Demo Round Up - 9/30/09

I'd like to introduce a new feature here at Gamerology called "Demo Round-Up." Most game critics will review a game in the interest of saving you money. On Demo Round-Up, we are going to sift through the weekly demo releases and tell you which are worth your time. You've heard it said that "time is money," but in this day and age, time is quickly becoming more valuable then the greenback. This week, we are going to take a look at Brutal Legend, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and Wolfenstein.

Brutal Legend

Brutal Legend comes from the genius mind of Tim Schafer. He is best known for the Monkey Island series among other great titles. Despite his wealth of creativity, his games have been overlooked by the gaming community as of late- Psychonauts being his latest critical jewel that didn't find success on a large scale. Brutal Legend looks to change all that. This game is fronted by the likeness and unmistakable vocal stylings of Jack Black as he takes on the role of Eddie the Roadie. This gives the game instant mainstream appeal. The beauty is that this isn't a mainstream title. It's all about Heavy Metal, leather jackets and blowing demons' heads off with delicious power solos. Let's not forget Eddie's kick-ass belt buckle that actually has the power to summon Ormagöden, The Fire Beast, Cremator of the Sky, and Destroyer of the Ancient World. Who knew Hot Topic sold such valuable artifacts?

The demo lasts about twenty minutes and features a variety of gameplay including literal axe wielding, guitar shredding, and hot rod driving. The game's initial boss fight is also included. Suffice it to say, you'll be going toe-to-toe with a giant worm complete with a set of jowls stocked with teeth. The game is genuinely funny and takes some shots at the current metal scene. Overall, the demo is a fair representation of what we can expect from Brutal Legend without spoiling any crucial story elements.

Verdict: Download it!

Uncharted 2 Multiplayer

When a franchise has established itself as a tried and true single player experience, the idea of adding a multiplayer component is often met with the inevitable sighs and eye rolls. I am here today to testify on behalf of the Uncharted 2 multiplayer. It is well-tuned and incredibly addicting. I had the privilege (not really, I pre-ordered Infamous) of testing the multiplayer component long before any demo was available. I saw the bones of a great game that desperately needed a healthy dose of polish. I am pleased to announce that Naughty Dog has not disappointed and Uncharted 2 plays better than ever.

An incredible portion of the multiplayer game is available in the demo right from the start. You'll have 5 maps to battle on in various game types as well as full co-op support for multiplayer-specific modes. The controls are easy to pick up, but will take some time to master. The cover system, shooting and climbing mechanics all worked great and overall the gameplay felt incredibly smooth. There is an large number of unlockables including character skins, boosters (similar to COD4: Modern Warfare's perks) and taunts. Matchmaking could use an adjustment; first time players will be pitched against much higher level combatants. The unlockable booster system gives those with higher ranks a distinct advantage.

Uncharted 2 is a real looker too. It is certainly one of the best looking games ever made. The multiplayer looks better than most games single player campaign. Naughty Dog claims to be pushing the Playstation 3 to its limits and the demo made a believer out of me. Do yourself a favor and download this demo now. It has the potential to keep you busy all the way up until Uncharted 2: Among thieves is released on October 15th.

Verdict: Download it!


Wolfenstein

Last and certainly least, we have Wolfenstein. I was hoping to bat a perfect average this week, but I had no such luck. First of all, the game has been out for almost two months. Why are we getting a demo now?

Wolfenstein is running on the Doom 3 engine from ten years ago. As such, it looks inexcusably dated. That would be more forgivable if the gameplay was more akin to the the current generation of First Person Shooters. The entire experience feels like something that would have been great in 1999. No doubt it would have gotten top marks across the board. I regret to inform Raven Software that it is in fact 2009 and the gaming world has come to expect more from its developers. The demo will take you about half an hour and gives you a pretty clear picture of what Wolfenstein has to offer. Too bad it's not a pretty picture.

There are some redeemable qualities like the ability to upgrade weapons via the Black Market. This feature is something that I hope becomes more popular in the genre. In fact, all signs are pointing toward Gears of War 3 featuring more role-playing-like qualities. The shooting component works fine and over-all the game doesn't necessarily feel broken, it just feels uninspired. If you are a die-hard fan of the series, then at least wait for this to hit the bargain bin.

Verdict: Skip it!

