You run into the giant spider early on in the game, and it's a fantastic encounter!

At its core, Limbo is a 2D puzzle-based platforming game. It’s the story of a boy who enters Limbo in search of his sister, but without the story. I’m not sure where I picked that bit of info up, but it’s not from the game. It starts in an eerie forest, with the boy laying face up in the grass. You press a button to wake him, he slowly raises to his feet, and you’re off. What you’re doing, where you’re going, and why you’re there in the first place is left untold. There are no words to be read or heard from beginning to end. It’s simply a dark adventure, through a world that is adamant on ending your life.

Silence

Who are those guys, and why are they trying to kill me?

The atmosphere portrayed by the visuals and sheer lack of music, sets a tone that will surely leave you feeling uneasy. The only sounds you’ll hear are your impending doom – a bear trap snapping you into pieces, or a boulder hurling down a slope towards you, or a giant circular saw blade screaming as it inches in your direction. When there is sound, you almost wish for silence.

Challenging, to Say the Least

While simple is the theme that drives nearly every aspect of Limbo, it’s a tough little game. Many obstacles are impossible to avoid during your first play through, and some of the puzzles later in the game will make your head hurt. Not to the extent of last summer’s sleeper hit, Braid. But pretty close! The nature of the puzzles changes from chapter to chapter, and get progressively more difficult. It starts out with basic platforming, then water, electricity, magnetism, and gravity are eased in.

Pull, push, climb, run, jump, swing... phew!

Of the 12 Achievements that comprise the 200 points, 10 of them are for finding hidden glowing eggs. The first couple are pretty easy to locate, but some are way out of the way, and very well placed. Thankfully, they’re only worth 5 or 10 points each, and there’s a big 100 point Achievement in store when you complete the game. The remaining 10 points are an Achievement called “No Point in Dying”, which is awarded for completing the game in one sitting, dying no more than 5 times. I’m not even going to attempt this.

Do Yourself a Favour

Simply put, Limbo is a simplistic masterpiece that will give you something to talk about, and think about long after the credits have rolled. Every aspect of the game is carefully crafted to perfection and bundled up into a nice little package unlike anything else you’ve experienced. It’s under $20, and can be completed in about 3-4 hours, but will be included among this year’s heavy hitters in many “top games of 2010″ lists, I assure you. Limbo, is a fantastic gaming experience!

I'm... I'm so happy to see you guys! *sniff*

A New Chapter in the Transformers Universe

The campaign can be played solo, or with a couple of friends. It’s divided in half, where you assume the role of the Decepticons for the first section. It can be played in any order (starting with Decepticons or Autobots), but events do happen chronologically, so it makes most sense to play as the Decepticons first. In every chapter, you have a choice between 3 playable characters. With the exception of a single chapter in each of the campaigns, Megatron and Optimus are playable all the way through.

"Autobots, roll out!"

Of course, each character can transform from giant robot to vehicle form. Since this story is set before the Transformers crash landed on earth, they take the form of alien vehicles that loosely represent the originals we know and love. Optimus is a big heavy truck, Bumblebee is a compact car, Megatron is a tank with a huge cannon, and Starscream is a jet. The only one that was a bit of a disappointment was Soundwave, who turned into a sort of, van. His robot form was awesome though, and my smile stretched from ear-to-ear every time he spoke. Vehicle controls are a little too simple, and each controls and handles the same. I would have liked to have seen an optional advanced control scheme for those of us who can handle panning a tank’s cannon while charging ahead. But essentially, I found that vehicle form was mostly used for getting around quickly, as opposed to engaging in combat.

There's an Achievement for finding the hidden Laserbeaks in one of the Autobot chapters - awesome!

The story itself is quite good, and many of the character traits are true to the original cartoon. For instance, Starscream’s desire to lead the Deciptons and sheer defiance. You witness many key moments as well – like how/why Starscream turned to “the dark side”, and Optimus’ rise to assuming the role of leader of the Autobots.

Shooting Other Giant Robots is Fun

The combat is good, but feels a little dated. There’s no cover mechanic, so you often end up resorting to poking around corners and such. Each Transformer can carry two weapons, has two abilities, and a devastating melee attack. The weapons are mostly fun to use, and you have access to even some of the biggest, most powerful weapons early in the game. The only beef I have is with the limited ammo, and having to leave battle in order to find more. I spent a surprising amount of time searching around for ammo clips and grenades deposits, while the battle waged on without me. Limiting ammo is understandable for the more powerful weapons, like grenade and rocket launchers. But it would have been more convenient to have at least one weapon with an unlimited supply.

Sights & Sounds

War for Cybertron is quite obviously built on Unreal Engine. It’s very reminiscent of Gears of War in its visual style, and even some of the level design. It looks great none the less, and having the ability to get a good look at Cybertron up close is quite awesome!

