Review The Last Game You Played

[Tuffty]

The topic title says it all really. Tell us what you thought of the last game you had completed or at least played enough of to offer it a detailed critique. Make it as long or as short as you want and put your writing skills to the test!

Max Payne 3 - 9/10

"I needed a real drink to get away from the electronic music and the robotic people"

It was never going to be easy. Max Payne has been away for years now and the industry has changed a lot since then. An action shooter with obvious tips of the hat to hard-boiled action cinema, crime noir and Norse mythology may have worked a decade ago, it would be hard to tell if the same approach would work in this current day. It could be cheesy, or retreaded old ground that had since long been covered.

But luckily Rockstar was aware of the challenge in inheriting Max Payne from Remedy studios. This isn't quite the same maniacal, gun toting detective we remember. Rather it is a brutal, dark revenge drama in the same sense as Man on Fire while at the same time, still an unmistakably Max Payne adventure. And there are advantages and disadvantages to both.

"I was a dumb American where dumb Americans were less popular than the clap"

We rejoin Max in the beginning of the game in a dark place, aged, tired and a depressive alcoholic pill taker still hurting from the loss he has been through in his life. Lured to Brazil by old friend Raul Passos, Max is now a bodyguard to the decadently rich Branco family. Max, once again voiced brilliantly by James McCaffrey, is forced to rely on his gunplay whilst being pushed to the edge of reason when things quickly go bad from the offset. It's a dark and incredibly grim tale as one should expect from Max Payne, with Rockstar also able to weave in the wry social commentary it's well known for. Max spends enough time hanging with the glitzy, glamourous world of the obscenly rich and the poor, down trodden favelas to show the ugliness under the surfaces of both. As someone who was quick to judge on the early screenshots of a bald Max in sunny Brazil, I was more than happy to eat my words at the strength and quality of it's story.

"I'd been stuck in the past so long I'd forgotten what year it was"

What really shines in Max Payne 3 is the gunplay. As Max Payne's first entry to the current generation, the shooting is more stylish and bloody than ever, in large part thanks to the Euphoria physics engine. The physics make combat in Max Payne 3 simply jaw dropping. Bullets strike enemies with such ferocity that blood spirals in the air with enemies reacting to where they've been hit. It rarely makes any combat scenario feel alike. It's all about forward motion in this game, while other third person shooter would have you focusing on using conservative cover. Max Payne 3 demands you dive in slow motion with gusto or activating bullet time by pressing on the right stick. Max can use cover in certain areas, but I found that depending on it too much will often get you swarmed by enemies. Besides, why hide behind cover when you can literally stylishly dive in slow motion mid air blasting any fools near you? In another nod to modern third person shooters, an auto aim option is also included by default, but take my advice and turn it off. Not only does it add to the challenge, but it also allows you to see the environmental damage you see in the game, making each gun fight seem more 'movie-esque'.

While you feel deadly, Max Payne 3's difficulty is distinctly old school, even on the Normal difficulty setting. Max still relies on popping painkillers to regenerate health but he's still completely fragile. A number of shots can easily put you down unless you're careful, which makes each moment feel gripping. It makes for an interesting risk/reward system that's isn't too dissimilar from Vanquish, perhaps my favourite third person shooter this generation.

"When had I ever needed to invite trouble in? It always found me, no matter where I hid."

For all it's polish, there are some issues I had with Max Payne 3. The sudden shifts from gameplay into cutscenes can at times feel imposing, particularly in quick succession, and some scenarios are occassionaly frustrating. You can battle through a horde of enemies only to die before a lone gunman and be asked to replay the entire lengthy scenario of the game. There's also the same issue that's been true of all Max Payne games, in that there's not much else to do other than move from one room to the next shooting bad guys. In it's defence, Rockstar have allievated this somewhat with the physics engine almost promising something different each time as well as the introduction of set pieces using bullet time and on rail shooting events. A chase and shoot sequence on a harbour towards the end of the first disc was particularly thrilling and you can't help but be caught in the immediacy of the moment.

"I ain’t slippin’ man – I’m slipped."

Multiplayer doesn't only bring the high octane action of the single player into an online arena with much success, but like with Red Dead Redemption, the multiplayer also has a robust player progression system. There are a ton of unlockable weapons, attachments, equipment, perks and customisable gear to unlock. The deathmatch modes are frantic and fun, but it's the Gang Wars mode which puts 16 players in 4 random objective based rounds of play on massive maps that can keep you engaged. However it does have the same issue that RDR had, in that high level players have access to a better arsenal which you don't have. Allowing someone to use the frankly, ridiculously overpowered RPG in deathmatch scenarios is a joke, and it just spoils the fun.

