SkullGirls (XBLA): "The Review"

As I promised earlier in my "Rant" I'm here to deliver to you my "Review" of the new fighting game 'Skullgirls'. If you haven't read my rant yet I suggest you do that either before, or after reading this review. It tells some things that really bothered me about the game as well as some significant issues that plague the game in it's current state. While my rant is a little on the rough side I believe it properly conveys how frustrated I was with the game when I played it. I will not be as blunt, or straight forward with my review though. This review is mainly here to let you know about the characters, modes, controls, graphics, and other features that the game has to offer. I hope both my rant, and review gives you enough insight into 'Skullgirls' to allow you to make an educated decision if you choose to buy the game. Without further adieu lets get this show on the road!

Skullgirls (XBLA): "The Rant"

After thinking long, and hard on how I was going to approach my review of 'Skullgirls' I decided on dividing it into two separate posts. The first post, which is the one you are about to, is appropriately titled "The Rant". This post will be where I lay down my opinions on the game. The second post will be titled "The Review", and will come later giving you all the details of the game without my opinions cluttering up the post. I feel this separation of review, and rant is necessary. It allows me to give my opinion in it's purest form while not having to give the details of the game. This is opposite to the "The Review" which will give you details about the game without you having to hear me complain about the issues that plague it. Without further adieu I think it's time to get the show on the road!

MICRO REVIEW: "Pinball Arcade (Xbox 360)"

I have decided to make a review sub-category called "MICRO REVIEW" in which I'll give straight to the point reviews about games, and DLC that I have purchased with my own money/msp. I will show no mercy to the titles that truly suck, but will still give praise to games that truly deserve it. To start off this new category of reviews I will be giving you the inside scoop on an XBLA I purchased this morning titled "Pinball Arcade" ...

Wrecked: Revenge Revisited (XBLA): "4 Player Racing Combat"

I would normally use this introductory paragraph to tell you about how I managed to get the game in question for review, or something along those lines. This time I'm going to do things a little differently though. To begin with I'd like to thank '505 games' for allowing me to do a review on 'Wrecked: Revenge Revisited'. Thank you so much! This is the first time I believe that I've contacted '505 Games' about a review request, and I was definitely glad to see that they were willing to give me a chance. I know I've mentioned this before, but the success of a reviewer greatly depends on those who support him/her. Whether you're reviewing DVDs, or video games the same rule always applies. If you don't have a decent following of supporters, or developers/publishers that are willing to give you a shot at proving yourself then you will ultimately fail. That's why I'm thankful for gaming companies like '505 Games' who are willing to give smaller review sites such as my own a chance. Now that I have all of that squared away I will present to you my review of 'Wrecked: Revenge Revisited'!

Sine Mora (XBLA): "A Masterful Tale of Genocide & Revenge Told Through Shmup Style Gameplay"

Sometimes I really get excited for a game, and will send my request in early for it. As a reviewer I realize that the demand for review codes is rising as more sites are created around games from the Xbox LIVE marketplace. I jumped at the chance to send in my request the moment I watched the first trailer of 'Sine Mora'. As time passed by I kept a close watch for details about the game, because I knew this game was going to be something special. In one of the articles I read about 'Sine Mora' prior to the game's release I found out that two very awesome, and talented artists would be contributing to the game. The game's musical score was created by the extremely talented 'Akira Yamaoka (Shadows of the Damned & Silent Hill series). I also found out that the boss battles within the game were created by an equally talented anime artist, 'Mahiro Maeda (Final Fantasy Unlimited, The Animatrix sequence "The Second Renaissance Parts I & II", and the animated sequence from Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill Vol.1"). Sine Mora's story unfolds in a grand fashion that is beyond what most shmups try to express. I would say that it even exceeds most of it's competition within the shmup (shoot'em up) genre.

Shoot Many Robots (XBLA): "It's Rated 'M' For A Reason ..."

