Campaign & Gameplay:

Modern Warfare 2 takes place 5 years after the events of the original game. By now the efforts of the United States Marines against terrorism have fallen significantly short allowing the Ultranationalists to seize command and control over Russia. The main protagonist of the game is Vladimir Makarov, a former lieutenant who now gets his kicks by setting up several terror attacks throughout the globe. You begin the game from the perspective of U.S. Army Ranger Private Joseph Allen stationed in Afghanistan during an intense war. Just as in the previous game, you gradually shift command of up to five different characters at specified points and times in the story. While the aspect of having intertwined storylines adds to the core plot, the execution of this technique fails to offer a complete campaign experience. There are several loose ends that aren’t fully examined and give the impression that these explanations were purposely left out for Modern Warfare 3. An example of this theory comes within the controversial airport level, which by now has created a media frenzy. In this scene you assume the control of Private Allen while being undercover and lead by Makarov in a shooting spree at a nearby Airport. While the inclusion of this scene brings to light intense issues and suggests discussion on the topic of terrorism, it fails to serve justice to the culprits involved. As you progress through the game there is never a final confrontation between Makarov, which is a big reason why this level stands out. In traditional cinema it is always believed that sooner or later the villain gets what’s coming to him and unfortunately that’s not the case in this story. Likewise, there is also curiosity left over as to what happened to the characters of other units that you play in. One can argue that single player campaign shouldn’t be the focus of any COD game, but with a hot topic such as terrorism you can’t help but want to see a definitive resolution to the conflict. Add in the fact that this mode will only take you 5 hours to complete and you’ll feel as through there is still plenty more that could have been explored to lengthen the overall experience.

When it comes to gameplay, Modern Warfare 2 continues to shine in this department. The control mechanism is easy to get used to and is intuitive enough that even someone who has never played a cod game will be right at home with this one. You’ll easily be guided through each objective by the use of a numbered checkpoint system over a traditional map. The added military talk personnel adds to the effectiveness of capturing quality sound that keeps the environments real and engaging. An array of weapons from assault rifles, to duel wielding pistols is at your disposal and keeps the gunplay highly enjoyable and rewarding. The A.I. within the campaign is a bit dulled down even at the highest difficulty level. It’s worth noting that you’ll find the steepest challenge once you decide to play against competitors online. The graphics are also vastly improved which ranks this entry in the series a step above the original. The best display of this notion is expressed by the many locales you visit throughout the campaign including Washington D.C. and Rio De Janeiro to name a few. Even the amount of damage you can inflict upon each stage is impressive. You can tell Infinity Ward wanted to create the world on a much more grander scale and they should be applauded for there efforts this time around. Once you finish the campaign mode, you’ll be given the option to play the new Spec Ops Mode. This is a mode that allows you to play through several missions and challenges either by yourself or cooperatively with a friend. The inclusion of this feature adds further value to the package by encouraging you to replay every mission until you have successful captured all 69 stars.

Multiplayer Madness:

Modern Warfare 2’s bread and butter remains in the highly competitive online multiplayer experience. Just as in the previous entry in the series, you have the ability to create customizable classes by choosing your primary and secondary weapons, special grenades, tactical perks like Air Strikes, and improved combat techniques. Every time you play through a match you gain points based upon your individual performace. These points are then used to not only raise your player ranking but also to unlock upgraded weapons and attacks that you can use in any given match. The overall system is insanely balanced in the sense that there are always ways to counter attacks with the improved Killstreak options. There is also the ability to change Callsigns, emblems, and clan titles in the pre-match lobby to create a deeper sense of authenticity. The package contains a total of 15 multiplayer maps with the promise of more to drop in spring of 2010. There are also several match types to choose from like Free-For-All and Team Deathmatch. My only complaint about the mode is that until you unlock the ability to choose your respawn destination, you’ll find yourself dead in the middle of multiple shootouts. Certain maps offer places to hide while others lack the range of options necessary to get the upper hand on your opponents. For example, the airport terminal map is one stage that constantly keeps you highly susceptible to high death counts. Many will argue that these instances will force you to step up your gaming aesthetics when going online. Overall, the multiplayer mode is highly addictive and one of the most engaging reasons for high replayability.

Final Verdict:

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 does an excellent job of portraying the harsh realities of war in our society. When compared to other First person shooters, it sticks to the core roots of gameplay that made the first one a hit. This concept doesn’t make it revolutionary but instead just keep things as expected. While the campaign needs a deeper sense of completion to fully convey the message, its clear that Infinity Ward has gotten people thinking about the delicate issues of terrorism as it relates to our everyday lives. The Spec Ops and Multiplayer Modes offer a meaty package that is sure to own your nights for hours on end. Ultimately if you were a diehard fan of the original Modern Warfare, then chances are you don’t need a more compelling reason to pick up this game. However, if you are considering making this your first venture into the series then I recommend this is one war you don’t want to miss.

Despite being over 20 years old, the core game design hasn’t changed. Once again Bowser has orchestrated the kidnapping of Princess Peach and it’s up to Mario to put put his plumbing duties aside and rescue her. His journey will take him through 8 distinctive worlds where he’ll have to traverse through jungles, tropical islands, deserts and even the beyond the clouds. With each new world comes new enemies and a new challenge but unfortunately none of the worlds feel as unique as say, the Giant World from Super Mario Bros. 3. Every world on Mario Bros. Wii feels like a rehash of locations from the previous games and you’ll probably be able to predict what several of the upcoming worlds are going to be like before you even reach them. The Ice World is still slippery, the Desert World still contains pits of quick sand and surprise, surprise the final world still features Lava and erupting volcanos. Nintendo played it very safe with the creation of this game and the overall experience suffers for it, the only significant new feature they’ve added is the brand new 2-4 player co-op and competitive modes.

Taking a page from LittleBigPlanet’s book, players now have the opportunity to play through the entire game with up to 3 friends as Luigi, Yellow Toad and/or Blue Toad who all control exactly the same as Mario. Unlike LittleBigPlanet you won’t find any level creation tools or online modes here but as an overall experience Mario Bros. Wii is leaps ahead of Media Molecule’s cash-cow. The best thing about multi-player Mario is you have the opportunity to both assist and screw over your fellow players at will. If you’re a genuinely nice person you can lift your buddy above your head to help them reach high areas, you can share objects with them and when they die and reappear on-screen inside of a bubble you can burst it to allow them to rejoin the game. However if you’re anything like me you could instead choose to throw them down pits, stomp on their heads to obstruct their jumps, collect all the items for yourself even If you don’t need them and when they die leave them to float around aimlessly inside of their bubble until you complete the level.

If you’re like me then you should jump straight in to the Coin Battle mode where you’re object is to collect more coins than your opponent(s), as long as you and the people you’re playing won’t get butt-hurt if someone throws you down a pit just to for a laugh you can’t help but have fun here. As you can imagine the more people you’re playing with, the more hectic the game becomes but it never gets hard to keep track of what’s going on. If players are too far away of each other the screen pans out to give you all a better view, If one person goes up a beanstalk or down a pipe you all end up there with them and the game doesn’t end unless each player has lost all of their lives or every one is in a bubble at the same time. The single player campaign can also be completed with up to 4 friends and there’s even a Free Play Mode where you can select a playlist of your favorite levels and play them in sequence.

As fun as multiplayer can be I think it’s safe to assume that most players won’t have a friend to play with for the majority of the game so the crux of this title has to it’s single player offering. Many gamers have expressed fears that the heavy emphasis on family-friendly multiplayer will somehow dilute the solo experience especially since each of the levels were designed to accommodate up to 4 players but I can honestly say that not once during my entire play-through did I feel that the solo campaign had been compromised in any way.

Don’t let the TV ads fool you, New Super Mario Bros. Wii is definitely hardcore and one of the most difficult Mario games to date. Thankfully 1up’s are easy to attain and the age-old 99 lives exploit still works. If you do happen to come across that one stage that you just can’t seem to beat you’ll be pleased to know that Nintendo have included a Super Guide feature which essentially plays the level for you. If you die 8 consecutive times on any level a green item block will appear in the game world, activating that block will run a video of Luigi playing through the level on your behalf after-which you can simply move on to the next one. The inclusion of this feature caused quiet an uproar amongst the Nintendo community as they felt it was yet another case of Nintendo games being dumbed down to cater for a more casual audience but I don’t see what any of the fuss is about. The feature is optional and it provides a way for everyone to finish and continually enjoy the game regardless of their age or skill-level.

