The game many are calling “Epic” is finally here.  God of War III is the last piece to the trilogy featuring ex-Spartan Kratos against… everyone else.  Greek Gods and Titans will have to face his Blades of Exile bounded by chains to his arms and dripping with blood.  The opening cinematics  preview flashbacks of Kratos’ previous adventures in God of War I and II.  The suffering he’s gone through, the chaos he has caused but most importantly the revenge he seeks is what keeps this warrior alive.  Given the name Ghost of Sparta and eventually dethroning Ares as the new God of War has not been a peaceful journey for Kratos.  You’ll battle Titans, go face to face with Greek Gods with plenty of blood to go around.  God of War III, developed by Santa Monica Studios concludes the trilogy with our hero Kratos, the new God of War, seeking what he fights for most, vengeance!  Will he (and Santa Monica Studious) earn the term, Epic?

Where did we leave off and where we’re heading. Back in 2005’s God of War II, Kratos was cast down to Hades by the King of the Gods, Zeus himself.  So, without burning a sweat guess who he’s after in God of War III.  Yup, Zeus.  The story begins with Kratos riding the back of Gaia, Mother of the Gods, as they both ascend to the top of Mount Olympus.  But if it was that easy there wouldn’t be a game would there.  With the help of Zeus’s lightning bolt and Gaia, you descent down to Hades where you encounter the third brother of Zeus and Poseidon, Hades, God of the Netherworld.  By far, one the coolest battles you’ll encounter is with the Hades.  Tearing him apart, literally and exposing his innards are all you’ll experience in your first major battle.

Hack-N-Slash… again. Attacking is fairly simple in most hack-n-slash titles.  It mostly consists of pressing the light and strong attacks for hit combos, or button mashing.  After you defeat the enemies, you’ll gain red orbs that can be used to level up your weapons.  Anyone else notice the “urinating” sounds as you empty your red orb pool?  Green orbs fill up your health bar and Blue orbs fill up your magic bar.  In GOWIII, you’re equipped with a third bar from the beginning which is your item meter.  When you use items such as the Bow of Apollo, this meter drains but quickly regenerates.

Load screens? No more. One of the advantages of God of War III is playing on a blu-ray disc.  Because of this, there is no required installation and impressively no noticeable load screens.  I’m not sure how they pulled this off, but the cut-scenes into the gameplay are seamless.  As a matter of fact, only the gameplay graphics let me know it was time to pick up the controller and play as Kratos and put down the popcorn from the movie-like sequence that preceded.  One thing I did notice was the fan on PS3.  At some points of the game, I noticed the PS3 fan kick off and continue to spin until a less detailed scenario took place.  May be a coincidence, but it’s happened minutes after turning on the PS3 and God of War III.

To Be Concluded… The trilogy comes to a conclusion in this latest installment, God of War III.  But for those who plan on picking up the game and a PS3 just to enjoy the fantastic graphics and storyline, you’ll be missing two important things.  God of War I and God of War II.  No you won’t be completely lost, but to better understand the story, you may want to pick up the God of War Collection for the PS3 which bundles GoW I and II on one blu-ray disc.  Everything from Kratos’ dark past, how he got those scars on his abdomen and his hatred towards Zeus are all explained and sets the scenario with a clearer path to GoW 3.  I found that many examples of the story were continued and referred to Kratos’ past but while it’s not mandatory to know all that happened previously, it’s like watching The Godfather III without watching the first two.  Or like Chewbacca being on Endor… it does not make sense!

Scale to fit. One thing you’ll notice immediately is the scale of God of War III.  The technology used to produce such an amazing quality game is well noticed and breaks the mold for video games.  The environments and characters that surround Kratos are massive.  Up to 200 times the size of Kratos, you’ll run into huge slow moving Titans and cascading mountains all detailed and did I mention massive.  Most scenes easily fit the entire screen and need to be panned back to appropriately show Kratos in perspective.  One of the first characters you’ll remember from the previous God of War series is the Titan Gaia.  Her build is made up of wood, trees, and stone and at one point you’ll battle on her back and arm.  The highlight that exhibits the PlayStation 3′ power (which has been reported running at only 50% of the PS3’s potential) is Cronos.  You remember him from God of War II right?  He carried Pandora’s temple on his back through the desert.  This time you interact and eventually battle the gigantic Titan.  You don’t even measure up to his fingernail.  Panning out during some scenes, you’ll be able to play a tiny Kratos from afar resembling an ant from a one story building.

A touch of QTE. This year, 2010 has brought us many games that utilize QTE.  Heavy Rain was Heavy on it.  And Dante’s Inferno filled up hell with timed buttons.  In GOWIII, they changed up the QTE’s a bit.  Now, each button is shown on the appropriate part of the screen.  For example, the square button is shown on the left, triangle towards the top etc.  This makes the task for newcomers a bit easier to figure out but for the veterans of the series you’ll find this change a bit of an inconvenience since now you have to look at four sides of the screen instead of one dedicated area (i.e. right corner)

Characters of Note. Besides the recurrence of Zeus, Athena, Cronos and Gaia, you’ll encounter other Olympic gods and Titans you learned about in class.  To start, the Greek God of the Sea, Poseidon.  Hermes, great Messenger of the Gods. Hercules, son of Zeus and Krato’s half brother.  The goddess of Love, Aphrodite is one you won’t forget.  Her role in GOWIII is purely a sex mini-game that Krato’s has to “please” her.  For those who played the GOW III Demo, Helios, Greek god of Sun rides his chariot while trying to blind you during his battle.

Epic Sound joins Epic Game. The sounds of God of War III shall not go unnoticed.  The score played in the background during normal gameplay or the dramatic escalating symphonic sounds  to build up a boss battle all add to the authenticity.  The voice acting is also incredible and all portrayed perfectly.  Michael Clarke Duncan (Atlas), T.J.  Carson (Kratos) and Linda Hunt (Gaia/Narrator) all lend their voices to name a few.

Pros:
- top notch graphics
- boss battles
- dramatic sounds
- storyline
- smooth gameplay

Cons:
- fixed camera angles
- QTE button placement

Final Thought: Simply put, God of War III is one of the most amazing games I have ever played and is a must play.  Very few games have lived up to the hype and GOW 3 surpassed them.  All great things must come to an end, and this trilogy is no different.  For now.  The story of Kratos, God killer, was magnificent with it’s mind-blowing graphics, intriguing storyline and smooth gameplay that I’m claiming this PS3 title, God of War III, Game of The Year 2010.  Lucky for other consoles, this Olympic Masterpiece is exclusive to the PlayStation 3.  To sum it all up, Epic!

