty hardware) you aren't getting it fixed for free. This is ridiculous. If the hardware is faulty or was put together wrong then it should be fixed at no cost to the consumer. Why can't the warranty be extended until the nex generation of consoles comes out? It seems unfair that if 366 days after you buy it a chip breaks and the machine won't work that you have to pay to get them to fix it. The warranty should last until the new generation comes along. Is it really that big of a deal for the company to fix what they messed up until they come out with a new product, it is only 5-6 years, after that most consoles have been replaced by a newer model. Are they saying that they don't trust their product enough to believe it will function properly for 5-6 years? My dad's Atari is nearing 30 years old and it still works.

Another thing to be wary about is that the warranty only extends to the first purchaser, if you buy a console used you need to take it up with the seller if it breaks and they don't always have policies. But that is why you should just buy it new.

In short, the game consoles seem to be much more fragile now and it isn't fair to subject unlucky consumers to $100 fees everytime the company's faulty hardware decides to act up.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game Coming June 16th

Well, its finally official, Ghostbusters: The Video Game will hit store shelves on June 16th of this year. News out of CES (Consumer Electronics Show) is that Atari has made the date official for North America, European Ghostheads will have to wait another 3 days until the 19th (sorry guys first the RGB DVD's don't come to you and now you need to wait 3 more days, oh well) So my countdown clock should be completely accurate.

Look for my next post I'll be putting up soon, it'll be my opinion on console warranties and why Microsoft has really dropped the ball on that one.

Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for the Xbox

2009 marks the 25th anniversary of my two favorite pop culture phenomenons; Ghostbusters and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. In celebration of this I have decided to review all of the Ghostbusters and Ninja Turtles games that I can get my hands on. Throughout the year I will review at least one game per month. I will start now with the Ninja Turtles game based on the 2003 cartoon for the Xbox. This game was also released on the Playstation 2 and the Nintendo Gamecube.
Konami continued to produce Ninja Turtles games when the franchise was resurrected in 2003 as a Saturday morning cartoon on Fox. This first installment by Konami was one of the best TMNT games of the 4 that were based on the 2003 cartoon. The game featured a storyline that closely followed several episodes from the series, but it added some new stuff. The game splices in clips from the television show, in particular the episodes; Things Change, Notes from the Underground, Darkness on the Edge of Town, and Return to New York.
You pick one turtle to control and you guide him through the levels by yourself or with one other player. There are several levels and each level has 5-6 areas. You will get a solid 4-5 hours of gameplay from the main story but it must be remembered that this is a kid’s game so adults will beat it quicker and easier than children who may take 8-10 hours. There is the co-op story mode but then there is also a competitive multiplayer where you pick your character and face off against another player or even a CPU.
The gameplay itself is fun if a little repetitive. The “B” button jumps while the “A” performs a weak attack and the “X” performs a strong attack. The “Y” button throws shurikens if you have them. The enemies include mousers, purple dragons, foot ninja, and monsters in the underground. Most enemies take 2-3 hits to defeat, they disintegrate when you defeat them (it’s a kids game after all) There are boxes throughout the levels that you can smash open to get power ups, scrolls, or health. The power-ups will boost your defense, your attack, or your speed. The scrolls can be used to level up your abilities and open new combos. The health comes in the form of soda, hot dog buns, burgers, or pizza. Each one gives you back a different amount of health I have listed them in order of least powerful to most powerful. You are given 6 lives and if you are even decent that will be more than enough. There are also training stages in the middle of levels called “Dojo stages” where your character is given a specific challenge to increase his stats.
The graphics are just right for this type of game; they correspond well to the cartoon animation and they are nice and colorful. The game could have used more use of the other characters in terms of the gameplay, as we will see in later installments, it could have had the other 3 turtles as NPC’s or it could have allowed for on the spot switching between characters. For what it is (a kid’s game based on a cartoon) it is very good. If you are a fan it is a must have.

Gameplay: 8

Story: 7.5

Replay Value: 8

Graphics: 9

Overall: 8.1

Check back soon for more and have a happy healthy start to 2009!

