Tomb Raider Review

NOTE: I'm going back to my old way of reviews, because I just wasn't able to say everything I wanted to say with the Pro/Con system.

Gameplay (7.5/10) - The gameplay of TR is bascially a combination of Uncharted and Metroid. What TR does well, is bring gameplay elements of classic action-adventure games like Metroid and Zelda, such as gaining new items throughout the journey, back-tracking, and item stacking, into the Uncharted formula of 3rd-person shooting, platforming, and searching for treasures. The end result works very well. Crystal Dynamics managed to implement such foreign elements into the formula without any of it feeling tacked on. TR also provides some interesting gameplay scenarios that force the player into to use their wits as well as reaction time. Unfortunately, what TR does very well begins to wear thin after the game's halfway point. Unique gameplay elements such as using a rope arrow to bring a balcony down or using a shotgun to open new paths are only used around the times when they are introduced and then forgotten an hour later. It's a shame that the unique elements were forgotten so quickly; as eventually the game just gets into a groove of gameplay once all of the weapons are obtained and just sticks there for the rest of the game.  Some more layered gameplay and diversity there-of would've pushed TR further. Overall, TR starts off much stronger than it finished in the gameplay department.

Graphics (6.5/10) - TR's art direction does a lot for this score, because on a technical level, TR is not very impressive at all. The regular frame-rate of the game is pretty bad, and only seems to remain steady when Lara is still. The character models are also pretty unimpressive outside of Lara's, which even has a fair amount of jaggies itself. Lip-sync isn't very impressive either. What does impress visually in TR is the art direction and the amount of visual "stuff" Crystal Dynamics managed to get into the environments. TR lacks any open spaces and each area feels organic and rich with rubble and foilage, thus making for a very convincing setting. One complaint I have is that most of the games environments are filled with wreckage or mangled nature; so, basically, it's not very pretty. Impressively detailed, but not pretty.

Sound (6.5/10) - TR's soundtrack is intense and does a great job of creating the survival-horror vibe the game has. The voice acting ranged from good to great. Nothing really impressive here, but nothing bad either.

Story (5/10) - TR has a story and characters, but I really couldn't feel for any of them. Many fall under stereotypes or typical tropes that you see in adventure movies. There is a story though, and the game does a decent job of keeping interest, but it's just not a very interesting story. I have two main gripes with the story in TR: 1) despite the fact that there is a spiritual element to the game's plot, the developers to very little with it. Putting in some type of dragon, ghosts, or something fantastical would have helped keep the story interesting, as well as keep the ending from feeling so out of place. 2) Lara's character arc falls flat. This game was supposed to be about how Lara came to grow as a survivor and warrior, but she feels no different at the end of the game than she did at the beginning, which was a big letdown.

Replay Value (8/10) - There is a lot to explore on the island, which is really huge in size. There are treasures and documents to find, as well as some secret tombs. The length of the story mode was surprisingly long too.

Satisfaction (6/10) - Overall, I'll probably forget about my experience with TR in a few weeks. The game is fun while it lasts, and it brought some nice additions to the Uncharted formula, which had been becoming the staple in the genre. But, regardless, nothing TR does is particularly impressive. A few years ago it would've been. But with so-so graphics and a poor story backing up the decent gameplay, the end result just wasn't very satisfying.

Overall

The score I should give it - (8/10): At the end of the day, TR is better than Uncharted. It's graphics may not be as good, and it's story may pale in comparison, but TR brings some much need content to the gameplay of the Uncharted series, which had really begun to show it's age. The long campaign and great replay value in addition to a multiplayer mode also help TR as a good complete product.

The score I want to give it - (6/10): I didn't notice it until the end of the game, but it was TR's poor story that hurt it the most. There was little drive to keep playing except for seeing where the gameplay would go, and when the story wrapped up, it was very unsatisfying. Uncharted's gameplay may not be as complex as TR's, but it has a lot more heart and soul put into its story and gameplay scenarios than TR does. And, in the end, it's that heart and soul that sticks with a player after all is said and done. As a result, I'll remember my time with Uncharted 2 much longer than my time with TR.

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 Review

Pros
- Though they don't impress as much now that we're at the third game, the graphics are still incredible and among the best in the business.
- Revised combat mechanics work very well and add some great balance and tension to battles.
- Though not as great as Storm 2's boss battles overall, Storm 3 has some boss battles that really impress and satisfy.
- Chiyako Fukuda, once again, provides an incredible soundtrack.
- Story mode is extensive, of high quality, and covers much of the anime.
- A huge amount of voice work.
- While seldom, there are incredible moments where story and gameplay fuse and are truly satisfying.
- With 80 characters, 40 stages, a long story mode, and many side-quests to partake in after initially finishing the story mode, there is a lot of content to this game.

Meh
- some minor elements of slow-down occur; though its rare.

Cons
- while the story mode is much longer than Storm 2, the amount of boss battles is about the same (or less depending on what you count as a boss battle); as a result, about 75% of the story mode is spent watching cutscenes.
- the amount of QTEs and interactive segments within the story mode have been cut down drastically from previous games; as a result, boss battles feel much less satisfying than in Storm 2.
- No way to adjust the difficulty of the CPU opponents in Versus mode.

Overall - With a huge amount of content, Storm 3 is a great game overall; it's story mode (arguably its most important aspect) simply doesn't satisfy. What ultimately hurts Storm 3's level of satisfaction is that Storm 2 was such an incredible experience, and Storm 3 had to live up to that. If Storm 3 had taken Storm 2's foundation of incredible boss battles and interactive story elements, and improved upon it, the resulting game could have been better than Storm 2. Instead, CC2 decided to focus on the story cutscenes and roster of Storm 3, rather than the boss battles and QTE segments. The end result is a Naruto game that's more for the fans rather than those looking for a visual feast of gameplay and interactive story elements. Or, to put it more politely, Storm 3 is more about the Versus and Online modes rather than the story mode. Overall, a great game, though it may disappoint you in some ways, especially if you enjoyed Storm 2 as much as I did.

Score - 7/10 

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance Review

Pros
- Satisfying combat is familiar yet different thanks to great core combos and the parry system.
- Superb graphics.
- A unique and fantastic soundtrack that is superbly executed in boss fights.
- Many VR missions to challenge.
- Great voice acting.
- Blends the styles of Platinum and Kojima Productions very well.

Meh
- Story is ridiculously enjoyable, but isn't very satisfying.
- Despite being fun, combat isn't as deep as it could have been.

Cons
- A mediocre camera system that becomes quite problematic during tough fights.
- Almost all fights, including boss fights, play out in a very similar fashion: parrying and counter-attacking.
- A short main game length.

Overall - MGR: R is a great roller coaster ride worth playing at least twice, but due to the short length and lack of a lot of gameplay diversity and depth, there isn't a ton of life in this game. It's a clean and enjoyable action experience, but Platinum has done better in the past with Bayonetta and Vanquish.

Score - 8/10

Sly Cooper: Thieves of Time Review

I'm gonna try a new, more concise method for writing reviews. I will simply separate my praises and criticisms into "Pros", "Meh", and "Cons" sections. The Pro and Con sections are obvious, but the "Meh" section is for criticisms that may not be terrible aspects of the game, but something that could still be improved. Also, the Pros and Cons section will be organized, from best/worst factor to least best/least worst factor.

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Pros
- Great gameplay diversity spread throughout a lengthy adventure.
- Well-written and well-acted script.
- A diverse musical score.
- Diverse and well-constructed stage areas made with a decent graphic engine.

Meh
- Some more ancestors to play as would have been nice.
- More missions with the ancestors would have helped the gameplay diversity even more.
- The dance mini-games go on for a bit too long.

Cons
- Playing as Murray is shallow and unsatisfying.

Overall: Sly 4 is a game that doesn't go all-out in many respects, but is a very enjoyable experience thanks to a fun story and well-written script alongside some great gameplay diversity. Sly 4 reminds me of the days of PS1 platformers when a game's fun factor was its most crucial element.

Score: 7/10

DmC: Devil May Cry Review

Gameplay (5/10) - The gameplay of DmC is nothing special nor is it terrible. There are several unique elements in DmC's game design, including a lack of a lock-on system, switching of weapons by holding the shoulder buttons, two unique grapple abilities, and a large amount of platforming in addition to the standard fighting. These game design ideas all have their flaws, as the lack of a lock-on system causes fights in small areas to be difficult as it becomes hard to see targets as well as focus on specific enemies; the platforming becomes tired very quickly as there is little to no creativity in their design; and the use of shoulder buttons to switch weapons isn't too bad, but it can become cumbersome, especially when trying to pull off more advanced combos. Also, to note, boss fights are very uncreative, repetitive, and more frustrating than fun. Overall, the gameplay is nothing impressive, but it doesn't become frustrating until the game's latter half when fights become more difficult and the lack of a lock-on system becomes a real problem.

