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March 18th, 2007, 17:04 Posted By: bandit
For those who didnt know, DCEmu Reviews formed an affiliation with Goozex, a game trading site (read here). With this affiliation, we set up a contest for new sign ups at Goozex. With that said, we are glad to announce the winners to our contest!
Drum roll please...
Xbox 360 Game Bundle Winner -- ffmaster8472Wii Game Bundle Winner -- Amerpicon123PS3 Game Bundle Winner -- Cloud668PS2 Game Bundle Winner -- zagzagalPSP Game Bundle Winner -- zosonXbox Game Bundle Winner -- azn1artGC Game Bundle Winner -- wowozrs
To winners: Games will be sent out late next week from Goozex.
If you have not signed up yet, its FREE to sign up!
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March 17th, 2007, 14:37 Posted By: gdf
Loco Roco
Publisher: Neversoft Entertainment
Developer: Activision
Genre: Sports
Players: 1-4
Reviewed by gdf
Loco Roco, released last summer on Sony's portable, is without a shadow of doubt the happiest game ever made. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise and if you happen to disagree then you really have no soul. It is a game made of Happy, the idea being to roll a happy ball creature around the happy levels on their happy little planet. The plot is a stripped down version of the traditional battle of good versus evil; the planet is being attacked by evil alien invaders called Mojas, and it is up to you and the friendly fluorescent testicle things to save the day.
The control scheme is simple but effective, doing away with the d-pad and nub and using the R and L buttons to allow the player to rotate the world right and left. You press both at the same time to make your Loco hop, and circle to split it into all its little parts, providing you with the means to get through small spaces. As you progress you will come across red fruits, which you eat to add another ball to your main one. This means the next time you split it, there will be more Locos and you get points at the end of the level for collecting them. You can lose the poor things if you fall on a spike or get sucked up by a Moja and you will be terribly distressed by their little screams as they are separated from the others.
The levels are packed with fun features and secret areas. Some creatures you meet will help you out, for example giving you a boost up to a higher platform. Other objects are to be found throughout the world, with trampolines and air streams particular highlights. These are all useful and will have you smiling with childish glee. Secret areas often house fruit or Mui Muis, the Locos' friends, and can be fiendishly hard to find. This ensures you will keep coming back to the same levels in order to find all 20 Locos and all the Mui Muis. The game itself is quite short however, with 5 worlds of 8 levels each. Considering the longest time it takes to complete a level is ten minutes, it can be over and done with in a few hours. Bonus games and level editors help, but fail to add much longevity to the game. The length poses a real problem, as though the game has buckets of replay value, it is so damned addictive that you can end up running out of stuff to do in a week.
Fortunately, this is one of the only weak points of the game, and doesn't detract much from the overall experience. An area it really excels in is the sound. The music fits the backgrounds brilliantly and really contributes to the overall feel of the game; you can't help but grin when you see your Loco sing along to the sprightly tunes. Aside from the music, the visuals are impressive, managing to look cute and sharp at the same time. It all looks like some kind of surreal cartoon, but it is very well done and neat. The graphics make it very accessible; gamers and non-gamers alike will lap it up and rightly so, because it works for everyone: Kids will enjoy the cartoony looks, girls will love the cuteness factor and gamers will play it to death trying to find all the Muis and fruit. It really is one of those "Family" games, but not shit like Buzz.
Sadly, there is no Multiplayer, but level sharing is available. I would love to have bashed around the world with a mate, but the next best thing is the game sharing, which allows your friend to sample the game on his/her PSP. This is great as it allows you to share the joys and spread the love. The game can be pretty psychedelic at times, which can only be a good thing. There are five colours of Loco to unlock and you find them as you progress. Each has a distinctive look and their own little antenna thing (a la Teletubbies), that wags when you are near something important. Occasionally, your Loco will split up and sing a song to help one of the other creatures feel better, and if that doesn't brighten up your day then your heart is actually made of coal from the fiery pits of Hell. That has been shit out by the devil. Into a...you get the picture.
Loco Roco is a quality example of how things should be done on the PSP. Originality is the keyword here, and although it isn't the first ball rolling game ever (Check Super Monkey Ball and Katamari Damacy for that) it is one of the best games on the system. It is a perfect fit and highly recommended for all ages. Loco is more what would be expected on the DS, but it proves that cute can be done on any hardware. If Sony don't do a version of this with motion sensitive controls on PS3, then they are seriously screwed in the head. A great 2D platformer.
Replay Value 3/5 Hampered by a short lifespan.
Sound 5/5 Well judged and in the right tone. Perfect.
Graphics 4.5/5 So cute it makes you want to cry tears of joy.
Gameplay 4.5/5 A shining example of PSP brilliance.
Score:
One of the system's greatest. Simplicity is the answer.
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March 16th, 2007, 22:17 Posted By: Shadowblind
Quake 4
Publisher: Activision
Developer: id Software
Genre: First Person
Players: 1
Quake 4 is produced by id Software inc. for the PC and Xbox 360 Computer Entertainment system.
