If you have ever liked a Mario Bros. game and/or fun in general, feel free to enjoy both of them from anywhere.

Ups

It’s a 3D-esque Mario game that plays and sounds incredible.

It’s Mario!

Downs

Camera can be an issue from time to time.

Has anyone seen the Koopa kids? …..Nevermind I found them.

Bottom Line…so far

A must buy if you own or have regular access to a 3DS. Almost justifies getting a 3DS. The first real 3DS game is here.

-by BigRob

I suck at Role Playing Games.  I like leveling, stats, and story as much as the next guy but games like Fallout 3 and Borderlands don’t really appeal to me.  Crimson Alliance takes a more simplistic approach to the genre.  It is actually an arcade styled action-rpg.  It has weapons, hacking and slashing, and it even has multiplayer co-op (couch and online) complete with leaderboards.  But, let me start at the beginning…

Boom! ...Killstreak!

Crimson Alliance, from Certain Affinity, is a hack and slash style dungeon crawler that pits your crew against a slew of creatures of the underworld who have taken over the city of Byzan.  Your crew consists of a Wizard, a Mercenary and an Assassin.  You can take on the world alone or with friends to traverse the lands and defeat the evil chick that took over…. disclaimer: as a “Level 2 Review”, I have not finished the game and am kinda fuzzy on the exact game details.

This is standard fare for arcade slashers- pick your character (they each have their own abilities and special moves), revive your friends, buy and use better items, and dont get killed.  You hack and slash your way to victory- then rinse & repeat. Crimson Alliance spins this formula by adding stat tracking leaderboards and a pretty neat scoring system.  The game rewards you like a shooter would- as you kill enemies you get kill streaks, the longer you go without taking damage the more you can rack up points with bonus multipliers.  Getting through the level is fine, but getting through with the highest score is how you beat your friends.  You can finish each level with a bronze, silver or gold score.  The world map also shows you your friends scores compared to yours for each level.

BigRob’s Gripes:

-Why can’t I sell my stuff back to the store? You find and pick up weapons and equipment from chests scattered around the levels and you can buy them at various stores but you cant sell any of it back.  This game is basically what Torchlight should have been on the xbla, (though I’ll only play it on pc anyway) but at least it knew how to let you cash in on your junk and low level items.

-Where is the Loot? I see money all over the place… but my stacks on stacks never seem to add up, I’m always underfunded at the armory. I can’t pile my money sky high in part because I have all this junk that I can’t sell… I guess they want me to spend a dollar to get more loot from the marketplace. Yeah right!  Come on Certain Affinity, that’s ballsy, you’ve got more dignity than that.  Don’t let Microsoft microtransact your gamers to death. ​

Decked out and ready to kick butt.

BigRob’s Protips:

-spend your cash wisely… you can’t cash in later.

-shield bash like a mad man, use weapons infused with magic as they will make everything you hit die faster.

-if this is your style game and you want to play with friends with even the possibility of playing through more than once… buy the 1200 point edition. Worth it.

​For now…

Crimson Alliance is a great hack and slasher that’s a great addition to XBLA with just enough depth and hooks to keep you playing.  I have not tried the multiplayer yet and am definitely looking forward to it.  I’m about 5 or 6 levels deep and its starting to get a little crazy.  Having a couple players in game with me would be very helpful with crowd control and miniboss battles.  Despite the overall money issues, real and virtual, Certain Affinity’s Crimson Alliance gets my Level 2 Stamp Of Approval.

Louie Approves.

By BigRob

​As mentioned in Episode 58, I jumped into the world of controller modding and purchased a set of Evil Sticks from Evilcontrollers.com.  Disclaimer: BigRob games hard and games in style but is not a fan of modding specifically to cheat the system.  Xbox live polices itself, so i guess the system eventually works.  Whatever.  Morality aside… in addition to modding, evilcontrollers provides gamers with high quality custom parts, replacements and upgrades.  These visual upgrades provide a nice aesthetic and certain flair that definitely has appeal.

