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Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon [Review]

Submitted by Casey White on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 15:25
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Overall Feeling: 

Blood Dragons is a love-letter to b-movie sci-fi films from the 1980s. It is genius in its satirical take on the iconic sub-culture of the material itself as well as video games in general. Fans of action movies, the 80s, satire, or just goofy action games in general will fall in love with this game before the tutorial is completed.

The Pros: 

+Great sense of humor. 

+Sense of loyality its inspiration (80s action films).

+Same great gameplay of its predecessor (Far Cry 3). 

+Stunning visuals (both the neon in-game, and the 16-bit cut-scenes).

The Cons: 

-Character customization has been almost completely removed to make way for a straight forward leveling system (earn a level, get a new game-choosen ability).

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
10

Far Cry: Blood Dragon is a perfect, or rather the only, example of what fans of the 80s sci-fi/action b-movie genre have been hoping for out of video games for about the last 30 years. Of course that’s a pretty ridiculous standard for Ubisoft to try and live up to… but it was refreshing to see how serious, or rather not-serious, the team building the game took the project.

Star Trek: The Game [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Tue, 04/30/2013 - 11:15
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Overall Feeling: 

Dull, repetitive, and lifeless. These are words I would’ve never associated with the Star Trek franchise but they perfectly encapsulate the experience that’s to be had in Star Trek: The Game.  As a companion piece to the movies there may be an ounce of enjoyment to be had since the film cast actually reprises their roles, with some actual luster and energy to boot, yet that isn’t enough to save a game that feels dated and like it missed every ounce of potential it held. 

The Pros: 

+ The film cast does a good job retaining the vibe found in their theatrical performances, especially that of Chris Pine.
+ Some of the locales do provide a nice visual style worthy of the Trek franchise.
+ Music is absolutely stunning.
+ If you ever wanted a co-op Star Trek game then now you have it.

The Cons: 

- Levels drag on endlessly and it doesn’t help that the actual variety is low.
- Visuals are below average and fail to convey the style found in the movies.
- Gameplay is dull and overly repetitive.
- A.I., both that of the companion character and enemies, is shoddy and often glitch prone.
- Story is passable, but has some major weak points and an enemy that’s nothing more than a tool rather than an integral narrative component.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
4

For the last sixty years we’ve had the Star Trek franchise as a key part of our culture, or at least our pop/geek culture.  Starting off small in a TV series that was in some cases ahead of its time, which is partly why it got the boot, Star Trek has gone on to become a major element of both the sci-fi world and genre TV in general.  Now rebooted under the direction of J.J.

Army of Two: The Devil's Cartel [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Thu, 04/18/2013 - 17:54
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Overall Feeling: 

Failing to build upon any of the established game mechanics or possible narrative elements that could’ve been explored, The Devil’s Cartel is an empty game that features some passable shooting which is plagued by lackluster controls, scenarios that feel repetitive, and a lack of any replayability outside of earning more cash to buy pointless upgrades and superfluous wardrobe changes.  Instead of improving on things we simply have a game that has somehow regressed and in turn assures that the Army of Two franchise will die with a whimper rather than going out with a bang like a true boss.

The Pros: 

+ Action is somewhat passable on a very base level.
+ Campaign is short so it’s easy to blow through in an afternoon and gain a hefty amount of Trophies/Achievements.
+ There’s a button/mechanic that allows you to blow stuff up. BIG EXPLOSIONS!

The Cons: 

- Plot is silly and characters lack any true chemistry or likeable traits.
- Action scenarios get repetitive due to shallow game mechanics.
- Glitches and random crashes are abound.
- Visuals boast a diversified color palette, but the fidelity is poor and borders on below average at times.
- Big Boi and B.o.B are in this game. Why?  What purpose do they have?

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
5

Sometimes even the best game concepts can result in an experience that’s completely and utterly stupid.

The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Fri, 04/12/2013 - 04:58
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Overall Feeling: 

Developed with the best of intentions, it’s clear that Terminal Reality wanted to do something special in The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct but couldn’t under the guise of the powers that be.  Such a scenario has ultimately resulted in a game that has interesting elements such as survival gameplay which includes survivors who can be left to die or thrive, but such a thing is coupled with dull level design and combat that is clunky and poorly designed.  Fans of The Walking Dead will likely be disappointed with what Survival Instinct does, but those wanting to experience a different type of zombie FPS should at least rent the game or pick it up once it’s in the $5 bargain bin.