Also similar to Gears, WFC’s sound design is best described as “heavy”. The sound of metal-on-metal is forever present, and everything sounds as you would expect. The classic transforming sound effect is there, but a little faint. And while the only original voice is that of Optimus, the others are done quite well, and definitely relate to the originals.

Surprisingly Deep Competitive Multiplayer

Online multiplayer is not my thing, and this is no secret. But I had a surprisingly good time playing the conquest mode in WFC. It’s very much like the tried-and-true conquest mode established by Battlefield 1942. But with extensive character leveling and perks built in, via Call of Duty.

In the short time I played online, there were many moments that still get me excited. Playing primarily as a jet, I discovered a technique that worked well to clear out a control point, while looking fucking awesome at the same time. Points that are under attack start flashing on your HUD. I would fly toward a point at full speed, transform mid-air as I entered the area and unleash a shockwave as soon as I hit the ground. This would effectively blast away any enemies in the area, damaging them or destroying them all in one fell swoop. My second ability was a machine gun sentry, which I would enable at the same time. It was quite a devastating maneuver that never seemed to get old.

The Verdict

This is where I tell people if it’s worth it to buy at full price, or rent for a few days.  But this time, I’m rather torn.  I rented it myself, for two full weeks at that.  And while I finished both campaigns and spent some time Achievement hunting after that, I’m still craving more Transformers action.  The online component is quite good, and I found myself unusually drawn to it.  I might just have to pick this one up after all.

The Gist

The concept is simple, and there’s no story to be told. Split/Second is a big budget reality TV show that pits racers against each other, and empowers them with the ability to trigger environmental hazards to slow down or take out opponents. It’s very much in the same vein as the (older) Need for Speed and Burnout games, but has a few tricks up its sleeve that make it stand out in the crowd.

Check out the Power Play trailer to see what sort of madness can be had in Split/Second.

These fantastic events are called Power Plays, and dozens of them litter each course. They range from small hazards, like an exploding vehicle on the side of the road, to levelling a large building, or pulling a massive passenger aircraft from the sky… literally. And as you can imagine, just about everything in-between. The bigger Power Plays are called Course Changers, and they do just that. Often, part of the track will be destroyed and an alternate route exposed. Triggering a Course Changer will certainly take out most opponents who happen to be ahead of you, allowing just enough time for the dust to settle as you blow on through. Power Plays can be triggered when you have filled up your Power Play meter, which is achieved by performing drifts, jumps, or drafting your opponents. You also get a nice little bonus for close calls. There are 3 segments in the bar, and the first two can be triggered independently. But if you fill the bar, you have the ability to trigger a Course Changer. It’s all about being strategic with the Power Plays and knowing when it’s best to build up your meter, or unleash hell on your opponents.

Power Plays can also be used to open up alternate roots, or temporary shortcuts that will shave a few seconds off your lap time. I say temporary, because they are usually large gates that open, or bridges that lower, which quickly close once you’ve passed through. So jacking someone else’s shortcut can be risky business, if you’re not right on their tail.

What HUD?

In racing games, we’re used to gauges, timers, and maps occupying every corner of the screen. Split/Second has almost entirely done away with the HUD, and only has the most critical information displayed just below your car in the centre of the screen. That’s where you focus is going to be most of the time, and there’s rarely a need to shift your view point.

Lovely Details

There are some other details which put a smile on my face when I first discovered them. Like the number on your car, which represents your progress in the career, or your current online standing (when you’re playing online). Achievements earned are also displayed on your car in the form of vinyl stickers. Essentially, your Achievements become your car’s livery. Very cool!

Game Types – Old Favourites, and New Twists

There are only a few event types, but they are enough to provide a diverse and fun career mode. The standard 8-player race mode and elimination are my favourites. There’s also a time trial mode called Detonator, where you race solo against the clock, while Power Plays and Course Changers are triggered automatically around you. These are insanely fun and not at all tedious, like time trials tend to be. Of the more unique modes, are Air Strike and Air Revenge. Both pit you against a combat helicopter, which fires bursts of missiles at you constantly. In Air Strike, the goal is to evade the missiles as long as possible. While in Air Revenge, you get a chance to fight back, using your Power Plays to interrupt the targeting system of the chopper, directing the missiles back at it. The final game mode is called Survival, and the object is to pass as many big rigs as possible, while racing down a narrow stretch. The catch, is that the truck is launching explosive barrels in all directions. Blue barrels will knock you around a bit, while red barrels are instant death. Survival, along with the helicopter modes can really be frustrating, and often feel cheap.

I have a new found hatred for combat helicopters.

Multiplayer Stinks, at First

When I jumped online early on, I was totally disappointed. It was quick and easy enough to get into a game, but it wasn’t nearly as fun and exhilarating as the offline career mode. This was entirely due to the fact that there are no restrictions on the vehicles used in online races. So, players who just picked up the game are using the slowest and least powerful vehicles, while others who have completed the career (or paid to unlock everything via DLC) are driving the top of the line models. Talk about unbalanced. Most races ended with gaps of 10-15 seconds between players, and hardly any Power Plays triggered.

