- Publisher: Activision Inc.
- Platform: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
- MSRP: $50.00~
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Do we really even need to tell you about Modern Warfare? If you’re a fan of first-person shooters or a next gen console/PC owner, “Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare” is the can’t-miss and must-own game of the year. People who’ve played previous incarnations of this popular FPS will understand that the bar has now been raised to unimaginable heights. COD4 is not only brilliant, immersive, cinematically gorgeous, but a lot of fun. There is a slight learning curve, but most of it is based on instinct and reflexes. Like all FPS, COD4 features both a single and a multiplayer mode. The single-player experience is unparallel but the game really shines when you’re playing with 18 friends. The game comes with 16 maps that are all challenging and the game features smart spawn so people can’t lurk by spawn spots or be spawned into a fire fight. The modes are pretty FPS standard with deathmatchs and co-op mode and remixes of capture the flag. Although we didn’t get to play much of the single mode, we were told that there’s only about five hours worth of game play. So if you don’t have friends, it’s probably time to go make some. Overall, COD4 is hands down the most intense and visually stunning multiplayer game of the year.
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- Publisher: Eidos Interactive
- Platform: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
- MSRP: $50.00~
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Hallelujah, we finally have a good Batman game, something that hasn’t happened since the Sega Genesis days. Edios Interactive has a winner on their hands with “Batman: Arkham Asylum. A third-person single player action game letting you take control Batman and do Batman-y things within Arkham Asylum which has been overrun by The Joker and all of Batman’s rogues gallery. The game is dark and broody like how a Batman game ought to be. Gameplay is broken down into three principals: melee fighting, attacking from afar, and exploration. While I want to say the gameplay is nonlinear, it’s actually strictly linear as there are checkpoints that need to be met before being able to continue onward. Visually, “Arkham Asylum is beautiful and most of the characters are reimagined especially for the game. While the game does offer different challenges, it’s far too similar to the main storyline. In our review we were able to get rather deep into the game so the length of the game does come into question. Replay value may also be an issue as once we learned all there were to do, things started to get a little repetitive and the initial excitement of doing Batman-y things wore off just a little. I don’t know if this is the best comic book video adaptation but it certainly comes very close and is a lot of fun.
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- Publisher: Namco Bandai
- Platform: PS3
- MSRP: $39.99~
Katamari Forever
“Katamari Forever” is one of those cute and charming G-rated family games that everyone will love. What is it? Well, you roll around and pick stuff up until you make a giant ball. I swear… It doesn’t sound like much but it’s a lot of fun. If you’re familiar with previous Katamari titles, think of “Katamari Forever” as the ultimate collection with a few upgrades such as power-up items and some tweaks here and there. Visually, Katamari looks excellent with its unique hand drawn art, design and animation. We’re not talking Avatar here, but it’s perfect for a game like this. I also can’t say enough about the soundtrack and some of its catchy tunes which really add to the gaming experience. Even if you already own a previous version of Katamari, “Forever” is the definitive version. We couldn’t find any real flaw with it and it’s certainly enjoyable for all ages.
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