http://www.gamereviewstop.com Your #1 stop for game reviews. Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:36:03 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.gamereviewstop.com/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-3/ http://www.gamereviewstop.com/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-3/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:32:37 +0000 GRSContributor http://www.gamereviewstop.com/?p=845 On the surface, this Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is similar to its predecessors. If a casual fan sat down for a few rounds of team deathmatch or domination, it would be easy to forgive them for mistaking this for a map pack. Its visuals are familiar, most of the weapons are recycled from previous games, the tight gunplay feels similar, maps are still fairly cramped affairs for the most part, assembling a party operates the same, and many of the killstreak rewards return. Modern Warfare 3’s most noteworthy tweaks may be smaller changes, but they add up to contribute in a big way.

Though Modern Warfare 3 comes to us by way of an older engine, it still looks great and performs well. At any given time the screen appears ready to burst with effects and visual madness. Entire battles are waged before you; buildings burn and crumble while a steady flow of explosions batter your senses. This is Call of Duty, and Modern Warfare 3 collects these moments of boom in abundance, presenting them in all their 60 frames-per-second glory.

Modern Warfare 3′s single player campaign suffers from a run of the mill story. At several points enemies even appear to completely disregard their own safety if it means they can run past your allies and just shoot you in the face. The story is difficult to follow as usual, and while it does wrap up the arc begun by the previous Modern Warfare games, it isn’t ultimately all that interesting or satisfying. Moments of emotional weight fell flat as I found it difficult to muster up feelings of sadness about the death of one named soldier after witnessing the countless deaths of hundreds of other Americans.

However, many have called Modern Warfare 3′s multiplayer “fantastic”. Like the other Call of Duty games before it, this entry pulls you in with its persistent leveling system and frantic combat. All of the sixteen new maps are fun to play and, with a whole new slew of challenges to complete, rewards constantly pop up that keep you hooked!

Custom classes are as crucial to online play as always, and players can choose between three new strike packages for their loadouts. Assault is for offensive-minded players, as its rewards are mostly death-dealing instruments like remote control assault drones, devastating air strikes, and the proximity-based I.M.S. (Intelligent Munition System). If you’re outfitted with this package, your killstreak progresses as always – it builds as you rack up kills, but resets to zero once you’re taken down. Considering I’m usually heavy on offense, I stuck with the assault package for my first few hours of multiplayer.

The controls feel as good as ever, and that same sense of exhilaration and speed that comes from a great round of multiplayer still exists. Like past Call of Duty games, occasional moments where one team totally dominates the other due to Assault Strike Package rewards still happen, but overall this remains a slight annoyance when weighed against the rest of the multiplayer package.

Extra time can be sunk into the cooperative Spec Ops mode. This mission mode from the previous Modern Warfare returns with a whole new set of stages that challenge you in a variety of ways. For instance, you might have to quickly take over a plane, while in another mission you’ll be tasked with disarming chemical weapons or silently getting past a large number of enemies. Additionally there’s a Survival Mode, where two players try to survive against endless waves of increasingly difficult enemies. It’s not exactly original (or zombies), but it’s a game type that works well in Call of Duty, and can be played over and over again if you care about getting to the top of those oh-so-precious leaderboards.

]]> http://www.gamereviewstop.com/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-3/feed/ 0 http://www.gamereviewstop.com/sonic-generations/ http://www.gamereviewstop.com/sonic-generations/#comments Thu, 15 Dec 2011 21:18:20 +0000 Sacter http://www.gamereviewstop.com/?p=825 It has been eons since I’ve played a new Sonic game that was truly enjoyable. Many Sonic fans older than 8 will agree with me when I say that the last true Sonic game was Sonic Adventure 2 for the Dreamcast/Gamecube.

However, it seems as if Sonic has redeemed himself with 2 steps in the right direction. The first step being Sonic Colors and the second being Sonic Generations – a dream come true for two decades of Sonic fans.

The plot involves Modern (post Adventure) Sonic and Class (Pre-1998) Sonic as they battle against an unknown force that has goofed up space-time and threatens destroy reality as we know it. They relive each others’ memories, zooming through iconic zone from nine different Sonic games in three different eras: Classic/Genesis (1991-1998), Dreamcast (1998-2004), and Modern (2004 – 2011).

