Metroid easily has to be one of my all-time favorite series of games. You play as bounty hunter Samus Aran, protector of the galaxy, who fights the evil Space Pirates’ who attempt to harness the power of biological weapons, including the organism know as Metroid. I have been a nonstop fan of the 11 games that have come out since Metroid’s creation in 1986, and am always looking forward to the next adventure.
In 2002 Nintendo released for the GameCube “Metroid Prime.” In all of the previous titles the game was viewed and played as a side-scrolling adventure. For this game Nintendo decided to change it up. It was the first time in the history of the Metroid series that players would experience the game in a first-person perspective. Most gamers were a bit worried and not quite sure what to think of such a change in style; thankfully Nintendo pulled it off perfectly. The graphics were excellent, the controls were smooth and worked great, and the game itself was an instant classic that dwarfed the other games in size and story. I loved every minute of it and couldn’t wait for the sequel.
In 2004 Nintendo answered our wishes by following up with “Metroid Prime 2: Echoes” for the GameCube. Again utilizing the first-person perspective and continuing the story that events from the first “Prime” game set, Nintendo had another hit on their hands. Again the graphics were excellent and even slightly improved, controls were slightly tweaked for the better and just as smooth as before and the game itself was excellent and also an instant classic. Once again, I loved every minute of it and wanted more.
In 2006 the GameCube was replaced by the new system, the Wii, and in the summer of 2007 Nintendo once again answered our prayers with their latest title in the Metroid family, “Metroid Prime 3: Corruption.” This game took all the best features from the previous titles and built upon them with new updated graphics; voice acting, for the first time ever; a new and unbelievable story that tied up the entire story; and a new and improved control system. Utilizing the pointing and motion controls of the Wii, “Metroid” fans were finally able to play the game in a way that felt so smooth and natural, that gave us unreal accuracy and made it all around so much fun to play, that you wouldn’t want to put the controller down. This is the way “Metroid” games should be played.
Well Nintendo agreed that the experience the Wii gave “Metroid” fans was unlike anything before and they felt that the fans deserved the chance to re-live the games that made this series so great with a new and improved control set up and updated graphics. On August 24, 2009, “Metroid Prime Trilogy” was released for the Wii and the fans rejoiced.
Nintendo packed on a single disc all three titles from the “Prime” series remastered with updated graphics and sound, all three games now utilize the same pointing and motion control system that “Prime 3” has and I must say once again Nintendo has a hit on their hands. Playing either of the original two “Prime” games with these updates makes me feel like I am playing a whole new game for the very first time. The graphics look absolutely great, the sound is excellent and the controls are top notch and feel oh so right. Thank you Nintendo for deciding to do this and improving on already great games; I am definitely glad you did.
The Good:
Graphic/Animations: The first 2 “Prime” games looked absolutely great on the GameCube and pushed the hardware to the limits and really set standards for how games should look. For the re-release Nintendo did a bit of a touch up to the games in hopes of making the series all feel like one giant story that had the same look and feel. Wow was I surprised to see the big improvements and upgraded quality of graphics for these games on the Wii. The textures, the little details and lighting have all been significantly improved. Even the character models have been touched up and look so much more clean and detailed than before. I was pleasantly surprised on how fresh and new these games look now and they really look as if they were just recently released for the current generation of systems and not back in 2002.
3 Games 1 Disc: When I first heard of the trilogy coming out I thought, “Oh great, three more discs to add to the collection at 50 bucks a pop.”
Thankfully that is not the case. Nintendo has packed all three games onto a single disc at a low price of $49.99 (that’s about $16 per game!) so you don’t have to worry about multiple cases taking up space on your shelves but also so you can easily jump from game to game without ever getting out of your seat. I love the fact that I can play “Prime 1” then from the game menu jump right back into playing “Prime 2” or “3” if I want without having to take discs in and out of my system – quick, easy, and saves you a bit of time and space. Also to add the case the game comes in is a somewhat heavy hard metal collectible case with awesome artwork and a single guidebook that covers all three games. On top of that, “Prime 3” which is included, is a Wii title that came out only two years ago and is still close to 50 bucks in stores as a standalone title. Definitely a great deal!
