Invalid characterset or character set not supported The March that was...





The March that was...
April 01, 2007

EmP may have done it first, and he never talked to me before posting a list of his reviews in March with descriptions, but I think we all know he copied my idea... even though I didn't have it until I saw him do it. Here goes!

Meteos: Disney Magic (DS)

I had never played Meteos and I was interested to see how the game played. What I found was an addictive game that wasn't ruined at all by the Disney license. The soundtrack was full of cool Disney stuff and there were neat pictures, too, but I thought they could've pushed the license further. As far as the review goes, it probabl could have gone a lot further, but it was hard to manage anything special for a puzzle Disney game, you know?

Sonic and the Secret Rings (WII)

I was very happy with this review. I hadn't played a Sonic game in awhile and I was afraid how this one would turn out, but the buzz seemed better and when I gave it a shot, I found out why. I really put my heart into explaining why this game is worth trying even if Sonic games have disappointed you recently, and the feedback let me know I succeeded. Definitely one of my favorite reviews that I've written.

Bullet Witch (X360)

This is a game that a lot of other sites criticized quite harshly, mostly because it wasn't the game they wanted to be playing. However, it's a perfectly fine game taken for what it is: a straight-up romp through several atmospheric levels with only a gun and a few devastating spells for company. I really liked the game and for the most part, my review was a response to other critics who complained about things that weren't even really true. Reports are that I went a little over the top establishing the atmosphere, but I like how it turned out just the same.

Lumines Plus (PS2)

This was another puzzle game, and for a Lumines game, no less. I played it rather extensively just the same, but my review probably doesn't reflect that quite as much as it should have. This was one of those reviews that (hopefully) gets in, gets the job done and then ends without inspiring people to check their computer clocks.

Winning Eleven: Pro Evolution Soccer 2007 (X360)

There is an audience for this game, and I thought I was part of it. Playing the thing proved me wrong, though. Winning Eleven is a sim series through and through. I'm used to soccer games where you get near the net and kick a goal, rather than trying to kick the ball across the stadium. The controls here really ruined a lot of the experience, but there was no denying that the game is cool and quite rewarding for those who have the patience to master the most retarded controls in the history of sports games. I just wasn't that person. I've since sold my copy of this game. I can't imagine myself ever playing and/or enjoying it again.

Europa Universalis III (PC)

This game kept me up for 18 consecutive hours and I really liked it. I spent a lot of time agonizing over the score and finally realized that nothing I encountered in the game really held it back. A deep strategy game that's easy to get into and hard to put down, even for a dufus like me? Sounds like perfect fodder for a 10! I wanted to try something different with my review, and it started with a lot of personal anecdotes that I ended up cutting. Just the same, I think it has a more personal feel to it than some of my stuff and hopefully it's interesting to readers (and of course, informative).

Kororinpa: Marble Mania (WII)

I expected to love, love, love this game, and instead only ended up liking it a lot (and not as much as some people, either). It was a fun game but when I sat down to write the review, inspiration never really came. I'm afraid that the result is a rather dull review, but it should get the points across. I think.

Konami Classics Series: Arcade Hits (DS)

I'm a big fan of retro gaming, so I was really looking forward to this one. Unfortunately, the end product isn't anything particularly special in the scheme of things. Most people who play the game will do so because they remember a few of the titles from arcade's glory days. My review kind of wandered that way against my will. I usually don't do a run-down of every title in a compilation, but it felt right here so I went with it.

Disney's Meet the Robinsons (WII)

This one I wrote in quite a bit of a hurry, because by the time I got done playing the game, it was about time to head out of town for the weekend. I hadn't even expected to play through it, but it showed up at my door unannounced and was just what I needed to enter a license-based games competition over on the forums. Results aren't in yet, so I have no idea how well this review will be received, but I felt like it covered the bases without getting dull. Interestingly, I tend to like license-based games more than most people, but despite a fairly positive review for this on IGN, I thought it was downright forgettable and even broken in places. Meh.

Lost in Blue 2 (DS)

Lost in Blue 2 had intrigued me since I missed out on the first one, so I went into the game wide-eyed and excited by the opportunity to survive a deserted island. As my review says, though, this was a pretty unpleasant game that did too good a job of mimicking the tedium and horror of life on an island. Ugh. I hated to give a game with such good ideas such a low score, but it really was a chore to play and I can't imagine most people enjoying themselves. I'm sure it'll be a cult classic among some masochists, but again, that's not me.

And that's the list of reviews I wrote this month. About half of them I really liked and the other half were just me going through the motions. Hopefully, April will include more games that really inspire me when I sit down to review them...

Most recent blog posts from Jason Venter...

Feedback
janus janus - April 02, 2007 (02:30 AM)
Americans should stay away from our football games!
pup pup - April 02, 2007 (06:59 AM)
Silly European... it's called soccer.

Genj Genj - April 02, 2007 (08:38 AM)
"Soccer was invented by European ladies to keep them busy while their husbands did the cooking." - Hank Hill
EmP EmP - April 02, 2007 (02:28 PM)
Yeah, because calling the sport that uses the foot to kick the ball football is dumb.

I have a better name for NFL. I call it "Rugby for girls." Or Girlball for short.

Yeah, so I bit at this one......
Felix_Arabia Felix_Arabia - April 02, 2007 (06:51 PM)
A better game?
Genj Genj - April 02, 2007 (08:40 PM)
Cut his typo'ing ass some slack. It's hard out there for a shrimp.
hmd hmd - April 02, 2007 (10:07 PM)
I SHALL NEVER STAY AWAY FROM YOUR FOOTBALL GAMES!
EmP EmP - April 02, 2007 (11:01 PM)
My huge gold chain got in the way.

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