Graphics (4/10) - The graphics of DmC were perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the game, as Ninja Theory has shown some good talent with graphics in the past, especially when it came to art direction. DmC, however, is boring when it comes art direction and very disappointing when it comes to the technical aspects of the graphics. The art direction of the game is defined by the colors: red, blue, and green. In theory, this could've worked, as red represents Dante/demons/evil, blue represents Virgil/angels/serenity, and green is when the two mix. The problem is that the stage art direction focuses on one color per stage, and the end result is a very boring presentation. Technically, everything wrong with the Unreal engine (texture pop-in, framerate issues, etc.) are here in spades, and overall the game just looks ugly. The only good thing to talk about is the motion capturing on the faces; unfortunately, good mocap is nothing special these days because everyone does it well now. The horror themes come through in the art direction, especially in the enemy design, but it gets tired very quickly (and later enemy design gets pretty bad).

Sound (4/10) - Dante's voice acting is great, Virgil, Kat, and Mundus are good; nothing else really stands out aside from that. The music is very forgetful, and at times quite unfitting.

Story (3/10) - There is nothing memorable in the story of DmC. Neither its characters nor its events are interesting or compelling. Furthermore, the tone of the story is very dark; which wouldn't be a bad thing if executed well, but here it's done quite poorly. Often, a story has a dark tone to provide a dark theme, or to allow for violence to occur more naturally in its setting, but with DmC, there is no real purpose to being dark. There is no real moral to the story, nor a building connection to the characters; everything just happens and that's it. Going off of that note, the story also has several moments that are just uncomfortable to watch. I guess Ninja Theory deserves a little credit for trying to build a character arc between Dante and Virgil, but it fails to live up to the excellent arc the two characters shared in DMC3; the same could be said for Dante's memory of his mother.

Replay Value (5/10) - If you enjoy the gameplay of DmC, you'll have a lot to play with. The stages are explorable and have secret rooms and Lost Souls to find as well. You can also go for the SSS ranks in each level; though it isn't very hard to get S ranks in DmC, especially compared to past DMC games.

Satisfaction (4/10) - DmC is not worth the time. It's weak in every aspect of its design, and it outshined by nearly all of its peers. The story is weak and sometimes disturbing, the music if forgetful, and the gameplay doesn't have any real punch to it.

Overall

The score I want to and should give it  - (4/10):  Ninja Theory really disappoints with DmC. A studio that I thought would at least provide an interesting visual experience and a good story provided a visually ugly game with a story that concerned itself more with being vulgar than telling a strong story of good vs. evil. A real shame considering the blank slate given to them with this reboot. They gave it a good shot with the gameplay, however, so I suppose they do deserve at least a little recognition. In the end, "unimpressive" is the word I'd use to describe DmC. As a stylish 3D-action game, it really doesn't live up to any of the standards set by its peers, even Ninja Theory's own Heavenly Sword.

Anarchy Reigns Review

Gameplay (6/10) - Overall, AR has some good design ideas throughout, but ultimately doesn't put enough depth into those ideas to be truly amazing. For example, the hub world stage deisgn of the story mode is a great idea, as it allows the player to explore the hub world, fight easier enemies, and interact with the environment; unfortunately, there isn't a whole lot to do in the hub world outside of searching for chests with extras in them. When looking at the multiplayer side of things, the stages have events that take place throughout the battles that effect the environment and can change the course of a battle; however, these events occur very frequently and have cutscenes that accompany them, and while the cutscenes may be short, they can really break up the flow of combat; if these events occured without any type of intro cutscene, they would be more tolerable. Speaking of flow, it is the lack of flow that my biggest gripe with the battle system. The battle system is the core of AR's gameplay, and while it isn't bad by any means, it really lacks a sense of flow; at least in most circumstances. This is mainly due to how combos are very hard to finish or follow up unless you and your opponent are alone in the battlefield. Other players, environmental hazards, and the stage events can easily break the flow of one's combo. This isn't a terrible flaw, but it definitely moves AR towards the "party brawler" side of the genre than arena fighter. Such a "flaw" won't be a problem for many though, as many will play AR just to have some crazy fun, which the game does provide as long as your not taking it too seriously. However, there is one major problem with AR, and that is the lack of split-screen multiplayer. In a game of this genre, not having such a feature is very surprising and quite a disappointment.

Graphics (8/10) - On a technical level, AR has some well detailed character models and really nice effects; there are also sections of the game that have an impressive amount of action occurring simultaneously. It is the art direction of AR that impresses the most. Most of the character designs are range from great to excellent, and the environments have some great art direction as well, especially the Hong Long stage, which is perhaps the most impressive set piece PlatinumGames has made yet. Perhaps what is most impressive are AR's cutscenes, which feature some truly amazing direction and technical detail. With all that said, Platinum has done more mind-blowing stuff in the past.

Sound (9.5/10) - Amazing stuff here all around. The music is catchy and perfectly fitting of the gameplay and graphics that AR provides. The voice acting is just as impressive with a superb cast reading an equally superb script.

Story (8/10) - AR has a surprisingly great story. The story is one of justice and corruption told from two polar points of view. The cast of characters isn't large, but the smaller cast ends up being quite effective. In fact its the characters and their views of justice that truly carry the story. The script for the game is superbly written and the voice acting is very well done.

Replay Value (8/10) - AR offers many different modes of play for online multiplayer battles, and the online community is alive and thriving. However, like any fighting game community, the online players are finding ways to win by any means necessary, so expect to see many of the better characters utilizing similar tactics in many battles.

Satisfaction (7/10) - AR provides a fun time for a while, but I find the gameplay wears thin over a short period of time. The story mode provides the most satisfaction by providing some fun missions, boss battles, and a great story.

Overall 

The score I should and want to give it - (7.5/10): Anarchy Reigns doesn't really impress as much as Vanquish or Bayonetta, but it's still a fun time in both single player and multiplayer. Like Madworld, AR's legacy will live on with its soundtrack, which is its most impressive feature; however, its impressive story is also worth noting.

Kid Icarus: Uprising Review

Gameplay - (9/10): The gameplay of Uprising all lies on the foundation of the game's weapons. There are 9 different types of weapons (all of which have unique gameplay styles, some vastly different then others), with around a dozen individual weapons of each type, and each individual weapon has its own unique qualities, including special attacks, AND on top of all that, every weapon you get (even those of the same name) has unique passive abilities such as increased health, defense, and poison attributes. AND, on top of ALL THAT, the player has the option of combining their weapons in order to create more powerful weapons that combine the passive abilities of the weapons their combining. All of this combines to create a very customizable and player-unique gameplay experience.

Going off of the weapons, the levels provide a great playground to play with the weapons you earn/create. The ground levels provide a linear, but well-designed 3D-action experience. The ground controls have a pretty decent learning curve, and will probably take a few hours to get the hang of, but once the player understand the  controls, they feel great and become second nature. The flying levels are a bit disappointing because they have much less diversity than the ground levels; even so, they're still fun. The only glaring flaw in the flying stages is a lack of a easy-to-use quick-dodge maneuver; something that should have been one of the first control methods added in the game. Both types of levels are made even more unique by the weapons the player chooses to use; so the play experience can be that of a 3D-action shooter, or  an intense 3D-action weapon-based game; it's this type of diversity that makes replaying levels really fun. The only downside is that the game plays much how you would think a 3D-action shooter would play; so its nothing vastly unique, but its no less satisfying.

A unique element of Uprising is it's Heart Cauldron system, which allows the player to adjust the difficulty of the game. This is a very helpful system, for Uprising can be quite difficult. For the most part, this difficulty isn't a problem most of the time, but in the tougher flying sections and more difficult boss fights, the sheer amount of damage Pit takes is reminiscent of tougher NES games. The difficulty can be lowered thanks to the cauldron system, but taking on higher difficulties can be frustrating.

Overall, the gameplay isn't perfect, but the flaws are rarely frustrating except for when just starting the game out and when taking on higher difficulties.

Graphics - (10/10): Uprising is one of the best looking videogames on the market today, console or handheld. This is thanks to the perfect transition of concept art to game graphics and incredible execution there-of in terms of both art and tech. The incredible art team that has accompanied Sakurai on all of his games returns to provide their absolute best work yet, and the tech team has allowed the player to experience the incredible art first-hand. Pit flies into swirling tornadoes, fights massive monsters, and touches the stars in space. The ground sections aren't as impressive as the incredible flying sections, but they're still nothing to snuff at, especially during boss fights or the more impressive level designs. Uprising represents an incredible level of graphical execution; to the point where it's as if the developers didn't have to hold anything back; from the cinematic to incredible scale, Uprising is a sight to behold.