Game play: Each of the games has such a great story that it not only takes you countless hours to go through but also starts at the first game and continues on right up to the last game. It has you wanting to find out what happens next and immediately starting up the next game once you complete the one you’re on.
With multiple missions and puzzles to solve as well as awesome weaponry and suit functions to use and upgrade, each game feels epic all the way through. The level of story details and extras the developers put in the game really adds to the depth of the story and makes it so you want to go through and complete the games 100% by collecting every item, bit of lore and info you can. While playing this game you almost start to become attached to Samus and start worrying what’s going to happen to her next. (Yes the main character is a female, just in case you didn’t know; she is one of the very first female heroes in video games and one of the best and most bad-ass video game heroines of all-time.) These games are so much fun that you will definitely lose sleep due to constant playing.
Controls: While “Prime 3” was already a Wii title that used the motion controls, playing the first two games with the new Wii pointing and motion controls is how these games were meant to be played. The level of accuracy that you get from being able to actually point at the screen is precise and flawless. Moving around the levels and navigating the menus is great and spot-on. It is so smooth now and really adds to the depth that these games have. No longer do you get frustrated when trying to shoot small moving objects or lock-on and fight off a boss. It now feels natural and the game really flows so much better. Your movements and actions are more precise and the game play is most definitely improved because of it. When these games first came out I never thought they could get any better. Man was I wrong.
Game Modes/ Extras: Not only do you have the three main story modes to play, but they also included the multiplayer mode that was included with “Prime 2.” While it isn’t the greatest multiplayer death match game out there, back in the day when the game came out it was kind of cool to have and fun to play with friends for a quick match or two. It is definitely nice that Nintendo decided to include it in the trilogy when they really didn’t even need to. Also another great thing Nintendo did with the trilogy is include the “achievement tokens” from “Prime 3” in all of the games.
Now when you complete a mission, collect an item or beat a boss you receive a token which can be redeemed on the main menu to unlock bonus materials such as concept art galleries, soundtrack music, and other extras. Great thing is you can use the tokens to unlock any of the bonus materials from any game as long as you have enough of them; there is no limit to what you go after.
The Bad:
Not a whole lot I can think of. These games are some of the best to ever come out.
I did notice on a very rare occasion some graphical glitches, screen tearing or pixilation of edges during some of the game play and cut scenes that if you were not looking for them you might not even notice. But for games that came out around 2002 on a whole different system you can’t really complain since Nintendo did a bang up job of cleaning these up and enhancing them to such outstanding levels. Also on occasion the controls could be a bit touchy if you move your hand a little too quickly to the left or right which would cause Samus to start doing a 360 which might just have been from me being overexcited to play.
Other than it I really can’t find much to complain about. These games are great and worth every second.
The Bottom Line:
Like I said before these games are some of the best games to ever come out and that I have ever played. Great graphics, an immersive and fantastic story, and game play that absolutely can’t be beat and still impresses the gaming world as being innovative and a standard for future games. I am impressed with what has Nintendo has done to revive the previous titles, and I’m glad that they bundled them together for a very low price and brought them into the next generation with new and quite improved controls.
I highly recommend this trilogy to everyone and anyone looking for a collection of games that will not only entertain you but also provide hours upon hours of game play. Playing these past titles felt like playing brand new games for the very first time. There is a ton more I could tell you about this set and I could go on forever talking about how great this collection is but I think you need to see for yourself what I’m talking about. Go get this set; it is definitely worth it. You will love the huge improvements and updates Nintendo has given us and you won’t be disappointed.
Scribblenauts – Useful Cheats, Easter Eggs and More (Nintendo DS)
Cheat: Useful Items
Enter the following terms for extremely useful things:
• Invincibility Cloak - Put this on and you'll take no damage
• Invisibility Cloak - Harmful creatures won't be able to see you with this item equipped
• Pocket Knife - (Weapon) Infinitely useful!
• Lunar Rover - Cancel out gravity in style
Cheat: Re-Use Words in Challenge Mode
Challenge Mode wants you to get creative by not allowing you to use the same words in three separate trials. If you cannot think of something creative, you can take advantage of The Great Adjective Exploit to bypass this entirely: just add an adjective (or whatever) in front of a word and the game will give you a free pass to use it again. For instance, to "reuse" MONSTER, type SCARY MONSTER or GIANT MONSTER and the game will react as if you just used the term MONSTER for the first time!
