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September 8th, 2009, 23:38 Posted By: skynes
Platform: PC
Developer: Wizet
Publisher: Various, depending on region.
Ratings:
PEGI:
     
     
     
     
   
ESRB:
Maple Story is a 2d side scrolling free to play MMO. It was developed by the South Korean company Wizet and is published and localized by a variety of different companies depending on region.
The first thing noticed when playing is the graphics. Maple Story uses pixelated graphics similar to the Super Nintendo but done in a chibi manga style. This leads to a very cute and bright game with much potential for silly enemies and creatures like giant killer tomatoes, smiley mushrooms and enormous pelicans with headsets. The downside to the graphical engine is that the pixels are very noticeable, especially on a larger monitor.
The gameplay is a mixture of super mario brothers with golden axe. You jump around platforms wielding swords and spells to defeat your enemies. As expected of an MMO your character levels up, gaining stat points and skill points. Stat points are spent on your basic stats, such as strength or intellect, each class needs different stats in the way you would expect, e.g. a Warrior relies more on strength and a Wizard relies on intellect. If you're unsure what to do, there is an auto-assign button which splits your stats up in a good way for your class. Although this may not be the best for min-maxing it's still a good feature to include. Your skill points are spent learning your class spells and abilities, the flame wizard I played had the ability to summon a flame elemental which followed me around and blasted my enemies. Each skill point I put into it (to a maximum of 20) increased its damage and duration.
The game is played using mouse and keyboard, with movement and attacking dealt with solely by keyboard control. You are able to customise any control except your movement, which remains as the cursor keys, this gives quite a bit of customisation and is able to suit most players needs. There is an option to use macros also.
As is normal for a lot of free to play mmo's the game includes a micro-transaction system whereby you spend real life money for in-game items and features. The items gained in Maple Story are almost purely cosmetic, things like a lightsaber weapon, a detectives hat or a Halloween outfit, none of which have any impact on the gameplay. The items which aren't cosmetic don't grant any combat advantage to the player, these items are pet incubators, stat/skill point resetting scrolls or a scroll which increases your experience gain for 24 hours.
As in most MMO's there is an important social side to the game. Guilds and Parties are common place, where players group up for a short or longer period of time and interact, both in playing the game and just chatting. The game also includes a marriage function, where two players can get married and throw a party with their friends.
However despite being around for such a long time, Maple Story suffers from some quality of life issues.
The game is based heavily around grinding, getting past the tutorial which takes you to level 10, requires you doing a variety of quests which almost entirely consist of “Go here and kill 20 of this creature”. This repeats from level 1 until level 10.
To be fair this is a common quest among MMO's and a common problem among many however the spawn rate of said creature is very poor, it can take up to 20 minutes to kill 20 creatures as having killed all those on the screen you must wait for them to respawn. This is of course assuming you're fighting them alone and not sharing them with 3 or 4 other players. I myself have seen a player standing in the middle of the screen and when the enemies spawned cast a screen wide fire spell which wiped out all the enemies at once, leaving none for any other player. They continued to camp that same spot for quite some time.
Many of the quest givers during the tutorial weren't in the town but in the field of battle. The game doesn't pause or render you invincible whilst talking to a quest giver, so not only are you being attacked whilst getting a quest, you're also unable to fight back. A minor issue but an annoying one none the less.
The other QOL issues are more cosmetic. There is no windowed mode option, in fact trying to put the game into windowed mode with software or tools will be detected as a hack by the game guard system and shut your game down. This same game guard also dislikes Alt-Tabbing out and should you do Alt-Tab you'll find that all your keys come out as BBBBbbbbbbb, making surfing or IM chat impossible.
The in-game UI can be a bit clunky and awkward, clicking the small X in the top right corner of tabs can take a few clicks as you're more likely to wind up dragging the window instead of closing it. Picking up items can be a nuisance also as items are not automatically collected when you walk over them. Instead you must press an item pick up key for each item you want to collect. When you've just killed three or four bad guys at once and they each drop 2 or 3 items, that's a lot of unnecessary button pushing just to get a small amount of money. As other player's items are likely to be mixed in it becomes very difficult to tell apart what are your items and what aren't.