One thing fans can be happy about is the return of Yoshi, who makes an appearance in a select few levels. Yoshi has the ability to swallow enemies, float for a few seconds and save Mario from plummeting to his death by ejecting him off of his back. Unlike Super Mario World, Yoshi can only be used on the specific levels he’s found in and once that level has been completed he gets left behind. Mario should be just fine without him though because as well as the usual Mushrooms, Stars and Fire Flowers, Mario also has some all new items to see him through his quest. The most useful of which are Propeller Hats which, by shaking the Wii remote, rockets him up in to the air and allows him to float back down gently. Other new items include the enemy-freezing Ice Flowers and a Penguin Suits which are pretty much the same as Ice Flowers but also enables Mario to swim faster and slide on his stomach. Any of the items available in the game can be won and subsequently added to your Items List by entering red Toad Huts located on the map screen, once an item is in your Items List you can pre-select it before you enter any of the levels to give yourself an advantage right from the start.  As well as serving as a hub to all of the levels the map screen also hints to hidden paths and shortcuts which only become available once you find a secret exit in a near-by level.

Each of the worlds contain a Fortress and a Castle (placed mid-way through, and at the end of each world respectively) both of which cap-off with a boss flights against one of the 7 Koopa Kids who have been missing from the Nintendo universe for far too long. Some worlds also feature tricky Ghost Houses and Air Ships which are a welcome returns from previous Mario titles and enemies even patrol portions of the map screen forcing you to engage in a battle ala the Hammer Brothers in Super Mario Bros. 3. Playing the game with the Wii remote held sideways feels right as does tilting it to control moving platforms but I could have done without having to shake the remote to make Mario perform a spin jump or pick up items. You have the option to connect a nun-chuk if you crave inaccurate analog controls but no other peripherial is supported.

If you have nostalgia for the Mario games of yester-year there are plenty of things in Mario Bros. Wii that are guaranteed to make you smile. The music, the enemies, the flag posts, the Koopa Kids, Yoshi, air ships, the list goes on. The release of the New Super Mario Bros. on DS just a few ago dampens the excitement a new 2D Mario game should have Mario Bros. Wii is an excellent, excellent title with a tremendous ammount of replay value. The lack of originality, Classic Controller support, online play and a level editor are unfortunate oversights but hopefully Nintendo will address these issues and take cues from Media Molecule for a sequel. Regardless, as it stands this is an essential Wii purchase that will hopefully replace Wii Sports as the “must play” title during family gatherings. Buy. This. Now.

The conclusion of Ratchet & Clank’s “Future” arc is finally upon us and if like me you’ve been waiting two years to discover what Clank’s fate it will come with a huge sigh of relief. If you’re new to the series or missed out on R&C’s previous PS3 adventures (including  the downloadable Quest For Booty) don’t worry, A Crack In Time does a fine job bringing you up to speed on the story whist the game is secretly installing. The final moments of 2007’s Tools Of Destruction saw Clank being “kidnapped” by mysterious Zoni creatures and the entirety of A Crack In Time revolves around reuniting the pair, thwarting Dr. Nefarious latest plans and discovering the answers to questions which has been present since the series debut in 2002.

The developers at Insomniac have done a great job separating both Ratchet and his robot buddy Clank’s individual campaigns and hopping between them serves as an excellent way to break up the pace and keep the game feeling fresh from the moment it starts until the end credits roll. For the majority of this action-packed adventure you’ll be playing as Ratchet, a weapon-toting rodent on a mission to rescue his best friend. The Ratchet sections focus primarily on platforming and combat with a few environmental puzzles thrown in every now and again. Initially you’ll start the campaign with nothing more than a simple blaster but as you progress and collect bolts you’ll have the opportunity to purchase additional weapons from venders scattered across the universe. Furthermore each weapon can be leveled up simply by using them and collecting Weapon Packs allows you to customize some of them to your liking. Eventually you’ll be heading in to huge battles armed with everything from a sniper rifle to a disco ball which emits strobe-lighting and funky music, forcing near-by enemies to break out their best dance moves even while you continue to shoot them. Ratchet also has some new weapons to choose from including a Sonic-Eruptor which sends out deadly sound waves but unfortunately none of these quiet as unique or impressive as the selection available in Tools Of Destruction.

A Crack In Time humor has also been slightly downgraded from the previous two games. The storyline is handled far more seriously this time around and the cast of robots the over-excited main protagonist aren’t a patch on the knuckle-headed pirates who Ratchet & Clank were previously up against. Everything else in A Crack In Time is a vast improvement over its predecessors, especially the exploring the galaxy which previously was nothing more than a map screen and lengthy loading process. Now you have direct control of your ship and you are free to explore the solar system shooting down enemies, taking on side missions and visiting planets to collect bolts and upgrades for your ship or weapons.

While Ratchet’s motivation is very self-serving, Clank’s quest is far more extravagant as he’s out to save the entire universe. Without giving too much of the story away it involves Dr. Nefarious attempting to gain access the Great Clock located in the exact center of the universe (give or take 50-feet), accessing the Clock will allow him to travel through time like a young Michael J. Fox however doing so could rip apart the very fabric of the universe. Clank is the only one who gain access to the Clock, hence the reason Nefarious had him kidnapped in the first place, but early on he manages to escape from his imprisonment and a journey of self-discovery ensues. The Clank section are a direct contrast to Ratchet’s and instead of mindless shooting you’re required to solve brain-bending puzzles. Standing on time portals allows Clank to record his actions and have a duplicate of himself carry them out, essentially putting himself in two places at once. Thing start off relatively easy with simple “use clone to stand on door switch” puzzles but eventually you’ll have to organize and manage up for four versions of yourself and have them all work in tandem. These sections are among the best in the game and they’re spaced out appropriately to avoid them from becoming repetitive. In terms of combat Clank carries around a large time-rewinding staff which can be used to melee enemies, deflect projectiles and repair damaged objects. Clank can also throw time orbs to slow down enemies and moving platforms, granting him access to perviously unreachable areas.

Graphically A Crack In Time is on-par with Tools Of Destruction and it runs at a solid 60fps through-out regardless of how many enemies, explosions or bolts are being displayed screen. The voice work is as excellent as ever and some parts of dialogue will literally have you laughing out loud. A few minor gripes come courtesy of games not-so-perfect camera system and Ratchet’s automatic lock-on feature which sometimes has you aiming at non-threatening enemies in the distance rather than the guy standing right in front of you. Like I said these are minor gripes which appear infrequently and the game offers 3 different camera types to help combat both these issues.

As it stands A Crack In Time is a excellent title and one of the best platformers ever made, at this point R&C just may be Mario’s closest competitors for the King Of Platformers crown. If you choose to avoid all the side missions you can probably blow through the campaign in a little over 7 hours and with no online component other than leader boards some may feel this isn’t worth a $60 purchase but trust me the fun-factor alone justifies every penny. If you own a PS3 this is an essential game to add to your collection.

The aptly titled “Triumph” sees the quick witted emcee flexing his lyrical prowess over Dave Sitek’s probing, horn-infused beatbreak. Southern veteran Bun B joins Wale on “Mirrors” as the twosome wax poetics on those individuals who choose to “fake it ’till they make it”. The emo record that appears to be prerequisite for hip hop albums nowadays comes in the form of “90210″ as Wale touches on females with cocaine addictions and those that suffer from eating disorders such as bulimia. Great idea, but flawed execution bring down the record, however.

“Diary” comes as a refreshing opposing viewpoint of women from “90210″ as Wale pens a heartfelt letter to his lady, a woman having a hard time opening up her heart after many failed relationships while the refreshing Marsha Ambrosius glides over The Sleepwalkers’ dreamy backdrop. “TV in The Radio” sees Wale teaming up with K’naan for a quick lyrical blitzkrieg with the latter effortlessly delivering arguably “the” verse of the entire album as well as providing hook duties. The haunting “Contemplate” sees Wale at his darkest aided by Rihanna’s echoing coos contemplating what exactly is his “place” in hip hop before uniting with Roc Nation signees Melanie Fiona & J.Cole on the soulful “Beautiful Bliss”, the smooth, feel good jam of the album.

Producer Best Kept Secret contributes two gems to the project in the form of “Shades” and “Prescription”. The former sees Wale aided by arguably the premier go-to songstress for hook duties as Chrisette Michele provides her nostalgic croons while Wale sincerely recounts issues with colorism he suffered during his childhood, jealous of those with skin lighter than his. The mellow “Prescription” brings Wale’s hyperactive debut to a firm conclusion as the DMV’s frontman searches for just the right “medicine” that hip hop has desperately been in search of.

Critiquing this album can easily find reviewers between a rock and a hard place. It is commonly looked down upon to feature so many artists on an album (especially a debut) as it takes the attention off of the artist whose project it is in the first place. While many features work (Jazmine Sullivan, Bun B), some are out of place (Gucci Mane) and some even overshadow that of Wale’s, specifically J.Cole’s toe-tagging of “Beautiful Bliss” and the desolate wasteland K’naan leaves “TV in The Radio” in. Another issue that proves problematic is the inaccurate sequencing that Attention: Deficit suffers from. On the bright side, there is a little something sprinkled here for everyone: feel good joints, social commentary, potential singles and self-reflection for the man himself. There are alot of great records presented, but Attention Deficit (as a whole) appears to be a water-down carbon copy of the Wale that fans fell in love with, the MC talent who was once inspired by Seinfield to craft a mixtape about “nothing”.

