Constants and Variables

Game--Bioshock: Infinite

System--PS3, Xbox 360, PC

Release--March, 2013


When I first heard of Bioshock: Infinite my expectations were low. The prequel to the ever popular Bioshock couldn't possibly be better. How could it top the under the sea dystopian antics of Ryan and Fontaine? Especially after the sequel panned out to be a pale imitation of it's predecessor.

The answer lies in time manipulation and companionship. Similar to Half-Life 2, Infinite tells a tale through the interactions of the main playable character, Booker, and the non-playable character, Elizabeth. The relationship between the two characters is one of the driving forces pushing the plot, and it is well executed.

Many touching moments are shared between Elizabeth and Booker that are seldom seen in games today. There are also strong themes throughout the story that range from religion and industrialization; to temporal distortions and paternal problems. Not surprising, the city in the clouds has much in common with its sister in the sea.

Booker is sent to the city of Columbia with a simple task. Find Elizabeth to wipe away his debt. Taking place during the early 1900's the American city is a utopia for the privileged white elite. You know. Those kind folks who didn't appreciate Lincolns little war. They just wanted a safe haven to practice their faith, and protect their white babies. Turns out it's a heck of a lot easier to secede from the Union when you are a floating city in the sky. Of course Columbia doesn't reject their darker skinned brothers and sisters. Someone has to work in the industrial sector, and keep the place spic and span.

Naturally the town goes to hell in a hand basket shortly after Booker arrives. He has to fight his way through waves of armed forces using any gun he can find and Plasmids--I mean Vigors. That's the bottled goodness granting you magic from your finger tips.

There's decent variation between enemies, but the guns could have been better. Luckily the Vigors nicely supplement the lackluster arsenal. If you've played any of the Bioshocks, then you'll be familiar with the gameplay. The powers are different, but not to the point of confusion. Fire is fire. Lightening is Lightening. Bees are now Crows. etc. The new twists lie with your partner and the Skyline.


Elizabeth is your best buddy in a firefight. She will throw ammo, salts (used to refill your Vigors), and health packs when you need it most. She can also make all sorts of items appear with her temporal powers.

Not to be outdone. Booker can leap on to the overhead railing and zip around the area in style. The swashbuckling feel is enjoyable, and landing on unsuspecting enemies is rewarding. The rail device attaches to the left hand, which also doubles as a viscous melee weapon. Players can access melee, guns, or powers at any time without having to switch between the three. As a result the whole combat system feels more streamlined, and the action wasn't interrupted as frequently as past titles.

Infinite does a great job implementing new tactics into a familiar setting, while simultaneously redefining the Bioshock universe. The developers brilliantly found a way to explain why the formula would be copied from the previous titles. Elizabeth is gifted with some serious temporal powers that allow her to tear open time itself. This provides all sorts of interesting twists and turns throughout the story. By the end players will have a completely new perspective of this fictional playground.

If you are like me, then you'll immediate start up a new game to catch all the foreshadowing and innuendo. Bioshock: Infinite is easily my favorite game of the year, and I'm looking forward to the upcoming downloadable content Burial at Sea.

Fallout Lite

Game: Rage

System: PS3, Xbox 360, PC

Release: October 2011

Rage was one of those games I really wanted to love. The classic post apocalypse setting. Vehicle races and combat. Open world environment. Gorgeous graphics and smooth gameplay. All are ingredients for a great game, but something was missing. That something was variety.

If you've played the first half of Rage, then stop. The second half is exactly the same. Find the main town. Get some guns and vehicles. Upgrade equipment by earning money from completing missions and races. Watch towns get taken over by the "Authority" as secrets from your past are revealed. End with some sort of climax. Rinse, wash, repeat. It's like having sex twice in a row. Everything is still fun, but you've seen it all before and it takes longer to finish.

The plot is almost a blatant rip off of Fallout 3. Instead of Vaults there are Arks. Instead of The Enclave there is The Authority. Instead of ghouls there are mutants. The main character wakes up/escapes/leaves the Vault/Ark to change the chaotic world that has risen from the ashes. Outside they encounter multiple factions that range from wild mutants to small settlements to large cities. Rage is like Fallout stripped of the compelling plot, interesting setting, and RPG elements. It's Fallout Lite with vehicles.

Gameplay is what you would expect from a title developed by Id. In this regard, the creators of Doom and Quake have not lost their FPS touch. The controls are smooth and responsive. Driving is fun, and reminds me of my days working on Mercenaries 2: World in Flames. Weapons are your standard FPS arsenal with the exception of the crossbow and wingsticks. The latter is basically the boomerang the kid used in the movie Mad Max, and both are a vain attempt to provide a stealth option.

Enemies could be smarter, and most encounters follow the standard FPS rhythm. Melee characters will charge blindly into your cross-hair. Gunslingers will attempt to hide behind cover yet always seem to poke their head out just long enough for you to get a shot off. If you stay in one spot for too long, then a grenade will be tossed to force you from cover. None of this is bad, but it hardly provides anything unique to a saturated genre.

The standard gameplay formula is enhanced by the top notch graphics and sound. I found myself staring at the vast landscape and beautiful clouds for minutes at a time. Character models are nicely detailed. The voice acting is a mix of no names and celebrities like John Goodman, but all deliver their lines well. The music fits the environment, but doesn't particularly stand out. All in all the presentation is the strongest selling point for Rage.

Presentation alone, however, doesn't make for a great game. The unoriginal plot was poorly executed. The repetition is terrible, and affects everything from pacing to gameplay. If this game was released when the PS3 and Xbox 360 launched, then it could have been a hit. Yet after so many years of shooters Rage fails to stand out from the crowd.

Halo Confessional a'la Snerts

Fans, friends, and foes alike know how much I love the Halo franchise. The first game blew my mind, and gave me a new perspective on the first person shooter. Halo 2 and 3 were fantastic upgrades that, particularly for the multiplayer segment, raised the bar significantly for all contenders in the genre.

