EA officially announced recently the sequel to last year’s space horror title, Dead Space 2.  Dead Space 2 has us playing the role of Issac Clarke yet again and this time he’ll have a wider range of weapons to dismember any Necromporphs that comes his way.

“We’re thrilled to jump back into the series, making the next chapter in Isaac’s journey. The infection continues to spread throughout space and our hero Isaac Clarke is the only person able to contain it. There are still loads of necromorphs that need killing!” said Steve Papoutsis, Executive Producer of Dead Space 2. “In Dead Space 2, not everything is exactly as it seems. Expect plot twists that will surprise you and a huge cast of twisted, disgusting monsters that are sure to scare the daylights out of you.”

I absolutely loved Dead Space and I personally am excited to hear a sequel is being released.  The atmosphere and enemies in Dead Space always had me playing the game at the edge of my seat.

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With Street Fighter IV & King of Fighters XII rejuvenating the fighting genre, it was time for the Tekken series to step into the ring and show other fighting games how it’s done.  With the largest character roster in Tekken history, HD graphics, and competitive online modes, is Tekken 6 the best fighting game our current generation of consoles has to offer?

When you first fire up Tekken 6, one of the first things you’ll notice is the huge list of playable characters.  Unlike most fighting games, Tekken 6 wants players to get into the action as quickly and as painlessly as possible.  There are no boxes with question marks in them that require players to spend hours upon hours to unlock.  The complete 40 character roster is playable from the get-go.

Tekken 6 is split into 3 main game modes: Scenario, Online Modes, and Offline Modes.  Online Mode allows you to play others in either Ranked or Player Match modes.  Online play was surprisingly very quick, although every so often, a laggy game would pop up.  Offline Mode comprises of the traditional Arcade Mode, VS Mode, Ghost Mode, and Training.  Each character has their own distinct fighting style and unique moves.  The action is fast and very rewarding.  Tekken veterans will appreciate a deep, fighting experience, while newcomers will still be able to button-mash their way to victory (while pissing off veteran players in the process).

Scenario Mode attempts to put a story behind all of the fighting goodness that’s the main focus of Tekken, but it fails miserably.  One positive from the scenario mode is the opening cinematic, which reminds us what the overall story was for the previous Tekken titles.  The Tekken 6 scenario has poor voice acting, poor combat, and a hard to follow story.  Also, for some reason during cut-scenes, everyone can speak in their native language and yet completely understand one another.  I applaud Namco-Bandai for attempting to offer something more than just a fighting game, but I wish they would have delivered as much quality in the Scenario Mode as they did the one-on-one fighting modes.

The amount of character customization offered in Tekken 6 is incredible.  Players unfortunately can’t create their own fighters, but they can customize the aesthetics of all of the characters.  Items for characters are unlocked by the amount of gold players accumulate across all of the game modes in Tekken 6.  My one complaint is the amount of gold each item costs.  I would like to customize my characters, but in order to get a new hair-do, I need to shell out 1,000,000 gold.

Tekken 6 is a definite feast for the eyes.  All of the characters animations are smooth and highly detailed.  Every kick, punch, and throw has an equivalent reaction from both characters.  If you thought the facial animations were good in SFIV, then you’re going to love some of the reactions from the Tekken 6 characters.  Stages also offer a good amount of variety in fighting locations.  Some even have destructible environments that will allow players to crash their way into another part of the level to complete the battle.

FINAL THOUGHT: Tekken 6, without a doubt, is the best Tekken game yet.  It does so much right, but the Scenario Mode is one of the few wrongs on the disc.  If you’ve ever enjoyed any Tekken game, then you owe it to yourself to play the best version of the series to date.

8.0/10

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We as humans have always had a fascination with the undead.  The undead have been discussed in books, danced in music videos, and murdered in video games on a regular basis.  In Tecmo’s Undead Knights, the undead take center stage.  This time, one of the main focuses is to create undead minions from sacrificing your enemies during battle.  Can raising the undead to fight for you really be that fun?

Undead Knights has you playing as one of the three members of the Blood family.  The Blood family were murdered for speaking ill of the king’s new wife, but were brought back from the grave and given the power to create their own undead minions.  The Blood family seeks revenge on the king and thus that’s how our story begins.

Missions don’t offer a wide-variety of objectives.  For the most part you either need to storm a castle, or kill a specific enemy in order to progress to storming a castle.  The combat is also bland and limited in the amount of combos you can perform against enemies.  Speaking of combat, you’ll be doing a lot of combating with enemies if you decide to bring down their health to zero instead of just turning them into an undead minion.  As powerful as my characters were, I would spend a minute just trying to kill one foot soldier.  And yet, if I decided to turn him into an undead minion, that could take 5-10 seconds of combat. I felt I was being forced into turning anything and everything into an undead minion instead of trying to kill them.  Enemies for the most part are just regular knights with a couple of tweaks to them.  Mid-bosses and boss battles take a little bit of strategy to take them down and will actually test your skill of the game’s challenging controls.