My first impression of the PS3 version of Tekken 6 was far from pleasant, after forcing me to update to Sony’s “optional” 3.01 firmware I then had to  sit and wait for the game to patch itself which altogether took roughly 20 minutes. Once I finally reached the main menu things didn’t get any better, as soon as it loaded I was bombarded with a wealth of information and unnecessary distractions that I quickly had to wrap my head around. On the left were the usual selections (Online Mode, Offline Mode, Gallery, Options etc.), on the the right was my “profile information” which displayed my won/lost ratio, my fight money and my report rank, while in the background a character from the game was moving around in his fight stance while tanks drove by behind him shooting and causing mulitple explosions. This was by far one of the most clunky main menus I have ever seen and navigating through it was a pain until I learned where everything was.

Once I entered the Arcade mode and saw the huge array of fighters my heart began to warm-up. There are over 40 characters available from the start including 6 all new combatants. Arcade mode in itself is a severe disappointment though, forcing you to fight against a seemingly unbeatable robot, an overpowered Jin Kazama and a cheap, larger than life final boss. If you do manage to make it through this torture-fest your sense of accomplishment will be instantly shot down as the credits roll as soon as the final match is over without even so much as a “Congratulations”. Another reason why you may not want to bother with the Arcade mode is the fact that it is no longer the home of the games story, If you want justification as to why you’re going around punching people, robots, panda’s and kangaroos’ in the face you’ll have to consult the awful Scenario mode.

By now fans should be used to Namco’s failed attempts to inject third-person brawler modes in to Tekken games but usually these modes were considered mere extras and playing through the arcade mode provided you with the games story. However Tekken 6 takes the complete opposite approach and now the Scenario mode is the place to go if you want to learn what’s going on and unlock most of the titles achievements/trophies. Here you play as newcomer Lars Alexandersson fighting alongside an AI Controlled Alisa Bosconovitch, as a pair you run around uninspired 3D environments beating up hordes of enemies and collecting loot. I’m not going to waste time trying to explain the illogical, convoluted story but it involves Lars attempting to recover his memory and discover his roots. Early on in the campaign you can choose to play as any other character from the roster but whoever you chose will be replaced by Lars during the cut-scenes with no explanation what-so-ever which just serves to make the terrible story seem even more disjointed.

Like all good fighters Tekken 6 really comes to life when playing against other human opponents and you can choose to do so either locally or online. Local VS mode can be incredibly fun and the game does an excellent job accommodating for both newcomers and series veterans. As the button layout and move lists are relatively unchanged from previous installments I found myself able to jump in a whoop ass with no problems. Newbies will also find themselves pulling off several moves and basic combos simply by mashing on the four face buttons.  While this may sound like a bad thing, all bashing mashing can be countered using perry’s and well timed side-steps so if your girlfriend manages to beat you in a round or two you’ve only got yourself to blame. When you feel like you’re good enough to take on the world you literally can with the excellent online mode. But be warned, as the fighting system encourages you pummel your opponent while their defenceless via air juggles and ground attacks, playing online against skilled players can at times feel extremely unfair and one-sided. Also present are all the game modes you’ve come to expect, namely Survival, Time Trail, Team Battle and Practice. There is also a new Ghost Battle mode where you can fight endless streams of opponents to earn cash (used to customize your characters appearance) and quickly upgrade your rank from a Beginner to a Tekken God.

As long as you have a decent Internet connection or similarly skilled friend to play with Tekken 6 is a fantastic game but the disappointing single player offerings, terrible story and the re-use of animations and voice work from previous games in the series hurts the title overall. If you’re a Tekken fan you’re probably going to buy this game regardless of what any reviewer has to say but for everyone else I suggest you consider purchasing Street Fighter IV, Soul Calibur IV, Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe or even Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection on the PSN before you put your money on the counter and take this game home.

Package Details:

Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City is part of a complete package that contains both The Lost and The Damned and The Ballad Of Gay Tony episodes on one disc.  The Lost and The Damned was the first DLC released for GTA IV back in February of this year. The recent release of The Ballad Of Gay Tony is the final episode in the three part series. This content is available exclusively for Xbox360 and can either be purchased separately for 1600 Microsoft points ($20) a piece or as a compilation disc for $40 respectively. Please note that if you do purchase the Episodes disc then you do not need the original GTA to playthrough both stories.

The Lost and The Damned:

The Lost and The Damned is a story that explores the turbulent lives of the members of a biker gang known as The Lost. You play the role of Johnny Klebitz, the unruly Vice President of the Biker club.  Your life begins to turn upside down when your head boss and club President Billy “ William” Grey returns after a brief stint in rehab. From there you constantly bump heads with him throughout the game, which accounts for a great deal of the missions and story elements you encounter. On the surface this content is reminiscent of the hit FX series Sons Of Anarchy because of its dark tone and excessive violence. The added film grain look provides an edgier glimpse into the shady underbelly that is Liberty City. Overall as a story the set pieces aren’t particularly strong but do enough to tie up the loose ends leftover in GTA IV.

In terms of gameplay, this title is very similar to GTA IV but with the ideal focus on building gang unity. After every intense gunfight that you and your crew win, everyone is instantly leveled up. This concept takes the meaning of “being hardened by war” to another level and will force you to think strategically when fighting. Another addition to the missions are the biker races you can participate in with rival gangs. If you get too close you’ll be able to melee your opponents with bats, therefore making it hard for them to successfully compete against you. Even the Clubhouse itself acts as a safe haven for you to play cards, participate in arm wrestling mini-game matches, and pay respect to your fallen comrades. The overall campaign mode can easily last up to 12 hours depending upon your desire to complete every side quest. Adding new modes like Witness Protection and Own The City have also bumped up the online features. Witness Protection splits players into two teams with one acting as officers transporting a witness to safety and the other as Lost club members aiming to take out that same witness at all costs. Own the City is more of a modified version of Turf War. Overall these modes are extremely fun to play and add replayability to the episode as a whole.

The Ballad Of Gay Tony:

The Ballad Of Gay Tony brings a fresh approach to the tried and true formula distinctly known as GTA. You play the role of Luis Lopez, a former army veteran/ex con turned Bodyguard and Business Associate of Anthony “Tony” Prince. Tony is a prominent Nightclub Owner of the most popular straight club, Maisonette 9, and its gay counterpart, Hercules. Things take a turn for the worse when Tony gets himself caught up in debt and therefore has Luis do favors as his form of repayment to his lenders. Luis also finds himself in a power struggle having to attend to the drug selling ways of his childhood friends Armando and Henrique, while also participating in cage fights to help his mother pay off her own debts she acquired from dealing with a loan shark. As a result the story becomes heavy on explosive battle encounters with the same playful side missions as GTA games of the past. It can easily be debated that this entry in the series could very well be the strongest based on the compelling characters. Yusef usually steals the show with his outlandish demeanor, while Luis’ mother has a softer side only wanting the best for her son. My only knock on it would be the lack of showing conflict when making choices. One of the reasons GTA IV stood out was because there where moments when Niko questioned the morality in doing certain actions. This not only gave the character further dimensionality but also emphasized a sense of humanity and forward thinking. When playing as Luis this isn’t quite as apparent as he only reacts to a situation without worrying about the consequences. I would be interested to see how these ideas are portrayed in future editions.

Again, the gameplay mechanics are similar to GTA IV but with a greater emphasis on offering improved cars and weapons. Some cars also carry nitro, which comes in handy when you need to outrun the cops. Overall, the drivers you deal with on the road are terrible and given that the same came be said about real life drivers today I believe this will force you to become better at maneuvering. In regards to weapons, the sticky bombs are used heavily to blow up trains, planes, cranes, and just about everything else. Likewise adding the p90 SMG offers superior gunplay when getting into intense gunfights. This comes in handy when you playthrough the dock smuggling mission where you and your friends are ambushed and have to shoot your way out. When it comes to having fun in Liberty City, you can do the same activities as before but with the addition of now managing clubs. This may appear to be a boring concept but what makes it fun is the inclusion of dancing mini-games and drinking games you can have with the locals. The dancing side games are time based and require you to sync Luis’ movements to the music. Successfully pull that task off and you’ll be rewarded with a tasteful sex scene between you and the woman you danced with at the nearest bathroom stall. While this definitely isn’t the kind of girl you want to bring home to momma, it can’t be denied that these comedic elements make for a fun experience. The campaign also clocks in at about 12+ hours of gameplay. Once you beat the game you have the ability to replay each mission to get a higher score. Achievement whores will find this beneficial because by doing so they can net themselves bonus points. My one criticism with the online play is the lack of modes. The Lost and the Damned made an attempt to offer new player experiences, while The Ballad Of Gay Tony recycled the same modes from GTA IV. Clearly the inclusion of maybe an online Cage Fighting championship mode, or dancing contest could have easily pushed this concept to a new level.

