With 2012 off to a good start, it’s time for us to take a look back at 2011 with our annual The Year in Screenshots feature that highlights our favorite games of the year. Rather than argue about awarding a single game as our game of the year, we here at SmashPad prefer to just tell you our 25 most favorite games of the year and give each game equal billing.

If you want a glimpse of the numbers behind the list, the game with the most nominations from our staff was Portal 2 with four votes and eight others received two votes each to cover the common games amongst our lists. The rest that received multiple nominations includes Bastion, Batman: Arkham City, Catherine, Forza Motorsport 4, King of Fighters XIII, Sonic Generations, Super Mario Land 3D, and Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception. The list below is ordered by release date to show you how spread out their releases were in 2011 with 13 of the 25 titles  on this list coming out between January and July.

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective (DS)

“The team behing Ace Attorney has given DS owners another funny adventure. Unique gameplay and an intriguing storyline are reasons why it wouldn’t be surprising to see gamers play this nonstop from beginning to end.” Danreb Victorio

Radiant Historia (DS)

“Atlus’ overlooked DS JRPG is one that takes a great plot and installs what could possibly be the best elements of time travel in a video game. Yes, the time travel aspect rivals that of both Chrono Trigger and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.” Danreb Victorio

PixelJunk Shooter 2 (PS3)

“Rather than relegating it to DLC, Q Games wisely took the time to make a full sequel to the original PixelJunk Shooter and polished the hell out of its mechanics to make it play as well as it looks. The online multiplayer mode is a neat mode that provides some fun moments, though I doubt that there is still an active audience a year later.” Chris Selogy

Ridge Racer 3D (3DS)

“Since the 2005 PSP launch, the series has been in rare form, packing loads of content into every installment, adding an element of staying power previously unimagined. The 3DS iteration is certainly no exception, and adds to the mix an ability to showcase the system’s screen as well as anything else available, making it a must-own for your newly-purchased handheld.” Patrick Mifflin

Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

“Capybara did an amazing job of giving its overlooked 2009 DS gem an HD overhaul on the XBLA and PSN so that more people can experience the best puzzle RPG game around. This is the game that kept my PS3 busy during the great PSN outage of 2011.” Chris Selogy

Portal 2 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

“Considering how much of an oddity the first Portal was, Portal 2 could have been incredibly unnecessary. But a sicker, more sadistic story, packed with amazing combined work from Stephen Merchant (Wheatley), JK Simmons (Cave Johnson), Ellen McClain (GLaDOS) and a couple of spheres (play the game) make Portal 2 such a joy to play through.” Alex Quevedo

MotorStorm: Apocalypse (PS3)

“The cynical person would call MotorStorm: Apocalypse a rip-off of Split Second, but the truth is that the newest MotorStorm game perfected the idea of racing in a city that’s falling apart around you. This is also the first racing game that’s managed to get me hooked on its online multiplayer mode with a much more accessible experience that apes Call of Duty’s successful template.” Chris Selogy

L.A. Noire (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

“We’ve perhaps gotten too used to being rewarded with achievements in games for simple, quirky or insane tasks. LA Noire rewards its player by putting you through the grinder, making you work for your leads, make the right calls and truly play the part of a detective. Rockstar yet again accomplishes quite a bit with this 1940s period piece.” Alex Quevedo

Dirt 3 (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

“While I was a little put off by DIRT 2’s emphasis on “EXTREME” design, it’s nice to see that DIRT 3 has put the focus back on Rally racing. DIRT 3 has a stylish new UI, a number of new driving assists that will aloow people to jump right in and be competitive right away, plus the new Gymkhana events that are just a lot of fun to play.” Filippo Dinolfo

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D (3DS)

“How do make a game as good as Ocarina of Time? Easy, make a port that rivals the original in every possible way and make the game portable.” Danreb Victorio

Ms. ‘Splosion Man (Xbox 360)

“Twisted Pixel did a great job of following the success of their crazy XBLA platformer with a new female lead and the same great charm and humor that Twisted Pixel is now known for.” Chris Selogy

Bastion (PC, Xbox 360)

“This game is a very compelling and effective blend of Diablo and some of the more traditional Action RPGs of days gone by, and really feels like something one would expect out of a studio like Atlus or NIS rather than a California-based team of former EA employees. Make no mistake: Bastion is one of the very right things about the western game industry, and Supergiant Games does a great job of establishing itself as a studio to watch very closely moving forward.” Patrick Mifflin

Catherine (PS3, Xbox 360)

“Catherine’s narrative was as unique as it was provocative, and the same can be said about its crushing difficulty. As hard as the game is, it’s just as hard to put it down, as strategies could be discovered even after death.” – Danreb Victorio

Renegade Ops (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

“After releasing the great Just Cause 2 in 2010, I was not surprised to see that Avalanche Studios’ debut in the downloadable space, Renegade Ops, was a great dual-stick shooter that has the feel of a next-gen Jackal with an A-Team vibe to the story and attitude.” Chris Selogy

Gears of War 3 (Xbox 360)

“The first two installments of the Gears of War series were solid, but Gears of War 3 is easilt ye best of the series. Gameplay-wise, it’s more accessible. It’s intense without being overbearing or feeling impossible and that, mixed in with a healthy amount of emotion, made for a much more enjoyable experience.” Alex Quevedo