Not many titles provides a map maker; campaign mode with four player co-op options; amazing multiplayer; and a recording system that captures the fun in every match played. They also provided numerous DLC packages, for a cost of course, and unprecedented website support that tracked an insane amount of stats--something previously excluded from console players. The folks at Bungie could do no wrong!

Then, years later the contenders challenged that notion. Today Call of Duty and Battlefield reign supreme for action packed shooters. The latest Call of Duty's also provide a theater mode, but still lack any map builder options. Other games like Left 4 Dead and Mass Effect 3 provide alternatives to the more traditional route that provide unique on-line co-operative experiences.

The Halo franchise responded to these changes with ODST, Reach, and now Halo 4. The first introduced a non-spartan perspective, and a new mode called Firefight. This co-operative game pitted players against unending waves of enemies. ODST was overall a neat game, but couldn't compare to the previous tittles.

The second response was Reach, a prequel to the events in the first game, which really tried hard to deliver a compelling story. I think to a certain extent Bungie succeeded. Unfortunately, by this time, the changes to the gameplay felt like a vain attempt to catch up to the top contenders.

Reach introduced armor abilities, which is arguably the most significant upgrade to the franchise. Players can now activate a variety of power ups like invisibility, or equip a jet pack. Oddly enough sprint was also an armor ability; a standard for most shooters on the current console generation. Another important feature was the pregame load outs that became available for multiplayer games.

Just like Call of Duty, Spartans can now sprint and pick which guns they start with. Just like Tribes there are now jet packs. The Halo franchise has an odd habit of just borrowing ideas from other games. Hoping the extra topping on that old pizza makes it more appetizing.

Now there is Halo 4. The culmination of years of catch up. A new studio gave me the naive impression that something new, bold, and exciting would be produced. Especially with the big bucks from Microsoft funding this project for years. Yet after three levels of the campaign, an hour of multiplayer, and thirty minutes of the new mode Spartan Ops; I was already sick of the game.

Mind you I played many more hours since that moment and writing this post. Trying desperately to find something that I found fun and addictive. I couldn't. After playing other modern FPS games I just couldn't find the fun in Halo anymore.

Halo 4 was advertised, like all the big blockbuster games, as a the next new adventure for the Master Chief. What's so new about this game? 343 Industries took away multiple enemies, weapons, and multiplayer game modes. Guess they thought removing some of those old toppings would make that decade old pizza look tasty again.

Players face off against a Covenant force that excludes Brutes and Drones. The Flood is also absent from the campaign. To make up for their absences the developer added Promethean's (cough Mass Effect cough), which includes three new enemies. There is the flying unit that buffs allies, the fast enemy who runs in packs, and your standard strong solider. Sorry to say these additions aren't enough to make up for the subtractions, and the encounters get boring quickly.

Changes to weapons in Halo 4 echoes the issues with the enemies. The new weapons from the "new enemies" amount to nothing but clones of what was already available. A sniper rifle is a sniper rifle no matter what reload animation the game displays. I cannot think of one new weapon that was significantly different then any of the previous titles. Additionally some really awesome guns were excluded from Halo 4 like the Needler Rifle or the sticky grenade launcher.

Then there is multiplayer. Gone are such MP modes as Free for All, Firefight, and Invasion. The only significant changes to gameplay are the mech vehicle, a sprint button (finally), and strike packages that are awarded for kill streaks in certain game modes. Spartan Ops, the new co-op experience, is like CoD's Spec Ops with more cut scenes. Overall the MP was the most fun, but also reaffirmed my disappointment with Halo 4.

Finally there is the story. The plot to Halo 4 makes Halo 2's annoying cliff hanger look awesome. Why do I have to watch hours of video, outside of the game, to understand the convoluted plot presented to me? Where's my action packed experience? There was nothing gripping, or exciting, about the campaign in Halo 4, and that's with one of the major character being killed (or at least she's dead for now).

All in all, if you haven't figured it out by now, I'm over the Halo franchise. Short of an epic movie, I do not feel compelled to buy anything Halo for a very long time. I love the universe, but I'm sick of being disappointed. Which oddly enough reminds me a lot of the Matrix.

Snerts recommends a rental for Halo fans and avoid at all costs for FPS pros.

Battlefield...Fuck Ya!

Game: Battlefield 3

System: PC, PS3, Xbox 360

Release: October 2011

Battlefield 3 is an excellent single player experience. I'd write about the multiplayer and co-op, but EA denies free access to this content if you do not purchase a new copy. I sincerely hope this policy backfires on EA. Odds are if you rent or buy used, you don't have a ton of cash to be spending on games. How likely is the consumer to purchase on-line access to one game? Especially when Modern Warfare 3 is about to be released. 

Gamefly, however, appears to be working on the issue and is offering free on-line passes. According to an email I received the code should be arriving within the week. 

Any who, as I was saying, BF3 is a great single player experience. The games plot feels like a blend of Black Ops and Modern Warfare, but the gameplay is a more realistic approach not found in Call of Duty. The franchise continues to provide insane combat scenarios featuring a variety of vehicles. There is a fighter jet and tank segment that are like nothing I've ever seen in a first-person shooter. The graphics are top notch, and the gameplay is much smoother then the Bad Company games. EA and DICE vividly illustrate that Call of Duty is not the only military shooter worth playing. 

The main protagonist is a Sgt. Blackburn, but players will take on the roles of other characters throughout the campaign. B.burn is introduced to us under arrest which sets up the basic flashback plot device--see Black Ops. As he's interrogated the pieces slowly come together. Nukes end up missing, commands are questioned, unlikely allies are made, and it all ends on a train to Time Square. 

Warning Spoilers Ahead....