Maple Story may have been released in different areas in different times, but the game itself is six years old. Such quality of life issues would have been expected and tolerated then due to such a small market. This however is 2009 and free to play mmo's are everywhere. There is no excuse for this now, the game must constantly be improving or it'll be left behind when the next big F2P MMO comes along.
Maple Story is a cute and amusing game, the bright and chibi graphics make it appealing to the eye and interesting to play. The wide variety of items and customisation options means you may never see the same get up twice and gives you many options to make your character unique. Compared to other free to play MMO's however, it is lacking in some quality of life areas which hold it back from being a really excellent MMO.
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August 30th, 2009, 06:43 Posted By: bandit
Xbox LIVE Gold is the premium membership that includes unlimited free online multiplayer gaming, exclusive deals on Arcade games and game add-ons, early access to free demos, and lots more. Now you could win an Xbox LIVE Gold Membership just by downloading the free T-Mobile Download & Win Gamer Picture.
Don't miss the FREE Xbox LIVE Gold weekend, courtesy of T-Mobile. For two action-packed days, Silver Members can enjoy everything that Gold Membership has to offer, including online multiplayer gaming, Netflix movie streaming, the ability to join Xbox LIVE parties, video chat, photo sharing, early access to game demos, exclusive discounts, and more!
The FREE Gold Weekend begins at 9 A.M. Pacific Time August 29, 2009 and ends at 9 A.M. PT August 31, 2009. Silver Mmembers are invited to connect to Xbox LIVE and experience Gold privileges FREE of charge, compliments of T-Mobile.
Before entering the Download & Win Sweepstakes, make sure your Xbox LIVE account information is accurate! Potential winners will be notified by the sweepstakes administrator and have their prizes shipped using the contact info (e-mail, phone, and address) on their Xbox LIVE profile. If your contact info is not up to date you will be disqualified from winning a prize.
Check your account information here.
How to Enter
You can enter the sweepstakes by downloading the free Sweepstakes Registration Gamer Picture, by text message, or by U.S. Mail. The sweepstakes begins at 12:00 A.M. Pacific Time (PT) on August 17 and ends at 11:59 P.M. PT on September 15, 2009.
There are two ways to download the T-Mobile Download & Win Gamer Pic: Queue it up for download here or get it in the Themes & Gamer Pics section of the Xbox LIVE Marketplace on your Dashboard.
You can also access the free Gamer Picture via the banner ads on your console dashboard. For information on entering via text message, see the Official Rules.
Prize Info
After the close of the Entry Period, we will randomly select the following winners from among all eligible entries received.- Three Hundred Forty First Prizes: A twelve-month Xbox LIVE Gold membership.
- Three Thousand Second Prizes: A three-month Xbox LIVE Gold membership.
- Six Thousand Third Prizes: A one-month Xbox LIVE Gold membership.
The Play & Win and Download & Win promotions from Xbox.com are an easy way to jump in and interact with the Xbox LIVE community. It's easy to enter and you could win some great prizes. Look for more exciting Play & Win promotions in the future!
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open only to legal residents of the 50 United States (includes D.C.) 18+. Sweepstakes ends 11:59 P.M. PT September 15, 2009. For full details, see the Official Rules.
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August 30th, 2009, 03:06 Posted By: bandit
"divineo fr" gets a makeover to make way for a brand new site. A clearer design, new services accompany the release of the new Divineo. The objective is to always remain more competitive by offering exclusive products.
To celebrate the launch site, we offer 5% reduction September 1 to September 15, the entire site excluding consoles, your readers with the coupon: newdivineo
I invite you to visit the site now: Divineo France
Source: email
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August 28th, 2009, 16:33 Posted By: Darksaviour69
Sumo Omni Bean Bag Chairs
Manufacturer: Sumo Lounge
Site: Sumo Omni bean bag chairs
Price: $149.00/£99 (Free shipping)
Overview :
OMNI
* 10 colors to choose from
* 10 different positions
* Measures big - 4.5’ X 5.5, but weighs little – just 18lbs
* Space age rip-proof nylon, stays new looking – easy to clean
* Filled with top quality sumo beads
Quality/Usability : I always wanted a Bean Bag chair, but I could never justify the cost to myself. You could easily buy 2 full priced games instead, and really is the couch/chair/floor really that bad?