The levels take the best moments from Sonic’s 20 years of gaming and upgrade them. With Classic Sonic playing Act 1 of a zone and Modern Sonic playing Act 2, you get to experience all your favorite levels in 2D and in 3D!

However, neither Sonic is perfect. It’s easy to forget that 2D Sonic lacks his 3D counterpart’s homing attack, leading to some incidental ring loss and occasional deaths. And for some strange Modern Sonic can’t do a Spin Dash, but rather a Slide-Kick. But these are small complaints as the game features non-stop action in every level.

After completing both Acts of a Zone, Challenges will unlock. These include facing off against giant enemies, using classic shields to traverse dangerous death traps, and teaming up with friends to overcome. Most of the Challenges are fun and actually quite challenging, however there are still some lame “challenges” (if you can call ‘em that).

The only time Sonic Generations lets Sonic fans down is with the limited number of boss battles, and lackluster Chaos Emerald levels. The Sonics battle a mere four bosses in the entire game, two of which are very short. What happened to the days of a boss after every level? The Chaos Emeralds are unlocked through the bosses, and the Rival Battle stages, which are like mini-bosses against Sonic’s more annoying clones, Shadow, Silver, and Metal Sonic. This game needed a separate Chaos Emerald stage, a trippy, dizzying, infuriatingly difficult mini-game that makes you earn the emeralds, instead of just being given them.

The game doesn’t take itself too seriously, mining nostalgia for laughs. There are references to chili dogs and Dr. Eggman’s old moniker — Dr. Robotnik — offering plenty of fan service alongside visual tributes to the stages Sonic fans have played over the years.

The nostalgia that makes this game so great also hinders it from attaining perfection. While riffing on levels from the past, I never quite got the feeling that the plot or levels would surprise me.

Now if we can stick to this style of game play and insert a fresh story into the mix, I believe Sega will have created the ultimate Sonic sequel. This side of the millennium, that is.

If you’re looking for a colorful, upbeat game that has as many addictive challenges as it has nostalgic moments, Sonic Generations is a good bet. The game is available on the Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and PC. ]]> http://www.gamereviewstop.com/sonic-generations/feed/ 0 http://www.gamereviewstop.com/why-you-need-to-get-your-kid-a-ps3/ http://www.gamereviewstop.com/why-you-need-to-get-your-kid-a-ps3/#comments Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:58:11 +0000 Bzilla56 http://www.gamereviewstop.com/?p=809
But you may ask yourself, “Why does my child deserve a PS3? He doesn’t even wash the dishes!” Is your life really just about you? Think of the Children! But maybe you’re still thinking that I’m being foolish, if that’s the case, I shall convince to agree with me, by listing reasons on why you need a PlayStation 3.

I’ll start by saying that I will stop bugging you about it. Doesn’t it get annoying to have some undeserving brat always saying “Can you guys buy me a PS3”? You can stop this by getting him/her a PS3. PLUS unlike Microsoft’s Xbox360, the Online is free. That’s right so he can also stop annoying you about getting him a Gold Membership.

But what if your child gets a game that you wouldn’t like? That’s simple. For starters, he can’t get any bad games if you have it in the downstairs TV, because if he did, he would get trouble if the game used bad words, or had sex scenes, and if you’re shows are on, you could tell him to get off, and he would have to.

Plus Parents might enjoy watching their children play some of the games like “Heavy Rain or “Uncharted 2”, because most of the PlayStations 3’s game are just like watching a movie. Speaking of movies, the Playstation 3 comes with a built-in Blu-Ray DVD player. So you can force your kids to watch movies that they don’t want to, but instead of having Dad have to go to Wikipedia to check out his “facts”, you can just press a button, and the DVD will tell you itself!

This masterpiece system is only $250.00, so it’s cheaper than your last trip to the Grocery Store! So what are you waiting for? Go get your kid a PlayStation 3 now!