Final Verdict:

Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City surpasses what the definition of value DLC really is. While most gamers will be quick to spend $60 on any game, its hard to deny that at the $40 price point this game offers more bang for your buck. If you have ever been a fan of the GTA franchise I would urge you to pick up this title. Maybe then and only then can you truly live the American Dream.

With the introduction of DJ Hero comes its own peripheral, the turntable and mixer. The turntable itself is fully rotatable for scratching and rewinds, and includes the three stream buttons right on top of the turntable. The button placement can be put on either the left or right side of the turntable, but having the buttons on the right makes it that much harder to play. Having the buttons themselves on top of the turntable might seem like a mistake initially, but as you develop your skill you’ll get used to it. The other half of the hardware is the mixer, which has the crossfader tab, effects dial, and the Euphoria (star power) button. Everything on the mixer works fine except the crossfader, which can take awhile to get used to. The crossfader tab doesn’t click in the middle making it difficult to know whether or not it’s actually in the middle. I’ve noticed while playing, the crossfade tab doesn’t necessarily have to be right in the middle for the game to recognize that. This also takes some getting used too. The entire piece of hardware itself is sturdy, well built, and no heavier than your Guitar Hero peripheral. It’s not a pretty design but it’ll get the job done.

DJ Hero returns to the simple roots of Guitar Hero single player, earn stars. As you earn stars for each song you complete, setlist, characters, turntables, clothing, and more will be awarded. There’s not really a career mode in DJ Hero. You simply play, do your best, and earn. Although, I would of enjoyed creating my own DJ, but I can’t complain when I get to play as Daft Punk. The only similarity DJ Hero’s gameplay has to Guitar Hero is that you push buttons. Things have changed with the addition of scratching and cross-fading. Scratching is easy enough to do. You simply hold the button, it shows on screen, and scratch on the turntable. Cross-fading for the most part is easy to learn but hard to master. When the fader shifts to the left, move the crossfader tab to the left. Same thing applies for the right side. DJ Hero uses a new and unique way to play and one that mimics what DJ’s do, somewhat. DJ Hero’s difficulty really all depends on which difficulty set you choose. The higher the difficulty the more the game requires you to do.

The one thing DJ Hero was expected to do right was the music and FreeStyleGames succeeds in offering a great soundtrack. The 93 mixes in DJ Hero are made up of 2 songs ranging from several genres of music like hip-hop, dance, pop, r&b, rock, and more. There’s so much variety in the music that it’ll be really easy to find something you like. Even the in-house DJ’s at FreeStyleGames did a great job with their mixes, as well as the more well known faces like Z-trip, Cut Chemist, DJ AM, etc. The only fault some of the music has is that there’s a couple of overused songs such as “Disturbia” by Rihanna and “Hollaback Girl” by Gwen Stefani. It really gets old when you have to hear Gwen Stefani proclaim that “This shit is bananas” in every mix that the track is featured on. If anything songs should be used only twice, once for the beat and once for the vocals.

One of the great things about rhythm based games is the fact that you can play with a group of friends. DJ Hero will catch your friends eyes, but you won’t find the same amount of fun like you do in other rhythm based games since DJ Hero is essentially a single player game. You can do local two player battles, but the only way to get another turntable peripheral at the time being is to buy another $120 set. You can also play 10 mixes by using your guitar. It works identical to Guitar Hero, but it really feels out of place for this game. If none of that interest you then you can battle it out online, although the game lacks multiplayer modes. All it has now is DJ Vs. DJ, who can get the better score. I don’t have any suggestions though, so for now DJ Vs. DJ is all I need.

DJ Hero probably won’t make you want to become real DJ, but playing one is fun. The $120 price tag might be something to consider if you’re low on cash, but if you’re even remotely interested in the DJ Hero experience the price point is an afterthought. DJ Hero lacks a few modes here and there, but the music and the new gameplay experience overshadows the negative. Activision, you have something great here with potential to grow, but I don’t want to see DJ Hero 2 in a couple months. Overall, the video game and hip-hop authority approves DJ Hero. Go buy it if your money is straight. Hell, Wii might even hook you up. *wink*

If you like cars, then you’ll end up loving them in Forza 3. There are over 400 cars in Forza 3 for you to tune, customize, and drive with. Most of your cars will be earned in Forza’s season mode or event play modes. Season mode allows you to have scheduled races in your calender, simple as that. Event play allows you to enter different racing events, depending on class, manufacturer, and so on. Both these modes will reward you with experience points and credits. The more experience points you have, the more discounts you can earn, which will help you save credits to buy a better car. Season and event play are pretty much the same, they both have you driving and earning cars which is what you’re here for.

If there’s anything Turn 10 should take pride on, it’s their gameplay and customizable features. Forza Motorsport 3 is a driving simulator, which might be a little to serious for the casual racing fan. But Forza 3 makes it easy for even the occasional racing player to jump in, with its customizable difficulty features. You can increase the AI difficulty, turn on and off anti-lock brakes or stability control, and more. Another addition to the racing gameplay is the new Rewind button (back button) which lets you rewind the race (in-game) in case you took a wrong turn or bumped into a car. This feature may sound like cheating and out of place in a game that is to be taken serious, but its a life saver when you crash into a wall on your last lap.

Like I said before, Forza 3 has over 400 cars available, with tons of parts available to improve the performance of your cars. Four hundred cars might be overkill for me, but people who strive to get them all will be in for a long ride, no pun intended. Every car I’ve driven in Forza 3 handles well, but if one doesn’t suit your driving style then you’ll have to tune it to your liking. If you can’t understand the tuning options then you can do a quick upgrade or buy someones tuning options online.

The cars drive great but if they don’t look great then what’s the point. Luckily, Turn 10 does a great job at making these vehicles look as beautiful in real life as they do in Forza 3. The cars are almost identical to their real life counterpart thanks to Turn 10’s attention to detail. The race tracks also look pretty good, definitely an upgrade from Forza 2. Forza 3 also sounds great, I’m not sure if the engine sounds are real or not, but they sound real enough. Every racing game needs music and Forza 3 has some not so good music, but you can hardly hear it while racing with the loud sounds of the engines and tires.

The main highlight of Forza 3 for me, is the online features. The amount and quality of the user-created content in Forza 3 is always amazing to see, I can spend minutes just window shopping in Forza 3’s auction house. You are now able to buy decal designs so now you can paste Master Chief on the hood of any car you like, that’s if you’re not one of the geniuses creating this content. Racing with other is still there, but with new online modes to increase the amount of fun. Drag races, drifting, and even Cat and Mouse modes make their debut in Forza 3, adding a new way to play with other friends.

Turn 10 has a strong appreciation for cars, and it shows once you go deep into Forza Motorsport 3. It can get overwhelming to a casual racing game player but Forza 3’s options lend a hand to get you by. If you like racing simulators then take a spin with Forza 3 because it’s better than its ever been. Turn 10 said Forza 3 would be the definitive racer of this generation, well it’s true, but maybe they should of added “so far” at the end of that quote.

At first glance it’s hard not to be amazed by the Wii version of A Boy And His Blob, the hand-drawn art style looks absolutely gorgeous and the game retains a charming and colorful European aesthetic through-out. Wii owners already saw just how graphically competent the Wii really is with the release of Muramasa: The Demon Blade last month and now A Boy And His Blob has added further confirmation that the Wii is capable of producing truly stunning visuals. This is easily one of the best looking games ever to appear on a Nintendo Platform so if you’re one of those multi-console owners who neglects their Wii because its an embarrassment to their huge HD TV’s this might be the game for you.

Story is not relevant here and the game does little to conjure one up but the basic premise is; Blob crash lands outside of Boy’s house, Boy instantly takes a liking to Blob and enlists Blobs help to overthrow the evil emperor who has taken over his home planet of Blobonia. The game takes place across 4 unique areas and 40 levels overall all of which look stunning. Despite having the cutest voice in a video game ever! Boy is pretty much useless by himself. Falling too far off of a ledge or bumping into an enemy results in instant death which can be frustrating as Boy can just barely jump over small gaps and/or enemies. Thankfully Blob has more tools than a Swiss Army Knife and feeding him different colored Jelly Beans allows him to shape shift and become handy objects such as a Ladder, Umbrella and a Giant Bubble. As the game progresses so does Blob’s abilities and eventually he’ll be able to transform into more robust objects such as a Cannon and miniature Space Ship which Boy can sit atop of and ride.

Unlike a typical platformer A Boy His Blob is much more puzzle orientated and you’ll definitely have to keep your brain turned on when traversing through each level. Despite starring a little boy and looking extremely cartoony, this game may be too difficult for most kids to get handle especially if they’re use to more simplistic platformers like the New Super Mario Bros. On the other hand, gamers who enjoy hardcore platformers like Braid will probably find taking down the emperor a tad too easy so WayForward has cleverly added 40 challenge room which become available as you complete story missions and collect hidden treasure chests. Completing these challanges room also unlocks bonus pieces of content as a nice incentive.

