Nintendo fans have been frothing at the mouth ever since Nintendo announced at this year’s E3 that a new Metroid would hit store shelves in the fall. Well fanboys and fangirls, the time has come. After months of anticipation, Samus Aron has returned to the console–this time bringing with her a very different game. Yes it’s Metroid; yes it has many familiar characters; and yes it features our favourite heroine. But, mark my words, this is not the Metroid of yesteryear.

The Story

Metroid Other M is actually a sequel to Super Metroid of the SNES era. You have just killed Mother Brain and escaped the Space Pirates and Planet Zebes. After awakening on a Galactic Federation vessel, you set off into space once again. That’s when you hear it: a distress call coming from somewhere deep in space. Following the call brings you to what appears to be a deserted spaceship. It’s not until you board that you realize you’re not alone. Members of the Galactic Federation are already on board, some of whom are very familiar to Samus. In fact, one of them was her Commanding officer when she was in the Federation Army. Samus is asked to help search the vessel for survivors and the cause of the distress signal. Not only does this scenario set the table for another adventure, but, for the first time, Nintendo reveals the origins and back story of our favourite Metroid hunting heroine Samus Aron.

The story of Metroid Other M is much more mature than previous Metroid titles. The plot really centers around Samus and her past relationships and involvement in the Federation Army. It’s clear Nintendo has realized many fans of the series have grown up since they first played the NES classic, and, just like the fans, the story has matured as well. In fact, the game does little to continue the Metroid storyline. Rather, it acts as a way to flesh out the character of Samus Aron.

The Gameplay

While Metroid started out in the early days as a side-scrolling adventure game, it quickly transformed into something else. As consoles became more powerful, Nintendo eventually brought Samus into the world of 3D and gave us a first person shooter. While the transition into 3D worked, some people complained the series lost the feeling of the original title which made the franchise so popular. Now Nintendo brings the two worlds together, sidescrolling action with first person perspective.

Most of the game is played as a sidescroller on a 3D plane, with the player holding the Wiimote horizontal. This gives players a classic side-scroller view, with some depth. Most of the fighting and exploring is done in this mode. Enemies are gunned down through the use of an auto-aim feature–a Godsend when so many are coming at you at once. You can also dodge enemy attacks with a quick last-second flick of the D pad.

Everything changes when you point the Wiimote towards the screen. Now, the game enters a first person perspective allowing you to fire missiles, shoot grappling hooks, and scan the environment for clues. You can toggle back and forth between the two modes on the fly by simply adjusting how you hold the Wiimote.

I will admit the controls feel awkward at first, especially when trying to maneuver on a 3D plane with a D pad. It took about an hour to get used to the new look and feel, but once you play for an extended period of time, it becomes second nature.

Traditionally, Samus gets all her weapons by finding upgrades hidden throughout levels. Not this time around. Samus has all her weapons right at the start, the problem is she isn’t authorized to use them. You can only use them after her Commanding Officer gives the orders can Samus fire her ice beam, grappling hook, or wave beam. That’s annoying when you’ll see places you can’t access early on in the game, knowing full well you’ll have to come back because some clown hasn’t told you it’s alright to use a key tool in your arsenal. It’s not very believable, but a different twist on earning upgraded weapons.

The Graphics

As far as Wii titles go, Metroid Other M looks pretty good. The cutscenes are nicely detailed and some of the best graphics we’ve seen to date on the system. However, the actual gameplay doesn’t look quite as nice. Low resolution textures are evident throughout much of the game–a sign the Wii just doesn’t have the horsepower of its console rivals.

The musical score does get high marks creating an eerie, yet familiar, atmosphere. Tones and samples from previous Metroid titles are present and die-hard fans of the series will take pride in picking out the familiar tracks.

The Down Sides

My biggest issue with Metroid Other M has to be a new feature included by developer Team Ninja. Every once in a while you have to scan areas for clues using Samus’ visor. In theory, it’s kind of neat. You have to find a clue to figure out where the story is going. The problem is the clues can be next to impossible to find.  I found myself scanning areas over and over again unable to find the item I was supposed to scan. On more than one occasion it turned out the item was a very obscure area of the screen which doesn’t get picked up by the Wiimote unless you move the cursor across it at a snail’s pace. Pass over it at any higher speed and it won’t register, preventing you from progressing in the game.