Quake 4 may not be as well known around as Doom 3 (even though they were made by the same people and company), but that doesn't keep it from being an all-around better game. Quake 4 looks to have incorporated all the needs that Doom 3 didn't have fullfilled, such as the flashlight-on'a-gun for one. Quake 4, when first shown at the 2005 E3 convention, fans flipped out of their minds for this game. The graphics, gameplay, and classic scenerio had many people, me included, waiting on the edge of their seat for this incredible FPS. We were waiting for gold...and we got platinum. The graphics, AI, weapons, and pretty much anything else incorporated in this game were much more advanced then the best up to this point. The gameplay becames highly repetitive after a while, though. The multiplayer is also a bit overused for various reasons.
The graphics for Quake 4 are the best I've seen until the time I bought it in 2006 as the first 360 game I got. I was stunned at the level of detail on each individual level. Textures were different for almost every part of the level, none repeated themselves through consistancy. Even when looking close to walls and sides, weapons and pretty much anything, the textures didn't became grainy or pixaled, for lack of a better term. They retained their smooth and shiny display from point-blank to distances half-across the level. The characters were almost life-like, having individual features such as a larger nose, bigger jaw, different eye colors, and whatever else there is to have on physical featuring. Such as the detailing in the next screen-shot:
The lighting is often very dark, which makes the light attachment for the guns come in very handy.
The AI in the game, both enemy and ally were nice, to say the least. It wasn't what I'd call an AI revolution, but the enemies often knew when to dodge and when to shoot, as did the allies. What amazed me is how id made the allie's movement. They used actual people with motion sensors to replicate movement into a virtual "skeleton". They used that skeleton as a basis for the movements of your buddies in-game. They add in textures and physical features of the characters and put them in-game. The result? An artificial ally thata replicates the same movements in the same style that the actor performed in reality.
Gameplay is the real deal in Quake 4. The gameplay features the standard shoot-and-get-shot style that all good FPS have and has made id Software famous. You, as corporal Mathew Kain set out with Rhino squad to break through the Strogg enemy lines to take out their central system called the Nexus. While along the way, you confront the Makron, the leader of the Strogg whom Mathew Kain killed in Quake 2. How hes standing in front of you is another story. You are shipped to a Strogg processing facuility where you are turned into a Strogg--literally. But before they have time to implant in your head the chip to make you obey they're every command, the remaining Rhino squad busts you out. Thus you, in your strogganized state go with the rest of Rhino squad to finish the job, and take Quake 4 features a great variet of weapons from both Quake 2 and Quake 4 introductees. This can range from the Rotosaw and the Nuclear pistol, to the clip-loaded shotgun and dark matter cannon(the Quake alternative to Dooms BFG9000) which creates a black hole, sucking in furnature and enemies alike.
While writing this my friend next to me said "I'd hate to be on the recieving end of that" when I showed him a shot of what it can do. Try being on the recieving end in multiplayer. It's not too fun I'll bet...
Multiplayer isn't near as good as it could have been. Still gun, don't get me wrong, but it doesn't utilize some of the nicer features of Quake 4. For instance, its maps are directly ported maps from Quake 2 with better graphics. There are very little parts of Quake 4 multiplayer that are original to Quake 4 and not the rest of the Quake series. Another bad let down is the fact that Quake 4 cannot be played multiplayer by 2 or more people on one Xbox 360. You can system link up to 8 Xbox's though for a game of up to eight players. You can also play online multiplayer through Xbox Live. The sad part is id seems to have forgotton all about co-op, which would be very nice in Quake 4 considering its dim storyline and levels. Heres a screenshot for the masses, although its shrunk so it doesn't show good detail.
Now onto ratings:
Graphics: 5 out of 5
I couldn't really ask for anything better. For its time up until this day, its graphics have proved amazing. Those shots aren't even in HD!
Sound: 4 out of 5
There isn't much to talk about, but the music varies from the creepy moments in the game where the music is a sorta blurred Twilight sound to those heart pumping moments where Quake 4 shoots out the hard rock. Yeah!
Replay Value: 4.5 out of 5
Due to the ability to choose from 5 different difficulties this game has a great replay value. That, and the fact you unlock achievments for almost every level you finish in a certain difficulty, tagged with chievments for finishing a level with only one type of gun at a time. Tons of gamer score for you!
Multiplayer: 3 out of 5
While not being awful, it sure isn't very good due to the limitations it has on a single Xbox and having pretty much only maps from Quake 2.
Gameplay: 4.5 out of 5
In my opinion the best FPS I've played to this day. And yes, I have played Halo 2 before. No it stands no chance in comparison to Quake 4 single player. Multiplayer on the other hand...
Overrall: 4.5 out of 5
If you liked any of id's games or FPS games, ranging from Wolfenstein to Halo 2 you'll love this game. That is, if you can stand a little freakiness here and there. And if you liked Doom 3, you'll love this game.
Score:
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March 15th, 2007, 22:55 Posted By: gdf
Dead Rising
Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Action
Players: 1
Reviewed on Xbox 360 by gdf
Ah, zombies. The shambling, brainless undead. Long hunted down by many a gamer, they have created numerous great games over the years, most notably Capcom's infamous Resident Evil series. Dead Rising is another zombie game from the survival horror masters, but is in an altogether lighter, more humorous tone.
