One of the questions I get from parents and friends is "What game and/or system do I buy for _______?" I know that the 13 year old wants Call of Duty: Black Ops and its assumed the younger kids want something for the Wii. I have a problem with both these gifts. Here are some tips on how to give "cool gifts" and a way to be a Santa...
Let's deal with the teenage crowd first. A 13 year can play Black Ops and be really good at it, the problem I have is going online with a game like this. The single player campaign is only half the game in most of these FPS. I have heard the argument you can't always control what your kid does on Xbox Live or PSN but you can. There are a ton of other great games out there this Holiday season. Black Ops promotes little Billy being locked in his room yelling into his headset till 3 in the morning. Its the Holidays damn it lets get everyone in front of the Xbox, PS3 and Wii. Here's a few winners to try instead:
ModNation Racers - PS3 - this game is Mario Kart but better. The commentary is funny and the controls are very pick up and play. Plus the races are short so everyone gets a turn.
Viva Pinata - Xbox 360 - There mini games are fun and can get fierce fast. Plus some of the games favor the players who are losing to make it closer so anyone can win
Pac Man Championship Edition - Xbox 360 - Look online on sites like Ebay for the compilation disc which I think has Uno on it to. Its a throw back for 30 something gamers and puts you on the same plane as the new generation. Again games are timed at 5 minutes so its outstanding.
Super Mario Bros. Wii - 4 player action and not a lot of buttons to learn. Much like Pac Man brings old and new gamers toward a common goal... fun.
Lego Anything - All platforms - Lego games are very good games for parents and kids to play together. The games themselves are easy. Finding 100% of the items and unlocking everything is tough. Plus for parents the guides are all over the Internet so if you can't find something look it up. Let the good people at Google help you find it. I find IGN has a great site with good guides.
Move and Kinect are great family fun but are much more expensive. Move can be costly at $100 for the starter kit and $50 for an additional wand but that covers 2 people. Only 2 people can play Kinect at a time for the same $150. Both come with a game and are fun. For the Move, if kids are around EyePet is pretty cool and for Kinect Kinectamals is cool too.
Most the games listed above can range from $10 - $40 with the peripharals (Move and Kinect) going for much more. Also those maybe harder to find.
I know what you are thinking though what is going to make me look like the hero this Holiday season.....
Another game system... I know I know but its always cool to have 2 systems. The PS3 is one of the best BluRay players on the market and the new Xbox slim has built in Wifi and a new sleek design. What better way to graduate from the Wii then to get into "next generation gaming". Want to make it better, have it hooked up on Christmas morning. If you have a great gift idea, leave it in the comments.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Kinect - the new Guitar Hero or Wii
I'm guilty I am an early adopter. I bought the PS3 bundle from Wal Mart so I could get it "first day". I bought the Move and Kinect also (my review of Move is in an earlier blog). So over the weekend family and friends gathered at our house for a party and I put on the Kinect, before I get to the results I want to go over the set up.
1. I have an Xbox Elite 120gb (the old one) with a wireless adaptor
2. I have a pretty good amount of room
3. I still had to move furniture
4. I am pretty good with the set ups
It took me some where between 10-15 to get the wires where I wanted them and to hook up my wireless adaptor. I would give yourself between 45-60 minutes set up time before the game play can start. So do not unbox this thing at a party and tell Santa to hook it up before Christmas morning. Put the disc in and away I went. Directions are easy to follow on screen. Now to the fun...
The disc is some typical mini games but its fun and fast. There are five different mini games to start. All show off the fun of the controller. There is an aquarium mini game where there are cracks in the tank. The now famous "human breakout" that was used in the demos at E3 where you hit a ball back at the wall, a rafting game, a pop the bubble game that is located in space and a running game where you need to duck/jump when cued. Each game is easy to learn. See it once and away you go. This is where the party fun begins. Each person can jump right into Kinect view and start to play. At our party everyone from 10 year old nephew to my 40 year old brother jumped in the same spot on the floor and played with minimal problems. Each game takes 5-7 minutes at most. The best part of this process was Kinect will take 3 pictures of you playing during game play. Some you will see coming others you will not. The fun ensues with the ones you are not expecting. Everyone had fun.
This is the new Guitar Hero/Wii. Let me explain.
1. This may be hard to find, you can see by the Amazon icon this thing is selling upwards of 20% over cost and some stores are already out for now. MSRP is $150
2. This is fun for the whole family. Grandma can get up and plug the leaks and its fun to watch. With the camera I can already see the pictures that could be posted. Remember the famous Wii fit girl? http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?title=wii-fit-girl&videoId=262460
3. Its easy, remember picking up Guitar Hero and letting your four year old niece play the drums, I do.
4. How will it hold up in the long run? For the longest time my Wii was the expensive bookend I have ever had. Most of the games are the same but who cares until they are all the same. Everyone "bowled" on the Wii but what else was there? Nintendo was forced to change and years later everyone is catching up. Lets hope I don't just jump and duck.