You wouldn’t him to end up like Little Gordon:

Would You? – Get Your Kid A PS3 Today!]]> http://www.gamereviewstop.com/why-you-need-to-get-your-kid-a-ps3/feed/ 0 http://www.gamereviewstop.com/bzillas-review-of-mass-effect-2/ http://www.gamereviewstop.com/bzillas-review-of-mass-effect-2/#comments Thu, 27 Oct 2011 21:30:09 +0000 Bzilla56 http://www.gamereviewstop.com/?p=736 Mass Effect 2 is a brilliant, fun, addictive game. How can I make such claims? Well here’s my review of Mass Effect 2.

Let’s start off with the most important thing: Gameplay.

The third-Person shooting part of the game just contains the action, which is fun and addictive but Mass Effect 2 really shines with its RPG elements. Whatever you say affects the course of the game with its Paragon/Renegade actions, such as “Will Jacob’s Father live or die?”, “Whose side should you take, Jack’s side or Miranda’s side?”, and “Will you suck up to the Illusive Man, or go your own way?”. Even things from the first game carry on to Mass Effect by using the “import Shepard” feature, so your decisions from the last actually had a purpose. I’m so glad I let Kaidan live instead of Ashley.

You can customize Commander Shepard’s looks, Class, and powers. I strongly recommend using Commander Shepard’s original look because well, sometimes his/her face just doesn’t come out right.

The game has amazing graphics, especially for the many planets you visit, from Omega-The Migrant Fleet, everything just looks beautiful.

Mass Effect has one of the most Compelling stories that I have ever seen.

It starts off on the Normandy, Commander Shepard’s ship. The Normandy gets attacked by an unknown enemy destroying the Normandy and killing some of Shepard’s crew. While trying to save Joker, the Normandy’s crippled pilot, Shepard falls out of the ship during the second attack, and runs out of air in space. He is then rebuilt by the Lazarus Project, a project that is supposed to bring Shepard back alive. But before the project is finished, the ship Shepard is in gets attacked by Corrupted Security Mechs. Someone named Miranda Lawson tries to help him get off of the ship, but Shepard loses contact with her. But then he finds Jacob Taylor who helps Shepard get to the escape pods, and Jacob informs Shepard that the Lazarus Project was built by Cerberus, a Human-Dominance Organization owned by The Illusive Man. When Shepard and Jacob reach the escape pods, they meet with Miranda, and they all escape and go save the world! Well, Shepard has to recruit some people first, but you get the point. It’s all worth it because Mass Effect 2 has one of the best final missions I’ve ever played in any game, but I’ll try and keep the spoilers to a minimum.

Mass Effect 2 gives you at least 10 hours of gameplay NOT including all of the DLC it has. Plus in order to save, all you have to do is press the start button and save. It’s actually quite useful if you have to go somewhere and you don’t have time enough to walk all over the level looking for a save point. Not mentioning any names. Believe it or not Mass Effect 2 is also quite humorous. I don’t know about anyone else, but I die laughing every time EDI says “That was a joke”. Mass Effect 2 also has a great cast of Characters, like Garrus, Tali, Mordin, Miranda, and Legion. It also has Zaeed, but you can kill him. All of the characters have great voice acting and a great AI.

The last pro that I’d like to point out is that Mass Effect 2 has an epic soundtrack. Jack Wall did an amazing job on songs like “infiltration”, “The End Run”, and “The Suicide Mission”.

The only real problems I have with Mass Effect 2, is that sometimes it glitches up and the loading screens take a while, but overall Mass Effect 2 is probably one of the best game I’ve ever played.

I give it a 5/5!]]> http://www.gamereviewstop.com/bzillas-review-of-mass-effect-2/feed/ 1 http://www.gamereviewstop.com/l-a-noire-review/ http://www.gamereviewstop.com/l-a-noire-review/#comments Thu, 28 Jul 2011 00:15:49 +0000 Sacter http://www.gamereviewstop.com/?p=626 Unlike other Rockstar games, you don’t play as a criminal and you can’t go around causing chaos and destruction. Instead, you play as a detective and spend most of the game searching for clues. You also question witnesses, which can be a real challenge as you must judge the trustworthiness of a witness’ statement using clues and their facial expressions. After every question you get a response from the suspect. Then you must decide whether that statement was the truth, not very believable, or a big fat lie. Get it right and you can open them up and get more clues. Get it wrong, and they offer less. Even when I thought I had the right guy, it turns out I falsely accused an innocent suspect. I also made a little girl cry. Don’t ask.