You play Frank West, a photographer who has hitched a chopper ride into a sleepy American town that has recently been blocked off by the army. Chasing the scoop, you land on a mall and have 72 hours before your lift returns. When you get down to the shop floor, you find survivors of the outbreak barricading themselves in and fighting off zombies using whatever they can find, and when the undead brain munchers break in, you must employ similar tactics. After the initial scrap, you are taken up to the security room, a safe haven from your enemies, and meet all manner of mysterious people. You can try to uncover the outbreak of the scoop, try to save survivors or just kill piles of zombies, the choice is yours!
To begin with all you have is a camera, a watch and the clothes on your back; however, if you can pick an item up, you can use it in battle. There are literally HUNDREDS of weapons to be found, from novelty masks, to lawnmowers to plastic lightsabers, and almost all of them are useful in some way. Though there is just one attack button, the range of items negates the need for complex combos and each weapon has several different attacks: they can be swung, thrown, made to do a special attack and more, depending on the weapon. Some of the weapons are highly inventive and excellent fun to use and can cut through swathes of enemies. Body parts go flying all over the place and claret pours across the screen as you hack into a crowd with the small chainsaw or bash them up with the sledgehammer. The action is great and there are thousands of zombies to be brutally dispatched in increasingly inventive ways (death by shower head anyone?), so it never gets boring. It's a far cry from Resident Evil: there's no wandering around the same locations for scarce ammo, code guessing, or saving the best guns for the really bad boys; just a huge amount of zombies and an unlimited stock of badass weaponry with which to pwn their sorry hides.
When you bring up your watch in game a list of missions will appear; some important to the story, most just survivor escorts. Escorting survivors is an absolute ******* as they seem to be willing to hurl themselves into large crowds of zombies and get themselves eaten. After a while you'll get used to it, but it's not usually worth the bother to herd a fat man across the whole mall whilst being pursued by a gaggle of zombified shoppers and psychopathic cultists. There is only one door to the security room and save points are scarce, so trying to take others there could result in the loss of an hour or two's play. Hardly fair. Another complaint is that you are extremely unlikely to complete the game first, or even second, time round as it is hard to keep up with the tight time schedule of story missions. You can, however, choose to restart any time but keep your previously earned abilities and level, something that will come as a relief to those who just kept running out of time after the medication mission on day two and saved an already failed game. We know Capcom like to make their games challenging, but this is a step too far. All of this makes completing the game close to impossible to the casual gamer, who is the market this game should really appeal to.
Once you do properly get going on story mode you'll have great fun, and the kill count will rack up surprisingly fast. You can, as previously mentioned, gain new abilities and improve your stats and this is done in a clever way. Instead of the usual killing stuff gets exp. points (prestige points in this game, or PP), here you do it by taking photographs. Each photo you take is ranked and counts up target markers or special events, such as the high ranking PP stickers, which can be taken at specific moments. Once your photo is done you get PP for it and certain types of photo get more than others. This system works well, as it is down to player skill, not just awarded for winning a battle or whatever. PP are supplemented by completing missions or successfully escorting those bloody survivors to safety, and when you level up you improve your stats, and get special moves, like the head-busting knee drop, or zombie owning wall pounce.
After the missions are done you can continue to play, but I can't say much more without ruining it. There are loads of achievements in the game and many can be done with simple tasks like: "walk ten metres over a crowd of zombies"; "hit 30 zombies with a parasol"; "get 50 target markers in one photo" or "fall more than 10 feet". There are also zombie killage milestone achievements and some more challenging ones such as uncovering the true ending of the game or escorting 60 survivors to the security room. The mall itself is large and there are plenty shops and other areas to explore, like the nightmarish underground tunnel or the illegally fun multiplex cinema. The boss characters are challenging and secret passages can be found through the discovery of certain survivors. Weapons are consistently varied and exciting, and the only barriers to progressing are your bloodlust and the annoying mission structure. The now infamous text, unreadable on anything other than a state-of-the-art HD TV, can be irritating, but to be perfectly honest you can live without knowing what inane crap the janitor is wittering on about until it appears in the watch screen, where the writing is just about decipherable. The game's sound is well done (presumably the Capcom boys have been smashing a hell of a lot of cabbages and melons) and the graphics are very impressive, definitely setting the standard that subsequent games should aspire to. The game can be humorous but is continuously inventive and fun, though the execution can let it down on occasion. Despite this, Dead Rising is worth a purchase and is a great example of what the 360 can do; recommended.
Replay Value 4/5
Sound 4.5/5
Graphics 3/5
Gameplay 4.5/5
Score:
Occasionally ill judged but in the end an absolute blast; killing zombies never gets tired. Buy this and cross your fingers for a Dead Rising 2!