5. Dance games and exercise games will be huge on this so college kids will go crazy for this. Its a party starter and whats funnier then when I reach for my drink so does my avatar. Plus my wife may want this so what is a better reason to buy it.
Grade - B
1. I have an Xbox Elite 120gb (the old one) with a wireless adaptor
2. I have a pretty good amount of room
3. I still had to move furniture
4. I am pretty good with the set ups
It took me some where between 10-15 to get the wires where I wanted them and to hook up my wireless adaptor. I would give yourself between 45-60 minutes set up time before the game play can start. So do not unbox this thing at a party and tell Santa to hook it up before Christmas morning. Put the disc in and away I went. Directions are easy to follow on screen. Now to the fun...
The disc is some typical mini games but its fun and fast. There are five different mini games to start. All show off the fun of the controller. There is an aquarium mini game where there are cracks in the tank. The now famous "human breakout" that was used in the demos at E3 where you hit a ball back at the wall, a rafting game, a pop the bubble game that is located in space and a running game where you need to duck/jump when cued. Each game is easy to learn. See it once and away you go. This is where the party fun begins. Each person can jump right into Kinect view and start to play. At our party everyone from 10 year old nephew to my 40 year old brother jumped in the same spot on the floor and played with minimal problems. Each game takes 5-7 minutes at most. The best part of this process was Kinect will take 3 pictures of you playing during game play. Some you will see coming others you will not. The fun ensues with the ones you are not expecting. Everyone had fun.
This is the new Guitar Hero/Wii. Let me explain.
1. This may be hard to find, you can see by the Amazon icon this thing is selling upwards of 20% over cost and some stores are already out for now. MSRP is $150
2. This is fun for the whole family. Grandma can get up and plug the leaks and its fun to watch. With the camera I can already see the pictures that could be posted. Remember the famous Wii fit girl? http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?title=wii-fit-girl&videoId=262460
3. Its easy, remember picking up Guitar Hero and letting your four year old niece play the drums, I do.
4. How will it hold up in the long run? For the longest time my Wii was the expensive bookend I have ever had. Most of the games are the same but who cares until they are all the same. Everyone "bowled" on the Wii but what else was there? Nintendo was forced to change and years later everyone is catching up. Lets hope I don't just jump and duck.
5. Dance games and exercise games will be huge on this so college kids will go crazy for this. Its a party starter and whats funnier then when I reach for my drink so does my avatar. Plus my wife may want this so what is a better reason to buy it.
Grade - B
Monday, November 1, 2010
Xbox 360 quick reviews & Kinnect Deals
Last week we gave the PS3 love and this week with Kinnect right around the corner I decided it was time to do some quick reviews for the Xbox 360. The first game up for review is Ninja Blade. The best way to describe this game is Ninja Gaiden meet God of War lite. The mechanics of this game are similar to Ninja Gaiden (the reason I bought it) with quite a few quick time events and just like God of War they can get annoying at time because there are so many. The story on this one starts well enough but gets worse as it goes on. This is your typical button masher with big boss battles but the best part of this game is the price. Usually you can find it in the 29.99 or less bin. This game is an ideal title to tide you over between games you are waiting for. This game does do plenty right and was kind of a sleeper Xbox exclusive and is great if you are buying an Xbox and looking to expand the game library without going broke.
Grade - B
Monopoly seems to come out for every system every time. I remember having this for the Sega Master System so many moons ago and the problem is it really hasn't changed. There are new ways to play the game and the game still takes a while. The AI has only improved slightly even at the most difficult level. The deals they propose are usually terrible for one player sometimes including them. The control scheme is a bit troublesome also. There is a light at the end of this tunnel: the new mini games on this Monopoly are fun and kept friends and family entertained for sometime. This game screams rental though, once you have gone through the mini game once or twice it gets kind of old and playing single player seems kind of dull.
Grade - C
On Thursday Microsoft releases Kinnect for the Xbox 360 and there are a few deals out there but it sounds like finding the thing is going to be tough enough. Kmart offers a $25 coupon/reward for buying it there and an additional $15 coupon for a game purchased with it. The new book is out at TRU and has $10 off $75 on the back page so that is an option also. Looking at games Target has Buy 2 get 1 Free and looks like Amazon is going to match that deal but do not use 1 click when when buying. Later this week more Xbox games and I will be reviewing Kinnect more toward the middle of the month. Any questions please ask...
Grade - B
Monopoly seems to come out for every system every time. I remember having this for the Sega Master System so many moons ago and the problem is it really hasn't changed. There are new ways to play the game and the game still takes a while. The AI has only improved slightly even at the most difficult level. The deals they propose are usually terrible for one player sometimes including them. The control scheme is a bit troublesome also. There is a light at the end of this tunnel: the new mini games on this Monopoly are fun and kept friends and family entertained for sometime. This game screams rental though, once you have gone through the mini game once or twice it gets kind of old and playing single player seems kind of dull.