First person perspective also makes combat tricky. There are certain enemies you must weaken with your plasma beam in side-scroller, then switch to first person to finish them off with a missile. The problem is that when you go into first person, you never have the enemy in your sight. You are often turned around and have to find the enemy. Once you track it down, aim and prepare to fire a missile, the enemy has already recovered forcing you to start all over again. The transition in battle isn’t as seamless as it should be.

The Bottom Line

I played through the first few hours of Metroid Other M seriously questioning the direction of Nintendo’s latest title. The game felt quite different from previous Metroid titles with somewhat awkward controls. Yet, as I continued to play I realized it actually did feel quite familiar. With huge levels to explore and some nice character development (heck, we even get to hear Samus talk for the first time ever) the game is yet another solid Nintendo title. The game does have design flaws which are quite noticeable and even frustrating at times, but, if you can bare with it, there is an enjoyable game to be had here. There’s a reason why Metroid has such a loyal fan base. Although not perfect, Nintendo has yet another winner on its hands.

The Good

Unique Gameplay
Easy Controls
Plenty of hidden items
Finally! Voice Acting!

The Bad

Unskippable cutscenes
Flawed scanning mode

8/10

The Tomb Raider series has had its share of ups and downs. What started out as a strong franchise eventually became watered down with ho-hum release after release. While the series slowly returns to what it was, Crystal Dynamics is releasing something quite unexpected. It’s an arcade-inspired platform action adventure with isometric fixed camera.

So different is this game that Crystal Dynamics has omitted Tomb Raider from the title because it doesn’t want fans to confuse this game with the next release that’s still in development. Does that mean Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light doesn’t live up to fan expectations? Read on to find out.

The Story

Lara Croft is always on the hunt for artifacts so it shouldn’t surprise you to hear she’s at it once again in this downloadable title. Croft is after The Mirror of Smoke, an ancient artifact located in a ruin known as the Temple of Light. Once she stumbles upon it she is ambushed by a mercenary army who steals the artifact. Little do they know the artifact is cursed and once it’s picked up it unleashes an evil entity. Now Lara along with Totec, the Guardian of Light, must track down the evil spirit Xolotl and destroy him.

The Gameplay

Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light is very different than previous Tomb Raider titles we’ve seen. The story certainly feels familiar. After all, exploring trap laden temples is nothing new for this leading lady, but what is different is how the game is presented.

Instead of a third person perspective typically seen in the franchise you are greeted with a isometric fixed camera giving you a semi-top-down perspective. When I first got my hands on the game at E3, I questioned whether this was the right move as it feels very different. But after playing through a couple of levels I can honestly tell you it feels quite good and definitely sets this title apart from previous Tomb Raider games.

Combat uses the twin-stick shooter mechanics which gives the game a somewhat classic arcade feel. Lara’s signature dual pistols are back, but she’ll also stumble upon a variety of other guns as she makes her way through each challenge.  Lara can equip two weapons at a time along with a grappling hook which is used to cross large gaps and escape traps. It also comes in handy solving puzzles which are littered throughout the levels. If you play the single-player game you will also have the use of Totec’s spear, which can be used as a platform when thrown into a wall.

Major emphasis is placed on point scoring. As you collect gems and kill enemies you are rewarded with points which unlock artifacts. Equipping certain artifacts will improve your characters’ abilities such as speed, defence, or health. In order to unlock the higher-end artifacts, challenges must be completed within the levels such as completing a certain task in a set amount of time. Some are easy to pull off, others will require you to play the game through a few times.

Single Player or Co-op

While the game is solid when played alone, a second person can join in as Totec. Teamwork is key to completing the levels. Totec often will have to throw spears into walls to help Laura get across. Laura can also use the grappling hook to pull Totec up to places he can’t access since he can’t stand on his own spear. Playing two player co-op also makes puzzles more interesting as there is often more than one way to solve them when two players are involved. Co-op is an awful lot of fun and is one of the highlights of this game.

The Graphics

For a semi-top-down style game, Lara Craft and the Guardian of Light looks pretty damn good. The in game graphics are quite detailed for an XBLA title. Cutscenes are a mix of comic-inspired panels and traditional cimematics, both of which look nice in HD.