Rage (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

“id Software has put a lot of work into RAGE and it shows. It may not be the be all end all of first person shooters, but its blend of FPS, post-apocalyptic racing, and RPG elements manages to work out quite well.” Filippo Dinolfo

Forza Motorsport 4 (Xbox 360)

“Forza Motorsport 4 is easily one of the best racing games to come out in 2011. Its style leans heavily towards the simulation side of things, but it provides a ton of assists to help newcomers get into the game.” Filippo Dinolfo

Batman: Arkham City (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

“While it’s easy to say that Christopher Nolan did wonders for the Batman franchise, it may be easier to say Rocksteady Studios did just as much. Arkham City more than outperformed its predecessor, providing a more intense look, feel and experience.” Alex Quevedo

Sonic Generations (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

“Blending the Genesis era and the Dreamcast era together into one game was a great move, and Generations represents some of the best of both. The only thing you can really hold against it is its impartial approach to stage selection, but even that worked out well despite including the not-so-beloved installments among its varied levels.” Patrick Mifflin

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception (PS3)

“Drake’s third adventure is just as insanely jam-packed as the adventure he had in Among Thieves. The game’s story is also among the best as it takes a deeper look into his relationship with Victor Sullivan.” Danreb Victorio

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)

“After playing Skyrim, a friend remarked to me “I can’t believe I thought (The Elder Scrolls IV:) Oblivion was a good game” and I must say I share that sentiment. It was hard to imagine Bethesda could outdo their game-of-the-year performance on Oblivion, but Skyrim is so much better in every way.” Filippo Dinolfo

Super Mario 3D Land (3DS)

“Super Mario 3D Land is more than just the return of the Tanooki Suit. The game is the perfect example of what a handheld platformer should be, all while making full 3D visuals seem like the norm.” Danreb Victorio

Rayman Origins (PS3, Xbox 360)

Use Facebook to Comment on this Post

Related posts:

1. Preview: Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony (Xbox 360)
2. Review: Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City (Xbox 360)
3. 2010: The Year in Screenshots

The vast  majority of games won’t mean much 10 years after they’ve been released. Sure, you can conjure up little used memories for a chuckle. Chances are, though, you won’t remember much. But then there are those games that are forever burned into your gaming memories. The first time you were Mario. Your first Doom kill. In this case, the time you spent blasting Covenant in Halo. Of course, Halo still resonates today because the game turned into an insanely successful franchise.

What Is It?

Halo CE Anniversary is still the same game that single-handedly propped Microsoft into the gaming world and helped usher in a new era of shooters. Behind the scenes, 343 Industries stepped in to remaster the game, which they’ve done a solid job with.

Halo introduced Master Chief, a 26^th century super soldier for the United Nations Space Command. Humanity is at war with the alien Covenant. A giant ring world called Halo is discovered when running from the Covenant and is quickly believed to be a weapon. As Master Chief, your main goal is to keep the Covenant from using it to control the universe.

Story-wise, there’s almost no change. The quirky dialogue and weapons placement; it’s all still there. The main changes are the updated graphics, background videos implanted in levels and online capabilities. That’s more or less for the best, considering any changes to the story would have likely not gone over very well. So don’t worry, there’s no George Lucasing going on here.

Why Should I Care?

There was no doubt Halo was one of the games to have in 2001. It packaged solid writing, fantastic action, giant (for a linear shooter) level design and addicting multiplayer. Many pounds were gained the more LAN parties sprung up. But, that was 10 years ago. The state of video games was severely different and Halo’s mechanics… still actually hold up pretty well.

Regardless of whether you played the original or not, you’ll feel perfectly comfortable jumping into Anniversary. It seems the difficulty slider has been increased for normal difficulties and above though. Covenant and Flood take more hits and swarm in larger numbers. This is actually welcomed- if you have to play through what you’re already used to, you might as well be given a harder time.

Anniversary looks absolutely fantastic for a remaster. You can’t compare this too much against newly developed games, but compared to the original, it’s amazing. The detail is severe and you’ll be able to easily compare the two versions by clicking the back button on your controller. A long blink in the action will give you original graphics. The remastered version will give you better lighting, detailed elements and smoother graphical transitions. Perfect example: your assault rifle has a small compass by the clip read-out. It moves in a clicking fashion with original graphics; remastered will show smoother transitions. The attention to detail for this remastering should be applauded. But, hold the applause.

The worst part of the update is the massive overhaul to the main characters’ faces. Chief is saved because he inherently wears a helmet. But Sgt. Johnson, Captain Keyes? They look nearly nothing like their original forms. Johnson is closer but Keyes had about 20 years taken off his age. Since Keyes is shown at the start, it’s an immediate drawback in the situation. It’s not heinous but it still wasn’t necessary.

The nicest addition to campaign are the terminals scattered throughout each level. Terminals have been seen in other Halo games but Anniversary’s are by far the best. They explain some history of the Halo rings, 343 Guilty Spark’s insanity and even drop some vague hints about what we might expect from Halo 4. Even better, finding them doesn’t feel like a menial task. They’re hidden out in the open- just look for a bright flashing  light and chances are you’ve found a terminal.

