The Magazine

[Benji]

There is a difference between this and the "What Have You Played Today" thread. I want more conversation in this thread, proper reviews, let's get some genuine opinion going so people can see exactly what games are worthy of their £30/$40. Please keep ratings out of 10 (including .5's) so we have a universal system. Please, if the game is ported to more than one console please state what the review is for so I know which section to include it in.

Also, please try and keep storyline spoilers in spoiler tags...

Spoilers in here.

GameBoy Color

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=708183">Pokémon Crystal by PkmnTrainerJ (6.9/10)

GameBoy Advance

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=575725">Pokémon Emerald by PkmnTrainerJ (8.5/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=609628">Shining Force: Return of Dark Dragon by EWRFan (8.5/10)

GameCube

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=590505">Bloody Roar: Primal Fury by Benjirino~! (4/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=575861">Madden 2006 by ROC (8/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=575775">Resident Evil 4 by Kaneanite (9/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=578818">Resident Evil 4 by KussenKDogg2 (10/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=576109">Tony Hawk's: American Wasteland by Dr Drezon (8/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=588516">WWF Day of Reckoning 2 by KussenKDogg2 (8/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=606425">X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse by Vilge Duin (6/10)

Nintendo DS

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=575855">Super Mario 64 DS by PkmnTrainerJ (8/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=579801">Nintendogs by Benjirino~! (6.5/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=753966">Mario Kart DS by Benjirino~! (5/10)

PlayStation1

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=579627">All-Star Racing by ROC (1/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=575687">Final Fantasy IX by Benjirino~! (9.5/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=606008">Harvest Moon: Back To Nature by EWRFan (9/10)

PlayStation2

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=578832">Blitz: The League by Eclipse 2K5 (10/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=705112">Blitz: The League by GhostMachine (7.5/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=578198">Brian Lara Cricket 2005 by The Future (6/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=647982">Chronicles of Narnia by The Future (7.5/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=604029">Dragonball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi by EWRFan (7.5/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=595666">Dragonball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi by The Future (7/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=711363">God of War by baseballfan2k6 (9.5/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=575856">Madden 2006 by Cole (9/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=579550">Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater by KussenKDogg2 (9.5/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=576080">Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks by Benjirino~! (6/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=579031">Pro Evolution Soccer 5 by fineintent (9.5/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=585262">Shadow of Rome by The Future (8/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=580522">Shadow of the Colossus by CKN (8/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=667509">Soul Caliber II by PkmnTrainerJ (6/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=580938">Soul Caliber III by {BIG} D (9/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=583591">Tekken 5 by Benjirino~! (6.5/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=581507">The Warriors by wwe_ps2_gamer (8.5/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=719619">The Warriors by EWRFan (8/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=604978">Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2004 by EWRFan(8.5/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=614398">Ultimate Spiderman by Kaneanite (6.5/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=603762">WWE Smackdown! Vs RAW 2006 by Vilge Duin (6/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&st=0&gopid=634594">WWE Smackdown! Vs RAW 2006 by Benjirino~! (7.5/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=579355">Yu-Gi-Oh: The Duelists of the Roses by PkmnTrainerJ (6/10)

SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=606611">Shining Force by EWRFan (8/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=610434">Shining Force 2 by EWRFan (9/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=612792">WWF RAW by EWRFan (6.5/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=612123">WWF Royal Rumble by EWRFan (6/10)

X-Box

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=651754">NHL 2K6 by desiredtoe (9/10)

X-Box 360

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=702606">Dead or Alive 4 by daman077c (9/10)

/forum/index.php?s=&showtopic=30019&view=findpost&p=707639">Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter by Rock-A-Box (5/10)

Edited May 1, 2006 by Benjirino~!

[Benji]

<center>

Final Fantasy IX

9.5 out of 10</center>

Review Reasoning...

Only recently have I recently began to play this game again and remembered how amazingly brilliant it was. Over time a lot of games lose the appeal of replay, but this game not only retains it, but builds upon it, the mini-games make it more than worthwhile and the storyline allows you to see a little more everytime as you notice intricacies.

Plot Review

The Kingdom of Alexandria is preparing for a war, Queen Brahne is growing her army alongside a mysterious man named Kuja. The Queen's daughter Princess Garnet Alexandros Til (who becomes known as Dagger) is the attempted victim of a kidnapping plot by a group of thieves, oh whom a young man named Zidane Tribal is a part. It is eventually revealed that the Princess' uncle, Cid, Regent of Lindblum ordered her kidnapping to save her from her mother.