The Downsides

Two things are noticeably missing from this title. The first has to be the lack of a manual save option. Some of the levels are fairly long so it would be nice to have the option to save when you want. Life happens and sometimes you need to bail out of a game when you least expect it. Unfortunately, bailing will mean starting a level from the beginning at a later date.

While I loved co-op gameplay, it is disappointing you can’t play with friends online. It’s almost shocking this feature isn’t including in this title. You’ll have to invite your friends over to get the most out of this game.

The Bottom Line

The game is solid. Whether you’re a fan of the Tomb Raider series or not, gamers will have a blast solving the puzzles and avoiding traps in a myriad of different environments. True, the game lacks online co-op which is quite a blow, but that shouldn’t make you shy away from trying this unique Lara Croft title.

The Good

Simple controls
Great graphics
Fun co-op mode
High replay value

The Bad

What?! No online co-op?
No manual saves

]]> http://blogs.btcalgary.ca/yawney/review-lara-croft-and-the-guardian-of-light-xbla-psn/feed 0 http://blogs.btcalgary.ca/yawney/review-hydro-thunder-hurricane http://blogs.btcalgary.ca/yawney/review-hydro-thunder-hurricane#comments Tue, 27 Jul 2010 11:09:19 +0000 Mike Yawney http://blogs.btcalgary.ca/?p=4059

Ten years ago Midway made waves with Hydro Thunder. The speedboat racer was not only a hit in arcades, but in living rooms everywhere after getting ported to the Dreamcast and ultimately to the N64 and Playstation. Now, more than a decade later, Vector Unit is breathing new life into the classic with a full-fledged sequel.

The original was well-known for its high tech boats and zany tracks (arctic circle, flooded New York City). Vector Unit is promising to bring back what fans loved “with top-notch visuals, brand new over-the-top themed environments and dynamic water-based racing”. Does it deliver?

The Story

No story here. This game focuses strictly on racing. The moment the title screen surfaces, you hit start, pick your track, pick your boat, and begin racing. There is no sissy introductory race–you jump right in. It’s probably for the better. Imagine trying to carve out a story based on speedboats which race on super unrealistic tracks.

The Gameplay

Hydro Thunder Hurricane plays out like a classic arcade racer. The controls are fairly shallow, allowing you to steer, hit the gas, jump and boost.

There are four main modes to the game. Race speaks for itself. You always start in last place (16th) and must work your way into the top three. Ringmaster (newly added mode) will have you racing around your favourite tracks with the goal of driving through rings. Miss a ring and you’ll have time added to your overall completion time. Gauntlet (one of the more exciting modes) throws explosive barrels into the water. Hit one and your progress around the course will be delayed. Finally, Championship mode chains together two or three of the modes back to back. Complete all the races thrown at you and see where you come out in the standings.

Winning an event gives you points. The more points you earn, the more boats, tracks and events you unlock. You start with almost everything locked so you will have to win a few events before progressing further in to the game.

The boats each have their unique properties. Fans of the original title will recognize a few (Damn the Torpedoes, Miss Behave) as Vector Unit brought back a few fan favorites from the original title. Some have fast acceleration, some are slower but handle better. If you’ve played any generic racer before, you’ll be quite familiar with how it all plays out.

Each boat can perform what’s known as a “hydro jump” (simple jump up out of the water for a split second). Driving in the wake of another boat will give you a boost–so will collecting icons around the track.

The courses are what really make this game shine. They are an absolute blast. From a river that winds through a canyon (which gets bombed from up above by an angry biplane) to an Amazon river infested with giants crocs and other reptilian monsters, the environments make this game lots of fun. Each course has a ton of secrets and hidden passages; each time you play through you may discover a slightly different route to take. The game’s water physics only add to the enjoyment, giving you the feel of racing on real water.

The Graphics and Music

Hydro Thunder Hurricane looks good. Incredible detail has not only been given to the boats and most of the courses as well. Throw in some cool looking creatures and incredible racing environments and you have an impressive looking package. It may not be as colorful as the original but as they say “times change”.

The music is upbeat but fairly generic. While it’s quite good, I wouldn’t say it’s memorable by any means.