BF3 has many impressive cinematic moments that build upon the classic Modern Warfare death scene. A solider from the tank campaign is captured and executed. Players witness the atrocity from the perspective of the captive. The bright light blinds you from behind the camera as your head is forced back before the knife slits your throat. Later B.burn comes across the room where the US soldier was executed. The whole sequence of events is very entertaining, and more detailed then what I've seen in the Call of Duty franchise. 

The other two segments worth mentioning are the levels set in France and New York. Playing as a Russian you storm through the streets of Paris in an attempt to find a bomb. The level weaves you around populated streets, and the action is very intense. The developers did an excellent job capturing the thrill of the chase. Sure having a nuke go off is cliche at this point, but it was well done and made since within the game. 

The same can be said in regards to the New York level. You are chasing the villains starting on foot, then on a train, and finally in a car. Fantastic! This time around the cliche is saving the day--looks like Paris is the only city to be nuked. Add to these cinematic moments the vehicles segments, and you have the top of line military shooter. (Of course that all can change next week with the release of Modern Warfare 3.)

BF3 has everything you could possibly want from a first person shooter. There are awesome vehicles, intense battles, a great single player, and a host of multiplayer modes. Snerts Snazzy Score is Full Price! for fans of the series, and On Sale! for shooter aficionados.

Don't Be Scared...Again

Game: F.E.A.R. 3

System: PC, PS3, Xbox 360

Release: June 2011

The F.E.A.R. saga strikes again with more bullet time, more armor segments, and a bit of telepathic debauchery. The third installment adds co-op to the mix, and continues to offer multiplayer modes that I don't care about. The overall story arch, spanning across three games, also comes to a close...or does it?

F3AR, that's F.E.A.R. 3, is the conclusion to Alma' s story. The experiment gone wrong, always getting pregnant, mental case finds herself knocked up again. Who's the father? Good ole Becket from the second game. Surprise! That hallucination at the end of the last title was really a rape scene. I suppose that's what you get for fighting Alma.

Alma's other kids, Point Man and Fettel, find themselves locked up in some prison. They are the two playable characters--more on that later. For some reason Fettel is a "ghost" and needs to work with his brother so they both can reach mommy dearest. Fettel was shot in the head by Point Man in the first F.E.A.R. Having them grudgingly work together is a nice touch for fans of the series. Along the way the brothers will run into Becket, and the final fight is with their estranged father. Ah family.

I'd try to explain the story further, but honestly I find it all a bit confusing. The developers use the term psychic like Michael Bay uses all spark. It's that magical plaster that holds the plot together and covers up any nasty holes. Suffice to say that a lot of crazy shit happens because of the all powerful psychic Alma is giving birth, and the endings vary depending on which brother accumulates the most points throughout the campaign.

The brothers gameplay varies significantly. Point Man is the same old beast from the first game. He uses bullet time to dispatch enemies, and other then that he is a typical FPS protagonist. Fettel gets the crazy mental powers. He can shoot mind bullets from his hand, and posses meat bags i.e. humans. You have to posses someone if you want to use weapons and mech armor. Combining the brothers abilities is a blast. One player can run around possessing enemies while the other uses bullet time to dispatch the rest.

Co-op is a strong focus of the game, but for those who lack friends both brothers can be used individually. The catch is you have to complete the game with Point Man to unlock Fettel. This was quite annoying, and I don't understand why both were not available from the get go.

The encounters are what you would expect from a F.E.A.R. game. You have your spooky segments where chairs move across rooms and the lights flicker. There are the mech armor areas, which are still quite enjoyable. Then there are the waves after waves of foot soldiers, zombies, and the occasional combination of the two. Finally there is the oddball spooky boss battle to wrap things up.

Everything in F3AR was top notch in terms of graphics and gameplay. There was little to no lag, and all the controls felt responsive and smooth. The mech armor segments are still awesome, and the co-op feature is fantastic.  The story was a bit odd and confusing, but I'm sure the few fans of this series appreciated all the tie-ins from previous titles.

If you have a friend, and the two of you were looking for a solid co-op experience, then this is the game for you. Snerts Snazzy Score is On Sale! for fans of the series and for those who enjoy co-op gaming. For the rest of us rent it, play it, and move on.

Cake for Two

Game: Portal 2

System: PC, Xbox 360, PS3


Release: April 2011

Portal 2, and the original, brings thinking to the first person shooter. A puzzle game at heart that succeeds where others have failed--I'm looking at you Mirror's Edge. The run n' gun formula is set aside, but Valve keeps the Half-Life universe. Players are given a portal gun. It fires two connected way-points that are used to solve various puzzles and eventually escape your prison aka Aperture Laboratories.

Portal 1 was a quick side project that was tossed out to the masses. A two hour jog through a series of test chambers guided by a sadistically  sarcastic AI named GLaDOS. It was an excellent experience that I highly recommend. The game is currently free on Steam and was apart of the Orange Box package on Xbox 360.

The sequel expands the lore and offers a co-op experience like no other. The campaign continues the story of the human Chell--destroyer of GLaDOS. She awakes to Wheatly the robot ball instructing her not to die. He wants to replace the rebooted GLaDOS, and does so with the help of Chell. Of course Wheatly is a dumb-ass and betrays you. Thrown into a vent you and GLaDOS--now hooked up to a potato--discover the original Aperture Laboratories.

J.K. Simmons--aka awesome actor--plays Cave Johnson the founder of all this crazy shit. His recorded instructions lead you through the old school facility with some hilarity. Eventually you return to Wheatly, kick his ass via lunar shenanigans, and return GLaDOS to her former self. Ya ya nerd purest. I left some details out. Can't spoil everything after all.

Gameplay is enhanced with goo. Specifically goo that increases your speed, is bouncy, or smears surfaces white for portal usage. There is also gravity tread mills and light bridges that can act like shields. Add to this the portal gun, and you have a fantastic variety of puzzle based entertainment.