Final Fantasy XIII TGS 2009 Trailer

The Final Fantasy series is undoubtedly the most respected and successful Role Playing series in the history of the genre. Currently featuring twelve feature titles and many spin off games, Final Fantasy has consistently been a go to franchise for exceptional story telling, gameplay, and graphical excellence. Come this December, the series 13th installment will be released in Japan. The bar has once again been set, and there doesn't appear to be many contenders on the horizon to shake the King from atop it's sturdy mountain. Enjoy this full length trailer featuring gorgeous CG cut scenes and breath taking in game footage. No word yet on a U.S. release date, but the game is expected to launch sometime in the Spring. Who said that post Winter releases can't be AAA titles?

Modern Warfare 2 Leaked Single Player Footage!

SPOILER ALERT!

Brand new footage has been leaked of the Rio de Janeiro mission from Modern Warfare 2. This is a full length video featuring over eight minutes of heart stopping action! The new vertical element of combat is very much on display and it looks exilerating. The in game cut scene at the beginning is shocking and will certainly elicit an emotional reaction from even the most battle hardned FPS junkies.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 Review

Excelsior! True believers, it's Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2. I would like to say that this is a game "unlike any other," but sadly I cannot quote Stan Lee three times in two sentences. To get to the point, you’ve played this before. It was once called X-men Legends; its x-gene then mutated to become X-men Legends II, and then was bitten by a radio-active arachnid and became Marvel Ultimate Alliance! It seems as though Marvel and Activision are just cashing in on their licenses with Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2.

The gameplay from game to game has changed very little. In Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2, you take control of a team of four different Marvel superheroes and fight against leagues and leagues of enemies. Your characters gain experience from defeating enemies and subsequently gain levels and become more powerful. The combat is very basic; the visuals are somewhat outdated (the cut-scenes especially); the story is a cut-and-paste nightmare, and the gameplay is pretty derivative. However, for some ridiculous reason, I can’t seem to put this game down.

The button-mashing, “beat-'em-up” style is a lost art. In the golden age of the SNES, these games were too plentiful; but in this current, FPS (first person shooter) generation, we have been unable to find our roots. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 does its best to bring us back to 1991, and it’s a romp. It will satisfy the hunger pangs of any starved Marvel super-fan. In general, superhero games tend to be quite weak, and it’s nice to see a game that represents its characters so well while providing the player with an enjoyable experience.

Each character has a light and heavy attack, as well as four super-powered attacks. Characters have a red bar, which represents health, and a blue bar which represents endurance/magic power (use super powers and you drain endurance). By defeating the leagues of enemies, your characters will gain experience to level-up, which the player can use to increase the strength of each of their four superpowers, as well as bolster the character’s statistics/abilities. This method is the cookie-cutter approach to any action RPG. There are really no strides or attempts to change the combat. The game introduces new Fusion attacks to the system, which add a different level of depth to this relatively shallow experience. Fusion attacks are super-powered attacks that use two different characters. The player has a meter that increases for each successful attack and once that meter gets to a certain point, the player may choose to unleash a fusion attack. These attacks vary and are situational. Fore example, clearing attacks are used to clear a room full of enemies; whereas targeted fusions are used to target one enemy to do massive damage. This adds a new intricacy to the combat, because the player needs to strategize in order to use the correct fusion at the proper time. The bottom line on gameplay is that it’s an old dog that has learned one new trick. It works, it’s fun and gets the job done, but it’s very tired.

The production value of Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 is on the low end. The storyline combines events from two more recent Marvel story arcs including the Secret War and the Civil War. The storyline feels very forced. Civil War is treated like the cream of the Oreo, wedged between the two chocolaty Secret War wafers. Roughly a third through the game the player must make a decision of whether they will be for the Super Human Registration Act or against it. By doing so the player unlocks different characters, and gains different abilities. This story choice was smart, because the power gamer needs to play through this game twice to get everything (can you say built-in replay?).

The character selection is quite good, but some choices are worthy of a Mike Staub, “Huh?” For some reason, Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 feels the need to include characters that have no business being part of the Civil War (i.e. Iceman, Gambit, most of the Fantastic Four, and Hulk). The game also excludes characters like the Punisher, Dr. Strange, and Ronin which were integral to the Civil War. I foresee more downloadable characters hitting PSN and Xbox Live in the near future for a price of $1.99 or so.

The graphics are reminiscent of the first Marvel Ultimate Alliance and the game can only be played in up to 720p, so it will never look spectacular. The game is also a little buggy, like any action RPG. If there are too many enemies on the screen, the game will slow down. Sometimes characters on your team will choose not to attack, or do anything for that matter. The A.I. is weak, and needs a tune-up. I will say that the voice work is generally very good, although Thor’s voice sucks. Generally, the characters were properly represented by their voice acting and that’s key for a huge Marvel fan like myself.