Anniversary’s multiplayer is where 343 Industries strays away from the original. Halo’s original multiplayer setup can’t really exists alongside today’s games, so 343 remastered several of the original maps and set them up on Halo Reach’s engine. An original-themed Firefight map is also included. It will play out like Halo, but feels a little more like Reach implanted into Halo maps. Purists may see issues, but it simply works better this way. There’s no negative effect on the feel and it will at least allow you to continue your work from Reach rather than having to restart your stats.

As far as co-op is concerned, you’ll have your original options of split-screen or linked systems with the online addition to support a friend. Keyword there: friend. Co-op matchmaking isn’t supported and so you’ll be forced to play with a friend. Not the biggest letdown in the world, but matchmaking would have been a solid option for those whose friends aren’t Halo players or aren’t interested in this. And likely due to its limited use, co-op doesn’t support Kinect functionality.

The Kinect hasn’t yet proved if it can even work in a true shooter. Halo Anniversary isn’t looking to change that just yet. The game uses Kinect’s voice controls during anniversary mode, allowing you to reload, throw grenades, pause and use your flashlight, among other simple actions. It’s main function will be to analyze your surroundings and scan characters and weapons to add intel into your Library. Does it add much? Not really. It’s a slight gimmick that will give you recognition issues. Voicing “Analyze” generally brought up the feature on the first try, but reload attempts would sometimes take several requests before it would actually happen. Thankfully, the only Kinect-required action is “Analyze” so you can go about your business normally.

What Makes It Worth My Time & Money?

It may seem a little odd to want to go out and drop $40 for a game you may have played enough to warp the disc.  343 Studios mostly updated the graphics and reformed some of the original multiplayer maps into Reach content. From an outside perspective that doesn’t sound like much, but it is.

Playing through the game brings back great memories of storming through the first time. The gameplay was great; the story was good. For a shooter, it was deep, exciting and lengthy. That’s a lot more than what can be said about most games out today. Not that it’s time to get up on the soapbox and clamor for a time when games were games and men were men. There’s obviously plenty of fantastic games still coming out. Halo simply provided a quality product that holds its own against today’s modern games.

Halo Anniversary stays true to what made Halo great in the first place… even if they kind of screwed the pooch with the faces. The main campaign remains a joy to play and the original maps translate well into Reach’s gameplay. Halo Anniversary proves to be a solid addition to the Halo collection and certainly worthy of your time and money.

Final Score: 8 | Recommendation: Buy It

Editor’s Note: A copy of Batman: Arkham City was purchased for the Xbox 360 by the reviewer. Campaign played to completion; each multiplayer mode tested several times.

Use Facebook to Comment on this Post

Related posts:

1. Review: Halo: Reach (Xbox 360)
2. Review: Halo 3: ODST (Xbox 360)
3. Got NXE? Don’t Install Halo 3!

The Battlefield series has become one of EA’s most popular franchises, providing some of the most explosive and addictive multiplayer experiences in any shooter on the market today, rivaling even that of Call of Duty.  Battlefield 3 is no exception; marking the best entry in the series to date, DICE has gone all out to deliver a polished, one-of-a-kind multiplayer experience that you will have a hard time putting down.

What Is It?

Battlefield 3 is known first and foremost for its multiplayer but the single player campaign provided does deliver on many counts.  The story in Battlefield 3’s campaign does a good job of keeping you interested in events as they unfold, taking you from underground bank vaults in Tehran to shoot-outs on the streets of Paris.  Along the way you will also control various vehicles, a staple of the Battlefield series, including tanks, helicopters and you’ll even ride gunner in an aerial assault aboard a fighter jet.

Every location you travel to looks amazing, from the glossy interface and weapon HUDS to the city streets and dilapidated buildings.  DICE’s Frostbite 2 engine really packs a punch in terms of the amount of detail that can be shown on screen at once.  Buildings crumble piece by piece, vehicles emit exhaust fumes, and enemies will shoot blood out of their body when hit with bullets.

Once done with campaign mode, you can try your hand at co-op.  Here you and a friend can tackle missions different from those of single player and work together to tackle objectives.  There really isn’t anything here you are missing out on if you can’t find anyone to play with you, however earning experience and money to buy new weapons to use in co-op is a nice touch that should keep fans coming back.

Why Should I Care?

Battlefield 3 is all about the multiplayer and that is where the game truly shines.  Just the size alone in every match you join will leave you awe.  Since vehicles make common appearances in multiplayer, you will find yourself often looking out at a large battlefield deciding your next move as tanks roll in and jets fly above.

There are three modes you can try, Deathmatch, Conquest, or Rush (a team based objective mode where players have to defend and destroy targets).  While each mode is undoubtedly fun on its own, Conquest mode is perhaps where all the fun ensues as you race to capture flags scattered around the massive maps and fight to control them.  What makes this mode so thrilling is the fact that not only can ground troops take control of flags from you, but vehicles can as well, so forming a team-based strategy is not only necessary but essential to victory in every battle.

Battlefield 3 also features an in-depth character class system which allows players to fight in any style they want.  If you prefer providing help to hurt teammates then you can choose the Assault class and heal teammates and revive them if they should fall.  Engineers can fix broken vehicles or take them down with explosives; Recons can use sniper rifles and provide sharpshooting from afar while Support classes can lead the charge with powerful weapons and C4 explosives.