Not impressed? Well how about co-op! That's right. P-body and Atlas are on the case. They do GLaDOS's biding, solve puzzles, and annoy said GLaDOS with human mannerisms. To enjoy this feature I highly recommend starting with a rookie from the get go. Nothing worse then being dragged through a game by someone who's been there before.

Portal 2 is an excellent game. All signs point to Full Price! Yet I'm hesitant to recommend such a purchase. Yes free DLC is on the way, but the puzzles loose their entertainment value quickly. Already knowing the answer to the test hinders the joy found in the journey. Snerts Snazzy Score is On Sale!

Attack of the Clones!!!

I started writing a review for Homefront, but then fell into a rant. Enjoy. 

Homefront has everything that a solid FPS should have. Dynamic characters, solid gameplay, and well done cinematography. Despite having all this I will inevitably don the score of Gamefly--rent, play, move on. Why? Because I'm bored. 

Yes bored. 

I am tired of the tedious clones and other crap that graces the current console generation. 

There are a plethora of great shooter franchises to pick from, and I seldom find the new comers (Bulletstorm, Homefront, Borderlands) worth the full price of admission. The genre is overloaded with gimmicky copy cats. They add one or two neat ideas that often fail to hold interest over the coarse of the game. Bullet-time in FEAR. The leash in Bulletstorm. The nano suite in Crysis. All were fun at first, but didn't add enough to the basic formula. Shoot, run, shoot, find cover, reload/heal, repeat. The best I can hope for is a decent story that encourages me to finish the game. 

I find myself buying sequel after sequel. I have five Halo's, three Call of Duty's, two Left 4 Dead's, and one Bioshock. Each of the sequels offered something new, and often have the multiplayer community to warrant the purchase. Still I doubt Halo 4 and MW3 will offer anything substantially different. Yet I, and millions of others, will probably buy the next sequel because it's better then the clones. 

Hack n' slash games fair no better. God of War and Ninja Gaiden were games that broke barriers. The sequels were fantastic additions to each of the franchises, but it was more of the same. A few new comers pop up hear and there. Bayonetta was decent, and so was Heavenly Sword. I also enjoyed Force Unleashed and Afro Samurai. None had the same impact as the first God of War. None were as challenging as Ninja Gaiden. 

Next up on the chopping block is Bioware. I've thoroughly enjoyed most of their games, but I'm no fool. I can see a pattern that started with Knights of the Old Republic on Xbox. Moral choices, elite secret organizations, wacky friends, love affairs, and deep conversation trees; all while touring world/galaxy. This is in every title since KOTOR, and I doubt Mass Effect 3 will be any different. 

Similar statements can be made about the Fable and Fallout franchises. The first Fable and Fallout 3 were fantastic, but the sequels tended to be more of the same. A young child has something traumatic occur that leads him/her on a life long path to redemption...or revenge! Along the way they have to perform a bunch of tasks to become famous...or infamous! You make allies, gain abilities, and complete quests in the same world over and over again. RPG developers are also notorious for bugs, which is pretty sad considering the lifespan of the current console generation. 

Genres I'm unfamiliar with will only lead to speculation. So here we go!

Open world titles are series of already known mini games spread across a vast area.  New sports games, and fighters, offer roster updates and a few new moves. Racers are the same old tired franchises. JRPG's seem to be stuck in a rut, and RTS games still suck on consoles. Music inspired games is a dead genre beaten by Activision and slightly kicked by EA. Finally, since 2004, the MMORPG genre continues to be equated with World of Warcraft. Everywhere you go it's clones and sequels (or expansion packs and dlc).

I want a new and amazing videogame. I want that same feeling I got playing Splinter Cell, Shadows of the Colossus, or Halo for the first time. I want to play a game over and over again because it's that good. Something that hasn't happened since Batman: Arkham Asylum. 

One day my Gamefly account will be used for something besides sequels and clones. I'll be patient, and save money. I don't have any fantastic ideas after all....just complaints. Perhaps it's just me, or maybe developers need start coming up with better material to earn my money. Either way I'm bored. Time to take up some new hobbies, and catch up on that reading list; in between the drum n' bass events and pool parties.

Potty-mouth

Game: Bulletstrom

System: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

Release: February 2011

Warning: The following contains an obscene amount of curse words. Previously, I've typed the occasional fuck, but for fucks sake this is a lot of fucking curse words. I apologize to any of my loyal readers who may be offended--fucking wankers.

Dick, shit, cock, fuck, ass, balls pretty much sums up Bulletstorm. It's an homage to my childhood days of immature jokes and hours of first-peni...errr...person shooters. 

Epic roles out a game reaming with ridiculous kills and Big Fucking Gun's. Every gun has an alt fire overkill mode which adds some flair to your standard arsenal. My favorite toy was the Flail Gun. Take two grenades and connect them with a chain. Load into the launcher, aim, and fire. Before you know bad guys are hopping mad before they go boom. Another weapon is a drill-spear gun that impales foes with ease and twirls them round and round like a fucking ferris wheel. 

If guns don't do it for ya, then try kicking grunts into cacti, or using the whip mechanic to throw them off a ledge. All the death variety serves a purpose. You score points for doing unique kills that unlock additional upgrades. The list was pretty long, and the gaming lords know I won't finish it. Still, I'm sure some completionist out there has. So kudos to that prick.

Driving the carnage is your stereotypical revenge/bromance. Mike...er..Gray Hunt and Ishi Sato are the last of their crew after a suicide attack by the former. He gave the orders to attack a really big ship because he was pissed drunk and pissed off. Apparently General Sarrano is a big asshole, and Gray is just the dick to fuck him for good. Ishi gets to become a border line psychotic cyborg, and the female role played by Trishka cements the fact that no one is gay--despite the copious use of the word "dick." Things go wrong, then right, then back to wrong, and before you know it everything is dead. Throw on a teaser for the next game and call it a day. 