10/10

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Spring training is finally here and it’s time to strap up your batting gloves and pine tar your bats because it’s Baseball Season for MLB 2K10. In their 10th year, 2K Sports revamped their fielding system and improved on their pitching mechanics then they previously used in MLB 2K9 only keeping the “hold and gesture” for pitching accuracy and quality of pitches. Developed by Visual Concepts, a new hitting system called Total Control Hitting is used flicking the right analog stick.  This means your swing controls become more timed than ever. For the first time, you’ll be able to create your own ball player in the “My Player” mode and groom yourself into a future first ballot Hall of Famer making your way up through your farm team of choice.  The noticeable enhancements from MLB 2K 9 are great.  But should you draft MLB2k 10 and let it try out for you?

Total Control Pitching. I’ve always questioned precise timed pitches.  The ones where you press a button to start your power meter then again for your release.  I applaud MLB 2K10 for creating this new style of pitching because it works.  It’s called Total Control Pitching (TCP).  Throwing a fastball this year is easier and fun.  Pulling your right analog stick down then flicking it up produces a fastball.  Pushing the analog stick to the right then moving it clockwise to the 9 o’clock position creating a “U” shape will throw a slider.  You get the picture, move the analog stick similar to how you throw it mimics that type of pitch.  You’ll find yourself in a pitching situation where you’ll need some baseball knowledge and when you get yourself out of 2nd and 3rd with two outs, you’ll breathe a sigh of relief.  But with rewards there are risks.  You won’t cross every pitch over the plate for a strike and that’s when TCP can become challenging.  If you do not move your analog stick in accordance with the pitch, the result is a wild pitch.  Throw enough of those and your pitcher will get rattled.  With Pitch analyzer you’ll be able to view your stick movements on a graphic and that should show you what you did wrong.  Another improvement is the Inside Edge scouting system that can help you decide what pitch and where against that batter gives you the advantage.  It can slow down the flow of the game, but it is helpful at times.  Remember, be sure to visit the mound to improve the pitchers performance and calm him down.  Just don’t visit him if you going for the $1 Million, it’s one of the rules.

Batting the cage. While I wasn’t a fan of MLB 2K10 hitting style, it was manageable with three types of swings.  Using the analog stick, flicking upwards produces the swing of the batter with a contact swing.  Power swings are performed by pulling your analog stick back and flicking it forward at the right time.  And last are the defensive swings moving the stick right or left.  Defensive swings just prolongs an at bat and it’s a bit annoying since it can fouled off almost any pitch.  I hope they fix this.  I did enjoy the batting assistance letting me know if I was too early or too late on a swing.  Good thing I didn’t hear “good cut” cause every knows that just means you swung and missed and now, embarrassed.  Directional hitting is also possible using the left analog stick.  Pull it to third with a movement to the left; hit it on the ground with a pull down on the left analog stick.

Graphics could be better. Graphically, MLB 2K 10 is better than 2K 9.  But it’s not quite there yet.  Jagged lines, empty spaces and hats not sitting correctly on heads all contribute to the OK graphics.  The stadiums were scaled correctly and were the best graphics ok MLB 2K10.  I visited both Fenway Park and Camden Yards last year and I was impressed with most of the accurate depictions in the game except the Gulf sign behind the green Monster was missing.  Advertising or lack there of most likely contributed to that.  Come on Gulf!  The facial expressions and excitements after a pitch were nice compliments.  The copy and paste crowd made for a visual nightmare.

Play with “My Player”. Want to know what it’s like to audition for an MLB Club?  MLB 2K 10’s newest feature “My Player” does just that.  I created two separate players; a Catcher and Pitcher and of course favored the Pitcher due to the fun factor of staying involved.  You first begin your stint in the Minors A, AA or AAA of the desired ball club you choose.  I selected to be random and it landed me in the Cubs farm system.  My first player, the catcher, was only called on when I selected “Sim to next appearance”.  Most of the time, it involved me batting while on offense for 3 or 4 at bats or catching a pop out in foul territory behind the plate.  As a Pitcher, you get to experience all the fun.  I chose the role of Closer to experience the tight jams over the calmness of starting a game.  Challenges will be addressed before every batter you face, and they vary from “Get a first pitch strike” to “Get a groundout”.  I failed several times after I induced a double play on the first pitch which to me is a first pitch strike.  Your goal is to make it to the Majors and I found that after several successful appearances my MLB call up meter increase and changed from red to blue.  After the first season I was called to Spring Training and made the club.  I maintained an ERA of 1.79 but had a high WHIP of 1.75 with 36 strikeouts.

MLB Today = Live Play. Playing today’s match ups is now possible thanks to MLB Today.  Upon starting the game you’ll see the list of games that are slotted for play today.  I couldn’t figure out out to advance the day to the next, but I don’t think that’s possible.  Which brings me to the MLB 2K 10 menu.  The cumbersome navigation to view game type, options, or even play Home Run Derby games is not fluent.  Same when trying to exit a game.  They tried too hard by offering the right analog stick as a convenience, but it surely backfired and made looking for things more difficult.

Online Play. At the time of this review, many have complained of the inaccessibility of online play.  I was able to login and search for an opponent but did not play a full game to notice any glitching.  As a matter of fact, I did not see a problem with the innings I did play.

Comparisons to MLB 10 The Show. See here how MLB 2K 10 matched up against MLB 10 The Show in our Pros / Cons.

Game commentary – adv. MLB 2K 10 – Gary Thorne, Steve Phillips and John Kruk fill up the booth for MLB 2K 10 MLB games.  They give accurate and detailed play-by-play calls and keep the game entertaining to listen to.

Graphics – adv. MLB 10 The Show – I’ve mentioned the OK graphics that needs a bit more cleaning up and polishing compared to The Show. Jagged lines for infield grass or waves of people in the stand means MLB 2K 10 still needs work.

Pitching – adv. MLB 2K 10 – By far, Total Control Pitching dominates over The Shows “sweet spot” pitching.  Pitches that resemble the arm movement add to the realism and fun factor.

Batting – adv. MLB 10 The Show – Total Control Hitting (default) was not my hitting preference.  Much easier to time a pitch pressing a button (precision) than flicking the analog stick.

Crowd/atmosphere – adv. MLB 10 The Show – Sounds of the game have to go to The Show.  Realistic enough that when hitting a foul ball, some fans will even fall into the field trying to get themselves a souvenier.

Menu navigation – adv. MLB 10 The Show – The simple things in life are easier and MLB 2K 10’s right stick menu navigator is a deterant.  Not only did I forget where things were, but I found myself stuck not knowing to hit “return” or “exit”.

RTTS or My Player – slight adv. “My Player”. In My Player, your goals are relevant to your player’s position.  For example, if you’re a pitcher you’re asked to maintain an ERA below 4.50 and WHIP below 1.50.  In RTTS you’re asked to improve your hitting, drag bunting etc. Making some goals unattainable complex.