The Pros: 

+ Norman Reedus delivers a solid voice performance as Daryl Dixon.
+ Some of the survival gameplay/survivor elements are interesting.
+ The game is short.

The Cons: 

- Combat is painfully dull and doesn’t feel that good.
- Level design is built around fetch quests that have contradictory design logic.
- Graphics are way below average.
- This isn’t the game fans of the series deserve.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
4

When a video game is bad word quickly spreads about just how terrible it truly is. In this social media powered era it’s somewhat shocking that in a span of a day or two the reputation of a game, or developer in the case of Sweet Billy, can be tarnished since gamers are indeed an ever chatty and analytical bunch.

Luigi's Mansion 2: Dark Moon

Submitted by Casey White on Sat, 04/06/2013 - 10:49
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Overall Feeling: 

Luigi’s Mansion 2: Dark Moon is a “Summer Blockbuster” of a video game. While you don’t walk away with anything of substance or any real lasting effect from the game, the enjoyment you get out of it is worth the cost of admission. As long as you’re not expecting deep game play, character development, or a compelling story-line, you’re sure to be happy with this particular 3DS purchase.

The Pros: 

+Fun and interesting game play

+Unique combat mechanic that never really gets old

+Inventive boss battles beyond the “hit me three times in the weak-spot” tedium

The Cons: 

-3D doesn’t really add anything to the game

-Some progression of Luigi would have been nice (he’s still terrified of his own shadow after clearing multiple mansions?)

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
8

Luigi has been a character that’s lived in his brother, Mario’s shadow for nearly three decades now. Sure, he’s had the odd outing of his own, most notably Mario’s Missing and Luigi’s Mansion, but at the top of this year Shigeru Miyamoto promised us this would be Luigi’s year. The focus, for once, is on the perpetual “player 2” this year, and it begins with a sequel to what is (easily) the best game that Luigi has ever stared in: Luigi’s Mansion.

Dead or Alive 5 Plus [PlayStation Vita Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Mon, 03/25/2013 - 07:05
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Overall Feeling: 

Suffering from some of the same issues that have plagued other fighting games that made the leap to the Vita,  DOA5 Plus is an enjoyable if slightly flawed game that is nonetheless still worth checking out.  Maintaining the same brisk and intense combat the series is known for, the only downsides to the arrival of DOA on the Vita comes in the form of visuals that are a bit uneven and the lack of any compelling or noteworthy bonus content.  Even with the game being a direct port of an almost year old game, DOA5 Plus is still a solid effort that will likely be enjoyed by longtime fans and those new to the franchise.

The Pros: 

+ Combat has made the perfect transition to the Vita.
+ Online play is smooth when it comes to match performance.
+ Having all the stages and characters unlocked from the start is nice.
+ Characters, at least some of them, look quite good in the game.

The Cons: 

- Graphics are uneven when it comes to character models and quality of the levels.
- Touch Fight mode was a complete waste of time and effort to put in the game.
- Online matchmaking can be a tad slow at times.
- The lack of major bonus content is disappointing.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
7

Once believed to be in a position similar to the early days of the PlayStation 3, the feeling that the PlayStation Vita doesn’t have any games is slowly beginning to fade away.  To most of us it’s apparent that the Vita does have some interesting games to play, but on the surface it may appear to some gamers that the console is a bit light when it comes to compelling or simply diverse software.  Things have indeed started off slow for the Vita, as is always the case with any hardware in the early days, but the momentum is beginning to pick up with the release of Dead or Alive 5 Pl

StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm [Review]

Submitted by Casey White on Mon, 03/18/2013 - 19:43
Posted in
Overall Feeling: 

Heart of the Swarm does what every good expansion/sequel to a Blizzard title (or game in general) should. It expands on the original concepts, without killing the reason we fell in love with it in the first place, and brings something new to the table. At first glance, the changes to the competitive gaming (easily the biggest part of the game for most gamers) seem subtle, but after playing with the new units for a bit, it’s easy to see just how drastically the game has been changed for all levels of gamers.

The Pros: 

+Improvements to the play and feel of the campaign mode.

+New units drastically reshape the gameplay in competitive, with subtle tweaks to the play-style.

+Top-tier production value that we’ve come to expect from Blizzard.

+Some of the most visually impressive gameplay and cinematics in the RTS genre. 

The Cons: 

-F*ck the Zerg.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
9

Does anyone else feel the connection between Blizzard Entertainment and Wolverine? Seriously, it’s been bothering me all week… Every time Blizzard comes out with a new trailer, a new game, an expansion, or whatever I hear, in my head, “We are Blizzard, and we’re the best at what we do and what we do is…” roll the title and display whatever it is they are showing off that particular day of the week.