Music/Sound - (10/10): Uprising's soundtrack is an incredible piece of work from 5 legendary composers, including Motoi Sakurabai and Yuzo Koshiro. The end result is a cinematic soundtrack that may not get stuck in your head, but will move your emotions when playing the game. The overall theme of the soundtrack is battle, and as such, the soundtrack is mostly high-energy battle themes; all of them superbly orchestrated and incredibly executed. The execution of the soundtrack is impressive in that it works right alongside the graphics. For example, as Pit flies up the side of a cliff-face the music is fast and intense, but when he reaches the top, the music suddenly calms down to a gentle violin as the player takes in the sight of an enormous moon over-looking a battlefield. The game is full of moments like this, and it really goes to creating a beautiful fusion of graphics and music. Also, the voice acting is excellent, which is great considering the game is full of it.

Story - (7/10): The story of Uprising is a mixed bag, or, rather, its execution is. Uprising has dialogue occurring constantly throughout the gameplay. This execution allows all character and story development to occur during gameplay, thus making there to be no need for traditional cutscenes. The end result is a unique and effective way to portray the story. Its this story execution that isn't the problem, but the dialogue itself. The story of Uprising is full of great characters, epic scenarios, and powerful themes. The story is one of a war between the gods and the humans caught in between, and its a very interesting story to go through. However, there is one x-factor: the comedy. Almost everything that comes out of a characters mouth in the game is a joke. At first, this isn't a huge problem, because the game comes off as a comedy, and the jokes are pretty funny, but when the heavy themes start to come into play, the jokes just feel forced and unneccessary. The comedy never ruins the story, because its not hard to tell when the characters are serious, even when they're joking, but it all comes across as a mediocre execution of a balance between comedy and drama. This is disappointing considering Nintendo has perfected the balance of comedy and drama with their Paper Mario series.

There is one more problem with Uprising's story execution: it goes by WAY too fast. Despite being a pretty lengthy game, characters come and go almost instantly, conflicts are settled very quickly, and incredible vistas are played through very quickly. It's not that recycling areas and bosses would have been better for the game, but longer missions and getting more dialogue from characters other than Pit and Palutena. In the end, despite having a large cast of characters and incredible vistas and scenarios, only a handful of characters and scenarios are truly memorable due to many just being sped over.

Overall, the story is pretty impressive for its genre, mainly due to the heavy themes it tackles and how it executes it with the setting of a world of gods and humans. However, poor dialogue and pacing execution keeps the story from being a timeless one.

Replay Value - (10/10): Dozens upon dozens of weapons, ability to create an endless amount of unique weapons, 300 different and challenging challenges to complete, a superb online multiplayer, and over two dozen unique stages makes for a game brimming with content. It'll be a long time before you run out of things to do.

Satisfaction - (8.5/10): Uprising is a very, very impressive game. The massive amount of content, the great gameplay, and incredible graphics and sound make for an experience that has a really powerful first strike. However, over time, Uprising's blows become weaker and weaker; a reaction from the game's quick pace and so-so dialogue execution, and while these flaws are things that comes with the territory as a 3D-action/Shooter, it still feels like Uprising could have been something grander.

Overall

The score I should give it - (9.5/10): When looking at Uprising from a purely professional perspective, it's nearly flawless. The gameplay has no major flaws, only small annoyances. The graphics and music are perhaps the best in gaming today. And the replay value is through the roof. The only "flaw" is the so-so execution of the story; however, in a 3D-action shooter, a great story is not exactly what one would expect; however, that doesn't mean the game can't have one, and Uprising's story, despite its comedic style, is still better than those found in other modern 3D-action games. Overall, the game really just speaks for itself.

The score I want to give it - (8.5/10): Uprising delivers the type of gaming experience that we have come to expect from Sakurai: a content-packed, simple-to-control, and beautiful experience. With Uprising, Nintendo has truly set the bar on how amazing a game can look and sound; the graphics and music really are the game's most impressive qualities. The other factors are no slouches either, but they are not as impressive. I truly wish the story execution was better; if it was, Uprising would probably have a more lasting impact. Regardless, the sheer amount of content the game has is incredible and a true testament to Sora's talent as a developer, and Uprising deserves to be recognized as one of the best games of recent times; however, I feel that the only reason Uprising stands out so much is because of the sheer lack of high quality titles coming out in recent years.

Retro Review: Muramasa: The Demon Blade

This post will be a review of a game I've already reviewed in the past: Muramasa: The Demon Blade. I'm doing this because I think I gave the game too high of a score in my first review, and I'd like to see what happens if I review the game now. So, here we go ...

Gameplay (7.5/10) - The gameplay of Muramasa is a solid execution of the classic 2D beat-em-up formula that was popularized by classics like Shinobi on the Genesis, but Muramasa manages to add its own additions to the formula. For example, combat in Muramasa is combo-based with an emphasis on air juggling, special moves, and dodging; the result is combat that feels almost like a 2D version of combat found in Devil May Cry or Ninja Gaiden. Combat is given a bit of diversity thanks to each of the games 108 swords having their own unique special moves (though some are just powered-up versions of previous sword's special moves) and a good diversity of enemies of bosses. With that said, combat can get quite repetitive as the game progresses; this is mainly due to most battles playing out in the same way, for enemies, for the most part, all behave in similar ways. Sure, some enemies fly, some disappear, and other block your attacks, but really the combat system just comes down to getting close to an enemy and attacking them. If the process of getting close to enemies was more diverse, then the combat would benefit from some diversity, but that isn't the case. Bosses offer more diversity in combat, and also show how a stages geometry can affect battle; thus causing the player to not only understand the bosses attacks and patterns but often the geometry of the stage as well. The bosses show how some more complicated geography in the stages could have benefited the diversity of normal enemy combat; unfortunately, there are only a few stages that have anything other than a flat surface. Regardless of these criticisms, Muramasa's combat is a fun experience throughout the game, as the player is consistently challenged by new enemy types and given many swords to utilize in combos. However, Muramasa's combat could have benefited from more diversity in enemy behavior and possibly a projectile weapon(s) to keep the flow of combat flowing. The combat is a step above that of classic 2D beat-em-ups, but not the evolution I'd come to expect from Vanillaware.

Muramasa's other gameplay systems include a cooking system for healing items and a forging system to make new swords. These systems help keep the player busy even when out of combat. These systems are also vital to progressing through the game, so they help add another important process to the game design, thus making Muramasa more than just a bunch of fights.

Graphics (9.5/10) - As expected from Vanillaware, the graphics are incredible. As opposed to Odin Sphere, Muramasa contains many different environments to travel through, each looking very different from the other. The result is a visual tour de force through Japan, all in Vanillaware's beautiful artistic vision. Characters and monsters are all very well designed and animate very well. The animations aren't always superb, but always look great when it counts, most notably in boss battles. The environments are amazing to behold as well thanks to the subtle little animations found throughout them; from gorgeous lighting to stalks of grains moving in the breeze, the game is truly beautiful. The only real flaw is that the environments lack real impact other than being beautiful; this is mainly due to flaws with the story, but it's still a noticeable problem, at least after the huge impact Odin Sphere and Grimgrimoire's backgrounds had.

Sound/Music (8.5/10) - Muramasa's soundtrack is as beautiful as it is diverse. First of all, the soundtrack is expansive and has different themes for each of the games' areas as well as themes for each boss fight, and has pieces for cutscenes as well. Secondly, while the soundtrack mostly uses traditional Japanese instruments, it also uses modern instruments such as electric guitars; the result is a sound that is both unique and traditional, beautiful and eccentric. And finally, the quality of the soundtrack is superb, and definitely matches the high standards of Basiscape's other works. The only flaw in the soundtrack, similar to the graphics, is that there isn't too much attachment to the pieces from the perspective of the player. While many stage themes are beautiful and memorable in their own right, they don't often create an attachments to the story or environments. So, as a result, Muramasa's soundtrack is great for the moment you hear it, but it isn't really one that sticks with you when your done the game.

Story (4/10) - For a 2D beat-em-up action game, Muramasa's story is above and beyond what most have come to expect from the genre; however, as a Vanillaware game, the story is absolutely disappointing. While there are decent characters, many different environments to trek through, and two seperate stories to go through, it is simply shallow in comparison to the stories of Odin Sphere and Grimgrimoire. The characters aren't particularly likable and are hard to care for, the world of Japan is never given much history nor is it really talked about, thus most of the environments the player go through lack much impact on the player other than being pretty. The story does have some genuinely nice and sometimes emotional moments, though they are reserved for Kisuke's story, who's is easily the better of the two. I'm not saying there isn't anything to enjoy in the story, as it is present and there is a story to pay attention to, but there simply isn't much to care about, and for the most part, the story simply comes off as a means of getting the player from one location to another rather than the story being the ends of the effort the player puts into the gameplay. Overall, for those who are playing Muramasa as their first Vanillaware game, you'll probably enjoy the story enough to be entertained by it then quickly forget it after you're finished the game, but for those who played Vanillaware's previous games (Princess Crown, Odin Sphere, and Grimgrimoire), Muramasa will most likely be a huge disappointment in terms of content, characters, and impact.

