Love that Batman!

Game: Batman Arkham City

System: PC, PS3, Xbox 360

Release: October 2011


Batman Arkham Asylum is one of my favorite games of all time. The developers at Rocksteady finally produced a game where the player feels like Batman. A masterful blend of stealth and beat 'em up combat infused with gadgets and a strong narrative. With the release of Arkham City, Rocksteady expands the sandbox and enhances the already awesome formula. Check out the official trailer.

As you can see Batman has left the isolated island, and is now patrolling the much larger, more urban, Arkham City. This fenced of section of Gotham imprisons just about every villain, thug, and jay walker the city has ever seen. Hugo Strange is the mastermind behind the project, and claims to have a very big secret. He knows the true identity of...wait for it...a little bit longer...just one more dot dot dot...Batman!

The main narrative is shorter then the previous tittle. Sure there are plenty of twists and turns, but if a player ignores the side missions the game ends rather quickly. This isn't bad, and the voice acting is still top notch. The game is simply less narrative driven, and more focused on expanding the sandbox. This is accomplished by about a dozen side missions and easter eggs sprinkled throughout Arkham City.

Bat Punch!

When I first started playing I felt like I had attention deficit disorder. Go here. Beat up this guy. Go there find a clue. Hold on, call incoming from the Joker.  The sheer number of characters is staggering: Two-Face, Riddler, Catwoman, Bane, Hush, Mr. Freeze, Penguin, Joker, Harley Quinn, Ra's & Talia al Ghul, Clayface, Robin, Deadshot, Zasz, etc. etc. etc. Batman has a full nights work ahead of him, and fans of the franchise will appreciate the level of detail that went into the game world.

Moving about is easy and fun thanks to tweaks to the gliding and grappling hook functions. The combat has also been improved with a wider range of enemies and attacks. Batman, for example, can now break weapons, and thugs will wield car doors. Stealth sections present high tech enemies with signal jammers, mines, and night-vision goggles. Luckily you're Batman, and can handle such minor annoyances.

Fabulous as always.

Those who purchase the game new, or buys the dlc, will be able to play as Catwoman. Adding a new character to the mix was a great idea. The gameplay is familiar yet different. She doesn't move about like Batman bringing her own flair to Arkham City. She has her signature whip, but lacks some of the cooler gadgets Batman wields. Catwoman is also available in the Challenge Maps.

That's right! The Challenges are back and better then ever. Play as Robin (dlc), Nightwing (dlc), Batman, or Catwoman in a variety of stealth and/or brawler maps. These maps are unlocked by finding Riddler trophies in the story mode. The replay value is extremely high, and the dlc additions have been very fun. There is also a Campaign mode where you take on a set of three maps with various handicaps/power ups. Playing a map with low health or increased speed are just a couple of examples.

If the Challenges don't keep your attention, then try out the new game plus. Something I was craving from the first tittle makes it to the sequel. Players will start off with all the Riddler trophies, and upgrades from their first play through, but will face tougher enemies. Also, like the Hard difficultly of old, enemies will not have the squiggly lines above their heads when they are about to attack. This feature is a huge factor in regards to the games replay-ability.

Is this a sick joke? Ha ha ha

Rocksteady, my friends, don't ever change. The developers are 2 for 2 on the Batman front creating a franchise that feels remarkably fresh in a market full of clones. Snerts Snazzy Score is Full Price! Go out and support their talent. You won't be disappointed.

Ubisoft Puts the "Ass" in Assassin

Game: Assassins Creed II

Systems: Xbox 360, PC, PS3

Release: March 2010


Assassins Creed was one of the most boring games I have ever played. The controls were awkward. The setting was bland. The plot was down right silly. After a few hours of play I set down the controls and returned the game. More recently I got a hold of the sequel. The controls got a bit better, and the setting of 15th century Italy is more interesting. The plot, however, is still silly, and I doubt I'll ever have a desire to play the game again.

The entire premise for this series is down right dumb. In the not so distant future an evil group called the Templars are attempting to find a secret weapon that can do all sorts of stuff. The problem is no one knows where this weapon is, and the only way to find it is to look into the past. Books and ancient records, however, are not enough. To truly find the information people are hooked up to a machine called the Animus. This device allows people to scan the memories of their ancestors, and the main character Desmond just so happens to have a butt load of ancestors with knowledge of this secret weapon.

The first game had Desmond going through the memories of Altair during the crusades. Desmond also found out the corporation that runs the Animus is connected to the Templars. The sequel begins with Desmond being freed by the female "hero" Lucy. She takes him to a rag tag rebellious group that is also searching for the secret weapon.The key is to follow the memories of Ezio an assassin from Renaissance Italy. By the end of the game SPOILER Desmond discovers the truth. Aliens created the world and gave a dire warning of some future catastrophe. This is all explained in a pathetic ending monologue that struggles to cover up all the crappy plot holes.

