 L.A. Noire
For the first time Rockstar puts you on the good side of the law. Sure, you're not perfect, but you're catching criminals, not being one. Beside adding the story that gives a whole new experience and gameplay over GTA and RDR games, this game improves a lot of bad elements from its predecessor.
There is no more pointless driving across the entire town just to get to the last mission you failed and try again, instead, upon failing a current mission, game will put you just a block away from giving it another go, and that even entails side-missions that aren't part of the story. That was one of the most time-consuming and pointless part in GTA4 which featured apartments as respawning points.
Another improved thing is that you won't try to kill yourself in order to shoot from the car while chasing a suspect like in GTA4, especially since there is no slow-motion aiming like in RDR. Instead, you will always be with your partner who will do the shooting and try to aim at the driver or the tires. That way you can focus on driving and not trying to cope with 15 functions at once.
On the graphical side, GTA4, RDR, and this game are all beauties to look at, every car scratch or dent, every surrounding, it's all great, and being an officer of the law you can use car siren to warn pedestrians and make other drivers clear the road, so there is no reason for branding this game as brutal, it is noir and fine one at that.
Saving the best for last, facial details are unbelievable. Not only can you recognize the actors, but also their way of acting. It is amazing to look at it, and use it as something to find out if someone is lying or hiding something. While some companies claim they are using even better technology to capture motion and face detail at the same time, the fact is that right now there is nothing better out there, and this game was the first to deliver uncanny level of facial realism.Nov 01, 2011, submitted by MAT  (53335)
 Illusion City - Gen'ei Toshi
Originating on the MSX computer (with a subsequent port to Mega CD that added some audio tracks and a few enhancements), Illusion City is arguably the best Japanese RPG you've never played. It is one of the very few purely "urban" representatives of the genre: the entire game takes place in a huge city where each district is bigger than most towns you'd see in comparable games. The graphical detail and the smooth animations are nothing short of amazing; the superb moody soundtrack brings the unusual "Chinese cyberpunk" setting to life. Vast, complex dungeons, absence of random enemies (!), interesting and varied weapons (including firearms and different types of bullets), and enjoyable combat confirm the fact that Illusion City is an overlooked gem. The Mega CD version is the best, but those who can't read Japanese might be interested in the English translation of the MSX version floating on the net.Oct 01, 2011, submitted by YID YANG (162342)
 The Simpsons Game
What? The Simpsons Game? How can it be good? It's a licensed game! Everyone knows they make those games for those jerks who'll buy them just because of the license! Those idiots!! Hahahaaahahaa!! Anyway, so I bought it. D'oh! Doesn't mean I'm an idiot... I'd better eat some chocolate... Mmmm.... chocolate... Anyway, what was I saying? Oh, right. So, I still decided to try it at work, when Mr. Burns wasn't watching. And I didn't even fall asleep! I was surprised to discover it was really fun to play! You can have all those funny abilities, like me eating food, becoming fat and destroying stuff... Mmmm... food... D'oh! I've got to concentrate! Yeah, so it was great! So many parodies of video games, like Medal of Homer. Medal of Homer! Haaaa-hahahahahaa!!... Yes, anyway... And the writing was great! Like in a really good Simpsons episode! So, it turned out to be funny AND fun! So go play it already, why you little!!...Sep 01, 2011, submitted by YID YANG (162342)
 Tengai Makyō: Ziria
The historical achievement of being the first role-playing game released on a CD (which allowed voice acting for all the cutscenes) is far from being the main reason for this game's place in the Hall of Fame of Japanese RPGs. Tengai Makyō: Ziria is remarkable for doing so many things right, despite the early stage of the genre's development. It was the first humorous RPG in history, but it also had endearing characters who by far surpassed anyone seen in a JRPG before. It had great gameplay touches such as the necessity to find magic instead of automatically learning it; full restoration of a character at level up; ability to swap magic spells between characters; unique battle abilities and "limit breaks", and so on. But above all, it was perfectly executed, had great balance, was challenging but not frustrating, and the constant humor refreshed the experience such as never before. Today, Ziria hasn't lost its appeal, and arguably remains the most playable and enjoyable Japanese RPG of the early era.Aug 01, 2011, submitted by YID YANG (162342) | Power Shovel
In a world of generic FPS games and 40 hour RPG epics, it's nice to know that some developers still feel that imaginative game design is still worth something.
Power Shovel is something as unique as an excavator simulator arcade game with a complex control setup and "throw you straight into the action" gameplay. Interested yet? Bandai really went all out with this one, and after you get over the small hurdle that is actually learning to control your Komatsu digger you'll have hours of fun doing all kinds of random things you didn't know was possible with machinery of this kind. You'll end up knocking down houses, digging holes, wrecking cars, serving 100 liter portions of curry and much, much more...
Digging a hole in the ground has never been this much fun!Jul 01, 2011, submitted by Parf (6562)
 There's a moment in every game where you know for certain that you've stumbled on something special, something unique. For Sacboy's first travel across the patchwork landscape, Stephen Fry's pitch perfect narration in tow, that very moment was spread out across every piece of artwork, every musical jingle, and every fan made level that came out long after its launch.
