Gaming

Final Fantasy: The 13th Installment

By our guest blogger, Jeff Hwang

When analyzing an entertainment series, the concept of success usually hovers around a sequel or so, but nothing more. Trilogies are common, but that is as far as they go. However, when the "Final Fantasy" franchise announced they were going to release their 13th title, no one was really surprised.

In fact, consumers were ecstatic.

It all started in 1987, when a lone title called “Final Fantasy” was released for the Famicom--the Japanese version of the first Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)--to save a small media company called Square Co. Back then, Square was suffering from heavy financial losses as a result of producing less-than-enjoyable video games. Yet even with the success of “Final Fantasy,” the company could not guess that they were going to make entertainment history.

That was 23 years ago. In 2003, Square had merged with the Enix Corporation, another media company, to form Square Enix. In the two decades since the release of “Final Fantasy,” the role-playing game had spawned a myriad of sequels, spin-off titles, animations, films and other merchandise. When Square Enix is mentioned, the "Final Fantasy" franchise is usually tied into the conversation as well. The two names are nearly synonymous.

How or why the franchise became such a global phenomenon is a mystery. Regardless, as new installments continue to arrive, fans around the world simply keep begging for more. They are now up to 13 titles, with the 14th already in the works. But for the time being, the subject is “Final Fantasy XIII.”

At a glance, one would have trouble determining whether “Final Fantasy XIII” is a video game or a feature CGI film. Truthfully, it is indeed a video game and that is it. Transitions between player-controlled scenarios and full-length cinematic sequences are virtually flawless.

With each series, it almost seems as if the worlds become grander, the music becomes more dynamic, the graphics become more realistic and the storylines become deeper and more complicated. When “Final Fantasy XIII” was announced for seventh-generation consoles Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, only anticipation awaited. Many of the recurring Final Fantasy elements remain, but of course with improvements.

Bear in mind that the Final Fantasy games are originally in Japanese. Because of this, voice acting and lip-syncing do not work very well in English translations. Square titles such as “Final Fantasy X” and the Kingdom Hearts series have subpar dubbing performances. However, scenes in the English version of “Final Fantasy XIII” have exceeded and raised the dubbing bar to a new level. It is not perfect--those who choose to can set the audio to Japanese and subtitles to English--but it has improved immensely. In fact, it seems that every aspect of “Final Fantasy XIII”--aside from the storyline, which is always debatable--has set a new standard. It could be because of the new engine in the seventh-generation game consoles, but nonetheless, “epic” would be the proper term to summarize this game.

For over 20 years the Final Fantasy franchise has existed. Games, movies and other media merchandise have already been written into the entertainment history books. With the release of “Final Fantasy XIII” and a pending release of “Final Fantasy XIV,” it does not look like Square Enix will be slowing down anytime soon.

Gaming

Final Fantasy: The 13th Installment

By our guest blogger, Jeff Hwang

When analyzing an entertainment series, the concept of success usually hovers around a sequel or so, but nothing more. Trilogies are common, but that is as far as they go. However, when the "Final Fantasy" franchise announced they were going to release their 13th title, no one was really surprised.

In fact, consumers were ecstatic.

It all started in 1987, when a lone title called “Final Fantasy” was released for the Famicom--the Japanese version of the first Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)--to save a small media company called Square Co. Back then, Square was suffering from heavy financial losses as a result of producing less-than-enjoyable video games. Yet even with the success of “Final Fantasy,” the company could not guess that they were going to make entertainment history.

That was 23 years ago. In 2003, Square had merged with the Enix Corporation, another media company, to form Square Enix. In the two decades since the release of “Final Fantasy,” the role-playing game had spawned a myriad of sequels, spin-off titles, animations, films and other merchandise. When Square Enix is mentioned, the "Final Fantasy" franchise is usually tied into the conversation as well. The two names are nearly synonymous.

How or why the franchise became such a global phenomenon is a mystery. Regardless, as new installments continue to arrive, fans around the world simply keep begging for more. They are now up to 13 titles, with the 14th already in the works. But for the time being, the subject is “Final Fantasy XIII.”

At a glance, one would have trouble determining whether “Final Fantasy XIII” is a video game or a feature CGI film. Truthfully, it is indeed a video game and that is it. Transitions between player-controlled scenarios and full-length cinematic sequences are virtually flawless.

With each series, it almost seems as if the worlds become grander, the music becomes more dynamic, the graphics become more realistic and the storylines become deeper and more complicated. When “Final Fantasy XIII” was announced for seventh-generation consoles Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, only anticipation awaited. Many of the recurring Final Fantasy elements remain, but of course with improvements.

Bear in mind that the Final Fantasy games are originally in Japanese. Because of this, voice acting and lip-syncing do not work very well in English translations. Square titles such as “Final Fantasy X” and the Kingdom Hearts series have subpar dubbing performances. However, scenes in the English version of “Final Fantasy XIII” have exceeded and raised the dubbing bar to a new level. It is not perfect--those who choose to can set the audio to Japanese and subtitles to English--but it has improved immensely. In fact, it seems that every aspect of “Final Fantasy XIII”--aside from the storyline, which is always debatable--has set a new standard. It could be because of the new engine in the seventh-generation game consoles, but nonetheless, “epic” would be the proper term to summarize this game.

For over 20 years the Final Fantasy franchise has existed. Games, movies and other media merchandise have already been written into the entertainment history books. With the release of “Final Fantasy XIII” and a pending release of “Final Fantasy XIV,” it does not look like Square Enix will be slowing down anytime soon.

By our guest blogger, David Voyles

Sequels often improve upon their predecessor, but seldom do they offer improvement so vast that it makes the original masterpiece pale in comparison. This is the case for "Mass Effect 2," which expands upon the epic sci-fi opera with a vengeance--nearly every aspect has been revamped and every flaw corrected.

The first improvement you will notice with "Mass Effect 2" is the visual fidelity. Textures appear sharper, the number of dynamic shadows has increased, and the overall detail within the world itself has shown improvement. A far greater number of denizens inhabit each location, and the atmosphere of each zone has been overhauled to include more store fronts, night clubs and social centers than ever before.

For example, the mined-out planet of Omega had a steampunk atmosphere reminiscent of Phillip K. Dick’s futuristic Los Angeles in "Blade Runner." with its vivid array of lights, gloomy backdrop, and shady figures lurking around each corner. It appears as though Bioware has finally forced every last drop out of the aging Unreal 3 Engine, as it makes the best use of it thus far, and I still had better frame rates than the original "Mass Effect."

Furthermore, the details upon the main characters faces are astounding, and the lip syncing with the dialogue is unparalleled. There is a noticeable drop in appearance on the facial textures of characters who do not have major roles, though, and it’s unfortunate as it really stands out and pulls you away from the game. Also, on a number of instances, I noticed that a box would appear as though a character would be present to speak to, and when I would select it a conversation would ensue, albeit with no one in sight. Finally, when spoken text appears onscreen, I saw black borders around random letters and words in rare instances.

The poor interface that plagued the first title also has been completely overhauled as well. While the PC iteration’s delayed release improved, it was still flawed on the Xbox’s. This time around, everything has been streamlined for greater control over party members and their biotic/tech abilities, as well as your own. First off, Shepard’s cool down for tech/biotic items now affects all of your abilities, not just that one ability. Players also can command party members to reach certain destinations, or fall into Shepard to establish a new plan. The poor inventory management scheme has been disposed of as well. Instead, players now have the ability to change a variety of gear in Shepard’s room aboard the Normandy, each piece offering a distinct advantage over the other. Weapon, armor, and biotic/tech upgrades can also be acquired in a variety of ways. They can be purchased in local stores, picked up through dialogue choices with party members, or scattered through the worlds you venture through. From that point, players must harvest one of four natural resources from planets, or once again acquire the resources from boxes throughout missions.

What I enjoyed most about "Mass Effect 2," though, was the fact that it often asks you to make decisions, rather than choose outcomes. Oftentimes, you will not be completely aware of what that decision will result in, but the end result will play out at some point in the future. I was surprised to see how the variety of decisions I made in the original title, regardless of how minor it was, affected my playthrough in "Mass Effect 2." I found myself hanging on each decision at key points during my experience and often pondered how it would affect my experience. It is because of moments such as these that make a second playthough necessary. What I disliked about the dialogue choices, though, was the fact that they were so consistent with Bioware’s age-old formula--the top selection is always paragon, middle is neutral, bottom is renegade. This predictability hindered my experience a bit because I was often well aware of the response my dialogue choice would deliver.

The "Mass Effect" universe has grown exponentially, as well. The planets actually play a vital role this time around as each can be harvested for natural resources through scanning right, hitting a right mouse click, and then launching probes with a left click. The amounts of resources present at each location are displayed on the right hand side of the screen with a graph which rises and sinks with each scanning movement depending on the amount of resources available. While this idea seemed novel at first, it quickly grew tiresome, even though it was a requirement to upgrade weapons, armor and tech/biotics. While I applaud Bioware for expanding the universe, it comes across as a lackluster solution.

What makes every Bioware title so engaging is the depth and believability of the storytelling. Each character has unique personalities unique, so much so that players will want to indulge in their back story. The back stories not only reveal pertinent information for each character, but also provide the ability to earn more experience, weapons, armor, and tech/biotic skills. Once again, the decisions made in each of these fully fleshed out side quests greatly effected the rest of my "Mass Effect" experience.

While it is far too early to hand over the crown at the moment, "Mass Effect 2" certainly will be a strong contender for game of the year this year on a number of publication’s lists (including my own). Each and every flaw from the previous incarnation has been improved on with the motto “bigger and better.” It’s difficult to explain exactly how well polished and incredible this game is. That’s not to say it is without it’s flaws, such as the graphical glitches and lackluster planet scanning. In a time where one outstanding title is being released after the other, "Mass Effect 2" rises above the rest to sit on its throne as the current (albeit early) game of the year.

View the trailer for "Mass Effect 2" below. What are your thoughts?

By our guest blogger, David Voyles

Sequels often improve upon their predecessor, but seldom do they offer improvement so vast that it makes the original masterpiece pale in comparison. This is the case for "Mass Effect 2," which expands upon the epic sci-fi opera with a vengeance--nearly every aspect has been revamped and every flaw corrected.

The first improvement you will notice with "Mass Effect 2" is the visual fidelity. Textures appear sharper, the number of dynamic shadows has increased, and the overall detail within the world itself has shown improvement. A far greater number of denizens inhabit each location, and the atmosphere of each zone has been overhauled to include more store fronts, night clubs and social centers than ever before.

For example, the mined-out planet of Omega had a steampunk atmosphere reminiscent of Phillip K. Dick’s futuristic Los Angeles in "Blade Runner." with its vivid array of lights, gloomy backdrop, and shady figures lurking around each corner. It appears as though Bioware has finally forced every last drop out of the aging Unreal 3 Engine, as it makes the best use of it thus far, and I still had better frame rates than the original "Mass Effect."