Choosing which class to use during certain situations can be the difference between victory and defeat, but alternating between them all grants you experience that levels up your weapons and skills.  New in Battlefield 3 is a feature that rewards you with weapon-specific upgrades the more you use it.  While leveling up will grant you class specific perks such as defibrillators and repair tools, getting enough kills may allow you to equip your gun with a tactical light that can blind enemies or a grenade launcher to help with those pesky vehicles.

Being in a vehicle is just as fun as being on foot in Battlefield 3. However, the controls still seem to be a little too complicated for their own good.  While the tank controls effortlessly enough for anyone to understand, the helicopter and jet controls need A LOT of practice to master.  It is a shame EA did not put in a practice mode of some sort so players could learn the mechanics of all the vehicles, because it really does not have the same desired effect when most players do not use any vehicles during battle.

What Makes It Worth My Time and Money?

In terms of production value, Battlefield 3 is the smoothest game out right now and you simply will not find a better-rounded shooter to play.

While the campaign mode looks pretty and plays all right, multiplayer is what gives Battlefield 3 its own identity and will have players clamoring to hop online day after day to play.  The various classes allow players to battle enemies as they see fit and the wide scale of the levels will surely give everyone a chance to play a shooter that requires much more strategy and skill to achieve victory, rather than luck.

There is a reason Battlefield has maintained as one of EA’s top franchises for all these years and it shows in great form in Battlefield 3.  If you want to play a multiplayer game that will keep you coming back for more, grab Battlefield 3 immediately.

Final Score: 9 | Recommendation: Buy It

Editor’s Note: The game was purchased by the reviewer, and about 16 hours were put into the game’s main campaign.  An additional 20+ hours were put into the game’s multiplayer mode.

Use Facebook to Comment on this Post

Related posts:

1. Review: Battlefield: Bad Company 2 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
2. Review: Battlefield 1943 (Xbox 360, PS3)
3. Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Speaks Out Against Grenade Spam

Just when you think a game can’t possibly be topped, Rocksteady Studios rockets through the roof and takes off into the stars with Batman: Arkham City. The sequel to the award-winning title, Batman: Arkham Asylum, thrusts the player back into the cowl of the Dark Knight as the story continues beyond the massive destruction of the asylum. So for those who thought they actually were Batman, let’s get you out of those silly pajamas and into some real tights.

What Is It?

The story starts a year after the events of the first title and shows Bruce Wayne calling together a press conference to discuss the dangers of Arkham City and why it needs to be closed immediately. Suddenly, a group of professional mercenaries, known as TYGER, surrounds the area and arrests Wayne. It turns out that they work for Dr. Hugo Strange, who knows that Bruce is Batman and required his capture to proceed with “Protocol 10.” After escaping the company of random thugs, Wayne contacts Alfred, dons his cape and cowl, and decides to further investigate this “Protocol 10.”

The control mapping for this title matches its predecessor’s, providing an easy switch between titles for fans. The graphics are phenomenal; it’s snowing in Gotham and individual snowflakes can be seen as well as those floating down to rest on the Dark Knight’s cape. Like Arkham Asylum, the environment is rendered with a darker color palette, but this title has sections of the city designated for specific super villains with their own groups of nameless thugs. The score is composed by Nick Arundel and Ron Fish, who provided the tunes for Arkham Asylum. The music is set up to be dynamic and will adapt to the scenario based on how its played.

Why Should I Care?

This game is huge! The map of Arkham City is five times that of Arkham Asylum and the player will spend much more time outside than inside. With such a large world for game play, this title provides many missions and side quests outside the main story to guarantee many, many hours of enjoyment. Some of the side missions include locating and acquiring the 400 Riddler trophies dotted about the whole world, and aiding trapped political prisoners in getting to safety. There are also many more collectibles to earn and challenge maps to unlock.

There have been quite a few advancements and improvements made to an already fluid movement and combat system. The simple gliding has evolved to include methods of diving straight to the ground and using that momentum to swoop even higher, theoretically allowing the Caped Crusader to glide indefinitely.  There are many new “takedown” moves added to Batman’s combat repertoire, including hanging takedowns and double silent takedowns.

There are many DLCs involving other characters, like Catwoman, Robin and Nightwing. Some were pre-order bonuses depending on where the player purchased the game while others were available for purchase after the title’s release. The Nightwing pack was released early November and includes two challenge maps. There will also be a Robin pack with more challenge maps and a Skins pack in December. These skins are for each of the main playable characters and will alter their appearance, like from Batman: The Animated Series or from specific comic stories.

What Makes It Worth My Time and Money?

Though there is no multi-player mode, there is more than enough content in single player to keep players busy for many hours. The environment is so complex and vast, it will take some time before you’ll no longer need to switch back to the map screen to determine your location. The Riddler’s puzzles are quite enjoyable and will aid in the quest of learning the layout of the city. The side quests cannot all be done at once, but will require the gamer to advance the story line along with the quests.

The future DLCs will add to an already incredible experience in this title. With the advancements made to the combat, movement and story, this Batman game will provide both challenges and enjoyment to the player. Being in this small part of Gotham allows the gamer more elbow room for gliding, swinging and overall exploration that can make you really feel like you’re Batman!

Final Score: 10 | Recommendation: Buy It

Editor’s Note: A copy of Batman: Arkham City was purchased for the Playstation 3 by the reviewer for this review. Approximately 12+ hours of play was devoted prior to writing this review.