The Downsides

My one beef with this title has to be how you are forced to play the same tracks over and over in order to open up new ones. It takes quite a few points to open up some of the earlier tracks. That means one of two things. You can either race the same track over and over, or you can play some of the other modes in the game to amass more points. It kind of feels like grinding for XP in a role playing game. Okay, maybe not that bad, but if you’re tired of the tracks you’ve already opened you’ll begin to lose interest.

The Bottom Line

Hydro Thunder Hurricane is an enjoyable pick-up-and-play-racing-title. The game doesn’t have a lot of depth, but it was never intended to. You can play for as little as you want or as long as you want and feel satisfied with your experience. Completionists will have fun trying to find all the hidden items while others will simply enjoy the thrill of the race. A great arcade-style racer.

The Good

Simple controls
Amazing courses
Fun new racing modes
4 player split-screen or 8 person online multiplayer

The Bad

Not enough tracks
Grinding for points to unlock new tracks and race modes

8/10

]]> http://blogs.btcalgary.ca/yawney/review-hydro-thunder-hurricane/feed 0 http://blogs.btcalgary.ca/yawney/game-giveaway-starcraft-ii http://blogs.btcalgary.ca/yawney/game-giveaway-starcraft-ii#comments Mon, 26 Jul 2010 11:51:40 +0000 Mike Yawney http://blogs.btcalgary.ca/?p=4034

Starcraft II is about to hit store shelves and knock the PC gaming world to its knees. Not looking forward to waiting in line to get your copy at midnight tonight? I have you covered! Future Shop has given me a copy of the highly anticipated Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty, and I’m going to pass it on to one lucky Breakfast Television viewer!

How can you win? All you have to do is email me at mike.yawney@rci.rogers.com and tell me why you deserve to win Starcraft II! It’s that simple. You must be a Canadian resident to enter. One entry per person, per email address. Contest closes at noon MST on Monday, July 26th.

Future Shop will ship the game directly to the winner’s home. If you NEED to have the game in your hands at launch, you can always stop by Future Shop as they are opening up many locations across the country at midnight tonight!

WE HAVE A WINNER! Congratulations Cam Rice, you just nabbed yourself a copy of Starcraft II! More prizes to come!

Warning to parents: there is some mild violence which could be disturbing for younger gamers.

Good Luck Everyone! Winner will be posted here after the contest closes at 5:00 MT today!

Congratulations Phil Nepszy! You are about to get lost in Limbo. If you didn’t win…sorry. I only had one copy to give away. The good news is the game is only $15 on Xbox Live Arcade. Check it out! As I said on Breakfast Television, it’s one of my favourite games of the summer!

It’s the eerie black and white puzzle-platforming adventure that has gamers buzzing. Right in the middle of the summer gaming drought, Playdead is getting ready to unleash Limbo to the Xbox Live Arcade community. It looks unlike any other title we’ve seen before. An eerie grey shaded puzzler with morbid humour thrown in for good measure. But is the gameplay itself as good as the game looks? Let’s just say you’re in for a treat.

The Story

Limbo doesn’t start out with a fancy cinematic introducing the story. White font on black screen with the simple instruction to press start is all you’ll get. That’s it. Developer Playdead must assume everyone knows what the game is about because if you play through from beginning to end you really won’t have a good idea about what’s going on.

The underlying story is your sister has disappeared. You’re trying to find her. That’s it. Simple story. Enough said. Time to play.

The Gameplay

Limbo is a side-scrolling puzzler adventure. You explore a deliciously creepy black and white world full of strange creatures, traps and puzzles as you try and find your sister.

Your character (who doesn’t have a name) can run, jump and manipulate objects. Holes must be jumped, crates must be moved and levers must be pulled to make your way through this strange world. But you’re not alone. Other creatures also live here and you’ll run into them every so often. Some will help you, others will try to kill you. It doesn’t take long to figure out you are the most vulnerable soul in this world.

The puzzles in Limbo can be tricky, but they aren’t impossibly hard to figure out. This isn’t Myst or Riven here folks. It may take you 10 minutes or so to figure out some of the trickier puzzles, but at no point did I throw my controller down in frustration. All the puzzles are well designed, the sign of a good game.