Yes it is, compared to the Omni!
I have tried bean bag chairs before and seen their prices, and at £99 the Omni seemed to to be at the top end of the scale. But when it arrived I was surprised at the size of it, being a pessimist I thought they had used a smaller model for the PR shots. I'm not a small guy (not huge mind you) and I was very comfortable sitting many different positions in it and also laying it down flat me. It is not designed for two people but my girlfriend and I (she is smaller than me though) were comfortable on it (just about) and we could also sit side by side on it when its on its side.
It looks like a big pillow and when I read "10 different positions " I was like "whatever", but its true. I have thrown myself in the Omni many different ways and most are comfortable be it laying down, sitting upright for eating of the table (low table) or paying games.
The material is a thick, durable, comfortable nylon, that can be cleaned with a wet cloth (no stains that have not come off yet).
Unfortunately what I can't tell you (as I have only had it over a week) is how long it will keep its shape. We have all seen the old flat as a pancake bean bags, will the Omni end up the same?
Well according to their FAQ:Does polystyrene decompress over time?
It can and it depends on usage. We use top quality high density virgin polystyrene foam. If you ever want more fill we sell it cheap at the following link: http://www.sumolounge.com/beads
Conclusion : The Omni Bean Bag Chair is by far the most comfortable and well made been bag chair I have ever seen/used, the $149/£99 price tag seems steep, but considering the quality and flexibility of the chair (and the free postage) I think its worth it.
Put it this way, a day has not passed since I got it that my butt has not been in it in some shape or form!
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August 28th, 2009, 13:10 Posted By: westy118
Ashes Cricket 2009
Published by Codemasters
Platform: PC, Wii, PS3, XBOX360 (version reviewed)
RRP £44.99
Well for those of you who enjoy cricket Codemasters has released Ashes 2009 just in time for the end of the series. If anyone in the gaming world is still bothering to read this review then you’ll be sad to hear that the game suffers in much the same way a movie tie-in game suffers. I have the distinct feeling that this games was rushed out to capitalise on the sports popularity for the summer.
There are some very nice touches in this game, when you first start it asks you to pick your international team and the menus are decked out in that teams colours hence forth. When you look at the menu screen you realise there really isn’t that many options -play cricket, legends and an online mode is about it in terms of playing the game, the rest are basically options. Within the play cricket menu there are four options - Ashes 2009, One Day, Test, and 20 Overs.
I chose the 20 Overs first simply because it was the closest thing to an arcade experience. The first thing I noticed when the game started was how poor the stadium looked, it was like something from the PS2, a 2D crowd and shoddy looking camera men. I went to bat first, holding down the left bumper or left trigger will chose if you’re batting off the front foot or back foot, and not touching either it will do it automatically. X=a defensive shot, A=attacking and B=a Loft shot(what you want if you’re smacking for a six), use the left analogue stick to aim your shot. The first bowl came in and I was out immediately, seems I had been holding down the B when all it really need was a tap. It’s all in the timing, you have to get it right or more often than not your gonna be out.
If your shot stays within the boundaries you have to choose whether to run or not, one tap of the B to run once(note do not keep tapping B, cause they’ll just keep running!) and a tap of A to stop.
I was soon out and it was my time to Bowl. Firstly you must choose where to place your fielders, a little over my head but I’d say cricket fans would enjoy this. When you’re bowling, choose where your aiming for and the bowler will begin his run up. A power meter will come up much like in golf, hit one of the face buttons(which are different types of bowls like inside, outside, slow and swing) when you want to stop it an away he bowls, Pretty simple.
Now I wanna talk about this games problem, I quite like the game play, but for me some of the animations are done so well it really lets the game down when there are ones that aren’t. It just feels like a few weeks more and they would’ve nailed all of it. For example it looks great when the bowler has a short run up, but in his longer runs ups he looks like a two year old who’s just deuced himself. The crowds look awful and the outfielders look hideous when diving for the ball. Some of the players don’t look anything like their real life counterparts and some even seem to suffer from big head syndrome.