Replay Value (8/10) - Being one of the few 2D beat-em-ups of this generation, Muramasa is a fun and accessible game to come back to and enjoy simply for the gameplay and beautiful visuals and music. There are also multiple endings for each character, which get even more gameplay out of the game (though you won't have to replay the entire game to get the other endings). There are also secret battles to take on that are often much harder than even the bosses; so people wanting try out their combat skills can try them out. Overall, like many classic beat-em-ups, there's much fun to be had even after the credits roll.

Satisfaction (7/10) - Muramasa is a great game, for it has superb visuals and music, solid gameplay, and some generally amazing moments that combine all three of those factors; however, there's nothing in Muramasa that feels truly spectacular. Especially for a player like me who has had previous experience with a Vanillaware game, there are standards that Vanillaware has set for themselves, and, in the end, Muramasa falls short of those expectations. The reasons behind this fall of expectations all really comes down to the story. I know it seems harsh to penalize an action game based upon story, but when I play a Vanillaware game, I don't expect just another great game, I expect an incredible experience, at least that is what I've come to expect after playing the masterpieces that are Odin Sphere and Grimgrimoire. Muramasa comes close to being such a game, but the lack of immersion in the characters, environments, and conflicts in the game as a result of the poor story-telling really hurt my satisfaction of the game as a fan of Vanillaware. As a fan of 2D action games, I was very happy, it isn't the evolution of the genre that Viewtiful Joe was, but it's still a solid entry in the genre.

Overall

The score I should and want to give it - (8.5/10): Muramasa is an amazing game is solid gameplay that adds more to the classic 2D action gameplay of the past, all while being beautiful to both the eyes and the ears. The story isn't particularly strong (especially for a Vanillaware game), even if it has some emotional moments, but the main concerns in this genre is the gameplay and visuals, and Muramasa delivers in both categories. It's disappointing that Muramasa didn't have more complex gameplay or evolve the genre past what it's Genesis ancestors did, but it's still well worth a player's time to play through this great game that harkens back to simpler time in gaming history.

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So, I guess, in the end, Muramasa still holds up well. The game is great, even if it lacks a bit of depth. But really, that shouldn't be surprising, as George Kamitani has stated that he basically wanted to remake the 2D action games of the NES and arcade days with Muramasa. And, he and his team accomplished that. It's just that with Vanillaware's past games, I've come to expect more than just beautiful executions of existing genres, as well as having amazing stories. And, that's really the only thing holding back Muramasa, it's poor story. And I stand by that criticism, because Kamitani has shown in the past that he can write some of the best stories in any medium, and when he follows up the masterpieces that are Odin Sphere and Grimgrimoire with Muramasa, it can hurt pretty hard for a hardcore fan like me.

Unfortunately, this trend may continue. Grand Knights History has a very minimal story to it, which is disappointing; however, GKH isn't directed by Kamitani like previous Vanillaware games, so I'll probably let that slide. However, Dragon's Crown, is directed by Kamitani, yet has nameless character, which is often an indicator of a minimal story. Furthermore, the 2D beat-em-up genre, which Kamitani wants to evolve with DC, is infamous for having little to no story. I hope Kamitani doesn't continue that trend and actually gives us a good story with DC. I'm not expecting much due to the characters simply being classes rather than named characters, but I hope the world and NPCs can make up for it. A great story doesn't need to have named characters, nor much dialogue, but to pull it off is a rare feat. Can Kamitani and his team pull it off? I guess I'll have to wait and see.

The King of Fighters XIII Review

Gameplay (9/10): KOFXIII's gameplay is superb, as it is a natural evolution of past KOF games. The game still has the same foundation as the past KOFs with its focus on aggressive fighting and diverse fighting styles, but it evolves the formula by being faster, allowing for higher combo possibilities, and implementing EX moves and Cancel abilities. All of these factors come together to form an aggressive fighting engine that runs smoothly and allows for a lot of player freedom and possibility. Also, surprisingly, the game is quite balanced despite having all of these new gameplay systems; no character is vastly over-powered, nor are there any game-breaking bugs to exploit. It's all just good old-fashioned fighting; something the genre has needed for a long time with the advent of revenge techniques and infinite combos. The only thing holding back KOFXIII's gameplay from being perfect is its roster, which, while truly excellent and not nearly the worst the series has had, isn't as diverse in playing styles as past KOF games were.

The character roster itself is a great amount, but the fact that the DLC characters are already on the disc is rather disappointing.

Graphics (8.5/10): This is sprite-based graphics at their best, save for one factor: the sprite filter. KOFXIII puts a filter over the character sprites to make them look less "pixel-y" and stick out of the backgrounds better; unfortunately, this also makes them look pretty blurry, which really takes away from their beauty. It's a shame SNK didn't include a sprite filter option like in KOFXII to remove it completely and see the sprites in all their glory. Regardless, the sprites still animate superbly and are extremely detailed. The backgrounds are also just as impressive with a ton of movement and detail in them; making them just as impressive as the characters themselves. To note, the backgrounds in KOFXIII are some of the best in the series history, and there are well over a dozen of them. Other than the sprite filter, the only thing holding back the graphics is that the detail isn't as high as past KOF games; little things like Joe smiling occassionaly in his idle pose are not present, nor are there any intro animations, and characters, save for a few, only have one winning animation. It's nothing too major, but the personality that SNK put so much into their past games isn't as strong in KOFXIII.

Music (7.5/10): Alongside the original soundtrack for KOFXIII, the console version of KOFXIII has remixes of old themes for each team, which is a nice bonus. The original soundtrack for KOFXIII is quite good, but not nearly as impressive as past KOF soundtracks, especially those found in the games of the Orochi Saga. Still, the OST isn't as bad as the soundtracks found during the games of the NESTS saga. Also, the story mode for the game doesn't have voice-acting. While this is kind-of understandable considering SNK is a small group, it does make the execution of the story mode feel dated.

Story (6/10): KOF games have an impressive trait they have had pretty good stories to tell, even if it was never too detailed. With that said, the story of KOFXIII itself is pretty overly-complicated, and even by the end, it's still rather confusing what truly happened. Regardless, the game puts a nice end to the Ash Crimson saga (with a rather nice ending sequence too). What KOFXIII adds to the arcade and story modes, is the addition of character conversations in between matches. These are really nice, as they add lots of character to the roster, and its always interesting to hear what one character will say to another, even if they aren't completely related in terms of story. The character conversations and story play out without giving the player any prior knowledge to the story; so beginners beware.

Replay Value/Online (8/10): The core mechanics of KOFXIII can get pretty deep, so there's a lot to dig into with KOFXIII. There are trial, time attack, and survival modes alongside the the classic arcade, story, and versus modes. The online portion of KOFXIII runs very well with a connection of 3 bars or more, 2 bars is manageable, but 1 bar is practically unplayable. A patch is coming soon, so it may improve. The computer AI in versus mode is decent, but nothing too difficult to beat when you have all of the basic down; however, time attack and survival mode provide a great challenge. Overall, there's a lot to enjoy in KOFXIII; even so, let's hope it doesn't take too long to for KOFXIV to be developed.

Satisfaction (7.5/10): KOFXIII is the best 2D fighter around; although, due to a few problems I have with it, I wouldn't put it too high above Arcana Heart 3. Regardless, despite the graphics being better in XII, KOFXIII is a step above its predeccessor. It may not have the bursting personality of KOF '98, but it's gameplay is so thrilling and the roster so expansive that its hard to really dislike the game in any way when actually playing it. There's still a lot more room to grow from a graphic perspective, but KOFXIII is still the best you'll get from a good old-fashioned 2D fighter.

Overall

The score I should and want to give it - (8.5/10): KOFXIII may not have the production values of the Blazblue series, but its still a quality fighting game in all the places that matter. The gameplay is the best of any 2D fighter out there, as it is both accessible and deep while always remaining fun and exciting. While the pixel art is truly amazing for both the characters and backgrounds, there is still room for the series to grow to match the quality of the past titles, and the soundtrack has been better; but from a gameplay perspective, KOF has never been better.

Sonic Generations Review

Gameplay (6/10): Sonic Generations (SG) has a good foundation with some decent controls and a game design that moves away from the gimmick-fueled Sonic games of the past few years. However, SG suffers on a few fronts. For one, despite using the foundation of past Sonic games in its design, SG does nothing to improve the flaws found in the designs of the older games. For example, the random falls found in many of the 3D Sonic games can still be found in the 3D Sonic levels of SG, and the floaty jumps of the Genesis Sonic games can still be found in the 2D Sonic levels of SG. But the biggest problem in SG's game is the level design. The first 4 stages for both classic and modern Sonics are fantastic in design and execution, but after those stages, the level design begins to fall apart. Random falls, levels that overstay their welcome, or sections that are more frustrating than fun are spread throughout the latter 4 worlds. This isn't to say that the latter levels have nothing to enjoy, as they're still decent in design and entirely playable, it's just that the player has to take the frustration with the fun, which is something not necessary in the first four worlds, which are nothing but fun.