Keyboard typing – push – MLB 2K10 and MLB 10 The Show both disapointed me when it came to typing.  On the PS3, MLB 2K 10 does not use the classic PS3 keyboard and does not use a Qwerty keypad.  MLB 10 The Show also decided to use their proprietary keyboard which prolonged typing.  Both should feature their respective console’s keyboard.

Final Thought: Playing MLB 2K 10 before MLB 10 The Show allowed me to play all the features that MLB 09 The Show boasted last year and were used in this game including “My Player”.  Total Control Pitching alone makes this game stand out and propels MLB 2K 10 into the right direction for the baseball game genre.  Some in game decision glitches and visual blunders still keep this game far from perfect.  It’s a good baseball game for those who like baseball games and know baseball. For 360 fans it’s a must buy.  For PS3 fans it’s a good comparison game to compliment MLB 10 The Show.

8/10

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When I think of Aliens vs. Predator, I think of a battle between two alien species who are on completely different sides of the spectrum.  On one hand, you have the Aliens, with their unmatched superiority in numbers, speed, and ferocity.  On the other hand, Predators are the perfect assassin.  They can camouflage themselves while using various vision modes in order to pick out their opponent from its surroundings.  It seems like no matter what, they always seem to be pitted against one another, and it usually makes for an entertaining experience.

Aliens vs Predator allows you to play as one of three species: Marines, Aliens, or Predators.  Each species’ single-player campaign revolves around the same story, but told through a different perspective with each species having their own mission to complete.  The 3 species have their pros and cons in terms of how they control, their abilities, and their mobility through the game world.  Marines rely heavily on different arms that can be picked up throughout their campaign and sonar to track movement in dark areas, Aliens use the darkness to their advantage to sneak up on unsuspecting enemies, and Predators have the ability to use camouflage and a variety of lethal weapons.

Each species definitely has their shortcomings as well, such as the Marine’s flashlight being too weak when navigating through dark spaces, or how easily disoriented the player can become when navigating across walls and ceilings as an Alien, and this is where the game’s single-player campaign can get hard to handle when playing each campaign separately.  I understand their shortcomings were necessary to keep each species balanced, but continually trying to adapt to each species can be frustrating.  Upon finishing a chapter, Aliens Vs. Predator allows you to change to another species’ campaign, but I found this feature made the overall story harder to keep track of.

Both the Marines & Predator campaigns offered a good variety of missions and delivered a story I’m sure Aliens vs Predator faithfuls would understand, but the Aliens campaign felt like a complete waste of time.  Its mission structure was, for the most part, go to point ‘x’, kill everyone in point ‘x’, rinse, repeat.  Granted, the Aliens campaign is shorter than the other two, but going through 6 chapters of this same kind of mission structure can get old very quick.

To be fair, there are some good moments during Aliens vs Predator. The brutality of the Aliens & Predator kills are some of the most gruesome I’ve seen in a game.  Heads are ripped off, bodies impaled, and spines removed all with very little effort and remorse.  What made it more brutal was seeing your enemy’s face up-close during these gruesome acts.  Needless to say, they didn’t look too happy during these moments.  Graphically, Aliens vs. Predator doesn’t disappoint either as character models are very well detailed and its dark environments keeps players on their toes, especially during the Marine campaign as their vision is greatly limited in comparison to the Aliens’ & Predators’.

Aliens vs Predator’s multiplayer seems to make more sense than what I experienced in the single-player campaign.  In fact, it almost feels like the only real reason a single-player mode was even included was to help players learn the intricacies of each species in order to compete online.  The multiplayer mode allows you to play as either of the 3 species in multiple deathmatch modes, which makes things interesting due to neither one of the 3 species were more powerful than the other.  Things get more interesting when it’s a team based multiplayer mode as having a team of at least one of the 3 species working together can make things quite challenging for the opposing team.

FINAL THOUGHT: Aliens vs. Predator will not satisfy fans of the FPS genre.  The single-player campaign does not tell an engaging story and each species’ shortcomings doesn’t make this game particularly enjoyable to play through. The multiplayer has some fun moments, especially when the 3 species are working together, but it isn’t enough to deem this a title I would recommend.

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The emotional driven, Heavy Rain, developed by Quantic Dream and published by SCEE is finally here after their teaser debut from E3 2006. Your morals will be tested immediately and you’ll quickly find yourself immersed thanks to the graphically charged cinematic storyline and unique decision based scenarios. The gritty camera scenes and musical scores add to this dark psychological thriller and you’ll swear you’re controlling movie actors.  But this is not the first psychological thriller directed by David Cage, he and Quantic Dream also developed 2005’s PS2 hit Fahrenheit (Indigo Prophecy in US). Five years have passed and now David Cage has the opportunity to present his latest masterpiece on the PS3. In Heavy Rain, your smallest decisions can change everything making each play one-of-a-kind and different every time. There are no right or wrongs, but instead choices.   Choices that come with risks and rewards.  Heavy Rain is an emotional rollercoaster blended fittingly with love, addiction, suicide, life and death. Just a bit of warning, unless your “numb” this game will consume you as a player while at the same time test you as a human being.

Just how far will you go to save the one you love? Healing a man whose car flipped over. Applying pressure to a vital wound. Or pulling the trigger on a suspected criminal. Heavy Rain is a story that follows four unconnected people all with the same motive — they’re looking for a kidnapped child by the hands of the cunning Origami Killer, named after leaving folded paper shapes at the crime scenes. Ethan Mars; father of kidnapped son. Scott Shelby; private investigator hired by the victims families of the Origami Killer. Norman Jayden; FBI Agent sent to Philadelphia to solve the Origami killings. Madison Paige; a journalist covering the Origami story. Depending on the kind of person you are, you may find patience will assist or hinder your gameplay experience. Right when you think you know the correct choice, Heavy Rain throws a curve and makes you re-think that answer. Just choose what feels right to you to create the most realistic scenarios. Don’t always ask yourself “What is right?”

Quick and precise fingered. Heavy Rain is very heavy on one thing… not rain, but QTE’s. Quick Time Events are series of timed buttons pressed in a certain order or in Heavy Rain’s case, simultaneously. In one scene, you’re asked to walk through a maze of live Electrical wires weaving in between the sparks. Miss a button and you’ll be shocked. Mess up enough and — let me just say, you may not like what happens to your character. (relax, no spoilers here) To avoid finger cramping, drink plenty of water because some scenes will have you pressing up to six buttons at one time, seriously. Several times, I contemplated using my nose or tongue but decided I needed a better strategy at the task at hand. Plus, I wanted to avoid others catching me in this vulnerable position.