Having said all that, I am well into playing an Ashes series and am enjoying it quite a lot, I’ve started to really think about where I’m placing my outfielders and it’s quite satisfying getting someone out, especially when playing on the harder difficulties, and smacking a six and watching the replay is great. There are also some good moments of tension too - the Umpire checking the video replays to see if you’re out or not is very well done, and the commentary hasn’t become annoying yet either which is a plus.
I can see there being problems with replay value, the lack of variety and the fact that there are only national teams and no leagues either hinders the game. It could really do with getting the IPL or county teams, World 20/20 or World Cup to enhance the one player experience.
Overall a worthwhile game if you’re a serious fan of cricket, worth renting for a weekend if you’re a casual fan, and you’re probably not even reading this review if you’re not!
3 out of 5
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August 28th, 2009, 11:32 Posted By: skynes
First draft so far.
-------------------------
Platform: PC
Developer: Wizet
Publisher: Various, depending on region.
Ratings:
PEGI:
ESRB:
Maple Story is a 2d side scrolling free to play MMO. It was developed by the South Korean company Wizet and is published and localized by a variety of different companies depending on region.
The first thing noticed when playing is the graphics. Maple Story uses pixelated graphics similar to the Super Nintendo but done in a chibi manga style. This leads to a very cute and bright game with much potential for silly enemies and creatures like giant killer tomatoes, smiley mushrooms and enormous pelicans with headsets. The downside to the graphical engine is that the pixels are very noticeable, especially on a larger monitor.
The gameplay is a mixture of super mario brothers with golden axe. You jump around platforms wielding swords and spells to defeat your enemies. As expected of an MMO your character levels up, gaining stat points and skill points. Stat points are spent on your basic stats, such as strength or intellect, each class needs different stats in the way you would expect, e.g. a Warrior relies more on strength and a Wizard relies on intellect. If you're unsure what to do, there is an auto-assign button which splits your stats up in a good way for your class. Although this may not be the best for min-maxing it's still a good feature to include. Your skill points are spent learning your class spells and abilities, the flame wizard I played had the ability to summon a flame elemental which followed me around and blasted my enemies. Each skill point I put into it (to a maximum of 20) increased its damage and duration.
The game is played using mouse and keyboard, with movement and attacking dealt with solely by keyboard control. You are able to customise any control except your movement, which remains as the cursor keys, this gives quite a bit of customisation and is able to suit most players needs. There is an option to use macros also.
As is normal for a lot of free to play mmo's the game includes a micro-transaction system whereby you spend real life money for in-game items and features. The items gained in Maple Story are almost purely cosmetic, things like a lightsaber weapon, a detectives hat or a Halloween outfit, none of which have any impact on the gameplay. The items which aren't cosmetic don't grant any combat advantage to the player, these items are pet incubators, stat/skill point resetting scrolls or a scroll which increases your experience gain for 24 hours.
As in most MMO's there is an important social side to the game. Guilds and Parties are common place, where players group up for a short or longer period of time and interact, both in playing the game and just chatting. The game also includes a marriage function, where two players can get married and throw a party with their friends.
However despite being around for such a long time, Maple Story suffers from some quality of life issues.
The game is based heavily around grinding, getting past the tutorial which takes you to level 10, requires you doing a variety of quests which almost entirely consist of “Go here and kill 20 of this creature”. This repeats from level 1 until level 10.
To be fair this is a common quest among MMO's and a common problem among many however the spawn rate of said creature is very poor, it can take up to 20 minutes to kill 20 creatures as having killed all those on the screen you must wait for them to respawn. This is of course assuming you're fighting them alone and not sharing them with 3 or 4 other players. I myself have seen a player standing in the middle of the screen and when the enemies spawned cast a screen wide fire spell which wiped out all the enemies at once, leaving none for any other player. They continued to camp that same spot for quite some time.
Many of the quest givers during the tutorial weren't in the town but in the field of battle. The game doesn't pause or render you invincible whilst talking to a quest giver, so not only are you being attacked whilst getting a quest, you're also unable to fight back. A minor issue but an annoying one none the less.