​The normal Xbox 360 controller is a marvel in tech and ergonomics, yet it is not without its flaws. The 360 controller offers great reliability and durability but there is always room for improvement.  The evil sticks replace the pair of analog sticks on the xbox controller.  Instead of being concave, they are convex similar to the ps2/3 analog sticks. They are coated with a nonslip material that provide a bit more grip.  They are black with the EvilControllers.com logo positioned slightly hidden on the bottom receding into the controller itself. (Minimalist/Classy)

Installing the sticks was pretty easy as there are a number of tutorial videos online showing how this is done, evilcontrollers hosts a few of their own as well.  After locating and removing all the necessary screws popping off the analog sticks and replacing them was the easy part.  If you are just replacing the sticks or doing the dpad upgrade its about a half hours worth of work well spent. Replacing the triggers for the new shell is a whole other story.  I did manage to find a video tutorial on how to replace them and it turns out I made it a slightly bigger deal than it shouldve been. Once replaced, the results are well worth the work.  You are left with a new shiny casing, and though the sticks arent shiny they sure feel good.

​ ​

​

​​Overall the evil sticks are an upgrade, your individual performance/preference will vary.  If you have sweaty hands or tend to play for extended periods of time, they will definitely be a benefit. The casual gamer probably won’t notice the difference while a more hardcore gamer would likely notice and appreciate pulling off more headshots. But, for the gamer that likes to put their gaming on display (like me), you might as well give them a try… if the controllers look nice on the shelf, they ought to play nice too.  After a few days of playtime I can definitely say it will likely come down to personal preference, but these sticks can easily grow on you.  A few rounds of SWAT in Halo Reach  pretty much seals the deal for my recommendation.  I think that in prep for the pending gaming season and the Extra Life Gaming Marathon I will have to invest in a couple more pairs.

​

​EvilControllers.com sells the evil sticks in $10 sets.  They also offer them in a free trial set knowing that if you enjoy them you will certainly buy more.  Obviously, I picked up the glossy orange controller shell with free sticks.  (And it looks awesome, right?!)  I follow @EvilControllers on twitter and have had a few helpful back and forth conversations.  Can you imagine they actually know what customer service is?!  Honestly, I was skeptical about this purchase but I am happy that I made it.  The site is well done with a checkout system that is quick and painless.  I won’t be drop shotting and auto bursting noobs in Black Ops any time soon but EvilControllers.com definitely impressed me with their “evil” sticks that certainly live up to their reputation.

Pros:

• Actual upgrades to the originals
• Look and feel great
• They offer actual customer service!

Cons:

• The install was easy to do but not for the feint of heart
• The black sticks look good, but don’t match d-pad grey
• Shipping & Handling

Check out the unboxing here.

Now with more Mustache!

I loved the original Bionic Commando for the NES. It was the first game that I played, beat, and played again. When I heard that the game I loved as a teen was getting a new coat of paint, I had to give it a shot. It appealed both to the old school in me (Giggling at the references) and the new school in me (Whoa, that looks awesome!). I found Bionic Commando Rearmed to be a great retelling of the game with new graphics and slight tweaking to the formula that I dug the most.

When I saw there was a sequel coming, I was pumped and grabbed it as soon as I could. The download completed, I fired it up and planned for some of the same awesome gameplay that I remembered. I forgot that with few exceptions, video games, like movies, don’t often turn out the same magic in sequels.

Yes, the gameplay is still classic 2D side scrolling with a never ending supply of dumb guards that think that hiding behind a red drum will save them. Yes, Rad Spencer has the same bionic arm that will grab walls and allow you to swing across gaps as well as the “I wanna be like Donkey Kong” barrel claw grab and launch action that was introduced in BCR1. Yes, there is a jump button. A jump button, you ask? I do not know why they even bothered to put in that mechanic when the stages can be completed without jumping (garnering the player an achievement) and the player can actually remove that functionality from within options.

Another new addition to this edition is Bio Vision. Confused on how to get from point A to point B? And you can’t swing there? Use your bio-vision, find the path and swing to victory. Can’t figure out how to kill the boss? Bio-Vision can help with that too! It won’t tell you exactly what to do, rather make a suggestion. It is also fun to see what the creators have written about scanned items.

Just like BCR2’s predecessor, there are powerups that are gifted when completing a level. New in this edition are powerups hidden in the stage, sometimes only accessible when returning to the level after later acquiring specific items/weapons. Sounds a little like Metroidvania, huh? (Or is it Castletroid?). The player can see how many upgrades are yet to be found in each stage and when completing them can learn what they missed. That increases the replayability of this game and kept me returning to earlier stages.