Grade - C
On Thursday Microsoft releases Kinnect for the Xbox 360 and there are a few deals out there but it sounds like finding the thing is going to be tough enough. Kmart offers a $25 coupon/reward for buying it there and an additional $15 coupon for a game purchased with it. The new book is out at TRU and has $10 off $75 on the back page so that is an option also. Looking at games Target has Buy 2 get 1 Free and looks like Amazon is going to match that deal but do not use 1 click when when buying. Later this week more Xbox games and I will be reviewing Kinnect more toward the middle of the month. Any questions please ask...
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
NHL 11 - Lets Go Pens! - Target Buy 2 get 1 Next week!!
I am confident that my brother and I have a small ownership in EA Sports. I look at my collection to see year after year of NHL titles I have purchased and think I am the one feeding this beast. NHL 11 has some minor tweaks to it that make it better then the previous year (broken sticks, new physics engine, updated rosters) but there is something far more addicting... the new card game that you can play in the Ultimate Team which I will address later in this review.
The game is mostly the same, the graphics are slightly better and the game play has improved some. I am still against the pinning against the boards "button" because it seems like you can get someone if they are anywhere near the boards but I digress... The game play is fun and is always better having some friends over to the house or on the headset. Simple to learn how to play and the shooting system is great using the right analog stick but knowing you can always use the "classic" set up for your stick from NHL 94.
I am not bragging but I win the Stanley Cup every year I have played be a player. I have upped the difficulty (I usually play on Pro and above) and still come out on top. This year I have a new vice Ultimate Player. This card game mixed in with my NHL game play has me playing as my own nicknamed team: Toledo Gatorz. You get everything from uniform cards to skill cards and player cards. For all you old school gamers it reminds me a lot of Baseball Stars for the NES. You get points to buy cards and can play in tournaments. The part that will draw you in is the auctions. You can bid/trade players and not just NHL players, all the players in the game, so start brushing up on your CHL prospects. You will quickly look for your favorites (Eric Tangardi) and try to acquire them. This will require you to play all while managing contracts and playing each game. It is addicting and oh by the way you buy these packs from your PSN account too (the EA beast rumbles). My only flaw is I wish I could put my player from Be a Pro into this mode, maybe next year EA. Here is my gamer tip of the week play the demo first for Ultimate Team you get some free packs when you load the game to give you a head start...
This game is great. If you are hockey fan this is must have. Fantasy Sports hockey fan you should already have this.
Grade - A
Holiday shopping season is right around the corner and Target is helping you out next week. The famous buy 2 get 1 free sale starts next week. Basically 33% off games. I know Best Buy has this week too but its on limited titles. Also the rest of the week I will get to some quick reviews on the Xbox 360 and Wii
The game is mostly the same, the graphics are slightly better and the game play has improved some. I am still against the pinning against the boards "button" because it seems like you can get someone if they are anywhere near the boards but I digress... The game play is fun and is always better having some friends over to the house or on the headset. Simple to learn how to play and the shooting system is great using the right analog stick but knowing you can always use the "classic" set up for your stick from NHL 94.
I am not bragging but I win the Stanley Cup every year I have played be a player. I have upped the difficulty (I usually play on Pro and above) and still come out on top. This year I have a new vice Ultimate Player. This card game mixed in with my NHL game play has me playing as my own nicknamed team: Toledo Gatorz. You get everything from uniform cards to skill cards and player cards. For all you old school gamers it reminds me a lot of Baseball Stars for the NES. You get points to buy cards and can play in tournaments. The part that will draw you in is the auctions. You can bid/trade players and not just NHL players, all the players in the game, so start brushing up on your CHL prospects. You will quickly look for your favorites (Eric Tangardi) and try to acquire them. This will require you to play all while managing contracts and playing each game. It is addicting and oh by the way you buy these packs from your PSN account too (the EA beast rumbles). My only flaw is I wish I could put my player from Be a Pro into this mode, maybe next year EA. Here is my gamer tip of the week play the demo first for Ultimate Team you get some free packs when you load the game to give you a head start...
This game is great. If you are hockey fan this is must have. Fantasy Sports hockey fan you should already have this.
Grade - A
Holiday shopping season is right around the corner and Target is helping you out next week. The famous buy 2 get 1 free sale starts next week. Basically 33% off games. I know Best Buy has this week too but its on limited titles. Also the rest of the week I will get to some quick reviews on the Xbox 360 and Wii
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Quick Reviews Ninja Gaiden Sigma 1 & 2
First let me just say that this is one of favorite franchises. Its a button masher I know but I still love both these games (including the Xbox 360 one) and news out of the TGS that a third one is on the way.