A surprising problem with SG is its lack of content. As there are only 8 worlds with two levels each; the game does offer 5-6 missions in each world, some of which are very different from the main stages, but they are no substitute for the thrill of main stages.

Overall, the gameplay of SG has a solid foundation and its refreshing to have a Sonic game without gimmicks, but the less-than-stellar level design of the majority of the stages, flaws in game design that shou;d've been dealt with long ago, and a lack in overall content makes the gameplay experience of SG feel unsatisfying.

Also, the final boss fight is very poor in execution, and load times, while not too lengthy, are very frequent.

Graphics (7/10): The two Sonic's look great, as do all of the stages, and everything runs nice and smooth; however, due to the fact that there's no true original content in the game, its not easy to be really impressed by it all. The animation of the characters in cutscenes aren't up to the levels of past Sonics, and their detail in cutscenes is disappointing in comparison to Sonic Unleashed's cutscenes. Overall, the graphics are great where it matters, in the stages, but the honest truth is that we've seen all of it before, but not in such detail.

Music/Sound (7.5/10): Like the graphics, none of the music in Sonic Generations is truly original, save for the final boss theme, which is nothing to praise. However, like the graphics, what we get is very nice. All of the classic themes of the stages have been remixed very well by the sound team, and the burst of nostalgia given by them is very impactful. Many of the remixes surpass the originals. The game also provides many classic tunes as unlockables to play during any of the stages, which is a nice touch. The soundtrack of SG may be the most impressive aspect of the game; if only for the nostalgia factor.

Story (3/10): Unlike most other platformers, Sonic games have had stories ever since Sonic 3, many of which have been pretty good. Which is why SG's story disappoints so much, as it is simply a cop-out to bring the two Sonics together. The worst part is how SG generally tries to create an aura of mystery about the story, but ultimately it isn't interesting or even taken seriously by the game's end. Furthermore, the execution of the story is poorly executed, with poor quality cutscenes, and little dialogue from the other characters. Overall, the story and its execution simply feel like an after thought by the dev. team, and if this were any other platformer, I'd probably take it, but with Sonic, whose told many great stories, it can't be tolerated.

Replay Value (5/10): The first four worlds of SG have the same feeling as the classic Genesis games, in that they are fun no matter how many times you play them; however, the latter levels are a mixed bag: they have their fun parts, but they can be more frustrating than fun overall, making replaying them questionable. There are the missions to come back to, but most of them feel more like chores than something fun.

Satisfaction (5/10): Overall, I found SG more frustrating than fun. The latter four stages weren't very enjoyable, the boss battles weren't great, and the lack of content is really noticeable. Regardless, SG had its fun moments with the first four stages, which pulled off what SG was set to do in the beginning: provide nostalgia and a pure gimmick-free Sonic game design. It is refreshing to have a gimmick-free Sonic game, but those gimmicks were what made those games long. SEGA needs to return to the design of the Genesis and Dreamcast Sonic games where the game was a good length because it had a strong amount of content, not because some gimmick slowed down the progress. The lack of a good story was disappointing, as I found past Sonic stories pretty interesting, especially the Adventure games. SG is not a new step forward for Sonic like many have said, it's simply a copy-and-paste of older game design; Sonic Team needs to show that they are open to fresh ideas and good game design execution; something they showed plenty of when making the first Sonic Adventure. Sonic needs to take another step forward like then.

Overall

The score I should and want to give it - (5.5/10): Sonic Generations is a solid game at heart, but it's flaws are too apparent. The lack of content, the poorly executed story and cutscenes, and some disappointing level design keep SG from being a truly note-worthy Sonic title. The game's purpose was for nostalgia purposes, and it accomplished this, but it doesn't make itself truly worthy as a stand-alone title. Hopefully, Sonic Team will learn from what they did here and develop the next Sonic game with higher quality and a more competent mind-set.

Kirby's Return to Dreamland Review

Gameplay (7/10): The gameplay in Return to Dreamland (RtD) is a return to the gameplay style of Kirby Super Star on the SNES, where there are many abilities available to Kirby, and each has many different moves to execute, though some have more than others. The level design is more akin to a 2D action game, but with platforming elements. Like Kirby 64, RtD has collectibles in each stage, which unlock extra challenge rooms for the player to go through. These challenge rooms aren't necessary to get the classic "true ending", however. The multiplayer compoenent works well thanks to the slow pace of the stages; so it's rare for the other players to be a hindrace; actually they more helpful than harmful. The super abilities only happen in key areas of certain stages, so they aren't really an addition to the gameplay as they are something flashy for fanservice. Level design in RtD is good, but its been better in past Kirby games like Super Star and Dreamland 3. And in typical Kirby fashion, the game can be completed in 6-8 hours. Overall, there's no real surprises here, but that isn't truly a bad thing for a Kirby game.

Graphics (6.5/10): RtD's graphics get the job done, but we've seen better looking games on the Wii, specifically Nintendo's own Super Mario Galaxy games. However, thanks to Kirby's cheery and colorful art style, the lack of polygons doesn't really stand out.

Music/Sound (7.5/10): Kirby games tend to have very good soundtracks, but it's been a while since a flagship Kirby game had a wholly original soundtrack, as most Kirby games as of late have opted to simply remixing tracks from Super Star and the Dreamland games. RtD is a mix of both, as there are some original tracks and some remixes of tracks from Kirby's Adventure. The remixed tracks are really good despite being simple remixes, but, unfortunately, most of the original tracks don't measure up to the high standards of some of Kirby's past OSTs. The new tracks are great for what they are, but in comparison to the superb OSTs of Super Star, Dreamland 3, and Crystal Shards, RtD's soundtrack disappoints a little. However, RtD's two final boss tracks are superb and are the highlight of the OST.

Story (7/10): Unlike most other platformers, Kirby games tend to have stories, albeit rather simple ones that never really get interesting until the game's end. RtD is no exception to this rule and has a great climax and final boss battle. The climax also pulls off a decent emotional factor as well.

Replay Value (6/10): RtD is a fun game to play over and over thanks to the mutlitude of powers and stages. An extra mode opens up after the initial run-through that gives the players less health and makes boss battles harder. Plus, there is an Arena and two mini-games in the Super Star fashion. It isn't as much replay content as Super Star Ultra, but it's still more fun to be had, especially with multiplayer.

Satisfaction (7.5/10): RtD was a really fun experience, and the best Kirby game since Super Star; though I wouldn't place it as high in quality as Super Star. The game doesn't reach a nice difficulty until around the 5th world, which is also where the game's art style and level design really start to shine. If the quality shown in the latter half of RtD was apparent throughout the game, I would've been more satisfied with it. Regardless, RtD has many great moments, especially it's final boss fight which ranks among the series best.

Overall

The score I should and want to give it - (7.5/10): It's refreshing to have Kirby return to form in a flagship console title a la Super Star, Dreamland 3, and Crystal Shards. And while the quality of RtD may not be as high as some of the past titles, RtD still manages to shine as a great gaming experience to have, even if it doesn't evolve the series in any particular way.

Batman: Arkham City Review

Gameplay (6/10): Arkham City's (AC) gameplay comes in two flavors: exploration and combat. The exploration component of AC is good, for the environment of the game gives the player a good amount of area to explore, and travelling through it all is rarely frustrating thanks to tight traversing controls a la Assassin's Creed. However, despite the environment being a decent size, there isn't a great deal to do in the city other than main missions, beat-up thugs, side-missions, and completing Riddler puzzles. Now, what is given to the player is quite a lot, but the environment is not a truly open world, for very few buildings can actually be entered, and there isn't much interaction with the environment and its objects other than fighting and climbing them. Regardless, what is given to the player is a lot of fun to be had outside of the main missions, and rarely does it become frustrating.

Combat is the other factor of AC's gameplay, and it is here where AC disappoints. The free-flow combat system of the original Arkham Asylum remains in place, and while more options are given to the player through the addition of new weapons/gadgets, the battle system is still comes down to very simple tactics in order to defeat the enemies. Because the enemies attack relentlessly, there are few openings for the player to utilize the many gadgets and combos to their fullest, and, as a result, battles just come down to mashing the dodge, attack, and counter buttons with some occasional use of stun methods on enemies with guns. The battle system never truly expands for the player, rather, the game simply throws a few new types of enemies in the fray sometimes, or, more often, simply has battles that have double or triple the normal amount of enemies to fight. These high occupancy battles are AC's way of having harder battles that have the same function as boss fights would in other action/adventure games. These high occupancy battles can be very frustrating however, for even though the same old tactics are used in these battles, they last much longer than normal battles; as a result, it gives the enemies many more chances to deplete the players health, often resulting in deaths that are caused not because the difficulty is particularly high, but simply because the battle was simply very, very long. These high occupancy battles are more-often-than-not very frustrating. The end result of the battle system is that it has potential to expand with the use of gadgets, but it doesn't allow the player to utilize its potential, nor does it truly need the player to utilize said potential because of the simple enemy AI and battle situations, which are all arena battles with enemies that take turns hitting the player. It really doesn't matter how many gadgets they add to the battle system, because, at its strongest foundation, it is simply a button-mashing brawl only slightly more complex that something found in the 3D beat-em-ups found in games like X-Men Legends, only with less RPG elements. Futhermore, boss battles are nothing to praise either, for they are more-or-less executed in the same fashion as normal battles.