Now that I’ve finished the solo career and have some of the high-end vehicles, it’s a lot more fun playing online. I found that more people have the better cars as well, given that the game has been out a few weeks now. It’s just a shame that you essentially have to either complete the career, or pay for the vehicle unlock DLC if you want to have fun online.

The Verdict

Despite the initial online drawback and the less-than-awesome game modes, every time I sat down to play Split/Second, I had a huge amount of fun. Even now that I’ve made it through the career mode, I’m going back and bettering standings and still thoroughly enjoying the thrill ride that is Split/Second. It’s not perfect, but it’s a damn good time!

The Same Old Complaints

I know I sound like a broken record, but these have to be mentioned…

Pedestrians are constantly getting in your way. They will actually start to congregate if you linger around a spot for a while. I tend to set-up a marker and skate a spot, doing lines and such. Before long, it turns into a game of Dodge the Pedestrian.

Update: Sam Brown pointed out via Twitter, that pressing down on the d-pad will clear pedestrians in your path.  Apparently, this is mentioned in one of the tips displayed during loading sequences.

This old lady actually made for a nice gap, as I did a backside 180 kickflip over her, to nose slide the rail.

There are still plenty of “WTF just happened?” moments, typically caused by wonky physics. I lost track of how many times my dude literally bounced off of an invisible wall surrounding an object.

Jam sessions during contests are still extremely frustrating, as you try and max out your score while tripping over 3 other skaters as the frame rate struggles to be maintained. The only time you’ll see a slow down is when there are multiple skaters on screen, but that usually means it’s during a contest, which is the worst possible time for a slow-down.

Simplified Career Mode

Coach Frank, played by Jason Lee, helps get you up to speed.

The single player career feels a bit shallow compared to that of Skate 2‘s. You’re thrown into the action right quick, and challenges can all be accessed from a single menu screen. You can even sign-up from the challenge screen, as opposed to teleporting and skating six feet to sign-up. So jumping from one event to the next is as quick and painless as it possibly could be. But because of this, and the fact that there just seems to be less of everything, the single player end definitely feels thin in comparison to previous games in the series.

Challenges are much easier than previous games, if you want them to be. In past games, you were typically given a very specific goal. Usually a certain trick had to be performed on a specified object, and that was that – you had to do it. This time around, you’re given a very vague goal – do a trick over the gap, then grind any of the rails, for example. But if you want to work for it, you can “kill” the challenge. This usually requires something specific, and can be very difficult.

If you want to step up the difficulty even more, Skate 3 has a “hardcore” game mode, which is supposed to make it a more realistic skateboarding experience. I found that it just felt like the game was broken. It made all of its imperfections stand out that much more, and totally killed the fun factor – no pun intended. On the flip-side, there’s an easy mode. I kept it locked on normal, which is the classic Skate gameplay.

Create and Share

Sharing screenshots and video footage have always been a part of the Skate franchise, and the Skate.Reel makes a return appearance in Skate 3. In Skate 2, you could create spots and share them. In Skate 3, you can build parks and post them for your friends, or anyone for that matter to check out. The park editor is huge, and very intuitive. You are given plenty of room to build your park, and an abundance of objects and options to really make something unique.

The park Danny Way built.

On the topic of sharing, you have a team you manage in the single player game. You add skaters as you progress, and you have the option to import a friend’s skater. I thought this was a little odd, given that you can jump online and skate with your friends at any time. But to make things even more bizaare, I noticed a friend of mine skating around the city one day while I was doing some challenges. He stuck out like a sore thumb, since there was a neon coloured name floating about his head. I rolled over, hopped off my board and tossed up the horns. He continued to skate around, bailing pretty often. I followed him for a bit, then pulled up my friends list when I wasn’t able to attract his attention. The dude I was seeing in my game, wasn’t online. Whu? I’m not sure who thought it was a good idea to have bots assume the identity of your friends in your solo game, but it happens, and it’s weird when it does. Distracting and confusing, at best.

Massive Online Career

Skate 3 is made for online play. It’s totally obvious that online multiplayer was the main focus of Skate 3. I’m almost positive there are more challenges online than in the single player career. For someone like me, who plays mostly offline, this is a bit of a drag. But I bit the bullet and jumped online for a freeskate session last night. I was grouped with 5 other people, and we took turns hitting the big drop in the Monster stadium. Aside from the occasional hiccup when players dropped and entered the game, it ran nice and smooth. I have yet to do any of the online career, but I plan to.

Glad I Picked it Up

I was definitely hesitant to play Skate 3, based on the bad taste left in my mouth from the demo, but I’m glad I did. While some of the same annoyances from the first game are still present in Skate 3, there are many improvements across the board that make Skate 3 a more solid experience than its predecessors. I would recommend Skate 3 to anyone who’s played and enjoyed the first two games. Even those that weren’t crazy about them, or found them a little difficult. Easy mode, coupled with the easier challenge goals make Skate 3 a much more accessible game.