First a quick console history, Ninja Gaiden first appeared on the NES and made through its through the consoles up to the previous generation (Xbox) and it hit the Xbox in two games. Ninja Gaiden and Ninja Gaiden Black (or as it would be called now Ninja Gaiden: Game of the Year) brought out the best in players on the Xbox. Years later the PS3 one upped the ante on the Xbox version by calling it Ninja Gaiden Sigma (the ad slogan was the reason you bought a PS3) and gave the game a next gen update. Not to be outdone NG2 appeared as a limited console exclusive to the Xbox 360 and NGS2 was released roughly a year later on the PS3. If you want the ins and outs of the history of Ninja Gaiden visit the Wiki page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninja_Gaiden.
The game is known to be difficult even on the "easier" levels. For me its a joystick smashing good time with epic Boss Battles, upgrading weapons and more cleavage then one needs to see. The story for each of these incarnations are terrible (Volf the Wolf really?) but the graphics are great. The graphics have aged a little but in 2007 NGS was one of the best games on the PS3.
To make this short and sweet if you liked God of War, chances are you will like the NG series. I felt the second one was a little watered down on the PS3, they eliminated some of the busy work from the Xbox 360 version and of course cut out the blood (I did not care but it seems everyone else did). If you were a fan of the series on any system pick up all 3.
Ninja Gaiden Sigma - PS3 - A
Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 - PS3 - B
Ninja Gaiden II - Xbox 360 - A
First a quick console history, Ninja Gaiden first appeared on the NES and made through its through the consoles up to the previous generation (Xbox) and it hit the Xbox in two games. Ninja Gaiden and Ninja Gaiden Black (or as it would be called now Ninja Gaiden: Game of the Year) brought out the best in players on the Xbox. Years later the PS3 one upped the ante on the Xbox version by calling it Ninja Gaiden Sigma (the ad slogan was the reason you bought a PS3) and gave the game a next gen update. Not to be outdone NG2 appeared as a limited console exclusive to the Xbox 360 and NGS2 was released roughly a year later on the PS3. If you want the ins and outs of the history of Ninja Gaiden visit the Wiki page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ninja_Gaiden.
The game is known to be difficult even on the "easier" levels. For me its a joystick smashing good time with epic Boss Battles, upgrading weapons and more cleavage then one needs to see. The story for each of these incarnations are terrible (Volf the Wolf really?) but the graphics are great. The graphics have aged a little but in 2007 NGS was one of the best games on the PS3.
To make this short and sweet if you liked God of War, chances are you will like the NG series. I felt the second one was a little watered down on the PS3, they eliminated some of the busy work from the Xbox 360 version and of course cut out the blood (I did not care but it seems everyone else did). If you were a fan of the series on any system pick up all 3.
Ninja Gaiden Sigma - PS3 - A
Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 - PS3 - B
Ninja Gaiden II - Xbox 360 - A
Monday, October 25, 2010
Finishing Limbo and Starting EyePet
Well I played through and finished Limbo on XBLA. It was one of the best games I have ever digitally purchased with the exception of Pixel Junk Monsters on PSN. This was an accomplishment for me because this is the first game I have started and finished since the birth of my daughter. Feeling good I switched systems and threw in EyePet for PS3. Now this isn't the review but it plays very much like the demo (I know big shock) but I think this is one of those games that shows off the PS Move and EyeToy. It took awhile to get started, you get the egg, name the little thing (Mac) and get started. I put in about a half hour and walked away not being that impressed. I know I need to give it more time and I will.
Starting this week I will be starting "quick reviews" of games that are in my library that I have enjoyed and not. I will be doing about 1 or 2 a day. Also I will be asking for reviews of games for my potential holiday purchases. So enjoy and any questions please ask... thanks for reading.
Ratchet and Clank: Tools of Destruction - This game was ahead of the curve and one of the reasons people stayed with the PS3 at launch. Game play was fun and graphics are right out of a cartoon. It makes you wonder why there hasn't been a cartoon yet. Other positives easy to learn, gadget guns are fun, great game to watch as well as play. Puzzles are fun and right now as part of the PS3 greatest hits a steal at $29.99 or less.
Grade - A
Finally has any of the readers purchased Time Crisis yet? I am curious before I buy the gun attachment and game. Reviews for the game seem mixed. Post in the comments and tell me what you think.
Starting this week I will be starting "quick reviews" of games that are in my library that I have enjoyed and not. I will be doing about 1 or 2 a day. Also I will be asking for reviews of games for my potential holiday purchases. So enjoy and any questions please ask... thanks for reading.
Ratchet and Clank: Tools of Destruction - This game was ahead of the curve and one of the reasons people stayed with the PS3 at launch. Game play was fun and graphics are right out of a cartoon. It makes you wonder why there hasn't been a cartoon yet. Other positives easy to learn, gadget guns are fun, great game to watch as well as play. Puzzles are fun and right now as part of the PS3 greatest hits a steal at $29.99 or less.