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March 15th, 2007, 22:44 Posted By: Shadowblind
Klonoa: Empire of Dreams
Publisher: Namco
Developer: Namco
Genre: Action
Players: 1
Klonoa: Empire of Dreams for the Game Boy Advance Nintendo handheld game system
Now this was the first Klonoa game I bought. After playing it, I was hooked. This game set a gold standard for GBA games for me, platformers specifically, and this was a definate before-its-time, being one of the first GBA games to be released.
As with all Klonoa games, its a standard platformer. Unlike its earlier relatives, it is full 2D, as a GBA able to emulate 3D would be a miracle. The sprites a well done, they fit together very well, fully articulate design spaing no pixel of Klonoa's character and essence in attacking, jumping, and the other things a game character basically does. The enemies are particularly something, as they reflect the lighting effect that would be present in a 3D game. The background is not as intricately designed, often being a single landscape. The level design is a bit more detailed on most maps, despite the glossy background. Here is a screenshot of ingame play:
While not showing much in foreground, you can plainly see the glossy land-scaped background, but it isn't very noticable during in-game play, despite its obvious nature. Cut-scenes have nicely rounded textures, showing obvious work in detailing most parts of the character and background images, with touch ups to the already nicely drawn and created sprites. Heres another screenshot for the good nature of adding them:
The sound is perfect for the levels...but sometimes the levels are a little too fluffy for their own good, much like in the Kirby game series. This makes some levels music both vexing and calming, which usually makes you tune them out. This doesn't mean the music is bad, its simply not very noticable when indulged within the addicting gameplay. The music in the cutscenes usually fits the scene to the best I would think possible. Again, like in the other Klonoa games, they speak they're own, un-interpretable language. For the music type the GBA is able to chug out, this is a good addition to the game.
The battle system remains the same in this Klonoa game as all others; sucking in enemies with your ring and expounding them to other enemies or into a walls or to gain distance. Although this style has gotton a bit old, hte Klonoa game series is still holding to it strong. With that effort they also make it continue to remain interesting. In this game, like Door to Phantomile, your ring is powered by the spirit which dwells inside it, namely Huepow.
The story begins as you, Klonoa, find yourself in multiple visions where you are not sure where you are, or whether theis place even exists or not. Soon you find out that the King of this land has put a law out which claims that no one may sleep, or dream more importantly as the law states. So now I know what your all thinking: "So what if they dream? Whos gonna stop them?" In answer to that: the guards. They, even though made miserable from this law, go and arrest anyone who they find sleeping, even breaking into homes to perform the arrests. The king's reasoning upon the law? The king is having a sever case of abnormal insomnia. He has not been able to sleep in days, and will not permit others to sleep. So comes Klonoa, the "dream traveller". Not really sure what he's doing, he fights through the visions to find out why the King is having insomnia and to liberate the land from this dreaming deprevation.
Now onto the ratings:
Graphics: 4 out of 5Nicely drawn sprites and eneies, and great front-gound scenerio textures. Now we get to that screwy-looking background. Sheesh...good thing its not very noticable.
Sound: 3.5 out of 5
Very calming music, which fits the levels. Unfortunately, sometimes you just wanna start smashing stuff to some jamming music, but oh well, this is second best!
Replay Value: 4.5 out of 5
Im not sure just what it was about this game that made me want to play it about 3 times over before I got bored. All I know is that it is wicked fun from start to finish and back again.
Gameplay: 4.5 out of 5
Another well done, good-to go platformer. What makes this one special is its the first best I've seen for GBA, AKA handheld.
Overall: 4 out of 5
As GBA games go, this one has held out to me as one of the strongest een since its release at the beginning of the GBA saga of gaming.
Score:
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March 15th, 2007, 01:22 Posted By: Shadowblind
Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil
Publisher: Namco
Developer: Namco
Genre: Action
Players: 1
Klonoa. Probably the most woefully underrated game series out there. Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil for the Sony PS2 went almost unnoticed on the greater scheme of PS2 gaming. Another reason why it may have not gained recognition is because it came out around the time of Sonic Adventure 2: Battle. Talk about bad timing, huh? In any case, the 3D platformer has gained the respect of most who've played it.
Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil gameplay revolves mainly on its 3D set up as a platformer, with a few twists. As with all games in this genre, it is a side-scroller adventure with you fighting baddies along the way. Unlike most platformers, though, you don't simply run through each level hitting anything that moves along the way. You also must solve certain puzzles along the way with each level. These puzzles seem complicated when you first run into one. However, by the time you finish, you'll be smacking you head, thinking "Oh! It was so simple! Why didn't I think of that..." The game isn't all about puzzles, not at all. While there are many challenging puzzles there is also the classic smack-around-the-bad-guy feel to it, as you often use enemies to solve puzzles, among other things. The battle system is unusual and rather original. Not the effect of smashing bad guys, but the way you do it, and how they can never really be destroyed.
Rather the a shooting, jumping, or smashing way of fighting, Klonoa 2 uses an original-classic pulley battle system. Pulley may not be a good word, but the idea remains the same, as you take in enemies into a special weapon, and use them to unlock puzzles, or smash them into other enemies, or use them to propel to new heights.
