My Reviews Thread

[LordMe]

I was going to do this after I made my Crisis Core Review thread. So needless to say, I am late on the thread. But whatever. I shall start with Uncharted. And will be doing a few reviews from 2007 before catching up. Which I should be caught up just in time for when Mirror's Edge comes out!

Reviews List
Assassins Creed
Super Smash Brothers Brawl
Devil May Cry 4
Soul Calibur 4
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII
Heavenly Sword
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Demo Impression

Uncharted: Drakes Fortune



Going into the game, I didn't expect such a great game. And it is a shame that it got overlooked at the time it launched because it was not Assassin's Creed, Bioshock, Mario Galaxy. Everyone said it was one of two things, a Tomb Raider or Gears in the jungle.

You know what though? It had nothing in common with with Tomb Raider. Minus a shooting game with platforming... Which is not enough to say anything about it 'copying' TR. As for it copying Gears, ND said they loved Gears, So yes it plays allot like Gears, But thats fine, PS3 didn't have a game a game like that.

Well now, A good bit into the review and I am not even talking about the game. So lets get to it. I am not going into detail on the story. By now you should all know the story. If not. you're a treasure hunter. You have a gun, and a jump button. Shoot people while not platforming. Simple, and fun.

Now then, its a over the shoulder duck and cover shooter, like Gears. Its got some great AI, they will surround you if you don't control the battle. So you have to keep thinking, and you can't stay still too much. But at the same time you can't move too much. The Melee in the game in rather shallow. Run at someone you want dead and tap square, triangle, square. Or replace triangle with R1. But its a shooting game, so any level of depth with melee is a step over the other shooters.

One problem I have is sometimes the AI borderlines cheap. One time when running through a field I rolled around a corner and ran to another piece of cover while the guy with the M79 reloaded, the second he reloaded he fired a shot and hit me in the head. With only about .5 seconds to aim.
While the game is not without problems, it is overshadowed by its strong points. Such as a good story, great characters, amazing detail in the world and such care in character animations.

One a closing note, I can say that the game is more fun then cheap. You will have allot of fun. And I wont spoil anything for those who have yet to play it. But the end of the game mixed up the gameplay is such a great way, a complete 180. But you'll have to see that for yourself.

So now, lets get into the awards. Good, Bad, and the honorable mentions.

Good
Great graphics
Fun gun play
Good Story and characters
Platforming is fun
First Blu-Ray game to have Trophies
Allot of stuff to unlock, which will keep you playing it for a good bit

Bad
AI are such good shots they will pin you in the head from 500 yard away
Partner AI just finds a safe place to sit and does nothing
Trail and Error platforming

Honorable Mentions
Shooting enemies with the weakest handgun in the game and sometimes they will fly about 10 to 15 feet into the air
Throwing a second grenade will cause both of them to blow up that second... Which can be helpfull after knowing


Verdict
Rent it? Buy it? I'd say buy it. Its not the kind of game to make you rush out and buy a PS3. But it is a game that no PS3 owner should be without.

Score
9.0

[Cableguy15]

I pretty much agree with this review. It's a great game, but not one of those games that blows you away. Also, to me, the game felt a little too short.

[Z Warrior]

It was short, but, like CoD, you want to play it again and again. I know I did.

[LordMe]

Assassins Creed



Well now. We all remember the first trailer of this game, awesome right? Well to bad the game didn't live up to that one. Now don't get me wrong. It's not bad, its just not great. While it does have a vast amount of problems, It's never big enough to cripple the game. Just enough to make you mad for a second.

The gameplay is fun. Roaming around the city is always interesting. But that is really all there is to do in the game. And it does make it stale. The assassinations are long. Because when you get to a city you have to do four things before each assassination. Find the Assassins Guild in the area. Then, he will make you eves drop, interrogate, and steal something. Then you will be able to go and kill some freak. But the cut scenes are to long to make you want to go back and play through the mission. And you cant skip them. Ever.

Now that I have said so much against the game, lets talk about what is good. The combat is fun, though some find is repetitive. You press a direction and he will lock onto the enemy in that direction. The game works on a counter system which when you master it means you own everything in the game. Most counters are one hit kills. But there is a skill you get later to make you not such a turtle. When the enemy blocks you can tap square (X for the 360) and it will break their guard and you will kill them. Which sounds broken... And it really is. But it is nice to feel so strong compared to everything around you.

Altair has two modes. Low profile and high profile. Which means, low profile you can kill people and no one will know, high profile means you are running through the city, and anytime you use the hidden blade to kill someone you will alert everyone around who will run around screaming and the guards start to try and kill you. Which often results in you using one of three weapons, Sword, Daggers, or not pulling out a weapon and timing everything and using the hidden blade. Which is fun. You cant block or attack. You can grab and throw people and stab them on the ground. Or you can counter when they attack.

One thing I did hate. And this really messed up the score. After you beat the game. There is nothing left to do. Minus collecting flags, killing Templars. Which is not really enough to make you sit through a 5 to 10 minuets of cut scene every time you start the game. Though the game is good for just going on a murdering spree every now and then.