"I had a hole in my second favourite drinking arm"

Ultimately, none of the story beats or polish takes away from the fact that Max Payne 3 is very much a refinement of an old formula, and if you're looking for something revelatory, this isn't it. But what is amazing is that the trademark production values and sublime attention to detail takes the series in a compelling direction. Factor in some engaging story telling, brilliant dialogue with the voice work to back it up and Rockstar's most technically impressive game to date on top of one of the most satisfying shooters to date and you have something which stands above most if not all other offerings of it's kind.

[Forthisgift]

That's a tough act to follow Tuffty... damn. That was some pro status writing/reviewing. Here it goes...

Shenmue (Dreamcast) - 9/10


A Short Preface

As a lifelong gamer there have only been two games that have really, REALLY made a lasting impression on me. By "lasting impression" I mean games that I feel compelled to re-play over and over again. Zelda: A Link to the Past (SNES) is one of them and, of course, Shenmue is the other. MMO's don't really count for this I suppose because they are designed specifically to have re-play value, but if they did count I'd have to list Anarchy Online as well which was the MMO that got me into the genre. Anyways, I'm just about finished with my...*counts in head*... 5th play-through of Shenmue and, as I had expected, it has been such a pleasure. When this game came out 3490845 years ago when the Earth was flat there was a tremendous amount of hype for the game. After all, the legendary Yu Suzuki of Space Harrier and Virtua Fighter fame (just to name a few) produced and directed it. Did it live up to the hype? It lived up to it and then some. Shenmue pushed the Dreamcast to its limits, provided a visual experience that was far beyond the reach of any other console game on any system at the time. This wasn't just for two months, no.. it held onto that title for a year and a half if I remember correctly. Not only that, it was so ambitious, providing 16 chapters of storyline over 3 CDs. Admittedly, reviews of the game when it came out were divided. It was either hailed as a masterpiece, or self-indulgent, uninspiring crap. As you can already tell I'm in the "masterpiece" camp. Onwards to the story!

About Shenmue

Shenmue begins with our main protagonist, Ryo Hazuki, returning home from school to the family Dojo to find his father Iwao surrounded men in black suits and a mysterious man in a green silken outfit demanding an item known as the Dragon Mirror. Don't worry, I won't spoil anything, all the information I plan on giving you is all part of the opening movie that I'm describing which is meant to give you this backstory anyhow. Seeing that his father is clearly outnumbered, Ryo foolishly tries to defend his father quickly making the situation worse. With Lan Di, the man in the green silken regalia, threatening to kill his only son, Iwao reluctantly gives the location of the Dragon Mirror to Lan Di in return for sparing Ryo's life. After retrieving the Dragon Mirror, Lan Di reminds Iwao of a man he had killed from his past who was Lan Di's father and that now it was time for revenge. Ryo, still injured on the ground from intervening earlier, watches helplessly as his father falls in combat to Lan Di. The next morning, with revenge on his mind and the pain of his fathers loss still fresh, he heads into town to investigate...

Rants and Raves

Seriously, this game has it all. The music is beautiful, the visuals are stunning, and the world is so easy to lose yourself in. You like combat? There is a leveling system where you can spar with your buddy or train moves in abandoned areas to increase the effectiveness of them in combat when you free-battle the many mooks that get between you and Lan Di through the implementation of the Virtua Fighter combat system. You like action? Quick Time Events, known as QTE's in-game, require the player to press button on the controller when prompted on the screen, and if you do it successfully you may unlock new information, clues, or sequences that help you along your path but failure results in the opposite of course making for a truly dynamic experience in which the plot branches off depending on your skill. You like solving puzzles? Ryo keeps a notepad that fills up as you progress through the game with clues and information that you'll need to reach Lan Di and exact your revenge and there are other puzzle like features of some parts of the game. Do you like adventure? The world is a persisting sandbox world with a clock built into it that changes the world around you from day to night and, as the days progress on a real-time calendar, you'll see the weather patterns turn from rain to snow. Certain events can only be accessed at certain times so paying attention to the time is crucial! You can buy a soda from the soda machine, you could go to the arcade and play video games in a video game. It's like Shenmue-ception. (i hope you get the reference, lol) You like cats, lol??!  There is a side-quest that has nothing to do with the main quest where you can nurse a kitten back to health. Do it, it's so awesome. Do you like love stories? One word; Nozomi. That's all I can say without spoilers. Do you like to explore? Ryo can interact with everything and everyone. and there is A LOT to interact with whether it be people, places, drawers, cabinets, etc. Do you like games that are FUCKING AMAZING?? Then get this game.