Furthermore, there are very few stealth sections in AC, which feels off considering Batman is known more for evoking fear and using stealth than punching people to death.

Overall, the gameplay gets the job done, but it's nothing to truly praise, especially when Assassin's Creed executed the same system prior to both Batman Arkham games, albeit a bit simpler.

Graphics (7/10): The biggest praises for AC's graphics go to the city area itself, which is brimming with detail and substance; furthermore, no parts of the city look like they were copy-and-pasted to other parts, so it really feels complex and interesting no matter where you are in the city. Also, Joker's character model is very well rendered; much better than all of the others. Other than those highlights, everything else is typical of what one would see in a game made using the Unreal Engine. The details are nice, but animation is very rigid, if even there at all. When characters have conversations, there is very little movement; only small body and arm moves, and the lips move to the words, though not in perfect sync. The game is very dark, as typical of Unreal Engine games, but there is some color to be found. The graphics also have the typical flaws of the Unreal Engine: texture pop-ins, blurry textures up close, lack of smooth animation, some ugly textures, etc. Regardless, the detail and architecture of the city is what the player sees the most in the game, and it does impress.

Music/Sound (7.5/10): AC actually has a few standout music tracks in the game, though its nothing truly memorable outside of context; furthermore, the soundtrack isn't very large considering most of the time, music isn't even playing. The voice acting is, once again, superb; thanks to getting most of the same voice actors from the animated series. Mark Hamill once again steals the show as the Joker.

Story (5/10): There is a lot of fanservice in the character interaction in this game, particularly within the game's side-quests; however, the main story of the game isn't very compelling or interesting, as it more-or-less acts as a way of moving the player from one area of the city to the next. The presence of the actual villains of the game also feel a bit scatterbrained, as if Rocksteady was mainly focused on fanservice when choosing the villains, rather than considering how they could all fit in a compelling story. The most interesting moments actually come from eavesdropping on the random thugs spread throughout the city, as their conversations help spread out the story even more than the confrontations with the main villains they're talking about.

Replay Value (7/10): An extra difficulty opens up after the inital run-through of the game, and the player is also free to explore the city right before the final boss fight in order to accomplish all of the side-quests and get the Riddler trophies. The enjoyment here depends upon how much the player enjoys side-quests, but regardless, there are a lot of them.

Satisfaction (5/10): Exploring the city is fun thanks to tight controls and cool gadgets, but other than that, AC wasn't very fun and quickly forgettable. The story was very dull, and lacked impact; and the battle system was more of a chore than fun, and was occasionally quite frustrating. There's really not much here to be engaged in, even for a big Batman fan like myself.

Overall

The score I should give it - (6/10): A lot of hardwork went into making the city of AC detailed and fun to explore; however, a poor story, dated-looking character models and animation, and a repetitive battle system hold back AC from being anything exceptional. The formula for AC works, but an evolution of the battle system and execution of missions needs to be revamped to feel more like "Batman".

The score I want to give it - (5/10): Batman: Arkham City was a decent game while it lasted. It's gameplay formula was changed very little from Arkham Asylum, but I didn't expect it to be. There were still some fun moments exploring the city and pouncing on bad guys, but overall, everything about the game is forgettable because nothing in the game really jumps out at you other than a few fantastic vocal performances.

Rayman Origins Review

Gameplay (7/10): Origins is a truly solid 2D platformer; the controls are tight, the level design is very good, and the mutliplayer works well without annoying your fellow players. As with any 2D platformer, the level design is the key to its gameplay design, and Origins succeeds in having great level design, but with a catch. The level design in Origins is very linear, as a result, once you've played through it once, you've seen all it has to offer. Other notable platformers also have this design, such as the Donkey Kong Country, but the difference is how Origins is a platformer designed for speed, as a result there is one true route through each level. As a result, unlike games like Donkey Kong Country Returns where levels are filled to the brim with platforms and obstacles, Origins levels are rather open and have fewer obstacles. The problem that arises from this is that replaying levels holds little satisfaction, as you've seen most of it. And while there are collectibles to find in each level, they are usually never too difficult to find. Time trials are available, but can often be frustrating due to the requirement to restart them if you die, which brings up Origins other gameplay flaw: difficulty. While Origins does provide the player with unlimited lives, death is a common occurance due to one-hit kills and a high difficulty. This factor, however, never becomes too frustrating except for areas where the checkpoint may be far back (which is not frequent). Overall, the gameplay is solid and provides a lot of fun the first time through, but afterwards, its all familiar and the fun is cut in half.

Graphics (6/10): Origins graphics have a lot of color to them, which is aided by the fact that it's in 2D. However, there are problems. For instance, the camera for the game is zoomed out quite a bit, which was done in order to help 4 players play simultaneously without anyone getting lost, but as a result, the graphics lose a lot of their detail. Also, the art direction of the game is quite impressive, however, there isn't too much content to the graphics, as shown by the around a dozen different enemy types, and only 6 different types of areas with not much variation in each. The biggest problem with the graphics is how the sprites animate: poorly. Origins looks like a very pretty flash game, or to put it bluntly: Origins looks cheap. All the sprites animate as if on hinges, and there are not many animation frames for any particular sprite, not even for the playable characters. The overall result is that the art direction and color works well for the game, but the animation for the sprites aren't particularly impressive, especially with much more impressive looking 2D games availible, particularly those made by Vanillaware. The lack of quality in the sprites is disappointing particularly because Ubisoft is a huge company with a lot of money, so I see no excuse why their game doesn't have the same quality as Vanillaware's games, a company with only 21 employees.

Music (6.5/10): Origins has some unorthodox and catchy tunes played throughout the game; the only problem is that there aren't very many of them.

Story (n/a): There is basically no story to Origins other than a beginning cutscene that sets up the action. However, this counts against the game because Ubisoft said in multiple interviews that there would be some type of over-arching story to the game; they also hyped it up quite a bit. So for the game to have no story at all was quite disappointing.

Replay Value (5/10): As stated before, the levels aren't much fun after the initial run and getting the medals, especially if they are particularly difficult levels. Also, the experience factor of the game isn't very strong, unlike DKC levels, so really all Origins has going for it is its gameplay which, as previously, stated gets old after a while. The multiplayer factor helps the replay value though.

Satisfaction (5.5/10): On its initial run-through, there's a lot to enjoy in Origins. Getting all of the medals, doing time-trials, and unlocking the secret world is a lot of fun, but doing all of this actually doesn't take up a lot of time, and when its all over, it really doesn't feel like there's anything left to do. The levels are fun because of their challenge, but when there's nothing to work for, the game just feels finished; which was quite disappointing. Level design isn't as good as Donkey Kong Country Returns, but it was still nice while it lasted.

Overall

The score I should give it - (7/10): Rayman Origins is a fine 2D platformer with very good level design, nice graphics, and music; it simply doesn't feel like it deserves its $60 price tag with its small amount of content (only in comparison to other 2D platformers though) and less-than-stellar graphics.

The score I want to give it - (6/10): Rayman Origins was a nice and challenging good time, but when it was over, I had no more desire to play it. And the game was over rather quickly, which simply made me regret paying $60 for it. I would have been much more satisfied with the game if it was cheaper, as it lacks enough content to really measure up to the DKC platformers. Also, as a lover of 2D graphics, I was disappointed by Origins' graphics, as they really lacked animation and looked just a small level above the flash games one finds on the internet. Overall, a fine game, but over too quickly, and not in a good way.

Uncharted 3 Review

Gameplay (5.5/10): If you've played past Uncharted games or any 3rd-person shooters (TPS) that aren't Vanquish, you know what you're getting. Covering, shooting, and climbing. It's a formula that's really starting to show its age, especially when Naughty Dog doesn't seem willing to take any risks with it. However, even though the formula is tired, it still works. The reason U3's gameplay suffers behind U2's is because of frustration. In the first two Uncharted games, there were fire-fights that just felt unfair and required more than a little luck to get past; in U3, almost every fire-fight is like this. Death is a frequent occurence in U3; more-so than in the previous games. Luckily, there aren't as many fire-fights in U3; perhaps that is what makes them so frustrating, since they aren't very fun and are not something to look forward to. As far as platforming is concerned, it's the same basic stuff here, but the vistas aren't as impressive or complex as U2's platforming. The new melee combat is satisfactory, but nothing to praise, especially since the process doesn't happen much. The highlight of U3's gameplay comes from something new: chase scenes. These sequences are pretty fun and have a surprising lack of frustration despite there being no real indication of where you're supposed to run. Too bad there are only a few of these scenes. What probably hurt the most was the level design and execution; U3 really just felt like a mesh of ideas just randomly thrown together by the developers who just wanted to throw as many "cool" scenarios together as they could. That may work for a wild action game like Vanquish, but not in Uncharted, especially when the story takes itself so seriously. Overall, the gameplay is more of the same; no radical new ideas nor large variations, just the same old stuff that we've done to get through the story.