Unlockable: Title Screen Backgrounds
Additional backgrounds can be unlocked for the title screen "sandbox" mode by entering the words below:
2 - "cat"
3 - "car"
4 - "bee"
5 - "tree"
6 - "woman"
7 - "coffin"
8 - "vibes"
9 - "coin"
10 - "chair"
11 - "zombie"
12 - "court"
13 - "rain" and select "rain(water)"
14 - "it"
Easter Egg: Space Level
Enter the word TELEPORTER in the main menu/ lobby to be sent to a secret space level. You may also be taken to two other secret levels -- it's completely random!
Do you have a game or system you play all day long that you absolutely love that you want me to check out and possibly review so the world knows all about it? Perhaps you’re thinking about going out to the store and picking up a specific game but not sure if you should spend the time and money. Unsure of how a new technology works or what the future holds in the world of gaming? Let me know and I could possibly pick your idea and write about it in the coming weeks. Submit your ideas and thoughts in the comments section of this post and let me do the dirty work so you don’t have to. I will hunt down the latest news, info, tips & tricks and demo the games that you want to know about. Any game, any system – doesn’t matter to me! Maybe I’ve already got the inside scoop on exactly what you’re looking for. Let me know what you want and I will make it my mission to get it for you.
I’m very interested and cannot wait to hear what you can come up with.
Release Date: August 5th 2009 List Price: $10.00 on Xbox Live Arcade
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a comic book about four turtles exposed to a radioactive ooze that causes them to mutate and grow into four wise-talking, pizza-loving teenagers who are trained ninjas with attitude. They fight crime and a ninja clan known as the Foot. Not only was this a great comic book but also eventually made into a hit cartoon TV show and multiple live-action movies, as well as action figures and video games. I was a huge fan, and still am. In fact, I just recently bought the Bluray collectors’ edition of the live-action films. The movies still to this day bring a smile to my face and give me the occasional laugh. Yes, if you haven’t guessed already I am a bit of a geek – guilty as charged.
Back in 1991, ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time’ was built for arcade machines. Eventually the game was ported over for its countless fans to the Super Nintendo System. The premise of the game was that the Statue of Liberty has just been taken by a mysterious giant android and once again it is up to the Ninja Turtles to make things right. I must admit I loved this game on Super Nintendo and spent countless hours hacking and slashing through endless waves of Foot soldiers. I remember playing this game over and over with my brothers until I think we burnt through the cartridge and needed to go buy a new one. So when I heard that Microsoft was remaking this game in new updated HD graphics and sound for the Xbox Live Arcade I was thrilled with nostalgia and had my credit card in hand ready for download when it released.
While yes it is still fun to play and does bring back some fond memories, sadly the level of fun and excitement just doesn’t feel the same as it did back in the day and is unfortunately a bit of a let-down. The Good:
Nostalgia – Microsoft did do the fans a service and kept the same feel of the previous game: The turtles still make their goofy and quite cheesy comments, you still fight a bunch of the recognizable enemies from the series, and it still has, for the most part, the same level layout from the past game. It definitely brought back memories of me playing the game with my friends and had me saying out loud a few of the in-game sayings.
Easy to play – This game only takes a couple buttons on your controller to play as you move from left to right on screen while you punch, kick, and jump your way through the game. With a very simple control scheme anyone can play, from a small child all the way up to a non-game-playing adult. This is nice when you want to get friends or family that normally don’t play to join in with you.
Multiplayer – This game in the arcades was a four-player game; on Super Nintendo it was only able to be played with two people. Microsoft has thankfully decided to go with the arcade version of the game and offer a four-player game, which is quite nice when you have multiple people wanting to play at the same time. Fun when looking to play a game with a group of people.
The Ok:
Graphics – I am on the edge with the graphics in this game. While the new updated graphics do bring a fresh feel and look really good compared to the previous 32-bit versions, and add some depth to the picture, it just seems a bit off. While I am surprised at the amount of time they must have put into this and all the extra background details they added, I feel as if they probably should have just kept to the original graphics of the past games and perhaps just cleaned/sharpened them up to bring them into the HD era. To add to this, the new graphics at times appear very blocky and not very smooth. Perhaps this was the artistic approach the developers wanted, but it makes the game look a little unfinished.