And going into closing. I don't like the fact of how they did the cut scenes. You can walk about three to five feet around. You cant attack or anything. You just stand there while everyone is talking, I normally spun around in circles the whole time. Which really makes it seem like the developers lazy. If they are going to make it so you cant skip the cut scenes, at least make the characters move on there own, makes it more interesting.

Good
Good animation
One of the best looking sand box games
Combat can be fun.
Fun to explore the cities.
Story is interesting.
amazing draw distance

Bad
You cant swim. Which in some parts of this game, make is very frustrating.
Controls are weird
No real different weapons
Lazy cut scenes
Cant skip cut scenes
Not allot of difference in between the three cities
The missions before each assassination are all the same

Honorable Mentions
Story. Really, I am unsure what to think about it
Being able to get a horse... It's not like they help you ever.
AI, Ubisoft Really bragged it. But the AI is really dumb.

Verdict
Buy it? Rent it? While I would have said rent it a few months back. Due to it making the greatest hits on the PS3 and only being $30 it makes it hard to say. I might have to say rent it. While not bad. It has nitpicking issues that mess it up allot.

Score
7.3

Next Review
Super Smash Brothers Brawl

[Madness]

Do you do requests?

[LordMe]

I can try. I have Gamefly. But it is going to be a few more days before I send back Uncharted. Bear in mind I only have a PS3, Wii, PSP, and PS2. I also have a DS. But I lost it due to not playing it... Working on a 360.

[Gazooya]

"I only have every console this generation besides the 360"

=\

[LordMe]

Minus the DS, cause it is M.I.A. I am working on the 360 part. Trust me, I really want one before Fable 2 comes out.

Super Smash Brothers Brawl




Well, I am gonna catch allot of grief over this one. Lets get one thing strait before I go to far in. I loved Melee. It was one of the greatest games ever made. Over a thousand hours in the game. And it was one of two reasons I got a Gamecube. The other being Phantasy Star Online EP1&2. So please, don't take this as an ignorant hate speech, this is coming from a very disappointed fan.

Upon firing up the game. And getting past the health warning thing that is really ticking me off. It was all going good. A little slower then Melee, which I already started to not like. But I could deal with it. It was still fun, Ike was a very good character, and so was Lucario. They where my favorite two too play.

Then I hit one major complaint with the game. SSE. Yes the SSE. While some levels where a blast, and I really did start to have fun. Then you had to go back and play them all again. And I hold that against any game. Replaying every level in the game is never a good way to end a game. It just doesn't work.

So after Sloth talked me into finishing the mode and we unlocked all the characters we decided to do what Melee, SSB were all about. We went to pick on some helpless AI. And this was fun. But as we went on and played the game more and more. I noticed something, we were turning off everything that was shown off for the game, Smash Balls, Assist Trophies... And then upon looking at the list. We were just playing Melee at a slower pace. And floaty, very floaty. Some characters would die in two hits. And others, such as Bowser and Gannondorf would also die in two hits. Now, as I said I played Melee allot. But all I can say here is what. The. Heck? In the effort to make it so more casual gamers could pick it up and play they caused some major problems.

Lucas took five to seven smash attacks from Ike to kill. But Bowser on the other hand only took about two of three. At this point I was ready to stop playing, but Sloth talked me into playing a round online with him and DragonTigerViper. Now, you can ask DTV about this if you don't think I am telling the truth. The game move about one to three frames every few seconds online. So at this point I told Sloth who was still trying to play it, I am done. But I did come back to play it when my uncle and best friend (Toki) came over for a four way free for all.

While we had a bit of fun. all of us at the end of the day were wondering why we didn't play Melee. All of us loved Melee. Me and Toki played SSBM allot. pretty much every time he would come over we would log about four or five hours into the game.

Now then. I have torn this game apart for a while now. Lets go into I think was great about it. The create a level idea was good, very limited but good. I wish they would have supported DLC for it. I do commend the game for have such a vast amount of characters. And to this date it is one of the best looking Wii games around. And the game is very fun for about a week. Then it kinda gets old.

I really think Brawl had allot of potential. But I can't help but think it was rushed. Of course, Sakurai himself said that they had to get rid of allot of ideas because of a tight release budget. Yes the game had great production values. But how does Nintendo give their biggest game a tight release budget? Afraid to spend some of that money that have been making so much of?


Good
Vast amount of playable characters
Lots of levels
Target test mode is great on two player
Graphics are top notch for a Wii game
Smash Balls are kind of fun to use
You can use the Gamecube controller!!!
You beat around most any famous Nintendo character that you have always hated
Create a Level

Bad
Create a level is very limited
Allot slower and more floaty then Melee
Pity Smash
Assist Trophies
SSE is just to long
Assist trophies should have just been more playable characters (Isaac and Saki)

Honorable Mentions
The final boss has an instant kill move that I cant find a way to dodge
The not to smart "Smart" bomb. Which will either, not blow up when thrown, or just blow up the second you throw the thing
Smash Balls, really. I don't know what to say. Sometimes they are fun. And other times they are useless. Turning them off only gives the AI the upper hand due to the Pity Smash


Verdict
Buy it? Or Rent it? If you find these complaints valid, the rent it. If you don't think I have a valid complaint like allot of people who love the game. Buy it. I got it on launch day, and in truth. I wish we had rented it.