With an official sequel on the way, why not take a quick look back at where it all began with the original
LittleBigPlanet.Jun 01, 2011, submitted by Kartanym (10797)
 Moon: Remix RPG Adventure
Gain Love, not Levels... The world hasn't seen role-playing as brilliant as this since the Avatar gathered compassion points by overpaying a blind reagent seller in Ultima IV. When the great Kenichi Nishi brought together a bunch of talented ex- Square employees and made a game, the result was something a genius hippie would design after having played too many video games. Moon takes the Japanese RPG genre and puts it on its head. It is an RPG without weapons and without enemies. Instead of killing monsters, you help them to get their souls back. Instead of experience points, you have "love points". Moon is a puzzle-solving adventure in an RPG disguise. Moon is a paradox. Moon is an inspired work of art. Moon makes too many other games look pale and uninteresting. Moon gave birth to an entire "cult sub-genre". Moon is just awesome.May 01, 2011, submitted by YID YANG (162342)
 Giftpia
It really should have been Giftopia, but what does it matter? In a world where companies keep producing sequels and games that are strikingly similar to each other, only very few have the artistic vision and the creative freedom of the guys from Skip - the new name of those who developed the incredible Moon and the wonderfully enigmatic Lack of Love. Giftpia might not have the scope and the originality of Moon, but it is certainly its spiritual successor in the sheer wackiness, the utter disrespect for game genre conventions, the complete determination to be exciting in a different way. It looks like an RPG, and in many ways, it is an RPG - but without combat, without levels, and with very few stats... How does the game do it? I don't know, but I know we should all play it to find out!..Apr 01, 2011, submitted by YID YANG (162342) |
 Halo: Combat Evolved
A lot of people would say that Halo is one of the best FPS' around. But it has taken flack from some critics for its flaws, even at the time as well as in hindsight. Playing through the game, the biggest flaws, and certainly one of the most noticeable, is the generic level design. Granted, the entire game essentially takes place on the same artificial construct, but this does nothing to stop a bit of deja vu from creeping in. It is not helped by the fact that aside from the armory, most rooms have no consoles, equipment, desks or weapons in them.
And this lack of imagination, if you will, extends to the lack of originality of the human weapons on offer. bearing this game is set in 2552, the weapons might not look that out of place in the considerably nearer future. Which is made odder by the fact that the Covenant weapons are by far more akin to a sci-fi game. The same can also be said for the UNSC vehicles as well, compared to their Covenant counterparts, the effort was just not put into their design.
I could put more of Combat Evolved's problems here, but for this feature, it probably would end up being to long, and the ones listed here are the largest problems that i can think of.Mar 01, 2011, submitted by havoc of smeg (10838)
 StarCraft
In case you haven't heard already, one of the most awaited real-time strategy (RTS) sequels of all time, StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty has finally been released...12 years later. I don't think many of us will be around for the third at this rate. :p
As reminder for all our new and young RTS gamers, why this game has made RTS history and why South Korean teenagers are more familiar with this game than they are of Britney Spears is due to the almost perfect game mechanics this game introduced (fanboi talking here).
Although many RTS games introduced several factions, many of the units are more or less the same with different graphics. StarCraft introduced factions with totally different abilities, which amazingly still appears to be balanced (fanboi still taking here).
Though for more romantic gamers, the game also introduced an impressive storyline: plot twists, character heroes that somehow connected with the player. Although most of it is uncovered in its sequel - StarCraft: Brood War.
Will the new StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty live up to the expectations of StarCraft fans? Who knows...but as any hardcore gamer would say: Play first, ask questions later.Feb 04, 2011, submitted by Indra was here (14900)
 You Are Empty
Does it ever happen to you that you try out a game that was mercilessly bashed by everyone, only to discover that this game is great? Well, that's what happened to me here. The most common thought I had during playing was: "Did we play the same game"?.. Where is the awful game "professional" reviewers poured their contempt on, competing in tactless sarcasm?.. All I saw was a tense, atmospheric shooter with the most beautiful levels ever designed for an FPS. Playing You Are Empty is a non-stop delight. Its world immerses you like no other. This game is undeniably a work of art and a satisfying FPS experience, and I suggest to vote for it as The Most Underrated FPS Ever.Jan 01, 2011, submitted by YID YANG (162342)
 Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Unlike most Star Wars games that are just based on the story of the Star Wars films or being based on the material, The Force Unleashed goes one further by actually expanding the story of the films and bridging the gaps between episodes III and IV.
What makes Force Unleashed even more appealing is that not only are you one of the Sith, the bad guys of Star Wars, you are the apprentice of everyones' favorite asthmatic dark lord, Darth Vader. This in turn means he is featured heavily in game, so much so that you get to play as him with all his force powers, as well as fight against him near the end of the game.
Backing this up is the is its slick combat based on the iconic Jedi combat of the films. Players can effortlessly use their lightsabers in tandem with your force powers which, due to this being a RPG, can be upgraded with additional powers, complemented with lightsaber combos that are available for purchase.Dec 06, 2010, submitted by havoc of smeg (10838) |
