How I Wasted 10 bucks and 3 hours on Electronic Arts, Part 1
My son and his friend decided to to try the trial version of Battlefield 1943 the other day. Its available for download on the Xbox Live Arcade. He liked it so much he wanted the full version. So, using money he earned for his good grades this last quarter, I plunked down $9.99 to purchase the 800 Microsoft Points required to buy the game. Little did I know what I was getting myself into. Here’s how the first two hours went.
Alpha Protocol Review
I really wanted this game to be good. What’s not to like? An espionage RPG. Jason Bourne meets Elder Scrolls: Oblivion. It’s video game gold, right? Unfortunately, Alpha Protocol falls far short of the gold. In fact, it doesn’t even win the bronze. Originally slated for a 2009 release, AP was delayed over six months for additional polish. Unfortunately, that polish didn’t correct a myriad of issues that make this game hard to enjoy and impossible to recommend.
Split/Second Review
If you have played Burnout you will be instantly familiar with Split/Second. The visuals and gameplay style are similar. In both games the key is wrecking your opponents to win races. The difference is how you do it. Burnout has you slamming opponents into oncoming obstacles and traffic. Split/Second has you destroying objects on and around the track to accomplish the same goal. Imagine if GRID and Burnout Takedown had a baby, you’d have Split/Second.
Thoughts on $15 DLC
Infinity Ward has announced that it will be releasing it’s second map pack for the hugely popular shooter Modern Warfare 2, called the “Resurgence Pack” on June 3. The pack includes five maps, two from the previous game “Call of Duty 4” (Vacant and Strike) and three new maps. The $15 price-point has created a contentious debate on the issue of pricing. So, what’s the fuss all about?
Mass Effect 2 DLC: Kasumi’s Stolen Memory
There are a number of DLC packs for Mass Effect 2, but until now they were all cosmetic additions -- new weapons, new tech, new outfits for your team. Kasumi's Stolen Memory adds a new team member, a new weapon, and a new mission. Kasumi Goto is a master thief and she's been recruited by the Elusive Man to join your team. But, as with all your team, there's a catch.
Left 4 Dead 2 DLC: The Passing
The first downloadable content pack for Left 4 Dead 2 is out and if you blink you'll miss it. It is short, to say the least, but on the bright side at least this a good candidate to earn the "Confederacy of Crunches" achievement for finishing a campaign using only melee weapons.
The new campaign, called "The Passing", takes place on the riverfront in Savannah, Georgia, immediately following the events of the "Dead Center" campaign. Playing through the first chapter, called "Riverbank," was a surreal experience since I spent a day of my vacation last summer roaming the actual location that Valve has recreated in the game.
Gaming with your Kids: Gears of War 2
For anyone who has been on the bloody giving or receiving end of a chainsaw bayonet or heard Marcus Fenix growl obsecities it may come as a surprise to find that the Gears of War games are great for gaming with your kids.
The feature that makes a game this violent, gory and obscenity-laden kid-friendly is found in the Setting menu. The option to turn off "extreme content" (i.e.: gore) fundamentally changes how the game is presented to the player. Instead of gibs flying everywhere, ragdoll physics take over and the in-tact bodies simply collapse or are thown about in reaction to the environment. The best part is that if you play online or via system link, your settings affect only your console. So when you snipe that enemy from across the map, he may see his head explode while you only see his body collapse.
Gaming with your Kids: Call of Duty World at War
The last in the series of WWII themed shooters from Activision, Call of Duty: World at War shifts the focus from the European theater to the Pacific where some of the war's must brutal fighting took place.
Gaming with your Kids: Modern Warfare 2
Modern Warfare 2 picks up where the original Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare left off. The single player story is forgettable, as was its predecessor, but multiplayer is where the game really stands out. All the game types you came to love from the first game, the system of perks, challenges and rewards is all there. The maps are tight and the action is fast paced. Some of the maps are better than others, but there really isn't a dud in the bunch. This is by far the best part of the game and the constant re-inforcement given by completing challenges and levelling keep you playing day after day.
Gaming with your Kids: Lego Rock Band
When Lego Rock Band was announced I wondered if the game developershad gone too far in incorporating Lego into the virtual world of video games. Star Wars, good. Indiana Jones, yes. Harry Potter, makes sense. Rock Band? What the...?
Well, having now played this game I have to say that it is a perfect fit. The songs are kid friendly (no sex or drugs, just rock & roll). The gameplay is the same fun you have with RB and RB2, only the band members and the fans are made of Legos and instead of gems on the instrument tracks you have Green, Red, Yellow, Blue and Orange Lego bricks.