Graphics (7/10): U3 deserves credit where it is due, and U3 has a great graphic engine on stuff that matters. Cutscenes use great mo-cap for the characters, and big action occurs on-screen without causing any hiccups in the frame-rate, and load-times are basically non-existent. Art direction, while not as strong as U2, is still great, and the graphics do a great job of creating these areas and creating a sense of place. Where the graphics fall are in two areas: 1) there isn't nearly as much to appreciate graphically in U3 as there was in U2; there's just a lack of content there, and 2) the little things look pretty bad; for example, like the past Uncharted games, there are only 4 or 5 different types of enemies, all sharing the same animations and character models; and outside of cutscenes, animation aren't that great on anyone. Overall, the graphics are great where they need to be, but the little things need attention too.

Music/Sound (7.5/10): U3 probably has the best soundtrack in the series. While the music was more in the background in the first two games, in U3 it takes center stage right alongside the graphics, and what we are given is aesthetic and enriching. It's nothing too memorable or something one may listen to in their free time, but it's still well done within the game. Voice acting is as impressive as ever, though there seems to be considerably less this time around.

Story (4/10): U3 starts out pretty strong in the story department, but after the first 3 or 4 chapters, it's as if Naughty Dog just stopped trying. The historical aspect of the quest this time around seemed to fight the story of Drake himself for the spot-light, and after the dust settles, nobody wins. The story, like the level structure, just felt like a mesh of ideas just randomly put together all leading to a pretty unsatisfying and unoriginal ending. What disappoints the most is how scatterbrained the story is; it feels as if certain chapters were cut out of the game and thus causing the player to lose story content, but worst of all, the villain of U2, Marlowe, is absolutely terrible in her execution, mainly due to the fact that she's barely in the game at all and, as a result, doesn't really carve herself as a villain in any way. Overall, the story just felt like it was written in a day, with the exclusion of the historical aspect which obviously was the result of a lot of research. The story just tried to be character-driven and emotional, but it fell way short, which is rather surprising considering U2 pulled it off rather well.

Replay Value (6/10): The campaign isn't really something worth playing again in whole; rather, only certain areas are worth replaying simply for the thrill factor involved. Luckily, U3 has a fun multiplayer component, including both competitive and co-op modes which even allow for split-screen play. The multiplayer itself is fun, but the amount of content isn't that huge; though I'm sure it will expand with DLC.

Satisfaction (4/10): Uncharted 3 was not worth playing. The gameplay was nothing new other than chase scenes; the thrills were there, but they were mostly something to watch rather than something to play; and most of all, the story was just uninteresting. Uncharted 2 was an adventure worth taking because of the combination of good story, characters, settings, and pacing. The gameplay of the whole Uncharted series is nothing really to write home about, as it's pretty simple and not very compelling, especially after Vanquish blew the doors off of the TPS genre. Overall, U3 is a good game at its core, but its jumbled mess of a storyline and poor level execution mixed with frustrating combat and forgetful platforming makes it a game that is quickly forgettable on all fronts.

Overall

The score I should give it - (6/10): Uncharted 3 is a game composed of gameplay elements that are over a decade old, and the gameplay shows this; however, the quality that Naughty Dog has put into the presentation is very comendable, even if the story is unsatisfying and the level design lacks cohesiveness. Overall, a good game, but one that pales in comparison to its predecessor.

The score I want to give it - (4.5/10): There really isn't anything satisfying about Uncharted 3 except for one chapter early in the game, as it combines elements of story, gameplay, graphics, and animation very well. Unfortunately, this quality is lost quickly when the game seems to just be all about trying to "wow" the player. Too bad we've seen all the best moments in trailer already. In terms of gameplay, there are some gameplay styles that stand the test of time, such as the Zelda and Metroid formulas, but the TPS style of Uncharted just feels old, and, unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be going anywhere because of how grounded in reality the series' stories are. Vanquish set the bar very high for the TPS genre, and Uncharted 3 just looks sad next to it, even with its added element of platforming.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword Review

Gameplay (7/10): Skyward Sword (SS) is the first Zelda I've come across that I'd consider a mixed bag. On one hand, SS has what is perhaps the best level design of the entire series. The entire overworld of SS harkens back to A Link to the Past and the Oracles games in that it is a dungeon in itself filled with enemies and puzzles; all of which is very well executed in challenging the player to reach the dungeons. The dungeons themselves also have truly superb level design in that they have some of the best puzzle design in the series. The puzzles themselves have a flavor that is slightly different from those of past Zelda games save for maybe Spirit Tracks in that they are more than simply using the dungeon item in key ways to progress. This is aided even further by SS's execution of dungeon items, which are used throughout the entire game rather than only in the dungeon they are found in. SS also has the new factor of platforming placed in its gameplay execution, which allowed the developers to make even more unique level design. When in the overworld and dungeons, SS is a fun and enjoyable experience; that is, until motion control comes into play.

When approaching the combat in SS, Nintendo really wanted to utilize motion controls. In theory (and on paper) everything Nintendo wanted to do sounds great, but in practice it becomes more of a chore than an enjoyable part of the gameplay. Combat in SS can be either as simple and satisfying as it was in the Wii version of Twilight Princess, or it can become a trial of frustration and confusion. Simple enemies can be defeated with simple "waggle controls", while tougher enemies need more precision ... or do they? When it comes down to it, all one needs to do in combat is wait for the enemy to attack, parry that attack with your shield, and then essentially "button mash" an enemy to death. This method even works on a few bosses. This method is much easier than having to wait and look for a precise angle to attack the enemy, which by the time you've seen it, may be gone. Overall, combat is more of a chore, than an immersive gameplay element. It doesn't make the player "feel like he/she is actually sword fighting", it's more of a test of hand-eye coordination, something everyone may not be good at. Personally, I think Nintendo should have included some type of easy mode for younger children playing the game. I didn't find swordplay particularly hard, I simply found it to be more frustrating than fun. Then there is the element of swimming, which is also a gameplay element marred slightly by motion control. The difficulty in swimming is slightly confusing considering Super Mario Galaxt 1 & 2 had fine swimming controls. The added element of motion-plus feels uneccessary considering the actions needed to defeat certain enemies is usually never more complex than what the non-motion plus motion controls of TP offered (vertical and horizontal slashes, and the stab). TP didn't require one to be as precise as SS, and as a result, was much less specific about where the player needed to slash. Opting for TP's control scheme would have removed a decent amount of the frustration SS's motion controls had, as the player wouldn't have needed to be so precise. But, I digress, for overall I'll take a controller over motion controls any day.

As far as the execution of the adventure is concerned, it is quite disappointing, because the entire game is constructed of fetch-quests. And, surprisingly, these fetch-quests are what make up the 30-hour adventure. As a result of this quest structure, there is practically no sense of exploration or discovery. This is made even more clear due to there being only 3 areas of the overworld to explore, all of which are very linear. It's as if SS might as well have been divided into chapters/stages a la Super Mario.

Also, a minor gripe I have with the game is the 2-3 second load-time when entering the town of Skyloft from the sky. This load-time surprises me as Wind Waker didn't require such a thing for any of it's islands. Why couldn't SS have the same, especially considering it's on a (slightly) more powerful console?

Graphics (5/10): I understand that SS is for the Wii, and that Nintendo was going for a more artistic approach with the graphics, but that is no excuse for SS looking the way it does on a technical level. Outside of some key characters like Link, Zelda, Groose, Girahim, and some of the bosses; the character models look only slightly better than those seen in Majora's Mask. Furthermore, animations outside of the key character are disappointing as well. So much of SS just looks, for lack of a better term, old. These are all technical gripes though, but, unfortunately, SS doesn't do much better on an artistic level. The Zelda series has had some of the most beautiful and immersive set-pieces in gaming, and yet SS looks extremely bland and boring. The overworld is very plain and desperately lacking in detail. The result is a menagerie of forgettable set-pieces and characters. Dungeons have a stronger art direction than the overworld, but still lacks much impact outside of one Asian-themed dungeon. SS also uses a graphic "filter" that gives the environments far away from the player to appear blurry in order to evoke a sense of distance; this effect works for the most part, but there aren't many instances where this effect can be appreciated, and the removal of this filter would have probably benefited the game's graphics more in that it would allow the colors to be more pronounce. Nintendo systems have never been power-houses, but their games have impressed graphically as a result of strong art directions and little details. Unfortunately, SS is not one of the games that follows this trend, and after Nintendo has released the superb-looking Super Mario Galaxy games, there is no excuse for SS to look the way it does. Even TP, a game developed for the previous console generation, looks better than its big brother. Nintendo has said that more money went into SS than any other Nintendo game; I'd like to ask where all that money went, because it sure wasn't the graphics.