The story is a classic "Save the world scenerio" with a couple of new and old ideas. You play as Klonoa, Namco's half-mascot, waking up into a different world, which leaves a lot of the WTF feeling in the air. They still use they're own language, much like in Animal Crossing, so even if you know Japanese you won't be able to understand what they're saying, despite the accent similarities. Woken up by a apprentice priestess and her dog, they instantly dub you the "dream traveller". You are almost tricked into helping the girl earn her priesthood, but all is well, as that was apparently neccesary for the plot. You learn that only the so-called "dream traveller and his sacred weapon" can save the land of Lunatea from a destructiv force. You embark on a journey along with the priestess and her human-like dog to ring the four bells to seal off the evil that will reveal itself in the King of Sorrow.
Onto graphics. Unlike the first few Klonoa games, this game is rendered in full 3D, no sprites involved. The first Klonoa game rendered 2D objects in a 3D background. Klonoa 2 has what players called "awesome visuals" for its time. The cutscenes were among the best of the graphic moments, when the visuals were nicely mixed 2D-3D. The gameplay graphics weren't too far behind, making this game a for-its-time(not before) in that department. Posted is a screenshot of in-game play during a sentry boss-battle:
The textures in that screenshot are smooth due to the circumstances, much of all boss battles run graphics in a much smoother fashion then during Vision gameplay(levels). Here are some screenshots of the natural side-scroller level play:
The music track isn't one you'll be likely to hum to, but its definately one you won't hold your ears hoping for a bomb to come before the end of the track. For the type of game, its considered a nicely, well rounded soundtrack, that (I've never really noticed it during gameplay, but I've never really listened)will keep either a calm or rushed mood, depending on the levels circumstance. The OST was even demanded enough to be created and released a few months after the game being released.
Well that was a bit to type. Rather enjoyable, I guess. Heres my rating on Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil for PS2 Sony Entertainment System.
Replay Value 3/5 Not too much to be had in this department, once you beat the game its usually the same thing over unless you do some of the mini-quests. Replaying does give an oddly good feel compared to most games.
Sound 4/5 They matched the scenario being played upon, thus making them a good style for-the-moment music, as well as sound
Graphics 4.5/5 Not bad at all, not what I'd call a masterpiece but for its time it was a huge advance form the original 2D rendered on a 3D set.
Gameplay 5/5 There isn't much more you could ask in a platformer. Klonoa 2 is almost what I'd call the absolute perfect platformer.
Score:
If your looking for a platformer, there isn't much better choice then this game. It has everything from long eared cats to air pirates.
This review is by Shadowblind for and at DCEmu, the Homebrew and Gaming Forum.
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March 14th, 2007, 22:47 Posted By: gdf
Killzon: Liberation
Publisher: SCEA
Developer: Guerilla
Genre: Action
Players: 1
Reviewed on PSP by gdf
The original Killzone was released a couple of years ago on the PS2 after an enormous amount of hype, mainly orchestrated by magazines. When it came out it proved a very enjoyable, if unoriginal game, and wasn't quite the "Halo-beater" that it was widely tipped to be. After the implausibly beautiful PS3 trailer for Killzone 2 appeared the hype once again stirred. Over a year on and with no more news concerning it, fans felt lost. Not any more.
Killzone Liberation is a pint sized version of the shooter that continues the story of the first game. You play as Keller from the first game- on a mission to hunt down the evil Helghast officer General Metrac- but from an altogether different perspective (quite literally). Instead of being in first person, the game's developers Guerilla decided to take the player a step (or twenty) back from the action and have a psuedo top down view a la Metal Gear Solid. Amazingly it seems to have worked and the game proves more fun and rewarding in the new view. The controls are very well adapted to the portable's limited button arrangement and the game maintains the feel of the original. Your man can roll, melee, shoot, grenade, reload, order squadmates, perform context actions, crouch, cover and even strafe thanks to good thinking on the developer's part. It almost feels like Gears of War Mini at some rather excellent parts of the game, especially due to the clever cover system...
You press R to crouch and if you are behind cover when you do so then you attatch to it. To fire over you press square, and thanks to a laser sight and some subtle auto aiming, blasting enemies is easier than ever; of course this is compensated for by the nails-hard Helghast, who can take more lead than a stack of peiodic tables (I know, that was awful). The system works surprisingly well, and this is good, since without it getting past Level 1 would drive most to suicide. Another life-saver is the strafing, which is activated by pressing L. This makes you lock-on to the nearest enemy and lets you circle round like a little crab with guns-for-claws. It is well implemented and becomes second nature after fifteen minutes' play.
There are only eight guns in the game and they only become available by progressing in the story, but they are a tight, well balanced lot, all of which have spcific strengths and weakness'. My personal favourite has to be the magnum, a great combination of fire rate, accuracy, power and reload speed. Sadly, only one gun can be carried at a time, which doesn't help when you want a sniper or a bazooka and a shorter range weapon, but have to settle for the most boring one purely because you simply wouldn't be able to progress using just the more powerful or longer range weapons. On a happier note, throwing grenades has been well adapted. You simply press circle to enter grenade mode and tap fire when you want to throw. When in this mode, a set trajectory appears and you move around, locking on to specific targets if necessary.