The other QOL issues are more cosmetic. There is no windowed mode option, in fact trying to put the game into windowed mode with software or tools will be detected as a hack by the game guard system and shut your game down. This same game guard also dislikes Alt-Tabbing out and should you do Alt-Tab you'll find that all your keys come out as BBBBbbbbbbb, making surfing or IM chat impossible.
The in-game UI can be a bit clunky and awkward, clicking the small X in the top right corner of tabs can take a few clicks as you're more likely to wind up dragging the window instead of closing it. Picking up items can be a nuisance also as items are not automatically collected when you walk over them. Instead you must press an item pick up key for each item you want to collect. When you've just killed three or four bad guys at once and they each drop 2 or 3 items, that's a lot of unnecessary button pushing just to get a small amount of money. As other player's items are likely to be mixed in it becomes very difficult to tell apart what are your items and what aren't.
Maple Story may have been released in different areas in different times, but the game itself is six years old. Such quality of life issues would have been expected and tolerated then due to such a small market. This however is 2009 and free to play mmo's are everywhere. There is no excuse for this now, the game must constantly be improving or it'll be left behind when the next big F2P MMO comes along.
Maple Story is a cute and amusing game, the bright and chibi graphics make it appealing to the eye and interesting to play. The wide variety of items and customisation options means you may never see the same get up twice and gives you many options to make your character unique. Compared to other free to play MMO's however, it is lacking in some quality of life areas which hold it back from being a really excellent MMO.
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August 27th, 2009, 17:28 Posted By: bandit
Goozex movie trading has arrived! In addition to video games, Blu-Rays and DVDs, you will be able to trade for HD-DVDs and UMDs as well. Some key things you need to know about Goozex movie trading:
- Goozex Points are universal and can be used on either games or movies.
- The movie trading home page will be separate from the game trading – make sure to click on the buttons at the top of the page to go where you want.
- You can edit your homepage to be about movie or game trading via My Account.
- Movie trading is in beta and you can expect adjustments as we move ahead.
- Available to U.S. and Canada users only.
Don't know what Goozex is or how it works, click HERE to find out!
Goozex has Goozex.COM for US/Canada users and Goozex.EU for European users.
------------------------------------------
Did you know that over $4.8 Million was saved by Goozex members.
Last month, gamers saved over $4.5 million since Goozex's launch. Add $300,000 for this month and now it's over $4.8 million! Calculate how much you've saved by clicking here and then tell your friends: http://www.goozex.com/trading/asp/about_calculator.asp
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August 27th, 2009, 17:25 Posted By: bandit
Goozex movie trading has arrived! In addition to video games, Blu-Rays and DVDs, you will be able to trade for HD-DVDs and UMDs as well. Some key things you need to know about Goozex movie trading:
- Goozex Points are universal and can be used on either games or movies.
- The movie trading home page will be separate from the game trading – make sure to click on the buttons at the top of the page to go where you want.
- You can edit your homepage to be about movie or game trading via My Account.
- Movie trading is in beta and you can expect adjustments as we move ahead.
- Available to U.S. and Canada users only.
Don't know what Goozex is or how it works, click HERE to find out!
Goozex has Goozex.COM for US/Canada users and Goozex.EU for European users.
------------------------------------------
Did you know that over $4.8 Million was saved by Goozex members.
Last month, gamers saved over $4.5 million since Goozex's launch. Add $300,000 for this month and now it's over $4.8 million! Calculate how much you've saved by clicking here and then tell your friends: http://www.goozex.com/trading/asp/about_calculator.asp
To read more of the post and Download, click here!
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Submit News and Releases Here and Contact Us for Reviews and Advertising Here |
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August 27th, 2009, 05:32 Posted By: Shadowblind
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Publisher: Eidos
Developer: rocksteady
Genre: Adventure
ESRB: T
This game was reviewed using the Xbox 360 Version. The PS3 version can be considered to have a slightly higher value to due to the exclusive Joker challenge rooms.
If there is anyone out there prior to The Dark Knight (or even the Batman Animated Series, based on how good it was) who doesn't think Batman is the most awesome, badass super hero out there, think again. Before you read, yes, I am saying this because, not primarily though, this game is one of the best comic book games ever made. While thats not exactly a big achievement to be able to get after many, many mediocre superhero games, rocksteady, the developers of the Batman AA scored big points with this game. Without exaggeration, this is by far the closest thing you'll ever have to feeling like the dark knight himself. That said, this game is definitely not without flaws, some minor, some stupid.