Use Facebook to Comment on this Post

Related posts:

1. Batman: Arkham City Revealed for Xbox 360 and PS3
2. Comic Con ’11: Batman: Arkham City Hands-On
3. Review: Batman: Arkham Asylum (PS3, Xbox 360)

Developer Naughty Dog’s Uncharted series has become Sony’s flagship franchise for its PlayStation brand of gaming entertainment systems. ”Uncharted 2: Among Thieves” received a monumental amount of success following its release in 2009, becoming Metacritic’s most critically acclaimed game of the year.  Anticipation quickly grew for the inevitable sequel.  These expectations were not in vain — Uncharted 3 is just as good, if not better, than its predecessor.

What Is It About?

“Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception” once again puts players in the shoes of Nathan Drake, an everyday kind of guy with a distinct knowledge of history and a thirst for adventure.

The game begins with Drake and his trusted friend, Victor Sullivan, going into the back of a bar to complete a transaction involving the ring Drake wears around his neck.  After the deal falls through and all hell breaks loose (in the form of an epic bar fight), Drake and “Sully” find that a woman from their past is behind the heist.

After the dust settles, the game delves a little bit into Drake’s teenage years, when he acquired the ring. In previous games, Drake proclaimed that the ring was a family heirloom, but players will find that isn’t the case. It is during this time that Drake meets a young Victor Sullivan, the man who helped and followed Drake every step of the way in each of his adventures.

In addition, gamers catch their second glimpse of Katherine Marlowe, the woman behind the fallout in the first chapter’s heist, hand-in-hand with Sully.

This sequence of events gives players a stronger appreciation for Sully. In the previous two games he seemed like he was only with Drake for the spoils, but Uncharted 3 shows that their relationship is real, and this is where the game’s storytellers should receive their due.

Why Should I Care?

The developers spent a lot of time over the course of the previous games conveying what kind of person Drake is. To film fans, Nathan Drake is the game industry’s take on Indiana Jones.  Both show qualities of a skilled and knowledgeable archeologist, yet their adventurous attitudes always end up getting them in life-or-death situations.

These situations are what make the game especially shine. Throughout the game’s campaign, Drake will escape a burning building, a sinking ship and even a crashing plane.

These may seem like clichéd stunts that are performed in just about every action movie, but unlike Hollywood, Uncharted 3 throws all of those scenes into one package. Most movies would probably only feature one of those memorable instances per film because of budget constraints, so the fact that Uncharted’s creators were able to stuff so much memorable content in the game just makes it that much more appealing.

For example, the plane crash scene happened because one of the guards noticed Drake sneaking onto the plane via the air vents. After pulling him out and beating him down, the guard opens up the plane’s cargo hatch, forcing everything to fly out.

However, because there’s so much cargo attached in the plane, Drake is able to hold on and basically turn everyday objects into obstacles to dodge and maneuver through.

The plane crashes because the guards in the plane are stupid enough to start a gunfight throughout all that havoc, yet Drake is smart enough to hold onto cargo attached to a parachute to ensure his survival … except he ends up in the middle of a random desert.

As predictable as some of these predicaments are, some of the stunts are still jaw-dropping.

While Drake makes himself out to be a regular guy with his appearance and sarcastic attitude, he’s actually quite acrobatic. Among the most fun sequences in the game are his daredevil stunts.

Getting out of the predicaments he gets into requires excessive amounts of jumping, climbing, swinging and flat-out running. Uncharted paints Nathan Drake to be an acrobatic master of parkour, even though he doesn’t look the part at all.

It’s the suspense of these moments that keeps players on their feet in this captivating game. Uncharted 3 gives players all sorts of freedom with the environment, but even so, the game is perfectly linear — there’s only one correct route to go through to make progress.

The most difficult, yet most prevalent, parts of the game players will go through are in combat.

The amount of gunplay Drake finds himself in is just as plentiful as in the last two games. From AK-47s to RPGs, there are all sorts of guns to use, and one of the new weapons in Drake’s arsenal is the ability to steal guns while engaging in hand-to-hand combat. This is particularly useful because there will be plenty of instances where Drake won’t have a weapon, and this new move makes things much more manageable.

At that, there is a stronger emphasis on hand-to-hand combat, and players will notice this right at the get-go since the first scene is actually a bar fight.  There are even bigger enemies that Drake will have to face, but in a way they’re easier to defeat because they only require you to press the button indicated on the screen.

Aside from the gunplay and inordinate amount of stunts, there are also a handful of clever puzzles that Drake will have to figure out as the story goes on. The majority of them can be solved using the notebook Drake carries around, which includes illustrations that hint upon what to do.

Of course, if the puzzles are too brain teasing, after a while (and a lot of failing) the game will bring up its hint system that provides players with the answer.

The process of solving a lot of the puzzles can be rather difficult. One of the puzzles for example requires Drake to align a globe with the lights shining on it resembling continents. Players have to use both analog sticks on the controller to solve it quickly, and the fall here is that it is really easy to think that only one of the sticks can be used.

What Makes It Worth My Time And Money?

In terms of production value, the game is on par with Uncharted 2, which pushed the PS3 to its technological limit.

Its visuals, along with its soundtrack, are just two of the reasons why the game is so captivating, and the dialogue between the characters really gives the story a lot of flair.