Suitably, a movie within a game. This is where Quantic Dream has stepped up their quality over other games in the industry. The cinematic, heart pounding, gritty camera scenes enhance the dark thriller experience.  When I first popped in Heavy Rain, I tried playing with a blind eye to trailers and screenshots pre-release but I still knew the plot.  The opening story had me paranoid so I made my character, Ethan Mars, consistently look over his shoulder making sure both sons, Jason and Shaun, were safe.  Visually, Heavy Rain captivates with pleasing to the eye load scenes but that’s not all.  The musical compositions peak at the right moments just like a horror flick.   When you’re in a panic, expect the terrifying music to gradually get louder.  So far, only Uncharted 2 compares to the graphics of Heavy Rain.  But the attention to character detail goes to Heavy Rain.  There’s only so much one can say about the movie-like qualities that make Heavy Rain as enjoyable to watch as it is to play. It’s kind of odd to be asked to “keep playing” because my, quote — unquote, “audience” would like to continue watching the the outcome of my story (movie).

Unique storyline comes at a price. I’ve mentioned you can play through four distinct characters but here’s the exciting part; there are eight different endings.  The replay value alone is worth knowing that you may see a different ending the second time you play through.  The gameplay also changes during the game.  Forget to dodge a punch, and your character will sport a bloody lip.  This might be a spoiler but here it goes.  You may not survive with all four characters.  Heck, all four characters may die and that’s your ending right there.  But remember all your actions will come back to haunt you some way or another.  That fight you ended up getting into to save Lauren in the sleazy motel.. yeah even that guy.

Not so cumbersome controls you’ll want to keep in your hands. As I mentioned in my Demo impressions, the controls for Heavy Rain can be a bit awkward but you’ll soon get used to them.  To walk forward press R2.  Some may ask why R3 and L3 were not slotted for the controls and that is a good question but with the camera angles changing at every corner you turn, holding down R2 and directing your move with L3 is easier.  Remember kiddies, know your controls and do not put your controller down during “cutscenes”.  Reason I used “cutscenes” in quotes because there are none.  Yup, you read that right.  The same action scenes you see Ethan Mars jumping from balcony to balcony are the gameplay scenes.  Several times I was caught with the controller out of my hands and missed a QTE because of the transfer from action scene to gameplay scene.  Think of Dragon’s Lair but with much better graphics.

PS3 Trophies keeps you guessing. Many reviewers have skipped on all the PS3 Trophies bring to Heavy Rain.  For one, most the trophies are blacked out.  That means you don’t exactly know how to attain them.  This was a great move due to the fact that you will avoid spoilers and keep gamers guessing how to attain the next PS3 Trophy.  Might be minor, but it’s an aspect I noticed right away and appreciate as well as respect the decision made.

Pros:
Psychological Thriller Storyline
Precise QTEs enhance realistic gameplay
Motion Capture Scenes
Musical scores
Replay value due to unique decisions

Cons:
Character Movement errors
Some Voice Acting

Final Thought: Heavy Rain is a breath of fresh air for games as we know them. A game with choices — our choices — customizes each players unique experience. I feel more games should play like Heavy Rain and other developers should embrace the creative ideas that Quantic Dream presents. While some scenes are a bit gratuitous, this game is rated “M” and should be played by adults. Heavy Rain should join the list of “must have” games on the PlayStation 3 and I only wish it wasn’t exclusive so gamers on the Xbox 360 can experience this outstanding achievement in gaming. No questions asked, Get This Game!

9.5/10

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While it may seem that Bioshock 2’s multiplayer was quickly tacked on so that 2K Marin wouldn’t have to endure gamers’ gripes about another single-player only Bioshock game, it really delivers. In a time when multiplayer modes are often an afterthought, Bioshock 2’s multiplayer is a great addition to the game and truly is a worthwhile, stand-alone experience. 2K Marin really put extra effort into this, making it alone worth the price of admission.

Rather than simply throwing a set of the same old game types in, 2K Marin wisely attempts to connect the multiplayer to the rest of the Bioshock universe. Set one year before the original Bioshock, the multiplayer thrusts you into the mayhem of the Rapture civil war. Rather than allowing you to immediately jump into matches, the game sets the atmosphere by making you first go through its prologue. You wake up on the floor, after splicing up with an EVE Hypo. As you regain consciousness, Andrew Ryan, the founder of Rapture, gives an important announcement. He talks about rebuilding Rapture through collective effort, and gives a toast to the New Year’s celebration for 1959. Chaos erupts as the spliced-up denizens of the underwater city go on their murderous rampage. In the midst of this insanity, you receive different small objectives, similar to the single player campaign, to further the story of your multiplayer character. You then choose your character from a variety of strange splicers with different careers and start the multiplayer experience.

The multiplayer packs a unique experience combined with old favorites from the original Bioshock. Playing in key locations from the original Bioshock and using old favorites like the shotgun, pistol, machine gun, grenade launcher, and crossbow brings back fond memories of the Splicer genocide you once committed. In a great twist, you are also given a research camera similar to the one in the original campaign. This camera allows you take pictures for an added damage bonus against your online enemies. A simplified version of hacking also found its way into the multiplayer realm. You simply walk up and hold the action button to hack a turret or vending machine. The turret will unload onto any enemy that crosses its line of sight, letting off rounds of lead or homing rockets. The vending machines are where you refill you EVE and ammo, but if hacked by the opposing team they’ll eject a grenade and blow you away, all while laughing at your misfortune.

Isn’t that a great welcome to the Circus of Values?

Another unique twist to this multiplayer is the ability to use plasmids and gene tonics. While the gene tonics may seem similar to perks in Call of Duty, they have a much more potent effect on game play. Having the chance to gain a quicker research bonus or a faster bot hack can easily turn the game in your favor if you’re losing. Also, being able to choose between three tonics helps make your character load out a bit more diverse.

The most entertaining element is the plasmids. They are what set this multiplayer apart from all other competitive games. Having the ability to instantly disappear like the Houdini splicers or set a water trap near an objective and zap it with electricity makes for a very different play style. The game also brings back fan favorites such as Electro Bolt, Incinerate!, Winter Blast, and Telekinesis to bring some interesting combos. Everyone knows getting shot with a grenade launcher or noob tube in Call of Duty can get pretty annoying. By equipping Telekinesis, you can throw back the grenades with a simple flick of the wrist. The plasmids make for a ton of endless possibilities. Last but certainly not least are the multiplayer game types. Packed into this game are your standard Survival of the Fittest (free for all) and Civil War (team death match). For players who prefer more objective-type modes, this game is great for you. You have Turf War, similar to Call of Duty’s Domination, where two teams fight for the control of three key points. Then you have Capture the Sister, similar to an attack-and-defend game type. One team defends a little sister while the other team tries to take her and carry her to a select air vent to let her escape. After three rounds on each side, the team with the most scores wins. Lastly, there is ADAM Grab, in free for all and team variants. There, you must hold on to a little sister for a set amount of time in order to win the game. Across all the game modes, you are able to pick up a Big Daddy suit and transform into the Rosie, giving you access to the rivet gun, proximity mines, and a vicious stomp, as well as much more health.