The Pros

- Characters; Every character is placed in the game perfectly, even the minor characters tend to have a purpose in the overall gist of the game. Every characters is unique, but they come into their own during interaction.

- Replayability; I've replayed this game once before, I'm doing it again and I still find more to do, their is one way to get Steiners best weapon that involves beating the game in 12 hours, let me tell you, with FMV's and everything else it is one hell of a challenge to tactical players.

- Battle System; I'm a big fan of the weapon learning system, it allows for a nice mix in abilities and growing and developing your character is a fun way of getting past each boss tactically.

The Cons

- Love; Generally Final Fantasy has a very believable love plot, but this one is just way too contrived. I've seen the 'Uptown Girl' storyline work much better in films, although with some revelations this does become slightly more plausible.

- Treasure Hunting; It's actually impossible to get EVERYTHING due to the Excalibur II factor (the twelve hours previously mentioned).

- The Ending; Necron, the very final boss, he appears from nowhere, no hint to hit existence, he just appears after beating Kuja, it wouldn't be a con if it had even had a few hints that appeared to be nothing.

Final Notes

The pros far outweigh the cons, they are miniscule at best and once you have got all completed most of them become null and void anyway. To me this is a must buy and the most underrated game I've ever played, it seems to be in the shadow of FF7 but I find this to be the superior.

If you don't have it already, spend that money, you can get it very cheap, I'd recomend not to get the guide and instead to use a fully complete online FAQ as the official one uses PlayOnline hints which have been down for a while.

Edited October 30, 2005 by Benjirino~!

[PkmnTrainerJ]

Pokémon Emerald - 8.5/10

Review Reasoning...

I'm sure people have wanted to hear an actual review from me for quite a while for the large amount of games I play, and I've chosen Pokemon Emerald, a GBA game, which came out four days ago in the UK but I've had for a long while.

Plot Review

You, as the young protagonist have just started a journey with Pokemon after saving the village's Proffesor from a scary Zigzagoon. You must battle against, not one, but two evil teams as well as eight Gym leaders, including your own father. Not only that but an Emerald only suprise awaits you after the Elite Four...

The Pros

- All Hoenn legendaries (bar Jirachi) are obtainable in the game

- The Battle Tents

- The Battle Frontier

- Mew is finally obtainable in the game

[Kaney]

<center>

Resident Evil 4

9 out of 10</center>

Review Reasoning...

I've been short of cash recently, and considered selling my Gamecube as a means of bringing in some money. After all, the only games I have are remakes, or really complex games that you can't dip in and out of anytime you like. It was all going well until I remembered about Resident Evil 4. It's rarity in than it's one of the only games I regularly play, and because it's so fucking good I'd rather keep the GC, purely for this game. So I banged it in, and started playing all over again, and I'm still loving it, almost a year after I bought it.

Plot Review

You play as Leon Kennedy, of Resident Evil 2 fame. The presidents daughter has been kidnapped, and as a government agent, it's Kennedy's job to bring her home. It's not until you arrive in a dark, dank and dreary Spanish village where you realise there's something unusual going on. Now, Leon is no stranger to unsual enemies, but these villagers aren't exactly zombies...

The Pros

-A whole new gameplay engine, completely changes the Resi Evil experience. Being chased down a narrow corridor by disgusting creatures has never been so tense. New weapons, new attacks, new movements, new camera system, it's not hyperbole when they say RE4 revolutionises the series.

-The graphics. Oh god, the graphics. Jaw-droppingly georgous.

At the very beginning of the game you get an idea of how much detail went into the game, when you enter a hut to find a poor woman nailed to the wall by a pitchfork through the face. You can actually see the blood dripping off her face.

-New enemies, which makes a pleasant change from the same old zombies that filled the other games.

-

Wesker is (limitedly) playable. *comes*

The Cons

-The story can be slightly convoluted at points. At the very least, all it means is you should play through a second time to see everything. It's a fairly radical departure from the previous games, so it can throw the enthusiast's interest a little.

-Some actions/dialogue from Leon can be pretty cheesy.

-

Playing as Ashley, the presidents daughter. Okay, I get that it's a cornerstone of the series to throw you into a section where you play as a character who can't defend themselves, but this is ridiculous. You are basically trapped in a room with an enemy for a fair amount of time, with only a few flaming lamps to fend off the bad guy. But Ashley can't aim for shit. Argh.