The purpose of creating undead minions is to help in fighting enemies by allowing them to aimlessly attack enemies, throw them at , even being able to order them to attack a specific target.  Doing this puts all of your undead focus on one target, but it also leaves you open to attacks as you can’t see your immediate surroundings when you order your zombies to attack.  A handy mini-map can help in this situation as it highlights who your enemies and allys are.  The undead minions also are used to destroy barricades, solve puzzles, and even build bridges.  For being mindless followers, they can be quite helpful.

As you progress through missions, you’re given souls, which can be used to upgrade your three characters.  Each character plays very similar, with only their combos being unique.  I personally kept to upgrading a single character as the more I put into that one character, the more I’d benefit from playing as that character through missions.  There are also “Records of Revenge” which act as the game’s achievements / trophy system.  This can add a bit of replayability if you’re the type who needs to unlock achievements / trophies in every game you play.

If you’re the type to play your PSP with headphones or connecting it to a stereo system, I would highly recommend you don’t do that with Undead Knights.  The game has a soundtrack that would make hardcore metal heads cringe in agony.  The worst part of the overly metal soundtrack is that it’s the same song throughout the entire game, including the main menu!  It was so bad I had to turn the background music down to zero just so I can play through the game without ending up with a serious headache.

FINAL THOUGHT:

There was a lot of potential with Undead Knights.  The premise sounded like it could be an interesting game, but playing hour after hour of the same repetitive missions, uninspired enemies, and puzzles that are easily solved, Undead Knights falls flat of its awesome sounding concept.  In the end, I felt like I was just another mindless undead minion.

4/10

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Rockstar Games announced today the Rockstar Legacy Collection of PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system titles. Beginning October 15, Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition, Midnight Club: L.A. Remix and Manhunt 2 will be available for digital download from the PlayStation®Network for the PSP system.

Rockstar will also unveil the official Rockstar-branded storefront on the PlayStation Network. Launching October 22, the storefront will offer the full complement of new and Legacy Rockstar titles for the PSP system, including Beaterator, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, and The Warriors, all available for digital download.

For more information, log onto www.rockstargames.com.

There’s a reason these games are coming to the store.  Because they’re definatley worth playing.  Can’t Wait!!

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We all remember Buzz! Quiz TV.  It was our party game of choice on the PS3.  With the possibility of Downloadable content (DLC) your questions never get old.  If there’s a couple of good things that came out of this years Tokyo Game Show (TGS) Buzz! Quiz World is definitely it.  The PS3 game will add 5,000 new questions and will provide an “enhanced” online mode with new game modes.  Expect a Wheel of Fortune type of game, where the letters will appear slowly to make out a word.

The PS exclusive title will be coming to a PS3 and PSP near you in November ‘09.  So get you Buzzers ready, and don’t forget to start entering your questions now on www.mybuzzquiz.com.  Check out my Quiz on National Lampoons Vacation… careful it’s tricky!

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Title: Dissidia: Final Fantasy

Platform: PlayStation Portable (PSP)

Developer: Square Enix

Number of Players: 1 ( 2 players Ad Hoc)

Square Enix made every Final Fantasy fan boy’s dream come true with the reveal of Final Fantasy Dissidia. Ever wanted to find out who would win Cloud or Squall, or maybe who is the toughest baddie around Kefka or Sephiroth. Dissidia is a hybrid of an action RPG, and a fighting game that takes lead protagonist, and antagonist from each entry of the series providing crossover mayhem. Besides being the ultimate Final Fantasy cross over, Dissidia also boosts with impressive visuals, and large variety of game modes that keep the game fresh, thru many plays.

First impressions of Dissidia started off strong and rather impressive. After starting up the game for the first time, I was asked a variety of questions based on my play style, and which day would I play the most. These two options help to enhance the player experience. Your play style grants various awards of increasing value depending on the style you choose. For instance the casual play style will only take fifteen battles to complete, but the rewards will not be as great as completing the hard-core sixty day plan. The second option simply grants additional experience, Gil, AP, and PP on the selected day.

After setting your quick preference you reach the main screen, where you have several options from the get go. Story mode; Arcade mode, Quick Battle, Communications mode, and many more to choose from. This menu is just a small taste of the amount of options that become available to you through out the course of the game. So after briefly shifting thru the main menu its time to finally to grab your favorite final fantasy character and get things going in the story mode.

When you hear the words Final Fantasy you know a good story is on the way. Unfortunately at first glances you made be disappointed. The games main plot is divided into to portions. Called Destiny Odyssey, and Shade Impulse. Destiny Odyssey is essentially a re-hash, of one specific part of the corresponding characters’ story. After completing Destiny Odyssey, you can enter Shade Impulse, here Dissidia’s Plot begins, and is pretty enjoyable.