Overall, Bioshock 2’s multiplayer is an experience that can be enjoyed by everyone. If you are new to the Bioshock series or a grizzled veteran of Rapture’s worst, the multiplayer will feel like a unique and noteworthy experience. From classic game play to new environments and weapons you’ll feel as if you’re part of the action. This is, without a doubt, one of the best games of 2010.

Check out our BioShock 2 Single player Review

9/10

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I must admit, when a BioShock sequel was announced I had my doubts. I thought “how can they take such an unbelievably beautiful design and masterfully written storyline and make it better? What can 2K do to one-up themselves with the city known to fans as ‘Rapture’?” Well, kiddies, I give you BioShock 2. Big Daddies and Little Sisters return, amongst new and old friends and foes, to welcome you back to the city below the Atlantic.

What made this game so amazing? Well let’s start with the fact that you are no longer just a man. You are a Big Daddy! How bad-ass is that? Known only as Subject Delta, and thought to be dead, you return and begin your search for the Little Sister that was bonded to you ten years earlier. This particular little sister is immensely important to Rapture as she is being bred to be a “Utopian” or “the People’s Daughter,” somewhat based on Fontaine’s creation. Her name is Eleanor Lamb, biological daughter of Dr. Sofia Lamb, who just so happens to be the games primary antagonist. DUN DUN DUN!!! Ten years ago, Sofia orchestrated the abduction of Eleanor. During the event, Delta was hypnotized and forced to kill himself by removing his helmet and shooting himself with a pistol. Sofia took control of Rapture and all that is within after Andrew Ryan was murdered.

As a Big Daddy, your weapons arsenal is somewhat limited, yet oh-so powerful. You start out with a drill similar to the Bouncers of BioShock. The drill takes the place of the wrench as the players’ primary melee weapon. Used to drill into enemies, as well as bludgeon and charge into them, it makes taking out average splicers a cinch. The charge was particularly my favorite move and my first “HOLY CRAP” moment of the game. Later obtained is the Rivet Gun like the Rosie’s weapon in BioShock. A double barrel shotgun takes the place of the original, and when you upgrade it to the cut-off model it packs a punch when paired with the right ammo. A spear gun replaces the crossbow, and the grenade launcher returns as simply the Launcher. A hack tool is added with the ability to hack turrets, cameras, and safes from a distance using various darts found throughout the game. Of course the machine gun returns in Gatling gun form, and to round it out is the research camera. Each weapon has its own special ammo just like the original BioShock and all weapons can be used to melee if need be.

What can be more of a pain in the neck as a fight with a Big Daddy? I mean their relentless barrage of melee and projectile attacks can be one of the most frustrating things in Rapture… That is until you meet a Big Sister. With similar armor to that of a Big daddy and the stature of a super model, they are faster and much more agile. One you collect all three little sisters in each part of Rapture, you are warned that Big Sister is on her way and you have very limited time to prepare for her onslaught. And judging by the shrieks you hear when she’s coming for you, she is NOT happy.

Splicers are still the main enemies found throughout Rapture. The ADAM addicts will stop at nothing to get it, or to put you six feet under at the command of Sofia Lamb. Leadhead, Thuggish, Houdini and Spider Splicers are all back, but BioShock 2 introduces the behemoth, Brute splicers. Said to be the result of splicing dregs of Sports Boost and Armored Shell gene tonics, and having absorbed more ADAM than average splicers, they have an abnormal size and musculature, and are seemingly unstoppable. Think “Big Daddy Splicer” who can jump up and down to where ever you are. I found myself screaming “WHY WONT YOU DIE?!?” when faced with the Brutes. Yea, they are THAT tough until you find the right combination of weapons and plasmids. Running from these monsters is futile as they are no only faster than you, but they will chase you where ever you run. You have no choice BUT to fight back.

Speaking of plasmids, all your favorites from Electro Bolt and Incinerate! to Decoy and Telekinesis return with the ability to upgrade, and added is the Scout plasmid which give you the ability to throw a ghost-like version of yourself into distant battles with the capability to use plasmids to attack for a limited time. And towards the end of the game, you can even summon a Big Sister to assist you in battle. NICE!

Instead of defeating a Big daddy and rescuing or harvesting a little sister, you are given a choice to adopt her and use her to draw ADAM out of certain dead splicers. This act is called a gathering, and trust me, they are not an easy feet to accomplish at first. Once the little sister begins extracting ADAM from the body, hordes of splicers begin to attack and they keep coming until she’s finished. Each little sister can gather twice and then you bring her to a port where you are once again given the option to rescue or harvest her for more ADAM.

In all, I’d have to say that 2k scored big with BioShock 2. I believe they took a chance with great concept and made it better. While I do wish that the story was longer, I felt that the sequel was on par with the original. If you haven’t played the original BioShock, then I’d strongly suggest you do. It’s an experience unlike any other.

Check out our BioShock 2 Multiplayer Review

9/10

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Needing very little help, the action-adventure hack-n-slash genre just got whole lot better because of EA’s Visceral Games adaptation of The Divine Comedy starring Dante himself in Dante’s Inferno.  So far, action games are the rage this year with Darksiders and Bayonetta hitting first quarter.  But if you’re looking for originality, consider Dante’s Inferno a great clone instead.  Comparisons to Santa Monica Studios’ God of War have been made and with good reason.  With that, controversy is not something new for this EA game.  Heck, at E3 2009, EA themselves protested the creation of Dante’s Inferno and vowed to show us that hell isn’t all that great after all.  Real smooth EA! In turn, this ended up being a self-promotion move for Dante’s Inferno in peeking gamers interests.  Sure, DI is a copy and paste with a hellish skin overlay of Kratos and God of War, but don’t let that deter you from the great story and detailed visuals because this game is good, real good.  Hell Awaits…

Poetic Justice. You begin playing as the protagonist, Dante Alighieri’.  I avoid using the word “hero” since many aspects of the game would have disagreed with that title, so I’ll be Politically Correct for once.  Set in a massive world known as H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks, you battle your way through the nine circles destroying tormented souls and passing judgment on many of the characters from The Divine Comedy.  At the end of each circle, you’ll be confronted by that boss which take precise controls thanks to the games QTEs.  Quick Time Events are the buttons pressed sequentially when the on-screen menu prompts you.  All boss battles run you through QTEs and if you press an incorrect button you have to begin the button sequence again.  Including the prologue you’ll slash your way through these nine circles in order; City of Acre (prologue), Limbo, Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Anger, Heresy, Violence, Fraud and finally Treachery.