The story begins after Batman apprehends the Joker and brings him into Arkham Asylum, the high security prison where all the super villains of the likes of Ivy, Joker, Killer Croc, and all Bat's other rivals are taken. Well, if the intro doesn't hint you off long before the actual event occurs, the Joker proceeds to break out into the Asylum, gaining control over it and trapping Batman in a night long hellish battle against many of his major foes.
The story itself belongs in a Batman Animated Series cartoon, or a 3 issue comic sub-series. That is to say that it isn't anything close to the stories of games such as Bioshock or half-Life, or even Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. To be honest, it was underwhelming, but felt very fitting, and you'll probably feel the same way if you grew up on the old Batman Cartoons. Batman consistently walks into traps, even though he himself states that he knows they are traps. I suppose this is to show just how skilled a fighter he is, knowingly walking into traps set by his various rivals. It came off more in a way that made me think rocksteady wasn't quite sure how the real Dark Knight would have approached these situations, most certainly not as headstrong and reckless as he does in the game. Stealth is almost nonexistent in the boss fights with the exception of the Scarecrow battles, which really doesn't feel anything like the way Bats begins a fight. Its nothing big, but it grated my nerves a little to see him fight as head-on as he does with enemies like Bane and Ivy.
The combat system is unique. Trademarked as the "FreeFlow" combat system, you jump from enemy to enemy beating them up, countering some attacks and dodging others. It works great on small to medium sized groups of enemies, and its a blast to use, though the slow-cam really got on my nerves later on in the game. What doesn't work is when there is a larger group of enemies attacking you all at once. The controls don't react as tight as you'd like, and pulling off long combos becomes more tedious. When more then one enemy type appears at any one time with the large group of people, it borders on becoming a mess. Specific buttons for specific enemies doesn't work as well as it could with the clutter on screen during this mass battles.
Bosses are a different matter. With the exception of a few (I'm looking at you, Ivy) the boss battles are fun and fast. Even though as aforementioned they aren't the way Bats would handle them, each boss usually has a different way to defeat them other then "mash the attack button!!!11". The Scarecrow levels in particular stand out as the best by far, combining more scariness then Silent Hill and Resident Evil had in the last four years with great platforming stealth. The visuals at this point are at their best, with fantastic lighting and special effects. Oh, and some of the most clever ideas I've seen in a video game(you'll know it when you see it. Escaping Convicts may be Batman XD) Bane's fight is also a standout. With this said, what the hell happened with the final boss, rocksteady? For me the worst boss battle in the game, and fairly easy at that, and without spoiling anything, is very similar to a certain "mess" I described earlier. Surely they could have made a much better battle with the Joker of all people. I'm also very disappointed we never got Mr. Freeze in the game.
Now the game where Batman AA can stand proud is its stealth component. When fighting armed enemies, running into even two of them will end in a pretty bad time for the Batman, and if you somehow live, then you'll have probably only a fraction of life left. When you enter rooms full of 6 or more gun wielding nuts, you've got a party on your hands. The game prides itself on the various ways to take down an enemy. Stringing them by their feet from a gargoyle, smashing through glass onto them from above, pulling them off a ledge, the possibilities are huge. The AI is very convincing too. When they see a body, they'll call over their buddies and you can hear them talking about you, gradually getting more and more afraid of you as you pick them off one by one without even being seen or heard. If they get scared enough, they'll even start just shooting all around them, blasting at bats and shadows on the walls. You can hear them begin to talk to themselves and say things like "I'm next...hes going to get me isn't he..." It really adds the the satisfaction you get when taking them out, especially when you take them all out without being seen or heard at all. By far, this is Batman AA's best quality, and the time when the game shines its brightest. Though not as realistic as the often trial-and-error stealth in Splinter Cell, its more so then games like Metal Gear Solid, though not as forgiving. This adds to the idea that although you are still just a man, you are as close to the best a man could hope to be.