Review: Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe

Mortal Kombat Vs DC Universe is a surprisingly good game, at first glance most would be skeptical of putting Batman and Superman next to Scorpion and Sub Zero but the game handles the differences very well. There are several modes with the first being the arcade mode. You pick if you want to face DC characters, MK characters, or a mix of the two. Then you pick your player and fight through a progression just like the classic MK titles. Next is the story mode which follows a simple formula; cut-scene, fight, cut-scene, fight, etc. You can play through the game on the MK side or the DC side and both have different story lines which allow for a total game time of 4-6 hours. The story is actually convincing and well put together. Playing through it as one side and then seeing the other side of some events is a really nice feature to the game.
The replay value really comes into play in the arcade and the multiplayer. There are also “Kombo” challenges for each character. The gameplay is superb for a 3D fighter. As we all know, fighters have had a hard time moving from 2D to 3D, this game fixes many of the problems though it isn’t perfect. If you have decent reflexes you can still sidestep large attacks in the 3rd dimension with the left stick. The D-Pad is used for the special moves so that gives a genuine feel to the game, there were times when I moved with the D-Pad and felt like I was back controlling my Sega Genesis, which is a good thing because it is a familiar feel. The attacks are well-balanced and a good player can win with any character. Of course Superman, Batman, Raiden, Sub-Zero, and Scorpion seem to be the first choices in terms of ability, but you can still practice and do really well with any of the others like the Flash, Green Lantern, Sonya, or Jax. There aren’t any “Balrog’s” in this game. (If you don’t know Balrog in Street Fighter had an attack that drained about half an opponent’s life and was easily done. He picked up the opponent and head butted him repeatedly, there was no way to break this and so it was very frustrating) You can counter an opponent’s attack and this helps keep the gameplay balanced.
There are four special modes of fighting. The first is “Klose Kombat”, you press the right bumper and pull your opponent close to you, and then icons appear on your side and on their side of the screen. You have to press the one button that is not highlighted on their side and you will get a clean hit. If you hit the same button they will counter. The same goes if you are engaged and are on the defensive, you need to quickly push the same button to counter. The second mode is rage mode; two small yellow bars will fill up under your life as you fight. If you are blocked or are hit the bar fills up, but it goes down if you successfully counter an enemy. When they are both full you press the left and right triggers to go into rage mode. For a short time your attacks will deal a lot more damage and you will block attacks more easily. The third mode is the free fall mode and that is when you or your opponent does a large attack near a designated area and it sends both of you flying down. If you are on top a button will appear (like in “Klose Kombat”) and you need to hit that button quickly to fill up a red bar. When it is full you can press in the right bumper and you will do a special finishing move and slam your opponent into the ground. If you are on bottom you need to counter the opponent’s buttons and if you are successful you will flip to the top. The fourth and final special mode is “test your might” and it is when you hit an opponent near a designated wall and you pick them up and slam them through multiple walls. You need to slam all four colored buttons as fast as you can to increase the damage you inflict, if you are picked up you are trying to decrease the damage you take on.
The fatalities/brutalities are not defined in the moves list or in the manual. I consulted IGN and still couldn’t perform the ending moves which are only available in the arcade and multiplayer, not the story mode. So I have yet to do any but they seem to be pretty difficult to pull off. They have to be pretty tamed though because the game has a “Teen” rating, so not too much gore, just some blood. This was controversial but I think it was nice that they respected the integrity of the DC characters and didn’t make them what they weren’t, which are brutal killers, like the MK characters. They didn’t need to make a “Mature” rated game and they didn’t. There is still plenty of violence to satisfy fans. The characters actually seem to work well against one another because of their opposing ideologies.
Overall the game brings a lot to the table. It is one of the few 3D fighters that are worth the money. The graphics are nice and there are a variety of environments. The game has the same great replay value of traditional fighters and is a good buy for any fan of fighters or of the DC characters. I highly recommend.