Screenshots

All of these images were captured by me using the in-game Skate.Reel feature.

Takes a Bit to Get Going

Buying a balloon for your son is one of the things you do early on.

The first couple of hours setup the main characters and the story, and you might think you’re playing the wrong game for a while there. All sorts of mundane tasks are performed while you are introduced to the unique control scheme. But once things start happening, big reveals keep coming frequently enough to make Heavy Rain one hard game to put down.

The story unfolds through the eyes of four main characters, who you assume the role of. They’re all encompassed by the murders of the Origami Killer, and while their paths cross periodically, for the most part they’re off doing their own thing.

The cast of Heavy Rain.

Fixed Cameras, Quick Time Events, and Gestures

It plays like no other game, in that the controls are almost entirely gesture and quick time event based. While this might seem like a draw-back, it serves this game well. Button prompts would be a little too easy, and would likely get boring pretty quick, given the sheer volume. Performing a half circle downward motion with the right thumbstick in order to make your on-screen character drop an item on a table connects you to that character more than a simple button press would. And during intense action scenes, these gestures and prompts really shine. Never have I felt so engaged in a lengthy quick time event. I was little on the edge of my seat for the majority of the game.

Forget Everything You Know About Video Games

There are no do-overs in Heavy Rain. If you miss some prompts during a quick time event, things keep moving forward, but the result will be different than if you were to hit them all. But at no point does the game stop and ask if you would like to reload your previous checkpoint. This takes a bit of getting used to, as I found my first reaction was to stop and reload so I could get it right. But there really isn’t a right and wrong here. There are simply different paths that can be taken. And many different paths, at that.

Beautiful, in a Serial Killer Kind of Way

I absolutely love the atmosphere Heavy Rain portrays. From the dark and dreary urban setting, to the moody score which sets the tone perfectly. And while I’m usually one to point out a great soundtrack, Heavy Rain’s score goes above and beyond to engage the player and really makes the scenes.

Not Without Some Bumps in the Road

Quick decision!

While I thoroughly enjoyed the story and this unique gaming experience, there are some areas which were a little rough around the edges. During the quick time events, some gestures which rely on the motion capabilities of the PS3 controller failed to register for me on more than one occasion. The characters models, specifically faces are incredibly detailed. But some interactions between characters and objects, or other characters looked a little clunky or awkward. Specifically, some of the more intimate scenes.

Speaking of which, there are some pretty strong adult themes present that I wasn’t expecting. I know it carries an M rating, but this game is definitely not suitable for the youngsters. On the other hand, it’s rare to see nudity in games done tastefully and without feeling unnecessary.

The Bottom Line

In short, Heavy Rain is a completely unique gaming experience with a strong story that had me fully engaged. It’s more of an eight-to-ten hour interactive movie than a game, but it’s a very welcome change. Since the story can take so many different paths, it’s worth playing through at least a couple of times to see how things can play out differently.

You DO NOT wan to fuck with this man, errr, god.

How To Kill a God

Evidently, it’s not as simple as climbing Mount Olympus on the back of a Titan, knocking on Zeus’ door, and disemboweling him. After all, it would be a pretty short game if that were the case. That’s where things start, and where GOW2 left off, minus the disemboweling part. There is a cut-scene prior to the game’s menu which sums up the story so far, for those who haven’t played the previous two games. But it’s likely not enough to fill in all of the gaps, and past events are just barely explained as they are referenced. None the less, there is plenty of fun to be had hacking and slashing your way through every god, demigod, titan, and mythical creature that stands between Kratos and Zeus. But for someone who has played the previous games, the continued story remains exciting, and closes the trilogy quite nicely. There are plenty of moments where your jaw is left hanging, while you frantically hit the right on-screen cues to spill the guts of your enemies in the most glorious fashion.

As usual, Kratos falls from grace pretty early in the game, but immediately gets back on the horse and continues his quest for vengeance. Collecting weapons, upgrades, and massacring any living, breathing thing in his way. As the story unfolds, Kratos discovers the path he must take in order to murder his father (Zeus, for those who haven’t been paying attention). This time, with every slain god, comes a direct consequence which befalls humanity. At times, I found it hard to support Kratos’ actions and often wished the choice was left in my hands, but that was not the case. Kratos is absolutely relentless, with no regard for consequence, and shows no remorse. I’ve always viewed Kratos as an anti-hero, but he almost seems like a villain (for the most part) in this 10 hour jaunt.

An Astounding Sense of Scale

The GOW games have always been absolutely massive. From the set pieces, to the boss battles, and of course the Titans. GOW3 is no exception, in fact it has an even bigger sense of scale than its predecessors, if you can believe that.

That tiny golden spec between his fingers - yeah, that's Kratos.

Same Old Gameplay

Mind if I borrow this?