Closing Notes

You may be asking yourself, "after all of that why did you give this game a 9/10 instead of a perfect score?" One reason; the controls can be rather clunky. Maneuvering Ryo around can be a daunting task at first but once you "feng shui" the controller and figure out how to get Ryo around the game becomes a 10/10. But honestly, I can't understate how clunky the controls can be sometimes. This is my 5th play-through and I still rage a little trying to turn Ryo around lol. I'm so positive that if you like RPGs (saying RPG for this game was hard because, given all that this game is, it's hard to genre-fy) you'll love Shenmue. In fact, I'm so certain of it that you'll love this game that, if you read this and decide to pick up a used dreamcast and the Shenmue game from wherever they might sell one and hate it, I'll send you a check for your money back. Seriously. If you're broke and, after reading this, feel that you have to play this game and you live relatively close to New York, I'll send you my Dreamcast/Shenmue as you long as you pinky promise to send it back to me in a reasonable amount of time. All things being equal the game doesn't take TOO long to beat so.. yea. Also, you have to pay for shipping.

[Tuffty]

Thanks mate! Ah Shenmue. I've no hesitation in saying that if it weren't for that game I wouldn't have as much a vested interest into Japanese culture, which wouldn't have led me to Morning Musume, which meant I wouldn't even be here. An amazing game, one I still hold hope that will have a true sequel at some point in my life. Also, isn't the first one meant to be the first chapter alone? I think Shenmue 2 was like chapters 2 & 3 of the 16 part story.

On a related note, I guess that leads me to my next review

Virtua Fighter 5 : Final Showdown - 9/10

It took long enough. Sega was rather unfortunate in that Virtua Fighter 5 came out before Street Fighter reignited interest back in the fighting genre, but frustratingly kept static when it roared back to life. Final Showdown, a significant update to the original, only ever appeared in Japanese arcades, and now here we are, almost two years later for it to come as a digital download release to the consoles. Despite the wait, there have been enough changes made to the formula which doesn't show any signs of age.

Two new characters join the expansive roster. Taka-arashi, the sumo wrestler from VF3, makes a return and favours with some hard hitting combos. He also has a slight advantage in being a heavier gentleman, so certain combos that are dependent on juggling won't work on him, meaning players will have to rely on other means of piling on the damage. The other new character is Jean, the best half-French, half-Japanese mix since Maria Ozawa. A practitioner of karate, he's the closest the series has come to a 'charge' character. While his charge moves cost precious seconds to land, it can lead to some devastating combos and quick mix up attacks that are difficult to guard against. In addition to the new faces, the existing crew have been overhauled to the point where familiar tactics have been rendered obsolete. It's not a case of adjusting minor details, but one of going so far as to adding new moves while changing the inputs and properties of old moves too.

The fighting system has also been tweaked from the original. Attacking from the side has been buffed up while hitting evade attempts rewards you with a counter hit, making a higher risk/reward strategy for evading. The end result is that the pace is faster and favours attacking play. It makes Final Showdown look and feel more stylish than the original and easier on the eye for a spectator.

As a digital release only, concessions needed to be made and customisation is the biggest hit. To go under the memory limit, all character items are DLC only, so you can't even so much as see the crazy customisation opponents without purchasing the DLC. It's understandable, but no less frustrating. On the positive side, the core game with all characters, game modes and all are priced at 1200 MS points/£10.00 for PSN. Free if you're a PSN + member. Concessions are also made to the single player, with the addicting quest mode from the original also taken away. License Trials gives the title legs by asking the player to accomplish a number of tasks e.g. throw 6 times, block ten times etc. The training mode isn't as welcoming to new players as VF4:Evo, but is much more helpful than the majority of other fighters released. This even shows raw data like execution and frame advantage during command inputs, so you can plan which moves are beneficial in which situations. It's fortunate that the the netcode is as stellar as the original. It's strong enough to encourage sustained online play, and the VF community is famously encouraging and welcoming of new players.

One of the main strengths about VF is how everyone has their own style. While you feel almost locked in to play as Ryu or Sagat in a certain way, the expansive moveset on each character makes it possible for no one player to handle each one alike, so each fight can wildly vary. At the introductory price point it's a no-brainer. A complicated, technical beast of a fighting game and more than ever worth the effort of learning.

[Forthisgift]

I loved reading your story about how Shenmue essentially brought you here! Very cool

Also, isn't the first one meant to be the first chapter alone? I think Shenmue 2 was like chapters 2 & 3 of the 16 part story.