Despite all its accomplishments A Boy And His Blob is not a game without flaws, the most prevalent of which is the games control scheme. For whatever reason WayForward choose to make the game require the use of the Wii’s nun-chuk resulting in imprecise analog movement and to make matters worse they then thew in some baffling control decisions. I would have preferred to play using the Wii Remote held sideways or with the Classic Controller using the D-Pad rather than the analog stick and I’m disappointed that WayForward didn’t even allow the option. Even a simple task such as getting your Blob to eat Jelly Beans is far more complicated than it needs to be and involves a handful of steps. Another annoyance is the fact that the placement of the Jelly Beans in your item scroll wheel changes depending on what level you are currently playing, meaning on each new level you’ll waste time searching for your desired Bean because its no longer in the same position that it was in on the previous level. Eventually you’ll get the hang of the controls but it never becomes ideal and you’ll spend the entire game wishing that things were better.

Control issues aside A Boy And His Blob is a fantastic game that will both satisfy and challenge even hardcore Wii owners. If you’re little white console is currently gathering dust under you TV this is definitely a game you should at least consider picking up. However with New Super Mario Wii hot in its heels there is a huge possibility that this intelligent, beautiful and charming title may get underlooked by the masses.

Create your own experience:
Smackdown Vs Raw 2010 boasts an impressive new mode for story management titled Story Designer. This feature lets you craft your own WWE storylines to your heart’s content by creating moments, matches, or both. The use of these insanely deep tools range from adding text dialogue and camera cuts to developing a cast of wrestlers with no limit to your creativity. Once completed, you can preview the story or upload it to the online community via Xbox Live. PS3 fans have further upload options with the ability to post creations on You-tube. When using the default roster of wrestlers you are allowed to create up to 500 scenes with over hundreds of precut animations. The only drawback here is that your limited to 10 created superstar scenes that your character can appear it. This seems like a strategy by THQ aimed at getting the consumer to purchase next year edition for the additional content. Overall though the tool has enough versatility that you can create up to a decade’s worth of material. If you want two divas to face off in a Hell In A Cell Match then it’s totally possible. Add in the fact that stories can be uploaded and this easily translates to new content always being available.

There have also been some worthy additions to the Create a Superstar Mode. Now not only are you able to design your own wrestler, but you also can edit the current roster using the Superstar Thread tool. With this device you can change the outfit colors for each wrestler or diva. Again the drawback here is your limited to threads only and therefore can’t change hairstyles, jewelry, or facial features. It seems pretty silly to be able to change MVP’s costume color but not be able to edit the color of his nose bandage. Once again I expect there to be more options available in the next update.

The Returning Features:
The Road To Wrestlemania mode returns to greatness with 6 new storylines including Edge, Randy Orton, Shawn Michaels, and Mickie James just to name a few. Each story begins with a general introduction by various WWE superstars on what Wrestlemania means to them before branching off into there own individual story. Overall the stories include the right formula of drama and suspense that you would expect from any Raw or Smackdown show. You’ll once again have to make choices throughout that greatly affect your outcome. It’s also worth noting that in some cases you’ll want to change the difficulty settings to gain certain unlockables. For example, you may be given the task of beating Kane in under 3 mins to unlock a bonus arena or hidden character. In this instance playing under the Legend setting will rarely get it done as the computer likes to reverse every move. There are also stories that can be played cooperatively (Brand Warfare story) and as your created superstar. If Road to Wrestlemania isn’t for you, then you can always play the Career mode. This is a standard feature that follows you in your quest to collect every title belt the WWE has to offer. You can choose from any wrestler on the roster to participate in these challenges. There is also the new Championship Scramble Match, which will provide fun for up to 5 players. Lastly, the Royal Rumble match has been significantly upgraded. Your now able to eliminate your opponents in one of four ways (Over the Top Rope, Bottom Rope, Corner Turnbuckle, and Special Finisher). You will often need to tap multiple timed commands to escape elimination. This element of gameplay not only refreshes an otherwise old concept but also forces you to develop a strategy for survival. The one match type that should be explored next is the legendary Survivor Series Match as many fans have expressed interest in seeing this.

Improved Gameplay and Online:
Once you step inside the ring you’ll notice the combat system has also changed. THQ decided to use the same system implemented in the Legends Of Wrestlemania engine. There is a halo bar that appears below each wrestler and gauges when your able to perform signature moves and finishers. This allows for a more smooth control mechanism, which won’t frustrate the gamer as much. The one area that determines your difficulty lies in the Game option settings. Playing on Easy will make the A.I. a pushover while upping the ante to Legend will provide for a more challenging foe. The online play was vastly improved with no noticeable lag time. This of course will vary based upon the strength of the hosting connection. Last year many fans made created wrestlers and cheated by giving them a 99 overall rating. This year that concept has been fixed by forcing everyone to develop their created superstar’s attributes by participating in online matches. The one area that needs improvement with online lies in the addition of defending titles or creating belts. It’s bad enough that you can’t create a belt and even worse that you can’t defend one online. This also could account for creating a better reward system and point builder should THQ decide to explore this option at a later date.

Final Verdict:
WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2010 does an excellent job of portraying the wrestling franchise that fans have known and grown to love. While there still are many customizable options and match types that need to be added, you can’t argue that THQ has taken a promising step forward with this release. The ability to alter your own stories is something past GM modes touched on but nearly really nailed to this degree. If you’re a wrestling enthusiast don’t hesitate to check out this game. Otherwise, you might as well book yourself for a one-night stay at the Smackdown Hotel.

In Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, Nate is lured into one heck of an adventure by his good old friend Harry Flynn. Nate becomes aware of a secret treasure which a rugged warlord has his eyes on which will grant him undeniable powers. In a nutshell it sounds like a cheesy Hollywood synopsis, but Naughty Dog crafted the story elements of this game so well that you will be thrilled and entertained every step of the way. Story wise there is nothing bad to say about the game; the story does what it needs to, and the new characters introduced into the game are nothing short of excellent.

Getting into the gameplay elements, Naughty Dog fixed many annoyances that were found in the first game. Such as how you use grenades, you no longer need to select grenades as your main weapon. Instead you can either just tap R2 and Nate will throw one in the direction your facing, or you can hold down R2, aim your grenade and then let go to throw it. Another great improvement is how close combat works. It is a lot more complex this time around, first of all you can sneak up on enemies from behind and snap their necks, which is very satisfying might I add. Secondly if an enemy has gotten a bit too close for comfort, hitting square will initiate a close range battle. The beauty of it this time however, is that the enemies will actually counter and fight back, meaning you have to be quick to counteract to finally finish them.

Speaking of the enemies, the AI in this game will have you dying a whole lot. The type of person to play Uncharted 2 should be someone who loves a challenge and will not put the controller down until they have succeeded. The AI is so advanced in this game that you may feel as though you are playing real people. They will hunt you down in any way possible, and they use their numbers to their advantage. After completing this game you should feel like you can react a hell of a lot more quickly, even in real life. Quick reactions and thinking is what will get you through Uncharted 2, but for those who aren’t up for a challenge there are two easy modes to choose from. The cover system is a vital tool which will save your life in many cases, however in small spaces the cover system can get sticky, which may just lead to your death.

Naughty Dog have created a technical masterpiece with Uncharted 2; not only does the whole environment look absolutely stunning, but the way Nate interacts with the elements that make up the world is literally breathe taking. Take a stroll through the snow and you will see Nate and his friends make footprints and partings through the snow, and their clothes will become full of snow. The way this happens seems so fluid and so natural. There are levels where buildings break into one another and all the contents of the buildings will fly around exactly as you would expect in real life.

Even the way the characters react to the current occurrences on screen is amazing, the way drake will pant and groan when climbing a rope, the way they react when a grenade exploded close by and the way the game transitions from cut scene to in game action is so breathe taking that you will not believe this is a game anymore.

Going into the online aspects, the multiplayer addition to the Uncharted franchise is in every way a success. The multiplayer does what it is supposed to do, but doesn’t go beyond that however. For example; you will have much fun playing death matches, co-op, capture the treasure and every entertaining multiplayer variation on offer. However for those who are very competitive online players, it doesn’t offer much longevity. For one you cannot see your own or other online player’s stats which is disappointing seeing as the game is appealing to competitive players. Also there are no clan features which allow you to create a group with your friends and attempt to dominate the online. These may not seem like important features, but as for as keeping hardcore competitors playing the game, they are necessary.

Aside from those missing features, the multiplayer does hold it’s own and I am sure there will be some DLC for it down the line. You can rank up, join parties with your friends, and earn money. This money can be used to purchase new perks called “Boosters”, which will give you certain advantages. As well as that you can shop for new character models and new gun upgrades for co-operative games.

Aside from the very few negative aspects I have listed, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is nothing short of a perfect game. From the dialog, to the action, to the graphics to the multiplayer, this game does not disappoint. It’s hard for me to tell you to buy this game, but very easy to tell you that if you own a Playstation 3 then you should not be without this game. Everybody needs to support and applaud Naughty Dogs work here, for Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is nothing short of a classic.

