modeps
11-16-2008, 05:18 AM
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For those of you who do not buy games on their release date and are still trying to see where your money should go, here is a collection of some of the more popular releases for the past week in the order of their overall scores. The scores and quotes are provided by Metacritic (http://www.metacritic.com/games/).
Call of Duty: World at War (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001AWIP68?ie=UTF8&tag=evilavatarcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001AWIP68) (360, PS3, Wii, PC, PS2, DS) - 86%
This is a solid, confident shooter with plenty to offer the casual and hardcore alike.
Developer Treyarch did a fantastic job of not reinventing the wheel with World at War. Rather, they took the best elements of Modern Warfare and expanded upon them. The end product is a thrilling experience that injects some of the visceral punch back into World War II.
The addition of a robust and varied co-op option helps to mitigate the disappointment of the by-the-numbers traditional multiplayer modes. However, looking back to Kristan's review review of Call of Duty 3 you'll find the exact same complaints being raised two years ago. Corridor gameplay. Outdated features. Flaky AI. They're all still here, albeit masked by even more whiz-bang effects than ever before.
Mirror's Edge (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00149PCAO?ie=UTF8&tag=evilavatarcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00149PCAO) (360, PS3) - 80%
As a game steeped in immediacy, Mirror's Edge is an absolute must-play despite its idiosyncrasies. And as a pied piper for progressive design in first-person gaming, it's all the more important.
If the level design had focused more on open environments and giving you the freedom to run, and if the combat wasn't such a roadblock, this would have been a near-perfect game. But it's still a great first step and I can't wait to see how DICE improves upon the formula for the sequel.
Mirror's Edge is many things: invigorating, infuriating, fulfilling, and confusing. It isn't for everybody, and it stumbles often for a game that holds velocity in such high esteem. But even with all its foibles and frustrations, it makes some impressive leaps; it just doesn't nail the landing.
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0019MLWL4?ie=UTF8&tag=evilavatarcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0019MLWL4) (360) - 78%
The combination of a surprisingly lengthy single-player game and a robust multiplayer mode make this one game that just about anyone can enjoy. While the challenges get a little repetitive, the ability to create and operate custom vehicles -- both online and off -- make Nuts & Bolts a unique, entertaining spin on the everyday platformer.
While falling short of hand-break turning, spring-bouncing and rocketing the series into a whole better direction, Nuts & Bolts will be remembered as a unique and enjoyable - if sometimes repetitive - spin-off to Banjo's platforming routes. It'll be interesting to see where Rare takes him next.
The customization shop is one of the game's biggest features, letting you create cars and planes any way you see fit. The gameplay is quite entertaining, even though the steering controls aren't as tight as we expected.
Star Wars The Clone Wars: Lightsaber Duels (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001BWRBB2?ie=UTF8&tag=evilavatarcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001BWRBB2) (Wii) - 61%
There is no suspension of disbelief due to the simplistic fighting mechanics and imprecise controls, and your dreams of feeling like an all-powerful Jedi remain unrealized. LucasArts gave it a great try, with faithful graphics, sound, and cinematic flair, but for legions of rabid Star Wars fans, it's do or do not. There is no try.
Lightsaber Duels may not be exactly what fans were clamoring for when Nintendo unveiled the Wii's lightsaber-esque controllers, but it's still quite enjoyable. The single-player experience won't last you long, though, so you might not want to invest in the game unless you plan on playing with a buddy.
A missed opportunity to do much more on Wii -- and strangely, it feels in many ways like a dumbed-down version of Force Unleashed, which came out first.
For those of you who do not buy games on their release date and are still trying to see where your money should go, here is a collection of some of the more popular releases for the past week in the order of their overall scores. The scores and quotes are provided by Metacritic (http://www.metacritic.com/games/).
Call of Duty: World at War (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001AWIP68?ie=UTF8&tag=evilavatarcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001AWIP68) (360, PS3, Wii, PC, PS2, DS) - 86%
This is a solid, confident shooter with plenty to offer the casual and hardcore alike.
Developer Treyarch did a fantastic job of not reinventing the wheel with World at War. Rather, they took the best elements of Modern Warfare and expanded upon them. The end product is a thrilling experience that injects some of the visceral punch back into World War II.
The addition of a robust and varied co-op option helps to mitigate the disappointment of the by-the-numbers traditional multiplayer modes. However, looking back to Kristan's review review of Call of Duty 3 you'll find the exact same complaints being raised two years ago. Corridor gameplay. Outdated features. Flaky AI. They're all still here, albeit masked by even more whiz-bang effects than ever before.
Mirror's Edge (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00149PCAO?ie=UTF8&tag=evilavatarcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00149PCAO) (360, PS3) - 80%
As a game steeped in immediacy, Mirror's Edge is an absolute must-play despite its idiosyncrasies. And as a pied piper for progressive design in first-person gaming, it's all the more important.
If the level design had focused more on open environments and giving you the freedom to run, and if the combat wasn't such a roadblock, this would have been a near-perfect game. But it's still a great first step and I can't wait to see how DICE improves upon the formula for the sequel.
Mirror's Edge is many things: invigorating, infuriating, fulfilling, and confusing. It isn't for everybody, and it stumbles often for a game that holds velocity in such high esteem. But even with all its foibles and frustrations, it makes some impressive leaps; it just doesn't nail the landing.
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0019MLWL4?ie=UTF8&tag=evilavatarcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0019MLWL4) (360) - 78%
The combination of a surprisingly lengthy single-player game and a robust multiplayer mode make this one game that just about anyone can enjoy. While the challenges get a little repetitive, the ability to create and operate custom vehicles -- both online and off -- make Nuts & Bolts a unique, entertaining spin on the everyday platformer.
While falling short of hand-break turning, spring-bouncing and rocketing the series into a whole better direction, Nuts & Bolts will be remembered as a unique and enjoyable - if sometimes repetitive - spin-off to Banjo's platforming routes. It'll be interesting to see where Rare takes him next.
The customization shop is one of the game's biggest features, letting you create cars and planes any way you see fit. The gameplay is quite entertaining, even though the steering controls aren't as tight as we expected.
Star Wars The Clone Wars: Lightsaber Duels (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001BWRBB2?ie=UTF8&tag=evilavatarcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001BWRBB2) (Wii) - 61%
There is no suspension of disbelief due to the simplistic fighting mechanics and imprecise controls, and your dreams of feeling like an all-powerful Jedi remain unrealized. LucasArts gave it a great try, with faithful graphics, sound, and cinematic flair, but for legions of rabid Star Wars fans, it's do or do not. There is no try.
Lightsaber Duels may not be exactly what fans were clamoring for when Nintendo unveiled the Wii's lightsaber-esque controllers, but it's still quite enjoyable. The single-player experience won't last you long, though, so you might not want to invest in the game unless you plan on playing with a buddy.
A missed opportunity to do much more on Wii -- and strangely, it feels in many ways like a dumbed-down version of Force Unleashed, which came out first.