Splinter Cell: Blacklist Review

There aren't many games out there that make you feel like a true badass. Even on games like Prototype, where that is almost the sole point of the game, this isn't always the case. Splinter Cell: Blacklist is one of those games that really does make you feel like a badass. Whether it's because you just silently killed an entire room without getting noticed, sneaked through the room without ending any lives or brutally murdered everything with good ol' bullets and explosions, Splinter Cell makes you feel awesome.

Put into the shoes of the elusive Sam Fisher, the player has to try and stop a series of attacks on the USA from a mysterious terror organisation known only as the Blacklist. Sam isn't entirely alone however, as he has the help of the Fourth Echelon, a group of specialists brought together on the Paladin. The Paladin is a plane that houses some incredibly high-tech gadgets - the most impressive of which is the SMI. The SMI is essentially a huge tablet computer, but it's there in place of a menu to let you select missions, gear and access multiplayer.

The storyline itself is a little bit unimaginative but at the same time quite realistic; well, apart from one person essentially stopping it on his own. As explained, the Blacklist are plotting an attack on the US and due to the government's apparent lack of competence, it's up to Sam and his pals to stop it. It's nothing that hasn't been done before, not least in a Splinter Cell game before, but it's a tried and tested formula, so why change it?

The 'tried and tested' formula of the old Splinter Cell games is slightly modified however, to allow for some room to manoeuvre if you get spotted, or alternatively, you can just face everyone straight up. It's clear that the game caters to stealth though, through level design and rewards. You get larger rewards for playing like a 'ghost' (and there's even an achievement for not killing anyone through the whole game as Fisher) than playing as a 'panther' (silent kills) or going into 'combat'. In my experience it's best to mix it up, as this allows you to experience all aspects of the game and be more flexible at any given situation. Diehard fans may be disappointed to see the shift to faster, more action based games, but there's still the option to play stealthily and it's definitely encouraged. Playing stealthily is much more fun in my view, as balls-to-the-wall combat can be done on a lot of games - subtle, clever stealth is best suited to Splinter Cell.

In order to help you through the game, you carry with you 3 weapons and between 4-10 gadgets, depending on your outfitting. Your pistol is your go-to weapon for 'panther' style play, whereas as a ghost you may opt for the stun gun or crossbow as your weapon of choice. Gadgets range from mines, to exploding cameras all the way to simple sleeping gas grenades. Whilst there is a decent selection of gadgets, you often find yourself using the same few over and over again if they work well. Your third weapon is up to you; do you want an assault rifle, just in case everything goes wrong? How about a suppressed sniper, so you can silently kill from distance?

Graphically, the game is good without being outstanding, but as you spend a lot of time in the shadows, the graphics are not entirely important. Sound-wise, the game is very impressive, with footsteps locatable if you have surround sound. The music is very complimentary with the game, racketing the tension up through slow, deliberate pieces of music. One criticism of the game is that maybe the single player storyline isn't particularly long, but this is drawn out by side missions and the interesting Spies vs Mercs game mode. Here there are two teams, one Spies and of course, one team of Mercs. The Spies have to infiltrate and hack certain access points in the map, whilst the Mercs must stop them. The main issue is that being a Merc really isn't very exciting, whereas being a Spy is much more fun and rewarding.

However you choose to play, the game does a very good job of making you feel awesome about taking out or evading everyone. Splinter Cell: Blacklist is a rewarding, challenging game that is intelligent in it's design and most importantly, fun to play.

My Score:

89%

"I used to love that game!" #3 - Back 2 the (Fifa) Street

Building on the huge success of the original, Fifa Street 2 was a much-loved title on the PS2 and original XBOX. EA enjoyed almost total monopolisation of the 'small-sided football' market, due to the little variety of options out there.

Games like this never really captured the imagination of football fans.

What did Fifa Street 2 had over the other games that tried to tap into this market? High production values were a key part of it. As EA are a big company with huge funding they could make a very good game, without flaws and market it well. The other two games are almost unknown (though I had both) because they had no marketing and lower production values. This made the game less glitchy, more accessible and just a generally better game. 