God of War: Ascension [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Sat, 03/16/2013 - 07:51
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Overall Feeling: 

Once again technically impressive, the ever amazing visuals can’t save God of War: Ascension from being a rather tepid and disappointing game.  Lacking a true sense of soul and direction, Ascension seems to be all over the place with pacing that never finds its footing, combat that is riddled with small issues that prevent it from feeling refined or evolved, and a story that literally does nothing to advance or deepen the existing God of War mythos.  Aside from a surprisingly deep and fun multiplayer mode, this latest entry in the God of War series sadly shows major franchise fatigue that will likely have the biggest fans of Kratos disappointed with what has been delivered to them.

The Pros: 

+ Beautifully rendered worlds with varied art design.
+ Set-piece moments are impressive for their sheer size and scope.
+ Voice acting is solid as always, even in the case of Kratos being scaled back.
+ Multiplayer mode is implemented well and is rather addicting.

The Cons: 

- Pacing feels uneven and in some cases comes across as padded to lengthen the experience.
- Story is disappointing as it fails to expand the lore and further build up Kratos as a character.
- Combat feels uneven due to weak sub-systems and frustrating enemy habits.
- A lot of the puzzles and even the boss battles feel like they’re on autopilot since there’s no spirit to them.
- Sound design is horrendous and the soundtrack is lackluster compared to the works of Gerard K. Marino.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
7

The ever fierce warrior that is Kratos has returned for battle once again, yet this time the adventure he embarks on isn’t as memorable as his past efforts. As gamers I think we always have a lingering fear in the back of our minds that one of our favorite franchises may grow tiring, even if it maintains a level of quality that puts other titles to shame.  Rarely do we see top-tier games fall into a rut of things seeming complacent, but with God of War: Ascension such a thing is apparent in a game that despite the stunning visuals feels a bit stale and simply tired.

Tomb Raider [Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Mon, 03/11/2013 - 09:14
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Overall Feeling: 

The direction may be new and somewhat unexpected, but the experience delivered in Tomb Raider is one that is thoroughly enjoyable and doesn’t stray away from the essence of the franchise so much that it’s only a Tomb Raider game in name only.  Filled with unexpected moments that are exciting to experience, Tomb Raider is a well-crafted game that goes in some interesting directions all while maintaining and evolving the core elements of the Tomb Raider franchise.

The Pros: 

+ Atmosphere on the island is superb thanks to some stunning visuals and art direction.
+ Lara controls wonderfully as she doesn’t feel too automated whilst platforming.
+ Combat sections feel cohesive and feature different ways to tackle things.
+ Narrative is good in providing believable characters and building the mythos of the universe.

The Cons: 

- Certain parts of Lara’s character could’ve been built up better.
- QTE scenarios are hit and miss.
- Multiplayer mode is rather terrible and seems tacked on.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
8

When something becomes legendary it’s often for good reason. Whether it’s in the mediums of literature, film/TV, or in this case video games, the connection made within an experience and the immediate appeal of it is often what helps propel something to a level that people often dream of. 

Switch Galaxy [PlayStation Mobile Review]

Submitted by Ian Fisher on Wed, 03/06/2013 - 09:08
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Overall Feeling: 

Simple, fast, and incredibly effective, Switch Galaxy is a thoroughly fun entry to the PlayStation Mobile library since it has a premise that is perfect for short gameplay bursts.  Easy to control yet filled with depth due to the way tracks are presented, Atomicom has done a wonderful job at doing something different within the arcade racing genre and in turn have delivered one of the must-own games for the PlayStation Mobile platform.

The Pros: 

+ Gameplay is tight, fast, and fun.
+ Music has a nice collection of subdued yet futuristic sounding buttery beats.
+ A surprising amount of depth is provided thanks to tracks with multiple paths to take and ship upgrades to acquire.
+ Visuals are consistent and look incredibly smooth.

The Cons: 

- Art direction could’ve used some more variety.

ShogunGamer.com Rating : 
9

A new old-school arcade inspired racing game has arrived on the PlayStation Mobile service which thankfully isn’t mediocre or almost perfect – instead it’s simply addicting.  Developed by the team at Atomicom, which comprises of former veterans of the classic UK studio Psygnosis, Switch Galaxy is a simple title at its core, but the gameplay featured in it is what makes games with an arcade edge so addicting.

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