I don't think I've ever seen a game quite like "Shoot Many Robots". This 4 player co-op run-n-gun RPG (as described in the press release) is brought to us by 'Demiurge Studios (Borderlands, Brothers In Arms, Mass Effect)', and Ubisoft (Assassin's Creed, I AM ALIVE ...)'. Both game studios/pubishers have helped develop some pretty impressive games in the past. This game (Shoot Many Robots) in particular features an art style that most 'Borderlands' fans will recognize. While it's similar to 'Borderlands' in some minor ways it definitely stands on it's own. In my career as a gamer I've rarely seen any game developer/publisher push the envelope of the 'M' rating like 'Demiurge Studios/Ubisoft' has. When you start up the game you'll immediately notice the larger than life ESRB rating on the screen. It lets you know that you are about to experience a "Mature" game, and let me tell you this couldn't be more accurate. The fact that the ESRB notice includes warnings about sexual content, strong language, and the use of alcohol should make this fact perfectly clear. I ended up spending a good amount of time playing the game, and noticed a lot of "things" that I'll discuss in the paragraphs that follow. Prepare yourselves, cause this could get ugly ...

Nexuiz (XBLA): "Old School Arena Shooters Are Reborn & Revived!!!"

If you are a gamer who has enjoyed fast paced arena shooters in the past such as the "Quake" series (Quake III: Arena) then you'll be stoked about what 'ILLFONIC/THQ' has done for the genre. They have not only brought back the classic gameplay style of the FPS arena shooters of old, but have improved on it in many ways. In fact they have made the game their own in doing so. I was seriously stoked myself when I watched the trailer of "Nexuiz" last year after it was first revealed. It was a shot in the dark, but I knew I had to try and get this game for review. I wanted to see how good it was, and if the developers had managed to successfully revive a gaming genre that I have missed for quite some time. After getting the code for review (which I'm highly thankful for) I tested out all aspects of it, and took many notes on the details of the game as I did so. I was one of the lucky reviewers who actually got to spend some quality time playing online with others. It was hard to find matches at times, but I'm glad to say I can give you the details you need to know.

Pinball FX2 (XBLA): "Epic Quest"

Zen Studios have produced some spectacular pinball tables in the years that they've been involved in game development. This time around though they really outdid themselves with a unique pinball table experience that combines the elements of RPGs with all of the goodness of a Pinball FX2 table. The table I speak of is called "Epic Quest", and the title definitely suits the experience you'll get when you play the table. I honestly think that Zen Studios covered every single element you'd find in a classic, or even modern RPG. There's HP, MP, Spells, A Ranking/Leveling system, Upgradeable weapons/armor, and epic boss/creature battles that continue even after you have lost. The brilliant innovation that Zen Studios has applied to this table goes way beyond just RPG elements, but also includes some "Epic" replay value. It's something you won't find anywhere else in the pinball gaming world at this current time. I know you guys, and gals have been awaiting my review, so I'll go ahead and get into it ...

Shank 2 (XBLA): "Sequel To The Original Blood Filled Brawler"

I'm going to begin by saying that I have never actually played the first "Shank" game. I did notice during my playthrough of "Shank 2" that it looked like the continuation of another story. With that being said though I was able to understand everything that was going on without having played the previous game. What I discovered when I played "Shank 2" was a gory 2D brawler/platformer that seemed to have elements of the "Metal Slug" games, and an art style similar to the "Samurai Jack" series. It also featured an interesting, and deeply involved combo system with a wide variety of weapons. All of the characters in the game had their own unique personality that gave them a likable quality. Shank (the hero) was a lone wolf kind of guy that reminded me a lot of "Marcus Phoenix" from the "Gears of War" series. He had that same gritty voice, and attitude going on. As I played the game I really began to like Shank's style. As interesting as the characters were I found that the story to be even more entertaining. It featured a plot about organ harvesting, a dying dictator, a mad doctor, and even a female cult leader among other things. It was like a "Quentin Tarantino" grindhouse feature that was made into a video game!

The Simpsons Arcade Game (XBLA): "A Retro Arcade Beat 'em Up"

This game brought back so many memories from my childhood. As a teenager I enjoyed watching "The Simpsons" every chance that I got. My mother wasn't really approving of the shows semi-adult humor, but she allowed me to view it anyways. The television series isn't the only nostalgic memories this game brings to mind. Back in the day when I used to play the arcades at a skating venue called "Skate Country" I would spend many quarters playing this exact same arcade game. When I first got this game for review I wasn't really sure it was a direct translation of the arcade cabinet game, but after doing a thorough playthrough I realized that it was. It was definitely a pleasant surprise. I think Konami, and Backbone Entertainment did an excellent job of porting this arcade style brawler to the consoles. They included a lot of extra features that the arcade cabinet version of the game didn't have including online co-op.