It’s tough to expect more than that, but as far as production goes, Uncharted 3 is up there with the best in Hollywood.

The main game can be completed in less than 10 hours (and more than that will be spent if you’re a perfectionist who wants every treasure and every achievement trophy), so while the game isn’t long, it also isn’t short by any means.

For players who can’t get enough of Uncharted’s combat, cooperative and competitive multiplayer modes round out the package with fun “deathmatch” and “capture the flag” modes.

“Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception” was probably the most anticipated PS3 exclusive of the year, and while some may be disappointed that it doesn’t necessarily push the envelope further than its predecessor did, it’s still as good a game as Uncharted 2, which was simply superb. Uncharted 3 is no different, and it definitely is a great addition to any PS3 library.

Final Score: 9 | Recommendation: Buy It

Editor’s Note: The game was purchased by the reviewer, and about 10 hours were put into the game’s main campaign.  An additional 4 hours were put into the game’s multiplayer mode.

Use Facebook to Comment on this Post

Related posts:

1. Review: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3)
2. Top 9 of ’09: #1 – Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Microsoft launched their Kinect peripheral last year in hopes of broadening their user base and taking a chunk out of the Wii in sales. Though it’s debatable that the Kinect even had an impact with the year’s dip in Wii sales, what’s undeniable is the fact that the Kinect hasn’t really taken off since its release.

Dance Central has been the best game that made use of the accessory.  Harmonix has come out with the inevitable sequel, and it has replaced its predecessor as the best game available on the Kinect.

What Is It?

Developed by the musical masters at Harmonix, Dance Central is the premier dance game available on any home console.  Unlike Dance Dance Revolution or Just Dance, players don’t need any sort of accessory to play Dance Central.  All they have to do is mirror the dancers on screen and stay on the same beat.

Why Should I Care?

The original Dance Central was the most responsive game available for the motion-sensing peripheral, and Dance Central 2 follows suit.  For those who aren’t particularly confident in their beat-busting skill, Dance Central 2 features perhaps the best tutorial mode in games of this genre.  Because of the game’s superb animations, it’s easy to follow the moves step-by-step.  If they’re hard to get down, players can use the mic function to just tell the Xbox to rewind and do the move again.

Aside from the new voice commands, the most notable new addition to the game is the ability to play with another person.  Before, the game was only one player and anybody looking to dance with the person playing had to do so in the background.  Now dance battles can be done with two people, and certain strategies give the game a sense of competition that make it unique from other rhythm-based titles like Rock Band.

While players can choose any mode of difficulty when facing each other, the unique freestyle portion in any dance battle can be a great equalizer.  When it’s time for freestyle in a dance battle, up to four different dance moves will show up on the screen and each move done in its entirety earns a player 10,000 points.  The goal is for the player to do as many of the moves as possible, but if the player is off beat, they won’t get the points.  In addition, “gold” moves show up, and these are worth up to 50,000 points.  This adds a sense of urgency and makes players think about whether or not they should break their current move in order to perform the gold one.

As fun as the multiplayer is, the game unfortunately has no support for online multiplayer.  That really could’ve put it over the top, but it’s probably something that’ll be addressed in the third entry.  It features online leaderboards, but if players around the nation can’t face each other, it’s pretty much a waste.

What Makes It Worth My Time And Money?

One of the reasons for Dance Central’s success is the fact that this game can actually teach people how to dance.  Now with its included multiplayer, a sense of serious competition can definitely be had.  Although it’s worth noting that because of this, it isn’t as wild as Just Dance 3, another superb Kinect dance game.  It doesn’t make any game less fun, but Dance Central is more about its own challenging choreography than Just Dance is.

Though it’s not for everybody, Dance Central 2 is definitely the game to get for Kinect owners.  It boasts a diverse soundtrack featuring today’s top artists including Lady GaGa, Usher, and even Justin Bieber, but it rounds them out with older songs for hip hop enthusiasts to enjoy.  On top of that, owners of Dance Central have the ability to transfer all their songs and information for use in Dance Central 2 to avoid switching discs just for different songs.  Add the fact that the Xbox Live Marketplace is updated with new songs and routines every so often, and you have America’s Best Dance Game.

Final Score: 8.5 | Recommendation: Buy It

Editor’s Note: The game was purchased by the reviewer, who has three years of dance experience.  Over 10 hours were put into the game in all modes of play.

Use Facebook to Comment on this Post

Related posts:

1. Microsoft Confirms Kinect Pricing and New Arcade SKU
2. E3 2010: Everything You Need To Know About Xbox 360 Kinect
3. E3 2011: Microsoft’s Press Conference Summary & Reactions

Lately, there has been a great deal of rebooting, both in movies and games, and our favorite pink mascot is in no way exempt. Nintendo gave the hero a shiny new gloss and a few friends in his newest adventure on the Wii.

What Is It?

Kirby’s Return to Dream Land brings the puffy hero to crystal clarity on the Wii and into the hearts of generations both new and old. This title tells the tale of Magolor, whose ship the Lor Starcutter, has crash landed on Pop Star, its viable parts scattering across the vast world. Kirby, along with King Dedede, Meta Knight, and Waddle Dee, witness the collision and immediately offer their aid to retrieve the missing parts. Working solo or with friends, the player’s goal is to bring the Lor back to working condition so Magolor can continue on his journey.

Why Should I Care?

