The Legend of Kyrandia review (PC)

Reviewed by Sho on April 04, 2009 - #

Throughout a long and storied history ranging from the old glory days of leading the computer industry to its eventual descent into flaming ruin, the graphic adventure genre has traditionally been dominated by Sierra On-Line and LucasArts. Certainly other companies occasionally gave it a go, but none ever managed to recreate the lavish production values, legendary creativity, and all-important sales figures of the Big Two in their prime. With The Legend of Kyrandia RTS-kingpin Westwood Studios aptly demonstrate this principle in action – despite pretty graphics and outstanding music, it plays like a blueprint on how NOT to design an adventure game.

Mana Khemia: Student Alliance review (PSP)

Reviewed by Kyle Stepp on April 04, 2009 - #

As Vayne arrives at the academy for the first time, the first thing you may notice is that the graphics are blurry, low-res 3D that look like someone popped a PS1 game in their PS2 and turned on texture smoothing. You may also notice just how long the game had to load said images. Nearly everything you do in Mana Khemia causes the game to stop and load something. Even simplistic tasks like jumping from one ledge to another will cause the PSP to halt everything for a moment to load the jumping animation. This has the unfortunate side-effect of disorienting your jump and often (at least in my case) leads to Vayne landing squarely on a monster's head. There's another battle that could have been avoided!

SNK Arcade Classics: Vol. 1 review (WII)

Reviewed by Paul Josua on April 04, 2009 - #

Just like a bag of pick n’ mix or a greatest hits compilation CD, you’re not going to like everything on SNK Arcade Classics Volume 1.

Stoked review (X360)

Reviewed by Joe DeLia on April 01, 2009 - #

At only $40, Stoked manages to offer solid mechanics, huge mountains to explore, well-integrated online play, and hundreds of challenges to conquer, but the complete lack of mission variety keeps this from being an easy recommendation.

Cryostasis: Sleep of Reason review (PC)

Reviewed by Lewis Denby on April 01, 2009 - #

Peggle: Dual Shot review (DS)

Reviewed by Jeffrey Matulef on March 31, 2009 - #

Peggle: Dual Shot is a simple, casual activity that won't take much out of you, and is perfect for morning commute when your brain is still mush and doesn't want to heavily invest in anything. 

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars review (DS)

Reviewed by Mike Suskie on March 31, 2009 - #

Nearly everything you use the stylus for in Chinatown Wars – rummaging through trash, diffusing bombs, assembling weapons – sounds like a gimmick on its own. It’s the collaboration of all of these individual elements that makes Chinatown Wars work. As you explore this retooled Liberty City, you’ll notice that Rockstar Leeds poured detail into every facet of the design, fleshing out areas that most developers would simply shrug off. Obtaining Molotov cocktails, for example, is no longer simply a matter of picking them up off a designated location on the streets. You’ve literally got to find a gas station and play a mini-game in which you must “aim” the nozzle in response to the fluctuating flow of the gasoline, so as to get as many cocktails for your money’s worth as possible. It’s a wonderful way to make the most of the DS hardware.

Mevo & The Grooveriders review (PC)

Reviewed by Lewis Denby on March 31, 2009 - #

Mevo & The Grooveriders is a gloriously silly, ridiculously charming little game, as accessible as it is beautiful, and for the ludicrously small admission fee of £5.99 (Steam still refuses to show international prices), it's hard to imagine anyone being disappointed. But the lack of precision is problematic, and does hold Mevo back from the highest accolades. With a bit more polish, and with the addition of a solid community hub, this promising debut from Red Rocket Games could deliver something very jazzy indeed.

SpongeBob vs. The Big One: Beach Party Cook-Off review (DS)

Reviewed by Benjamin Woodhouse on March 30, 2009 - #

Each of SpongeBob's techniques is linked to a specific touch screen mini-game. They're all routine stylus activities, even if the ingredients are a little weird. Trace a line to slice up some kelp. Tap quickly to pound out a Krabby Patty. Rotate frantically to mix up some seaweed pasta. Slingshot deep fried flotsam out of hot oil. Okay, maybe they're not all ordinary culinary arts...

Blue Dragon review (X360)

Reviewed by Rob Hamilton on March 27, 2009 - #

Just by going through the game and experimenting with the class system enough to give all five of my characters (Shu and pals find two more allies before the end of the first disc) a decent amount of versatility, I was trouncing every storyline encounter in my path to the point where the game's final bosses wound up being exercises in me tapping buttons while being more interested in the college basketball game I was watching on my other television.

Cross Fire review (PC)

Reviewed by Scott Constantine on March 27, 2009 - #

CrossFire is a grain of sand in a desert full of free, online first-person shooters. The majority of these are played and maintained by fanatic Koreans with glazed eyes and twitchy fingers, going to any lengths to improve their skill. At first glance, this particular title fails to stand out from its peers; sporting low-grade graphics, two factions that are constantly at war for no real reason and a promotion system that will be uncannily familiar to the fans of Battlefield or Call of Duty. The gameplay, whilst repetitive, is oddly addictive and never really gets frustrating, despite having to fight alongside some rather incompetent people.