Pros

• Same tongue-in-cheek/breaking the fourth wall meta references as BCR1
• The challenge rooms are back! When you’re frustrated with the actual game, drop out, do a few challenges and try that stage again. (Note: Sometimes the Challenge Rooms can get just as frustrating)
• Like most XBLA games, BCR2 employs leaderboards, so you can flex wang not only with other players around the world but also with your friends that are playing.
• The graphics and sound are crisp and clean with no caffeine. The music, while no Super Adventure Island (Thanks Kyle Murdock!), is still fun. The explosions are as fun to watch as they are to make.
• Being able to pick and choose the upgrades that you want active at any given time is a fun way to replenish your health, your weapons or do a little bit of extra damage.

Cons

• New swinging mechanic takes some getting used to. Might be easier for a new player not used to how the old game worked.
• Bosses have specific patterns and while fun to learn, they can be a controller-flipping frustration at times.
• PROOFREAD YOUR SCRIPT!!!

Bottom Line

This is a game for players who like the gameplay of a Bionic Commando title and are looking for a challenge. I enjoyed it because I dig on the 2D side-scrollers, most because of nostalgia.

Note:  I have not taken the time to play either online or local multiplayer.

TNT Racers for the Xbox Live Arcade is a light-hearted game that offers a bit of a break from the more serious or hardcore games within the racing genre. This cartoonish racer manages to pack in a bit of racing depth while being simple enough to pick up and play.

Upon starting the game, I became confused… I was treated to an aggressive splash-screen graphic of these larger than life cars barreling down the road but it was accompanied by a light and peppy ragtime tune.  I was aware that the cars would be ironically small but I was not aware that TNT stood for Tracks-and-Tricks.  I thought that I would be knee deep in some b*tchin’ speed metal or maybe some catchy techno tracks the usual “standard” racing music lineup. The surprises did not end there.

TNT Racers is not a normal racer, the main concept in the game is to basically forge ahead in a race and force your opponents out of the screen.  Once you get far enough ahead and force all of your opponents out of the screen you win the round.  Depending on the type of challenge,the number of rounds won generally determines the winner of the race. Rarely did I win a race by actually finishing the race in first.

As a top down racer you can see your three opponents, power-ups, coins, and immediate track layout pretty well.  Being a racer of this particular style the camera actually does a pretty good job of staying focused on the whole cluster of the action.  The only problem I had was that if you went fast enough it was still quite easy to lose sight of your car before you were given credit on winning the round.  The top down view was not zoomed out far enough to see a substantial amount of track so it did become difficult to be ready for a slight curve or troublesome U-turn.  It’s a minor annoyance, but I feel like this is where the depth of the game came through and where ones skill is rewarded.

Knowing what to expect as far as car and track choice will definitely help a skilled player.  I became familiar with one of the speedier cars from the start.  It was faster than most of the chosen A.I. cars at the start but it didn’t handle as well in the turns; learning the tracks and lines allowed me to compensate and capitalize.  It seems like the cars balance pretty well with each other so for the most part you have a pretty good fighting chance if you can stay on the road and avoid the hazards.

Tracks-and-Tricks Racers kinda falls short in the track number and variety department but it doesn’t disappoint on the tricks side of things.  In order to win you must battle it out with your rivals for that top spot and the tracks are practically littered with power-ups.  We’ll here’s the bad news: TNT Racers does not do a good job of explaining on what these power ups are, what they look like, or what they do… you’re on your own.  The good news is that they are plentiful and most of the time you can just use it to your advantage no matter what it is. The loading screens provide various tips and oddly enough none of them say anything about the power-ups. An example would be:“Use the candy gun to blast the confetti mines.” Not only did this message come up about 20 times, A – I didn’t know what either of those things were until I had played enough to decipher what they were talking about (despite using them the whole time) and B – its hard enough to drive the car and shoot the candy at other cars let alone try and aim it at the candy mines.  Honestly, you’re better off just driving around them because it’s a waste of ammo.  All in all your standard lineup of racing game power-ups are here: oil slick, mines, multi shot in a straight line weapon, boost, homing rocket and a few others.  They toss in a few extra power-ups that are creative and different but without a straightforward rundown it’s tough to learn  how some of them work.

TNT Racers is a solid racer but it lacks a basic run & gun racing mode.  Round based modes are all you get. There is no chance to tear up the tracks and opposition Mario Kart or Blur style.  The only exception are the time trial modes, which succeed in breaking up the monotony. But aside from chasing an almost static leaderboard there isn’t much incentive to revisit.  I did managed to break into the top 20 (#14) on one of the time trial races.The time trials were also great for test out other cars. I found that the bottom most car netted me the top times as it was nimble around corners and quite responsive despite its lack of speed.