While the game is kinda cute (in an eerie way) I do want to warn parents there is some dark humour peppered throughout the game. This mainly has to do with the death scenes. Quite often you’ll see your little head get chopped off and a little black fountain of blood spurts from your neck. Other times you’ll watch as your neck breaks after falling down a large ravine. It’s kind of fun to watch in a sick way. I know, I’m morbid.

The Graphics and Music

I absolutely love the look and feel of this game. While everything is in shades of grey, the world is quite beautiful. Bulrushes and tall prairie grass often blow in the breeze in the foreground just out of focus, while fog and steam rises up in the background. Even the more industrial backdrops are beautiful with ultra bright sparks from grinding metal wheels light up the grim atmosphere. This game stands out among all others in terms of unique presentation.

As for the music, Limbo really doesn’t have much of a soundtrack. Most of the time you’ll just hear your footsteps as you run through the world. Sometimes the silence will be broken by the sound of a mysterious creature which you may or may not encounter on your adventure. Music is introduced every so often but typically during a heated moment where split second thinking is required in order for you to survive. It’s well played out and beautifully designed.

The Downsides

No explanation of background story. Not only that, when you do come to the end of the game… it just ends. Roll credits. As I previously mentioned you are expected to know what this game is about from the get go. If you begin to play without reading anything about this Xbox Live Arcade title then you will be lost as to what is going on. True, you don’t need to know the story to play but it sure makes the experience that much more enjoyable.

My other disappointment has to be the game’s length. It’s just too short! You can easily whip through this game in 3 to 4 hours. Of course it will take you longer if you get stuck on the numerous puzzles. For a game I enjoyed so much, I was very sad when it came to such an abrupt end.

The Bottom Line

Limbo is one of the most enjoyable and solid XBLA titles I’ve played in a long time. The entire package is so well put together. The puzzles are smart, the gameplay is a blast and the look and feel of the game is unlike any other. I just wish it lasted longer! But the ultra-tough achievements do give you reason to go back and play again but I definitely wish Limbo lasted longer. So close to a perfect score.

The Good

Amazing art style
Clever puzzles
Beautiful soundtrack (when there actually is music)

The Bad

Too short
There’s a story here?

9/10

]]> http://blogs.btcalgary.ca/yawney/review-limbo-xbox-live-arcade/feed 3 http://blogs.btcalgary.ca/yawney/gadget-giveaway-crackdown-2 http://blogs.btcalgary.ca/yawney/gadget-giveaway-crackdown-2#comments Mon, 05 Jul 2010 13:45:43 +0000 Mike Yawney http://blogs.btcalgary.ca/?p=3905

Win it before you can buy it! Crackdown 2 hits stores tomorrow (July 6th) but you can play it today! All you have to do is a leave a comment below and you could take home Crackdown 2!

Contest closes at noon today so enter now! (Please only enter if you haven’t won anything in the past 30 days on Citytv) Winner’s name will be published right here on my blog!

I’m not going to give you any spoilers but I had the chance to play the game and I have to say…you’re going to enjoy it! Good luck!

We Have a Winner!
Congratulations to Angie Kerslake! Thanks for entering everyone!

Hard to believe it’s been almost three years since Mario last took to the stars. Super Mario Galaxy was a huge success for Nintendo, so it really didn’t come as a surprise to hear at last year’s E3 that a sequel was in the works. Now one year later we finally get our hands on the latest Mario game. Does it live up to my expectations? For the most part, yes.

The Story

Bowser has kidnapped Princess Peach! Like you didn’t see that one coming. The King Koopa has taken the Princess deep into space, and it’s your job to once again rescue her from his clutches.

Okay, so the story line isn’t exactly original, but what is new this time around is your sidekick. You won’t be heading out on this adventure alone. Your faithful companion (no not Luigi) Yoshi will be joining you along the way as you planet hop from galaxy to galaxy to  hunt down Bowser and reclaim your Princess.

The Gameplay

For those of you who have played the original Super Mario Galaxy, you’ll be feeling right at home. The gameplay is virtually identical. You hop from planet to planet collecting power stars. The more Power Stars you collect, the more planets you unlock to explore and the closer you get to rescuing the Princess.