If you are a fan of the Marvel universe and greatly enjoy the characters, this game will not let you down. If you are a fan of action style “beat-'em-ups” then this game will be a fun and rewarding experience for you as well. I enjoy this game, but it’s just a flash in the pan. It won’t greatly impact the gaming world, and it’s an ultimate fan service. We live in the age of the sequel, when sales are more important than originality. Spidey’s Red and Blues work, but are in need of a good wash. Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 is currently available on the Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Playstation 2 and Wii.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.0

Review by Mike (henshin a go-go baby!) Staub

The Beatles: Rockband Limited Edition Xbox 360!

Introducing The Beatles: Rockband Limited Edition Xbox 360. How rare is this gem? One of them just went for $17,300! Would you like a car or would you like a pretty new Xbox? Of course it's all for charity so prices tend to be inflated for the common good. It's unknown as to how many of these new consoles have been produced. One thing is for certain; it looks amazing. I have a feeling I could sell most of the major organs in my body and still not have enough cash to bid on this bad boy. I think for that kind of money, Paul McCartney should hand deliver it with the Xbox in one hand and a pot of delicious meat balls in the other. All proceeds will benefit Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), an international medical humanitarian organization working in more than 60 countries to assist people whose survival is threatened. Rockband fans and Beatles enthusiasts alike also have an opportunity to win the custom console by downloading the exclusive "All You Need is Love" bonus track available now on Xbox Live.

Grooooovy!

Halo 3: ODST Gameplay Footage

Happy Halo 3: ODST eve! Many gamers will be lining up at midnight tonight to get their hands on the latest chapter of the Halo franchise. Halo fans will get a chance to play as the elite Orbit Shock Drop Troopers (or ODST) as they take the fight to the Covenant. The story takes place after the events of Halo 2, but before Master Chief makes his return in Halo 3. Included in the newly full price title is Firefight, a mode that allows four players to team up and take on wave after wave of Covenant forces. The mode will be familiar to Gears of War fans as obvious comparisons are being made to Horde mode. Enjoy the fresh gameplay videos below featuring both campaign and Firefight footage.

Halo 3: ODST Single Player Campaign


Halo 3: ODST Firefight

Games You Should Play - 9/17/09

Yes, I know. I'm sorry, it's been a while since I last posted a Games You Should Play. Let's just say my life has gotten pretty nuts the last 2 weeks and I haven't had much time to do much of anything. And both my 360s died when I was about 75% through Batman, and about to get Shadow Complex. Yeah, and my 360s are the least of my problems right now. Anyway, moving on.

Games You Should Play - Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure Edition

I can hear the rumblings already. How can you put a game on here that's only been out for like, 5 months? I'll tell you why, NOBODY IS BUYING THIS GAME. It hasn't sold like my previous most recent Games You Should Play game, Mirror's Edge, despite it having a worthy story and excellent gameplay. It's got an 83% rating on MetaCritic, yet there are barely any sales figures on this game because well, according to VGChartz it has only sold about 30k in the US. That's THIRTY THOUSAND. For the only blend of platforming and puzzles the DS has ever seen! (And no, Puzzle Quest is a blend of RPG and puzzles).

Well to stop my ranting, I will tell you why this game is awesome. First off, it's insanely British, which I love. The graphics are very crisp and clean, and the controls are spot-on (see, British humour! Hah!). How the game works, basically, is that on the top screen you control Henry Hatsworth through his adventure, but on the bottom screen there is a Puzzle League style puzzle game going on. Now when you defeat guys on the top, they don't go away, you also have to make them go away in the puzzle too. Ingenious! There's your standard power ups and stuff, but you can get items in the puzzle to help you in your adventure, and you can use the puzzle to also beef up grenades, boomerangs and your trusty gun while the projectile is in mid-air.

Here is the first level in action:


So what's the downfall, you say?

It's hard. Not Ninja Gaiden hard, but definitely frustrating at points. Now, whereas I did manage to beat the game, believe you me it wasn't easy. But it was so good I was DETERMINED to slay the game. The levels are all very long, and seemed kind of stretched out. Some levels have sections where you just have to fight a whole bunch of predetermined enemies, and it seemed like a lame mini-boss type area, and those parts get repetitive fast. Many levels also seem very similar as well, making some of them feel like a chore to get through.

The story is pretty good too, with a nice twist at the end. It's completely ridiculous, but a lot of fun nonetheless.

Please give it a shot. You can snag it for only $18.99 at Amazon these days and is definitely worth it at that price.

Official Modern Warfare 2 Xbox 360 Announced!