Final Notes

As someone who's a great fan of the RE series, having played every console version thats been released, I can say without doubt that this is the best in the series. The gameplay perfectly compliments the atmospheric graphics, making it the most geniunely scary game I've played in recent memory.

Buy this game. If you don't have a GC, buy it on PS2 when it comes out next month, or whenever. I don't care, just buy it.

[PkmnTrainerJ]

Super Mario 64 DS - 8/10

Review Reasoning...

This was my first DS game, and due to the DS not being released in Europe when I got my DS, the only game I played for ages.

Plot Review

Normal, Peach is kidnapped by Bowser, Mario must save her storyline. However, Mario along with Luigi and Wario are captured and Yoshi must free them first. New bosses, new abilities, new lots of stuff.

The Pros

- More stars

- More characters

- Egg Laying with Yoshi

- Retro factor

- Mini-games

- Vs. Mode

The Cons

- Vs. Mode is less fun with just two people

- Can be annoying to get some stars

- It's the same storyline every Mario game (bar Superstar Saga, and Mario Bros 2.)

Final Notes

So fun. The retro factor of it combined with the new parts make it so amazing. Get it now. If you don't have a DS, get one of those now too.

[Cole]

Madden 2006

9/10

Review Reasoning...

This is a cool little topic and I thought I'd post my thoughts on a few sports games once and a while, Madden comes first. It's been an amazing game for football fans every year and I thought I'd give it a review.

The Pros

- Great franchise system like every other year

- In depth stats

- Great A.I

The Cons

- Passing cone is un-attractive to some

- Animations get old after playing for a while

- Hard to make the deep pass

Final Notes

Anyone who likes the NFL should atleast try it out, you can always turn the passing cone off if you find it to difficult to deal with. Overall the game is great as always but...there is room for improvement.

[ROC]

I'll copy Benji's formula, I guess, for this.

Madden NFL 06

8/10

Review Reasoning...

So, let's get this straight: I love football. I mean, looooooove football. I wouldn't say I'm a rabid viewer, but I definitely keep in check with my favorites in the NFL and NCAA. And, of course, the whole world loves them some Madden. So, I'm gonna be one of a billion folks that gives his opinion on this year's installment.

Plot Review

Well, people play grab ass and touch each other for an oval ball.

The Pros

- It's fucking Madden. It has all the awesome realism of pro football beloved in Madden. And it is a very solid looking game to watch and play.

- Owner Mode. Like any year, Owner mode will make you addicted. From taking your favorite team to the top or FINALLY giving Birmingham, Alabama that NFL franchise, it is still awesome.

- Superstar Mode. One of the niftier additions is the RPG-like Superstar Mode. It's always fascinating to football fans to get even more into the psyche of professional athletes, from their money-grubbing ways to their love of teamwork (or selfish ball-hogging).

The Cons

- Vision Cone. Sure, it's realistic. Sure, real QBs do it. It still doesn't stop it from being frustrating like a mo fo, especially on the Gamecube's nubby stick... Fortunately, you can turn it off.

- Repetition in Superstar Mode. Sure, it's fun, but there's only so much you can accomplish before you say "meh". Plus, comments often reappear, especially from people like Terrell Davis and Rich Eisen.

- Maybe not enough to warrant $50 US. I do love Madden, but unless you're really obsessed with having either the latest rosters or playing as a Superstar, you may wanna pass on this one.

Final Notes

Well, it all really come down to how up to date you want to be. If you just want simple football, a used copy of 05 will hold you just fine (it still does for me). But if you want more of here and now, pick it up. If you like having more minute realism, pick it up. And if you don't have any copy of Madden and aren't a sports fan, well then, you just wasted your time reading.

[Benji]

<center>

Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks

6 out of 10</center>

Review Reasoning...

I want to warn Europeans about the lack of a bonus

Plot Review

After the original Mortal Kombat tournament Shang Tsung escapes to Outworld, the shaolin monks of the temple of light, Lui Kang and Kung Lao, must go on a journey to defeat him once and for all with twists and battles along the way. This is a different continuity in the series that is supposed to replace Mortal Kombat II.

The Pros

- Multiplayer; So much fun and extra multiplayer features make this a fun game for teaming, the health bar is used by both characters, so no arguments on health stealing can occur.

- Puzzles; The game goes upon using certain moves to carry on and it sometimes takes a while to figure out exactly what you need to do.

- Storyline; So much better than MKII, it makes more sense than the tournament.

- Difficulty; The use of the final battle is brilliantly fun and tough.