Game play - This game is a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles button masher, plain and simple. It doesn’t take a lot of thinking to play this game. You pick your turtle (Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, Raphael) and then immediately start the game swinging. The levels are a side-scrolling punch and kick fest, that doesn’t take any real level of skill to play. A simple and fun to play type of game which anyone can enjoy even if not a gamer when you are looking for something mindless to do. Back in the day the very basic button masher was a very common type of game (‘Streets of Rage,’ ‘Double Dragon,’ etc) that was great to play and would cause hours to pass by, but now does seems a bit out a date and doesn’t quite hold up to the level of enjoyment of today’s caliber of button mashing games. Also, I found that you can easily go through the game in one roughly hour session and then feel as if you do not need to replay it. While yes this is just a remake of the previous game which was quite simple compared to today’s standards, I for some reason feel like the previous versions took longer to go through.
The Bad:
Level Structure – For this game Microsoft decided that they were going to go for the arcade version to structure the levels. While this is meant to be a remake of the original version, I feel as if the SNES version was the better game and offered more to the players as well as the more recognized version by gamers. Playing through this game there were levels missing that I really enjoyed playing on the SNES (the entire tecnodrome stage) and 4 bosses from the SNES where also not present (the Rat King, Bebop and Rock Steady, Battle Tank Shredder, Slash). Not only did this disappoint me a little bit but also it shortened the actual game and made the story not flow as well. I really think for the money this game costs they should have used the longer version. Perhaps there were licensing issues or something else that prevented this from happening. Either way bad decision on someone’s part and not cool!!
Game Modes: In the SNES version of the game there was not only the story you could play through but also a time trial mode and two players versus fight mode. While they were very basic and didn’t add much to the game they were still fun to play on occasion. Unfortunately Microsoft decided to not include these modes in the game but instead to have a survival mode which you play through a level with only one life and need to try and make it to the end. They also included a quick play mode where you can play any level to rack up a score without the worry of having to lose lives since they give you 99 to start. I really think they should have kept the time trial and versus mode on top of the new modes to add to the replay value of the game.
The Bottom Line:
Being a big fan of the series and original games as well as putting in so many hours back in the day on the SNES I was really looking forward to this game and couldn’t wait to start it up. Unfortunately I think Microsoft decided to remake the wrong version of this game. While this game is still fun to play, looks good and is worth checking out, it just doesn’t feel the same. They could have done so much more with this game and really captured what made the originals so great. Will I continue to play this game with my friends and enjoy doing so? Yup, I sure will, but I will definitely be wanting more and wishing the developers took a second look at this before putting it out.
Is this game worth spending the 10 bucks on? That’s a question I am on the fence with. For nostalgia purposes and some quick fun sure, pick it up, it’s not too bad, but I recommend you download the trial version first and give it a look, then make your decision if you want to pick it up. If you’re looking for a simple button mashing game to waste some time with family or friends this might be for you, but you might want to also see what your local game store has first before dishing out the 10 bucks.
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 - Unlockable Characters and More (Xbox 360, PS3)
Unlockable: Characters
Unlock the following characters by performing the actions listed below:
• Hulk - Collect all 5 Gamma Regulators • Jean Grey - Collect all 5 M'Kraan Shards • Thor - Asgardian Runes • Ms. Marvel - Beat the NYC Level • Deadpool - Beat the D.C. Level • Iron Fist - Choose the Rebel side when faced with the choice • Songbird - Choose the Register side when faced with the choice
Complete Cheat List Entering the following codes disables saving. Use the D-pad on the controller to enter the following codes for the desired effect: • Unlock Movies - (Enter in the Main Menu) UP, LEFT, LEFT, UP, RIGHT, RIGHT, UP, START
Toys R Us began testing back in March a video game trade-in program in a few select markets across the country. It appears that they liked what they saw because the retailer has said that today they will begin accepting used games from the Atari 2600 on up to the newest releases nationwide.
Toys R Us is trying to do something new and quite interesting that no other retailer does: They are allowing any game to be traded in, no matter its age or make. You could bring any game you have for any system (currently about 25 different systems) as long as you have the original game in the original packaging. When you exchange your games you will be given store credit to be used at Toys R Us and Babies R Us stores, along with the affiliated online outlets.