Gravity plays a major role in gameplay. Some of the smaller planets you explore have a gravitational force which keeps you grounded as you run around in circles. If you jump high enough the gravitational pull of another planet will pull you in, helping you progress through individual levels. Gravity plays less of a role on the larger planets where your platforming skills become more of a priority to reach the goal.

While the game plays primarily in a 3D environment, there are times when the camera will swivel and gameplay turns to a 2D side scroller. The 2D scenes have a nice feeling of depth, so they almost feel 3D. The camera angle switch is a neat little trick which keeps the game interesting as it happens when you least expect it.

Despite a whole slew of new power-ups, (more on that in a bit) Mario can once again interact with animals. In Super Mario Galaxy you got to ride a Manta Ray, this time you’ll befriend a bird who can glide through levels.

Two player mode also returns. A friend can join in as Luigi and point the Wiimote at the screen to collect star bits, which can be used to purchase items or open new planets to explore.

The PowerUps

There’s a reason Mario is  referred to as Super Mario. It’s all about the power-ups, and there are plenty of them. A few familiar power-ups make a return such as Bee Suit Mario which enables you to fly for short periods of time, and Boo Mario which turns him into a Boo Ghost. New ones have also been added to the mix. We now have a Rock Mushroom, which turns our hero into a spinning boulder that can flatten enemies or break obstacles. The Cloud Flower will give Mario the ability to create temporary cloud platforms which will help you get access to higher ground.

Even Yoshi has a few power-ups of his own. When Yoshi eats a blimp berry he is able to catch some air. And then there’s the hot pepper which gives our little dino buddy a powerful burst of speed which can be used to run up steep hills or walls.

The Graphics

Super Mario Galaxy 2 looks sharp. The colours are bright, the enemies well animated. It’s like a pop-up story book came alive in your living room. Does it look much better than the original game? No, I wouldn’t say it does, but that’s not a bad thing as the original game looked solid.

Music of course plays a big role in Super Mario titles. While most of the game’s music is brand new, there are still a few throw backs to past games in the series. Remember the music which plays on the donut lift stages in Super Mario World? It’s back, along with a few other memorable tunes. Players will also recognize some of the classic sound effects we’ve grown to love, including the little “Yoshi” squeal your dinosaur buddy lets out when you jump on him. The feeling of nostalgia hits you like a ton of bricks.

The Downsides

The game is rock solid, there’s no denying that. If I had to get picky (and I will) it would be that this title may seem a bit too familiar. The game was originally supposed to be an expansion to Super Mario Galaxy, but Nintendo was able to scrounge together enough new content to warrant a sequel. At times it shows. Some will say this is not a bad thing as the original game was so good, but some will feel disappointed and question if this is simply a rehash.

The Bottom Line

Nintendo knows how to make a good platformer, especially when it involves their prized mascot Mario. There’s no denying Super Mario Galaxy 2 is top notch, from the graphics down to the gameplay. Sure, some will criticize the game feels too much its predecessor, but the bottom line is it’s fun and that’s what gaming is all about. Another win for the Nintendo camp.

The Good

Fun gameplay
Beautiful, colourful graphics
Cool new power-ups

The Bad

Have we played this game before?

Super Mario Galaxy 2 – 9.5 / 10

There are two types of racing games hitting the market. You have the ultra-realistic racing simulators such as Forza Motorsport 3 and Gran Turismo 5 (if it ever comes out), and then you have your arcade style racers like Need For Speed. I, for one, have never been a big fan of either. While racing games are fun, I just find I get bored with them. I have no interest in pimping  my ride with high end shocks, spoilers or neon lights. And I really don’t care if I can outrun the cops over and over again. I admit it, I’m a racing snob. So when Split Second arrived on my desk I’ve have to say I wasn’t exactly over the moon thrilled to try it out. Could a Disney racing game really hold my attention long enough to enable me to write a full review? Thankfully… yes.

The Story

Seems a bit odd to have a “The Story” category for a racing game review don’t you think? Well there really is a story to this game. You are on a new fictional reality show known as Split Second. It’s a live racing show unlike ever seen before. The goal of each show is to be the first to cross the finish line while taking out your opponents through whatever means it takes. We’re talking setting off explosives, launching missiles, even bringing entire buildings and bridges down on your opponents. Only the fastest will survive to continue on to the next season.