AMY (XBLA): "A Stealth Horror-Survival Game"

I followed the progress of "AMY" through trailers on Youtube long before it was released. It was a game that looked very promising to me. In fact I wanted to review it so bad that I sent in my review request early. I had kind of lost hope that I would get a response from 'VectorCell/Lexis Numerique (the developer)' after not hearing from them for an extended period of time. Fortunately I finally got the response I was looking for a day before the game was scheduled to be released. I was truly excited to be honest. After downloading the 1.55 GB game I began my attempt to complete the game, but as it sometimes happens I was unable to do so due to various factors concerning the game's gameplay mechanics. In the end I made it to chapter/level 2, and was unable to complete it. In the following paragraphs I will give you the basic story behind the game as well as the faults I encountered while attempting my playthrough ...

Pinball FX2 (XBLA): "MARVEL Pinball: Vengeance & Virtue"

Zen Studios, the developer of all 'Pinball FX2' tables have once again allowed me to review their latest release. This time around they created four new tables in the 'MARVEL Pinball" series. This DLC set was properly titled "Vengeance & Virtue". The brand new tables feature 'X-MEN', 'THOR', 'Ghost Rider', and 'Moon Knight' themes. Each table has details that stay true to the corresponding comic book hero's, and villain's stories. As with any Pinball FX2 table there are 3D elements, impressive voice acting, and animated events that accent each table's theme. After playing each table for a while I found them to have a moderate to hard difficulty, and a variety of different features that take some getting used to. I will breakdown each table's pro's, con's and details for you in this review.

Xotic (XBLA): "An FPS Hybrid Like No Other"

I rarely ever get excited solely by the looks of an XBLIG, or XBLA game. In this case something about 'WXP Game's (The Developer)' new FPS Hybrid titled "Xotic" really caught my attention. In fact it held my attention to the point that I watched all of the trailers, and videos about it as I sent multiple review requests hoping to secure a code. I was definitely determined to get this game for review. To me 'Xotic' seemed like one of those "next best thing" sort of games. It's not often that someone reinvents a genre in an entirely new way. WXP Games not only reinvented the FPS genre, but made a game unlike anything I have ever seen. The originality I witnessed in 'Xotic' was truly awe inspiring to say the least.

BurgerTime World Tour (XBLA): "A Fast Paced Fast Food Arcade Game Frenzy"

During my time as a gamer I have never really played a game like 'BurgerTime World Tour'. I do realize that there was a release of BurgerTime for a retro console (The NES I believe???), but I never really got the opportunity to see what it was about. Aside from it's classic gaming roots BurgerTime had previously been re-released as a next generation XBLA game that played, and looked very similar to this one (BurgerTime HD). Monkey Paw Games the developers behind this wacky puzzle/platformer revived the title once more with newly added features that includes an online multiplayer mode, and Xbox live avatar compatability. The offline mode features 4 worlds with multiple levels in which 'Peter Pepper' competes against rival burger makers by completing burgers (layer by layer). His task is complicated by attacks from various enemy foods (hot dogs, Limburger Cheese, Eggs, Pickles, Peppers ...), obstacles, traps, and level sized bosses that constantly block his path to progress.

Real Steel (XBLA): "A Highly Customizable Robot Boxing Game ..."

If you are as old as I am you have probably seen the "Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots" toys of ages (years ^.^) gone by. The concept was really simple back then, and only involved a couple of movable plastic robots that were attached to a plastic boxing ring. It was inevitable that the release of a movie/video game such as "Real Steel" would sooner, or later rear it's head. With the lack of inspiration that seems to be plaguing the hollywood directors of today, and the classic toy/movie craze (Smurfs, Transformers ...) that is currently going on it all sort of adds up. Yuke's Co., Ltd is the developer behind this video game rendition of the recent movie release. Unlike the movie "Real Steel" there is nothing going on behind the stage involving the human puppet masters (Hugh Jackman ...) that control the brawling bots. The game itself is pretty much a straightforward boxing game with some nice additions (RPG elements, customizations, robotic dismemberments ...) to gameplay that suit the scifi content the game was molded after.