Furthermore, the details upon the main characters faces are astounding, and the lip syncing with the dialogue is unparalleled. There is a noticeable drop in appearance on the facial textures of characters who do not have major roles, though, and it’s unfortunate as it really stands out and pulls you away from the game. Also, on a number of instances, I noticed that a box would appear as though a character would be present to speak to, and when I would select it a conversation would ensue, albeit with no one in sight. Finally, when spoken text appears onscreen, I saw black borders around random letters and words in rare instances.

The poor interface that plagued the first title also has been completely overhauled as well. While the PC iteration’s delayed release improved, it was still flawed on the Xbox’s. This time around, everything has been streamlined for greater control over party members and their biotic/tech abilities, as well as your own. First off, Shepard’s cool down for tech/biotic items now affects all of your abilities, not just that one ability. Players also can command party members to reach certain destinations, or fall into Shepard to establish a new plan. The poor inventory management scheme has been disposed of as well. Instead, players now have the ability to change a variety of gear in Shepard’s room aboard the Normandy, each piece offering a distinct advantage over the other. Weapon, armor, and biotic/tech upgrades can also be acquired in a variety of ways. They can be purchased in local stores, picked up through dialogue choices with party members, or scattered through the worlds you venture through. From that point, players must harvest one of four natural resources from planets, or once again acquire the resources from boxes throughout missions.

What I enjoyed most about "Mass Effect 2," though, was the fact that it often asks you to make decisions, rather than choose outcomes. Oftentimes, you will not be completely aware of what that decision will result in, but the end result will play out at some point in the future. I was surprised to see how the variety of decisions I made in the original title, regardless of how minor it was, affected my playthrough in "Mass Effect 2." I found myself hanging on each decision at key points during my experience and often pondered how it would affect my experience. It is because of moments such as these that make a second playthough necessary. What I disliked about the dialogue choices, though, was the fact that they were so consistent with Bioware’s age-old formula--the top selection is always paragon, middle is neutral, bottom is renegade. This predictability hindered my experience a bit because I was often well aware of the response my dialogue choice would deliver.

The "Mass Effect" universe has grown exponentially, as well. The planets actually play a vital role this time around as each can be harvested for natural resources through scanning right, hitting a right mouse click, and then launching probes with a left click. The amounts of resources present at each location are displayed on the right hand side of the screen with a graph which rises and sinks with each scanning movement depending on the amount of resources available. While this idea seemed novel at first, it quickly grew tiresome, even though it was a requirement to upgrade weapons, armor and tech/biotics. While I applaud Bioware for expanding the universe, it comes across as a lackluster solution.

What makes every Bioware title so engaging is the depth and believability of the storytelling. Each character has unique personalities unique, so much so that players will want to indulge in their back story. The back stories not only reveal pertinent information for each character, but also provide the ability to earn more experience, weapons, armor, and tech/biotic skills. Once again, the decisions made in each of these fully fleshed out side quests greatly effected the rest of my "Mass Effect" experience.

While it is far too early to hand over the crown at the moment, "Mass Effect 2" certainly will be a strong contender for game of the year this year on a number of publication’s lists (including my own). Each and every flaw from the previous incarnation has been improved on with the motto “bigger and better.” It’s difficult to explain exactly how well polished and incredible this game is. That’s not to say it is without it’s flaws, such as the graphical glitches and lackluster planet scanning. In a time where one outstanding title is being released after the other, "Mass Effect 2" rises above the rest to sit on its throne as the current (albeit early) game of the year.

View the trailer for "Mass Effect 2" below. What are your thoughts?

Week in Rewind is pleased to offer a giveaway of Bioshock 2 for the Playstation 3!

Product description: "Set during the fall of Rapture, players assume the role of a Plasmid test subject for Sinclair Solutions, a premier provider of Plasmids and Tonics in the underwater city of Rapture that was first explored in the original BioShock. Players will need to use all the elements of the BioShock toolset to survive as the full depth of the BioShock experience is refined and transformed into a unique multiplayer experience that can only be found in Rapture."

The contest will end on April 13, 2010.

We are giving away FIVE copies.





To win, follow directions below.

To win on Facebook:

1. See the "Share" button in the upper right of this screen?  Click there to share this on your Facebook account.
2. Leave a comment on this page that you did so.
   

 To win on Twitter:

1. Follow us on Twitter. You must remain a follower for the duration of the contest.
2. Leave a comment on this page that you entered this contest.
   
3. Tweet the following message as often as you wish to your readers. Each Tweet counts as one entry.
   

Just entered the Bioshock 2 Playstation 3 Contest! Win by following @WeekinRewind and RT. http://xr.com/ofi He follows back!

To win if you're not on Twitter:

1. Sign up for this contest by clicking here and following all of the directions carefully.
2. Leave a comment on this page that you entered this contest.
   

That's it!

Those seeking exclusive giveaways not found here should become a fan of our Facebook page by clicking the below graphic and selecting "Become a Fan."



Good luck!

Christopher

Week in Rewind is pleased to offer a giveaway of Bioshock 2 for the Playstation 3!

Product description: "Set during the fall of Rapture, players assume the role of a Plasmid test subject for Sinclair Solutions, a premier provider of Plasmids and Tonics in the underwater city of Rapture that was first explored in the original BioShock. Players will need to use all the elements of the BioShock toolset to survive as the full depth of the BioShock experience is refined and transformed into a unique multiplayer experience that can only be found in Rapture."

The contest will end on April 13, 2010.

We are giving away FIVE copies.





To win, follow directions below.

To win on Facebook:

1. See the "Share" button in the upper right of this screen?  Click there to share this on your Facebook account.
2. Leave a comment on this page that you did so.
   

 To win on Twitter:

1. Follow us on Twitter. You must remain a follower for the duration of the contest.
2. Leave a comment on this page that you entered this contest.
   
3. Tweet the following message as often as you wish to your readers. Each Tweet counts as one entry.
   

Just entered the Bioshock 2 Playstation 3 Contest! Win by following @WeekinRewind and RT. http://xr.com/ofi He follows back!

To win if you're not on Twitter:

1. Sign up for this contest by clicking here and following all of the directions carefully.
2. Leave a comment on this page that you entered this contest.
   

That's it!

Those seeking exclusive giveaways not found here should become a fan of our Facebook page by clicking the below graphic and selecting "Become a Fan."



Good luck!

Christopher

Week in Rewind is pleased to offer a giveaway of Bioshock 2 for the XBox 360!

Product description: "Set during the fall of Rapture, players assume the role of a Plasmid test subject for Sinclair Solutions, a premier provider of Plasmids and Tonics in the underwater city of Rapture that was first explored in the original BioShock. Players will need to use all the elements of the BioShock toolset to survive as the full depth of the BioShock experience is refined and transformed into a unique multiplayer experience that can only be found in Rapture."

The contest will end on April 13, 2010.

We are giving away FIVE copies.


To win, follow directions below.





To win on Facebook:

1. See the "Share" button in the upper right of this screen?  Click there to share this on your Facebook account.
2. Leave a comment on this page that you did so.
   

 To win on Twitter:

1. Follow us on Twitter. You must remain a follower for the duration of the contest.
2. Leave a comment on this page that you entered this contest.
   
3. Tweet the following message as often as you wish to your readers. Each Tweet counts as one entry.
   

Just entered the Bioshock 2 XBox 360 Contest! Win by following @WeekinRewind and RT. http://xr.com/ofi He follows back!

To win if you're not on Twitter:

1. Sign up for this contest by clicking here and following all of the directions carefully.
2. Leave a comment on this page that you entered this contest.
   

That's it!

Those seeking exclusive giveaways not found here should become a fan of our Facebook page by clicking the below graphic and selecting "Become a Fan."



Good luck!

Christopher

Week in Rewind is pleased to offer a giveaway of Bioshock 2 for the XBox 360!

Product description: "Set during the fall of Rapture, players assume the role of a Plasmid test subject for Sinclair Solutions, a premier provider of Plasmids and Tonics in the underwater city of Rapture that was first explored in the original BioShock. Players will need to use all the elements of the BioShock toolset to survive as the full depth of the BioShock experience is refined and transformed into a unique multiplayer experience that can only be found in Rapture."

The contest will end on April 13, 2010.

We are giving away FIVE copies.


To win, follow directions below.





To win on Facebook:

1. See the "Share" button in the upper right of this screen?  Click there to share this on your Facebook account.
2. Leave a comment on this page that you did so.
   

 To win on Twitter:

1. Follow us on Twitter. You must remain a follower for the duration of the contest.
2. Leave a comment on this page that you entered this contest.
   
3. Tweet the following message as often as you wish to your readers. Each Tweet counts as one entry.
   

Just entered the Bioshock 2 XBox 360 Contest! Win by following @WeekinRewind and RT. http://xr.com/ofi He follows back!

To win if you're not on Twitter:

1. Sign up for this contest by clicking here and following all of the directions carefully.
2. Leave a comment on this page that you entered this contest.
   

That's it!

Those seeking exclusive giveaways not found here should become a fan of our Facebook page by clicking the below graphic and selecting "Become a Fan."



Good luck!

Christopher

Week in Rewind is pleased to offer a giveaway of Tom Clancy's "Hawx" for Wii!

Own it on February 2, 2010!

Product description: "Set in conceived version of the future inspired by the best-selling Tom Clancy videogame franchises, this flight combat action game imagines a world where a private military force has cumulated such power that it attacks the USA. Thrust into the cockpits of incredibly powerful and technologically advanced jet fighters, gamers will benefit from hi-tech piloting assistance, providing comfort, security and enhanced perception. As players gain skills and confidence, they will be able to shed the assistance. But before choosing performance over security, they’ll have to weigh the risks carefully."





The contest will end on February 23, 2010.

We are giving away FIVE copies.


To win on Facebook:

1. See the "Share" button in the upper right of this screen?  Click there to share this on your Facebook account.
2. Leave a comment on this page that you did so.
   

 To win on Twitter:

1. Follow us on Twitter. You must remain a follower for the duration of the contest.
2. Leave a comment on this page that you entered this contest.
   
3. Tweet the following message as often as you wish to your readers. Each Tweet counts as one entry.
   

Just entered the Hawx for the Wii Contest! Win by following @WeekinRewind and RT. http://xr.com/ofi He follows back!

To win if you're not on Twitter:

1. Sign up for this contest by clicking here and following all of the directions carefully.
2. Leave a comment on this page that you entered this contest.
   

That's it!

Those seeking exclusive giveaways not found here should become a fan of our Facebook page by clicking the below graphic and selecting "Become a Fan."