Licenses are something that generally don't bother me, but knowing the players makes the game more comfortable. Fifa Street 2 had a unique career-mode type mode, where you start off with a bunch of rag-tag unknowns and your player, slowing bringing in better players as you beat better teams. It was fresh, innovative and a whole lot of fun. The time you get the first professional you recognise is an awesome moment. 

Gameplay-wise, the game is slick and easy to control. Standard Fifa controls apply, but with a twist. Using the right stick the player initiates 'beats', skill moves to take you past players. The more elaborate and difficult tricks earn more points. Beats are used to go past players, but gain points so that you can earn GameBreakers. This is where your shot becomes insanely powerful and accurate, but for every player you beat with skill, your shot counts as an extra goal. Beating all outfield players then scoring wins you the game instantly. 

There are many different match-types to add variety to the game. Standard time games, first to 3/5/7 goals, panna, first to a certain score and more. My personal favourite is panna, where nutmegs count as a goal, so it would be like a normal first to 10 game, but nutmegs, or pannas, count as one goal each.

As well as a fantastic game, FS2 had one of my favourite soundtracks on a video game of all time. Songs like this:

That I still enjoy to this day.

In conclusion, Fifa Street 2 was a game that I loved as a kid and would probably still enjoy know. I hope that nostalgia hasn't clouded my view, and it is genuinely still a good game.

Games You've Never Played #2: Nothing is Impossible

Due to the huge amount of strategy games that over-saturate the PC market, it takes something either brilliant or unique to stand out. For example, Rome Total War stands out due to it's fantastic quality, whereas Impossible Creatures stands out because it's unique.

So what makes it so unique? Where most strategy games have armies with standard military units, in Impossible Creatures the player designs their own army of nine creatures by combining two animals to make one. If you've ever wanted to lead an army of camels with a gorilla head into battle, then this game is for you. There are 50 animals in the game at the start, with 15 extra free to download and various player-made mods to further customise the game. Each animal has a unique balance of stats and abilities which makes it impossible to make the 'perfect' creature.

In order to balance the game, there are 'research levels', which cost resources to research. The best creatures are at level 5, so they aren't available to build until late on. A creature with better stats might cost more resources to build, making it harder to build lots at once. Coal and electricity gathering are a huge part of the game and if you get left behind in resources, you'll be left behind in battle. Finely balancing your resource gathering, researching, building and creature building are key to victory.

Combat is fairly simple - there are three types of attacks, melee, artillery and ranged. Melee attacks are generally more powerful but you may have to get close, obviously, which often gives the ranged units a defensive advantage. Ranged units however, have a huge problem with artillery units. There are a lot less ranged and artillery than melee units, so choosing them carefully is important.

The game's story mode is fairly unspectacular, but helps you to learn the ropes. Where the game really shines is multiplayer. Unfortunately, official servers and support for IC multiplayer no longer exists, so you might have to find some friends to play with over LAN, or use other software in order to connect over the internet.

Despite the game being over 10 years old, it is still fairly good graphically and importantly, the gameplay is still unique, varied and freaking awesome. If you've never played the game, I recommend you download it immediately. One of my favourite games of all time.

This Month's First Free Game on Xbox - Defense Grid

When I saw this month's free game was a tower defense game, I was a little disappointed to be honest. It's not that I dislike them, I just wanted to play something different. I read the description and it sounded okay, but I wasn't particularly looking forward to playing it. Nevertheless, I downloaded it and....

It's alright.

If you're looking for a game that is inventive, innovative and defines a genre, then this game really isn't for you. Defense Grid is a fairly generic 3D tower defense game, with few innovations. There really isn't much to differentiate it from most other tower defense games. That being said, it is well made, well balanced and quite addictive. It isn't a bad game, but it isn't brilliant either.

You play as a nameless character defending a nameless planet (presumably Earth, but I don't remember it being mentioned) from aliens. As far as plots go, it's pretty thin and cliché; an alien invasion that you have to stop. You've done it a million times before, in all types of games. That's essentially the plot - there isn't a lot else to say here.