~ Royce Da 5′9″: 8-11 (Freestyle)

As regarded a city as there is in America, Detroit has buit as big a name as they come, boasting hip hop acts such as Elzhi, Black Milk and of course, the technically enhanced veteran, Eminem. Almost forgotten amongst the cold confines of the “D” is one Ryan Montgomery, better known as Royce Da 5′9″. After a year long stint in prison for a DUI, Royce sought to reclaim his hold on the underground, unleashing the initial two installments of his famed Bar Exam series, patching up misunderstandings with longtime friend Eminem and forming a lyrical juggernaut with the likes of Crooked I, Joe Budden and Joell Ortiz in Slaughterhouse. Working under the radar with the legendary DJ Premier, Royce Da 5′9″ entered the studio diligently to finish up work on his long delayed, much anticipated Street Hop opus. With the Slaughterhouse project available for release and backing coming from some of hip hop’s greatest acts, Royce Da 5′9″ allows listeners to join him on his quest to be mentioned among hip hop’s elites and (in a way) escape the shadow of one Slim Shady.

Royce Da 5′9″ explodes out of the gate on the energetic opener, “Gun Harmonizing”. Backed by Emile’s melodic production, Royce likens his rhyming skills to that of an AK-47, even mimicing the gunfire with dramatic scatting on the hook before fellow Slaughterhouse mate Crooked I bats cleanup with a damn near show-stealing guest feature. Nickle enlists Phonte, one half of famed hip hop group Little Brother, for hook duties on the smooth “Something 2 Ride 2″, a slow burner produced by the legendary DJ Premier. Mimicing the execution of Premier’s use of a Public Enemy’s numerical sample on The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Ten Crack Commandments”, Royce delivers punchline after punchline on the blistering “Count For Nothing”.

“Dinner Time” shows Royce literally as hungry as they come as he spends a little over three minutes devouring wack emcees, with even cameo legend Busta Rhymes becoming a morsel for the Detroit Native as he absolutely “toe-tags” Quincey Tones’ militant backdrop. The self-proclaimed “Sergeant Slaughter” is joined by the rest of his Slaughterhouse conglomerate on “The Warriors”, another Emile-produced gem that features the fearsome foursome unleashing two verses a piece, wrecking a cinematic backdrop with numerous quotables and Royce emerging from the destruction triumphant with two absolutely stellar verses. “Shake This” is easily another classic addition into Royce’s belt as the famed rhyme spitter reflects on past problems with alcoholism and prison time and details his journey of redemption, aided by Premier’s lush production.

Street Hop also offers a musical epiphany for listeners as Royce Da 5′9″ allows listeners to partake in his twisted thoughts for a few of storytelling murals, easily painting himself among the underrated when it comes to cinematic narratives. Listeners enter Nickle’s version of The Twilight Zone (nicknamed the “5′9 Zone”) on “Part of Me” as he details a pecuilar night at the bar for a young man who enters a beautiful dream in the form of a threesome with two gorgeous women before awakening to an ugly nightmare as the vixens numbed his body before a vengeful act of castration takes place for the unlucky chap. “On The Run” sees Royce incased in a hotelroom, gripped by a state of paranoia as he goes over the past 24 hours in an attempt to figure out exactly what happened to him. The subsequent track, “Murder”, acts as a Nas-esque “Rewind” as he recounts the bloodbath he witnessed the day before from start to end (which ties into “On The Run”).

Lyrically, Royce is a force throughout the album, bombarding each beat with relative ease and calm. Executively produced by DJ Premier, Primo possesses an excellent ear for beats, selecting excellent backdrops for Nickle’s rhymes to run rampant over. Royce even manages to dip his feet into commercial waters on “Thing For Your Girlfriend” and the autotune-laden chorus on “Far Away”. The biggest detriments to Street Hop’s case as a classic album are the lengthy tracklisting (clocking it at 19 cuts) and the inclusion of generic subject matter on obvious filler (”Gangsta”,”Bad Boy” and the useless skit, for example). With enough spins, the gangsta talk grows tired and its fire is eventually snuffed out. Noticeably missing (after the addition of the year old and previously leaked “Shake This” and “Part of Me”) is the classic “Taxi Driver”, an absolute gem of a record that was originally planned for Street Hop, but leaked as part of Royce’s The Revival LP and was thus, not included. With that being said, Royce Da 5′9″ presents another solid addition to his growing catalogue, but sees him still in search of that undeniable classic record that would elevate him into the company he thirsts to join: the likes of Jay-Z, Nas and his fellow Detroit friend/native, Eminem.

Jack Black stars in Brutal Legend, voicing the greatest heavy metal roadie, Eddie Riggs. During a concert, the stage collapses on Eddie and blood drips on his cursed belt buckle which sends him into a heavy metal world full of demons. Eddie then meets up with Ophelia, Lars, and Lita who are starting a resistance movement against the evil Lord Doviculus, which Eddie is more than happy to lead in. The story might seem a little odd just reading it, but when playing it you’ll appreciate the story more as it goes on and the comedy in the writing will have you entertained that you’ll actually be interested in what is said. The main story will take about nine or ten hours to complete, but you can make the experience longer by trying out some of the side quest. They wont add much to the story but they’ll hold you back from completing it so quickly. Unfortunately, there’s not much variety when it comes to these side quest so they can get a little repetitive. Brutal Legend does have an open world so you can kill time driving around and unlocking stuff as well.

The gameplay in Brutal Legend is where some gamers might encounter their first flaw. Brutal Legend does have the normal hack and slash gameplay which lets you strain combos together but instead of swords, Eddie uses his Separator axe and Clementine guitar to rip apart his opponents. The hack and slash gameplay feels normal to what we’re use to, but Brutal Legend adds some RTS style gameplay as well. Many of the main story missions will play out with this RTS gameplay which takes place in a rather large arena. The stage battles play somewhat like a territories match, the objective being to infiltrate your enemies merchandise booth and stealing their fans which in return helps you add more units to the battlefield in order to destroy your opponents main stage. It’s a pretty cool idea to incorporate the whole concert background to the gameplay but it doesn’t make it fun, only more aggravating that I wish I could use my melee moves instead. Brutal Legend had a solid hack and slash style gameplay which wasn’t used as much as it should be due to the RTS style gameplay, which seemed a little tacked on in order for the game to have a multiplayer mode. Multiplayer plays identical to the RTS style found in the single player camping but adds the 4 on 4 competitiveness.

The graphics in Brutal Legend are solid and polished for what the game is trying to achieve visually. I did notice some minor clipping issues during cutscenes but it only happened once or twice. The art style is what makes Brutal Legend unique and great to look at. Everything and anything in this game with a pulse is intriguing to look at, especially when you notice how the heavy metal vibe fits every character and creature so perfectly.

The music in the game is comprised of over 100 heavy metal songs which fit the game well. I’m not a huge fan of the music myself so anyone who doesn’t like this genre of music don’t be so dismissive towards the game. Another major highlight in Brutal Legend is the voice work in this game. Again, I’m not a fan of Jack Black but he does a great job as Eddie Riggs. He makes the character very likable and delivers a comical performance, you can tell Jack Black was dedicated to deliver the same amount of humor that was on script. Jack Black is not the only famous face doing voice work in Brutal Legend, heavy metal legends like Ozzy Osbourne, Rob Halford, Lemmy Kilmister, and more lend their voice. Now I would of never imagined Ozzy voicing a video game character so well but he pulls it off, matter of fact, everyone overall does a great job at it.

Brutal Legend is probably the most unique game this fall and that alone merits at least a try. The story and the humor are great and entertaining. The gameplay might not be what you want it to be or what you think it is, which was a real letdown for me. Even with weak gameplay, Brutal Legend offers a great time and a great game overall. Tim Schafer and Double Fine have another hit, now we just wait to see how everyone reacts to it.

The Wizard commences his latest project with the uptempo number, “Not Your Average Girl”, and while Shareefa does the cut justice as Ghost’s “down ass chick”, it begs to wonder whether or not this track was crafted with either Keyshia Cole or Mary J. Blige in mind. The self-proclaimed “R&B Neo-Soul Hippie Rockstar” Raheem DeVaughn joins Ghostface for two cuts including the reflective 1st single “Baby”, in which he belts out an autotune-riddled chorus as Ghostface rhymes about the beauty and rigors (hunger cravings, yikes!) of pregnancy. The remorse depicted in DeVaughn’s hook duties on the soulful “Do Over” allow the Shaolin soldier an effective foundation as he laments over past indiscretions after his infidelity leads to the loss of his good girl, his “crown jewel”.

The somber soundscape of “Lonely” echo a different aspect of Ghostface’s, down on his luck and making himself heartsick at the thought of another man curled up at night with his girl with even his son unknowingly feeding into his detached state of mind: “Most of the time we watch flicks, on your Surround Sound, he watch boxing/ You better go beg or something, before she go love him/ He’s taking your spot cause you was dissin Mommy, you buggin/ They don’t argue, he send her flowers for no reason/ She’s cheesing… I’m wishing you could come back and see this”. It is also on the nostalgia-inducing cuts “Stay” and “Forever” where the wizard is his most sincere especially on the latter in which he promises forever to his one and only, backed by a mesmerizing instrumental.