This title, much like the New Super Mario Bros. Wii, is the perfect party game no matter who the players are. The controls are simple; just turn the Wiimote sideways and go. Players can drop in or out whenever they want and can choose between the four playable characters. Each character is unique and offers different attack methods to the team. With all the classic copy abilities, a few new ones and super abilities, this game has all the ingredients needed for an entertaining party.

Aside from the main story, there are multiple doors within the alien ship that provide single-player challenges, multi-player mini-games and easy access to any abilities needed to overcome obstacles. The mini-games play more like traditional Wii-based party games like Carnival Games or Wii Sports. The challenges will require the player to perfect the art of copy ability use, enemy take-down and speed running. Access to these rooms will be achieved by collecting Energy Spheres scattered among the levels.

As with all Kirby games, the level design is bright and cheerful, and there are mazes of doors in each level to encourage exploration.  The composing duo in charge of music is none other than Hirokazu Ando and Jun Ishikawa, who brought us the tunes for Kirby’s Adventure and Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards. Another advantage of rebooting a title is to experience improved graphics and music that veteran gamers fondly remember from younger days.

What Makes It Worth My Time And Money?

Kirby’s Return to Dream Land is an excellent flashback to simpler times with the graphics and soundtrack of today. Kirby’s trademark vacuum attack is restored along with a long list of abilities he can mimic. Like the New Super Mario Bros. Wii, this title brings what gamers know and love, and provides it in a mode they’ve always, playing together instead of traditional turn-taking.

This is an ideal party game without possessing the normal attributes of Wii-based party games.Kirby’s Return to Dreamland provides players with an enjoyable co-op experience without the excess exercise more common in today’s Wii titles. After all, if this title is trying to remind us of simpler gaming days, I can certainly say I don’t recall standing up and jumping around to control Mario.

Final Score: 8.5 | Recommendation: Buy It

A copy of Kirby’s Return to Dream Land was purchased by the reviewer for this review. Approximately 12+ hours of time was spent on the main story as single-player and about 2.5 hours was spent using co-op with another.

Use Facebook to Comment on this Post

Related posts:

1. Review: Kirby Mass Attack (DS)

Over the course of video game history, we’ve seen Kirby’s round, pink figure float into our hearts. We remember fondly when he inhaled his first enemy and magically, donning a similar hat, adopt the same capabilities. The most recent title for the Nintendo DS reveals a side of Kirby we never knew existed.

What Is It?

Kirby Mass Attack immediately reveals what to expect from our lovable hero. The story behind this chapter starts with Kirby napping in a field on the Popopo Islands, enjoying his visit to the southern area of Pop Star. The leader of the Skull Gang, Necrodeus, appears and zaps Kirby with his magic staff. This splits Kirby into ten smaller versions of himself, each with a tenth of Kirby’s full power. In their weakened state, Necrodeus finishes off all the Kirbys, but one. All of a sudden, one of the classic stars appears above the lone Kirby, claiming itself to be the contents of Kirby’s heart. It whisks him away from danger and together, the adventure begins to defeat Necrodeus and return Kirby to his complete self again.

Why Should I Care?

There are already many Kirby titles released for both home console and portable alike, but Nintendo keeps gamers on their toes by developing this title for the DS. With its touch-screen capabilities, players will control Kirby in a way completely foreign to them. With a group of multiple heroes, one must use the stylus to direct, assign and protect the squad throughout the adventure.

To attack an enemy, simply poke them and the group feverishly advances. For airborne foes, flick single Kirbys into the air like torpedoes. Encounter a high ledge the team can’t possibly reach? Simply hold down the stylus on the group and they’ll gather into a contained mass that can be directed up to the top via floating for a short time. Like other touch-controlled games, Nintendo has effectively adapted the feature to match the needs of Kirby’s game play style.

Like previous titles in the series, Kirby Mass Attack includes mini-games and checklists for the player to focus on outside the traditional “reaching the end of the level” goal. There are medals in each level to be found and perfect, “no damage” challenges to be met. With so many extra activities, this title promises multiple hours of fun and devotion.

Every aspect of Kirby’s personality is expressed in both the visuals and music of this title. Like many titles before it, the game is filled with bright colors and pastels. With the primary focus of the game being on touch-screen controls and effective use of multiple Kirbys, the graphics are more in line with those used in Game Boy Advance games. The music is composed by Shogo Sakai, who has also worked on previous Kirby titles as well as the music for the Super Smash Bros. franchise.

What Makes It Worth My Time And Money?

This title has a great deal of replay value with all the extras there are to discover and unlock. The levels of each area have multiple directions and hidden rooms, which will require dedication and return visits if the player seeks to find everything.

With its new mechanics, this title introduces a new take on how Kirby can be seen and played. It provides a level playing field between gamers old and new, which can allow Kirby to float into the hearts of new fans and remind us veterans why he is still in ours.

Final Score: 9 | Recommendation: Buy It

Editor’s Note: A copy of Kirby Mass Attack was purchased by the reviewer for this review. Approximately 15+ hours of time was spent playing through the main story of the game.