The better you do over the course of a case, the more you’ll understand the suspect’s motivations. The worse you do, the tougher it is to get at the truth, but there’s no possibility of failure in any conversation. Thankfully, you only get a game over if you die or if a suspect gets away. So you don’t have to worry too much if you fail to catch a killer’s lie or miss an important clue. However, how you reach the end of a case greatly depends on the choices you make.

If you ever get tired of playing 20 Questions, you can explore a completely recreated 1947 Los Angeles, and tackle more action-oriented missions. While you can’t run around massacring people (like you can in GTA) you can still cause plenty of damage by driving on the sidewalk, which is actually how I drove a majority of the game. You can also play “unassigned cases” which come in as calls on the radio. One of my favorite missions involves chasing some helmet-wearing nut job who beat a guy to death claiming that he was receiving “cosmic rays” in his room or something like that.

The graphics are beautiful and the facial expressions and emotions expressed by the characters are very realistic! We have MotionScan, which recorded various actors by 32 surrounding cameras to capture facial expressions from every angle, to thank for that!

Even though I really enjoyed L.A. Noire, it does get pretty repetitive. I mean every other mission evolves dead and disfigured naked bodies and chasing a suspect or two or three on a foot. But it’s still original, entertaining, and action-packed. And for that I give it a 5/5!]]> http://www.gamereviewstop.com/l-a-noire-review/feed/ 0 http://www.gamereviewstop.com/super-mario-galaxy-2/ http://www.gamereviewstop.com/super-mario-galaxy-2/#comments Mon, 18 Jul 2011 21:58:05 +0000 Sacter http://www.gamereviewstop.com/?p=830 First things first, Super Mario Galaxy 2 is not just another clone of Super Mario Galaxy 1. It also not typical “been there, done that” platformer. Every aspect of this game is absolutely bursting with joy!

The bright, creative, and cartoony design immediately welcomes you into this colorful world, and the catchy soundtrack mixes classic tunes with new compositions to provide the perfect backdrop as you zoom around the galaxy looking for coins, bits, and stars. But it’s the expertly designed levels that will keep you coming back, even after you’ve seen everything this game has to offer, just to experience it one more time. This is an instant classic that belongs alongside the best games Nintendo has ever created.

Things are once again rotten in the Mushroom Kingdom as Bowser has yet again kidnapped Princess Peach for the (insert over 9,000 joke here) time. The best thing that can be said about the story is that it mostly stays in the background. A few lighthearted exchanges between Mario and his foes precede major battles, but there is only a brief break in the action before you get back to flinging fireballs and cracking shells. Which is what most gamers want, right?

While others may have complained about the “faceship”, I like it as it is easy-to-navigate and lets you hop right into the next level. Galaxy 2 has less downtime than the original, ensuring you’re always engaged and entertained.

I must that I am very impressed with the levels. They were all well thought-out, creative, and action-packed. There are levels that change the gravitational pull to make the ceiling of a level into the floor. Things like that. But those ideas have been expanded on with new twists and capabilities, and each “galaxy” to explore impresses in their own way. Whether it’s a twist on an old-school game mechanic or a throwback reference to a past Mario game, Super Mario Galaxy 2 constantly impresses with just tons of small but significant elements, one level after another.

The designers passionately embrace Mario’s old-school legacy with 2D-style platforming that makes New Super Mario Bros. Wii look like a third-party budget title. The game will shift from a 3D, go anywhere design to forced 2D side-scrolling and back again, on the fly and with a completely natural camera. Or how the game will offer hints on how to get through a challenge by peppering the area with clues – both subtle and blatant.