Pass Your Driving Theory Test review (DS)

Reviewed by Gary Hartley on March 27, 2009 - #

Fact is, Pass your Driving Theory Test is never going to be the top of anyone’s wish list unless they actually want to pass their driving theory test, but, should this be the case, it’s a well-made and competent study guide that will vastly enhance your chances to pass a fiddly exam.

SNK Arcade Classics: Vol. 1 review (PSP)

Reviewed by Gary Hartley on March 27, 2009 - #

I’m happy enough burning though another game of Shock Troopers while on the move. Afterwards, perhaps I’ll surprise myself with another round of golf. Odds are, there’s something on here you’ll enjoy.

Resident Evil 5 review (PS3)

Reviewed by Jonathan Stark on March 25, 2009 - #

I like games that make me think. When trying to break through a barricade of machine gunners and vicious packs of dogs, I want the answer not to be “use a better rifle” but to be something more involved. For instance, sending a partner along a catwalk to draw the gun fire while I sneak closer and blow out the fox holes with a close up grenade or two. Resident Evil 5 should’ve been littered with these kind of situations, but more often than not it opts for straight shoot outs. And they get old.

Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Adventures: Fright of the Bumblebees review (PC)

Reviewed by Lewis Denby on March 25, 2009 - #

It never quite gets going, surely a symptom of its short duration over anything else. At just a few hours long, nothing really kicks off until the finale, but it's one that sets the scene for what could be a delightful little adventure. Fright of the Bumblebees is an impressively promising start to this four-part release, and if it carries on in the same direction, later instalments could be just the ticket. This one's a fine introduction, but I'm almost certain it'll be the least memorable.

The Nameless Mod review (PC)

Reviewed by Lewis Denby on March 24, 2009 - #

The Nameless Mod truly is an incredible achievement. Nearly 200,000 lines of fully voiced dialogue. A story that branches drastically around an hour in, resulting in two radically different fifteen-hour campaigns. An abundance of clever videogame commentary, woven seamlessly into the daft but surprisingly affecting narrative. A player-centric, opportunity-filled playground of gritty adventuring. Seven years of hard, voluntary work with a notoriously fiddly engine have resoundingly paid off. It's often ludicrously good -- which makes it even more disheartening when an essential door wedges half-open, or an important message doesn't appear, or the game crashes to the desktop for the umpteenth time that day.

Legacy of Ys: Books I & II review (DS)

Reviewed by Zigfried on March 23, 2009 - #

The back of the box says "this ultimate translation delivers the most substantial version of the famous story to date". It also refers to "new enemies and equipment". For North America, this is true. However, in terms of content, Legacy of Ys is nothing more than a re-release of Ys Complete I&II with new graphics, new music, and a new control system.

Starflight review (PC)

Reviewed by Zigfried on March 20, 2009 - #

When Binary Systems' space exploration adventure Starflight hit store shelves in 1986, it boasted some impressive features. I could recruit and train my crew, selecting among five different species. I could explore planets and harvest minerals or capture wild beasts. I could communicate with alien races in friendly, hostile, or obsequious tones, or I could communicate with high-powered weaponry.

Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? review (GEN)

Reviewed by Gary Hartley on March 20, 2009 - #

The biggest security blanket the cartel of ne’er-do-wells revel in is that, though it certainly fares better than most educational titles, Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? is still a more graphic version of doing your homework, and not even the nerdiest of us enjoy that.

Major League Baseball 2K9 review (X360)

Reviewed by K T on March 18, 2009 - #

Things appear promising enough from the outset: players are treated to their team warming up while introductory commentary is provided by Gary Thorne and Steve Phillips. The reliably ineloquent Jon Miller/Joe Morgan duo has been retired, but readers familiar with Firejoemorgan.com or, more generally, the sport of baseball, will understand in short order this new team is not necessarily an improvement. The stadiums are bright to the point of appearing somewhat cartoonish, but they do sport the trademark features of their real-life counterparts and feel appropriately vast in dimension. Particular players are hit-and-miss in terms of their likeness to their real-life counterparts. I was able to recognize Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez without much difficulty; the crater-faced Manny Ramirez is not so fortunate, apparently having served as a sparring partner for Apollo Creed over the winter. In short, your hopes are strung along at first by a satisfactory visual presentation, with the telecast handled by two well-known baseball buffoons. It feels reasonably similar to a day at the park. Let’s ignore the laughable statistical overlays that pop up when a batter comes to the plate, or when you check the “news” page in your franchise, which provide blatantly false information. As Rays catcher Dioner Navarro comes up to the plate, I’m fairly certain he was not 6th in steals in the American League last year, or whatever ridiculous information the game is telling me. The boxscore from the game I just played also lists Joe Blanton as my losing pitcher, despite the fact that Joe Blanton is not on my team.