This isn’t a bad thing, since the GOW series have been known for its small learning curve and huge fun factor. It’s not a button masher, per say. There are combos for each weapon which result in devastating actions when done right. Not knowing at least a few of the combos will leave you with much frustration as you fail at the bigger/longer battles, over and over again. When you are instructed to mash on a button, it usually results in separating limbs and heads from bodies, which is most definitely forgivable and extremely satisfying.

Quick Time Events, Revisited

I do believe the God of War franchise is responsible for popularizing quick time events. And in GOW3, we see a new take on this type of gameplay. Previously, the button prompts would pop up in the upper-middle of the screen. But now they appear in the screen position of the corresponding button on the PS3 controller. For example, the Square button is the left button on the face of the controller. When the Square button prompt appears, it’s on the left side of the screen. Bottom for X, Top for Triangle, and right for Circle. I found I was much quicker to react, and was able to focus more on what was happening on screen, as opposed to staring at the position where the prompt would normally appear.

How to F*** a God

If there are children in the room, please close your eyes and cover your ears. For those still here, Aphrodite (the goddess of love, sex, and beauty) makes a brief appearance about three quarters of the way through, where Kratos has the opportunity to join her in bed for a quick romp. If you hit it a couple of times, there is some pretty funny dialogue to be heard from Aphrodite’s mistresses, who watch from the sidelines.

Kratos Still Has What it Takes

While God of War III isn’t quite as mind-blowing as the first (or even second) game in the series, it’s an exhilarating trip through Greek mythology, depicted as only a God of War game can. The action is non-stop, completely grotesque, yet utterly satisfying. An absolute must-play for any fan of the series. New-comers to the series might be left in the dark a little as far as the story goes, but fun will be had, without a doubt.

Wait, What Just Happened?

The campaign starts out a little weird, with a prologue mission which takes place during WWII and sets up the story. The Bad Company dudes are brought into the picture shortly after, with no mention of previous events. Having played the first game, it felt a little disjointed, as I was expecting more of a tie-in or a continuation from the first game in the Bad Company series. None the less, bullets start flying and in no time, and B-Company find themselves knee-deep in trouble, as usual.

Worth While Campaign, but Not Great

Overall, I felt the campaign felt a bit flat across the board. The dialogue wasn’t quite as witty as the first game, your squad members tend to stand around making wise-cracks more than anything else, and the story wasn’t overly engaging. On top of that, some cheap tactics from the developers had me replaying parts necessarily. I call them “gotcha” moments – where the player is moving along as intended, when some unavoidable event happens resulting in death. There’s no way to know what is about to happen, you have to lose a life in order to find out how to avoid it. There are quire a few of these moments in the campaign, and each and every one of them pissed me off.

That sounds like a whole lot of negativity, but I enjoyed the single player campaign well enough. It just wasn’t as good as the previous game, and didn’t live up to my expectations. There were plenty of things I loved about it, though. The visuals and sound effects are incredible! Destruction has been stepped up a few notches, with buildings fully collapsing into a pile of rubble if you hit them hard enough. Lots of variation in the missions, with inclusion of plenty of vehicles and lots of fun weapons at your disposal. There always seems to be plenty of time to use your weapons, too. There’s nothing worse than finally getting your hands on a weapon you’ve been after for hours, only to find minimal ammo left and no refills in sight. BF:BC2 doesn’t suffer from that, in the least.

Where The Battlefield Belongs – Online

Where BF:BC2 really shines, is in the multiplayer component. I would have actually liked to have seen this game stripped of the single-player end, and sold at a discounted price. The multiplayer end is that strong! If you’ve played a BF game online, you know it’s much more than a typical shooter. Every map is massive, full of weapon emplacements and vehicles, and non-stop action.

Bad Company’s Gold Rush mode has been stripped of the gold, but showcased as the game’s primary online mode. It’s as fun as ever, and still much preferred to simply running around shooting dudes for hours on end. It’s nice to have a constant objective, and one that can change within a moment’s notice, too. People seem to work together almost all the time, and the dead simple squad system really helps to enforce teamwork.

The original BF Conquest mode is also packed in, and maps are adjusted to suit the many flag locations. There’s also a new mode, which pits 4 4-man squads against each other in 2 different modes.

Revamped and Improved Unlocks and Rewards

The ranking, unlocks, and rewards system has been completely overhauled this time around, yet it remains very simple to manage. Each class has its own tier of weapons and gadgets that unlock as you earn XP using them. Then there are a series of weapons and gadgets that can be used in any class, which are unlocked simply by playing. Vehicles also have a set of perks that can be applied to improve your offense or defense while using them. XP bonuses are given when you earn badges and medals for achieving certain goals – like 7 kills with the assault rifle in a round, a certain number of squad or team assists in a round, winning the round, and so on. While the ladder looks intimidating at first, you earn XP pretty quickly and I find that I’m unlocking new gear every couple of rounds.