One area the controls fall down slightly is in the conrol of the Tanks, a bizzare mixture of shoulder button rotation and weird face button driving. Thankfully these are few and far between enough so as not to disrupt the rest of the game. Another potential sticky area is the VIP escorting, though thankfully this is one game where a) they can take care of themselves and b) they do what you tell them to. This is the kind of thing that puts many next gen games to shame and is a reflection on the excellent AI on show. Enemies will crouch behind cover like you and help each other out, trying to flank your position. Of course this can be put to rights with a few blasts of the shotgun or a lobbed pineapple.
The action in the game is tense and exciting, especially when you have a teammate in tow. A tap of select brings the pace of the game to a crawl, and you select a position, enemy or your character and they will go there/kill them/follow you. Sadly there aren't nearly enough of these sections as it's a great way of ordering the AI; very streamlined and simple, but effective. Another commendable element of the game is the graphical punch it carries, with some excellent effects and enemy death physics. The visuals are well above par for a portable game and it impressively matches up to the first game on the creaky old PS2.
Multiplayer is great in Liberation and an online download will be out soon- enabling you to take on the world wirelessly- thus extending it's already decent lifespan. Combined with the story and excellent challenge mode, this could keep the UMD in your PSP for months to come. A warning however; this game is HAAAAARD. The levels are long and arduous and you'll be swearing at the screen more than once throughout the single player. You'll get to the end of a level, heaving a sigh of releif, when a giant tank boss comes up behind you. SHIT! The difficulty does provide a worthy challenge however, and if you're into beating hard games then this will be right up your street.
Despite some small flaws, Killzone Liberation is superb and these comparisons I made during play are testament to what a great game it is: Halo, Killzone 1, Contra, Gears of War, Rainbow 6: Vegas. If I haven't convinced you yet, then you should take your PSP and smash it up, because without this game you don't deserve to have that system. Killzone Liberation is a great example of how to do a shooter on portable consoles; keeping the feel of the original, but adapting it to the different platform and along the way far surpassing it in terms of quality and quantity. This game is a gem and should not be ignored in favour of endless retro collections, miss at your own risk.
Replay Value 4/5
Sound 4/5
Graphics 4.5/5
Gameplay 4.5/5
Score:
Superb execution, silky visuals and impressive AI make this an experience not to be missed.
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March 14th, 2007, 22:10 Posted By: gdf
Tekken: Dark Ressurection
Publisher: Namco Bandai Group
Developer: Namco
Genre: Fighting
Players: 1-4
Reviewed by gdf
Tekken, a series seeming to have lost it's way in recent years, has always been a friend of Sony. This hasn't changed for the legendary series' first outing on the Playstation branded handheld. Dark Resurrection was originally a spruced up version of Tekken 5 for the Arcades, but the PSP seemed like a perfect format for the title to be given a commercial release on, and it works a treat. The Namco brawler feels like it has found its true home and somehow, you seem closeer to the action than ever.
The player feels every kick, punch and special move like they have just been smashed in the face with a rock covered in diamond spikes. The absence of rumble on the portable seemingly makes no difference to the intense fights and you hardly notice its not there. The bouts are fast paced and fun, great for (I hate this phrase) "Gaming on the go" (Eugh), as they come in tiny bitesize chunks and can be done one at a time if you need to keep putting the PSP on sleep. Loading times are very impressive- even for a PS2 game these would be quick- so you can get into action quite quickly. Of course, the Intro movie when you load the game up is great and looks mighty fine on the LCD screen.
This moves me along to the next point: the visuals. The graphics in Tekken were always fairly impressive, even on PS1, but here the game properly shines. The character models are especially excellent, with curves and smooth lines rather than bumps everywhere. The backgrounds are impressive too, and the small, constrained arenas also look the part, with shattering ground or flying coins (in one level). The PSP has often been susceptible to awful (occasionally game-destroying) ghosting, but that it not in evidence here. Movement is smooth and swift and doesn't seem blurred that strange yellow colour you can get. All in all, I'd go as far as to say this is the best PSP graphics have gotten so far.
The action itself is instantly gratifying and is finely balanced between button bashing and combo mastery. Combos are usually simple and effective and there is a wide enough variety to satify both extremes. Noobs to the fighting genre will be able to string together a couple of moves and oldies (have their fingers not succumbed to arthritis yet) should go for the ludicrous 10-hit combos and suchlike. There is a training mode for fighters to try out and a combo challenge, where you try to nail each characters' moveset in as quick a time as possible. The action feels right as well, as opponents provide sufficient challenge to those who want it. Bouts can just as easily time out as be over in seconds and there always seems to be a fine-line between victory and loss, though it never looks to be unfair. The PSP's often limited and flawed control layout doesn't seem like a problem either and you always feel in total control of your characters. When you lose it is most definitely your fault.