Good luck!

Christopher

Week in Rewind is pleased to offer a giveaway of Tom Clancy's "Hawx" for Wii!

Own it on February 2, 2010!

Product description: "Set in conceived version of the future inspired by the best-selling Tom Clancy videogame franchises, this flight combat action game imagines a world where a private military force has cumulated such power that it attacks the USA. Thrust into the cockpits of incredibly powerful and technologically advanced jet fighters, gamers will benefit from hi-tech piloting assistance, providing comfort, security and enhanced perception. As players gain skills and confidence, they will be able to shed the assistance. But before choosing performance over security, they’ll have to weigh the risks carefully."





The contest will end on February 23, 2010.

We are giving away FIVE copies.


To win on Facebook:

1. See the "Share" button in the upper right of this screen?  Click there to share this on your Facebook account.
2. Leave a comment on this page that you did so.
   

 To win on Twitter:

1. Follow us on Twitter. You must remain a follower for the duration of the contest.
2. Leave a comment on this page that you entered this contest.
   
3. Tweet the following message as often as you wish to your readers. Each Tweet counts as one entry.
   

Just entered the Hawx for the Wii Contest! Win by following @WeekinRewind and RT. http://xr.com/ofi He follows back!

To win if you're not on Twitter:

1. Sign up for this contest by clicking here and following all of the directions carefully.
2. Leave a comment on this page that you entered this contest.
   

That's it!

Those seeking exclusive giveaways not found here should become a fan of our Facebook page by clicking the below graphic and selecting "Become a Fan."



Good luck!

Christopher

Week in Rewind is pleased to offer a giveaway of Mass Effect 2 for the XBox 360!

Own it on January 26, 2010!

Product description: "Once again stepping into the role of the heroic Commander Shepard, gamers command their crew on a suicide mission in space. Players must assemble their squad from amongst the galaxy's most powerful mystics, geniuses, and convicts and lead them on a suicide mission to discover why humans are vanishing from the galaxy. The success of the mission hinges on the squad recruited and their loyalty to the mission. Shepard's future depends on it."

The contest will end on February 23, 2010.

We are giving away FIVE copies.


To win on Facebook:

1. See the "Share" button in the upper right of this screen?  Click there to share this on your Facebook account.
2. Leave a comment on this page that you did so.
   

 To win on Twitter:

1. Follow us on Twitter. You must remain a follower for the duration of the contest.
2. Leave a comment on this page that you entered this contest.
   
3. Tweet the following message as often as you wish to your readers. Each Tweet counts as one entry.
   

Just entered the Mass Effect 2 XBox 360 Contest! Win by following @WeekinRewind and RT. http://xr.com/ofi He follows back!

To win if you're not on Twitter:

1. Sign up for this contest by clicking here and following all of the directions carefully.
2. Leave a comment on this page that you entered this contest.
   

That's it!

Those seeking exclusive giveaways not found here should become a fan of our Facebook page by clicking the below graphic and selecting "Become a Fan."



Good luck!

Christopher

Week in Rewind is pleased to offer a giveaway of Mass Effect 2 for the XBox 360!

Own it on January 26, 2010!

Product description: "Once again stepping into the role of the heroic Commander Shepard, gamers command their crew on a suicide mission in space. Players must assemble their squad from amongst the galaxy's most powerful mystics, geniuses, and convicts and lead them on a suicide mission to discover why humans are vanishing from the galaxy. The success of the mission hinges on the squad recruited and their loyalty to the mission. Shepard's future depends on it."

The contest will end on February 23, 2010.

We are giving away FIVE copies.


To win on Facebook:

1. See the "Share" button in the upper right of this screen?  Click there to share this on your Facebook account.
2. Leave a comment on this page that you did so.
   

 To win on Twitter:

1. Follow us on Twitter. You must remain a follower for the duration of the contest.
2. Leave a comment on this page that you entered this contest.
   
3. Tweet the following message as often as you wish to your readers. Each Tweet counts as one entry.
   

Just entered the Mass Effect 2 XBox 360 Contest! Win by following @WeekinRewind and RT. http://xr.com/ofi He follows back!

To win if you're not on Twitter:

1. Sign up for this contest by clicking here and following all of the directions carefully.
2. Leave a comment on this page that you entered this contest.
   

That's it!

Those seeking exclusive giveaways not found here should become a fan of our Facebook page by clicking the below graphic and selecting "Become a Fan."



Good luck!

Christopher

By Christopher Smith

With "Mass Effect 2" hitting stores January 26, 2010, BioWare has released the launch trailer. For those unfamiliar with the story, it goes like this: "Two years after Commander Shepard repelled invading Reapers bent on the destruction of organic life, a mysterious new enemy has emerged. On the fringes of known space, something is silently abducting entire human colonies. Now Shepard must work with Cerberus, a ruthless organization devoted to human survival at any cost, to stop the most terrifying threat mankind has ever faced. To even attempt this perilous mission, Shepard must assemble the galaxy’s most elite team and command the most powerful ship ever built. Even then, they say it would be suicide. Commander Shepard intends to prove them wrong."

"Mass Effect 2" appears in Europe on January 29, 2010. While there are some plot spoilers in the the traier (they're minor), the trailer definitely is worth checking out. The game looks beautiful--and exciting.

As some of you know, we're giving away FIVE copies of the game here. So, you know, enter to win.

Enjoy the trailer below. What are your thoughts? Are you going to buy "Mass Effect 2"?

By Christopher Smith

With "Mass Effect 2" hitting stores January 26, 2010, BioWare has released the launch trailer. For those unfamiliar with the story, it goes like this: "Two years after Commander Shepard repelled invading Reapers bent on the destruction of organic life, a mysterious new enemy has emerged. On the fringes of known space, something is silently abducting entire human colonies. Now Shepard must work with Cerberus, a ruthless organization devoted to human survival at any cost, to stop the most terrifying threat mankind has ever faced. To even attempt this perilous mission, Shepard must assemble the galaxy’s most elite team and command the most powerful ship ever built. Even then, they say it would be suicide. Commander Shepard intends to prove them wrong."

"Mass Effect 2" appears in Europe on January 29, 2010. While there are some plot spoilers in the the traier (they're minor), the trailer definitely is worth checking out. The game looks beautiful--and exciting.

As some of you know, we're giving away FIVE copies of the game here. So, you know, enter to win.

Enjoy the trailer below. What are your thoughts? Are you going to buy "Mass Effect 2"?

By our guest blogger, David Voyles

Now that the rush of holiday blockbuster titles is over, I felt it was appropriate to take a moment and review a title that easily could have  been lost in the rush like a visiting tourist in Times Square--"Red Faction Guerrilla."

The Red Faction series got its start on the Playstation 2 in 2001 and was renown for its groundbreaking technology at the time, literally. The GeoMod, as it’s known, allowed players to destroy nearly any environment in their path to get to other sides of levels. I remember digging series of interconnected tunnels for hours with friends in attempts to create mazes and then duke it out in there. For the first time, destructible environments were truly destructible.

This time around the environments are destructible but in a different way. The new GeoMod 2.0 now allows players to completely topple building and structures instead of just terrain. Basically, anything gamers can see can be destroyed. Should the player run out of ammunition or explosives, the trusty sledgehammer is always by your side. By taking out key supporting features, buildings topple quickly. For the most part this is the game’s greatest asset and its greatest selling point, but it unfortunately grows old after a few hours. Nearly every mission in the game revolves around destroying key structures, or picking up a vehicle and returning it to base, just as in GTA IV.

The story is nothing worth noting other than it quickly opens with your character, Alec Mason, assisting his brother, a guerrilla, with the forces skirmishing against the Earth Defense Force soldiers; they have taken over Mars and are having their way with the workers. Once your brother is assassinated, it’s your turn for revenge. From then on out, you are recruited by the guerrilla forces to assist them by completing a series of missons that appear as colored icons on your screen. The major premise consists of controlling six zones of the map by boosting guerrilla moral and reducing EDF forces by killing soldiers, destroying buildings, and assisting guerrillas scattered throughout the map as they fight against the forces that be.

The game's developer, Volition, does a surprisingly good job of bringing a terraformed Mars to life. Citizens are bustling in their daily work and driving routines, and soldiers are out and about to keep the peace and hold the warring guerrilla faction down. While not much can be done in terms of the overwhelming red appearance, Volition has created an engine with excellent draw distance, realistic smoke effects, and the sense that players are frequently caught up in dust storms. The only time I ever saw slowdown was when I was reigning pure destruction upon multiple structures at once, but that is understandable.

I have to commend Volition for thinking outside the box and creating a unique engine that otherwise would make this a standard sandbox third-person shooter. I wish more games would use something like this to differentiate themselves from the rest of the market and help push innovation. While it was a taste of something different for a bit, it’s not a taste I would like to have in my mouth for long. If you’re looking for a sandbox shooter with a little flavor thrown in the mix, I’d recommend "Red Faction Guerilla."  Beyond that, this one gets by as being just a generic third-person shooter.

By our guest blogger, David Voyles

Now that the rush of holiday blockbuster titles is over, I felt it was appropriate to take a moment and review a title that easily could have  been lost in the rush like a visiting tourist in Times Square--"Red Faction Guerrilla."

The Red Faction series got its start on the Playstation 2 in 2001 and was renown for its groundbreaking technology at the time, literally. The GeoMod, as it’s known, allowed players to destroy nearly any environment in their path to get to other sides of levels. I remember digging series of interconnected tunnels for hours with friends in attempts to create mazes and then duke it out in there. For the first time, destructible environments were truly destructible.

This time around the environments are destructible but in a different way. The new GeoMod 2.0 now allows players to completely topple building and structures instead of just terrain. Basically, anything gamers can see can be destroyed. Should the player run out of ammunition or explosives, the trusty sledgehammer is always by your side. By taking out key supporting features, buildings topple quickly. For the most part this is the game’s greatest asset and its greatest selling point, but it unfortunately grows old after a few hours. Nearly every mission in the game revolves around destroying key structures, or picking up a vehicle and returning it to base, just as in GTA IV.

The story is nothing worth noting other than it quickly opens with your character, Alec Mason, assisting his brother, a guerrilla, with the forces skirmishing against the Earth Defense Force soldiers; they have taken over Mars and are having their way with the workers. Once your brother is assassinated, it’s your turn for revenge. From then on out, you are recruited by the guerrilla forces to assist them by completing a series of missons that appear as colored icons on your screen. The major premise consists of controlling six zones of the map by boosting guerrilla moral and reducing EDF forces by killing soldiers, destroying buildings, and assisting guerrillas scattered throughout the map as they fight against the forces that be.