Use Facebook to Comment on this Post

Related posts:

1. Review: Kirby’s Return to Dream Land (Wii)
2. Review: Mass Effect: Pinnacle Station (Xbox 360, PC)
3. Review: Mass Effect 2: Lair of the Shadow Broker (Xbox 360, PC)

If looking at screenshots of the game immediately make you think of the first few minutes of the superhero blockbuster hit, The Dark Knight, you’re not alone.  Is it as good as The Dark Knight?  Definitely not, but PayDay: The Heist is a fun game to play that should surprise a lot of shooter fans.

What Is It?

PayDay: The Heist is a multiplayer first-person shooter developed by Overkill Software, and that’s all there really is to say.  The premise of the game is straightforward.  All the player has to do is rob banks.

What makes the game confusing is that it really makes no attempt to explain itself.  It suffers from vague and unhelpful tutorials, but if players can get by this, they’ll find a heck of an intriguing game.

Why Should I Care?

PayDay puts players in the action right off the bat.  There are six maps to play in, each varying in size and its features.  For example, the first map in the game has the look of an average, clean bank in the city.  Objectives include, holding patrons hostage, capturing the bank manager, obtaining information, drilling holes into walls to access the safe, and a handful of other things.  Each objective is simple enough to carry out, but as stated earlier, the game doesn’t really do a good job of telling you what to do.

Despite this, the action in the game is linear enough to the point where your objectives are obvious.  Players that don’t know what they’re doing simply have to follow an arrow they see on the screen, and they’ll be back on track.

Performing these duties successfully builds up the character being used, enabling access to better weapons and abilities.  Building up certain attributes can only be done on the game’s home screen though, and as random as it is–again, the game didn’t even explain how it works.

Most of the time players will spend confused with the game is when they’re figuring stuff out, but once it’s all figured out, PayDay definitely becomes more playable.

What Makes It Worth My Time And Money?

While the game doesn’t explain itself very well, it’s still extremely fun.  The shooting mechanics are off at times, but they’re easy to figure out for any fan of first-person shooters.  On top of that, the multiplayer, provided you have friends with the game, is a very enjoyable experience that will be filled with heated arguments regarding camping and reviving people.  The customizations players can make with the characters really give PayDay some style and personality, and it makes the game that much more fun.

At $20, though, it’s a bit hard to recommend.  It might be worth demoing first.

Final Score: 7 | Recommendation: Demo It

Editor’s Note: The game was provided for review by the publisher via redeem code.  About 10 hours were put into the game, primarily through its online multiplayer mode.

Use Facebook to Comment on this Post

Related posts:

1. Review: Sideway: New York (PSN)
2. Review: Rocketbirds: Hardboiled Chicken (PS3)
3. Review: Trash Panic (PS3)

2D platformers are nothing new, especially when they’re downloadable games available on services such as the PlayStation Network and the Xbox Live Marketplace.  Every once in a while, though, there are sidescrollers that are pleasing, and the PSN has a fresh one in Sideway: New York.

What Is It?

Sideway: New York is a title that immediately showcases a unique sense of style.  The game puts you in the shoes of Nox, a graffiti artist tagging away on the walls of New York until he sprays over a tag drawn by a crazy character named Spray.  In ruthless aggression, Spray kidnaps Nox’s girlfriend and conjures up a spell that turns Nox into paint himself, forcing him to only traverse on flat walls.  With that, it’s up to Nox to roam the various walls of buildings in New York to not only save his girlfriend, but to become a three-dimensional human again.

Why Should I Care?

The game isn’t a typical sidescroller.  Since Nox is paint, it also means he’s flat and is unable to walk on 3D surfaces.  He can only travel on walls that he can be rendered on.  Think of shining a light somewhere and keeping the beam flat; this is pretty much the way Nox travels, meaning he can’t jump from one building’s wall to another.  He has to actually wrap around every surface he’s on.

This is what makes the game a unique sidescroller.  The player’s point of view constantly changes, and it’s up to the player to manipulate the world using the knowledge of how things work.  Luckily for the player, the game is extremely linear and is reliant on understanding simple platforming elements combined with some combat here and there.

There are over a dozen stages to explore with enemies to fight, and the game’s pacing is pretty tight.  Players that put in good time with the game will get used to Nox’s abilities, which will be uncovered in just about every level in the game, and they aid Nox in both sidescrolling exploration and combat.  Among the moves players will uncover are a slide technique, double jump, the ability to paint in new platforms, and plenty others.

While the pacing in and between the levels is good, there are times when the game can feel cheap.  Like most platformers, this issue is easy to get over with good timing, but there will be times where Nox will end up on a wall players never intended him to be embedded on in the first place.  In addition to that, some of the bosses present a good challenge, so players will need to stay on their feet not being too conservative with Nox’s actions and movements.

What Makes It Worth My Time And Money?

While the game is a little short (the game can be beaten in under five hours), the game does present a challenge that should keep players on their edges for a little while.  It’ll even keep looters happy with the optional backtracking required to actually platinum the game.

Sideway: New York is a game that has enough old-school tricks to keep platforming veterans involved and enough modern additions to make the game fresh and playable to casual gamers.  The game is available now for download on PSN.

Final Score: 7.5 | Recommendation: Buy It

Editor’s Note: The game was provided by the publisher via redeem code.  Over 6 hours was spent playing the game’s main story mode with about an hour of cooperative play.

Use Facebook to Comment on this Post

Related posts:

1. Review: PayDay: The Heist (PSN)
2. Review: Trash Panic (PS3)
3. Review: Fat Princess (PS3)