Grade - A
Finally has any of the readers purchased Time Crisis yet? I am curious before I buy the gun attachment and game. Reviews for the game seem mixed. Post in the comments and tell me what you think.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Limbo - You Will Never Look at Spiders the Same Again - Side Notes
Last week I purchased Limbo from Xbox Live for 1200 points ($15) after reading all the reviews and lets get this out of the way early -- Buy it. I go with a philosophy of "I have spent more and got less" and this game is the exact opposite. This game could have sold the same way Plants versus Zombies for Xbox 360 for $19.99 is being sold and I could argue Limbo is the best game under $20. The game play is a simple two button platformer with puzzle elements or vice versa. There are some frustrating points but I think that is part of the fun. I played Limbo at the first sitting for 2 plus hours and loved it. My wife even watched for a few minutes and she is not a gamer at all. There is little to no soundtrack to this game and the black and white setting is creepy. There is enough change in game play to keep you occupied and the puzzles are just frustrating enough to keep you coming back. There is no story and no cut scenes. If you can make a story from this game you could make a short film and make some money. You will see people hanging in the backgrounds and have people with blow darts chase after you just to name a few challenges. The best part is when you "die" in a puzzle it often starts you right back where you left off. One final thought on this for any Halloween party, play this game in the dark and turn up the little to no sound. Its creepy and fun just wait till you see the spider for the first time maybe you will think next time you get out the tissue to squish it...
Grade - A
Also I was gone for a few weeks to celebrate the birth of my first child. The wife and baby are both doing great. I will be back back a couple times a week starting next week.
Also next week TRU has Buy 2 get 1 Free starting. Great time to stock up for the Holidays
Grade - A
Also I was gone for a few weeks to celebrate the birth of my first child. The wife and baby are both doing great. I will be back back a couple times a week starting next week.
Also next week TRU has Buy 2 get 1 Free starting. Great time to stock up for the Holidays
Monday, September 20, 2010
Playstation's Move is Here, Should You be Excited?
On Friday I went to Kmart and purchased the $99 Playstation Move Bundle (you get a $25 Playstation gaming coupon with purchase) and was excited. I had read some of the reviews and it looked like it was getting a B or a C rating. I wanted to kick the tires for myself. First off it is easy to hook up. Simply plug in the "eye" and charge the stick. The move stick uses the same charger as the controller so no need to buy the charging station. It charges fairly fast and was ready to go in just under half and hour. The stick is lighter then Wii mote and the buttons are mapped well with "T" button as the trigger (makes sense).
So lets get to the game Sports Champions. The game has six events including disc golf, archery, gladiator, volleyball, bocce ball and table tennis.
Disc golf - This was hard to get used to and I felt the move was almost tracking me too well. Great at a party and was easy to start. The game gives you three discs like clubs. It was hard to master but was pretty good entertainment wise - B
Archery - I just had the one move stick on Friday and this is one of the games you have the option of using 2 sticks. Playing against the computer is pretty fun at the bronze level. Its not just shooting at a bullseye. In the second challenge I shot at watermelons that appeared then disappeared. Better then anticipated and was anxious to see how it worked with 2 sticks - B
Gladiator - I was actually a little disappointed with this. Again this is one you can use 2 sticks or 1. It was easy to learn but did not seem all that much fun. The stick is accurate but I just not that impressed. I just kept swing at people's legs and it seemed to work most of the time. The shield bashing is kind of cool because as you use it your shield breaks apart. Again I will try it later with 2 sticks - C
VolleyBall - In my opinion the ace in the deck. I found myself working a small sweat over this one. You can use 1 or 2 sticks again but this was great with just one. Great tutorials and easy to learn. Learning to jump serve was great and waving the stick to block . The best of the bunch - A
Bocce Ball - The tutorials were nice but I'm guilty I have never played this before so it there was a bit of curve before the fun could be had. I need to spend more time with this one before I grade it - Incomplete
Table Tennis - Sounds like a great concept but not so much. I had higher hopes for this one but was let down. I found this game to be the most inaccurate when it came to the stick. Fun but got boring fast. - C
There is a demo disc that includes some of the upcoming and current games for Playstation Move. The demo disc is neat to show off a few things the Move can do. Eye Pet was a stand out I don't know if I would buy it but it is a way to get people intrigued by the new capabilities. The disc is a nice touch to add with the bundle and some of the demos are on PSN so its not a dealbreaker if you don't buy the bundle but I have a small complaint. I was looking foward to the Tiger Woods 11 demo but it does not support left handed golfers, yet each of the Playstation Sports Champions games ask you that first. I guess EA is too concerned about their online league passes to make a complete demo (maybe if I paid $10...) so I think I will wait for the John Daly golf game.
All in all I will be the first to admit it was cool even though Nintendo did motion controls 3 - 4 years sooner but I will argue that it didn't stop me from buying the move or a new cell phone because it had more "bells and whistles" on it. Technology is always going to improve and I'm guilty I will be an early adopter when I can be.
Final Grade - Playstation Move Sports Champions Bundle - B
So lets get to the game Sports Champions. The game has six events including disc golf, archery, gladiator, volleyball, bocce ball and table tennis.