The game's developer, Volition, does a surprisingly good job of bringing a terraformed Mars to life. Citizens are bustling in their daily work and driving routines, and soldiers are out and about to keep the peace and hold the warring guerrilla faction down. While not much can be done in terms of the overwhelming red appearance, Volition has created an engine with excellent draw distance, realistic smoke effects, and the sense that players are frequently caught up in dust storms. The only time I ever saw slowdown was when I was reigning pure destruction upon multiple structures at once, but that is understandable.

I have to commend Volition for thinking outside the box and creating a unique engine that otherwise would make this a standard sandbox third-person shooter. I wish more games would use something like this to differentiate themselves from the rest of the market and help push innovation. While it was a taste of something different for a bit, it’s not a taste I would like to have in my mouth for long. If you’re looking for a sandbox shooter with a little flavor thrown in the mix, I’d recommend "Red Faction Guerilla."  Beyond that, this one gets by as being just a generic third-person shooter.

By our guest blogger, Chris Cook

When "Halo" first came out for the original Xbox, it became an instant hit, a classic and the perfect First-Person Shooter (FPS). Meanwhile, Sony’s library was lacking an FPS they could call their own. But never fear, said Sony, "Killzone" will do just what PS2 owners wanted--offer an FPS actually worth looking forward to. When the game was  released, it was met with mixed feelings--it was good, but "Halo" was on another level. Years later, PS3 in hand, I once again had in "Killzone 2" an FPS I really could look forward to (although both "Resistance" games made the wait more bearable). This time around, however, Sony decided to tease us with that damn E3 trailer that promised something we next-gen gamers could only dream of--true next gen’iness. More waiting and another "Resistance" game later, we finally got to see if the game was really worth the hype. Could we really believe all that hype?

"Killzone 2" takes place after the events of the first game and "Killzone: Liberation" (PSP). Luckily, those gamers who haven’t played the first games won’t be completely lost as the storyline works well as a stand-alone title (not to mention the first games weren’t particularly good). Basically, the story goes like this--sometime in the distant future, mankind has expanded far beyond our solar system and eventually, it has split into two factions: the ISA and the Helghast. The Helghast decide to attack the ISA, they fail, and that pretty much brings you right to the beginning of this game. The ISA decide to launch an all-out attack on the Helghast home planet, expecting little resistance and naturally, things go down the crapper--quick.

From the very beginning, this game grabs players with its vivid presentation--even before you get to the main menu, the Helghast fuhrer delivers a commanding speech that conveys the power and determination of the Helghast war machine. At the game starts, players are dropped immediately into the shoes of ISA soldier Sev, who, along with a couple of comrades in arms, fight to take the Helghan planet, effectively ending the intergalactic war. Everything about this game says epic, from the first scene, where players dropped into battle via flying vehicles of absolute insanity to the later levels, where players traverse the dark, sprawling capital of Helghan to fight the intrepid Helghan army on their own turf. Being that this is their last refuge, the Halghast fight furiously and it shows during combat.

The AI is much improved over the previous iterations of the game--they're tougher, quite a bit smarter, especially on the later difficulty levels, and they're more diverse. The AI effectively utilizes cover, rushes players at defensive positions, are deathly accurate from across the map and really go all out to get the kill. The problem is that the AI is only intelligent enough do so at the two hardest difficulty levels, whereas at the two easier levels, players will be met with a dumbed down version of the Helghast soldiers, who seem almost hesitant to actually hit the player with their erroneous gunfire. Players looking for the true "Killzone 2" experience with have to turn the difficulty up a notch if they expect to enjoy the game fully. As for the allies Sev has by his side, they are smart enough to kill the enemy and for the most part, to stay out of the way. One small issue I had with the ISA soldiers was the dialog during gameplay and during the cut scenes. Now, I’m no saint, but those soldiers cuss so much and drop the F-bomb so frequently, that I found myself thinking that these soldiers must be 8-year-olds who just watched the Terence and Philip movie.

The weapons of the game are relatively numerous and effective. However, I found that the weapons also were unbalanced and uninteresting. Sev starts most levels with the standard ISA-issue rifle, which is cool but, again, just wasn’t all that fun to use. As the game progresses more weapons become available to the player, but because Sev can only hold a pistol and one other weapon, I found myself using the Helghast assault rifle for much of the game due to its balance of fire rate and for its accuracy. I also found that some parts of the game proved to be repetitious and, at times, even tedious due solely to the fact that players can only hold virtually one rifle at a time.

A militaristic, orchestrated soundtrack perfectly fits with the themes and action of the game. The pace is quick, well-balanced and exciting while the graphics paint a stunning picture of the Helghast home world. This game was created as a showcase for the PS3’s power and it shows.  From rusted corridors to crashed vehicles in various states of disrepair, from the massive, open arenas of battle to the sprawling city of the Helghast capital, this game can take your breath away with its visuals. Aside from some frame rate hiccups here and there, this game looks even better than the now infamous E3 trailer.

Guerilla included a multiplayer element into the game that consists of two categories--Warzone and Skirmish. Warzone is the main multiplayer element.  It throws players into intense, objective-based battles with up to 32 players while Skirmish is basically a practice arena that pits players against AI bots. The multiplayer is deep and very fun, though not that memorable. While playing through, I found that I lost interest in it. For most players, however, the multiplayer offers an experience that surely will extend the life of the title.

After all is said and done, is the game really up to par with the massive hype that once surrounded it? Did it become the PS3’s much-needed system seller? Well, it most certainly is the best FPS that is currently on the system and the graphics most definitely show off the PS3’s potential power. For those of us who own a PS3, "Killzone 2" is a must buy--it's an excellent addition to PS3’s library and overall, it's just a great game. Does that mean you should go out and buy a PS3 just to play this game? No. If Sony really wants to sell PS3s, they are going to have to up their library, much like they did with the PS2. Imagine the PS3 with a library just half as good as the PS2’s.

A man can dream.

By our guest blogger, Chris Cook

When "Halo" first came out for the original Xbox, it became an instant hit, a classic and the perfect First-Person Shooter (FPS). Meanwhile, Sony’s library was lacking an FPS they could call their own. But never fear, said Sony, "Killzone" will do just what PS2 owners wanted--offer an FPS actually worth looking forward to. When the game was  released, it was met with mixed feelings--it was good, but "Halo" was on another level. Years later, PS3 in hand, I once again had in "Killzone 2" an FPS I really could look forward to (although both "Resistance" games made the wait more bearable). This time around, however, Sony decided to tease us with that damn E3 trailer that promised something we next-gen gamers could only dream of--true next gen’iness. More waiting and another "Resistance" game later, we finally got to see if the game was really worth the hype. Could we really believe all that hype?

"Killzone 2" takes place after the events of the first game and "Killzone: Liberation" (PSP). Luckily, those gamers who haven’t played the first games won’t be completely lost as the storyline works well as a stand-alone title (not to mention the first games weren’t particularly good). Basically, the story goes like this--sometime in the distant future, mankind has expanded far beyond our solar system and eventually, it has split into two factions: the ISA and the Helghast. The Helghast decide to attack the ISA, they fail, and that pretty much brings you right to the beginning of this game. The ISA decide to launch an all-out attack on the Helghast home planet, expecting little resistance and naturally, things go down the crapper--quick.

From the very beginning, this game grabs players with its vivid presentation--even before you get to the main menu, the Helghast fuhrer delivers a commanding speech that conveys the power and determination of the Helghast war machine. At the game starts, players are dropped immediately into the shoes of ISA soldier Sev, who, along with a couple of comrades in arms, fight to take the Helghan planet, effectively ending the intergalactic war. Everything about this game says epic, from the first scene, where players dropped into battle via flying vehicles of absolute insanity to the later levels, where players traverse the dark, sprawling capital of Helghan to fight the intrepid Helghan army on their own turf. Being that this is their last refuge, the Halghast fight furiously and it shows during combat.

The AI is much improved over the previous iterations of the game--they're tougher, quite a bit smarter, especially on the later difficulty levels, and they're more diverse. The AI effectively utilizes cover, rushes players at defensive positions, are deathly accurate from across the map and really go all out to get the kill. The problem is that the AI is only intelligent enough do so at the two hardest difficulty levels, whereas at the two easier levels, players will be met with a dumbed down version of the Helghast soldiers, who seem almost hesitant to actually hit the player with their erroneous gunfire. Players looking for the true "Killzone 2" experience with have to turn the difficulty up a notch if they expect to enjoy the game fully. As for the allies Sev has by his side, they are smart enough to kill the enemy and for the most part, to stay out of the way. One small issue I had with the ISA soldiers was the dialog during gameplay and during the cut scenes. Now, I’m no saint, but those soldiers cuss so much and drop the F-bomb so frequently, that I found myself thinking that these soldiers must be 8-year-olds who just watched the Terence and Philip movie.

The weapons of the game are relatively numerous and effective. However, I found that the weapons also were unbalanced and uninteresting. Sev starts most levels with the standard ISA-issue rifle, which is cool but, again, just wasn’t all that fun to use. As the game progresses more weapons become available to the player, but because Sev can only hold a pistol and one other weapon, I found myself using the Helghast assault rifle for much of the game due to its balance of fire rate and for its accuracy. I also found that some parts of the game proved to be repetitious and, at times, even tedious due solely to the fact that players can only hold virtually one rifle at a time.

A militaristic, orchestrated soundtrack perfectly fits with the themes and action of the game. The pace is quick, well-balanced and exciting while the graphics paint a stunning picture of the Helghast home world. This game was created as a showcase for the PS3’s power and it shows.  From rusted corridors to crashed vehicles in various states of disrepair, from the massive, open arenas of battle to the sprawling city of the Helghast capital, this game can take your breath away with its visuals. Aside from some frame rate hiccups here and there, this game looks even better than the now infamous E3 trailer.

Guerilla included a multiplayer element into the game that consists of two categories--Warzone and Skirmish. Warzone is the main multiplayer element.  It throws players into intense, objective-based battles with up to 32 players while Skirmish is basically a practice arena that pits players against AI bots. The multiplayer is deep and very fun, though not that memorable. While playing through, I found that I lost interest in it. For most players, however, the multiplayer offers an experience that surely will extend the life of the title.

After all is said and done, is the game really up to par with the massive hype that once surrounded it? Did it become the PS3’s much-needed system seller? Well, it most certainly is the best FPS that is currently on the system and the graphics most definitely show off the PS3’s potential power. For those of us who own a PS3, "Killzone 2" is a must buy--it's an excellent addition to PS3’s library and overall, it's just a great game. Does that mean you should go out and buy a PS3 just to play this game? No. If Sony really wants to sell PS3s, they are going to have to up their library, much like they did with the PS2. Imagine the PS3 with a library just half as good as the PS2’s.

A man can dream.