Score
6.8

[Z Warrior]

I wouldn't give that game that low of a score, but I do agree it was disappointing. That's why I sold it a week after playing it.

[Shirogetsu]

These are pretty good reviews, I mean you actually give me VALID reasons on things instead of being all "Shitsux." I look forward to reading more, though I'd personally give Brawl more than Assassin's Creed, Assassin's Creed is amazing for the first hour then it gets boring as hell, as least Brawl has more replayability to it. But hey, they're your reviews, I can't change 'em.

[The Electron Zone]

TBH, LordMe, I like your reviews better.

[LordMe]

Thanks, but don't forget I do take request!

Devil May Cry 4



Well now. I have been a very big fan of DMC since the first one. And got worried around the time of two. And found all those worries were gone after logging about 200 hours into DMC3. I have always like the free form fighting style. They give you about 15 or 20 moves per weapon and make you create combo's as you go on.

However, DMC4 did not do as good as DMC3. Which is sad. That said it did not do bad. I still have 80 hours on DMC4. Nero was the major add on for DMC4, which he was a great addition. He plays completely different then Dante. Which adds a bit of difference However the game feels somewhat incomplete.

Nero has only two weapons. His gun and the Red Queen. While I don't mind him only having one gun type, they could have made it so he uses the Yamato outside of Devil Trigger. But the RQ is a blast to use with the Revving system. But it could have been allot better if they would have given Nero al least two weapons.

Dante on the other hand plays like a very complex combo master. He will have you dancing around the entire controller if you know how to use him. With a total of sic and a half weapons. Three guns, and three swords. Plus three attacks with the Yamato in the Dark Slayer style. the weapons he uses are what you would expect of Dante. A long sword, which plays like it did in DMC3 for the most part. A fist style weapon which plays like Ifrit slammed head first into Beowulf. And Some...Thing that spawns up mine like swords. You can set them up and lure the enemy into the attacks. Its this games version of Nevan. Allot of people say it sucks.

Both of the characters are cool. Dante is the same cocky loud mouth he was in DMC3. Not a care in the world. Nero is very similar to Dante. But he lacks the power to be as care free as Dante. And is allot more emotional. It really does play out to have a good story, nothing epic or amazing. But it is good.

And that does seem to be the problem with this game. It is good. And that is what it seems to be the downfall of this game. It plays it safe. It is no different then DMC3. I still do consider DMC3 better due to more frantic combo's and DMC4 requires less skill then 3 did. In the 3'rd game, you had to know every little detail and Jump Cancel. But in this one it just seems the devs played it safe and tried to get new players into the game. Which is really sad. I hope the next one goes closer to DMC3 then 4.

The game has six difficulty modes. Going from easy to insane. And the Bloody Palace. Which is all well and good. But then it hits the same flaw every single action game hits. It does get old because all there is to do is fight. And try to best your record and the records of everyone online. So it does get old. But the story is not bad, and the characters are good.

I said this in my Brawl review, repeating levels is never a good idea, Dante's levels are nothing but repeats of everything Nero already went through, just without a handfull of parts. And it really is sad that people are considering this a nice way of finishing a game.

One thing I didn't like about the gameplay is the removing of Crazy Combo's. Which to anyone who played DMC3 and was good at it knows what I mean. Moves such as Million Stab, and Million Slash, are now removed. there is no move types where you have to tap the button fast. Which kind of makes me sad, cause that added a level of skill with being able to mix it up allot. DMC5 is in the drawing stages right now. So I hope they decide to take more time with 5 then they did 4.

Good
Fast combat
Balance between Dante and Nero is great
Good, creative weapons
Online ranking board
Pandora is the coolest gun ever made
A grappling style
Fighting the Blitz


Bad
Repeating levels
Crazy Combo's got axed
SPOILERS: Vergil had no part in the story
Felt slightly rushed
Not as fast as DMC3


Honorable Mentions
Story, While not bad, it felt like like they could have done allot more with it.
The Agnus vs Dante scene at mission 16
The Lucifer Scene


Verdict
Rent or buy? It all depends on what you think of DMC3. If you loved 3 then I'd say buy 4, but dont expect a revolution. Nero adds enough depth too really enjoy the game, however it is just enough to enjoy it. Dante feels toned down from his god like DMC3 playstyle.

Score
8.5

[Z Warrior]

Death to DMC4!
Can u do Ratchet and Clank Future(and it's expansion), or Heavenly Sword?

[Vivi]

I'll just tell you, Ratchet and Clank Future is worth buying right now. One of the best games for PS3.

Also, for DMC4 does it require pre-knowledge of the other games to understand?

As for requests:

Soul Calibur 4