When your very first battle begins Square-Enix eases you into the battle. Dissidia has a fair amount of depth to it, and can be a little overwhelming for either the fighter buff, or the Role-playing fan. The game plays like an action RPG very reminiscent of Kingdom Hearts, and Crisis Core, while maintaining complexity of role-playing character growth. In battle you have several gauges, and number on screen, that all surround your characters portrait. You have your Hp (health), then you have bravery, which determines the number of Hp damage you can inflict on your opponent. Performing bravery attacks by hitting the circle button can increase this number. The last gauge is your Ex gauge which servers as a form of special transformation, giving you enhanced abilities, and the ability to perform ex bursts (super moves) that will usually turn the tide of the battle.

With all of the basics in mind you get to apply in real time using a combination of Hp and Bravery attacks, to set your foe up for the coup de grace. You can switch up, which moves your using by alternating directions with both the Square, and circle buttons. On average I would say each character ends up with twelve moves or more. Combine this with the roster of twenty-two characters keeps the game very fresh, and avoids repetition. Summons also make an appearance, and there is a very impressive amount as well ranging from classics like Bahamut, to appearances by the elemental Archfiends from Final Fantasy IV. The summons aid you in battle by affecting you, and/or your opponents bravery values. The only draw back the battle system has is the camera can be somewhat clunky at times. In order to keep the camera functioning properly you will always want to be locked on to your target.

With the battle system being very solid, what better way to enjoy then going head-to-head with your friends. Unfortunately, there is no online game play, so you will have to be within close proximity of your friends to play. The multiplayer plays fairly smooth after doing several matches I only encountered slight lag with some of the games more grand animations. You can also exchange friend cards with your friend to go up against a computer based opponent based off your friends last used character. The game also yields many benefits to those who play multiplayer. Obtaining artifacts, or duplicating your friends best accessories for your own personal use.

While the combat is solid Dissidia has a whole bag of tricks left to impress. While battling foe after you gain will gain Gil, which can be used to purchase various accessories, and equipment to enhance your character. There is also a good variety of equipment that create special effects when worn together as sets usually yielding rather potent results. You also have the ability to generate items mid battle, and use these components to create even better accessories for your character to take into battle. If you have a particular accessory you like you can use booster accessories to enhance them. Dissidia offers a plethora of ways to acquire new items. Also to quote the game itself after completing the story line the game is really just beginning.

Dissidia offers a great battle system, with a surprising amount of depth both in game play, and item procurement. To compliment this Dissidia also offers some of the most impressive visuals seen on Playstation Portable. The lighting fast battles have some incredibly flashy, and detailed animations. The summon animations were a bit of a disappointment, but the inclusion of them was a nice addition. Their animations are only 2D images that appear on screen for a brief moment. Dissidia definitely delivers when it comes to the visual department.

Visuals, aren’t the only beautiful thing about Dissidia, it further enhances the experience with an amazing sound track. Featuring a compilation of songs of each and every entry of the series. Typically each game receives a standard battle song, a last battle track, and various main themes from each game. Dissidia also brings some original tracks to the table that do not disappoint. One aspect of Dissidia’s Sound that is rather lacking is the voice over department. For the most part the character voices are, not to bad, but there are some characters that will make you cringe. To any Zidane fans out there I apologize in advance.

Overall Final Fantasy Dissidia is a must have for Playstation Portable owners. Offering a vast amount of extra content, and variety of game modes, players can spend well into One hundred hours exploring every inch of Dissidia. The multiplayer component, also offers some exciting game play with other Dissidia owners. The actual quality of the combat is very solid, and keeps a good pace for both on the go play, and more serious play. The story, visuals, and impressive sound track, are yet another reason that makes the forty-dollar price point even more worth it. In The end Final Fantasy Dissidia gets a 9 out of 10.

9/10

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Lego Indiana Jones 2 has rolled up crap too!

Last week’s gaming convention in Cologne, Germany was called GamesCom.  What did we get from the trip?  How about the runs and these 4 screenshots of Lego Indy 2.  As always, the game will be featured on nearly every platform including:  The Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo DS, PSP, and PC. It will also feature levels from the latest Indiana Jones film.

The game is slated for a November 6th release date.

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A recent video uploaded onto YouTube has raised concern on video games and those addicted to them.  YouTube user lukemorse1 recorded a video informing people that because of his addiction to gaming, his wife and son have left him.

According to lukemorse1’s YouTube channel profile, his collection seemed very complete ranging from older, classic consoles such as the Atari 2600, all the way up to the current generation.  He also uploaded gameplay footage of games running on their original systems, as well as life in Japan.