Bill Lee, Vice President, Divisional Merchandise Manager, Toys R Us U.S., put out the following statement about the program:
"The video game trade-in program is another way we're providing customers with additional value when they visit our stores. This program is designed to make the exchange process completely hassle-free for customers by accepting games from even the oldest systems, including the original Atari 2600 and 32-bit Sega Genesis."
This move is a smart way to bring in customers. There really isn’t anywhere in this day and age that you can go and trade in old-school games other than a specialty shop (which are very hard to find) or Ebay. Many of us still have games from years ago lying around the house that are doing nothing but collecting dust; why not get a few bucks for them and possibly buy a brand new game to play, or anything else that they have for sale? Yup, the credit you get does not have to be used to get more video games. You can use it for whatever the store carries, from stuffed animals to a new baby crib. Whatever you want – not that bad of a deal, wouldn’t you agree?
The only thing that I find a little odd and perhaps a missed chance to make even more money is that Toys R Us isn’t going to be reselling the used games back to their customers in their stores. The games are going to be collected by a third party company that will then resell the games to various retailers across the country. It sure would have been nice to be able to go in to the store and pick up a few of my old favorites and replay them. Oh well, perhaps this will change as time goes on. Fingers crossed.
Well, it looks like I need to start digging through all my stuff to find my old collection of dust-covered games.
The Beatles are one of the most successful and critically acclaimed bands in the history of music. The English rock /pop group formed in Liverpool in 1960 with John Lennon (vocals, rhythm guitar), Paul McCartney (vocals, bass guitar, piano), George Harrison (lead guitar, vocals) and Ringo Starr (drums, vocals). Their style and statements made them trend-setters, and their music influenced the social and cultural revolutions that defined the 1960s. The Beatles have sold between 600M-1B records internationally. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked them number one in its list of 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Their influence in the music world will be heard for all time and they will continue to inspire artists for many years to come. It is because of this unmatchable success and influence that MTV Games and Harmonix honor The Beatles with their very own video game to join in the already successful and quite popular Rock Band family. On Sept. 9, The Beatles: Rock Band was released to the world coinciding with the release of the new, remastered CD versions of The Beatles' albums. The game consists of 45 songs spanning their entire career, along with virtual creations of the band members performing the songs in the various venues that they once played. There is also downloadable content featuring additional songs and full albums – the entire Abbey Road (1969) album. Check your system for updates.
Four new limited-edition controllers modeled after The Beatles iconic instruments have also been introduced to coincide with the game’s release: a Rickenbacker 325 guitar played by John Lennon; a Gretsch Duo Jet guitar played by George Harrison; a Höfner bass played by Sir Paul McCartney; and a Ludwig drums set played by Ringo Starr. They work just like the previous instruments in the Rock Band family and offer no new game-play features. They are gorgeous to look at and, even if you already own multiple instrument controllers from previous games, they are great collectors’ items.
But, The Beatles are more than just another rock band – they are not only known for their fantastic music catalog but also their artistic, creative and psychedelic imagery and films which cannot be duplicated. Yellow Submarine is still one of the craziest movies ever – even my 3-year-old son loves watching it (it’s his favorite). This is where most of my concerns were. Thankfully there was no reason to worry at all: This game is probably the closest we will ever get to a full Beatles experience in a video game, and it definitely makes sure we enjoy every minute of it.
The Beatles: Rock Band not only gives the already established fans a great video-game experience, but it introduces their music and style to new generations that might not have been familiar with their works. Who knows – it just might inspire a new musician to create the world’s next masterpiece of musical genius.
I will be posting my full review of The Beatles: Rock Band in the coming weeks, but I can tell you now it is definitely worth the money for any Beatles fan to pick up and a lot of fun for those newcomers to Beatlemania.
Check it out and let me know what you think in the comments.
Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga - Character Unlock Codes (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii)
To unlock any of the following characters for in-game use go to the Cantina, and access the codes command. Insert the following codes to unlock the character you wish to use.