Sew in your faith. Embedded into Dante’s chest is the Holy Cross which displays his allegiance to the Crusades which he battled in.  His sins are depicted through 2D cartoon artwork similar to comic book style which then go to narrated cut-scenes.  As the story continues, many of Dante’s corrupt history will be visited here and the turn of events that followed.  The graphics here are well blended and show off the hidden talent behind the Visceral team’s artists.

Swing your stick. Within the first level of the game you’ll be greeted by none other than Death himself.  Much like Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey, this death wants your soul and has no regards for your past.  Battling him and successfully killing Death will gain you your main weapon of choice, the scythe.  Light attacks and heavy attacks can be performed with square and triangle respectively.  Attacking the enemy is responsive but not as much feedback for bigger blows in comparison to weaker attacks.  The secondary weapon Dante will be equipped with is the Holy Cross.  I found myself spamming this form of attack since it did not require any magic nor did it restrict you in any way.  So when in doubt, attack with the Holy Cross.

Kill or Kill Holy. There are two types of final attacks that can gain you Holy or Unholy experience points.  When you choose “punish” the enemy is pummeled down to the ground in a fierce attack obliterating the body to a bloody mess thus gaining you Unholy Exp.  If you choose to “absolve” the poor soul, Dante will press the Holy Cross to their body and send them to paradise (or heaven) to which you’ll gain Holy Exp.  It’s a shame you’re not able to expand on your decisions.  I would have loved to see “what if” situations for punishing or absolving certain characters.  Although some trophies/achievements depend on your decision.  Your max level will be level 7 on both the Holy and Unholy.  Be sure to upgrade your skills as you reach the next level to ensure increases to both “health” and “mana” bars.

Look for Relics and Magic. As you progress, you’ll gather relics by absolving souls which can be used to enhance a weapons attack (Death Blade), prolong a hit combination window (Coins of Plutus) or increase a grab attack damage (Arrow of Paris).  Not as easy as it sounds, since some relics require a minimum holy or unholy level before using.    One relic I found particularly helpful was the Range of Farinata which broke fountains immediately instead of mashing the “O” button.  Magic is not the strong suit of Dante’s Inferno especially since I found myself only using “magic” sparingly.  But you can slot up to four, one for each button.  Pressing L1 + O, X, [] or ^ will activate the spell.  To each his own, but your carpal tunnel will remind you it’s been awhile since you pressed a button repeatedly.

Massive Scale. Dante’s Inferno feels huge.  The scale of the game is massive and you’ll feel the surroundings are done in proportions way larger than any game you’ve played.  Yes, I know, God of War’s Atlas scene was massive but you’ll agree DI competes with GoW in this aspect.  Hearing the cries of these tormented souls that make up the walls and ropes for climbing while hearing whispers of “Dante” in surround sound literally creeped me out.

Pros:
- Captivating story
- Art renderings of the Nine Circles
- Risque scenes
- Similarities to God of War (attack combinations, QTEs)

Cons:
- Short game (7-8 hrs to complete)
- Repetitive combat

Final Thought: Dante’s Inferno will push the envelope with blood, gore, sex and nudity. But today’s market can handle all the above as long as you package it with an “M” for Mature rating and classify it as a form of entertainment which it truly is. Understand that re-creation of games has been done for years and I say if another developer pulls it off, we, the player wins. Throughout the story you’ll cross paths with biblical figures from Pontius Pilate to Lucifer himself. Keep the kiddies away from him and look above the belt for those scenes, geeez! Lastly, for those who picked up the PS3 Divine Edition, you’ll be treated to know that come March there will be a DLC named Dark Forest and it’s the prequel that will hopefully shed some light on Dante’s life. Hold onto those codes.  For those who would like to nibble on this appetizer that is Dante’s Inferno before the big meal ticket God of War III, this will be your last chance.

8/10

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Travis Touchdown is your everyday otaku assassin living out of the No More Heroes Motel in Santa Destroy, California.  Some might consider his obsession with anime, professional wrestling, action figure collecting, and pornography borders on unhealthy.  Others would consider it’s what makes him unique among other assassins.  Regardless of what he does in his personal life, one thing is for certain: Travis Touchdown will kick your ass.

No More Heroes 2: Desperate Struggle takes place three years after the events of the original game.  After rising up to the #1 spot of the United Assassin Association (UAA), he returns for revenge and is made to battle through 51 of the UAA’s strongest and most unique assassins to get to the man responsible for his friend’s death.  No More Heroes 2 drops the open-world feel of the original title and replaces it with an overview map where the player can pick where they would like to go.  Players can either take on the main story and choose to enter a “Ranked Battle”, earn extra cash with some mini-games, or even work out with a man of questionable sexuality named Ryan.

Travis’ iconic beam katana returns along with new beam katanas that can be changed on the fly and offer a slight difference in combat.  Depending on how you hold your Wii Remote, Travis can perform either a “low” or “high” positioned attack by hitting the ‘A’ button.  Combos are easy to pull off as they can be chained together by mashing the ‘A’ or ‘B’ buttons, then finishing them off with either a wrestling move or a “death blow” which requires players to follow on-screen prompts with their Wii Remote & Nunchuck.  If Travis connects with his attacks without receiving any serious damage, his ‘Ecstasy Meter’ will rise.  Once the Ecstasy Meter reaches full, Travis becomes invincible and can then unleash a barrage of quick attacks that can deal some serious damage.  There are times when Travis’ beam katana might become weak.  Thankfully, a quick jerk of the Wii Remote will quickly charge the batteries in the beam katana.  Certain missions will allow players to assume the role of Shinobu or Henry as they assist Travis in defeating some of the 51 assasins Travis must defeat.  Both characters offer a similar fighting style to Travis’, but each have their own secondary attack.

Overall, I enjoyed the combat system for its fast pace and how satisfying it was to finish an enemy off with either a wrestling move or death blow.  One issue I had was the location of the button to change targets on the Wii Remote.  Why on Earth the developers would decide to bind the ‘2′ button to change enemies is beyond me as it’s location can make changing targets difficult, especially during heated battles.  I found myself letting go of the ‘Z’ button, which is used to lock on to enemies, and then hitting it again in order to attempt to change targets.

The assassins Travis will face during his adventure are some of the most unique characters I’ve witnessed in a game.  Travis will battle Gothic Lolitas, football stars, and even a Russian astronaut.  These are just three examples of the very unique 51 assassins that Travis will face.  The unfortunate thing is since there are so many assassins to fight, there really isn’t much of a back story to any of them besides being someone that Travis needs to fight through in order to get to the top of the UAA.  With how unique each assassin was, I would have loved to learn more about them.