Gameplay-wise, it is a very well-made game. For a free game (or 400 Microsoft points now) it is incredibly balanced and fun. There are only ten towers that each can be upgraded twice, allowing for strategic use of resources gained by killing aliens. Each tower has it's downfalls but all can be very useful at times. The tower design isn't the most spectacular, as many are fairly basic ideas. Gun Towers, Laser Towers and Cannon Towers for example. The first couple of levels are fairly dull, which almost put me off, but I'm glad I didn't. Some of the later levels are impeccably designed, requiring the user to make a pathway for the aliens to help them. This works brilliantly with the level designs and makes it strategic and fun, but very challenging at times. Some of the last levels are devilishly difficult. Me and some of my friends have been hooked - it's such a shame there is no way to play multiplayer or a level designer so I can share levels with friends, however that would be asking quite a lot of the devs. 

Graphically, there can be no complaints. Set in the distant future, Defense Grid illustrates a dystopian future beautifully. It isn't vibrant but the graphics are clear and are as good as some full console games that cost £40. This is a huge thing for a free game, as they usually rely on good gameplay rather than worry about graphics, but developers Hidden Path Entertainment have combined both well. The aliens, of which there are 15 different types, are detailed and their movement is smooth. 

The game is not the longest, as there are only 20 different levels, however there is some replay value. There are different 'challenge' modes for each level that take time to master and complete and then there's always achievements to be gotten. There's also a substantial amount of levels in the DLC packs, which if you enjoy the game might be worth downloading. 

All in all, Defense Grid is a generic but addictive, cheap but fun tower defense game, that for the very good price of absolutely nothing, is a bargain. Even now, for 400 Microsoft Points, it is worth picking up and trying. It doesn't do anything outside the box, but what it does it does well.

Gameplay: 89%
Graphics: 88%
Lifespan: 64%
Innovation: 40%
Accessibility: 70%

Overall: 80%

Thanks for reading.

"I used to love that game!" #2 - Heaven is a Halfpipe

As technology improves, games become more complex and in most cases, 'better'. There are some games however, that do the opposite. Games where the original games are timeless, and the newer games just don't stand up any more. Sonic the Hedgehog was a victim of this for a while; Pro Evolution Soccer too arguably. However, the most obvious example is the Tony Hawk's series. 

Many of you who had/still have a PSone or a PS2 will have played a Tony Hawk's game. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater and afterwards the Underground series' were games that helped define a whole genre of games.
This isn't just nostalgia speaking. I've recently re-played Tony Hawk's Underground 2 and it still stands up as an incredibly well made and fun game. So what makes it so good? Obviously the graphics aren't of the same level as modern games, but for the time they were very good. Then again, playing games for graphics is like choosing music based on the cover art. The thing that makes Tony Hawk's so good and gives it the ability to stand the test of time, is the same for any timeless game. It's easy to control and understand, but mastering it takes time and skill.

Mixing flips, grabs and manuals is the core of the game, which is easier than it sounds. The controls are easy to get to grips with without being restrictive, which is often something that is sometimes taken for granted, but is incredibly important. Once you have the core skills, you can start to link them together to create combos. It's delightfully simple yet deceptively complex.

Where the games really stood out was multiplayer. What's the point of being good at something if you can't use it to show off and humiliate your friends? Some simple modes like Trick Attack with games like Graffiti for variety increase the lifespan of the game.

I am a huge fan of games that include 'Create-a-xxx' modes, as it adds a personal touch and allows users to add things to the game that the devs never thought of. Tony Hawk's gives me quite a few of these: Create-A-Skater, Trick or Mission are interesting choices. The one that rely stands out however, is Create-A-Park. A level editor is always something that I like to see in a game because it encourages creativity, increase lifespan and makes multiplayer even more interesting. It's a very easy to use level editor but it is slightly restricting. However, considering the age of the game it is very impressive and allows for some incredibly creative levels.

In short, if you had or still have a PS2, I recommend you pick up a copy of Tony Hawk's Underground 2, if you don't already have one, and discover one of the best games on the console.