Battlefield Moments

There was a series of trailers released prior to the game’s launch titled “Battlefield Moments”, and for good reason. Every round has at least one memorable moment. Even when playing a losing round, or after dying repeatedly, there always seems to be a turning point where you feel like you’re the hero…

• The guy that just shot down a Black Hawk with an RGP and got a triple kill.
• Or, the guy that dropped behind enemy lines and stabbed 4 dudes in the back before being detected.
• Or, the guy that turned a corner and was met face-to-face by an enemy tank, only to quickly arm the grenade attachment on his assault rifle just in time to fire one off and take it out.
• Or, the guy that drove a jet-ski at full speed onto land, hit a ridge and flew directly into a squad of enemies, killing all 2 of them at once.

These things happen, often. And they’re absolutely fucking glorious when they do!

I (Fucking) Love this Game!

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is lacking in the single-player end, but makes up for it online. I enjoy BF:BC2 multiplayer immensely. And for a guy that doesn’t spend much time playing games online, that’s saying a lot.

Uh-oh! Looks like Shephard is off to a rough start.

So, So Deep

The fiction of the Mass Effect universe is truly a marvel. It’s incredibly deep, and leaves one pondering just how long and how many minds it took to bring it all together. In the first game, I explored every option the dialogue tree presented me with, and the same went for Mass Effect 2. While the option was always there to quickly back out of a conversation and continue on the quest at hand, I never did. Now that I’m on my second play-through, I appreciate that quick out, though. Just like in the first game, there are weighted paragon and renegade options which become available depending on your character’s moral alignment. Having imported my character from ME1, I had access to paragon options early on.

Along with the dialogue options, there are now actions which can be performed during cut-scenes. A paragon or renegade prompt could pop-up, which makes Shephard perform an action depending on which route you took. I had a hard time resisting the renegade prompt, even when playing as a hero.

A True Sequel

Speaking of, BioWare has created something slightly revolutionary with ME2′s character import feature, which allows you to bring your character from the original game into ME2. Not only your physical character is brought over, though. Decisions you made, people that may have died, and your moral alignment are all reflected in ME2. Even minute details, like some of the side quests you completed are touched on in ME2, which blew me away on more than one occasion. Aside from the insanely cool tie-in to the original game, there are decent rewards for continuing with your original character…

The decisions, actions, and plot states you created in Mass Effect 1 will persist in Mass Effect 2. Additionally other factors such as your character level will grant you certain bonuses as well. If you acquired a high level of currency you will start Mass Effect 2 with a small boost to your starting income. Additionally if you completed the game as a paragon or renegade, a fraction of that alignment will persist into Mass Effect 2. This is designed to help give players who went the extra mile in Mass Effect 1 a quantitative boost in Mass Effect 2.

Story and Characters

The main story is all kinds of great! With an exciting beginning, and an explosive end, it really keeps the momentum going through-out all of the missions. It only slows down if you go off doing side quests exclusively, and of course when you’re hanging out on the Normandy chatting with the crew. There’s a big decision left to you at the end, which I’m hoping directly impacts what happens in the third game in the series. Since the import feature will be in ME3 as well, I’m sure it will.

Recruiting new members always requires a fair bit of effort, and sometimes persuasion.

Similar to the first game, you make your way across the galaxy recruiting team members. Depending on who lived and who died in the first game, who you run into can vary. Regardless, you end up with some pretty awesome characters by your side, spanning various species and sexes. Of course, all with different abilities and specialties.

Quests-a-Plenty

Aside from the main question, there is plenty to keep you busy. The usual mix of side-quests are available, but with much more variety this time around. There are also a few search and retrieve type missions which can be quite lengthy. But the best side-quests are the ones you complete to gain the loyalty of your team members. Once they are recruited, team members come to you with a problem which you can help them out with, in return for their loyalty. Some of these are actually a little tricky, as the morally correct way to complete them might not be what gains you their loyalty. There were a couple I didn’t get on my first play-through.

Huge Improvements to Combat and Movement Overall

The combat in ME2 feels much better. While it’s not quite as solid as what you might find in a game like Gears of War, it’s definitely a step up from the original game. Crouching behind cover, peeking around corners, and leaping up over obstacles are all common and easily executed maneuvers. With the addition of assignable commands, I found myself opening the combat and power wheels far less often, which kept me in the action that much more.

Mechs prove to be worthy opponents. Especially the heavy mechs with rocket launchers.

When I played ME1, I was a Vanguard. Which gave my character biotic powers, and ability to use the handgun and shotgun. I never spent any time with the assault rifle or sniper rifle, so I made sure to play as a Soldier in ME2, and I’m glad I did! I probably used the sniper rifle 80% of the time. Only falling back to the assault rifle or shotgun when thermal clips were low, or an enemy got a little too close for comfort. But I was usually able to keep them at bay by making use of my squad-mate’s abilities. Speaking of thermal clips – yes, ammo is limited in ME2. It’s not as big of a deal as you might think. It really only affects the heavy weapons, as clips for the main 4 guns are plentiful.