Quite right. Yu Suzuki had expressed an interest in continuing the series but, because of Shenmue 2's poor reception and sales, no development company is likely to back a Shenmue 3. Hell, there were even plans for an MMORPG set in the Shenmue universe that was being developed in 2005 but that got cancelled. This is the relevant gossip for Shenmue's future at the moment:

- On March 2, 2011, Yu Suzuki appeared at the Game Developer's Conference 2011. When he was asked about Shenmue 3, he said: "I think SEGA will let me make it…it's a matter of budget…we have to make it in an affordable way."

 - On January 4, 2012, Yu Suzuki hinted that he can secure the rights to Shenmue from Sega.

So, take that for what it's worth. If my post is read by 100 people and only 1 person decides to try it, I'll be happy. To me, it's the best game no one has ever heard of. And if you've heard of it, and played it, you loved it. I just wanna spread the loveeee man, hahah.

In regard to you VF5 post, is VF5 part of the MLG fighting circuit? I know that MvC3, SF4, and MK9 are but I'd be surprised if the VF series wasn't getting some love.

[pikapikapika]

MVC3 and SF4 are not part of MLG. MK9 is, SCV is, and KOF was, for a couple of events, but has been dropped for the summer season because they couldn't make money off of it, and SCV will not be in the MLG fall season.
If you're looking for fighting games, I wouldn't look for MLG, they don't really care, the money is in Starcraft 2. They don't even give the fighting games that much stream time and the only reason they even had KOF was because Capcom didn't want to make a deal with MLG to use their games (or so I hear).

I wouldn't say never, but VF5 is brand new, and those in the fighting game community are working hard to get a community going for VF5, and if MLG get their greedy hands on it, it'll be off the hard work the FGC put in to make the game popular.

Meanwhile, up until the EVO tournament (which the finals are running as we speak) VF5 was played on Wednesday Night Fights on the Level|Up stream every week since, but they're on a summer break for EVO, which also had a VF5 world tournament running.

If you want to see MvC3, SF4, VF5, KOF, SCV, there are many tournaments live streamed for many weekends of the year (EVO being the biggest) keep an eye on http://www.eventhubs.com for details of any recent events going on.

Also, good topic, haha, sorry if my hate for MLG took it off topic >.>;;;

[Forthisgift]

no worries pika I really don't much about that niche of the gaming scene. I certainly didn't mean to offend haha

Bring this back on topic by reviewing a game!

[Tuffty]

Mass Effect 3 (360) - 6/10

'Controversial' is perhaps the best word to describe Mass Effect 3 since it's release. But there were also signs beforehand that had gave longterm fans reason to be concerned. Trailers emphaised all-out action in favour of intelligent, intriguing conversations. New characters being introduced that wouldn't look out of place in a Gears of War game. Exisisting female characters getting an overt makeover for sex appeal. And, whisper it, multiplayer. All of which are ideas and practices that have been so prevalent from EA releases. Sadly, it is perhaps their guiding hand and relatively quick development cycle which has had an impact on the overall quality of the concluding chapter to a series championed by gamers for it's narrative and ambition.

Mass Effect 3 begins with the Reapers, an alien race the size of spaceships, finally making their attack on the galaxy. Commander Shepherd is under house arrest when the long-awaited and feared attack by the Reapers begins as they attack Earth. It's an attempt to recapture the magic from ME2's fantastic opening, but never quite makes it as it forces the combat system, a longly contentious aspect to begin with, to take a leading role. Mass Effect games have always attempted a blend of RPG tropes with decent third person combat and in this game it's a far more direct and gun-heavy approach than ever before. Popping in and out of cover is encouraged and is more reliant on a player's trigger finger skills than the other two games dared. Flanking, biotic powers, squad commands are still there and encouraged, but combat progression can largely be done by pointing the cursor over a targets head and firing until it's dead. On it's own merits, ME3 is a compotent, if not great, third person shooter. Spurred on with the might of EA behind it, ME does it's best to mimic Gears Of War, with the occassional setpiece thrown in there that mimics something from Call of Duty. Reapers strike with unrelenting prejudice and the natural retort is to respond in kind; it’s an attitude that doesn’t work here. The more traditional shooter deliberately spends an age getting its gunplay down to a tee, and a game as vast and expansive as this just doesn’t have the resources necessary to take on such juggernauts head-to-head.