Multiplayer sucks ass because EA hates renters. Those who want to experience Buletstorms MP must buy the game new to obtain a code. If you don't have this code, then you must pay to play. Honestly with so many quality FPS games out there--Halo Reach, Black Ops, MW2, L4D2, Battlefield--I hardly see the need to fork over more money. 

All things considered Bulletstorm is a fun game. I enjoyed the guns and the killing reward system. The plot wasn't the worse thing I've ever witnessed, nor was it amazing. The environments were dam gorgeous, but the enemies were boring bitches. The immature characters and dialog doesn't help the game either (nor does it help this review). It's just another additional to the FPS genre that few will probably care to play. Snerts Snazzy Score is Gamefly--especially for shooter fans. Rent, play, and get all those penis puns out of your system. 

Hot Wars and Zombies

Game: Call of Duty Black Ops

System: PC, Wii, Xbox 360, PS3

Release: November 2010

The Cold War turns hot in another solid Call of Duty experience. Seven videogames later and this series is still delivering top notch entertainment. The campaign presents a decent fictional story that takes players across the world. Multiplayer returns with new features, maps, and weapons. Zombies also make a come back in a variety of forms. There is even a kick ass commercial made by the good folks at TBWA\Chiat\Day (my employer).

Overall Black Ops was more enjoyable then Modern Warfare 2. Zombies is way better than the co-op missions of old. After finishing the campaign players are treated to a wonderful video featuring Castro, Nixon, and JFK. The three men are talking business when zombies invade. A few awesome one liners are spoken and the game begins. Brilliant! There is also a top down arcade version of Zombies, and all of the above can be played by your lonesome or with a friend. This game mode as sure come a long way from its roots as a pet lunch project.

Multiplayer really feels different thanks to the gambling system. Players can use digital dollars to literally put their money where their mouth is. The cash is earned by performing well during multiplayer matches, and can be used to purchase new items. Other then that, the MP is what you would expect from the franchise. Robust player population. Fun gameplay. Addictive leveling system. etc. etc. etc.

Black Ops' plot was reminiscent of the first Modern Warfare. The usual two main character formula was set aside for something...gasp...new. Now things are focused on one guy, although, you do play multiple people.OK that's not very new, but it's something different for the franchise. The knowledge this man possess can prevent the next major war, but he's fucked up from all the brainwashing. Things get complicated and progressively more entertaining--especially the helicopter segments. Some torture scenes here, a flash back there, and a dash of split personality sets thing right by the end. How? By shooting shit of course.

Call of Duty continues to dominate the FPS console market. Black Ops is jam packed with gamer goodness. My friends and former colleagues at Treyarch should be proud. Fans of first-person shooters will have no problem paying Full Price! There is plenty of bang for your buck, but if you're like me the franchise may be wearing thin. Snerts Snazzy Score is On Sale! You will enjoy this game, but it is another Call of Duty. How many mountains, jungles, deserts, and towns can your M16 run through? Save some cash. Wait for that sale, or used game price drop.

MOH

Game: Medal Of Honor

System: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

Release: October 2010

I have played through the campaign on normal, and attempted two levels of Tier 1 (a hardcore SP mode). I have also played some multiplayer, but not enough to make a valid critique.

Medal of Honor. A series that sparked the World War II craze in the first person shooter genre. A franchise that started with such promise yet fell far behind the giants: Call of Duty and Halo. Now EA is attempting to reboot the series by telling the story of a modern conflict. The developers at EALA are very proud of the campaign story (MP was done by DICE studios), and the realistic depiction of the current war in Afghanistan. Did they succeed? Will this title be the rebirth of Medal of Honor, or will it become the final nail in the coffin?

The single player experience is well done. The graphics are at times breathtaking. The action is intense, and the narrative illustrates the inter-dependencies of different military units in the field. Players will take the role of Army Rangers, Special Ops, and Apache Helicopter pilots through a two day battle. The environment is historical deadly with many invading armies failing to survive the local resistance. There is the classic ignorant and brash General in D.C. barking orders that endanger the lives of soldiers on the ground. Lives are lost on both sides, but in the end the Americans seem to have won the day. The story of these soldiers was believable and executed with respect for the men who serve (there were no women in this story). This was a welcomed alternative to the over the top Cold War wet dream of Russia invading the United States.

Gameplay has it's ups and downs. I enjoyed the ability to slide into cover, but the “peak” button was particularly useless. It is very difficult to hold down the left trigger (Iron Sight) and left bumper (Peak) at the same time. Peak also halted all movement, which makes you a sitting duck during a gun fight. All of the weapons worked well, but none of them stood out. I loved the helicopter level, but driving around on a four wheeler felt like boring filler. I never felt like I wouldn't make it, or that the enemy was truly overwhelming. Many areas felt like a carnival shooting gallery. Just keep killing the ducks and targets then press on to the next area.

I enjoyed the overall experience of Medal of Honor. The story was entertaining, and the gameplay was decent. If you like realistic military shooters--I'm looking at you Tom Clancy fans--then check it out. Under the new Snazzy Snerts System, Medal of Honor falls under the category of Gamefly! Rent it. Play it. Forget about it.

A Decade of Bungie

Game: Halo: Reach

System: Xbox 360

Release: September 2009

EPIC!

Halo: Reach is the last game in the franchise developed by Bungie. In 2001, one of the best independent studios released Halo: Combat Evolved. Since then there has been Halo 2, Halo 3, and Halo: ODST. Each successor added new features and a new story, but they all felt very similar. Halo Reach, however, is an entirely new experience unlike any FPS on the market. Bungie utilized the best from games like Unreal Tournament, Tribes, Call of Duty, and of course older Halo's. The end product is a well polished game with hours upon hours of fun content.

Halo Reach is divided up into three game modes: Campaign, Firefight, and Multiplayer. All three can be played on or off line. They also come with a ton of options to customize your experience as you see fit.

Snerts in action!