Gettin’ It On

*sigh* Miranda

Like ME1, there is room to explore a romantic relationship with members of your crew. This time, there are many paths you can take. Since my character is a female, I was looking forward to a little action with Miranda. But as I progressed through the game, she seemed to shut me out more and more. That’s when I decided to see if cross-species relations were feasible. And in fact, they are! I always found Jacob to be a bit of a dink, so I opted for the resident Turian, which turned out to be quite humorous! I highly recommend going that route if you play as a female character. While there’s no big-bang ending (pun intended), you still get the Paramour achievement.

Not Without a Flaw

Mass Effect 2 does good on all of the things that held ME1 from being a near perfect game. But unfortunately, there is one aspect of this game that brings everything to a halt – scanning planets for minerals. I see the need for it, since the minerals are used for weapon, armor, and ship upgrades. But there has to be a better way of collecting them. Prior to getting the mineral scanner ship upgrade, I was close to being suicidal every time I had to scan a planet.

2010 Game of the Year, Already?

This is a game that warrants, no, requires multiple play-throughs. And with a bare-bones play-through clocking in at over 20 hours, there’s plenty of reason to purchase ME2 as opposed to renting it. Fans of the first game will be completely satisfied with this incredible sequel and wishing the sequel was just around the corner. And new-comers who are fans of good sci-fi and high action third person games, should really give it a shot.

What’s in a Name

The title of the game, while lame and uninspired, is completely accurate. It’s a refreshed version of the classic Super Mario Bros. games, available on the Wii.

What’s New

NSMBW is actually a sequel to the 2006 DS game, New Super Mario Bros. If you played that game, you’ll be ahead of the rest in that a lot of the things that are new in NSMBW, were first introduced in the DS predecessor. The characters themselves are much more animated and exaggerated. It takes a bit of momentum to really get moving, and in turn, you need to account for a few extra steps before coming to a stop. Perhaps my favourite addition to the core gameplay, is the wall jump. You can now jump off walls repeatedly to reach high areas, or save yourself from certain death.

Some of the classic power-ups are in tact. Like the mushroom, fire flower, and invincibility star. But Mario and the gang have a few new tricks in their bag as well. From NSMB on the DS, there’s the mini mushroom, which shrinks you to about 25%. In turn, it allows you to run faster, run on water, and jump super high and far. Among the new power-ups are the ice flower, penguin suit, and propeller suit. The ice flower gives you the ability to shoot ice balls which freeze most baddies. You can then jump on them, butt-stomp to kill them, or pick them up and throw them. The penguin suit makes walking on ice a lot easier, swimming faster and takes less effort, and you can also throw ice balls. The propeller suit is easily my favourite new addition, and really comes in handy on some of the more tricky platforming, or time based levels. A quick shake of the Wiimote launches your character high into the air, and he drifts slowly back down. Similar to how you could slow your descent with the raccoon suit in SMB3.

Each level contains 3 large coins, which are fairly easy to collect in the first couple or worlds. But become more of a challenge later on. Some are just plain hard to find, while others seem totally out of reach. The coins unlock bonus levels which you can play once you’ve rescued the princess. The final world, 9, is much more challenging than the rest of the game. Even making it through the levels without obtaining the large coins can prove quite difficult.

Controls

These things take a bit of getting used to.

Funny enough, NSMBW is played holding the Wiimote sideways, with the d-pad on the left and buttons 1 and 2 on the right. You know, just like the original NES controller. There are a couple maneuvers which require a quick shake of the Wiimote, but the basic movements are handled without motion controls. At this point, you would think the classic controller for Wii would be the perfect fit, with having the motion based moves mapped to buttons. But there are a couple more interesting uses for the motion controls yet. There are platforms which can be tilted by tilting the Wiimote, and similarly, some platforms can move side-to-side by tilting the Wiimote. This simply couldn’t be done without the motion controls, which would have rendered entire levels unplayable otherwise. While motion controls play a small part in NSMBW, they’re integral.

4 Player Madness

The co-op experience can vary greatly depending on the skills of each player. If you’re all well matched, it will be a blast. When you have at least one player who can’t keep up, it really hampers the experience for everyone else. Even with experienced players, there will be times when players collide mid-air, sending one of them directly into harm’s way. Make sure you bring your patience, and don’t take it too seriously, and there’s plenty of fun to be had with the co-op gameplay.

Some times, the screen just doesn't seem big enough for 4 players.

What’s Old

The classic map screen is back!

There are some many little throw-backs to the old game, that I likely had a goofy grin on my face the majority of the time I was playing this game. From sound effects and music remixes, to renditions of levels and scenarios from the original games, and even how the game uses a map screen similar to SMB3 and SMW. There are a lot of things that are going to make older games smile. I could write many paragraphs on the throw-backs alone, but they’re better left to be discovered.

The Story

Seriously? One guess, that’s all you need – Princess Peach is kidnapped by the Koopa kids and it’s up to Mario and company to rescue her. You traverse 8 wacky themed worlds, each with 2 mini boss battles before making it to Bowser’s doorstep.