Disc golf - This was hard to get used to and I felt the move was almost tracking me too well. Great at a party and was easy to start. The game gives you three discs like clubs. It was hard to master but was pretty good entertainment wise - B
Archery - I just had the one move stick on Friday and this is one of the games you have the option of using 2 sticks. Playing against the computer is pretty fun at the bronze level. Its not just shooting at a bullseye. In the second challenge I shot at watermelons that appeared then disappeared. Better then anticipated and was anxious to see how it worked with 2 sticks - B
Gladiator - I was actually a little disappointed with this. Again this is one you can use 2 sticks or 1. It was easy to learn but did not seem all that much fun. The stick is accurate but I just not that impressed. I just kept swing at people's legs and it seemed to work most of the time. The shield bashing is kind of cool because as you use it your shield breaks apart. Again I will try it later with 2 sticks - C
VolleyBall - In my opinion the ace in the deck. I found myself working a small sweat over this one. You can use 1 or 2 sticks again but this was great with just one. Great tutorials and easy to learn. Learning to jump serve was great and waving the stick to block . The best of the bunch - A
Bocce Ball - The tutorials were nice but I'm guilty I have never played this before so it there was a bit of curve before the fun could be had. I need to spend more time with this one before I grade it - Incomplete
Table Tennis - Sounds like a great concept but not so much. I had higher hopes for this one but was let down. I found this game to be the most inaccurate when it came to the stick. Fun but got boring fast. - C
There is a demo disc that includes some of the upcoming and current games for Playstation Move. The demo disc is neat to show off a few things the Move can do. Eye Pet was a stand out I don't know if I would buy it but it is a way to get people intrigued by the new capabilities. The disc is a nice touch to add with the bundle and some of the demos are on PSN so its not a dealbreaker if you don't buy the bundle but I have a small complaint. I was looking foward to the Tiger Woods 11 demo but it does not support left handed golfers, yet each of the Playstation Sports Champions games ask you that first. I guess EA is too concerned about their online league passes to make a complete demo (maybe if I paid $10...) so I think I will wait for the John Daly golf game.
All in all I will be the first to admit it was cool even though Nintendo did motion controls 3 - 4 years sooner but I will argue that it didn't stop me from buying the move or a new cell phone because it had more "bells and whistles" on it. Technology is always going to improve and I'm guilty I will be an early adopter when I can be.
Final Grade - Playstation Move Sports Champions Bundle - B
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
NHL Slapshot Review & a Move Date
First let me start this review by saying that I am a Penguins half season ticket holder and have played some type of "beer league" for the last 15-20 years so I already love the game of hockey. I did not buy NHL2k10 for the Wii last year so NHL Slapshot is my first "motion controlled" hockey experience. This is EA's first time bringing the NHL to the Wii and did they break out the guns. With each NHL Slapshot comes a "stick" to use. I know we have all seen the tennis rackets and golf club attachment for the Wii but the stick is not quite as cheap. There is a tutorial at the beginning of the game on putting together the stick and how to put the Wii-mote into this contraption. This is actually one of the flaws, the segment goes kind of fast and I can just see parents constantly hitting the reset button. My advice: look at the stick first and attempt to put in yourself so this way you have some idea whats going on. Now that the stick is put together you are ready to play. Just like its NHL big brother Bill Clement will teach you how to move and play. The controller is somewhat accurate but it makes you wonder why Motion Control plus was not used. It was a huge hit with Tiger Woods but the plus will not even fit inside the stick. There are plenty of game modes including season but the hit of the party will be the simply play now option. You can play in any division, I suggest Pee Wee. Call me childish but I like the fact they put NHL jerseys on the kids. Its like you are watching Sidney and Alex growing up on the ponds. This play is set up a lot like NHL arcade (3vs3), which again is great party game. I had fun playing but the stick sometimes did not recognize the shot and my teams AI might have been amped up a little but it was still a blast. I can not stress enough that the game is easy to learn and fun to play. The graphics are average but this game has potential to become a yearly series on the Wii and knock the folks at 2k down again.
Grade: B
Sony Move comes out this week, there seems to be some confusion on what day. Some reports say Friday others Sunday. The point is by the end of the weekend I will be buying it. I am going to buy the bundle. I have a camera but I was doing the math. The stick is $50, the game Sports Champions which is said to have the best range of games is $40, an exclusive demo with 10+ games on it and the camera. I figure I can ditch the camera at Gamestop or sell it. I think I will get a Nav stick also. Also Move has started to show up on the Sony Rewards website. I will post pictures later this weekend.