Plus Nintendo gave us Luigi & Yoshi as playable characters! I will admit I was afraid I was going to be disappointed, but Nintendo has handled Yoshi with far more care and attention than he ever was in Super Mario Sunshine. When players leap to control Yoshi, it’s a very different – but also very familiar – experience than when Mario’s running around on his own. Yoshi has just as tight and intuitive controls, including the ability to tongue lash at objects and hooks using the Wii remote’s pointer capabilities. This point-and-click mechanism never feels out of place because you’re already focused on grabbing at Star Bits with the pointer controls.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 has some of the best visuals the Wii has ever seen and a beautiful soundtrack that is even more intense with far more orchestral and studio recordings than the last game!

Super Mario Galaxy 2 is one heck of game, in fact many believe that it could be one of the best games ever! It never takes a break for a second, constantly presenting new objectives and mechanics to push you to never before seen places. Even the two-player mode offers new abilities and delights, making it even more fun to play with a friend by your side. Everything is so well designed and so entertaining that it’s easy to get sucked into this world for hours!]]> http://www.gamereviewstop.com/super-mario-galaxy-2/feed/ 0 http://www.gamereviewstop.com/our-review-of-resident-evil-the-darkside-chronicles/ http://www.gamereviewstop.com/our-review-of-resident-evil-the-darkside-chronicles/#comments Thu, 16 Jun 2011 01:45:26 +0000 Bzilla56 http://www.gamereviewstop.com/?p=705
Resident Evil 2- By far the longest chapter, maybe even the hardest.I like how Capcom remade Leon and Claire’s Image, but it seemed they complained a bit more than they actually did in Resident Evil 2. But it does add more action with it’s several boss fights in the chapter.

Resident Evil: Code Veronica- This is my Personal favorite Story out of the 3. I really liked the Orginal Code Veronica, but the Voice acting and Gameplay was just terrible. Thankfully Capcom fixed that in Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles. Instead of being an annoying Canadian like guy, Steve is actually more of a likeable character, and Alfred and Alexia are…..Alfred and Alexia.

Operation Jaiver- This is actually the bad part of the game. It does have 7 chapters, but the last 2 are just Chapters 4 and 5 Playing as Krausar. And the Final Boss is the weakest in the Game. And the story isn’t the best either. I kinda wish they replaced this with Resident Evil 4.

Other- The Graphics are the best I’ve ever seen on the Wii. And the Gameplay sounds boring, but it’s actually kinda fun. But 6.0 is not a rightful score Gamespot, I could understand and 8.0 because that’s the lowest score it can have. But I’m really mad at Gamepro’s 3/5 score, I don’t understand how they can give 5/5′s to crappy game like Dead Space.

Overall- Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles is a fun great experiance game, and it is very underated, but still pretty freaking Awesome.]]> http://www.gamereviewstop.com/our-review-of-resident-evil-the-darkside-chronicles/feed/ 0 http://www.gamereviewstop.com/darkest-of-days-review/ http://www.gamereviewstop.com/darkest-of-days-review/#comments Thu, 16 Jun 2011 01:09:54 +0000 Bzilla56 http://www.gamereviewstop.com/?p=662
I can easily say that Darkest of Days is one of the worst games I’ve ever played (the worst one sound like supamahn sixty-four). The Graphics look like a broken Nintendo 64 Game, that was beating up, thrown down the toilet, stepped on, and put in a bowl of soup.

The Game starts off in the Battle of Little Big Horn, where the Main Character, Alexander Morris, gets shoot with an arrow, in what appears to be his groin. Then all of the sudden, A guy from the Future comes out of a Giant Bubble and takes you to a lab, where you meet a Woman with terrible voice acting, and Agent Dexter, who just loves to use language.

But that’s just where the (un)fun starts! You then go into a training level where you shoot glowing human-like targets that just run into a wall and let you shoot them. I wish I was joking, but I’m not. You’re then forced to play through past famous fights. But instead of using acient weapons which would be more interesting, you use futuristic weapons , which sounds fun, but just the game easier, which is good since you can get it over with quicker.

and If that wasn’t enough,here are some more exciting features Darkest of Days has! Darkest of Days only features 3 colors, Brown, Green, and Red. And the A.I. is one of the worst I have ever seen, the enemies just stand around even if you’re right next to them, they’ll only attack if you attack them, but if you beat up their friend, they just look and keep on shooting at the air. That darn air, confusing soldiers like that. Shame on you!