Can you guess what happens next?

Other Game Modes

Along with co-op gameplay, there’s also a competitive multiplayer mode which ranks each player by score, coins, and enemy kills at the end of each stage. Coin Battle was introduced in NSMB on the DS and is definitely more fun than playing the story’s competitive mode. There are literally levels out of the original Super Mario Bros. game in Coin Battle.

The Difference

There’s a difference between porting old games to new platforms, which Nintendo also does quite often, and completely refreshing a game. New Super Mario Bros. Wii is the latter. It feels like you’re picking up an old favourite, yet it’s an entirely new experience in its own. It really does show that the Super Mario Bros. games are timeless.

The story picks up where the first game left off. A short cut-scene rolls and before you know it, you’re right back in the Animus. This time, assuming the role of a new hero – Ezio Auditore. In an effort to evolve Ezio and really put you in his shoes, you play a lengthy opening sequence that starts with Ezio’s birth. After a good hour and a half, something awful happens and Ezio is suddenly dawning his father’s assassin’s gear. He’s fuelled by rage and a thirst for vengeance, and starts to learn the ropes as an assassin from the guidance of his peers. Before too long, you acquire all the tools and skills needed to start kicking some ass. And kick some ass Ezio does!

Ahhh, That’s Better!

Assassin’s Creed II immediately feels different in regard to the way mission structure is handled. In the original game, the main goal was to assassinate a number of targets. Before you could take someone out, you had to perform a handful of small missions, which included pick-pocketing, eavesdropping, and that sort of thing. These tasks were repeated for each target, hence the common complaint of it being too repetitious. Ezio sort of makes things up as he goes. There is a main target in his sights, but he has to work his way up to him, and over the years his does just that. Ezio is not an assassin from the get-go. He’s a man on a mission to avenge his family’s honour. And along the way, gets pulled in different directions in order to help people for the greater good. Variations of the main mission types from the first game can still be found in Assassin’s Creed II. But they serve as side missions which will net you some extra coin and help to better learn the landscapes.

Get Comfortable, You’ll Be Here a While

After a couple good sessions with Assassin’s Creed II, my wife asked how I was liking it. As I was explaining all of the new elements that have been thrown into the mix, she stated, “It sounds a lot like Fable II.” That actually hadn’t crossed my mind, but she was right. Assassin’s Creed II brings many of the main gameplay mechanics that comprise Fable II. With currency being a factor now, the doors really opened as to what else Ezio could do with his time. Things like purchasing weapons, armor, medicine, poison, upgrades for your Uncle’s villa, paintings for your residence, and so on. There really is a lot to Assassin’s Creed II, but it never seems overwhelming. I finished my first play-through at 90% completion, and didn’t spend a whole lot of time micro-managing or other doing side quests that would take me off course. It’s all very manageable, and it’s all very fun.

One of my favourite new additions to the game, is the assassins’ tombs. Along the way, you find a great tomb that is missing 6 seals which allow you to unlock the ultimate prize. The seals belonged to assassins, and are now buried with them in tombs scattered through-out the various cities. Each tomb contains a different type of lengthy challenge. Some taking upwards of 45 minutes to complete. My favourites were platforming puzzles that were crazy challenging and extremely rewarding.

Tedious Traveling Be Gone!

Getting around is much easier and quicker in Assassin’s Creed II. There are many quick travel points in each city, which will get you to another city in an instant, for a small price. One of the big differences is Ezio’s presence in the cities, and how he handles himself. When you commit illegal acts, you become more notorious and guards will pay more attention to you. You can diminish your notoriety by ripping down wanted posters, silencing town criers, and assassinating meddling politicians. Ezio can also make himself scarce much easier than Altair could. There are far more civilians roaming the streets this time around, and Ezio can duck into a group and become one of them at any given time. You simply have to walk with them, and the guards won’t notice you.

Friends in Low Places

Ezio is not alone. He has a number of people he can call on when in need of some assistance. Courtesans (AKA, whores) and thieves are great at distracting guards, while mercenaries will go to battle for you. There’s also the option to throw change, which causes quite a commotion and attracts the attention of civilians and guards alike. I quite enjoyed having the option to avoid confrontation if I didn’t feel like high-tailing it out of a situation. Simply point some whores in the direction of the guards and sneak by. But then again, the double hidden blades are awfully fun!

Massive

This game is huge, and it will likely take 15-20 hours to get through the story, depending on how many of the side quests you do. Once you’re done, there’s always the side quests to go back to, and a few different types of collectibles to go after. Treasure maps can be purchased to help pin-point collectible locations, and of course viewpoints are your best way of finding objectives. Having completed the game, I still have dozens upon dozen of items in every city that I could easily sink another 10-15 hours into.

Assassin’s Creed II makes its predecessor look like a tech demo. It’s bigger and better in every way, and is in the running for one of my favourite games of the year, without a doubt.