Sadly, the problem is that there's a lot of it. Like a loooot of combat. Much more so than in any other past ME game. Perhaps it makes sense in the context of the story, but none of it is that engaging to hold your interest for the majority of it. It also comes at the expense of what fans particularly enjoy about the series, the character interaction and player choice. Where before the initial mission setup was vast environmental areas on different worlds where you can talk and gather information on the current situation and the history of the ME universe, in ME3 any sort of downtime is limited to the Normandy (your ship) and the Citadel. The majority of the game is played in linear paths, shooting targets from point A to point B, cutting out exploration entirely. Dialog choices are now drastically cut down to picking between a good choice and bad choice, whereas before there were multiple paths to take. It became tired that towards the end I wasn't even reading what was said, I just knew that selecting the top right option on the dialog wheel was always going to be the 'good' choice and that is how my Shepherd was going to be. In ME3 there are arguments to be made at every juncture. So many of the choices presented are riddled with political or personal ramifications that even the clear ‘right’ course of action could have devastating effects further down the line. It’s a common occurrence to feel completely perplexed as dozens of pros and cons ravage the brain, and the impact of these can go as far as to wipe out those who Shepard considers a friend.

But in the end, it doesn't really matter. Bioware had long promised that ME3 would wildly differ based upon decisions made by players using save data from ME1 and ME2, but it doesn't go fulfilled. Decisions made in ME3 have no dramatic impact on how it ends. Those decisions carried across from ME1&2 show that Bioware has kept it's eye on the proceedings, but the conclusion of these story arcs are often hit and miss and none of them have a huge say in the story Bioware wants to tell and the ending that is force upon you. That ending.....Finishing the trilogy, in the manner that Bioware had always promised, was always a difficult task to take, and perhaps it was too big a task to make in the short development time they had (2 years between ME2 & 3 as opposed to 5 for the first game alone) but there are some genuine frustrations to be had with the final hour of the game, which raises as many questions as answers and almost contradicts and goes against what Mass Effect has been about. I'm not crying over it, I'm not asking for heads to roll, just disappointed.

The short development cycle also has an impact on the structure of the game as a whole. You get the sense that there just wasn't enough time to make the Mass Effect game they wanted as it's had an . As mentioned earlier, the majority of it is linear paths racking up your kill count as you go. But technical hitches have been present in my game and in cases, some bugs were also present, a notable one in particular resulted in me having a broken quest in my log which I couldn't complete because an event didn't fire off at a certain point and there was no way to activate it past that pont. The vast majority of side quests are now reduced to fetch quests, a lot of which just doesn't make sense in the context of the story. Why does Shepherd have to retrieve spark plugs when he already has the burden of saving the galaxy? From there it's travelling out on the galaxy map, scanning nearby planets and hope that they have what you're looking for. The rewards are ultimately worthless, war assets don't contribute to the story at all and credits are effectively pointless considering you pick up weapons and armor along the way in the story missions you undertake. Unlike in the previous games, there are no missions where you explore new environments and perhaps learn something new about your characters along the way. It is all fetch quests and survival horde missions which re-uses multiplayer maps.

Speaking of which, multiplayer has EA's taint all over it. It's a fun, if ultimately pretty shallow horde mode. Character progression, weapons, equipment and even character appearance are all tied with micro-transactions either purchased through in-game credits, which you acquire slowly over time through playing matches, or conveniently, through any MS points you have. Just don't do it. For one the multiplayer isn't deep enough to warrant it and secondly, your credits/points are spent on 'packs' containing random items which you won't know about until you purchase it, so you could almost waste real money on a pack buying something full of items which you ultimately don't want.

ME3 to me, could perhaps be best summed up in one sequence approaching the end of the game. It's the long awaited push back against the Reapers and you finally have some downtime to wonder around and explore. It's the only bit of downtime outside of a long combat sequence beforehand. Shepherd takes the time to contact former squad mates and speak with others. Garrus, your Turian brother in arms, has a touching admission of concern for his Commander and his friend as the end approaches. But then, as you progress forward on a connecting bridge between two buildings, a sudden Reaper attack commences and a turret sequence begins. It lasts for all of two minutes and then it's finished. To me, it's as if Bioware/EA couldn't let the player go for 5 mins without, god forbid, something exploding, or having something to shoot at so they had to throw this sequence in there, towards the end of the game just in case people get bored and turn off the game completely rather than finish the story. It's the focus on action rather than player choice which has led to ME3 being an overall disappointing experience, and not just the last 10 mins of the game. At some point I just grew tired of it and I wanted to finish the game just to say I have. Which is tragic, considering how good ME1 and 2 are. I would still absolutely recommend the series to anyone, they have some really fantastic moments and I will look forward to what happens next in the series still. But in the end, as a game and as an end to an epic trilogy, it's just 'ok'.