Though Arcade provides the main meat of the action, there are a raft of other modes to take into account. Story is fairly self explanatory, and sees you guide a character through their KOIF tournament. Quick Battle is just as simple but very fun, and is great for diving into a fight without fear of losing your ranking, which I'll come back to later. One of the more interesting modes is Dojo, which sees you work through an Island of martial arts training houses to become the champ. Dojo is a lengthy trudge, and can feel a little repetitive at times, but mostly proves quite a fulfilling alternative to arcade. There are also dozens of options to be tampered with, and a rather fun Edit mode, where you spend Gold earned in-game on new costumes for your characters.
And there are a lot of characters. Two new additions Lili and Dragunov feel useful in a fight, especially the former, whose devastating kicks can whip even the largest opponent. Another commendable part of the game is that the list is well balanced. The big, slow ones aren't always the useless *******s they had been before and the light ones don't feel like a bunch of weak ass pussies. My personal favourites are Jack-5, the superpowered robot, and Lili, the aforementioned newcomer. When you use a character in either Arcade or Dojo they are given a percentage and ranked, so after prolonged play you can see who you are the best with. The system works surprisingly well and makes you really determined to win each round.
Tekken seems to have found a new lease of life on PSP and proves an excellent companion to the system. Not only are the fights rapid and violent (not MK violent mind), but you feel every blow and look absolutely sumptuous to boot. It is a well balanced game and another good example of "How to port a game to PSP". It seems to have found its spiritual home on the system and is a highly reccommended purchase. As an added bonus, the legendary minigame Tekken Bowl returns and is a nice distraction to the main game. The edit mode is also a laugh and flaws are few and far between so if you own a PSP then buy this freakin' game! One of the best on PSP and excellently balanced in almost every aspect.
Replay Value 5/5
Sound 3/5
Graphics 4.5/5
Gameplay 4.5/5
Score:
A complete package; you'll never need another fighting game on the system.
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March 14th, 2007, 03:35 Posted By: bandit
NeoFlash MK5 8Gbit GIGA Cart (1GB)
Manufacturer: NeoFlash
Site: Buy from IC2005
Price: $49.00
Overview : NeoFlash MK5 8Gbit GIGA is a slot 1 device (no passcard required). It does not use any external storage cards such as microSD. It holds up to 1GB of storage.
Features :- Support clean rom,not need any patch,just need drag and drop
- Huge memory space,from 8Gbit upto 64Gbit
- USB 2.0 high-speed data transfer
- USB disk function, compatible with any operation system
- Build in the last moonshell V1.5 and upgradable
- Support homebrew
- Build in SMS multi save function,and auto save
- Menu upgradable,just need drag and drop the new core to MK5
- Multi rom support,media play support
- MK5 turbo engin, 100% full game running speed, without any delay
- Build in passme function, can boot almost GBA flash cart perfectly
Quality/Usability : NeoFlash has entered the DS scene with their version of the Slot-1, MK5. Included with the package is Slot-1 MK5 8G DS Cartridge, Slot-2 GBA Linker, mini-CD and USB cable. Before you get ahead of yourself, this is not 8GB. This is 8Gbit which means 1GB of flash memory. There is also a 16Gbit as well (2GB - $59.00).
Out of the box, there were preloaded apps such as Moonshell and DSOrganize. The Slot-1 MK5 DS cartridge is the same as that of the real DS cartridge. It acts as a pass-me similar to that of the M3 Simply and R4DS. Unlike other Slot-1 cards, the MK5 uses flash memory to store all data rather than external cards such as microSD.
To transfer data, you will need to insert the MK5 GBA Linker. This is the cartridge that looks and is the same size as a GBA cartridge but has a USB port built-in. If you are to insert this into a DS Lite, the cartridge will stick out. Since the MK5 uses flash memory, the GBA Linker is used to communicate with your PC to transfer data. This does not store any data.
So how does this work? Insert your MK5 DS cartridge into Slot-1 of the DS and insert the GBA Linker into Slot-2 of the DS. Once the GBA Linker is inserted, connect the USB cable to the GBA Linker and PC. Turn on your DS and the PC will recognize the device as a removable storage. All you have to do now is just transfer your files. File transfer is pretty quick. When you have transfered all your files, turn off the DS. Since the GBA Linker only communicates with your PC, you will have to remove it. If you do not, you will not be able to access any of the MK5's feature and will be prompted with a message.
Upon turning on the DS (after you have removed the GBA Linker, you are brought to the DS menu screen. You will have to manually select the MK5. Once inside MK5, you can control the menu either with d-pad with A button to confirm or with the stylus. The menu screen itself isnt really attractive. With other Slot-1's you have some slight control over the look of the menu such as skinning. Unfortunately, you are unable to with the MK5. Although, you are able to customize Moonshell since they are based on BMP images and the fonts on MK5 via "global.ini".
The top screen shows the selected ROMs information such as ROM icon, filename, file size, last save date and page numbers (if you have more than 12 files).
The bottom screen shows the ROMs that you transfered onto the MK5. Each ROM has a 3D icon. As the current ROM is selected, the icon pulses to let you know which one is highlighted.
The MK5 worked perfectly with all the homebrew files I loaded onto the card. All homebrew booted quick and without a problem as it supported DLDI.