The Cons

- Multiplayer; The best and worst feature, if you don't have a second person to play with it's much tougher and you can't get the most fun out of the game because a lot of the better features are with two people, especially the VS mode.

- Bonus'; PAL users don't get the free MKII as a bonus game for completing the Smoke missions, which is a total rip.

- Length; While it is tough, it's very short, they should have added extra storylines for Sub-Zero and Scorpion, it's stupid seeing them speak using Lui Kang and Kung Lao's voice. Foolish mistake.

Final Notes

It's certainly a welcome addition to the franchise, it's a tremendous couple of days of fun in two player and with single player its toughness increases, but this longevity is reduced by doing the exact same things pretty much in single and ko-op as well as characters having the same story. I'd wait until it is a budget title to purchase it because it simply isn't worth your money at new release price.

Edited October 26, 2005 by Benjirino~!

[Drezdon]

<center>

Tony Hawk's American Wasteland

8/10

Review Reasoning

I've owned every other TH game in the series and I thought it would be nice to share my experience with this one

Plot Review

Grab a skateboard and lets get grindin some poles

The Pros

- Moves back to it's original roots (not so much crash as the THUG games, more old skool)

- A great storyline that isn't too simular to ones of old, it's much more open than previous titles as you don't follow the story in a linear fasion anymore, it's more free range and at your call, although sometimes you do have to do some things in a certain order to advance

- Wider story mode game area, as it's broken down into chunks this time and you can hop onto a bus at any time for easy access to different parts of LA

- BMX is now included for one part of the storyline, it's not much but it's all that was needed, very cool indeed

Edited October 26, 2005 by Dr. Drezdon

[The Future]

Brian Lara Cricket 2005 for PS2

6/10

Review Reasoning...

I am a rabid Cricket fan and while the video games haven't exactly been top notch I have been having some fun with Brian Lara Cricket 2005

Plot Review

The Brian Lara Franchise has been running for a while and Codemasters bought it back so we can play the game with an updated roster at last

The Pros

-The Catching System is fun although a bit generic at times a metre basically shows up and you have to press X at the right time

-Career players are fun to use, you can't give them perfect stats right away and have to work your players up

-

Classics: A great selection of Classic Matches this time the India/Pakistan Classic match is a bitch to play as the bouncers come at you like rockets and also a great selection of Classic Players Wasim Akram,Imran Khan,Sunil Gavaskar

Edited October 28, 2005 by The Future

[KussenKDogg2]

Resident Evil 4(GC)

10/10

Review Reasoning...

People need to know, if they don't already, how much ass this game kicks.

Plot Review

US Agent Leon S. Kennedy is plunged into Evil once again, but it's a whole new kind of Evi all together. He must find and rescue the President's daughter, Ashley Graham, who's been kidnapped. Along the way we encounter some old acquaintances and some great additions to the RE Franchise.

The Pros

-The new plotline lends itself greatly to the new enemy types, all of which are incredible.

-Each of the new enemy types require a specific approach.

For example, enemies with the 'creatures' growing out of their backs plated in full armor, only weakness is the back.

Edited October 29, 2005 by KussenKDogg2

[Eclipse 2K5]

Blitz: The League

10/10

Reason for Review

- People need to know about the most fun game in at least a decade.

Plot

You are the owner of a franchise in a league very much like the NFL, but also very much unlike the NFL. You need to win the league championship.

The very beginning of the game shows Quentin Sands of the New York Nightmare (the favorites for the current season) ending your quarterback's career. You are shown talking to the mayor of the city your team is located in. You bet the mayor that if you win a championship, you get a new stadium paid for by the taxpayers, but if you don't win, something happens but I forget what it is.

Edited October 29, 2005 by Eclipse 2K5

[fineintent]

Pro Evolution Soccer 5

9.5/10

Pro Evolution is, quite simply, the football game to own. It lacks the cartoony nature of the FIFA series but manages, whilst maintaining huge realism, to remain immensely playable. Perhaps the funnest game, bar Goldeneye, to play with mates after a night out. Or before. Infact, why leave the house?

Pros:

- More licenses, this time teams like Chelsea, Arsenal, Celtic, Rangers et all recieve the official treatment. It's also easier to edit the unlicensed teams this year, with a new layer system in Edit Mode.

- Great graphics and player likenesses.

- Set pieces have been improved. If you take out Ronaldo on the edge of the box, expect Beckham to score. And, likewise, it is much easier to score a free kick for yourself.

- Skills are more relevant this year, with a player like Christiano Ronaldo dripping (cue rape joke) with flair and tricks galore.