[pikapikapika]

Theatrhythm: Final Fantasy

So what is this about?

Theatrhythm is a music action game by Indies0, using music and characters from Final Fantasy I to XIII on the 3DS.
There is a small plot, but it's really just an excuse to collect points, which is really fun, especially if you're a Final Fantasy fan!

Small plot?! but this is a FINAL FANTASY GAME

That's true, but I don't think it even really matters in this case, nor does the lack of a campaign. There's plenty to do and this game will eat up the hours you pour into it. IMO most of the time people put into Final Fantasy is grinding and levelling up, and there is plenty of that.

There's even a trading card game, a pokemon trainer card style maker which you can streetpass, and Chaos Shrine, which involves many super hard songs, but in the battle mode you can collect shards to unlock SECRET CHARACTERS \o/

UGH... DLC, are you serious?!

Normally I'd agree, but in this case I think the DLC is good value, 52(!) optional songs (ongoing weekly) which are all pretty good choices, from a variety of games, and you don't have to buy any, they're optional
Plus there's even stuff for non main series games like FF13-2 \o/

I only like Final Fantasy 7, it is the best ever, I don't want to play any of the other stupid games bwu bwu bwu

In my game, FFVII has SEVEN songs (so far), you don't have to play the other games apart from one playthrough of the series to unlock your proficard. But this is a 25th anniversary game, and nostalgia is the main point of this game, why not give it a chance?

Games without achievements are stupid, I don't want to waste my time on a game without them.

This game has 64 trophies, ranging from pretty easy to get to the almost impossible (hint: streetpass) but they're all pretty fun to aim for, and not only that, all of them are hidden! That might sound horrible, but the game gives you hints if you're getting close, or get a neighbouring trophy. Plus you could always cheat online and read them if you want.

And for the OCD, this game has a ridiculous amount of statistics, for everything you could think of. Not only that, you can level each statistic up via star ratings on each of them, and these go up to 4. All just by playing the game a lot and enjoying it!

Why isn't this on Vita or PSP?! I want it for my system!! Final Fantasy should only be on Playstation!!!!

I guess you should cry yourself to sleep with your copies of Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions, Final Fantasy I Anniversary Edition, Final Fantasy II Anniversary Edition, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, Dissidia: Final Fantasy, Dissidia 012: Duodecim Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy IV: The Complete Collection, Final Fantasy III and Final Fantasy Type-0.
Because life is really hard 

No, but seriously, the Vita doesn't use a stylus, and your fingers would get in the way, so the game wouldn't play the same. I'm not saying it's impossible, but unlikely for now.

I don't have a 3DS, is it worth getting one just for this game?

If you're not a Final Fantasy fan? no, probably not. If you are a Final Fantasy fan? yes and no, personally I don't think any one game is worth buying a console for, but if you pair it up with something equally good like RE:Rev or Super Mario 3D, than yes! a fun game like this with so much time to sink in, and rewards later on for constant playing.

I'm terrible at music games! I want to get this, but I'll probably only play it on easy than get bored

Actually, this game isn't as hard as you might think! I suck too, but I'm not doing too badly at all.
The best part is that instead of missing a note when you don't get it perfectly, you get a rating instead, and get a critical hit when you do hit it perfectly, so you can quite easily pass a stage even if you do badly, and still have fun even with a lower score

Plus, for those very good at music games, it's still very challenging at Ultimate difficulty, and even more challenging at Chaos difficulty, where the motion swipes can even spin around and change direction at high speed D: I can't do these!!

**

In conclusion, this game is probably the best idea for a 25th anniversary game they could of had, nothing but nostalgia and great music to make the memories come back even more. Not every track is by Uematsu, but most of them are, and really helps to add the magic.
In fact one of the only few downsides is that you will probably nostalgia so hard that you'll want to play a lot of Final Fantasy games over again, I know I have a strong desire to play many games, especially XI and XII to an extent, and of course IV (but I gave that to shirenu LOL)

I'm still playing it now, 30 hours later, and I still have tons of stuff to do!! great stuff!!

8.5/10

[Tuffty]

The Witcher 2 : Enhanced Edition (360) - 9/10

"Legends are almost always beautiful. The reality often leaves a lot to be desired."

Showing off it's prowess and receiving glowing praise on the PC, The Witcher 2 came to the 360 in the following year, bringing with it a ton of additional content and features to make the game even more worthy of an instant purchase from console players. Coming out after the disappointment of Mass Effect 3, The Witcher 2 shows how good an RPG can be.