• Admiral Ackbar - ACK646
• Battle Droid Commander - KPF958
• Boba Fett - LA811Y
• Boss Nass - HHY697
• Captain Tarpals - QRN714
• Count Dooku - DDD748
• Darth Maul - H35TUX
• Darth Sidious - A32CAM
• Ewok - EWK785
• General Grievous - PMN576
• Greedo - ZZR636
• IG-88 - GIJ989
• Imperial Guard - GUA850
• Jango Fett - KLJ897
• Ki Adi Mundi - MUN486
• Luminara - LUM521
• Padme - VBJ322
• R2-Q5 - EVILR2
• Sandtrooper - CBR954
• Stormtrooper - NBN431
• Super Battle Droid - XZNR21
• Taun We - PRX482
• Vulture Droid - BDC866
• Watto - PLL967
• Zam Wesell - 584HJF
Bonus Unlockable character:
If you go to the Bonus Room in the game and watch the trailer for the new Indiana Jones game, Indiana Jones will then become a character that you can use in the game.
The Joker is up to something! Batman has once again tracked down and captured him just a few weeks after the clown prince of crime broke out of Arkham Asylum, the home for many of the wild and crazy maniacs that Batman himself has taken care of and sentenced to a life in a padded room. Problem is, you can never trust the Joker, so after getting back into the building – which just so happens to also be housing hundreds of the Joker's henchmen after a strange and "mysterious" fire at their prison – The Joker breaks free with the help of his main squeeze, Harley Quinn, and takes control of the penitentiary, releasing all the inmates. It’s now once again up to Batman to take down the clown prince and his minions and figure out what the Joker is really up to before Gotham becomes the target of yet another deadly plan.
First off let me say this. I was completely skeptical of this game when the demo came out. While the demo showed a very tight action game that appeared to be well-polished, it just seemed like another button-masher that you could quickly punch and kick your way from room to room til the end of game. Too many times in the past have video game makers attempted to make a truly awesome comic book game and failed. I won’t name names, but you know who you are!
Well, once I got my hands on an actual copy of this game my opinion completely turned around. Finally someone has answered the prayers of all us comic book geeks wanting something that we only dreamed would some day be a reality. This game ROCKS!! Now while it does have a few things wrong with it (I’m talking a very few) all around this game delivers and is probably so far the best game I have played this year, and definitely the best comic book translation to video game I think I have ever played..
The Good:
Graphic/Animations: WOW..I mean really WOW…This game looks incredible, from the fine detail in the environments, down to the cuts and tears in Batman’s costume as the game progresses. This game is very well put together and they made sure to add as much detail and effects as possible in every scene to immerse you in the game. This game has the look and feel as if I should be paying $12.50 for a ticket to see it on the big screen. The cut scenes flow so well and the level of character detail in them are just scary. Each time the Joker is on screen is just terrifying. This game looks awesome!
Dialogue/ Voice Acting: Again WOW.. Not only does the dialogue make the story feel so alive and fresh and really help progress the story but it is also being acted out by the same people that do the voices in the animated series. Mark Hamill is the Joker, Kevin Conroy is Batman, and Arleen Sorkin is Harley Quinn. I have to say that Mark Hamill as the Joker just adds a level of depth that really brings the character to life, and Kevin Conroy as Batman really makes the Dark Knight a presence you don’t want to mess with. I am quite impressed with the amount of extra chatter in the game as well, not only during cut scenes but also as you just walk down a hallway. It’s great to hear the Joker taunting you as you try to solve one of his many puzzles. Great job!
Game play: At first I thought I was in store for another button-mashing punch fest. Man was I wrong. This game has so much to do – I was really surprised at all the options. Not only do you have to try to figure out why the Joker is taking control of the Asylum by doing some serious detective work, but you have to act just like if you were the Dark Knight himself. Sure you can run in a room and start swinging if you’d like, but it is much more fun and satisfying to sneak in the shadows and slowly terrorize and pick off bad guys one by one until the last one standing is so terrified he just wants to run away. Sometimes this is really your only option if you want to successfully complete a mission. Also to add to this, you have an array of gadgets, like a batarang, explosive gel, grapple hook, and a few more with their own unique and upgradable functions to help you solve the puzzles and take out the enemy. Now if you feel like just running in don’t worry, Batman is an expert at martial arts and with the free-flow combo system that’s part of this game taking on a group of henchmen feels like a smooth and fast-paced dance that I myself would not want to join in. Batman definitely can kick some serious butt.