Gameplay: 9
Story: 8.5
Replay Value: 10
Graphics: 8.9
Overall: 9.1

James' Holiday Gaming Guide: Games to Ask Santa For

With Christmas approaching quickly, I’ve taken the liberty of listing some of the best games for the holiday season.
For Xbox Owners:
· Gears of War 2- My review firmly stated how much I enjoyed this game and I think you will too. It has a great story mode, some improved multiplayer, and graphics that are out of this world. The game is rated MA and is good for older teens and up.
· Fable 2- This RPG has all of the elements that it needs to be a great advancement on the first Fable. With a large open world and a story that develops based on your actions, this game is a must have for RPG fans.
· Left 4 Dead- The new zombie game from Valve (creators of Half Life) delivers on the promise of great multiplayer and a true to form zombie infestation that captures the essence of zombie movies nicely.

For PS3 Owners:
· Metal Gear Solid 4- This AAA title has been the most touted for the Playstation. It offers dynamic action gameplay and great graphics that utilize the PS3’s great hardware as well as any game has.
· Resistance 2- This game is another Playstation exclusive that has drawn a lot of attention; it is a solid first person shooter that offers a traditional shooter experience.
· Killzone 2- Perhaps the most anticipates game of the year, Killzone 2 has been the focus of conversation since its trailer all the way back at E3 2005. With graphics to rival Gears 2 and a promise of great gameplay this game could be huge for the PS3.
· Little Big Planet- The original IP has drawn a significant amount of attention and it could be a great, dynamic take on the platformer if the user generated content on Home comes through for it. Only time will tell.
For Wii Owners:
· Mario Kart Wii- A continuation of the popular franchise this game uses the wii wheel to bring the authentic kart racing experience
· Super Smash Brother Wii- Another entry in the popular franchise this game will undoubtedly please fans of the series.
Multiplatform Games:
· Fallout 3- This post-apocalyptic RPG has generated a lot of praise and for good reason. With dynamic consequences for all of your actions and a new take on weaponry and attack, this game is something new that fans will enjoy.
· Grand Theft Auto 4- An extremely comprehensive game that immerses you deeply into Liberty City and the plight of Nikko Bellic. You can spend hours in this game just driving around and never work on the story mode, it is a very fun game that has so much replay value it is ridiculous.
· Call of Duty: World at War-The next installment in the COD franchise this game brings us back to WWII and into the Pacific to fight Japanese forces. With narration from Keifer Sutherland (Jack Bauer) and classic COD gameplay, the game brings a lot to the table.
· Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe- An interesting mix of characters and a highly criticized “Teen” rated gameplay (not usual MK blood and gore) this fighter is the first in a while that I am excited about. Most fighters have not made a good transition to 3-D but this game promises to be different with a good story and gameplay. The addition of so many iconic characters doesn’t hurt either. I just hope that it is as good as it looks, I’ll review it once I actually get it ;)
· The Force Unleashed- If you didn’t buy this game back in September, then now is your chance to make up for that. With incredible graphics, fun gameplay, and a story that is better than the story in “Attack of the Clones” (My least favorite SW movie, by the way) this game is a must have for any SW fan. I would also recommend the “Jedi Temple” DLC that I reviewed earlier.
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, here’s to 2009 the year of Ghostbusters!

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed DLC Review

The Force Unleashed just got its first downloadable level and it is called the "Jedi Temple Level Pack." The pack is available at the Xbox Live marketplace for 800 MS points or about $10. The DLC includes a new single player level and several new characters including Mace Windu, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Darth Maul. To play the level you need to start a new game and there will be a list with the normal game and with the Jedi Temple game underneath it. You don't get to use your player from any saved games that you have however they start you with a character with almost all of the powers and abilities and you will level up several times.

The level itself is fun but a little short when you figure out what to do, it is not as long as the normal levels in the game and that was a little disappointing. The story is simple, Starkiller is going to the ruins of the Jedi Temple on Courscant to find a hologram and hopefully learn more about his father. There is a very cool boss character and the action is just as fun and challenging as the rest of TFU so if you liked the game you will like this DLC. The level is also more destructible than the majority of the other levels in the game so that is a nice element.

The level doesn't bring anything radically new but it sticks to what worked in the game and that is a good thing. I would recomend it if you liked the game, if you didn't like the game than this won't change your mind.

Overall: 8/10