Game Review

Indigo Prophecy

By our guest blogger, David Voyles

This week, I decided to do something different and go back to review an older title in lieu of Steam’s online sale for the holidays. While browsing the catalog, I ran across "Indigo Prophecy" ("Fahrenheit" in other markets), which I had always wanted to try, but at a $3.50 price tag, I couldn’t say no. Despite the fact that this is a title from 2005--and that it originally appeared on the Playstation 2 and Xbox as well as the PC--it holds up surprisingly well.

In fact, in some areas, it has yet to be surpassed.

The story revolves around man who gruesomely murders a civilian and carves symbols into his arms in a diner bathroom on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Having no control over himself while committing this crime, the man believes he either is going insane, or there are other forces at work here.

You play as three different characters, and in some scenarios you can switch between the two detectives on the fly as they assist and work off one another. This is a unique feature seldom seen in other titles--the only other of which I can recall is "Resident Evil Zero" on the Gamecube. What makes this so interesting is that not only do you play the role of the murderer, but also that of the detectives.  It gives you a unique perspective on the story.

"Indigo Prophecy" also offers an enthralling cinematic experience that only has been matched thus far by "Uncharted 2." At times, the camera is in a fixed position behind the protagonist, but at other times, a right mouse click will change the perspective to offer a more cinematic like experience. Often, the game provides a creepy viewpoint, such as facing up from the ground, or using sharp angles to increase the anxiety in an already engrossing experience. Furthermore, as the story progresses, players often will experience the screen being cut into two or even three parts in order to witness different events occurring simultaneously.  In these instances, they must act quickly on one of the screens before a character on one of the other screens reaches a certain point.

To add to the excitement, when players are presented with a choice such as a dialogue choice or an action, they must act quickly before a timer runs out in order to select their decision. In the PC version, this is done by clicking on the mouse, followed by moving it in a predetermined direction. This can be frustrating, however, as your movements need to be exact--otherwise, they will not register correctly and your character will not complete whichever action you chose. Not all of the player’s questions can be answered in each conversation as times runs out, so choose carefully. Additionally, players are never sitting idle, even during drawn-out conversations or long stretches of monologue. At times like those, QTE’s (Quick Time Events), such as those made popular by titles such as "Shenmu" on the Dreamcast, appear onscreen and players must match keystrokes accordingly. While it does keep the player involved, it also distracts him or her from the conversation and the events at hand.

The graphics of "Indigo Prophecy" are great for 2005, and they hold up well enough today to not distract player from the believability of the game. One shortcoming is the inability to play the game in a widescreen format. Considering most computer displays (or even televisions, for that matter) are widescreen, much of the screen’s real estate is not utilized.

Despite the aging graphics, the storytelling in "Indigo Prophecy" is unmatched. For the first time in a game, I really felt as though my decisions would have sever repercussions. I’ll be sure to have as second play through to find out for sure whether my decisions changed the outcome. That said, there were some points where I'm sure my choices resulted in different actions and outcomes than other players. The camera angles, splitting screen and soundtrack also lend a helpful hand in engulfing players. Throughout the entire experience, I felt as though I was playing an interactive movie more than a video game. That can be a godsend for some, and a turnoff for others.

Where "Indigo Prophecy" does fail is in its ending. Before it hits, the story runs along well with great pacing and believable scenarios, but the ending comes in a fell swoop--and it's extremely clichéd. It felt as though the developer ran out of production time towards the end and needed to quickly rush out a finished product. It’s a shame that such a well-written and involving story ends the way it does here. Nonetheless, the game itself remains a noteworthy experience.

So, who should play "Indigo Prophecy"? For starters, those who are looking for a seamless story where it is difficult to discern between a film and video game. If you enjoyed "Shenmu," then you will feel right at home with this title--although it is more gritty and wraps the player into the atmosphere better than Shenmu did. If you’ve been looking for a novel experience to take a break from these Hollywood blockbuster titles released in the last few months, than "Indigo Prophecy" is a great title to hold you over.

Game Review

Indigo Prophecy

By our guest blogger, David Voyles

This week, I decided to do something different and go back to review an older title in lieu of Steam’s online sale for the holidays. While browsing the catalog, I ran across "Indigo Prophecy" ("Fahrenheit" in other markets), which I had always wanted to try, but at a $3.50 price tag, I couldn’t say no. Despite the fact that this is a title from 2005--and that it originally appeared on the Playstation 2 and Xbox as well as the PC--it holds up surprisingly well.

In fact, in some areas, it has yet to be surpassed.

The story revolves around man who gruesomely murders a civilian and carves symbols into his arms in a diner bathroom on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Having no control over himself while committing this crime, the man believes he either is going insane, or there are other forces at work here.

You play as three different characters, and in some scenarios you can switch between the two detectives on the fly as they assist and work off one another. This is a unique feature seldom seen in other titles--the only other of which I can recall is "Resident Evil Zero" on the Gamecube. What makes this so interesting is that not only do you play the role of the murderer, but also that of the detectives.  It gives you a unique perspective on the story.

"Indigo Prophecy" also offers an enthralling cinematic experience that only has been matched thus far by "Uncharted 2." At times, the camera is in a fixed position behind the protagonist, but at other times, a right mouse click will change the perspective to offer a more cinematic like experience. Often, the game provides a creepy viewpoint, such as facing up from the ground, or using sharp angles to increase the anxiety in an already engrossing experience. Furthermore, as the story progresses, players often will experience the screen being cut into two or even three parts in order to witness different events occurring simultaneously.  In these instances, they must act quickly on one of the screens before a character on one of the other screens reaches a certain point.

To add to the excitement, when players are presented with a choice such as a dialogue choice or an action, they must act quickly before a timer runs out in order to select their decision. In the PC version, this is done by clicking on the mouse, followed by moving it in a predetermined direction. This can be frustrating, however, as your movements need to be exact--otherwise, they will not register correctly and your character will not complete whichever action you chose. Not all of the player’s questions can be answered in each conversation as times runs out, so choose carefully. Additionally, players are never sitting idle, even during drawn-out conversations or long stretches of monologue. At times like those, QTE’s (Quick Time Events), such as those made popular by titles such as "Shenmu" on the Dreamcast, appear onscreen and players must match keystrokes accordingly. While it does keep the player involved, it also distracts him or her from the conversation and the events at hand.

The graphics of "Indigo Prophecy" are great for 2005, and they hold up well enough today to not distract player from the believability of the game. One shortcoming is the inability to play the game in a widescreen format. Considering most computer displays (or even televisions, for that matter) are widescreen, much of the screen’s real estate is not utilized.

Despite the aging graphics, the storytelling in "Indigo Prophecy" is unmatched. For the first time in a game, I really felt as though my decisions would have sever repercussions. I’ll be sure to have as second play through to find out for sure whether my decisions changed the outcome. That said, there were some points where I'm sure my choices resulted in different actions and outcomes than other players. The camera angles, splitting screen and soundtrack also lend a helpful hand in engulfing players. Throughout the entire experience, I felt as though I was playing an interactive movie more than a video game. That can be a godsend for some, and a turnoff for others.

Where "Indigo Prophecy" does fail is in its ending. Before it hits, the story runs along well with great pacing and believable scenarios, but the ending comes in a fell swoop--and it's extremely clichéd. It felt as though the developer ran out of production time towards the end and needed to quickly rush out a finished product. It’s a shame that such a well-written and involving story ends the way it does here. Nonetheless, the game itself remains a noteworthy experience.

So, who should play "Indigo Prophecy"? For starters, those who are looking for a seamless story where it is difficult to discern between a film and video game. If you enjoyed "Shenmu," then you will feel right at home with this title--although it is more gritty and wraps the player into the atmosphere better than Shenmu did. If you’ve been looking for a novel experience to take a break from these Hollywood blockbuster titles released in the last few months, than "Indigo Prophecy" is a great title to hold you over.

By our guest blogger, Zach Bryan

"Halo: ODST" is little more than a creative tangent within the greater spectrum of Halo games, involving those nameless. faceless, armored soldiers that, before, just stood around taking bullets while Master Chief decimated hordes of enemies and saved worlds all by himself.

Well, this time the big chief is nowhere to be seen, and we’re stuck instead with a group of more realistic characters--a rag-tag group of ordinary soldiers, replete with corny dialogue, a flaky romance, and a much smaller scale plot, all centered in just one city. And to be honest, it’s the best story-telling the team at Bungie has yet to offer. As for the rest of the game, it’s just another Halo game with the same enemies, same graphics, same mechanics--same nearly everything (except for the music, which takes a new and refreshing direction), despite the claims of creativity. Going into the game, a gamer shouldn’t expect to get his mind blown away.  Rather, they should expect only to have a pleasurable experience with an above-average piece of work created by a team that knows what they’re doing.

What’s different between Master Chief and the ho-hum ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Trooper)? Well, for one, the troopers don’t have shields, only a short amount of stamina (which serves like a shield), and a health bar. This makes your characters seem more human, more mortal. Secondly, they can’t dual wield, so no more John Woo-style dual wielding. Along with this is the starting weapon--a pansy sub-machine gun with a scope, which is supposedly silenced, though my ears can’t attest to that fact. Basically, it looks like it should be a battle rifle, but is in reality, it's far weaker. Other than these things, and minus a few weapons and items and an incredible jump height, the ODST handles much like Master Chief does and a player won’t experience anything really unique in the gameplay. It’s all the same--you just aren’t as awesome.

The game thrusts the player onto Earth, finally letting them experience what’s going on there and giving them the chance to explore what kind of environments it has to offer--a welcome change from the endless alien archaic structures that a player is forced to get used to while playing as Master Chief, though unfortunately not as extensive as I’d like it to be. For the most part, the environment doesn’t extend much beyond the one central city of the game--New Mombasa in Africa, which attempts to be, with some success, a futuristic, post-apocalyptic setting.

Roaming the dark streets at night, one sees no life save for that of their enemies, the Covenant (whom you must fight, obviously).  The only signs of civilization are long-wrecked vehicles and blank-looking buildings, which are all surprisingly mundane looking. The world isn’t awful looking, but it lacks diversity and the architecture is repetitive, extracting any humanness from the scenery--and, as a result, taking away the unsettled sensation that is usually felt within the post-apocalyptic world. Nonetheless, one is still left tense, for you know you're not alone, and likely there is no chance of reinforcements.

As for the storyline, it’s about the closest to literature Bungie is bound to get in their video games. It has somewhat compelling characters, a sense of development, a frame of a story, an okay (but not startling) climax and, perhaps the greatest shock for Halo players everywhere, a feeling of resolution! Basically, you are put in the shoes of a nameless rookie who is more witness than partaker of the events unfolding around you, which revolve around the two main characters, Buck and Dare, a pair of tough-egg characters who act as the leaders of the group and who refuse to acknowledge their longing for each other. Think Han Solo and Princess Leia.