Detective Mode: When not fighting off a horde of enemies, Batman needs to switch it up and do some actual detective work. The detective mode makes it possible to scan objects for clues, finger prints, or even scent trails in order to figure out what the Joker is up to or to get past an obstacle. This is something that I am glad they included in the game because Batman is considered a master detective in the comics and it would have been a shame if we didn’t get a chance to experience this first hand. The only problem that I have with detective mode is that I tended to leave it on during most of the game play and I think they should have perhaps limited the amount of time you have for it, perhaps a recharge type of thing to make you have to slow down a bit and think of your next move. Otherwise this feature is great and quite fun to use.
Game Modes/ Extras: Not only do you have the campaign mode, which lasts easily 9 hours or longer, but they also included challenge mode, which gives you the ability to go into a free-for-all standoff to see how long you can last against an onslaught of bad guys in multiple levels. Man, can this get tough but it is oh so much fun. Trying to string together as many combos as possible while flipping around and countering oncoming enemies in a way only Batman could do will cause many hours to pass by and have you building up a serious finger-blistering sweat. I swear I felt like I went 10 rounds with Mike Tyson after playing this for a few hours, and I would most definitely step in the ring with him again. Also to add to the fun, in-game you have various riddles set for you to figure out by the Riddler, which once solved grants you some fun extras like trophies, audio recordings and fact sheets on various characters. Just solving the riddles can take you countless hours and is definitely a fun extra that is worth doing.
The Bad:
Not much really.
It can become repetitive to fight off an amazingly large army of the Joker’s henchmen who all appear the same, and to take out a henchman as he’s standing next to another without being noticed might be a little much. But it’s still fun to do.
Another gripe I have is the lack of including and taking on some of the more famous villains from the Batman universe. While some do make cameo appearances or the game acknowledges them in some way, it does make me a little sad that they are not in the game to go against. I don’t want to spoil it for you so you will just have to see yourself what I am talking about. Hopefully future games will bring them out so I can dish out some justice Batman style.
Also I did notice on a very rare occasion some graphical glitches or pixilation during cut scenes that if you were not looking for them you might not even notice.
Other than it I really can’t find much to complain about. This game is great.
The Bottom Line:
Like I said before this game is the best comic book game I have ever played. Great graphics, fantastic story, well-composed and downright awesome voice acting by the cast from the TV series, and game play that absolutely can’t be beat. Easily one of my favorites to play, and with the multiple options and game modes it has a replay value that will keep you busy for many hours til the late hours of the night. I highly recommend this game to everyone and anyone looking for a game that will not only entertain you but also give you a bit of satisfaction as you sneak around taking out unsuspecting enemies in creative and downright fun ways. I felt like I was playing a Batman movie. This is probably the closest thing we will ever get to a true Dark Knight video game. Go get this game – you won’t be disappointed. I know I wasn’t.
Remember back in the day when video games were nothing more than a tiny white square bouncing back and forth against a solid block that you moved up and down by a simple joystick? Spending countless hours playing against your family or friends till your eyes felt like they would fall out of your head? The graphics were amazing, the controls so easy and smooth, and the game play was absolutely addictive. We were all on cloud nine, thinking, “Man this is the best thing since sliced bread” and “how could it ever get better than this?” If we only knew what awaited us all …
Now video games are displayed in high definition with graphics so realistic you can almost reach out and grab them. The controllers have what seems like endless buttons that control multiple things and look like they should be on the Starship Enterprise. The game play is as addictive – if not more than – as before and still causes us to lose countless hours in front of the TV trying to get to that next level. Gaming has never been better. Life is great! How could we imagine anything better than this? Well, we said the same thing 20 years ago and now it appears that we are yet again in for a big change in what we perceive as gaming.
“How so?” you ask. What could the video game companies do for us now to take us to an even higher level of gaming, even better than what we are already at? Not possible! No way! What if I told you that instead of just sitting in front of your TV on the couch mashing your fingers on your multiple button controllers you could get up and be part of the game, actually control and play the game with a simple wave of your hand, a point of your finger, or simply by moving your foot? Would that interest you?
Well it looks like that is about to become reality. I’m talking about motion control and full-body immersion into the games we play.