The Gameplay

The game is divided into 12 television seasons, each season containing 6 episodes. Different episodes have different goals. Elimination for example will have players race against a clock. When the clock hits zero the person currently in last place gets eliminated. The counter continues to reset and start again until only one car remains. Other Episodes will have helicopters blasting missiles at you as you make your way across the course, while other episodes will challenge you take take out your opponents by creating PowerPlays which set off explosions and cause the environment to literally crumble around your foes, bringing them to a screeching halt.

In order to pull off the so called “PowerPlays” you have to fill up your PowerPlay gauge. This is done by pulling off stunts, drifting, following an opponents draft, or catching air time. Partially fill up your gauge and you can set off minor events around the track to knock your opponents off course. You can trigger helicopters hovering above the race track to drop explosives on your competitors, or cause gas tankers sitting along side the track to to explode. You are given cues on when these events can be triggered, yet they must be timed perfectly. It’s easy to get anxious about a PowerPlay and miss your target all together because you set off the explosion too early. Your opponents will also have the opportunity to knock you off course using the same means.

If you’re able to fill up your gauge completely you get access to a much larger PowerPlay. These events will have cruise ships crashing through piers, towers collapsing and jet liners exploding as you race under their wings. These events are spectacular to watch and even give you the option of an instant replay once it’s pulled off. Once again you have to time your PowerPlay to knock out as many opponents as possible at the same time.

Besides taking out your opponents, PowerPlays can also be used to alter the course. Short cuts can be opened up by triggering explosives or structure collapses at key times. These shortcuts can help you when your lagging behind and can entirely change the outcome of the race. Finding these shortcuts takes time and patience as not all are apparent right away.

As you progress through the seasons you’ll be awarded points. These points will open up new vehicles. The vehicles can customized to some degree such as changing their colour but you don’t have the in depth upgrading of vehicle parts as seen in other racing games.

The Graphics

Split Second looks beautiful. While the cars are not as detailed as we’ve seen in other titles such as Gran Turismo, the game is still graphically impressive. The tracks look great, the lighting effects bang on, and the explosions are picture perfect. The game is pure eye candy. Add to this the movie quality soundtrack and you can see just how much work went into creating this title.

The Downsides

Split Second may be nice to look at and a blast to play but a few downsides became apparent after playing through course after course. You can definitely see why the game is called Split Second. There’s always someone on your ass. You never win by more than a second! While it’s a rush to beat your opponents across the finish line by a hair,  it becomes a bit ridiculous after a while. You always have to have a near picture perfect race if you want to end up in top spot. One bad move and you’ll be giving up first, second, even third place. You’ll find yourself racing on tracks over and over again hoping you don’t goof up. Maybe we’ve been too spoiled by Forza Motorsport’s rewind feature which is not in this game!

The only other flaw may be the lack of in depth customization. Sure you can make a few tweaks to your vehicle, but it lacks the deep customization of Forza Motorsport, Gran Turismo and even Need For Speed for that matter. However, some may see this as a feature rather than a flaw.

The Bottom Line

For someone who’s not a big racing fan I must admit I really enjoyed Split Second. This arcade style racer gets the heart racing, and will have your eyes bulging. And that’s just the single player mode! Hop online and play some multiplayer or even split screen with a friend and you begin to realize the game’s full potential. It may not be the heavy duty racing simulator that is Gran Turismo, but it’s not intended to be. Split Second is a sadistic adrenaline-filled ride which breaths new life into the racing genre.

The Good

Beautiful graphics
Movie quality soundtrack
Outrageous PowerPlays

The Bad

Opponent AI is a bit far fetched
Lacks deep vehicle customization

8.0/10

]]> http://blogs.btcalgary.ca/yawney/review-split-second-xbox-360/feed 0 http://blogs.btcalgary.ca/yawney/review-alan-wake-xbox-360-exclusive http://blogs.btcalgary.ca/yawney/review-alan-wake-xbox-360-exclusive#comments Wed, 19 May 2010 04:02:46 +0000 Mike Yawney http://blogs.btcalgary.ca/?p=3523

Creating a good suspenseful video game isn’t easy. Just ask Konami, the publisher of Silent Hill. There’s a fine line between cheese and suspense. You need to set the right mood, you need to have believable characters and most important, you need to have a compelling story. That could be why so many suspense / thriller games have failed in the past. Suspense is a hard genre to pull off, especially when it comes to videogames. But it is possible. In fact Remedy Entertainment seems to have almost perfected the formula with its latest game Alan Wake.