The Witcher games are based off the massively popular (in it's native country at least) series of fantasy novels from Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. The world is divided into the ever expanding Nilfgardian empire in the south and the Northern kingdoms. It's a world where humans dominate and all other races are deemed second class citizens. It's a world with elves, dwarfs, trolls and wizards, living in fear of monsters and the supernatural.

The protaganist, Geralt, is a Witcher, a monster hunter raised through mutations to be something more than human, capable of faster reflexes and limited magic. Following on from the end of the first game, Geralt serves as the bodyguard of King Foltest, after the failed assassination attempt from another Witcher, who famously stay out of political interests. After accompanying the King on a castle siege, Geralt wasn't as lucky this time as Foltest is assassinated by another Witcher, who escaped just in time to convict Geralt as the assassin. Together with brother in arms Vernon Roche and Triss Merigold, a sorceress and his budding love interest, they set out to find the assassin and clear their names, which obviously means they get brought into conflicts of a wider scale. It's a distinctly adult tale, one that demands close attention in order to keep up with the story. It's one where Geralt's legend is carved out in blood, sweat and semen, in a world where musings of causality and morality sit naturally alongside mucky quips about 'ploughing' 'whoresons' and 'lesbomancy'.

Like most large RPG releases on the market today, The Witcher 2 makes a point of giving the player choices, both minor and major, that shape the plot.  Some might be as small and simple as creating a trap that later aids in a boss fight.  Others, such as one made in the first chapter, can completely differ the path you go on, affecting relationships that Geralt has with characters, offer different gameplay content in a different setting and extends into having severe end-game consequences.  Unlike other titles however these choices feel a bit more personal and direct in terms of action and result, which I enjoyed a lot. No choice is easy either. Every choice is morally grey, which can make some hard decisions. The number of actions to take, together with the possibility of obtaining more information and dialogue options through thorough investigation means that it's a game worthy of repeat playthroughs. With 16 different possible endings, it puts Mass Effect 3 to shame.

What did make it harder was the fact that the game makes so many references to events and characters that happened in the first game that I would have gotten the feeling that I would have appreciated the story a lot more had I played the first game. Geralt clearly has some affection to a character named Yennefer, but her importance is never fully explained in the game. Had it been on the 360, it wouldn't have been an issue, but considering it's a PC exclusive, and the lack of any preamble it's harder for console only players like myself to keep up when the game is clearly building up upon the story set up in the previous game. The in-game glossary is adequate, but for a game that puts such a strong emphasis on story, it doesn’t provide much context for newcomers.

Despite that, The Witcer 2 still tells a strong tale, with strong characters and plenty of reason to continue playing. The main narrative is full of twists and turns and the game itself has some of the best side quests I've ever played which takes common folklore and fairy tales and subvert them to fit into this world, creating surprises and a sense that you never really know what's going to happen. It encouraged me to start reading the novel series as a result. The side quests are also interesting in that the final outcomes can also vary based on your actions, and the rewards for completing them in one way differs from another, but neither reward is bad or worse, just equally as rewarding as each other.

"Why two swords? Does he lose them often?"

The structure of the game is set across 4 chapters, each with it's own hub world in which you run around, gather info for the main quest, gather side quests, purchase items from shops or spend your free time and money on dice games, bareknuckle fighting and uh...brothels. You will have to venture outside of the town area and out into the wilderness which are gorgeously rendered environments that are huge with various paths to go down.

You will more often than not come to blows with daring bounty hunters and vicious monsters and this is where Witcher's combat comes into play. Combat in The Witcher 2 is an exercise in patience, and not especially easy to master. The controls are fine, and while you may want to dive right in and start chopping dudes to pieces, the game demands you play it cautiously, with a focus on defense. Even on the Normal difficulty, each enemy demands your full attention or they will mess you up. It's important to play cautiously as well as there are no healing items to restore health, rather Geralt regenerates health very slowly outside of combat. This all means that blocking and dodging is necessary for survival, or you will see the Game Over screen more times than enough. It's not as hard as Dark Souls, but the first few hours are particularly difficult at first without acquiring some abilities.

It's to this end, that the crafting system is especially important. While other games would have you take potions conservatively, saving them for boss battles, in The Witcher 2, taking potions is simply a necessity to the role of any Witcher and taking them is absolutely crucial if not necessary for every combat scenario. Certain recipies you find in shops or the environment will lead to potions which you can craft at any point in the game, and drinking them will lead to benefits like faster regeneration of mana, while at the expense of losing something as well (decreased health). Crafting components are found all over the environment for you to freely pick up so take my advice and craft all the time, don't be afraid to take potions as there is enough materials in the world for you to craft more.