So Yeah, under the radar or WHAT!? A sick looking custom Modern Warfare 2 console, two black controllers, the game, and a 250GB HDD. Buyers get everything included for only $399.99. The extra controller and game would set you back $110 alone. And a 250 GB HDD! That's more than double whats available now! Oh man, I want this bad.

Assassin's Creed 2 Gamescom 2009 Walkthrough

As promised last week, here is the Gamescom 09 gameplay walkthrough that features Izio on the hunt for his next target. The game already looks slicker and more responsive then it's predecessor. The graphics have been given an upgrade over the still beautiful original. Hopefully the tasks are varied enough to hold the player's interest this time around. Half way through the first Assassin's Creed I found myself playing for the sake of playing as each mission was a regrettable clone of the previous. Regardless, the concept was fantastic and wholly original. The blue prints were laid and the bones were put in place. Ubisoft is now poised to deliver a classic. Assassin's Creed 2 is set for release on November 17th.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Pax 2009 Gameplay

I'm going to go ahead and say it. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is the best looking game this year. No doubt there are other stellar titles with jaw dropping visuals (Mass Effect 2 and Assassin's Creed 2 come to mind), but Uncharted 2 seems to have that certain something to propel it to the top of the heap. Feel free to count the "2's" in that last sentence.

When it comes to animation, Naughty Dog doesn't pull any punches. Every movement in the game was painstakingly recorded in studio with a live actor. I know what you're thinking, "Don't a lot of developers do that?" Yes, however how many of them feature the actual actor used for recording the dialogue. Each scene is actually acted out between actors to create a chemistry that hasn't been achieved in other next generation titles. Throw in amazing technical graphics with a fantastic art style and you have a real looker on your hands. You may salivate over Exhibit 'A' below. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves hits stores October 13th.

Shadow Complex Review

Shadow Complex is easily the most ambitious Xbox Live Arcade release to date. It combines gorgeous visuals with fast and addictive gameplay. The game is built using the Unreal Engine and Epic Studios even had a hand in delivering the final product. You play as Jason Flemming, a young man thrust in to a heroic role when he unknowingly uncovers a radical militia's devious plot to overthrow the government and start a 2nd civil war. All of which starts when Jason ventures on a hiking trip with his new girlfriend (evidence that exercise is indeed bad for you). The game is a companion piece to the Orson Scott Card Empire series of novels.

Shadow Complex is very much a traditional side scrolling adventure game, however the unique twist comes in it's execution. It features fully three dimensional environments rendered with actual depth. Enemies no longer attack from above, below, left or right as they can now flank you from behind. This is a small touch that makes the game feel very original and helps bring it in to the modern gaming era.

One of the more addictive aspects of the game is it's use of deep exploration to upgrade your character. Many areas will not be accessible until the appropriate upgrade is found. Some puzzles can be found throughout the map, but few are overly challenging. Most upgrades can be found through simple yet time consuming level exploration. Your character will also gain levels through experience earned from exploring and combat. The more you search the world, the more powerful you become. This is a necessity as the enemies and bosses will become increasingly challenging. A bulk of the upgrading will happen naturally through story advancement. If you run right through, you'll be able to best the radical militia in less than 5 hours. If you're going for 100% completion, you'll be grinding for about 8-10 hours.

From beginning to end, Shadow Complex is an exceptional game with few hiccups worth mentioning. The graphics maintain a very high technical standard throughout, although there is occasional screen tearing and stuttering. I also had a few instances where audio and video were not synced correctly. In most cases, restarting the game from a previous save room corrected the issue. The main campaign is short enough that it merits a 2nd or 3rd play though, which will be necessary to unlock all of the achievements. Several challenge rooms are also included to test your metal for those looking to smash high score records. All in all, Shadow Complex is a definite purchase and one of the few Arcade titles worth 1200 Microsoft Points ($15).

Rating: 9.0 out of 10.0

Modern Warfare 2 Uncut Multiplayer Gameplay!

As promised by Infinity Ward, here is a brand new uncut multiplayer video. The video is chalk full of little details that I'm sure will be analyzed to death in the coming days. Why not get a head start on the competition with a brief overview?

• Riot shield is in full view and being used to protect the flag bearer
• New name tag system of identifying who you killed
• Brazilian Militia is a playable faction
• Multiple kill streak rewards on display including UAV, Predator Missile, and Air Drop
• Kill streak rewards are no longer limited to numerically odd intervals
• Several new guns including AA-12, TAR-21, SCAR-H w/ Bling, MP5K and UMP45 w/ extended mags
• New host migration system is on display
• Throwing knives are confirmed

Let us know if you notice anything else hidden within the brief, but loaded new video.