After playing Metro 2033 it becomes abundantly clear that it's going to be a very difficult game to review, and this is largely due to the fact that the game has the capacity to be brilliant – if it wasn't quite so broken.
Possibly the first thing you'll notice is that developer 4A Games – comprised of members of the team who worked on S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl – have tried hard to create a game that's immersive, realistic, and atmospheric. In this respect, the developers have done an excellent job, and you're unlikely to play another FPS that has the same kind of atmosphere that Metro 2033 does. Likewise, the game is filled with lots of original touches that help keep you immersed, such as the way you use your watch to see how much time you have left before you need to change the filter on your gas-mask, or the way the mask begins to fog up when said filter needs to be changed. The game is filled with inventive touches like this, and it really helps to reinforce the atmosphere that the game does such a great job of creating.
Given that much of your time is spent in underground tunnels, the game does a good job of varying the action, and introduces enough new elements and mechanics to keep the gameplay feeling fresh, for the most part at least. However, not all of these sections are well implemented, and some sections feel like they definitely could have used more development time and a little more polish.
Having been reported in February, but not confirmed since, Mega Man 10 should be arriving on XBLA this week. Back in February, Capcom announced that the game would release at different times on different platforms; March 1st on Wiiware, March 11th on PSN, and March 31st on XBLA. Though it is hard to confirm, it looks like the game will cost 800MSP, when it releases later today.
After the crushing difficulty of previous Mega Man games, especially Mega Man 9, this game will include an easy mode, for people who don't like to cry while gaming. If you're unsure as to whether you want to forcefully make yourself cry, check out the video below:
Well, it is what it is. Microsoft's Game Room is a robust vintage arcade emulator, and it lets you pay for one session or for the whole game. It's an attempt to bring back the fun of playing arcade games from 25+ years ago. Obviously it's nowhere as fun as building your own arcade cabinet, but it doesn't seem like a bad experience on its own. It's bigget problem is that the games aren't very compelling at all; among the dozens of games available, none interested me. Maybe I'm too young, but I seriously don't even remember most of these titles.
Word to the wise, if you even just start the game it gives you a 5G achievement point. What this means is that you'll never be able to remove this game from the "Played Games" section of your profile. So if you plan on trying it out, you better be ready to let the world know about it.
I'm 10% of the way into one of the most disputed games of 2009; some (including esteemed Easy Mode contributor Steve) though it was the best game to be released last year, while others (like esteemed Easy Mode editor Tyler) sent it back to GameFly before finishing it.
There are a few things that immediately strike me about the game. First of all, there's this weird sheen to everything, and it feels like Joker ran through the game spraying baby oil all over Arkham like it was a bodybuilder's glistening chest. Secondly, some of the controls take a bit of adjustment. The crouch button is mapped to the right trigger, which I usually associate with some sort of action command. Lastly, I'm not a big fan of the game's "detective mode", which based on my experience so far with this game, is better termed "make everything easier mode". This mode lets you see hidden clues and easily spot bad guys, even through walls. It does one thing well, which is overwhelm you with the sense that Batman is totally in control at all times.
One thing I do like is the variety of enemies and characters - it's basically a comic fan's wet dream. I haven't read that many Batman comics, but I like the richness of the Batman universe and I'm glad there's so much to see in this game.
Steve mentioned to me during yesterday's podcast that many of Batman's abilities will unlock in time, and that I'll be able to re-traverse Arkham Asylum with new places to explore. As it stands now, I'm easily frustrated when I see a security door or vent that I can't reach just yet. It feels out of place in the game; shouldn't Batman have all of his skills by now? I'm planning on giving it the college try and seeing it through to the end, and I have a feeling that it'll be a much more rewarding experience for me soon.
This review is a couple years old, but it still cracks us up. Mark wrote it. We thought it was about time we shared it with you.
Surprisingly, I finished Rainbow Six Vegas 2 last night. I say surprisingly because until I got there, I had no idea that I was nearing the end until I checked the cheevers list and noticed there was only one more of the "Complete Whatever Mission" variety as of yet unachieved. I even checked the IGN walkthrough to confirm that I wasn't about to finish prematurely. I heard that this game was actually much longer and harder than one might expect, which tuned out to be quite the opposite of my experience. Maybe this had to do with the fact that I played it on casual difficulty, and was therefore able to plow through the terrorist opposition with the ease of a well-lubed wrecking ball.
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for shorter games. I think most people will agree with me when I say the length doesn't matter as much as the width. By that I mean that a richer, fuller eight-hour experience is more satisfying than a shallow, drawn out 20+ hour one. Similar to COD4, this game made the good choice to finish up before it got dry, repetitive, and meaningless.
The title you see above came from Mr. Major Nelson, whose recent blog post lifted an eyebrow or two (well, one of mine at least). It's pretty bad when the first thing you say to people in order to get them to buy the latest Xbox 360 Game on Demand is that it offers easy achievement points. Shouldn't he be focusing on the game's merits instead?
Then again, the game was Avatar: The Last Airbender: The Burning Earth, so maybe it needs all the help it can get.
Since one of my absolute favorite free-ware games has been made available for the Wii (it costs money now, YAY!) I figured it would be appropriate to repost this video I made reviewing the original PC/Mac version. I'm sure there have been some upgrades to the game for the console release besides the revamped art style, but even if there hasn't pretty much everything in this video should hold true.
It isn't often that we here at Easy Towers feel compelled to give advice, but occasionally we come across some useful information, and being the benevolent types that we are, decide to share it with you. With this in mind, I have decided to pass on some of the tips I learned for dealing with those frustrating chase sequences in Silent Hill: Shattered Memories. Hopefully, these should make these sections easier -- and by extension, more fun -- for you. Enjoy!
This week looks to be a slow week for downloadable titles, as the only thing looks to be Microsoft's Game Room, which isn't a game, but rather a virtual arcade for your avatar to hang out and play arcade games in.
The virtual arcade itself is free to download, and does admittedly look fairly neat. However, you won't be able to play any games unless you buy those separately – the prices for which are outlined below:
400MSP gives you a dual-platform license for any game (Xbox 360 and PC). 240MSP gives you a single-platform license for any game. 40MSP gives you two quarters worth of play time on any arcade cabinet.
If you are interested, check out the slightly cheesy video below:
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Bloguin is the revolutionary blog network specifically focused on helping bloggers get the most out of their websites. We're currently working on building a large network of online communities and hope to expand our blogging coverage to include a wide range of topics. 
The Bloguin Network allows advertisers to promote their products and services to our ever-growing number of visitors. We offer both site-specific ad placements as well as the ability to run a network-wide campaign. If you're interested in working with Bloguin to meet your advertising needs, please contact us.
The Bloguin Network is always looking to expand. We're specifically looking for blogs in the sports, entertainment, and video games field, but are open to adding any type of quality site. If you're a blogger and interested in joining our network, please fill out our application form.
The Bloguin Login gives you full access to everything our network has to offer. Your name and password will work for each and every one of our sites. Signing up is simple, and will allow you to post in all our forums, create member blogs, and access other cool features! What are you waiting for? Create an Account!