While this “R&B” album virtually stands as uncharted territory for the Wu-Gambino, it is his detailed storytelling that continues to shine brightest through his expansive catalogue. The raw and uncut “Stapleton Sex” features Ghost at his best, presenting as vivid a sexcapade on wax as possible between he and wifey (assisted by the lovely Milani Rose) that would make even the late great Pimp C shudder. The piano key-driven Paragraphs Of Love is a theatrical masterpiece as Ghostface enlists singer Vaughn Anthony and UK superstar Estelle to articulate on the age old tale of “love at first sight” as Starks encounters another man’s pregnant fiancee, “the most beautifulest queen I’ve ever seen” who brings forth the inner gentleman in him as he questions whether she is in need of help and offers her sustenance. While many will recognize the backdrop as Rick Ross’ “Yacht Music”, Ghostface flips the Justice League’s triumphant horn-driven composition into “Guest House”, a concise, paranoia-infused epic that features the masterful storyteller on a crusade in search of his significant other, who he subsequently finds cheating on him with cameo king Fabolous.

With Wizard of Poetry…, Ghostface further solidifies his stature among the greatest emcees to ever grace the microphone while also showing his willingness grow as an artist. Backed by incredible production throughout, Ghostface utilizes his stellar pen game and continues to paint as vivid a picture as they come, though instead of his vintage cocaine tales, he focuses on the various twists and turn that can occur in the art of love. The album tapers off near the end especially on the bland, Lloyd-assisted “Goner” and the questionable inclusion of the remix to 2006’s “Back Like That”, a record that appeared on More Fish, but the initial ten to eleven tracks are substantially worthwhile and more than make up for a small addition of filler. Sticking out like a sore thumb amongst other records in his extensive catalogue, Ghostdini, The Wizard of Poetry in Emerald City further validates Ghostface’s extensive range as an artist as well as his confidence to step outside of his lane, a feat that continues to shape among veteran emcees in the latter years of their established careers.

4 spins (out of 5)

Note: This game was just released in Europe, which explains the late review for those who live in North America & Asia.

King of Fighters is a popular fighting series with many dedicated followers; the game has always focused on using stunning 2D visual sprites, until now. Although they have tried a new art style, and for the most part created something good looking, I have to say that the King of Fighters Xii visuals looked a whole lot more beautiful in the screen shots leading up to the games North American release.

For me the stripped down rosters and player modes that everyone has been complaining about in the game are not an issue. Way back when King of Fighters Xii had a jam packed roster and a decent amount of different play modes, not many people bought or embraced the game. There for you cannot fault them for leaving a lot out of this game, especially seeing as it took SNK a long time to build the sprites.

My main gripes with the game are that the art style does not look as good as it did on the screen shots of the game. Along with that the game also runs way slower than expected, and trying to run through the arcade mode could leave you bored very quickly. The arcade mode lets you choose a team of three fighters, and you will face off against other teams of three to pound them in the quickest time you can. If you are not happy with your timing you can re play each fight over again. Players have expressed their dislike for the lack of a story mode in this game, because aside from the arcade mode all there is; is the verses mode, practice and online.

The move set and the variety of attacks in the game are very satisfactory, however when you compare the fighting mechanics in this game to other leading fighting games it just cannot compare.  Despite this; the game does actually have some nice additions that make the game interesting to play if you stick with it long enough, such as knock down attacks which can set up a more offensive chain of attacks.  There is also the counter system which stuns your opponents if you are quick enough, which then allows you to take advantage with style. However this would probably cause people who take these brawling games seriously to oppose each other with caution, which may bring the pace of a fight down even more.

As far as online goes, I had no problems finding and participating in a game. There were minor lag issues, but apart from that I didn’t see what all the bashing the game got in its online portion was about.

Overall I would say that although King OF Fighters XII is a solid fighter, fans of the series can’t help but be a little disappointed at the lack of content. We cannot fault the SNK team for this however; instead we should just take the game for what it is and enjoy it to the max. It is hard to see why the game would appeal to those who aren’t essentially King Of Fighters fans given the amount of other fighters out there such as; but for SNK fans you will no doubt be able to put in a good amount of hours into this addition into the King Of Fighters series.

The main course in Halo 3: ODST is the new campaign, which also introduces a new hero, The Rookie. The story begins when you and your squad are separated upon your arrival to New Mombasa searching for a reason as to why the Covenant have decided to invade the city, now you must search for your squad members in a Covenant occupied New Mombasa. In New Mombasa you’ll find certain objects which trigger a flashback and that will start a mission. Each mission will have you playing as a different member in your squad, and will show his side of how things went for him upon arrival. For the first time in Halo, you’ll be able play in the open world of New Mombasa and play missions in any select order. Co-op is always a plus so you’ll be happy to know that the game can be played with four players online and two players in split-screen, so don’t fight alone.

One thing that Halo 3: ODST has changed drastically from other Halo games is the gameplay. Playing as an ODST will make you appreciate everything about Master Chief. No longer can you duel wield weapons, not even the guns that could be duel wielded like the Needler or the Plasma Rifle and no more Battle Rifle. Most of your kills will be done with the two new weapons introduced in ODST, which are the sound-suppressed submachine gun and a sound-suppressed magnum. This new weaponry fits the mood of the game very well seeing as how you’re trying to be a sneaky investigator in the streets of New Mombasa. An ODST also comes equipped with a VISR which can be turned on to help you spot enemies much easier. The only complaint I have is that I found myself turning it on only to use it as sort of a flashlight which had me asking why not just give me a flashlight? The health of an ODST is also much weaker than that of a Spartan. You wont be running and gunning around or you’ll find yourself dead in a hurry. You pretty much have a bar of health if you get hit it will flash red and beep like crazy which can be awfully irritating, you’ll have to find a health pack in order to regain your health now. Overall it may seem like the gameplay took a turn for the worse but the main complaint being made is that you’re not like Master Chief so it makes sense not having his abilities, after all you are human now. Luckily, you’ll adapt quickly to the abilities an ODST offers and it changes the way you play Halo which needed to be done for a while.

Graphically, Halo 3: ODST is just a tad better looking than Halo 3. It’s a little bit more polished but overall it’s mostly the same. Only a true graphics enthusiast will find a difference when you compare ODST to Halo 3, side by side. When it comes to sound in Halo 3: ODST, the music is phenomenal. Martin O’Donnell and his partner Michael Salvatori composed the music for ODST, and their music really helped capture the feel of the game. The music playing as your walking around the night time of New Mombasa, just makes that experience richer and better. I really don’t notice music in video games too often but the music in Halo games are always great. You might not find something as good as the Halo Theme but you’ll forget it’s even missing after awhile. Some of the most notable sound comes from the people voicing the characters in the game. Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin, Alan Tudyk, and Tricia Helfer do a great job voice acting and really make their roles seem believable.

Now on to some quick extras that Halo 3: ODST has to offer. A new cooperative mode called Firefight is introduced and in this mode you’ll find yourself trying to survive wave after wave of enemies. It may sound like horde mode from Gears of War 2 and there’s no arguing that Firefight is an offspring of that but Firefight adds more of a fun factor to it. Killing enemies and raking up a highscore to hear encouraging Halo phrases like “Triple Kill” and “Running Riot” makes this mode fun. Things can get difficult during the later rounds of Firefight especially when some skulls are activated. Some skulls will trigger enemies to throw more grenades and another could double your enemies health, so you can imagine the level of teamwork it’ll take to survive. Theater mode also returns so you’ll be able to take screen shots of amazing things that happened to you during your campaign run or a Firefight round. In case you forgot, Halo 3: ODST is a 2 disc game. One disc has the ODST campaign and Firefight mode and the second is Halo 3 multiplayer with all the downloadable maps plus 3 new maps on disc. No new features are included in Halo 3 multiplayer except for the 3 new maps, so if you own Halo 3 and bought all the downloadable maps you might feel robbed. Unfortunately, there’s no way you can purchase only the ODST disc, but that’s the price you pay to get an invitation into the Halo: Reach beta.

Bungie took a chance and changed things that felt too familiar with Halo, even if it meant the good things, but they made it work at the same time adding a new way to play Halo. The Halo franchise may always be successful but this game is not safe and I commend Bungie for playing a wild card and winning. At the same time, people have to know that upon purchasing this game you’re in a way re-buying Halo 3 multiplayer. So could Halo 3: ODST campaign and Firefight be DLC? Yes, but its not. I can’t tell you what to do with your own money, but it’s a game worth buying for any Halo fan.