There isn’t much in the way of online racing  as there doesn’t appear to be many people playing. I managed to get into and kicked out of one game after trying to join/host multiple times.  I can say that in the 2 online races I’ve done, I was able to hold my own and keep the round score tied up but in classic BigRob fashion I broke down in the last lap and blew it in the last couple turns.

If you’re achievement hunting, be warned most of them can only be earned by playing online races.

Ups

- interesting twist on kart/rc racing, yet familiar and easy to pick up and play
- variety of powerups/downs keep each race interesting and different
- style and charm by the bucketful painted on top of a solid racer

Downs

- the gameplay twist is interesting but where is the regular lap based racing mode?
- no one is playing this online, good luck getting those achievements/trophies
- difficulty ramps up unexpectedly to make up for the lack of different tracks
- the menu music is terrible, doesn’t fit with the game and repeats endlessly

Bottom Line

All in all, TNT Racers is not dynamite but at its core it is a competent racer.  It has a charm and unique style that’s downright pretty at times (especially when you blow up the competition).  It stumbles at times on some things but I think for what it’s supposed to be it’s pretty good.

TNT Racers is also available on the PSN and is coming soon to Wiiware.

Full Disclosure: The review code for this game was provided by Evolve PR.

Meet Jack Slate, the most hypocritical cop you’re likely to see in a video game.

Dead to Rights: Retribution is the 3rd game in the series, but is considered a reboot of the franchise so no prior knowledge is necessary to enjoy this game.  However the story is quite ridiculous so you’re probably better off ignoring the narrative anyway.  The graphics are not awful, but have the look of a high quality last-gen title.  Oddities such as jagged shadows sticking out of a character’s forehead during cut-scenes are a bit jarring .

But it’s not all bad.

You take on the role of Officer Jack Slate, a plays-by-his-own-rules kind of cop, and his K-9, Shadow.  The storyline is mostly one of corruption and revenge.  One of the biggest problems with the story, and good enough reason to ignore it, is that Jack is constantly talking about the importance of bringing guys in for questioning, not taking the law into your own hands and doing things by the book.  He clearly is not taking his own advice as his interactions with the bad guys usually look something like this:

This is one of the many “takedowns” that the game has to offer.  Most of which are not only deadly, but insanely brutal.  The one pictured above starts with Jack shooting a couple bullets into the enemy’s legs.  When he starts pleading for his life, Jack kicks him into the air and pumps him full of lead in slow motion. I think the irony is lost on Jack.

As far as the actual gameplay is concerned, there are two types of levels.  Most of them put you in control of Jack who uses Shadow to help him take down the scum of Grant City.  You’re able to steal guns right out of the enemy’s hands, grab them as a hostage, shoot them in the head, or perform one of the various death moves that the game has to offer.  My personal favorite is throwing guys over railings.

I was having a blast tossing guys left and right.  Watching bodies fly through plate glass windows, over railings, and off of rooftops.  All while Jack is spouting off nonsensical one-liners like, “shut the fuck up!”  This was by far my favorite part of the game.

Another option you have during most of these levels is to tell Shadow to take down bad guys, retrieve dropped weapons, or offer protection when you’re in trouble.

He’s as brutal as Jack is, if not moreso.  But he’s also an effective tool in getting the job done.  You’ll have to be careful how you use him though as he can be knocked out during battle.  However, it is possible to revive him by pushing a button while next to him, or if you clear the area of enemies he will get up on his own.

The other type of level you’ll play has you taking control of Shadow in scenarios where stealth is key.  During these levels you’ll have access to some crazy dog powers that let you detect heartbeats and see through walls.

These levels are an interesting change of pace, but are essentially fetch quests that end fairly quickly.  Also, the controls for shadow are all different from Jack.  Why wouldn’t they map common commands like running to the same button?

Pros:

- Fun, mindless entertainment

- Some variety in the gameplay

- Amusing voice acting

Cons:

- Throwaway story

- Sometimes the brutality feels too real and dark

- Graphics and animation not necessarily up to par for this generation

Bottom Line

I found some enjoyment in this game, so it’s not too hard to recommend at a low price.  It’s best to go in with lowered expectations.  I completed this game on easy difficulty in about 4 sittings, taking roughly 6 hours to finish.  I ended up with 555 achievement points.  The game is also available on the Playstation 3.