- Master League mode is further improved, for example even older players can improve after a good match.

- Awesome to play with friends.

Cons:

- The big con is that you will most likely hate this game at first. It seems slow and sluggish compared to PES4. It does grow on you though. My only real complaint is that it is quite difficult to turn a defender due to the slower, more responsive gameplay.

[PkmnTrainerJ]

Yu-Gi-Oh: Duelist Of The Roses - 6/10

Review Reasoning...

The best Yu-Gi-Oh game so far, so it must be reviewed.

Plot Review

You are the legendary Rose duelist, summoned by a sorcerer and have to make a choice between the Red Roses (Yugi's team) or the White Roses (Seto's team). Then you have to battle the other side.

The Pros

- Card Fusing On The Field

- Card Upgrades

- Easy to understand rules

- Based on Battle of Bosworth

- Great for your first Yu-Gi-Oh game

- Two different sets of storylines

- Features my favourite card (Dark Magician) and favourite Trap (Crush card).

- Much better than the GBA games and Capsule Monster Coliseum

The Cons

- Can get boring after you've done everything

- Can be hard to get a big hold of

- It's Yu-Gi-Oh

Final Notes

Fun, and great for my first Yu-Gi-Oh game. Best card game I've ever played.

[KussenKDogg2]

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

9.5/10

Review Reasoning...

I just like this topic a whole lot, so I figure I'll be reviewing a whole bunch of games I thoroughly enjoy.

Plot Review:

You are sent into the middle of a major Cold War conflict zone. Nothing else I can really say without revealing the badass storyline.

The Pros

-The characters

-Ocelot-Makes his 'debut' as a brash young military commander. Easily on of the best characters I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing in a game. All around badass.

-Naked Snake(Big Boss)-Maybe the best 'Snake' in the series. Some good stuff with this character, I won't spoil that even in these spoiler tags

-Volgin-A badass boss character who just piles on the gruesomeness and the torturous elements of the game. Well developed villain.

Eva-So much to her...I can't even get into it all.

Edited October 30, 2005 by KussenKDogg2

[ROC]

Prelude to a Game Review:

Ladies and gents, I present to you a PS1 title that should never be played, or even looked at in the eyes. ROC presents His Inevitable Suicide Reviewing All-Star Racing for the PS1.

All-Star Racing (PS1)

1/10

Review Reasoning...

Well, I don't want any of you to ever play it so...this is a warning review.

Plot Review

It's racing...around with cars. I seriously can't get it any clearer than that.

The Pros

-Well, the racing you can enjoy for about 8.5 seconds exactly.

-That one button on the Playstation system called "off".

The Cons

-Not enough diversity between the "four games".

-Not enough cars.

-No Season mode.

-Lame multiplayer.

-No unlockables.

-No replay value.

-No fun.

-Lots of other shit that made the game suck.

-Paying money to actually play it.

Final Notes

To put it in long terms: All Star Racing is a wreteched disaster meant to mine the PS1 for money. It's prescence on earth should be ignored and therefore it shall no longer be allowed to exist.

To put it in short terms: Fuck you All Star Racing.

(And yes, I am lazy tonight, so it is shorter than usual.)

[Benji]

<center>

Nintendogs

6.5 out of 10</center>

Review Reasoning...

After playing J's I found it's actually more entertaining than first expected.

Plot Review

You look after dogs, enter competitions, Tamagotchi doggies

The Pros

- The Tamagotchi Factor; Remember when you were little how fun they were to compare to other peoples and play in general? This game takes that factor and expands upon it, finding gifts while walking is always nice.

- It's Not a Real Dog; No scooping the poop.

- Childishness; Seriously, it IS a kids game, but it's so blatantly sending you back to being a kid looking after the cute puppies.

- Varation; Different dogs, different competitions, ways to treat your dog, it's ensures a relatively different game every time.

The Cons

- The Tamagotchi Factor; The best and worst feature, it's lots of fun at first, but it gets very old very fast.

- Difficulties; It's all rather easy to do after a short burst of training, small learning curves are fine and good, but this isn't about learning curves, it's about your dogs being too good to lose.

- Bonus 1; Once you've done everything it gets boring, apparently even in multiplayer mode you don't get to do much else.

- Bonus 2; To get extra dogs you HAVE to face another version of the game, meaning you either have to convince a friend or you have to spend another £30/$40 on another version of the THREE variations.