Music (5/10): Probably my biggest disappointment with SS. The Zelda series has some of the most memorable soundtracks in videogame history, and yet SS has some of the most forgettable and uninspired music of any flagship Nintendo series. The music isn't particularly bad, as it gets the atmosphere of the environments across, but it simply isn't memorable or good at really immersing the player into the environment as past pieces like Kakariko Village in ALttP or the Spirit Temple in OoT did for their environments. SS is also the first Zelda where I felt like voice acting would have truly benefitted the experience, especially with Girahim, who has so much dialouge in his scenes where he exudes grunts and screams, and it all comes across as unsatisfying because it's as if there was once voice acting, but Nintendo removed it.

Story (5/10): SS tries to create a bond between the player and its key characters, but ultimately fails in this execution save for one character. SS's iteration of Link is one of the most boring in the series, as there is simply little interesting about him and his origin, unlike past Link's such as those in OoT and WW who had emotional ties to their origins/homes; furthermore, SS's Link design looks far too similar to the one in TP, thus creating a feeling of "been there, done that" with the player's avatar this time around. SS's iteration of Zelda started off with potential, but is ultimately reduced to a Princess Peach role, which is a shame considering Zelda's have gotten stronger and stronger with each new Zelda game since OoT. Fi is by far, the worst partner Link has had in the series, for she has absolutely no personality and simply acts as a helper AI for the player and nothing else. Her ties into the story are there, but they're so subtle that it fails to save her character. At least her character design is good. Girahim, the antagonist of SS, is an exuberant and original villain, but one who doesn't have much of a presence by the game's end due to the fact that the player simply doesn't see him much. And a big surprise, is that the game's most likable character turns out to be Groose, a character I initially thought would be a simple stereotype. Groose receives more character development than any other character and ends up feeling like more of a hero than anyone else (in terms of character at least). One of the main points of SS's story was to give us the origin story of the series; this SS does, but with mixed results. The origin of "The Legend of Zelda" is pretty good, and helps to explain a few key elements in the series' lore, but the origin of Ganondorf just felt lazy. Nintendo has shown that a Zelda game can have clever and emotional stories filled with endearing characters with Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker, Majora's Mask, and Spirit Tracks; so for SS to have the story that it did, even after having a huge burden placed on its shoulders, disappoints me. Overall, a forgettable story.

Replay Value (5/10): The appeal of SS comes from its level design and puzzles. As a result, replay value isn't particularly high because the player will know how to solve the puzzles on the second playthrough, and since the story, music, and graphics are anything really special, there's not too much to come back to. There are a number of side-quests to take, but they're all mainly simple fetch-quests, and don;t require too much effort from the player. A more difficult mode opens up for the player after the first playthrough, but I imagine that would simply create more frustration than satisfaction.

Satisfaction (5/10): It is very disappointing to be so unsatisfied by a Zelda game, as this series is one of my favorites in gaming, but that it truly what SS has done. The story isn't compelling, emotional, or immersive due to weak characters and weak story execution. The level design is superb, and I had a lot of fun with the great puzzles and dungeon designs, but the combat created road-blocks in the smooth ride of the level design. For me, the most satisfying element of Zelda games comes from the atmosphere and sense of adventure they create through their use of graphics, music, and story, but, unfortunately, SS fell short in all three of those categories. SS was a fine ride while it lasted, but it's one I will quickly forget.

Overall

The score I should give it - (7/10): At the end of it all, gampelay counts the most, and SS did provide great level design, which simultaneously shifted itself away from the standard Zelda formula of past games. Nintendo deserves credit for trying to change their formula execution while also developing motion-gameplay to a more complex level. It simply resulted with a mixed result containing both fun and frustration.

The score I want to give it - (5.5/10): I loved some of the puzzles in this game, but it really wasn't anything too new, as Spirit Tracks provided puzzles that were just as clever. When it comes down to it, I find that Spirit Tracks shows the direction I want the Zelda series to move in, not SS. ST's level design may not have been as complex as SS, but its puzzles were just as clever, and ST also had superb story, characters, music, and much better boss battles. The Zelda series truly has potential to grow in both quality and execution; SS was Nintendo's attempt at that, and, imo, it failed. Nintendo has continually built the Zelda series higher and higher with each new console entry, save for Spirit Tracks, which easily rivals its console brothers; however, SS felt like a big step backwards in terms of presentation. SS may evolve the level design of the series, but the two previous Zelda games, TP and ST, easily outperform SS in terms of overall satisfaction.

El Shaddai Review

Gameplay (6/10): El Shaddai's gameplay is a mix of good ideas on a by-the-books foundation. The gameplay is split up between combat and platforming. The platforming is the standard platforming gameplay one would find in the classic SNES/Genesis platformers that weren't Mario or Sonic; by which I mean: the platforming provides no surprises or innovation. Combat, on other hand, provides something slightly innovative: timing-based combos. Sure, Bayonetta and other 3D action games have implemented timing-based combos before, but El Shaddai's battle system completely revolves around this gameplay system. At first, the timing-based combos feel innovative and satisfying, but once you've discovered all of the combos the games three weapons can do, combat begins to feel repetitive. The repetitiveness of combat becomes even more noticeable once you've fought against all of the games enemy types, of which there are only four. Boss battles mix up the gameplay slightly, but not enough that one's tactics need to change too much from normal battles. El Shaddai's combat and platforming never truly ask any more out of the player aside from the basic bread-and-butter tactics it teaches you in the beginning tutorials, and that's where the disappointment lies: El Shaddai never asks more than a skill level slightly higher than button-mashing, so even though you could perform high count combos and air combos, no score system (until post game at least), hidden goodies, or new paths provide you any incentive to try harder.

Graphics (7/10): El Shaddai's most head-turning trait is its graphics. However, what needs to be noticed is that the graphics in this game that are amazing are those within the backgrounds of the stages, and nothing else. The character models, enemies, bosses, platforms, and usable/destructable objects are all either standard fair or disappointing in graphic design. However, while the backgrounds are simply set pieces we cannot interact with, there is no denying their impact within the game. They are beautiful, and the developers should definitely be credited for putting such imagination on display. However, it's disappointing how the player doesn't interact with the backgrounds much, and they become something simply to look at rather than interact with. Also, unfortunately, the impact of the settings are either too brief or overstay their welcome; for example, the stage set in a futuristic environment is perhaps the game's most impressive, however, the player's stay in this area is very brief, which is disappointing. The graphical techniques used within El Shaddai definitely deserve credit for their beauty, but their execution is rather disappointing.

Music (8/10): El Shaddai's soundtrack is very impressive in it's execution, and is very enjoyable as a result. Angelic and beautiful at one moment, while haunting and intense in another moment; it all works very well, and some tracks deserve a listen outside of the game itself. The only problem with the soundtrack comes from the fact that because the story provides little impact, so too does the soundtrack in specific parts of the game. In the best soundtracks, people can listen to a piece and know exactly when in the game the particular piece played and what the piece symbolizes; this is not the case with El Shaddai.

Story (5/10): El Shaddai has a story, but it's nothing special other than being a story based in Christian mythology, something not seen much in stories in videogames. The story's execution is very disappointing, as the game never develops a personality for Enoch, nor does it create an atmosphere that makes you care for the characters. As the story plays out, it's hard to sympathize with the characters or really care about where the story is going. The foundation of the story was good, but because the developers really tried to develop a serious story, it's really noticeable how hard the story falls on its face. If the developers had opted to go a route similar to Metroid or Outland where the story elements were very minimal and the player can fill in the blanks themselves, the story may have actually been more interesting.

Replay Value (5/10): Other than two more difficulty levels, a score system (with online rankings), and a few side items to find in the game's stages, there really isn't much incentive to play El Shaddai more than once, mainly because the extras involve the gameplay, which is quite repetitive.

Satisfaction (5/10): El Shaddai is an action game that gets a par for the course. It's background graphics are impressive, but don't provide much impact. When all is said and done, El Shaddai is a very forgettable game. Enoch is a very forgettable protagonist, the story is boring and forgettable, and there are no impactful moments of gameplay within the game either. It's a game worth playing if you're interested in beautiful art, and seeing how well such art can be integrated into a videogame, but that's about it.

Overall Score - (6.5/10): El Shaddai isn't a bad game in any way, nor is it a game that excels in any way. It's true that El Shaddai's backgrounds are very impressive, but it is simply the art style that gives the graphics their impact, not the graphics execution itself. Gameplay-wise, El Shaddai had some decent ideas, but didn't expand upon them with content. In the past, one may have been able to get away with some critical acclaim for the amount of content El Shaddai provides, but not now. Hopefully, the team behind El Shaddai will take their experience from El Shaddai and put it towards a more complex and content-rich package, because it would be a shame for a team as talented as this to fall into obscurity.