Zombie Apocalypse: Never Die Alone (XBLA): "A Dual Thumbstick Zombie Shmup"

Zombie Apocalypse: NDA (Never Die Alone) is the sequel to Back Bone Entertainment, and Konami's 'Zombie Apocalypse' game of 2009. It features dual thumbstick (shmup) style gameplay, and a story that can be completed in either singleplayer or multiplayer modes. Up to four players can join in on the zombie shooting spree in multiplayer mode, or you can have at it alone switching between characters as you make your way across the zombie infested locations. There are four unique characters to play as in the game. There is a gamer dude named 'Jeremy', a female weapons specialist named 'Alma', A youth minister named 'Father Bill', and a British/Australian rapper named 'Def Money'. Each character plays their own special part in this apocalyptic zombie tale that takes place in the various locales of Canada. There's lots of humor to enjoy, zombie swarms to neutralize, and some major moolah to collect in this RPG driven shoot 'em up.

The War of the Worlds (XBLA): "H.G. Well's Classic Tale Reimagined"

When you have been a gamer for as long as I have you have likely witnessed the change in visual styles, and graphics on gaming consoles through the years. There have been both 2D, and 3D versions of video games released throughout the years I have been gaming. Rarely ever do you see a developer take a gaming concept of old, and significantly enhance it though. This is definitely the case with 'Other Ocean Interactive's (The Developer)' latest reimagining of H.G. Wells classic martian invasion story "The War of the Worlds". The developer has taken the oldschool 2D platforming genre, and has applied it in a way that pays perfect tribute to the classic invasion tale. The graphics are definitely next generation quality, and the soundtrack is truly amazing. To top all of that off, Other Ocean Interactive has acquired the voice-over talents of 'Sir Patrick Stewart'! With all of that combined 'The War of the Worlds' for the Xbox 360 has been brought to life in a way that the newer generation of gamers can experience, and appreciate.

Bejeweled 3 (XBLA): "A Multi-Mode Gem Matching Puzzle Game"

In the many years I've been gaming I have played a wide variety of video game genres that include puzzle games. Some of those puzzle games that I enjoyed playing included several 'PopCap Game' titles such as their very popular Bejeweled series. My family has an extremely competitive nature when it comes to gaming, and we would often times try to beat each other's scores in Bejeweled, Bejeweled 2, and Bejeweled Blitz. My Mother, and Father both are actually pros at the Bejeweled games, and have scored in the millions of points during their playthroughs. When I saw that 'Bejeweled 3' was released on the Xbox Live Marketplace I knew I had to do a review on it, because it's one of those amazing arcade style games that should get some recognition. I honestly knew the game was going to be great before I requested it. I just didn't know how much content 'PopCap Games' had included in this installment of the series. That is another reason for my request of the game. I like to keep my readers informed on all types of games even if they are puzzle related.

Dungeon Defenders (XBLA): "A Tower Defense & RPG Hybrid Gaming Experience"

I did a lot of research before I set out on my quest to get the review code for Trendy Entertainment's new XBLA release 'Dungeon Defenders'. Initially I was quite impressed with what I witnessed from watching the 'Dungeon Defenders' trailers, and developer diaries videos. I knew I had to get this game for review, so that my reader's would be well informed as to what the game's experience is like. I also wanted to see for myself how this game compared/differed from other RPG hybrids. I have to honestly say that I was thrilled when Trendy Entertainment's PR sent me two review codes, so that I could experience the multiplayer with someone else that I knew. Often times I find myself missing out on the multiplayer experience, because I have no one to share it with. Thankfully Trendy Ent. realized that the reviewers (such as myself) needed to play their game as it was meant to be played, in multiplayer/LIVE.

Pinball FX2 (XBLA): "Sorcerer's Lair"

Zen Studios, the developers of the Pinball FX2 series have added yet another amazing creation to their pinball table library. This newest table which is appropriately titled 'Sorcerer's Lair' delivers awesome pinball action with more interactive parts/missions than the previous tables. There are many different ways to score points as you take on the role of Jake, and Amanda (A Brother & Sister Duo) along with their ghostly friend Whisper as they try to outsmart the evil sorcerer. The table itself takes place at a magical Citadel that is haunted by various apparitions, and otherworldly creatures. It is up to you (Jake, Amanda, Whisper) to withstand all of the sorcerer's attacks, and beat him at his own game.