And I leave you with the best:

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Genre: class/team based FPS(up to 16, online only)

Developer: Atomic Games

Platforms: PC and Xbox 360(XBLA)

Release Date: Jan 26, 2011

Price: 1200 Allards/$20 on PC

Breach is a class and team-based FPS(first person shooter) developed by Atomic Games, utilizing the Hydrogen engine. Breach made gaming blog/site headlines last year during Pax East 2010 when there was a foiled attempt to steal the game from a computer on the show floor. Nevertheless Atomic spent the rest of 2010 working on and polishing Breach.

Breach offers five modes of gameplay with slightly different nomenclature perhaps to set itself apart a bit. FPS are well known and often played. Infiltration requires teams to gain control of 5 areas within the map, retrieval is much like 1 flag capture the flag except that the flag is a bioweapon canister,  team deathmatch defines itself, sole survivor immediately reminded me of Counter Strike and perhaps the most interesting mode I played was convoy. This mode has either team stalling(it’s timed) or protecting a convoy as it attempts to  reach a location on the map. The convoy will stop moving if no team members are nearby or mounted on turrets attached to the trucks. Damage inflicted on the armored trucks by the opposing team will also impede progress. As if that were not enough the defending team must use explosives on the armored trucks to destroy existing barriers on the road. This mode felt the freshest to me either because it is rarely done or my limited time and/or patience with team-based FPSs has left me unaware of the ubiquity of this game mode.

There are a total of 5 classes available: rifleman, gunner, support and sniper are all immediately accessible with a locked recon class. Recon unlocks when the rifleman and sniper classes are maxed out. The classes have slightly different loadouts with either grenades or c4 to start out with. The c4 worked as expected but the grenade tossing seemed a bit jittery to me. Players earn experience points for each class they use. Every kill and completed objective earns experience points towards the maximum for each class. Like many other FPSs the option to customize load outs is not available at the outset. But once unlocked there are around 10 spy gadgets, 15+ different weapons and attachments and about 12 perks to choose from. Bionic ear, IR sniper detector and sonic imager were stand outs in my opinion. Bonic ear amplifies sounds like footsteps and gun fire even through walls. IR beams are employed to reflect off of any scoped weapon within the players view to better detect snipers with the IR sniper detector gadget and the sonic imager let’s players see through walls.

The Bad Ass, Nerves of Steel and Vendetta are perks that seemed the most unique. The player’s energy is reduced by 50% but that risk is rewarded with the ability to earn double XP with The Bad Ass perk. Nerves of Steel allows steady aiming while engaging in a firefight and vendetta places a marker on the mini map showing the location of your most recent dealer of death.

One of Breach’s bullet points are the destructible environments. While it is nice to be able to blow holes into the walls, bridges and floors(ceilings too) none of the vehicles or comm towers are destructible. The randomly placed propane tanks in and around cars explode and only engulf the car in flames for a few seconds. I was expecting the car to explode and cease to be usable as cover. This shortcoming is not a deal breaker but is somewhat disappointing. I would have appreciated more control options as well. While there are 3 control options available none of them offered alternatives for key controls I find most important, like weapon switching or melee. Much like the selectively destructible environments this is not a reason to ignore this game but the limited control choices are slightly frustrating. The other heavily emphasized feature is the active cover system. Which from my experience worked pretty well. I must admit that at first I found that the active cover system took some time to get used to but after using a couple times it felt just fine.

Ups

-fun team and class based online FPS

-solid gameplay at a budget price

- destructible walls, floors, bridges and barriers

- weapons, gadgets and perks to unlock

-gun turrets don’t overheat

Downs

- vehicles and comm towers are not destructible

- control choices are limited and not customizable

- lives and dies on community or lack thereof

-some graphical hiccups, animation stuttering when throwing grenades

-sprinting does not feel that much faster than walking

-gun turrets don’t overheat

-you can only purchase and alter your weapons, perks and gadgets from main menu, not during or in between games

Bottom Line

Breach is a very enjoyable FPS however it cannot exist in a vacuum. Obviously it will face some stiff competition; mostly from retail FPSs currently available on the 360 and PC. None of these titles will make Breach any less fun and engaging, but they may bring the value proposition to the forefront of one’s mind. Nevertheless, Breach is vying for the same time and attention currently being given in droves to mulit-million sellers of the same genre. Breach is an online multiplayer only game. If no one plays it, it dies. I think Breach is worth your time and attention as it is a great bite sized FPS that people can get their hands around and enjoy. I say that as someone who generally dislikes class, team and objective based FPSs. Whatever community does or does not latch onto this game the developers at Atomic, bravely or foolishly, put their best foot forward and offer a quality alternative to an already popular and divisive genre. Try it, I think you’ll like it.