“This is black emo rap”
~ Illionaire

A fine-tuned combination of Kanye West’s charisma and personality and OutKast’s eclectic persona perfectly describes Cleveland native KiD CuDi. Apart of XXL’s 2009 Freshman Edition, CuDi was joined by the likes of West Coast emcee Blu (who released the critically acclaimed Below The Heavens with beatmaker extraordinaire, Exile), the prolific machine Charles Hamilton and the DMV’s lyrical mastermind, Wale. CuDi stands out and is arguably the best act of the group as he embodies and exudes one of the most important aspects of music: innovation. After just missing the Grammy Awards deadline, KiD CuDi is geared up to release his debut album as he allows listeners a safe passage into the mind of the man on the moon.

Man On The Moon begins on a high note with “In My Dreams”, a somber (yet concise) look into the mind of Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi. “Dreams” comes to a dreamlike close with the legendary Common beginning narration duties as the dream and nightmare sequences that riddle this concept record begin. The album itself is divided into five acts (each narrated by Common) and acts as a space age, psuedo-biography of Mescudi’s life. Following Common’s initial duties is the heartfelt “Soundtrack 2 My Life”, a look into the adventures and trials that CuDi has faced including the death of his father, which he has yet to get over (”I’m super paranoid like a sixth sense/ Since my father died, I ain’t been right since / And I try to piece together the puzzle of the universe / Split an eighth of shrooms just so I could see the universe”).

Acting as an introduction and in-depth look into the mind of KiD CuDi (slightly influenced by with his weed-laced mindset), the initial act (The End of Day) concludes with “Simple As…” before Common steers the story into Act II: The Rise of The Night Tremors. The hauntingly piercing “Solo Dolo” sees CuDi’s versatile style taking over as he both raps and sings, relaying his self depreciation and self-pity before finding the inspiration to rise from amongst ruin on his very own theme music, “Heart of a Lion”. The conclusion of the Billy Craven-featured “My World” sees Common returning to lead the album into its third act, Taking a Trip. The “lonely stoner” follows up cult classic and initial single “Day ‘n’ Nite” with the epic sounds of “Sky Might Fall” as he continues to maintain the spacial theme through his debut, seeking to inspire listeners even when things are at their bleakest.

The fourth act, Stuck, consists of four cuts: “Alive”, “CuDi Zone” as well as followup singles “Make Her Say” and “Pursuit of Happiness”. The former two continue the spacial theme that takes place throughout the album, firmly entrenching the album with CuDi’s brilliant concept while the awe-inspiring “Pursuit of Happiness” concludes with a final narration from Common as we enter the final act of CuDi’s tale: A New Beginning. The album comes to an beautiful close with CuDi showcasing his rhyming abilities on “Hyyer” and bringing the album full circle with “Up Up & Away” as Scott Mescudi finally awakes from his dreamlike state of mind.

With Man On The Moon: The End of Day as his debut opus, CuDi has truly created a work of art and arguably, the best alternative album to be released for quite some time. “Make Her Say” may be the only misstep on the album. While it features Chicago’s own Kanye West and Common dropping some of their most deviant verses, CuDi’s hit single sticks out like a sore thumb. On the other hand, “Make Her Say” could be placed on the album intentionally so as to provide the album with a “break” so its eclectic soundscapes would not merge together and become redundant. Comparable to to the video game “Portal”, Man On The Moon: The End of Day is brilliant, nearly flawless and short enough to not overstay its welcome while also challenging enough to maintain interest. With his debut, KiD CuDi has released a near-classic piece of art while firmly establishing himself as a leader of the new school and building anticipation for the next ambitious installment in his Man On The Moon trilogy.

4.5 spins (out of 5)

For the complete and unabridged version of this review, click here

If You're Gonna Commit Suicide Atleast Glue Toaster To Your Head First!

Playing through Scribblenauts I’ve discovered that I more than likely have mental problems, presumably caused by daddy issues. Let me explain, when I was tasked to help a kid bust open a Piñata at a birthday party in my head I know all I need to do is hand the young’n a baseball bat and be on my way. However before doing so I spent around 20 minutes thinking of new ways to massacre the little squirt and all his little friends. I’ve called upon a Cannibal to attack them, I’ve glued meat chunks to their heads then made a blood thirsty lions gatecrash the party, I’ve even gone as far as putting on a balaclava myself, grabbing a knife and… well lets just say things got messy. Even when my conscience finally kicked in and I gave the kid the baseball bat I knew he needed I still couldn’t resist the urge to throw a grenade in his direction just to see if he would attempt to deflect it. Of course he didn’t it, he just died, and honestly I was glad he did. Moving on, some of the puzzles in ‘Nauts can be extremely tricky, especially when an object that “should” help you fails to do what you want it to, there are always multiple solutions at hand though so just take the time to think things through thoroughly and eventually that Starite will be yours.

How Will You Stop That Vampire? A Cross, Some Garlic Or A Shotgun!

By far the best part of Scribblenauts is the title screen where you have a blank canvas to condure up a bunch of random objects and have them all interact with  each other. Ever wondered who will win in a fight ManBearPig or a Giant Enemy Crab? simply summon them both and watch them square off! I’ve spend hours upon hours just goofing around on the title screen, giving God wings and have him perform aerial fights against the Devil above a couple land mines was hilarious and I had fun trying to initiate a threesome by drawing up a Wife, a Mistress and a Bed. If you’re waiting for the part where I say something about the game sucks, here it is… The controls in Scribblenauts suck! I’ve been following Scribblenauts for over a year now and the only negative thing I’ve heard anybody dare utter about it were regards to its unresponsive controls, so why has the game still shipped in this almost broken state? Instead of controlling your character (his name is Maxwell by the way) with the d-pad as one would assume you actually direct him but tapping on the screen, bear in mind that you also pick up and manipulate objects by tapping on the screen so as you could imagine there will be several instances where you try to interact with an object but instead Maxwell comes charging over to it like a doofus, putting himself in harms way. Maxwell seems to have a mind of his own and getting him to be where you want him to be or do what you want him to do requires way more effort than it should. It really is a testament to the rest of the game that I’m still rating it very highly despite such a major flaw but Scribblenauts is truly a game like none other. It is a game that must be played by all, and hopefully all the buzz will translate in to sales and from here on the Scribblenauts franchise will continue to grow even beyond the DS.

Remember Contra III anybody? of course you do, it was only one of the best games of the 16-bit generation! How about Contra 4 or all the Contra’s in-between, not so much huh? That’s because they have all (with the exception of maybe Hard Corp on the Genesis) failed to live up to the magic of the 1992 Super Nintendo classic. Now 17 years later Konami are once again conducting witchcraft in an attempt to bring Contra back to its former glory with Contra Rebirth. Rebirth sees the Contra series return home to a Nintendo console after almost 2 decades and it terms of greatness it picks up right where Contra III left off. As with any Contra co-op is the way to go so if you’re fortunate enough to have a buddy beside you who’s willing to play more than just Madden and/or Gears Of War you’re in for a real treat. The game features 5 stages, 3 difficulty levels and (praise the lord) unlimited continues, successfully conquering each difficulty grants you access to 1 of 3 unlockables. During your first play-through you’re bound to crack a few smiles as memories of your childhood come rushing back to you as you once again traverse through areas seen in previous games. Unfortunately though the graphics are way below what the Wii can handle and game runs in 4:3 without so much as a fancy boarder, just plain old black bars.

Rebirth is essentially Contra turned all the way up to 11, from start to end you can expect to see swarms of enemies, bullets flying everywhere and tons of explosions yet compared to previous games in the series Rebirth can feel a little shallow. Most of the game is spent running to the right whilst gunning down every enemy in sight, gone are the vehicle, top down and tunnel stages which would have helped to break up the games frantic flow. Also the weapon selection in Rebirth is very barebones with an Automatic Rifle, Homing Missiles, Laser and Spreadshot being the only artillery at your despoil. Another bummer is that the game story is laughably bad, Contra has never been known for having a good story (or a story at all even) but all the talk about “Elite Contra Space Warriors” and “Neo-Salamander Army’s” in Rebirth is enough to make you go on a real life killing-spree. None of this really matters though because once your running though areas shooting bad guys in the face until they explode you’ll be having the time of your life. Hopefully Komani will one day re-release this title on the PSN/XBLA with a HD coating, online co-op and more god-damn guns! Then I can have the pleasure of rewarding it with the 9 stars it deserves, until then it has to settle for…

Be warned though, some of the puzzles/riddles featured in Diabolical Box are incredibly hard and you’ll often have to rely on the in-game hint system, which can be obtained by collecting hidden Hint Coins for the solution. Each puzzle has three increasingly specific hints available so as long as you have enough Coins handy you’re unlikely to be stuck on any given puzzle for too long (and of course there’s always GameFaqs!). As with the first game Layton has proved undoubtedly that puzzle solving and giving your brain a workout can actually be fun, there are several games (especially on the DS) that attempt to blend “work” with “play” but none even come close to Layton’s pedestal. By the end of the game (after cracking over 150 puzzles) not only will you feel satisfied by the games strong narrative, you’ll also feel a true sense of real world accomplishment which video games very rarely provide. That in itself is enough to deem Professor Layton And The Diabolical a success.