Just ignore Darkest of Days, if you want to rent it, make sure you get a free-rental, Because the ONLY good thing about this game is it’s name. Darkest of Days gets a 1/10.]]> http://www.gamereviewstop.com/darkest-of-days-review/feed/ 0 http://www.gamereviewstop.com/wii-u-untying-u-from-ur-tv/ http://www.gamereviewstop.com/wii-u-untying-u-from-ur-tv/#comments Tue, 07 Jun 2011 22:49:20 +0000 Sacter http://www.gamereviewstop.com/?p=538
The Wii U will no longer leave you tied to a TV to enjoy your favorite games, the revolutionary controller can handle your gaming session when the television is needed for other purposes! This new controller comes with a 6.2-inch touchscreen for interactive games as well as a built-in camera that can be used for video chats. The Wii U will also be fully compatible with Wii Games, Controllers, and accessories making it somewhat of an expansion to it’s predecessor.

I will admit that I’m pretty disappointed with the name (I mean really, Wii U? Like Wii University?) and I feel that the controller design is too big. But then again, some footage at E3 showed that the control can be used to expand your gaming experience by bringing the game out of the TV.

Check out the E3 trailer below to see what I’m talking about!

]]> http://www.gamereviewstop.com/wii-u-untying-u-from-ur-tv/feed/ 0 http://www.gamereviewstop.com/which-xbox-360-model-is-right-for-you/ http://www.gamereviewstop.com/which-xbox-360-model-is-right-for-you/#comments Sun, 17 Apr 2011 23:24:21 +0000 Sacter http://www.gamereviewstop.com/?p=575

Microsoft has many different versions of their hit console available, but which one is right for you? Well, there are plenty to pick from and they all come with their own benefits and unique features.

The Xbox Arcade is a bit cheaper than the other versions and comes with a bunch of mini games for free! This system comes with a 10GB hard drive, which is plenty for your games. Most teen gamers own a 10GB hardrive and have enough for all of their games and more such as music, movies, and a few TV shows.

The next model is the 20GB pro pack which includes a console, two controllers and a 20GB hard drive. This model doesn’t include any extra games, just the console and controllers. This model has been discontinued, but you may be able to find on sites like eBay. I’d recommend getting it if you’re just looking for an extra or affordable 360.

There is also a Final Fantasy edition of the 360. At the time this post was written, you can purchase the Elite Xbox with the Final Fantasy bundle on Amazon for a couple hundred dollars.

The Elite model includes free live, Netflix, a 250GB hard drive, headsets, controllers and the latest copy of Final Fantasy. This console is perfect for storing movies, games, and music. It has almost as much memory as a computer – so you never have to worry about upgrading!

The Xbox 360 S (or Black 360 as some people call it) consoles are completely redesigned and feature the Valhalla motherboard, which allows for around 30% more space than previous motherboards. This model is also smaller and quieter than the previous versions of the Xbox 360. They also feature 5 standard USB 2.0 ports (2 more than previous models) and an additional custom USB port for use with peripherals such as the Kinect sensor. Unlike older models, 2.4 GHz 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi and a TOSLINK S/PDIF optical audio connector are also built-in, allowing for digital audio and wireless networking without the need for external adapters!

The first Xbox 360 S SKU to be revealed includes a 250 GB hard drive and its casing features a glossy black finish. It was shipped to US retailers the same day it was announced (June 14, 2010) and went on sale later that week. It retails at US$299.99, replacing the Xbox 360 Elite at that price point.

A second SKU which includes 4 GB of internal flash storage and has matte black casing (much like the Xbox 360 Elite) was released on August 3, 2010. It replaced the Xbox 360 Arcade and is priced at US$199.99. Although this model has on-board storage, Xbox Product Director Aaron Greenberg confirmed that it does have a drive bay which Microsoft has “the opportunity to use in the future”.

As you can see there are many different versions of the console available. If you still can’t make up your mind, ask around and get other people’s opinions!]]> http://www.gamereviewstop.com/which-xbox-360-model-is-right-for-you/feed/ 0