Full Disclosure: Breach was provided to GameEnthus.com by Atomic Games

-Ind1fference

When just one genre won’t feed your gaming appetite.

What would happen if you took a side-scroller like Sonic, added racing like Wipeout, toss in random power ups from Mario Kart, build in block clearing action from Super Puzzle Fighter 2 Turbo, paid homage to Mr. Driller and then wrapped it all up with a nice $10 (well, 800 Microsoft Points) bow? You’d have Raskulls, an awesomely enjoyable and readily accessible action platformer developed by Halfbrick and published by Microsoft Game Studios. Rarely does a game that takes flavors from other games successfully blend them together but Raskulls combined them with a nice helping of fun, humor and challenging gameplay.

The gameplay is simple. Clear colored blocks to get from the start line to the finish line. The blocks that will fall down form up with like colors to make bigger blocks. Along the way, you can pick up power ups that allow you to clear multiple blocks with one action, dash across the screen, steal powerups from your opponents or fill up your Frenzy Meter, lending you more time in an activated Frenzy Mode which will increase your speed through the stages.

There are two game modes, Mega Quest, and Grand Prix. Mega Quest is played single player and unlocks playable characters for both local and online multiplayer modes through many different types of challenges including timed races and puzzle stages like Ammo Scrooge, where you have a limited number of “Zaps” to remove blocks between you and the finish line. In Checkpoint Races, the player has to make it to the next checkpoint before time expires. Players are asked to zap bombs to defuse them, but don’t let a block fall on it or go boom that means game over in Bomb Disposal mode.

The Mega Quest introduces you to Dragon; a Raskull dressed as; you guessed it, a Dragon who has been summoned to the Castle by King to help weed out a thief who is planning to steal the treasure. Dragon then proceeds to navigate through the realm from challenge to challenge in a stage what looks very similar to the Overworld in Super Mario World.

The Grand Prix consists of four races where you go up against other competitors. These competitors could be the computer, your friends on your couch, and your friends on their couch or other players on other couches. The blocks that are cleared leave behind small “Frenzy Orbs” that will fill up the Frenzy Bar (See the bottom right of the screen shot). The Raskull in the lead often misses out on filling up their bar with those Orbs so they are left to be acquired by the other racers. This “Frenzy Balance” will allow the player in last place to catch up and get back in the running for first place! As you race, it’s up to you as how to get to the finish line. You can use your power ups to hinder your opponents or clear paths for yourself and leave them far behind.

Ups

• The challenges have multiple solutions
• Fascinating characters each with their own personality (Duck, Ridinghood, Wizard and my favorite, Ninja!)

• Single player games have a multiplayer feel when going up against the computer that prepares the player for what they are in for when playing online with other players
• The races are clever and with the frenzy balance plus power ups, there’s no guarantee that the person in first place is actually going to win!
• If you have gained an achievement in ilomilo or World for Keflings, you’ll have, in the multiplayer, a choice to play as one of those characters.

Downs

• The Mega Quest has some very frustrating challenges, which might alienate some young players
• Multiplayer does not have the same races that are available for single player, limiting the  diversity of raceways
  • Note: I believe that the colors of the blocks change for each race, and the random power ups may balance out this Down
• Shape-A-Saurus. I hate you, Shape-a-saurus.

Bottom Line

For those of you that have a 360 and no other console, this is a perfect pickup for those party game nights or to join in with your friends for a fun little challenge and escape. I enjoyed sharing the Mega Quest challenges with a friend.

How Acquired: I used some of my Santa delivered Points to purchase this for myself.

