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

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

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.

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