Speaking of which, Batman has never been simply about bashing the crap out of people, though he definitely does that. Hailed as a genius, Batman's detective skills are also a large part of the game's realism, though unfortunately from a gamer's standpoint they aren't really very fun. To do as the Bat does, a special type of vision labeled Detective Mode is used to study evidence or crime scenes to determine where to go next. The detective work is more used as a breadcrumb trail to follow to continue the story then anything else, though they do help to display to the player Batman's true intellect.
As is custom, Batman also has a vast array of weaponry by his side, such as the batarang and grappling hook. Lets get this out of the way; the batarang sucks. It couldn't take out a half-dead squirrel. Others are pointless. The remote batarang, the Sonic batarang...not too many uses for them. The rest of the tools he has don't really feel necessary. While the grappling hook, batarang(yeah, even if its not too good, you need it) cape and cowl all have many uses to them, the rest of the gadgets don't help with anything but their specific regions of use. Of course, that isn't a bad thing at all, but some of his toys seem well suited for other purposes, such as grappling an enemy into your fist instead of just sort of moving them around, or a batarang knocking out an enemy instead of just making them flinch. They all work, though with some cumbersome controls, but they have more potential then they use.
Thats not to say the gameplay isn't a strong component of the game, but it has flaws that start out as annoyances and gradually build up to frustrations later in the game. The stealth is freakin' sweet.
This game's audio is a mixed bag. On the one hand, you have the almost impeccable VOs in the game. On the other, you have some of the most forgettable music I've ever heard in a high profile game. Literally, I just spent the last week or so playing this game each day, and I cannot recall any tune whatsoever from the game. I don't ever remember thinking "this music is bad", but I don't ever really remember thinking it was good either, or even if there was music...its entirely forgettable. The sound effects aren't a whole lot better. Pretty much just generic punches, cracks bangs, etc.
But the VOs, like I said before, are fantastic. Straight from the heart of our nostalgia with the Bat, the voices of Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill as the Batman and Joker are in the game. And just like over a decade ago, they still sound just as fitting as ever. The cast is here, mostly anyway, as Harley Quinn, the Scarecrow and Commissioner Gordon retain their original voices. Honestly, the cast was steller back then, and since nothing has changed. They did great VOs, end of story. Except that the new, steroid-induced Batman looks a bit strange with Conroy's voice.
The level of detail on the characters is stunning. Batman's suit, the rips and tears it gains through the game, the Joker's....everything, its all detailed all the way around. The only real complaint about the character models is that they look fairly toy-like, maybe due to the Unreal 3 Engine its based off of. That, and that every baddie you beat up look essentially the exact same, and have the exact same movements and animations.
The environments aren't bad either, but they really don't stand out at any point in the game. the game also suffers from a case of "too grey" and not having enough variations in the environment. The detective mode is really neat, turning all the baddies into walking skeletons and making everything around you blue and orange. The only problem is that detective mode makes the game easier then what otherwise would be a masochistic difficulty level, and while in detective mode you are unable to appreciate the graphical detail of the characters and the environments.
Summary:
Batman AA has a great, if repetitive combat system that tends to get too confusing in massive groups. The use of tools is neat, but forgettable and the potential each tool could have had is not realized in the game. The stealth system and action is the drawing point of the game, standing up to games like Splinter Cell and Metal Gear Solid, though not above them. The many ways to dispatch an enemy and terrify others truly makes you feel like the Dark Knight. The Voice overs are fantastic, the music isn't. The story feels just like a comic book story, which is actually fairly shallow for such deep characters. Boss fights are good, with the exception of the last fight, and the Scarecrow boss fights are up and away the best. Great atmosphere. Graphics are detailed, but have flaws such as plastic-character syndrome.
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August 26th, 2009, 16:56 Posted By: bandit
Mad Catz is ready to release their MW2-branded peripherals. The crown jewel to the set will be the Combat Controller, which will have a couple of extra buttons. Come this November, you'll also be able to talk smack via a Throat Communicator on the 360 or a more mundane Bluetooth Headset on the PS3, add Skinz to your controllers and Microsoft console, and even your neglected PC can be enriched with an Elite Keyboard and Sniper Mouse combo.
The accessories will be released along side the release of the game.
Source: Engadget / IGN for giving first video preview of accessories.
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