Even though there is a section devoted to these characters, the rest are rather stale, they receive little limelight, and ultimately are inconsequential to the plot. What appeals to me about this plot as opposed to other Halo plots is that it runs a full arc and flows in an interesting way. As you run around the city defeating foes, you come upon items that trigger a flashback, creating a story that reveals to the player the fate of their squadmates, who were separated from him when they dropped onto Earth (he, unlucky fellow that he is, got knocked out for six hours). This not only sets a nice pace, switching from the dark city to the bright outside, but it also makes for good development, leading the player on until all the answers are unveiled at the end. Once the end is reached, there is a sense of satisfaction that the story of the soldiers is complete, and therefore one isn’t left hanging for yet another sequel.

There is another subplot that can be followed in the form of audiofiles littered throughout the city. It’s called the "Story of Sadie" and it involves the action of a girl native to the city who is surviving during a Covenant Invasion. The voice acting is swell and the story also is pretty entertaining, so if you have time to throw away, it worth going around finding these little treats. You also can unlock caches of weapons and vehicles, as a little prize for savoring the game.

A good deal of the feelings produced from the game--the solitude, the tenseness, the mystery--comes directly from the superb music, which is done by the same guys as before, Martin O’Donnel and Michael Salvatori, but the direction they have taken the music is much different. No longer are they rehashing the well-known Gregorian Chants from previous titles, but have instead gone on a subtler note.  They employ a jazzy theme, replete with saxophone, guitar and drums, among other instruments. The music is neither exciting nor relaxing, but instead, it adds an element of mystery--it goads the player to keep going, making him wonder what’s going on. It has a very distinct noirish feel, so much so that one might feel that Humphrey Bogart is underneath the helmet of the rookie. This matches the tone of the story very well, as it is something of a mystery that is being hatched. The music adapts accordingly to the action, and when enemies near, the drums start beating quietly--more than once I’ve been put on edge by the sharp plucking of guitar strings. When at rest, just meandering through the city, often the saxophone comes in smoothly, thus letting the soul breathe a little. Truly, I could play this game just to listen to the music.

The voice acting should be mentioned as well, for not only is it good, but it also has an interesting cast. That is, to say, talent from the cult show and movie, "Firefly" and "Serenity." Buck, the male lead, is voiced by Nathan Fillion, otherwise known as Captain Malcolm Reynolds, and his female counterpart, Dare, is voiced by Tricia Helfer, who you might remember from the new "Battlestar Galactica" show. Along with this duo are Adam Baldwin and Alan Tudyk, who also are part of the "Firefly" cast. To say the least, the voice acting is nothing to scoff at. The talent helps make the characters more believable, and the jokes are well-executed, genuinely making me laugh at parts.

There are a couple multiplayer options. For one, the campaign can be done with two players, though much of the feel and atmosphere is lost as a result. No longer do you feel alone and slightly scared for your life--you now have a bud, and the game turns into something of a drunken rampage through New Mombasa. And if your friends are like mine, the noir-like instrumentation will be far overshadowed by cursing and hooting. When two chums are just sitting around trying to have some fun, the experience of the story and the emotions that go along with the game all dissolve, leaving them with little more than repetitive architecture and some Covenant to kill. Not nearly as fulfilling an experience.

Then, perhaps more befitting for multiplayer, there is the Firefight mode, which is loads of fun. It plays something like Nazi Zombies on "Call of Duty: World at War," only instead of Nazi Zombies, you’re fighting waves of Covenant. The longer you survive, the harder it gets. The extraordinarily hard part is the fact that they all still retain their AI, making them trickier to kill than your everyday zombies. It’s such a simple concept, but it works beautifully, for basically the mode is an excuse to do what first-person shooter games are meant to do--shoot, shoot, and shoot some more.

As for online play, there isn’t any online mode specific to "Halo: ODST." Instead, one is left with an extra disc that has three extra maps for the good ol’ "Halo 3" online multiplayer, which still holds strong and is still popular. And no, you won’t be able to become an "ODST" in the multiplayer, nor will you take any guns specific to "ODST." It’s the exact same online experience that you’ve been playing all these years. Still a fun time, nonetheless.

The verdict? " Halo: ODST" is a solid game that is worth a look. It’s not exactly jaw-dropping, but for a game that started out as a side-project, it’s grown beyond expectation. Really, this is just a testament to the skill that Bungie possesses-they are able to create a good game at the drop of a hat. There are few complaints that can be had, I think, and the ones I’ve seen don’t state the faults within the game, but rather they state that the game simply doesn’t deliver more of what it has--quality.

By our guest blogger, Zach Bryan

"Halo: ODST" is little more than a creative tangent within the greater spectrum of Halo games, involving those nameless. faceless, armored soldiers that, before, just stood around taking bullets while Master Chief decimated hordes of enemies and saved worlds all by himself.

Well, this time the big chief is nowhere to be seen, and we’re stuck instead with a group of more realistic characters--a rag-tag group of ordinary soldiers, replete with corny dialogue, a flaky romance, and a much smaller scale plot, all centered in just one city. And to be honest, it’s the best story-telling the team at Bungie has yet to offer. As for the rest of the game, it’s just another Halo game with the same enemies, same graphics, same mechanics--same nearly everything (except for the music, which takes a new and refreshing direction), despite the claims of creativity. Going into the game, a gamer shouldn’t expect to get his mind blown away.  Rather, they should expect only to have a pleasurable experience with an above-average piece of work created by a team that knows what they’re doing.

What’s different between Master Chief and the ho-hum ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Trooper)? Well, for one, the troopers don’t have shields, only a short amount of stamina (which serves like a shield), and a health bar. This makes your characters seem more human, more mortal. Secondly, they can’t dual wield, so no more John Woo-style dual wielding. Along with this is the starting weapon--a pansy sub-machine gun with a scope, which is supposedly silenced, though my ears can’t attest to that fact. Basically, it looks like it should be a battle rifle, but is in reality, it's far weaker. Other than these things, and minus a few weapons and items and an incredible jump height, the ODST handles much like Master Chief does and a player won’t experience anything really unique in the gameplay. It’s all the same--you just aren’t as awesome.

The game thrusts the player onto Earth, finally letting them experience what’s going on there and giving them the chance to explore what kind of environments it has to offer--a welcome change from the endless alien archaic structures that a player is forced to get used to while playing as Master Chief, though unfortunately not as extensive as I’d like it to be. For the most part, the environment doesn’t extend much beyond the one central city of the game--New Mombasa in Africa, which attempts to be, with some success, a futuristic, post-apocalyptic setting.

Roaming the dark streets at night, one sees no life save for that of their enemies, the Covenant (whom you must fight, obviously).  The only signs of civilization are long-wrecked vehicles and blank-looking buildings, which are all surprisingly mundane looking. The world isn’t awful looking, but it lacks diversity and the architecture is repetitive, extracting any humanness from the scenery--and, as a result, taking away the unsettled sensation that is usually felt within the post-apocalyptic world. Nonetheless, one is still left tense, for you know you're not alone, and likely there is no chance of reinforcements.

As for the storyline, it’s about the closest to literature Bungie is bound to get in their video games. It has somewhat compelling characters, a sense of development, a frame of a story, an okay (but not startling) climax and, perhaps the greatest shock for Halo players everywhere, a feeling of resolution! Basically, you are put in the shoes of a nameless rookie who is more witness than partaker of the events unfolding around you, which revolve around the two main characters, Buck and Dare, a pair of tough-egg characters who act as the leaders of the group and who refuse to acknowledge their longing for each other. Think Han Solo and Princess Leia.

Even though there is a section devoted to these characters, the rest are rather stale, they receive little limelight, and ultimately are inconsequential to the plot. What appeals to me about this plot as opposed to other Halo plots is that it runs a full arc and flows in an interesting way. As you run around the city defeating foes, you come upon items that trigger a flashback, creating a story that reveals to the player the fate of their squadmates, who were separated from him when they dropped onto Earth (he, unlucky fellow that he is, got knocked out for six hours). This not only sets a nice pace, switching from the dark city to the bright outside, but it also makes for good development, leading the player on until all the answers are unveiled at the end. Once the end is reached, there is a sense of satisfaction that the story of the soldiers is complete, and therefore one isn’t left hanging for yet another sequel.

There is another subplot that can be followed in the form of audiofiles littered throughout the city. It’s called the "Story of Sadie" and it involves the action of a girl native to the city who is surviving during a Covenant Invasion. The voice acting is swell and the story also is pretty entertaining, so if you have time to throw away, it worth going around finding these little treats. You also can unlock caches of weapons and vehicles, as a little prize for savoring the game.

A good deal of the feelings produced from the game--the solitude, the tenseness, the mystery--comes directly from the superb music, which is done by the same guys as before, Martin O’Donnel and Michael Salvatori, but the direction they have taken the music is much different. No longer are they rehashing the well-known Gregorian Chants from previous titles, but have instead gone on a subtler note.  They employ a jazzy theme, replete with saxophone, guitar and drums, among other instruments. The music is neither exciting nor relaxing, but instead, it adds an element of mystery--it goads the player to keep going, making him wonder what’s going on. It has a very distinct noirish feel, so much so that one might feel that Humphrey Bogart is underneath the helmet of the rookie. This matches the tone of the story very well, as it is something of a mystery that is being hatched. The music adapts accordingly to the action, and when enemies near, the drums start beating quietly--more than once I’ve been put on edge by the sharp plucking of guitar strings. When at rest, just meandering through the city, often the saxophone comes in smoothly, thus letting the soul breathe a little. Truly, I could play this game just to listen to the music.

The voice acting should be mentioned as well, for not only is it good, but it also has an interesting cast. That is, to say, talent from the cult show and movie, "Firefly" and "Serenity." Buck, the male lead, is voiced by Nathan Fillion, otherwise known as Captain Malcolm Reynolds, and his female counterpart, Dare, is voiced by Tricia Helfer, who you might remember from the new "Battlestar Galactica" show. Along with this duo are Adam Baldwin and Alan Tudyk, who also are part of the "Firefly" cast. To say the least, the voice acting is nothing to scoff at. The talent helps make the characters more believable, and the jokes are well-executed, genuinely making me laugh at parts.

There are a couple multiplayer options. For one, the campaign can be done with two players, though much of the feel and atmosphere is lost as a result. No longer do you feel alone and slightly scared for your life--you now have a bud, and the game turns into something of a drunken rampage through New Mombasa. And if your friends are like mine, the noir-like instrumentation will be far overshadowed by cursing and hooting. When two chums are just sitting around trying to have some fun, the experience of the story and the emotions that go along with the game all dissolve, leaving them with little more than repetitive architecture and some Covenant to kill. Not nearly as fulfilling an experience.