In his video, he claims the reason for his wife and son leaving him was due to the fact that he grossly neglected them while he spent his time with his hobby.  He also states the reason for him making his final video was to teach those of us who might be following his track to learn from his mistakes. Time management is key when it comes to video games. I personally would love to play video games all day and night, but I have other priorities that I know need to be taken care of before I can enjoy myself.

We here at PerezStart wish nothing but the best to lukemorse1. We also would like to acknowledge him for teaching the gaming community a valuable lesson: “People will always be around. Make sure you put a lot more priority on people than you do things, because in the end… I mean.. what do you have?  A bunch of stuff that doesn’t really mean anything.”

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Back in February, Sony said they would be making an Assassin’s Creed PSP bundle available later this year.  It looks like the details for the PSP pack finally emerged today.  Here’s what the bundle comes with:

• White PSP-3000 system
• Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines PSP game
• UMD Movie (to be announced shortly!)
• 2GB Memory Stick PRO Duo

With the PSPgo coming out around the same time, I’m curious to see how well this pack does against simply buying a PSPgo and Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines separately.

Make sure to check out some screens and a video of Assassin’s Creed: Bloodlines after the break.

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Harmonix is a developer that has been working on music games since the early 2000s.  Titles like Frequency and Amplitude weren’t as widely known as most other PS2 titles, but they paved the way for Harmonix’s more successful later titles which include the original Guitar Hero I & II, Rock Band, and their upcoming The Beatles: Rock Band.

Rock Band Unplugged is Harmonix’s fray into the handheld gaming market.  The art style, graphics, and tunes are reminiscent of a full fledged Rock Band game, but the concern of most gamers were how the controls would work on the PSP.  Do music-based games only succeed if you have a plastic guitar in your hand, or could they possibly work with a more traditional control scheme?

When you first turn on Rock Band Unplugged, players will be amazed by how well Harmonix adapted the Rock Band experience onto the PSP.  The sights and sounds we all come to love from Rock Band are all there.  In fact, the game seems like it’s more of an adaptation to Rock Band 2 than the original Rock Band.  This would seem like the more logical choice as Rock Band 2 offered a number of improvements over the original title, one example would be the listing of individual difficulties to their respective instruments when selecting a song.

In the console versions of Rock Band, you would create your own character and have them perform with whatever instrument you’d like.  Even though your character was part of a band, the player’s focus for new clothes, instruments, and style was only prioritized to your character.  In Rock Band Unplugged, since the gameplay has you playing through all of the individual instruments, you create a band and upgrade them whenever you think they need a new look.  The amount of customization is nearly identical to the console version.  Hair, clothes, and instruments can all be upgraded in Rock Band Unplugged.

As I briefly mentioned earlier, Rock Band Unplugged has you playing guitar, bass, drums and vocals all at once.  This might sound overwhelming to most people, but the way Haromix handled it will keep your sanity in check.  The game has you playing particular phrases of a song.  When you complete a phrase, the entire track will auto-play for a certain amount of time.  This allows you to switch to another track using the R/L shoulder buttons to complete another phrase from another instrument.  As you’re playing, you can hear instruments going in and out from the song, which is a reminder that you need to switch over to that track to try to finish the phrase.  If one of your instruments fails, the section of that song will be completely removed from the track until you can either save the instrument by using star power or finish the song.

During gameplay, players will notice the music focusing on particular instrument tracks you’re currently playing (ex: when you are playing the vocal track, that track will be louder than the rest).  I found this to be helpful as singling out your track from the rest can really help you follow along to the rhythm, which is vital to being able to play it amidst all of the other tracks.  The controls are also pretty easy to get a grasp of, although it might take most people a couple of play sessions to get a feel for the button layout for each required note.  Once you pass the learning curve, you might shock yourself on how quickly you can play the notes.

I was surprised to find that Rock Band Unplugged doesn’t include any multiplayer whatsoever.  Rock Band & Rock Band 2 are party focused titles, so I would have assumed Unplugged would have allowed for some kind of multiplayer, if not online, then at least locally.  The exclusion of multiplayer by no means makes this a less than worthy game.  I just feel it really would have been the icing that is already a quite impressive cake.

Harmonix did include an extra game mode called “Band Survival”.  In this gametype, you play all of the tracks to a song at the same time.  Completing a phrase to auto-play a track is completely removed in this mode, so the player needs to balance all of the tracks at the same time.  This can be quite a challenge as it forces you to constantly keep an eye on the fail-meter located at the top-left of the screen to keep all of your tracks within a safe level of play.

FINAL THOUGHT: Rock Band Unplugged might be as addictive, or even more addictive than its console counterparts. With it’s easy to grasp gameplay mechanics and great choice of fun song titles to play to, it deserves as much attention as any other music game out on the market.  The only thing that felt like it was missing was multiplayer, but it’s still a solid title without it.

8/10

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