Games You've Never Played #1 - Gotcha!

If you had a Gamecube, chances are you played Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros and maybe a couple of others, but that was about it. The Gamecube was a bit of a flop. But for me, my favourite game was this gem:

Never heard of it before? I'm not surprised. I've only found one other person who has played and likes this game, and that's because I recommended it to them.

Gotcha Force obtained really mediocre reviews all around from critics - a Metacritic score of 56 says it all really. It does however have huge review scores from fans and has a dedicated following who have waited years for a sequel. The story goes that one day the 'Death Force' try to attack Earth. A boy called Kou finds a 'Gotcha Borg' called G-Red and forms the Gotcha Force in order to fend off the Death Force. To do this, the player assembles a small army, or force, of 'Gotcha Borgs' to go into combat. You start off with G-Red, who is one of the most reliable borgs on the game, and obtain more and more as you play. Each borg is unique, and collecting them all is a challenge.

There is only really one word to describe the combat: Insane. It plays at a frantic pace and can be very difficult to get your head around, but it's incredibly fun once you figure out what you're doing. It isn't the most complex system - far from it - but it's awesome!

I've sunk hours into this game and sometimes I wish I never sold my old consoles, so I could go back and play this some more. Just hearing the name of this game, or thinking about playing it, makes me happy (Yes I realise this is *really* sad). If you still have your Gamecube, please go and pick this up, it's the most fun you'll have in a long time.

Oh, also, it has one of the happiest pieces of music ever:

Enjoy!

Thanks for reading!

The World Ends With You - iOS Game Review

The World Ends With You: Solo Remix is an iOS remake of the cult hit Japanese RPG on the DS. The original achieved very high review scores from critics and players alike, but didn't achieve the sales it probably deserved, and the phone remake has not of yet sold as many as some think it deserves.

The player controls Neku, a teenage introvert who appears to have a hatred of everyone around him. Stuck inside a game where the only options are winning or death, Neku is forced to team up to take on the 'Noise' that run rampant through the streets of Shibuya. 

In order to fight the Noise, the player uses a series of swipes and taps to activate 'Psychs'. As you go further on through the game, you'll notice yourself create your own fluid, rhythmic style, and will select your psychs accordingly. What starts off simple quickly becomes complex, but the learning curve is smooth enough to not put off newcomers. The only slight issue is that once you get into a rhythm, it can become repetitive if you don't change around, so the game throws new psychs at you to try and keep the game fresh. 

Graphically, The World Ends With You is fantastic. It uses a unique art-style, that looks stunning and suits the smaller screen perfectly. Despite the colourful cel-shaded style, it retains a serious tone. 

The World Ends With You has a very abstract but interesting plot that grips the player, and the dialogue is at times very funny. It's not a laugh out loud type of game, but there are some funny lines in there. 

As positive as this review has been so far, obviously the game will not appeal to everyone, and at a very steep (for iOS at least) price of £12.99, it's expensive to find out. The price is the biggest negative, especially with no real way of trying before you buy. This is also due to the fact that the game is unique and will not appeal to the normal casual market for the iOS systems. 

The World Ends With You is a gripping, fun and innovative game that captures the charm of the streets of Japan in it's own unique style. The gameplay is fluid and fits around the player, but most importantly is fun and simple to use. Whilst the price seems steep, £12.99 for 30 hours of entertainment is a great deal in the end, and far better than many console games.

Graphics: 94%

Gameplay: 89%

Lifespan: 90% 

Innovation: 85%

Accessibility: 81%

My Overall Score: 91%

League of Legends - Game Review

            There are hundreds and thousands of Free-to-Play games for PC, ranging from the simple games, like Farmville, to MMORPG’s, such as Runescape. Riot Games seem to have done the impossible and created something unique, which is entirely free, but is a very good game in its own right. That game is League of Legends.