Have you ever wanted to play a video game that was based on the scenes from the future in the first Terminator?  Now’s your chance.  Only switch out Terminators with mutants (and future Nazis), Americans with Russians, and time travel with the paranormal.  Is it good?  Let’s find out…

This game slipped under the radar for me when it came out in March.  Now that I’ve finished it, I’m sorry I waited so long to play it.  What this game does best is set up the dreary, hopeless underground world of the post apocalyptic survivors in future Russia.  But it also does a pretty masterful job of keeping you on edge a lot of the time.  Everything from the near constant need of a gas mask to the scarcity of ammo, you’ll never feel too comfortable.  Your character, Artyom, is just a guy trying to survive the same as everyone else.  That is, until he’s tasked with destroying “The Dark Ones.”

Game-play is a bit of a mixed bag.  The guns seem to work well enough, but the aiming is a bit floaty.  Melee attacks aren’t mapped to a button unless you’re using a shotgun.  This means if you need to reload, it likely takes less time to change mags than to fish through your bag to find your knife.  Also, the game’s monetary system is pre-armageddon bullets which are more accurate and powerful than the ones made in the Metro.  So if you don’t find enough “cheap” bullets to get you through, you’ll literally be firing money at your enemies (just like Link’s bow in the original Legend of Zelda).  And be careful not to pick up weapons you’re not sure you want.  Many times I picked up a gun from the ground only to see the one I dropped fall right through the floor, never to be seen again.  This also happened to Artyom a few times during the game.

Both while I was playing the game, and in retrospect since I finished, I found all of the good to completely supersede any nitpicking I could do about the mechanics.  The story was incredibly immersive.  The sound, music, and voice acting fit so amazingly well.  Listening to the narrated transitional segments was a real treat.  And there were many segments in the game that gave me chills.  The game’s final act involves some truly creepy scenes that rival most horror movies I’ve seen.

I completed the game on Easy, getting the most common ending and it took me around 8-9 hours.  I can’t recommend this game enough.  It’s definitely a good buried treasure!

Pros:

–Superb storytelling and atmosphere

–Interesting characters

–True scares (not boo scares)

–Multiple endings

Cons:

–Imprecise controls

–A few bugs

–No multiplayer (which isn’t even necessarily a negative)

Ilomilo (XBLA)
Developer: SouthEnd Interactive
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Released: January 5, 2011
Price: 800 Allards

ilomilo has cuteness and charm in spades. However its high levels of cuteness are not in vain as it’s a quite an enjoyable puzzle game. ilomilo has around 49 levels where the objective is “simply” to reunite ilo and milo.The gameplay allows players to control either ilo or milo as they traverse each gravity and physics defying level. You can switch between them at will as you make your way through the game. Couch coop works similarly to the single player but players essentially have half the responsibility, only controlling ilo or milo. Seems like online play would have been easy to implement with players essentially taking turns.

Story elements are conveyed during loading screens in addition to conversations with Sebastian, who provides gameplay tips or other information. Gathering fragments in the levels also fills a meter that can ultimately result in unlocking a memory piece that reveals more about the game’s back story. The controls are fairly simple. Our characters are controlled with the left analog, camera movements are done with the right and the A button allows interactions with items. Items are special blocks that allow ilo or milo to drop through the floor, fill in 1 to 4 gaps vertically/horizontally in addition using environmental triggers that move platforms or allow temporary flight.

The levels, early on, feel as though they have hit a sweet spot on difficulty. However there were times, in later chapters, when I got stuck and needed to restart a level in order to complete it. Traversing the levels were a worthy endeavor as I never tired of seeing their happy dance upon getting them back together.  Other creatures in the levels can impede our heroes’ progress by blocking their paths or removing the item ilo or milo are carrying or just getting in the way until redirected. For such a cute game it was nice to have some adversity within the levels aside from just the overall challenge.

While finding each other is the primary goal for each level, little creatures called Safkas can be found and will unlock more game content along with photos and other knick knacks. Collecting all the Safkas in a level will unlock optional challenges. But that’s not all. ilomilo shuffle(pictured above) is an Easter egg mini-game that can also be accessed by either finding it the “Wet Ink” level in  chapter 3 or by entering a code(press LT, RT, LB, RB in the main menu sequentially). ilomilo shufle is a 2D game where you move our characters around together but not necessarily on the same row or column while collecting Safkas and photos to earn points and trying not to fall. It even has leaderboards. This game has it all!

Ups

Great gameplay

Looks great with ultra high levels of cute(ness)

Fun couch Coop

Easter eggs……literally

Downs

Difficulty can spike ridiculously at times

No online coop

Bottom Line

Worth your time and 800 Allards. Buy it.