The Story

You are famous author Alan Wake. You’ve just come off an intense book tour and need some time to relax, some time to reconnect with your wife and to get your mind off the busy schedule you’ve been following. Heck, it might even give you a chance to think about what your next project will be. Knowing you need some rest and relaxation, your wife books a vacation to the secluded Bright Falls in the Pacific Northwest.

The town itself seems a bit quirky (they have an annual festival known as Deerfest) and is full of interesting characters. While it all seems harmless at first your relaxing getaway soon turns into a nightmare. Within hours of your arrival your wife disappears and the mad hunt begins to find her. As if her disappearance isn’t enough, you soon begin to realize something isn’t right with this town. Dark shadows begin taking control over residents, controlling them like puppets, and a previous book you wrote seems to becoming a reality right within the town. Is your wife alive, or has she too been swallowed by the darkness?

The Gameplay

Alan Wake plays like many other survival horror games on the market. Gameplay is a mix of exploration and action. As you explore the town and surrounding areas you’ll run into residents who will give background on the community and help advance the story. The story is what makes this game really stand out from other survival horror titles on the market. It’s surprisingly well written, almost feeling like a Dean Koontz or Stephen King novel, which clearly is exactly what Remedy Entertainment was going for here.

Most of your exploration will take place on foot, although you will get access to a vehicle from time to time. While traveling during the day is easy, the challenge comes once the sun goes down. Enemies known as “The Taken” roam the streets and woods and will stop at nothing to kill you. The Taken are basically people who have been taken over by a dark power. You’re only line of defense is light. Shining light on them will draw the darkness out. You’ll depend a lot on your handy flashlight, but other light sources will include street lights, electric generators, flares and flare guns. Once the darkness has been drawn out you will be able to injure The Taken with shotguns, rifles, pistols etc.

The game is split up into Chapters, which is brilliant as Alan Wake himself is an author. The story has a nice pace and is complimented by the manuscript pages often found floating throughout the town and wilderness. The pages seem to be from a manuscript you wrote prior to your arrival at Bright Falls. Turns out the story written on the pages is coming alive right before your eyes in Bright Falls. Reading some of these pages will help flesh out background to the characters you meet, while others foreshadow what’s about to happen in the game.

Another nice touch is the numerous television sets and radios found scattered throughout Bright Falls. Turn them on and you can watch “Twilight Zone” style TV shows or listen to a local late night radio broadcast where local residents call in to complain about mysterious events happening in the town.

The Presentation

I love the look and feel of Alan Wake. The graphics are dark and ominous, making you feel like you’re inside the pages of a Stephen King novel. I loved walking through the woods at night, only to see beams of light shine through the trees, lighting the ferns and undergrowth. It’s simply beautiful.

And just as beautiful is the music. Remedy chose to use actual licensed musical tracks for this game. Each chapter ends with music, at times making the game seem more like a movie than a novel. Each chapter also begins with a narrator giving a recap of the previous chapter. The game has a good feel and flow to it. I only can wish others games felt this fresh!

The Downsides

While I loved Alan Wake I will say I’m a bit disappointed by your enemies known simply as The Taken. They are kinda cool, but most of them are lumberjacks. Okay, I know the game takes place in a community where logging is big business but the darkness seems to prefer lumberjacks as you see them over and over again. Yes the odd Sheriff or resident is also taken over, but lumberjacks by far outnumber everyone else. Weird.

The Bottom Line

I tend to love survival horror games but Alan Wake is at the top of my list. The story is good, the graphics fantastic and the feel of the game is so unique I wanted to keep playing it long after it was done. Thank goodness extra downloadable content is coming out for it soon. The only reason this game isn’t getting a better score is because of all the lumberjacks! I simply wish there was more variation in the enemies. If you’re a fan of survival horror games or enjoy picking up a good thriller now and again, Alan Wake is for you.

The Good

Creepy atmosphere
Gorgeous graphics
Stellar soundtrack

The Bad

How many lumberjacks live in this town!

Alan Wake 9/10