Nearly everything in No More Heroes 2 screams satire.  Travis isn’t only deadly with a beam katana, but his tongue is as deadly as he insults and curses at enemies during battle.  Many of his wise-cracks are actually pretty funny and offering a refreshing perspective.  As Travis slices and dices his enemies, blood will shoot out of nearly every orifice, which just goes to show how over-the-top this title really is.

Many of the mini-games in No More Heroes 2 pay homage to old-school 8-bit NES games.  Each mini-game has its own little story as to why you need to play them such as being a pizza deliveryman or gathering up coconuts.  The purpose of the mini-games is to earn money which can be used to upgrade Travis’ weapons, clothes, and even help train him to be a better fighter.  Other mini-games, such as helping excercise your cat, offer bonus items or moves that can only be achieved by completing the mini-game.  Compared to No More Heroes grind-tastic mini-games, No More Heroes 2’s mini-games are a welcome change and don’t feel as grind-y.

FINAL THOUGHT: No More Heroes 2 is a breath of fresh air as far as hack-n-slash games go.  Travis is a character most gamers can relate to, which is why most gamers will enjoy this title.  The combat system, even with its minor shortcomings, is fast-paced, fun, and offers just the right amount of gore.  With mini-games a-plenty, a slick and unique graphic style, and a lot of humor, No More Heroes 2 is a great improvement over the original title.

8/10

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The next-generation First Person Shooter, Massive Action Game or ‘MAG’ takes place in the year 2025 where a global war — The Shadow War — is in full swing.   Three Corporations battle for the same concepts… resources and global dominance.  Each network has their pros and cons and you’re asked to join one of them.  But choose wisely because this will be the only corporation you can play for going forward.  One character per PSN account.  Stripped of a single-player campaign and only playable online, just how will this FPS and their “claim to fame” of 256 online multiplayer hold up?

Let’s get this out of the way now. MAG is a First-Person Shooter that can cram place up to 256 players on one of several maps.  Developer Zipper Interactive has done a great job avoiding noticeable slow downs or lag.  In huge games I felt smooth gameplay throughout.  Although the game is said to be “Epic” (as in the scale of the game) it’s hard to notice that many players are on the map.  Due to the battle structures and numerous and confusing objectives, at times you’ll  “feel” like it’s a 16 vs 16 match.  I felt MAGs larger battles increased the anonymity of your character.  Due to the amount of chaos ensuing, you never felt like one particular opponent had you in his scope.  The same is true when you’re attacking.  Fighting against one soldier was not as inviting as picking off a group of 3 or 4.  In this game the statement,  “One bird in the hand is worth two in the bush” was not true.  It’s a Massive game, so Massive killing is a pure turn on and should be the priority.

If you’re a solo artist, MAG is definitely not for you. This game screams Teamwork and you’ll immediately notice that before you hit the battlefield.  You’ll want to stay connected with your squad talking through your headset along the way and plan out your mission(s).  Take note, after you die you come back with “Squad Respawn points”.  Thus letting you attack the opposition in waves so there’s a timer.  Expect to wait up to 20 seconds to rejoin the battle.  There are one of three game types which include Sabotage 32 vs 32 (destroy 2 terminals, then destroy final terminal), Acquisition 64 vs 64 (acquire transport vehicle and deliver back), and finally Domination 128 vs 128 (each platoon attacks a two pairs of towers, a pair of computer terminals within 3 stages).

Ranking up through Command structure. A full company of 128 players will be made up of four platoons, each of which are made up of four squads, each of which are made up of eight players.   Designated players will command squads, platoons and companies.  Sticking close to your squad members and leaders will increase your buffs such as faster reloads and increased re-spawn rates.   Don’t just jump the gun yet as those “designated” players need to have the proper rank to command so “rank up”.  Frago points are additional bonus points that are awarded when a squad leader gives a tactical objective (i.e. destroying a bridge) and you initiate a kill, heal, revive a teammate or destroy said bridge.

Visuals are for sissy’s. When I first played, I noticed similarities to Command and Conquer: Generals –the 3 factions, global dominance etc.  Resembling graphics similar to Call of Duty 4 and Battlefield 2142 gives you the visuals and health system that make up MAG.  MAG does not have regenerative health but instead your damage is healed with med kits.  Because you can carry so many different types of weapons scrolling through the correct one on the battlefield is cumbersome.  Don’t look for the best of graphics either.  I mean it’s not terrible, but it’s OK for a FPS this late in the game running in 720p. MAG does boast sound quality from THX.

Select Private Military Corporation. This is where it all begins.  Creating your character begins with choosing from 3 corporations (PMCs).  Raven based in Vienna, Austria; Valor based in Alaska, United States; and S.V.E.R from Grozny, Chechen Republic.  For those who love their colors, Ravens are represented in Purple, Valor in Green, and S.V.E.R. in Orange.  When it comes to the battlefield, your team in always “blue” while the opponent is always “red”.

Barracks and Upgrades. Once you’ve gained enough XP points you should head over to the “skills” tab under “Barracks”.  This is where you can customize your player with unlockables using “Skill Points”.  Here you’ll be able to unlock weapons, perks and most importantly buy a Medic Kit.  This kit is essential to any soldier on the battlefield to heal himself.  If you upgrade your Medic Kit you’ll be able to revive fellow squad-mates or anyone who’s bleeding out and laying on the floor.  And you’ll want to help as each resurrection gives you 10 XP over 5 XP points for a kill.  Lastly, don’t forget to RESPEC your player when you surpass the amount.  RESPECing your player will allow you to reset your “Skill Points” on any previous upgrades you’ve made.  Simply press, square while in the “skills” tab under “barracks”.  Consider it a “do over” if you made a poor judgment upgrade.

The gameplay of MAGs FPS mechanics are solid. They did not re-invent the wheel and kept the controls and buttons very similar to other FPS thus avoiding any learning curve.  Believe me you’ll appreciate that when a quick decision pops up and you find yourself aiming with L1 and shooting with R1.  The norm in the PS3 FPS genre.

My gripes with the game are primarily the lack of a second (or third) faction to choose.  For example, I ended up joining the S.V.E.R. network but found out I had some friends who were part of Raven.  I can see why Zipper Interactive decided to make this choice static instead of dynamic but the lack of “change” has many people crying out.  If you did want to take the plunge and join one of the other two remaining PMCs, you’ll have to delete your character and rejoin… and start all over.  No perks, no rankings.  A Private! There’s also maintenance times that will prevent you from playing. While the times are short, MAG being solely an online multiplayer game you’re forced to play something else. The down times for the MAG servers are typically 4:00 am eastern time – 6:00 am eastern time.