Final Notes

A great short burst game, but not worth your money, if you want something like this I'd have to recomend getting a real dog, it's more messy, but it's also going to last you for life... not just for Christmas (Y)

Edited October 30, 2005 by Benjirino~!

[CKN]

Shadow of the Colossus

8 out of 10

Review Reasoning...

This game is amazing and people need to hear about it because it looks like it is turning out to be just like ICO, a sleeper hit

Plot Review

You ride around on your horse shining your sword to find 16 colossi to destroy so you can bring back a girl to life... trust me it sounds bad but is incredibly fun

The Pros

- graphics are amazing, put it on progressive scan mode they look better then amazing

- Colossi look amazing along with the environment

- Great amounts of strategy involved

- This game is pretty much a prequel to ICO

[Docpepper]

Soul Caliber III

9 out of 10

Review Reasoning...

an amazing fighter that clearly ranks up there with Virtual Fighter 4 , that I think doesn't get the credit it deserves.

Plot Review

The story of Soul Caliber II is mostly the same as it's past counterparts. Soul Edge is an evil blade, Soul Calibur has the power to stop it.

The Pros

- Pick up and Play mentality : - Like Soul caliber II , III makes it easy for newcomers to the franchise to pick up and play , but at the same time makes it challenging for the verterans

-Create A Soul:- Namco decided to add a create a fighter this time around , and its pretty decent. At first not much is available but after playing through story mode and such more items become unlocked.

-Sheer number of unloackables: - With 23 unlockable characters , illustrations , weapons , extra create a character classes / clothes , and weapons along with several other things.

-New Game Modes:- Since this is a ps2 exclusive , namco decided to get rid of arcade mode which was present in past games. The new mode(Tales of Souls) that replaced arcade is bascially an enhanced story mode where you choose a character and progress through a choose your own path adventure. Your choices determine who you fight and etc. The other new mode is Chronicles of the Sword , a bare bones rts. Also there's a world competition mode , arena mode and several others.

-The variety of characters and replay value:- one thing I love about this game is the sheer amount and variety of characters. and the replay value is pretty much unlimited.

The Cons

-Chronicles of The Sword:- while this mode is a breath fo fresh air , it is also slow . there's waiting between moving and loading times that when you get to a fight you are ready for it to end.

-Graphics:- while the graphics are good its easy to see that the game is running the ps2 to the max.. not really a problem with the game just a fault of the system. while they are not great they are still a tad better than Soul Caliber II. Some animations from II has been recycled but that is expected.

-Difficulty level:- Even on easy level the computer gets frustratingly hard as the fights go on. If you are new to the series then you will pull your hair out playing this game. I spent eight hours trying to beat the cpu. finally after getting ym teeth knocked out countless times , i decided to go to tutorial mode and schooled myself. After learning the moves for my character and spending several hours in practice mode , i was able to take out the cpu character.

FINAL NOTES

The game's ai has been getting a bad rap lately because they say it cheats. You'll be able to win a few fights by bustton mashing but if you want to succeed , you'll need to school yourself on your characters combos and etc. Soul Caliber III is a deep , challenging fighter that will keep you occupied for hours at a time. Watch out VF4 SCIII is coming for the number 1 spot

[ragbag]

The Warriors

8.5 out of 10

Reason Reviewing

This is one of the best movie to game transitions and a great action-fighter.

Plot Review

This includes the movie, but it includes a prequel to the movie that leads you to what happens between The Warriors and some other gangs that aren't in the movie.

The Pros

-Very robust fighting engine. It's easy to get in and start beating other gangs senseless.

-Storyline is fantastic, you don't even get to the movie section until you're 2/3 done with the game.

-Movie parts are expanded to add more gameplay.

-Soundtrack if from the movie and Rockstar included some in house tracks that go along good as well.

-Rumble Mode is a mode where you can create your own gang from over 300 soldiers and fight in a variety of modes.

Flashback missions so you how The Warriors were formed.

The Armies of the Night mini game, unlocked after you beat the game is a good side scrolling beat 'em up which tells of the Riffs kidnapping Mercy.

-Somewhat free roam environment as you can go through parts of Coney and do bonus missions or cause a ruckus.

The Cons

-Graphics are meh on the PS2

-Camera can be a hassle sometimes.

-Some collison detection problems.

-Story mode is short.

Final Notes

This is a great action-fighting game that shows why this movie needed to be a game. Rockstar did a fantastic job, but as like most Rockstar games, violence is the name of the game. This game does earn it's M rating so if your parents don't like to hear "Fuck" alot, you better learn to hide it well.