The Campaign tells the story of Noble Team a group of Spartans on Reach. Any fan of the Halo universe knows Reach is a doomed planet. The Covenant destroys Reach and leaves few survivors as they make their way towards Earth. Knowing that the ending wouldn't be happy gave the game an Empire's Strikes Back feeling. The colors are more subtle with less bloom effects. The characters display a sense of desperation as the invading aliens decimate their planet. By the end just about everyone you have met dies. Bungie also does a great job of tying Noble's story to the events in Halo 1-3. Finally they break up the FPS action with a few turret rail gun segments, and a outer space dog fight mission that is reminiscent of the N64 game Rogue Squadron.


Like previous Campaigns, there are dozens of options to keep things fresh. Skulls from Halo 3 make a return, and so does Scoring Mode. These features, however, are nothing compared to what Firefight has to offer. (Firefight is a cooperative game mode where a team fights wave after wave of enemy AI.) You can customize just about everything for this cooperative game type. You can tweak: damage output, shields, health, weapons, infinite ammo, what enemies appear each wave, how the enemies appear, AI damage and shields, etc. etc. etc. I literally spent an hour just thumbing through all the options. I also enjoyed the different Firefight modes like Gruntpocalypse--all Grunts all the time. Firefight as sure come a long way since ODST.

Multiplayer is also full of new features. Most notably Invasion. This game mode pits Elites vs. Spartans. The objective is defense for the later, and offense for the former. There are three sections per round, and completing a section unlocks more load outs, weapons, and vehicles. The game ends when time runs out, or the Elites have completed all three objectives. This game mode is unlike anything I've seen before. It has all the chaos of a Big Team Battle with a hint of Assault and King of the Hill.

As I mentioned in my review of Halo Reach Beta, there are other new game modes like Headhunter and Stockpile. So far the additions have been very enjoyable, and supplement the traditional game modes nicely. The armor abilities, however, are what really distinguish Reach from other Halo's. Being able to sprint, use a jet back, become invisible or invincible, etc. adds a new layer to the tasty gameplay cake. Check out my Beta review for more details about armor abilities.

Rocket Hog FTW!

Do you think I'm done writing about new features? Well guess again buddy. Reach also has a leveling system that unlocks new armor for your Spartan. The system is cumulative, and is very similar to the recent Call of Duty tittles. The unlockables are for functionality and aesthetics. Some pieces will allow you to carry more ammo, health, or grenades.  In addition to armor you can unlock character voices for Firefight, and other surprises that I won't ruin in this review.

Halo: Reach is what fans of Halo: Combat Evolved have been waiting for. A truly new experience that feels more complete then the rehashes of Halo 2, 3, and ODST. Bungie has stepped their game up, and illustrated why they are one of the best FPS developers in the business. Reach has more game modes, features, and options then any other title on the market. Snerts Snazzy Score is a 6 out of 5---yes it's that good! So go ahead and buy yourself a copy. Then say goodbye to all non-gamer friends and family.

Call of Battlefield: Bad Duty 2

Game: Battlefield Bad Company 2

System: PC, Xbox 360, PS3

Release: March 2010



The Russians are coming! The Russians are coming! Hide for the hills because the Russians are coming!

Here we go again. A rag tag team of misfits take on a special ops mission that can turn the tide of the Russian Invasion. Along the way they are double crossed (bum bum baaaaa), and some friends are lost (nooooooo not the hippie). In the end, however, they save the day by watching each others back and making the player do all the work. The U.S. General comes out of left field (literally), and tells you "The Russians are coming. Through Alaska." Looks like we'll get another Bad Company game (shockingly disappointed).

The single player experience is pretty much the same as the first game. The characters fulfill their stereotypes. Some cool action occurs. A few areas will kill you over and over again. Nothing too exciting here, but a decent FPS experience.

Multiplayer is the bread and butter for the Battlefield series. There is everything you would expect. A limited number of maps, but each one is gigantic. Vehicles with horrible handling. Sniping and explosions. Oh and a melee systems that is unresponsive. Add to this mix destructible environments and you have a very unique package. There is also a leveling system that is used to unlock new weapons and equipment. Halo and CoD do not have destructible environments, and I believe that is one of the reasons this game has an on-line following.

The Battlefield series has been around for along time. It is known for large maps, vehicles, and sniping. The Bad Company series added destructible environments to the mix. There is a decent on-line following, but don't expect to be in full games on the five maps. The single player is action packed, and contains some humor. It is also boring, filled with cheap deaths, and the plot just keeps getting stupider. I'm not thrilled with the gameplay either. Everything feels clunky. This is yet another game I enjoyed only because I rented it from Gamefly. Snerts Snazzy Score grants Bad Company 2 a 4 out of 5.

Don't Be Scared!

Game: F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin

System: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

Release: February 2009


On the surface F.E.A.R. appears to be an excellent FPS franchise. There is bullet time, crazy guns, and spooky stuff. The gameplay is solid. The graphics are polished. The AI acts intelligent, and there is some environmental damage for shits and giggles. Yet whenever I play through a F.E.A.R. game I'm overcome with a sense of indifference. I'm knee deep in blood as some mystical bitch tears apart my squad and I just don't care. Some geek I've been tracking down gets his head ripped off, and I barely bat an eye. The ending cinematic for the sequel brought about a sense of joy because I could get the next title from my Gamefly account.

The single player game is fun. I enjoy the overpowered bullet time. The nail gun is back in all it's glory, and there is even an awesome disintegration gun. The armored mech segments are a good idea, and some of the scary moments gave me chills. Especially during the ghost sections where it is unclear who is a threat. The majority of plot points, however, are your typical set up. Teammates do something stupid. They die, and you have to push on despite the "tragic" losses. Some chick keeps barking orders, and in the end you impregnate a telekinetic super being? At least I think that's what the ending is all about.