            League of Legends is classed as a MOBA, or Multiplayer Online Battle Arena, which is a fairly accurate representation of the game. Games are usually 5v5, lasting around 30-45 minutes, which allows for teamwork and strategy. Each player picks a ‘champion’, each having unique stat balances and abilities, and they fight for territory and eventually to destroy the enemy ‘nexus’. It is very complex and takes a while to get used to, so newcomers may be put off.

            The main thing that makes League of Legends so good is that every game feels different and fresh. There is a huge collection of champions, which rotate every week (though you can buy characters with in game currency and use them in every game), which means you will have to face different threats and playstyles, and adapt accordingly.

            Each character is extremely well designed aesthetically, especially considering the amount of characters and the extra ‘skins’ you can buy for each character. The game as a whole is very bright, colourful and detailed, even running on a low-end computer. There is very little frame-rate drop and very rarely lag, especially considering there are 10 people in each game.

            The game does have a steep learning curve, as many PC games do, due to the strategy and skill of players involved. This may turn people away, but in my experience, the community are usually nice with ‘noobs’. However, Riot Games did fail to account for ‘rage-quitters’ – you know who you are – so if someone quits the team is a man down. They have tried to stop people with the threat of temporary bans, but I feel this is not enough. Maybe they could implement a system where the AI takes over, as this could balance the game a bit more. They can be the most frustrating thing about the game.

            League of Legends is not a simple pick-up-and-play game. The shortest games are around half an hour, and they are intense. It is difficult to just play really casually; it makes you think, but every kill feels rewarding, like you earned it. The games can drag on however, and can become boring if they last longer than 50 minutes.

            If you enjoy the game, it will last for ages. As each game feels fresh and different, there is a lot of lifespan, especially as new content will be added fairly soon, such as new maps. At the current moment, though, there are only 2 maps, one for the main game mode, and the other for a sort of spin-off game mode. Riot Games also tweak and add to their game constantly, which is nice to see, especially as it is essentially a free game.

            Overall, I feel that for the small price of absolutely nothing, League of Legends is a fantastic, tactical and engaging game, which has more depth than meets the eye. It can be difficult for newcomers, but it is very fun and definitely worth a download.

Graphics: 80%

Gameplay: 89%

Lifespan: 94%

Innovation: 81%

Accessibility: 73%

My Overall Rating – 88%

"I used to love that game!" #1

As you may be able to tell from the blog name, I am a huge fan of Pokemon. When I was 5, my parents bought me a Nintendo Game Boy, for which I am eternally grateful to them. I spent hours on that thing, on Pokemon Blue, and later Pokemon Yellow, and I am glad my parents introduced me to gaming and let me play often. Although video games get a very bad press in the news, I actually learnt to read playing video games. I needed to know what Professor Oak was telling me. I needed to know why my Thundershock wasn't doing anything to that damn Diglett. But I digress - I decided that because I loved Pokemon and all things connected, that I wanted a certain N64 game.

Pokemon Snap.

Those two words are enough to send a rush of nostalgia and happiness to my brain. And any Pokemon fan who played it probably gets the same feeling - it may not have been the best game, or even the best Pokemon spin-off, but it was unique and different.. You play as Todd Snap, a young boy who is assisting good old Professor Oak in his research. What made this game different however was the twist on the original premise. Todd Snap was so called because what he lacked in catching ability, he more than made up for in his photography. That's right - you didn't catch Pokemon you ... took pictures of them?

Yep.

 I realize that I haven't made this sound like a great game. It wasn't. But it was fun. 

You used your bait, PokeFlute and 'pester balls' to goad the Pokemon out and get some quality snaps of the 61 Pokemon on the game. The main gripe for many people, me included, with the game was that there were too few levels and Pokemon. Only 61 out of 151 (at the time) was a pretty poor showing from Nintendo, but the game more than made up for it in my opinion. Once you'd gathered your PokePics, Oak would rate your pics and award you score for the quality.

Highly unorthodox yet bizarrely fun, Pokemon Snap holds huge nostalgic value for me and many others. If you'd forgotten about this game then I'm glad that I've reminded you of it - conversely, if you're a Pokemon fan who's never played it, why not? You can always go back and play it now; it's never too late.

Thanks for reading :)