So the story is dog poop on a stick, but that isn't anything new to video games. Gameplay and graphics will give some form of entertainment. The environment engine is truly fantastic. I really felt like I was running through 15th century Italy. Giant church steeples punch through the sky line. Venice is truly a labyrinth of water ways. Art is everywhere, and the carnival brought some color into the otherwise brown/red motif. As a student of history I had a blast roaming old school Italy. Unfortunately with all the graphical power going to environments character models suffer. Everyone runs around with giant fish mouths, their hair physics are rigid, and their eyes bulge outward.

Gameplay denotes improvement from the previous game, but still feels awkward. Combat is all about countering and dodging. This creates situations where you simply hold down block and wait for someone to attack. Running away is still more fun then fighting in Ass Creed II--unless you get the drop on someone.

Leonardo da Vinci is your gadget man, and he does make some cool toys. The famous hidden blade is now doubled so players can assassinate two people at once. A poisoned hidden blade is ridiculously fun. Pick a victim. Prick with poison, and watch as they throw their arms/weapons around while they slowly die. Ezio even gets a gun, which is extremely over powered in a land of arrows and swords. What about the flying machine you ask? Meh. Ubisoft over hyped the famous da Vinci glider, and the game is fun despite its pathetic weak-sauce.

Assassins Creed II is not a bad game, but it is far from anything spectacular. Fans of the first will enjoy the second. The rest of us will probably rent the game, play it once, and move on. Exploring Italian cities and poisoning people are the most entertaining parts of the game. The plot, character models, and combat still need improvement. Snerts Snazzy Score is a 4 out of 5.

Fisher is Back!

Game: Splinter Cell Conviction

System: Xbox 360

Release: April 2010


Sam Fisher is back and he is pissed. Some assholes have been fucking with his life and he won't stand for it. His daughter is dead, and he killed his best friend on a bupkus mission that failed to produce a mole in Third Echelon. Now after three years on the run Grimsdottir contacts Sam. She has information about his daughter's killer, and warns him of a hit squad out to get him. This starts a wild roller coaster ride filled with conspiracy, action, and lots of death.

Like most Tom Clancy games, Splinter Cell Conviction's presentation is top notch. Michael Ironside and friends did a great job with the voice acting. The plot is well done with plenty of twists and turns. The graphics are sweet, and the new projection tech used to illustrate objectives is the coolest HUD idea since Dead Space. Environments are detailed, and like previous Splinter Cell games Sam can take full advantage of pipes, ledges, shadows, cover, and whatever else is around. There are some frame rate issues, and a few progression stoppers, but these minor mishaps are few and far between.

The biggest change to the series is the gameplay. The old slow and steady pace has been speed up significantly. Traditional Splinter cell mechanics have bit the dust. There is no dead body management, hacking, or lock picking. Many of the old gadgets are gone, but the famous Sticky Camera remains. Everything has been streamlined and simplified. Melee strikes are a guaranteed kill that trigger the Execute ability. This allows the player to mark up to four enemies for a quick kill. This seems like an “I win” button, but in the midst of chaos marking targets is not easy.

All movement is quick paced and the animations are reminiscent of Assassins Creed. The cover system is the best I've ever seen. Pressing the left trigger will dash your character to the nearest cover. Holding the button will keep you under cover, and pressing A will dart you to the next spot. At any time you release the left trigger and tada you are away from cover. I never felt stuck to a wall, and that is a first. Interrogations have also seen an improvement. Click the video below. Sam makes water boarding look like a bad day at the beach.
Sam's adventure is just one piece of the delicious pie. The single player game takes five to six hours to complete. The co-op story is about the same length, and is a ton fun.The two game modes have interwoven plots that really create a well rounded universe. Other game modes include Hunter, Last Stand, Face Off, and Infiltration. Hunter and Infiltration are simple kill everyone missions. Last Stand is a survivor mode that forces players to protect a EMP from waves of enemies. Face Off pits spy vs. spy. Players have to rack up points to win. Killing NPC's grants one point, but killing the other human player rewards five. Dieing subtracts three. Whoever has the most points at the end of the round wins. With the exception of Face Off, each game mode can be played alone or with a friend. Ubisoft took a big risk rebooting the Splinter Cell series but it payed off. Stealth action has been born. The fast gameplay is fun and rewarding. The story, graphics, and hud are polished and entertaining. The various game modes provides hours of content, and co-op improves the replay value. The non-story based sections are also wide open for future DLC packs. Conviction is a new type of shooter that is a welcomed refreshing experience. Some veterans of the series will be turned off by all the changes, but the rest of us will enjoy a great video game. Snerts Snazzy Score grants Splinter Cell Conviction a 4.9 out of 5.