Nintendo has already begun using this technology with their Wii video game system, and they have shown the world that gaming can be more than what we have ever known. Using their Wiimote controller you can swing a golf club and play 9 holes, pick up a tennis racket and take on a friend in a friendly match, and even go bowling right in your living room (bowling shoes not needed). It’s great; instead of just sitting there mashing on the buttons to play the games, you actually have to stand up and interact with the game.
And to add to the fun, Nintendo recently released an add-on to the controller called the Wii Motion Plus, which gives you even more control and true one-to-one motion transfer. Bundled with “Wii Sports Resort,” you now can have a fencing match, shoot a three-point basketball contest, or play a game of Frisbee catch with a dog, as well as many other games.
It truly is remarkable and adds to the games on a level we’ve never had. Seeing the success of the Wii and how the public embraced motion control in their games, Microsoft and Sony both decided that they too now would venture into this new technology.
At the latest E3 conference, Sony unveiled their answer to Nintendo with the PS3 Motion Controller. Using a wand like controller in conjunction with the PS3 eye camera, your motions will be tracked and translated in the game. The wands have a glowing orb mounted on top that the camera uses to track your movement and to locate you in a 3-D space. From what they showed in a demo video, the wands can be replaced in-game for anything, from a bow and arrow to a sword to a baseball bat; whatever you need to use in the game will be available. The motion translation appeared quite fluid and looked to be working how they wanted.
Other than that not mush else has really been released about the Motion Controller yet. Sony is keeping a tight grip on what they release to the public but has said that it will work like nothing else and definitely change the way we play our games. They haven’t given a time frame for when this will be released but hopefully it’s soon. I will be interested to see what more they show us in the coming months.
Microsoft recently announced their new product, code named Project Natal, which will work with the Xbox 360. Microsoft has not released a lot about this yet, or when exactly it will be hitting the shelves, but from what they have shown people so far it looks as if this might be quite impressive and possibly the next big thing.
Natal will utilize a camera system that can track your every movement in a 3-D space, as well as at the movement of over 40 joint points on your body. It will be able to see you in a light or dark room and be able to pick you out of a group of people. It also has facial, voice, and even emotion tracking abilities that will be able to add to the way we interact with the system and play games. You will be able to control the system and game play without the use of a controller but instead with a simple wave of your arm, gesture of the hand, or a voice command. You will be able to drive cars, fight off armies of enemies, play sports, and control your characters all with your own body.
Combined with new A.I. software which you will be able to speak to, Natal will understand what you’re saying and follow your commands. We will soon be able to fully interact with the game as if we were actually a part of it. This is the one I’m very interested in and cannot wait to see more of.
From what has been shown to us so far it looks like we all are in for a treat and a major advance in the way we play games. The great thing is these technologies are going to make it so that all generations will be able to play the games and be a part of the fun. All you will need is yourself and you will be in the game, enjoying the fun with friends and family.
Imagine being able to drive a race car in the Grand Prix just by mimicking the same motions you would if you were really behind the wheel, or fighting off a ferocious dragon by swinging your sword, and casting a magic spell with a simple flick of your wrist.
Imagine being able to command your army of special operatives to secure the final bunker with a simple voice command or arm wave.
This is where we are heading. The future of gaming is now. This isn’t just a dream or wish; this is reality, and it will be here sooner that you think. Prepare to be part of the game and experience things we have never seen before. Are you ready? I know I am and I cannot wait to see what the next few months are going to bring us but it is definitely an exciting time to be a gamer.
As more news comes out about these new technologies I will be sure to let you know about it. So what do you think? Is this the way we should be heading, or do you think it’s just a gimmick that will quickly fade? Sound off and let me hear what you think.
Not only is James Dumas the Senior Network Operations Tech at Captivate, but once he gets home he’s in a constant battle of button mashing, extra lives, and power ups to reach that next level.
With the countless hours behind the controller and multiple bottles of Mountain Dew comes experience and knowledge (and maybe a few sleepless nights) that will hopefully guide you to that high score you’ve only dreamt about. Time to jump into the virtual battlefield – once you’re in there’s no turning back.
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Not only is James Dumas the Senior Network Operations Tech at Captivate, but once he gets home he’s in a constant battle of button mashing, extra lives, and power ups to reach that next level.