Then, perhaps more befitting for multiplayer, there is the Firefight mode, which is loads of fun. It plays something like Nazi Zombies on "Call of Duty: World at War," only instead of Nazi Zombies, you’re fighting waves of Covenant. The longer you survive, the harder it gets. The extraordinarily hard part is the fact that they all still retain their AI, making them trickier to kill than your everyday zombies. It’s such a simple concept, but it works beautifully, for basically the mode is an excuse to do what first-person shooter games are meant to do--shoot, shoot, and shoot some more.

As for online play, there isn’t any online mode specific to "Halo: ODST." Instead, one is left with an extra disc that has three extra maps for the good ol’ "Halo 3" online multiplayer, which still holds strong and is still popular. And no, you won’t be able to become an "ODST" in the multiplayer, nor will you take any guns specific to "ODST." It’s the exact same online experience that you’ve been playing all these years. Still a fun time, nonetheless.

The verdict? " Halo: ODST" is a solid game that is worth a look. It’s not exactly jaw-dropping, but for a game that started out as a side-project, it’s grown beyond expectation. Really, this is just a testament to the skill that Bungie possesses-they are able to create a good game at the drop of a hat. There are few complaints that can be had, I think, and the ones I’ve seen don’t state the faults within the game, but rather they state that the game simply doesn’t deliver more of what it has--quality.

Week in Rewind is pleased to offer a giveaway of Dark Void for the Playstation 3!

Own it on DVD January 21, 2010!

Week in Rewind is pleased to offer a giveaway of Dark Void for the Playstation 3!

Own it on DVD January 21, 2010!

Game Review

"Torchlight" for the PC

By our guest blogger, David Voyles

"Torchlight," for all intents and purposes, is a "Diablo" clone. But that’s only because developer Runic Games consists of a number of members from the first two "Diablo" teams. This title provides the perfect balance of hack-and-slash to hold you over until "Diablo III" is finally released in 2000-whatever. Fast-paced action and a wonderfully crafted role play system will keep you playing this title for quite a bit.

The story is nothing to write home about. It’s something about a mining village alongside a mountain where bad things are going down. You’ll occasionally play alongside a fellow NPC adventurer, but not frequently enough to have you want to invest your time in learning his background. It’s barely passable as a story, but then again, not too many people play a hack-and-slash dungeon crawler for the story. The rest of the game more than make up for this.

The environment is a bit of a mix-up between medieval and steampunk, which creates a unique feel, combined with the World of Warcraft-esq graphics. If "Diablo" and "WoW" had a baby, this would be their lovechild. The characters you’ll meet (although a very limited few) are different from one another as well. A sorceress occasionally will meet you in the dungeon to guide you to your next point and move the story along, while the towns folk consist of dwarves who will imbue your items with gems, a miner who will sell you potions, and a robot who sends you on assassination missions.

The character selection is your run-of-the-mill dungeon-crawler experience. You are given the choice of the strapping melee fighter, the thief/rogue who specializes in long-range attacks, or the magic wielding alchemist--who also has minions at his disposal. Naturally, I chose him. That’s as far as character customization goes at the offset, other than the fact that you can choose either a cat or a dog to work alongside you as a companion who attacks other creatures. The animal can also grow to larger, more ferocious things when it consumes magical fish or meat, which adds a bit more to gameplay.

Character progression is typical--experience is earned for killings mobs, as well as handing in quests. You are then allotted five points for each level to place into one of four stat categories: strength, dexterity, magic, armor. You are also granted one point to place into one of three skill trees to add your own flavor to your characters. This is one of the things that kept me hanging out--the desire to get to the next skill point and try out the next skill.

What does hurt this game is the lack of multiplayer. This title is just itching for some friends to hop in and stomp some mobs, but unfortunately, it is not included. Runic has plans to turn this into some sort of MMO, and the modding community is currently tinkering with adding multiplayer, but it has some time to go. The campaign is entertaining enough to keep you engrossed, but I had that feeling in the back of my mind the entire time that it could be an even greater experience with a friend at my side.

Another thing that will surely have gamers coming back for more is the great loot. Similar to "Borderlands," the loot dropped by mobs is random--and a driving force that consistently had me craving more. Each time I felt as if I had an excellent weapon that would cut through dungeon minions like a hot knife through butter, another weapon--whether it was rifle, axe or staff--would come by and have me weighing the bonuses of each. Also in a similar fashion to "Diablo," players must use scrolls of town portal to warp back to town and pawn off their abundance of booty frequently, as your inventory is limited, although your sidekick pet does have an inventory to assist you as well, much like the pack mule in "Dungeon Siege."

Bosses are scattered throughout the game, as are elite mobs which obviously drop better loot as well. Sometimes, though, through excellent skill tree combinations, the fights can be so easy that you don’t even realize you’re fighting a boss until it’s over. Either way, fights are a sight to behold as enemies explode on screen along with your vivid spells and plethora of skills.

It gets better. Not only are Torchlight’s system requirements so low that even a netbook could play this game and it still would look beautiful, but it certainly is one of the best RPG’s to hit the PC in quite a while. At $20, this title is the best deal I have ever seen in gaming history, and I’ve been playing games for 20 years. In fact, it was only $10 last week on steam. I can’t recommend this game enough, as it is one of the few titles in recent memory where once I began playing, I couldn’t put it down. Do yourself a favor and pick up "Torchlight" immediately.


View the trailer for "Torchlight" below. Thoughts?

Game Review

"Torchlight" for the PC

By our guest blogger, David Voyles

"Torchlight," for all intents and purposes, is a "Diablo" clone. But that’s only because developer Runic Games consists of a number of members from the first two "Diablo" teams. This title provides the perfect balance of hack-and-slash to hold you over until "Diablo III" is finally released in 2000-whatever. Fast-paced action and a wonderfully crafted role play system will keep you playing this title for quite a bit.

The story is nothing to write home about. It’s something about a mining village alongside a mountain where bad things are going down. You’ll occasionally play alongside a fellow NPC adventurer, but not frequently enough to have you want to invest your time in learning his background. It’s barely passable as a story, but then again, not too many people play a hack-and-slash dungeon crawler for the story. The rest of the game more than make up for this.

The environment is a bit of a mix-up between medieval and steampunk, which creates a unique feel, combined with the World of Warcraft-esq graphics. If "Diablo" and "WoW" had a baby, this would be their lovechild. The characters you’ll meet (although a very limited few) are different from one another as well. A sorceress occasionally will meet you in the dungeon to guide you to your next point and move the story along, while the towns folk consist of dwarves who will imbue your items with gems, a miner who will sell you potions, and a robot who sends you on assassination missions.

The character selection is your run-of-the-mill dungeon-crawler experience. You are given the choice of the strapping melee fighter, the thief/rogue who specializes in long-range attacks, or the magic wielding alchemist--who also has minions at his disposal. Naturally, I chose him. That’s as far as character customization goes at the offset, other than the fact that you can choose either a cat or a dog to work alongside you as a companion who attacks other creatures. The animal can also grow to larger, more ferocious things when it consumes magical fish or meat, which adds a bit more to gameplay.

Character progression is typical--experience is earned for killings mobs, as well as handing in quests. You are then allotted five points for each level to place into one of four stat categories: strength, dexterity, magic, armor. You are also granted one point to place into one of three skill trees to add your own flavor to your characters. This is one of the things that kept me hanging out--the desire to get to the next skill point and try out the next skill.

What does hurt this game is the lack of multiplayer. This title is just itching for some friends to hop in and stomp some mobs, but unfortunately, it is not included. Runic has plans to turn this into some sort of MMO, and the modding community is currently tinkering with adding multiplayer, but it has some time to go. The campaign is entertaining enough to keep you engrossed, but I had that feeling in the back of my mind the entire time that it could be an even greater experience with a friend at my side.

Another thing that will surely have gamers coming back for more is the great loot. Similar to "Borderlands," the loot dropped by mobs is random--and a driving force that consistently had me craving more. Each time I felt as if I had an excellent weapon that would cut through dungeon minions like a hot knife through butter, another weapon--whether it was rifle, axe or staff--would come by and have me weighing the bonuses of each. Also in a similar fashion to "Diablo," players must use scrolls of town portal to warp back to town and pawn off their abundance of booty frequently, as your inventory is limited, although your sidekick pet does have an inventory to assist you as well, much like the pack mule in "Dungeon Siege."

Bosses are scattered throughout the game, as are elite mobs which obviously drop better loot as well. Sometimes, though, through excellent skill tree combinations, the fights can be so easy that you don’t even realize you’re fighting a boss until it’s over. Either way, fights are a sight to behold as enemies explode on screen along with your vivid spells and plethora of skills.

It gets better. Not only are Torchlight’s system requirements so low that even a netbook could play this game and it still would look beautiful, but it certainly is one of the best RPG’s to hit the PC in quite a while. At $20, this title is the best deal I have ever seen in gaming history, and I’ve been playing games for 20 years. In fact, it was only $10 last week on steam. I can’t recommend this game enough, as it is one of the few titles in recent memory where once I began playing, I couldn’t put it down. Do yourself a favor and pick up "Torchlight" immediately.


View the trailer for "Torchlight" below. Thoughts?

Week in Rewind is pleased to offer a giveaway of Silent Hill: Shattered Memories for the Wii!

Own it now!

Thanks to our friends at Konami for this opportunity.

Week in Rewind is pleased to offer a giveaway of Silent Hill: Shattered Memories for the Wii!

Own it now!

Thanks to our friends at Konami for this opportunity.

Week in Rewind is pleased to offer a giveaway of MX vs. Atv Reflex for the XBox 360!

Own it now!

Week in Rewind is pleased to offer a giveaway of MX vs. Atv Reflex for the XBox 360!

Own it now!

Week in Rewind is pleased to offer a giveaway of Silent Hill: Shattered Memories for the Wii!

Own it now!

Thanks to our friends at Konami for this opportunity.

Week in Rewind is pleased to offer a giveaway of Silent Hill: Shattered Memories for the Wii!

Own it now!

Thanks to our friends at Konami for this opportunity.

Konami Digital Entertainment Inc., announced that it will release a playable demo of Hideo Kojima's eagerly awaited METAL GEAR SOLID: PEACE WALKER today titled "METAL GEAR SOLID PEACE WALKER: DEMO-OPS."

With METAL GEAR SOLID: PEACE WALKER recently confirmed as a May 25th launch on the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, Konami is giving people the chance to get an early taste of one of 2010's most highly anticipated games with an extensive playable demo. Available via the PlayStation®Store and Konami.com, the free demo, titled "METAL GEAR SOLID PEACE WALKER: DEMO-OPS," showcases four mission types featuring new content previously playable only on the show floor of the Tokyo Game Show, and more.