Multiplayer....well I didn't even bother. Why waste my time on low population games when I still enjoy fantastic franchises like Halo, Call of Duty, and Left 4 Dead? DLC content keeps the big three fresh enough for me.

Should you play F.E.A.R.? Only if your a die hard FPS fan, or your in need of something a bit different during the summer lull. There really isn't anything special. Snerts Snazzy Score is a 3 out of 5.

Late to the Fallout 3 Party

Game: Fallout 3

System: PS3, Xbox 360, PC

Release: October 2008


Fallout 3 is a great video game. Anyone who is a fan of the FPS or RPG genre will enjoy themselves. The game has been out for about two years. It has won many awards, and there are a ton of DLC packs. I'm not going to bother typing out words to praise the game further. Snerts Snazzy Score is a 5 out of 5, but I do have one complaint.

*Spoiler Alert:

Two of the best features Fallout 3 has to offer are story and immersion. You start off in your mothers womb, and finish following in your fathers footsteps (for those goodie goodies out there). The game world is huge, and I spent countless hours just exploring. In the end you have the cliche choice to sacrifice yourself, or convince someone else to do the deathly deed.

To purify post apocalyptic D.C.'s toxic water supply, save the lives of your comrades, and be an all round good dude you must enter a room containing lethal amounts of radiation. No matter what you do this act will kill you. I wouldn't have a problem with this deed if I wasn't traveling with a companion who could have withstood the radiation.
A few missions prior an intelligent Super Mutant named Fawkes aides you in a primary quest. The player is later given the option to have Fawkes accompany you on your journey. Fawkes is immune to radiation. If you do not have the DLC pack Brotherhood Steel, then you will not be able to convince Fawke to enter the radiated room.

This did not make sense, and ruined the ending of an otherwise fantastic story.

Aliens, Predators, and Marines = Trifecta of Lame

Game: Aliens vs. Predator

System: PC, PS3, Xbox 360

Release: February 2010

Two movies captured the hearts and minds of sci-fi lovers everywhere in the 1980s without using light sabers, time travel, or Klingons. Yes I'm talking about Aliens (the second one of course) and Predator. Both these movies were very entertaining and successful, which lead to a host of crappy sequels. Eventually both series were so desperate for more films they combined the franchises into Predator vs. Aliens. This would then lead to crappy video games.

AvP has three main groups. Marines, Predators, and Aliens. Each have intertwining stories, and each have their own unique gameplay. The Marines are your typical soldier from any FPS. You are the rookie. Everyone tells you what to do, and for some reason your the only one capable of getting it done. Inserts evil corporation, guns from the Alien movies, and the usual dialogue “Oh Shit their everywhere!” to complete the package.

The Predator campaign presents the most options aka tools of destruction. All the famous weapons are present along with stealth abilities. I defiantly felt like a Predator throughout the campaign. Fighting both Aliens and Marines is remarkably different compared to the repetitive nature of the Marine and Alien sections. You also get the cool finishing moves as a Predator that reminded me of Mortal Kombat fatalities.

Story wise nothing really made sense. The Predator character is a rookie—sigh—who plays archaeologists on earth. Like all Predators they enter an area kill all life. Then to be sure everything is dead they detonate a WMD. Who needs a motive? Not Mr. Predator.

The Alien campaign is the shortest. The plot is pretty straight forward and boring. You are an Alien branded with the #6—oooooohhhhhhh. You escape. Gasp! And are contacted by your queen so she can give you objectives! Shocker! Eventually the queen dies and you replace her. The cycle of life continues!

The Alien gameplay experience is disorienting yet fun. You can cling to any surface. Swing the Aliens deadly tale, and you climb through vents like a pro. Like the Predator you get cool fatalities and plenty of Marines to disembowel. Unfortunately there are no upgrades to your abilities and objectives are simplistic. This campaign gets boring and repetitive fast.

Whenever I hear the term Predator I think of two things. Corny Arnold impersonations by drunken friends, and bad ass aliens who's only purpose in life is to “hunt” things. Apparently “hunt” is Predator slang for disembowel, dismember, or decapitate. When I hear “Alien” a host of thoughts occur because everything is a fucking alien. Just ask the folks in Arizona. Aliens vs. Predator brings about memories of crappy plot and not enough space sentient action.

The most recent video game continues that trend flawlessly. Fans of the series will enjoy the game. The rest of us will experience a mediocre FPS that fails to improve upon a ten year old system. AvP is a renter at best, and it's popularity is apparent by its lack of any significant MP community. Snerts Snazzy Score grants Aliens vs. Predator a 3.8 out of 5.

Reaching for a New Halo

Game: Halo Reach (MP Beta)

System: Xbox 360

Release: Finished Game is due Nov. 2010.


Halo has stuck to the same formula over four games. Minor adjustments and additions have occurred with each release, but the thirty seconds of fun remains the same. All Halo games consist of the following.

Grenades and melee supplement standard gunfire.
Shields regenerate.
Vehicles a plenty.
Aliens aka Covenant.
Space zombies aka Flood.
Space marines.
Campaign supports co-op, but story is meh.
Multiplayer is fun with a variety of game types.

Recently Bungie and Microsoft launched a beta multiplayer test for Halo: Reach. I have never experienced a Halo like Reach. The controls have been changed for the better. No longer will you have to remove your thumb from the right analog stick to melee. Right bumper is melee. “X” is finally reload/use. Left bumper activates armor abilities—more on that later. “B” changes grenade type, and everything else is unchanged. This minor tweak does wonders for the gameplay, and is a welcomed change to the traditional, and outdated, control scheme. Armor abilities are the most exciting addition to gameplay. Players can select between various load outs before spawning in. This dictates your weapon selection and armor ability. Four different armor abilities exist for Spartans, and two options are given to Elites. The later can utilize invisibility and a handy dodge move. The former is given sprint, armor lock, jet pack, and invisibility. Armor lock temporary makes the Spartan invincible and releases a EMP shock wave. The others are self explanatory. These new moves really spice up the battlefield, and create an extra layer of strategy to an already fantastic franchise. New moves are not the only add on for Halo Reach. Players will get to experience a variety of fresh game modes. Headhunter, for example, puts a new spin on King of the Hill and Deathmatch. Kill an opponent so they drop a skull. Turn the collected skull(s) into the nearest objective point before someone kills you. Stockpile is a capture the flag (CTF) game. Three or more flags spawn across the map. Gather up the flags and return them to your base. Keep the flags in your base until the count down is over. Rinse and repeat.