Grade: B
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| Power Foward with high potential |
Sony Move comes out this week, there seems to be some confusion on what day. Some reports say Friday others Sunday. The point is by the end of the weekend I will be buying it. I am going to buy the bundle. I have a camera but I was doing the math. The stick is $50, the game Sports Champions which is said to have the best range of games is $40, an exclusive demo with 10+ games on it and the camera. I figure I can ditch the camera at Gamestop or sell it. I think I will get a Nav stick also. Also Move has started to show up on the Sony Rewards website. I will post pictures later this weekend.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Sony Move & Amazon Warehouse Deals
The anticipation for Sony Move is at a fever pitch right now, the new Kevin Butler ads premiered last night during the Saints / Vikings game. He is staying with a family for "90 days". His twitter account is great (its under the Kevin Butler) and should be fun over the next few weeks. I wonder if Microsoft is worried that this will steal some of the thunder from Halo: Reach. I doubt it, those commercials are proof that they could do a Halo Movie. Sony Move intrigues me with the 1:1 ratio. I have seen the reviews on X-Play and on CNET but I think the jury is still out. I believe people will want to see how Move works on their current library. I know I have Heavy Rain (this is a great game) and want to see how it works. I am not a FPS guy but might give games like Killzone 3 and Time Crisis a try. I remember playing all the "gun games" in the arcade and am anxious to see how it holds up. Time will show how it holds up and I will be giving my full review the week of the 17th. I will buying it first day but it is unknown if I will "nerd out" for it. I have the Sony camera already so I think I will buy a game (Sports Champions), the nav stick and the Move controller (maybe 2 of these). Should be fun I am looking foward to it.
Speaking of buying and just random checking a website, here is my first plug for website. Go to http://www.amazon.com/ and search Warehouse deals. Amazon Warehouse for video games, this is kind of the scratch and dent section of a grocery store. Games and systems can be cheap but they are one of a kind and will come with cosmetic "faults". Sometimes I will just randomly check the site for "deals". I have heard of $65 Nintendo Wiis (very few) and $100 Xbox Arcades (like new). The description is usually pretty accurate and they the return policy is still in full effect for the items that come from the actual Warehouse. Its a crap shoot but still fun, none the less. Good luck and happy hunting...
Speaking of buying and just random checking a website, here is my first plug for website. Go to http://www.amazon.com/ and search Warehouse deals. Amazon Warehouse for video games, this is kind of the scratch and dent section of a grocery store. Games and systems can be cheap but they are one of a kind and will come with cosmetic "faults". Sometimes I will just randomly check the site for "deals". I have heard of $65 Nintendo Wiis (very few) and $100 Xbox Arcades (like new). The description is usually pretty accurate and they the return policy is still in full effect for the items that come from the actual Warehouse. Its a crap shoot but still fun, none the less. Good luck and happy hunting...
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Finishing God of War 3 and a Busy Tuesday Release Day
God of War 3 - Grade: B+
This summer I vowed to beat the God of War trilogy and did (both had been in my backlog since February/March). I have heard around the net that the ending was a bit of a bummer for the series but I disagree. For those who haven't finished the game or those who don't want to know, its good and well worth your time. Here is my review:
First the cinematics on this game are incredible. It honestly makes you wonder why there is not a movie for this game. With so many one liners like "It's not my life you should be worried about..." it writes itself but back to the game play. It's a good game and if you have ever played any of the GOW series its the same but in a good way. The control scheme is easy to learn with very few "what button is that" moments. They have plenty of tutorials on the side to remind you, especially with the harpies. The boss battles are great again but the puzzles are easier then either God of War with the musical puzzle being the most fun. I did not use the internet for any of this game which is a first for me in the series but I have also beat the first two games so I had an idea what to look for. Side Note: I won't ever buy "Strategy Guides" but have been known to look on line if I am just frustrated beyond belief. My advice for if you ever stuck in a GOW game look for a place to climb. All in all the game was fun and not a chore to finish. The end boss battle is not the hardest boss battle in the game in my opinion but brings closure to the trilogy (make sure you watch the credits to the end it adds a bit of intrigue). With all the blood and the other "mini games" (GOW vets you know what I'm talking about) the Mature rating is dead on. I finished this game in just over 10 hours total. If I had to rate the games according to difficulty I would say that the third one is the easiest. I always play my games on normal so the difficulty should be the same for all 3.
One thing I like about the GOW series is you got "extra content" when you beat the game. Not just the normal costumes but "How they made the game" videos. It was very cool and very informative. If you ever thought of a career in games from tester to designer this is a MUST. I just wish they had a "Play all" option. Its gets a bit old with some of the segments at 4 minutes or less.
Today is Tuesday the 7th which means new releases. Today Kmart will be getting my money (again) for several reasons. NHL 11 $20 (PS3) gaming coupon in which I will use it on NHL Slapshot for the Wii (at Kmart you get an extra NHL stick). Also they MS points, if you buy 1600 points you get $10 gaming coupon. Also Batman: Brave and Bold (Wii) is at Toys R us with a free T shirt. This one may have to wait. They have a buy 1 get 40% off second but they have a list of games and those are often a pain.
Any questions shoot me a comment.