Pros
- 64 up to 256 players on one map
- Squad based bonuses
- Large battlefields avoid bottlenecks

Cons
- One character per PSN account
- Online play only (no single player)
- Server maintenance = downtime

Final Thought: Fans of the Call of Duty series (COD4, COD:World At War and MW2) will find the engine satisfying and comparable. Take away MW2’s insta-knife-kill and you have a descent alternative for a FPS in MAG. However, I did find MAGs gameplay a bit slower than MW2 which could be a good thing for those who want to slow things down a bit. Comparing MAG with the highest grossing FPS on the market, Modern Warfare 2, is not fair but it’s what most gamers playing this genre know, myself included.  Exclusive to the PS3, Zipper Interactive has dealt their cards and I believe they should “stay” on 16.  They developed a great shooter with a chance to succeed, but shouldn’t over do it.  I feel MAG will appeal to many different types of FPS fans.  While this is a team based shooter, the soloist can still impact a match preferably as a sniper.  For those who love MW2 you may find MAG fills in some gaps i.e. vehicles, medics and a command structure.  And then there are the types of gamers that are never pleased.  For the gamer who just wants to shoot, MAG should be on your list.

7.5/10

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In November of 2007, BioWare’s Mass Effect was released.  The years leading up to its release were full of promises of an RPG experience unlike anything we’ve ever seen before.  Stunningly beautiful graphics, a highly deep and rewarding dialog system, and a story that can change in the blink of an eye. That was just the tip of the iceberg.

Mass Effect 2 is an action-RPG sequel to 2007’s Mass Effect that puts you in the shoes of Commander Shepard once again.  Shepard and his crew on the Normandy are on patrol for geth, when the ship is attacked.  Shepard does not survive the attack and his lifeless body lands on an unknown planet.  The story doesn’t end there though as a shadow broker group known as Cerberus collects Shepard’s body and spends two years attempting to reanimate it.  They are successful with reviving Shepard and recruit him to fight for the organization.  The story from then on out can differ as Mass Effect 2 allows you to import a Mass Effect 1 save, which can offer some rewards depending on how much time you put into the original game.  Decisions made in Mass Effect will continue to effect your experience in Mass Effect 2, both small and large.

Mass Effect 2 features six different classes with varying strengths and weaknesses.  Each class plays different from the other so most players should feel comfortable as they progress through Mass Effect 2’s massive story.  When Shepard levels up, he can apply points to his talents.  Depending on the character class chosen, talents spent can be used for various upgrades such as learning new biotics or bonuses to Shepard’s stats.  The customization doesn’t stop there as you can fully customize Shepard’s face, armor, and even his sex.  There is no bonus to being either a male or female Shepard, instead, the way they interact with others can vary slightly such as Shepard’s love interest.

Character interaction plays a huge part in Mass Effect 2, as it did in Mass Effect.  The dialog system stayed true to the original game’s, allowing Shepard to converse with others in order to obtain information that can help with his missions or to progress the overall story.  The Paragon & Renegade dialog options also make a return and unlock specific dialog options, depending on how many Paragon or Renegade options you’ve chosen.  One addition to the dialog system is the context-sensitive controls, which allows Shepard to take either a Renegade or Paragon action that will interrupt the current conversation.

If actions speak louder than words, then Shepard’s improved combat skills can be quite deafening.  When Shepard shoots, you’ll now hit what you’re aiming at, similar to First-Person Shooter controls.  Shepard is still able to sprint and hide behind cover, but now he is also able to vault over small obstacles which improves the flow of combat.  The HUD to perform biotic attacks also received a slight tweak as it no longer completely blocks the action on-screen.  Players can also bind buttons to Shepard’s and his squad’s biotic ability so the pace of combat isn’t ceased every couple of seconds in order to input a new command.  Not only did the combat receive an improvement, but the variety of weapons as well.  Mass Effect 2 has approximately nineteen different weapons, some of which include new heavy weapons and sub-machine guns. Also gone are armor classes, which are replaced by simply researching upgrades to your squad’s armor.

Researching new weapons, armor, and other various improvements requires resources that Shepard must obtain during his travels.  Shepard can either stumble onto these resources during missions, or take the more practical approach and probe planets for their resources.  Probing planets may sound like a bore, but it’s actually quite entertaining, especially if you’re dying for the latest and greatest improvement.  Shepard can use the Normandy to orbit over a planet, scan for resources, and then extract those resources with a probe.  When Shepard has met the requirements to research the upgrade (often ‘x’ amount of resource), depending on the item researched, it will either be applied automatically, or, in the case of armor and weapon upgrades, be made available for use.

Exploring the many galaxies in Mass Effect 2 is a more interactive experience as you’re able to fly the Normandy via the Galaxy Map.  Exploration is made easier as the game helps guide you where each quest lies by highlighting galaxies, systems, and even the planet a particular mission is on.  You can even explore the unexplored to gather resources or stumble on to side missions.  The amount of missions & side missions in Mass Effect 2 are amazing and can keep players busy for hours.

As important as the missions are, there’s no way Shepard could do any of it alone.  Much of your time spent in Mass Effect 2 will be used to assemble your squad.  As you progress through the story, Cerberus will supply dossiers on potential squad candidates.  Each squad member has their own purpose as to why they choose to help Shepard, as well as their own strengths and weaknesses in combat.  You can also take your relationships with particular squad members to a higher degree by taking the time to help them in various side missions made available later on in the game.  Completing these missions aren’t necessary to the main plot of Mass Effect 2, but completing them will allow your squad members to trust you, which unlocks a new talent specifically for that squad member.

Mass Effect 2 pushes the Xbox 360 to its limits with its detailed and unique environments.  Much of your time will be spent traveling from planet to planet gathering intel for your missions, but Mass Effect 2 does a fantastic job at giving each location its own persona.  Whether you visit The Citadel, Omega, or Illium, every location is easily distinguishable and that’s not an easy feat when you consider how grandiose Mass Effect 2 is.  Character models are also given a lot of detail and, in Miranda’s case, very pleasing to the eye.  This is especially evident during moments of dialog, as the camera zooms in to focus on the character’s facial structures and mannerisms.

What good are gorgeous character models if the voice acting is terrible?  Thankfully, the voice acting is top-notch as not one character, whether they be important or just someone passing by, gives a sub-par performance.  Hollywood elites Yvonne Strahovski & Marteen Sheen lend their voices for two important characters and their performances are flawless.  It also benefits players to pay attention to small details in the game, such as the Galaxy News kiosks or hearing a recording of Shepard endorsing his “favorite store in the citadel” as these little gems can really make the game more enjoyable.

FINAL THOUGHT: As massive and critically-acclaimed Mass Effect was, Mass Effect 2 improves on many aspects of the original title.  Combat is smooth, the story keeps players interested from beginning to end, and the character development is done so well, you actually care about each and every one of your squad mates.  Being able to carry over decisions from Mass Effect assist in engrossing the player into the game world.  Mass Effect 2 is a shining example of how deep and enriching a video game can be when it achieves perfection.

10/10

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