Ethan Miller @T.Servo
Reviews
Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis (Windows)
Good Game
The Good
This is yet another one of those 3-D park building SIMs, but with a new twist. Dinosaurs. Now some other franchises had a go at this (like Zoo Tycoon) but didn't (in my opinion) have the same feel, excitement, and fun this game has. Basically, you run a park with dinosaurs, and try to keep guests happy and safe. Easy right? Not exactly. You have to keep your dinosaurs happy too. Large carnivores (and velociraptor) will go on rampages if their needs aren't met. Also weather affects your park. Heatwaves will dehydrate dinosaurs, thunderstorms may cause power-outages, tornadoes can destroy your park and kill guests and dinosaurs. The dinosaurs themselves have to be my favorite video game dinosaurs of all. Their behaviors and AI are very realistic. You also get to do missions. Some are pretty hard, but when you beat them all you get the best part of this game. Site B. Site B is you have an island of your choice, everything is free (sounds like a dream hotel), no guests, no nothing. Except for dinosaurs. Just make and island of free roaming dinosaurs. Awesome, right?
The Bad
This is a good game and I don't see any reason not to buy it, but there are a few things that bugged me. The dinosaur AI is a bit buggy. Small carnivores will usually stay in one area, but large ones will spread out. If they meet, the small one will run in circles away from the big one and panic. It will continue to do this until it either attacks the big one (in which case the big one will attack it and kill it) or pass out in a coma. This isn't really a problem, unless your'e on Site B. The graphics are good for the most part, but the guests could have had more detail. There also could have been more dinosaurs. Many were pulled from the game at the last second.
The Bottom Line
This game is definitely worth buying. Overall it's a good game that is replayable. There is also plenty of sites where you can download mods for this game. Did I mention blood and some gore in a SIM?
By Ethan Miller on August 17, 2007
Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s (PlayStation 2)
Not the best.
The Good
I liked some of the songs. Some are really fun to play. The characters were cool, too. Pretty creative.
The Bad
I honestly have to say I was not very impressed, as I was with Guitar Hero 2. There are only about 5 or so songs that are replayable. The rest you never want to go back to. Speaking of songs, there are only 30, making this the Guitar Hero with the fewest songs. The cover bands haven't really improved. I'd only get it if you're into Guitar hero games. Let's face it, it isn't going to fill the gap from July 24 to Guitar Hero 3. It isn't going to last that long.
The Bottom Line
This game wasn't what I expected. There could have been another whole section of songs. Basically, it isn't the best Guitar Hero game. Very few songs are replayable. You are better off waiting for Guitar Hero 3.
By Ethan Miller on August 1, 2007
Zoo Tycoon 2: Zookeeper Collection (Windows)
Awesome SIM
The Good
I really liked the animals. This set came with animals from African Adventure and Endangered Species so you automatically have double than the game alone. The animal AI is incredible. The interact really good with each other. Blue Fang certainly did their homework. The missions are fun and are a good challenge.
The Bad
Although the interaction is great, dangerous animals, if escaped from their incloser, will only attack adult men. They basically have no interaction with the kids and women (though this probably to keep and E rating). Also the visitors complain too much. You need like an arch every path, a bench every 10 ft, like 3 playgrounds, and like 4 food courts to keep them happy.
The Bottom Line
This is a fun game. Note my review is about the game in general, not specifically each expansion's features. I HIGHLY recommend The Zookeeper Collection. You get the original and two expansions, for a price that's lower than buying them all separate. Great deal and very fun to play!
By Ethan Miller on June 29, 2007
Guitar Hero II (PlayStation 2)
Fun, innovative game.
The Good
I really liked the controller. The SG is my favorite guitar. I also liked the characters. They looked like real people. Usually in video games they are cartoonish and unproportioned. The songs were better than the first.
The Bad
Some of the cover bands sounded nothing like the real bands (Particularly "Heart-Shaped Box" ,although Kurt is dead) They should have less cover bands in the next game. I also did not like a lot of the bonus songs ("Elephant Bones" being the worst).
The Bottom Line
This game is better than the first. The cover bands sound better. Definitely worth playing.
By Ethan Miller on June 29, 2007
Carnivores (Windows)
A hunting game that turned back the clock
The Good
This game was the first hunting game to have the hunter become the hunted. The dinosaurs are pretty neat, in having certain weak points. It also creates some suspense when hearing heavy footsteps that get louder, and louder until it's too late. Definitely a classic!
The Bad
The graphics aren't that great, but it is an old game. There is also that allosaurus that stalks the area and gets you at the worst possible moment (even when you aren't hunting him). Even though some weak points are okay, some (like T-rex's) are bogus. And some of the plant-eaters like stegosaurus and pachycephelosaurus that had defenses, don't attack in this game.
The Bottom Line
Carnivores was a great game that started a great series. Definitely worth playing. And is just an instant classic!
By Ethan Miller on April 1, 2007
Carnivores 2 (Windows)
The best game of the Carnivores series
The Good
This game is much better than the first. I was already getting ambushed by allosaurus in the first, but now I got to watch for spino and velociraptor. I also liked how it takes a couple shots any where to kill your game (with the exeption of t-rex). The new guns also make it more fun.
The Bad
The graphics are better than the previous one, but are still kinda cheesey. The dino calls are also some-what lame (they're okay, but nothing like the jurassic park roars). I don't like having to still have to hit t-rex in the eye to kill him, and his over-exaserated senses. Also everything is not sized correctly. Spinosaurus and (obviously) allosaurus are too small, and velociraptor and ceratosaurus are too big. Suprizingly, the little moshops guy that makes that annoying sound when he runs, is also too small.
The Bottom Line
This game is great. Hunting dinosaurs is fun. Not too impressive graphics, but fun to play when you want to kill time.
By Ethan Miller on March 20, 2007
Carnivores: Ice Age (Windows)
Good hunting game.
The Good
The graphics are a lot better than the other ones. The animals themselves are cool, my fav being the carnivorous bird. I like how they used the red deer call for the giant deer. I like it second.
The Bad
Even though the graphics are better than the other ones, they're still pretty poor compared to today's games. The animals also have many flaws. They don't attack each other (although they didn't in the other ones). Also the brontotherium, archeopteryx, and diatryma (meat-eating bird) didn't live during the ice age. I also had to download a patch to give it some of the features it was missing on the xp. It also says that the giant deer and bronotherium are harmless, which when I first played found to be wrong. The "secret" animal is VERY annoying!
The Bottom Line
This game is "good." It isn't much different than Carnivores 2, which I thought was better. If you want the best out of this game, then download the patch, otherwise you're missing out on stuff like blood and glare from the sun. I would give it a 3/5.
By Ethan Miller on March 20, 2007