This summer I vowed to beat the God of War trilogy and did (both had been in my backlog since February/March). I have heard around the net that the ending was a bit of a bummer for the series but I disagree. For those who haven't finished the game or those who don't want to know, its good and well worth your time. Here is my review:
First the cinematics on this game are incredible. It honestly makes you wonder why there is not a movie for this game. With so many one liners like "It's not my life you should be worried about..." it writes itself but back to the game play. It's a good game and if you have ever played any of the GOW series its the same but in a good way. The control scheme is easy to learn with very few "what button is that" moments. They have plenty of tutorials on the side to remind you, especially with the harpies. The boss battles are great again but the puzzles are easier then either God of War with the musical puzzle being the most fun. I did not use the internet for any of this game which is a first for me in the series but I have also beat the first two games so I had an idea what to look for. Side Note: I won't ever buy "Strategy Guides" but have been known to look on line if I am just frustrated beyond belief. My advice for if you ever stuck in a GOW game look for a place to climb. All in all the game was fun and not a chore to finish. The end boss battle is not the hardest boss battle in the game in my opinion but brings closure to the trilogy (make sure you watch the credits to the end it adds a bit of intrigue). With all the blood and the other "mini games" (GOW vets you know what I'm talking about) the Mature rating is dead on. I finished this game in just over 10 hours total. If I had to rate the games according to difficulty I would say that the third one is the easiest. I always play my games on normal so the difficulty should be the same for all 3.
One thing I like about the GOW series is you got "extra content" when you beat the game. Not just the normal costumes but "How they made the game" videos. It was very cool and very informative. If you ever thought of a career in games from tester to designer this is a MUST. I just wish they had a "Play all" option. Its gets a bit old with some of the segments at 4 minutes or less.
Today is Tuesday the 7th which means new releases. Today Kmart will be getting my money (again) for several reasons. NHL 11 $20 (PS3) gaming coupon in which I will use it on NHL Slapshot for the Wii (at Kmart you get an extra NHL stick). Also they MS points, if you buy 1600 points you get $10 gaming coupon. Also Batman: Brave and Bold (Wii) is at Toys R us with a free T shirt. This one may have to wait. They have a buy 1 get 40% off second but they have a list of games and those are often a pain.
Any questions shoot me a comment.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
What I hope to do with this blog...
I'm a "gamer" I think. I have all the major systems and play them regularly (couple times a week), not so much with the Wii but frankly I blame the good folks at Nintendo for that. I buy my games because I want to so I have something and I like to show off my collection. Also I can take my time playing a game or if something better comes out I can always throw it in and not have to wait. I shop the best prices and get the biggest bang for the buck. I have some loyalty to stores but not much. Currently Kmart, (yes Kmart) is getting most of my money. My favorite website is cheapassgamer, they usually know about the deals and everyone is pretty cool. They have a place to trade games like Goozex but better.
I have had high hopes for games and ran out the first day to buy them (Sonic the Hedgehog PS3 raise your hand) and been disappointed. I have "nerded out", which means to wait out at midnight with other gamers for first day release, (Batman: Arkham Asylum) played when I got home for 2 hours and ,like a 8 year old, did not want to go to bed. Later in the blogs I will tell you what games I have and a letter grade with a short review just to catch up.
I do play games to completion or till I can't stand it anymore, I don't just play them for a few minutes write a review and move on. I will reviewing both new and new to me games. Here is what I am playing on all systems right now:
PS3: God Of War III
Xbox 360: Monopoly
Wii: Super Mario Bros. Wii
PSP: Little Big Planet
In the next few weeks I will be getting Batman: The Brave & Bold (Wii), NHL 11 (PS3), NHL Slapshot, the new EA hockey game for the Wii & on the 17th Playstation Move, on XBL Limbo (loved the demo).
Thanks for reading I hope to do a couple of posts a week. If you have a question don't hesitate to ask...
Rock away
I have had high hopes for games and ran out the first day to buy them (Sonic the Hedgehog PS3 raise your hand) and been disappointed. I have "nerded out", which means to wait out at midnight with other gamers for first day release, (Batman: Arkham Asylum) played when I got home for 2 hours and ,like a 8 year old, did not want to go to bed. Later in the blogs I will tell you what games I have and a letter grade with a short review just to catch up.
I do play games to completion or till I can't stand it anymore, I don't just play them for a few minutes write a review and move on. I will reviewing both new and new to me games. Here is what I am playing on all systems right now:
PS3: God Of War III
Xbox 360: Monopoly
Wii: Super Mario Bros. Wii
PSP: Little Big Planet
In the next few weeks I will be getting Batman: The Brave & Bold (Wii), NHL 11 (PS3), NHL Slapshot, the new EA hockey game for the Wii & on the 17th Playstation Move, on XBL Limbo (loved the demo).
Thanks for reading I hope to do a couple of posts a week. If you have a question don't hesitate to ask...
Rock away
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