There are some problems I had with the game, most noticeably some bugs in where certain items or enemies would never spawn where they were supposed to, which broke 2 side quests. Combat isn't perfect and there are some technical hitches here and there, but nonetheless, it is a respectable port.

"Power, sex. Sex, Power. They both come down to one thing - fucking others."

One thing I should mention, before I wrap up the review, is CD Projekt Red's sheer generosity for this port. While developers/publishers would happily shy away content as pre-order exclusives or as DLC, the developers have already added so much to what was already a substantial game. The 360 port includes all of the DLC that the PC version had as well as all new content like the arena based combat mode and additions to the story. That each normal copy of the game also comes with a guide and a soundtrack shows how much the developers care about the title.

And it shows. The Witcher 2 is a brilliant RPG, one that is worthy of your attention. The game’s relationships feel real, the power of Geralt of Rivia is satisfying and your influence on the world is fantastically strong.  While the lack of information for console-only players about Geralt’s previous adventure is regrettable, the series’ future is very bright.

Assassins of Kings’ Enhanced Edition is not only a great game, it’s also a great port to consoles.  For gamers who love a good story and a fantastical, interesting narrative, you can’t afford to ignore The Witcher 2.

[Tuffty]

Forza Horizon (360) - 8/10

As a spinoff to the popular Forza Motorsport racing series, the reception to Horizon was rather...lukewarm, at best. With an emphasis on showcasing, arcade-esque handling and drifting, it came across as a quick cash in by non fans, while something of a travesty for Forza purists. But then Horizon is a spin off, it does not say Forza 5 anywhere in the title and shouldn't be judged as such. Luckily Horizon does enough on it's own merits, as well as retain a lot of the good qualities of a Forza game, to make it worthwhile.

The initial premise of Horizon is that it is an open world racer set in Colorado. Taking place in the 'Horizon Festival' it is essentially an excuse to attract the best cars, best drivers and music artists to attend. All well and good but the game ties something of a story around it. You, the silent, almost Levi-esque looking male model, is a newcomer to the festival and decides to enter the competition. You have an attractive, supportive female manager but I mean, you're only a newcomer, you're not going to get that far right....? Your race rivals certainly don't think you can beat them right...? The no.1 race driver in the world, Darius Flynt is there, but there's no way you could beat him............right? It's generic drivel that never manages to engage your interest unless you are 11 years old, and such fantasies of entering an event like this, winning fame and glory, beating your trash-talking rivals, winning the girls and all the best cars in the world is a constant in your head.

The actual Horizon festival serves a purpose beyond providing a background to the hugely inconsequential 'dudebro' storyline. It's a central hub where you can buy cars, tune them, paint them, join car clubs and collect coloured wristbands whose ascending coloured ranks unlock increasingly difficult racing events which are dotted around the world. These events can range from typical circuit and point to point races, street races where civilian traffic is involved but the payout is much greater or showcase events which can pit you against other vehicles like hot air balloons or a biplane to see who's the fastest. Make no mistake, these events are scattered around and the intent is for you to drive to them, as fast travel spots are fairly limited and they can cost a lot to use. But you won't mind the driving, as it's just that good.

The same physics engine from Forza 4 is mostly intact, but it is still absolutely more forgiving. The world, much like the car models themselves, is gorgeous to look at. Visually, Horizon is up there as one of the best looking racers ever. However, it also adds to the fact that the roads are open and seem built for for speed than technical cornering, which ultimately does create a different driving experience than any of the main Forza games. Not saying it is a bad thing, again, it is a different game altogether. Like many open world games, there's an awful lot to see and do and the tempation is strong. Unlocking events, setting off speed cameras against your friends to see who's the fastest, scouting the land for hidden cars, it's all very satisfying. One of the best features is the rivals mode, basically a way of competing for the best times with those on your friends list or, failing that, against a stranger close to you on the global leaderboard. It's a great way to maintain a rivalry with someone even when not playing directly against them.

The music's awful. There are 3 radio stations (dubstep, electronic and rock) with no real stand out tune among them and a lot of the music just awful unless you're really into something like 'Iron Deer Dream (Chad Valley Remix)'. And seriously, one track by Lost Prophets is bad enough but two? Come on....There's not a lot of it too, so expect a lot of repeats. If I hear The Hives one more fucking time...

Retaining some of the goodness from it's father series, while doing enough to carve out it's own identity, Horizon is a joy to play if you can look past the brash, immaturity that is smothered in it.

Sidenote: I'd like a sequel that takes the Festival global, different races in different cities, with it's own native speaking DJ's and music acts. Basically I want a direct remake of Metropolis Street Racer/PGR2.