The most original Halo game type is Invasion. Spartans defend key objectives as Elites attempt to capture said objectives. Three separate zones provides different armor abilities and weapon load outs. Vehicles come into play, and up to twelve players can participate. Fans of Big Team Battles will love this new mode. ODST had me worried that Bungie's day in the sun were over. The Reach Beta has decimated those concerns. New game modes. New abilities. New maps. New weapons and more that I didn't even mention in this post. I am officially excited about Halo Reach, and if your a fan of MP FPS action so should you.

@2K Would You Kindly Stop Making Bioshock games?

Game: Bioshock 2

System: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

Release: February 2010

Bioshock was one of the best console FPS experiences of 2007. The perfect blend of atmosphere, gameplay, and story warranted numerous Game of the Year awards. Unfortunately the high critical acclaim and sales comes with a price. 2K is cashing in on the one franchise not under attack from EA sports. This means a number of sequels for a game that didn’t need any. Bioshock 2 is not a bad game. It just doesn’t have the same zesty zing of the first.

Let’s start with what 2K got right—combat and gameplay. The first game required radial menu navigation to switch between plasmids and weapons, and everything was performed with one of the character’s hands. The new streamlined combat has plasmids assigned to the left trigger/bumper and weapons are on the right. This results in faster paced action and strengthens the immersion. Hacking is also less cumbersome. The pipes mini-game is replaced with a quick time event. Players must observe a gage and press a button while the dial is over a green or blue square. Landing on a red square triggers an alarm, and no colors results in an electric shock. I did miss the pipe mini-game, but the new system makes hacking a room full of turrets, cameras, and bots faster. Like the changes to combat, this keeps the immersion factor high. Rapture is such a fascinating setting and the developers did an excellent job of keeping players in the city and out of menus.

Weapons and plasmids have seen only minor adjustments in Bioshock 2. There are very few new powers, and each of the old abilities has a new twist. Lightening, for example, can be charged at level two for chain lightening and a longer shock. At the max level a constant stream of lightening can be deployed from the hand. Because the main character is a Big Daddy, more on that later, weapons like the Rivet gun and Power Drill have been added to the arsenal. These additions make sense, but I didn’t utilize them as much as the shotgun or spear gun. The best new weapon was actually not really a weapon at all. The Hacking gun allows you to…yep you guessed it…remotely hack items.

Just about everything else in Bioshock 2, except multiplayer, is copied from the first. The plot is a different shade of dystopia. The setting is Rapture about ten years later. The villain is a communist version of Fontaine and Ryan. The main character is a Big Daddy, and that does not change the interaction with Little Sisters. These angels of ADAM are back, and just like the end of the first game players must escort them as they collect ADAM from corpses. After harvesting a few bodies you get the same old choice to save or kill the Little Sister. Basically they took the most boring part of the first game, and smeared it all over the second like too much butter over toast. The developers seemed afraid to branch out into the new and this creates a dull experience for Bioshock veterans.

A few gamers have argued the new main character is an improvement. The new weapons are awesome—agreed—and the idea of the Bid Daddy searching for his one and only Little Sister is daring or edgy—disagree. The relationship between father and daughter is not developed to the point where I felt anything for the later.For all I know she is just another controlling psycho from Rapture. The brief moments of mental spam didn’t thrill me in games like FEAR or Halo 3, and fails to elicit anything but annoyance in Bioshock 2. Another issue I have concerns plot holes. If you didn’t collect all the audio logs, then the connections between the two games can be lost. Even with all the tapes many questions were only answered with ADAM. How does Rapture, an underwater city, remain inhabitable after a decade of disrepair? ADAM that’s how! Why would anyone attempt to take over Rapture? ADAM is the shit yo! Why didn’t the first Bioshock mention anything about Lamb—someone who seriously threatened Ryan’s power? Dude, the ADAM made me forget to mention her. Sorry about that.

One thing that ADAM did improve was multiplayer. Taking place during the New Years Eve war between Atlas and Ryan players can choose between a number of different characters. Each has their own unique back story denoted through personal audio logs and advertisements from Sinclair Solutions. They also have custom weapons and outfits. The house wife, Betty Johnson, uses a frying pan for melee and fights in a 50’s style dress. The old southern bourbon salesman runs around in a suite wielding a golf club. The shit talking is hilarious, and the amount of detail given to each character is really impressive. Gameplay is also well done. Turrets and vending machines can be hacked to lay traps. Weapons and plasmids are unlocked as player’s level up—that’s also how you unlock more audio logs to complete each characters story. Everyone starts with the basics: fire, electric bolt, shotgun, and pistol. Eventually the entire stock of Sinclair Solutions is at your disposal: grenade launchers, bees, and traps oh my! The multiplayer experience is unlike anything on the market today, and 2K should be proud of what they accomplished. Bioshock 2 is a great game all by itself. The combat is smooth and streamlined. The story is excellent—especially if you ignore the first Bioshock—and the multiplayer is a great addition to the franchise. I can’t help but feel that if Bioshock 1 never existed Bioshock 2 would get a perfect score. The shaky connection between games and unanswered questions, however, are readily apparent and this hinders the experience. I also felt the story, when compared to the first, was lacking that something special. The zing, pow, zap, or whatever word you want to use from ADAM West’s Batman. As a result Bioshock 2 gets a respectable 4.8 out of 5.