Booting of commercial ROMs were quick as well. The MK5 gets its save game size from a database. Luckily, the database is updated often. If for whatever reason the game save is not available, you can manually make one yourself by holding SELECT and pressing LEFT or RIGHT to select the save size. But this takes some trial and error if you dont know the size. You can see the compatibility and save game list here.
If you have a Slot-2 GBA Flash Cart, MK5 acts as a Pass-Me card which allows you to boot the GBA cart.
The MK5 also allows for future firmware upgrade. Upgrading the firmware is similar to that of loading a commercial ROM. It only takes a few seconds to upgrade the firmware.
A nice feature that NeoFlash included is the ability to format the MK5 incase it is corrupted. To format, just insert the MK5 and GBA Linker into the DS but dont insert the USB cable and dont turn on the system just yet. Hold down the L Trigger + R Trigger and the Down button then power on the DS. The MK5 logo will appear. While still holding the L Trigger + R Trigger and Down button, now press A + B button. The GBA Linker will now format the MK5. Since it is formatted, all data have been erased and you will need to transfer all data to the MK5 again.
Another unique feature that NeoFlash has released since the release of the MK5 is the ability to use the DS as a USB joypad and mouse. For more information, you can check out the official release.
Conclusion : Overall, the NeoFlash MK5 8Gbit GIGA Cart met my expectations if not more. The drawback of the MK5 is not being able to upgrade the memory since it is flash memory. But the price makes up for it considering the DS-X is 4Gbit and is twice the cost! For those first time users of Slot-1, you may not mind the menu screen but once you see or try others, you'll notice how plain the MK5 is.
*UPDATE*
New update from Dr. Neo over at NeoFlash.com regarding save memory self-test.
the new MK5 save memory self-test App
thanks cory tooooo much, he make a very useful MK5 2M save memory test App, just run it then can check your save memory working perfect or not!
how to use:
[1] copy "Save_Memory_Test.nds" to your MK5, and copy the "savetype.sdb" to overwrite your old file too.
[2] when you run it first time, just click it and start to excute the self-test and give out the testing report. If it's passed, then turn off your NDS.
[3] re-power on your nds and run this App again, it will verify the memory data automatical, if pass too, then mean your MK5 save system is working perfect and can keep the data after power off, 100% QC pass.
Source: NeoFlash (download file via link)
Please note that none of the "upgrade" products listed in this site are endorsed by Nintendo, Sony and/or Microsoft. DCEmu Reviews and DCEmu Network does not condone piracy. The primary functions of a "modchip" and/or "flashcart" are to allow you to play imported games and homebrew software that you legally own or simply just for experimenting with hardware. We in no way endorse piracy, and encourage all users to do the right thing and support the developers/manufacturers that support them. We do not take any responsibilities for any use outside of these parameters or where the use of such a device is illegal.
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March 14th, 2007, 00:30 Posted By: bandit
XCM Multi-Console Component Cable v2
Manufacturer: XCM
Site: Buy from Play-Asia / Buy from Divineo US / Buy from Divineo China
Price: $22.99
Overview : XCM Multi-Console Component Cable V2 (PS2, PS3, Wii, Xbox 360). Not compatible with Xbox 1.
Features :- Fully Compatible with Xbox 360™, Wii™, PS3™ , PS2™ and any TV system.
- Support Component Signal (Stereo Function)
- Support AV Signal (Stereo Function)
- High Quality and High Speed for Transfer Signal.
- Support Dolby Prologic.
- Support DTS 5.1 Channel System.
- Support DOLBY Digital and Surround Sound
- Support Stereo Sound
- Support Optical Signal (Xbox 360)
- Compatible with Surround Receiver or Integrated Amplifier
- Support CRT, Plasma, LCD or any HDTV System
- Support D2 (480i/480p); (720i/720p) & D4 (1080i/1080p) technology.
Quality/Usability : XCM has released their multi-console component cable that supports Xbox360, Wii, PS2 and PS3. This is pretty much an all-in-one cable for your whole entire entertainment center. Like always, XCM impresses us with their quality of products.
There are three plugs for your console: Xbox360, Wii, PS2/PS3. On the other end are the AV inputs that connect to your TV. On the "switcher" itself, you have four switches: 360HD, 360 Y/Pb/Pr, Wii and PS2/PS3. Of course, which ever system you are playing, you'll have to switch to that system. For those that dont know, 360 Y/Pb/Pr is like a standard component cable.
The visual quality of each system is pretty good. I didnt notice much of a difference between this cable or the standalone component cable that you purchase separately for each system. When switching to a difference system, there is a 2-3 second delay.
The cable itself is fairly long so you dont have to worry about having the systems close to the TV but you will have to have your systems near each other in order for the cable to reach each console.
Conclusion : Overall, the XCM PS2/PS3/Wii/Xbox360 Multi-Console Component Cable is a neat product. Those looking to cut down on cables may want to look into this. It would have been nice if XCM had added a few inches more to the console cables so that the systems dont have to be so close to each other and for those who put their systems into entertainment centers. It would have been also nice if the 360HD and 360 Y/Pb/Pr had swapped places.
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