METAL GEAR SOLID: PEACE WALKER marks the return of the world-renowned stealth-action series. Hand-crafted by series creator Hideo Kojima, the all-new sequel delivers an original game design, story, and scenario as it picks up where METAL GEAR SOLID 3: SNAKE EATER for the PlayStation®2 leaves off.

The game is set in Central America in 1974, as players take control of the famed Naked Snake (Big Boss): the legendary hero who had once saved the world from the brink of nuclear war. Snake has now turned his back on his mother country and established 'An Army without a Government' in South America, and is approached by visitors from 'A Nation without a Military' to investigate suspicious activity in the peaceful paradise of Costa Rica. Amidst the turmoil of the cold war, Costa Rica alone had managed to be a beacon of peace in a region torn by conflict, but all of that may change.

METAL GEAR SOLID PEACE WALKER: DEMO-OPS will be available today on the PlayStation®Store. The demo will also be available for download through various gaming websites as well. The full METAL GEAR SOLID: PEACE WALKER experience will be released exclusively for PSP system on May 25th.

Konami Digital Entertainment Inc., announced that it will release a playable demo of Hideo Kojima's eagerly awaited METAL GEAR SOLID: PEACE WALKER today titled "METAL GEAR SOLID PEACE WALKER: DEMO-OPS."

With METAL GEAR SOLID: PEACE WALKER recently confirmed as a May 25th launch on the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, Konami is giving people the chance to get an early taste of one of 2010's most highly anticipated games with an extensive playable demo. Available via the PlayStation®Store and Konami.com, the free demo, titled "METAL GEAR SOLID PEACE WALKER: DEMO-OPS," showcases four mission types featuring new content previously playable only on the show floor of the Tokyo Game Show, and more.

METAL GEAR SOLID: PEACE WALKER marks the return of the world-renowned stealth-action series. Hand-crafted by series creator Hideo Kojima, the all-new sequel delivers an original game design, story, and scenario as it picks up where METAL GEAR SOLID 3: SNAKE EATER for the PlayStation®2 leaves off.

The game is set in Central America in 1974, as players take control of the famed Naked Snake (Big Boss): the legendary hero who had once saved the world from the brink of nuclear war. Snake has now turned his back on his mother country and established 'An Army without a Government' in South America, and is approached by visitors from 'A Nation without a Military' to investigate suspicious activity in the peaceful paradise of Costa Rica. Amidst the turmoil of the cold war, Costa Rica alone had managed to be a beacon of peace in a region torn by conflict, but all of that may change.

METAL GEAR SOLID PEACE WALKER: DEMO-OPS will be available today on the PlayStation®Store. The demo will also be available for download through various gaming websites as well. The full METAL GEAR SOLID: PEACE WALKER experience will be released exclusively for PSP system on May 25th.

By our guest blogger Michael Lee

It is common knowledge to many gamers that movie to game conversions rarely do well. Look at “Superman,” “E.T.,” or every “Star Wars” game ever created. All have been disappointing. “Avatar” attempts to end the curse and, while it has potential, it falls just short of breaking the trend. “Avatar” is a great looking third-person action game but is bogged down by many little things, which ultimately muddles the entire gaming experience.

As you may know, “Avatar” is based on James Camerons' movie. It follows a young soldier who goes to the planet of Pandora with the military. The military tries to take over the harsh land by taking control of the native aliens there called the Na’vi and implanting human minds into Na’vi bodies. Roughly, the game follows the same premise. You are a person in the military who goes to Pandora and is given random tasks to do like, find a person or destroy a robot. Once a task is completed, you are given a reward and then given another task. That is pretty much the entire game in a nut shell. After a while, the gaming structure gets a little tiresome and you soon forget why you’re doing this in the first place. There are certain tasks that require you to enter a Na’vi body and a little later you’re given a choice to stay human or become Na’vi for the remainder of the game. Na’vi are just stronger, faster and bluer versions of a human, a novelty that wears off pretty quickly. It’s not a bad game overall, just mediocre.

Graphically, the game is stunning. Pandora is a lush rainforest with tons of character. The plants are detailed, the rock formations are staggering and well-textured, all of which is a sight to see, especially during the flying sequences. Then again, this probably is all borrowed from the movie so you can’t really give Ubisoft credit for James Camerson’s vision. Either way, it’s beautiful. Even the character models look great. You can see definition in the muscles of characters and all the intricate details on the different alien species on Pandora. Visually, very impressive.

While the game looks great, the level design could’ve been better. There is a lot of detail with the environments but that extra detail makes it kind of difficult to see where you need to go. There is a map that helps but during the flying sequences, the map becomes almost useless due to all the rock formations and trees getting in the way. Plus, the map doesn’t have a zoom in or out so it doesn’t give you a sense of relative distance. With all the traveling you’re going to be doing, a simple feature like map zoom would’ve been nice.

Also, the gameplay is really hampered by a few minor things. One thing you notice is the character movement. You start every movement with an awkward lunge move that’s very irritating. While the lunge move only affects humans, it also affects all vehicles as well. It makes getting out of corners and flying straight practically impossible. This is also aggravated by the many trees and rocks in the environment--so, expect to run into a lot of walls. There is a leveling up system as well. With each level you gain, you acquire more abilities and stronger equipment. It’s very cut and dry but later in the game, the upside of gaining levels is virtually negated. The enemies around you level up as quickly as you do, so as you get stronger, they follow suit and do so as well. Any possible gain from stronger equipment becomes null. One final annoyance that needs to be mentioned is the auto camera. It’s usually pretty good but there are times during heated battles or near walls that the camera will do some crazy stuff.

Another thing worth mentioning is the mini game within Pandora called Conquest. At each teleportation site is the option to play Conquest, which is very similar to the game Risk. Pandora is broken into different land fragments and the objective is to control as much of the land fragments as possible with units you create from land you already control. With each fragment you conquer, you gain experience points, attack bonuses and other benefits that are used for the single-player campaign. You create units with experience points earned during the single player. Early in the game, Conquest is very hard because you can hardly build anything.  It isn't until late in the game, with all the experience points you earned, that Conquest becomes much easier.

One final aspect that deserves to be recognized is all the content and detail within the in-game encyclopedia call Pandora-pedia. It lists a wealth of data about weapons and the flora and fauna--it's a lot of data. Again, this probably is all borrowed from the movie, but it’s still  impressive.

“Avatar” is a great-looking game that has a lot of potential but which lacks some of the fine tuning that could’ve made the game soar.  Titles such as “Uncharted” or “Assassin’s Creed” might be a better choice but, if you find that you love the movie when it's released on Dec. 18, 2009, then “Avatar” the game might be a nice addition to your collection.

View a behind-the-scenes look at "Avatar" below. Thoughts?

By our guest blogger Michael Lee

It is common knowledge to many gamers that movie to game conversions rarely do well. Look at “Superman,” “E.T.,” or every “Star Wars” game ever created. All have been disappointing. “Avatar” attempts to end the curse and, while it has potential, it falls just short of breaking the trend. “Avatar” is a great looking third-person action game but is bogged down by many little things, which ultimately muddles the entire gaming experience.

As you may know, “Avatar” is based on James Camerons' movie. It follows a young soldier who goes to the planet of Pandora with the military. The military tries to take over the harsh land by taking control of the native aliens there called the Na’vi and implanting human minds into Na’vi bodies. Roughly, the game follows the same premise. You are a person in the military who goes to Pandora and is given random tasks to do like, find a person or destroy a robot. Once a task is completed, you are given a reward and then given another task. That is pretty much the entire game in a nut shell. After a while, the gaming structure gets a little tiresome and you soon forget why you’re doing this in the first place. There are certain tasks that require you to enter a Na’vi body and a little later you’re given a choice to stay human or become Na’vi for the remainder of the game. Na’vi are just stronger, faster and bluer versions of a human, a novelty that wears off pretty quickly. It’s not a bad game overall, just mediocre.

Graphically, the game is stunning. Pandora is a lush rainforest with tons of character. The plants are detailed, the rock formations are staggering and well-textured, all of which is a sight to see, especially during the flying sequences. Then again, this probably is all borrowed from the movie so you can’t really give Ubisoft credit for James Camerson’s vision. Either way, it’s beautiful. Even the character models look great. You can see definition in the muscles of characters and all the intricate details on the different alien species on Pandora. Visually, very impressive.

While the game looks great, the level design could’ve been better. There is a lot of detail with the environments but that extra detail makes it kind of difficult to see where you need to go. There is a map that helps but during the flying sequences, the map becomes almost useless due to all the rock formations and trees getting in the way. Plus, the map doesn’t have a zoom in or out so it doesn’t give you a sense of relative distance. With all the traveling you’re going to be doing, a simple feature like map zoom would’ve been nice.

Also, the gameplay is really hampered by a few minor things. One thing you notice is the character movement. You start every movement with an awkward lunge move that’s very irritating. While the lunge move only affects humans, it also affects all vehicles as well. It makes getting out of corners and flying straight practically impossible. This is also aggravated by the many trees and rocks in the environment--so, expect to run into a lot of walls. There is a leveling up system as well. With each level you gain, you acquire more abilities and stronger equipment. It’s very cut and dry but later in the game, the upside of gaining levels is virtually negated. The enemies around you level up as quickly as you do, so as you get stronger, they follow suit and do so as well. Any possible gain from stronger equipment becomes null. One final annoyance that needs to be mentioned is the auto camera. It’s usually pretty good but there are times during heated battles or near walls that the camera will do some crazy stuff.

Another thing worth mentioning is the mini game within Pandora called Conquest. At each teleportation site is the option to play Conquest, which is very similar to the game Risk. Pandora is broken into different land fragments and the objective is to control as much of the land fragments as possible with units you create from land you already control. With each fragment you conquer, you gain experience points, attack bonuses and other benefits that are used for the single-player campaign. You create units with experience points earned during the single player. Early in the game, Conquest is very hard because you can hardly build anything.  It isn't until late in the game, with all the experience points you earned, that Conquest becomes much easier.

One final aspect that deserves to be recognized is all the content and detail within the in-game encyclopedia call Pandora-pedia. It lists a wealth of data about weapons and the flora and fauna--it's a lot of data. Again, this probably is all borrowed from the movie, but it’s still  impressive.

“Avatar” is a great-looking game that has a lot of potential but which lacks some of the fine tuning that could’ve made the game soar.  Titles such as “Uncharted” or “Assassin’s Creed” might be a better choice but, if you find that you love the movie when it's released on Dec. 18, 2009, then “Avatar” the game might be a nice addition to your collection.

View a behind-the-scenes look at "Avatar" below. Thoughts?

Week in Rewind is pleased to offer a giveaway of The Saboteur for the XBox 360!

Own it for the XBox 360 now!

Week in Rewind is pleased to offer a giveaway of The Saboteur for the XBox 360!

Own it for the XBox 360 now!