Reviews

Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate Review

Developer: Capcom | Publisher: Capcom
Players: 1 to 4 Player Game | Release Date: 03/19/13 | Genre: Action

Monster Hunter is a franchise that just hasn’t caught on in the Western part of the world like it has in the land of the rising sun--Japan. In Japan, Monster Hunter is the newest franchise to dominate sales, in Japan. Schools ask that Capcom not release it during classes, people stand in line to own a new version, and people buy a new console just to play Monster Hunter.

By Kaleb Rutherford - 05/24/13

ESRB Details: Rated for Blood, Crude Humor, and Fantasy Violence. This is an action-adventure game (with role-playing elements) in which players hunt fantastical monsters and complete quests while in the service of a village chief. Players battle dinosaurs, dragons, and giant insects in real-time, close-quarter combat. Characters can use a variety of weapons including swords, lances, bombs, and “bowguns” (firearm-like crossbows) to attack creatures. Combat is accompanied by red blood-like spurts that flash briefly when hits are successful. During some combat, players can use “dung bombs” that result in greenish brown clouds. Characters can also track creatures from their droppings, which are humorously described: “That's right: monster poop. The odor reveals (too) much about the monster's diet.”
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Defiance Review

Developer: Trion Worlds | Publisher: Trion Worlds
Players: 1+ Player Game | Release Date: 04/02/13 | Genre: MMO

To tie in with the release of the new Syfy television show, Defiance, Trion has released a game of the same name that will tie into elements of the show as each episode is released. So when something happens in the show, it will change the world of the game and vice-versa for events in the game changing the show. Sounds impressive, on paper. But how does this work in a real, live, game and TV show?

By Davis Wiitala - 05/20/13

ESRB Details: This is a massively-multiplayer online (MMO)/third-person shooter in which players assume the role of a mercenary salvager in a post-apocalyptic world. Players use laser pistols, machine guns, sniper rifles, and rocket launchers to kill various alien creatures, robots, and human characters. The frenetic combat is accompanied by realistic gunfire/explosions, screams of pain, and blood-splatter effects. Some attacks include sniper-scope depictions of headshots; bloodstains often remain in the environment for long periods of time. During the course of the game, characters sometimes engage in suggestive/sexual dialogue (e.g., “They were rapin' our pows and eatin' our women,” “Meet them and we risk seeing our men executed, our women raped, and our children indoctrinated,” “He'll get up close and personal with the tramp and feel things out.”). The game also includes a handful of drug references (e.g., “Just heard the Collins girl died of a drug overdose,” “These guys are higher than the Ark Belt,” and “some kind of Votan plant that can produce enough morphine to keep the whole Bay in a morphine dream”). The words “f**k,” “sh*t,” and “a*shole” are heard in dialogue.
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Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan Review

Developer: Atlus | Publisher: Atlus
Players: | Release Date: 02/26/13 | Genre: RPG

Hi, my name is Kaleb and I am a fan of RPG’s! This should come as no surprise to any of you who have followed my reviews, tweets, Facebook messages, or my gaming library at home. Though my love for Role Playing Games grows deep, I could never find enjoyment, in the past, of the Dungeon Crawling subgenre of RPG’s. This has changed recently and it began with Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan.

By Kaleb Rutherford - 04/19/13

ESRB Details: Rated for Mild Blood, Mild Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, & Mild Suggestive Themes. This is a role-playing game in which players control a group of fighters that explore fantastical labyrinths. Players engage in turn-based combat against a variety of fantasy creatures (e.g., large insects, slime creatures, sorcerers), selecting moves from a menu-based set of options. Attack moves are accompanied by light effects, bashing sounds, and hit point values. One labyrinth contains a hallway and a door that is stained with blood; a bear is also depicted with red stains on its fur and claws. A few female characters are depicted wearing bikini/low-cut tops that expose deep cleavage; one line of suggestive dialogue states, 'I gotta lady boner harder dan steel for dat stuff!' The words “bastard,” “damn,” and “hell” appear in dialogue.
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Shin Megami: Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers Review

Developer: Atlus | Publisher: Atlus
Players: 1 Player Game | Release Date: 04/16/13 | Genre: RPG

In 1997, the Sega Saturn was a hot system in Japan. Sadly, many of the RPG’s released on that platform, and during those times, never found a way to make it outside of the land of the rising sun. As the years have passed, the industry has grown, and niche titles have found a larger audience, companies like Atlus are willing to take a few more risks. Fourteen years after the original title was released on the Sega Saturn, Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers is finally out in North America.

By Kaleb Rutherford - 04/18/13

ESRB Details: Rated for Blood, Language, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, and Violence. This is a role-playing game in which players assume the role of a young hacker involved with demons in a fantasy metropolis. Players explore dungeons, negotiate with enemies, and engage in turn-based battles with human and demon-like creatures. Players mostly use firearms and magic spells to kill a variety of demons, spirits and other enemies. Damage is sometimes indicated by screen-shaking effects and punching/zapping sounds. Still-frame sequences depict other violent imagery: figures with blood on their faces; characters clutching bloody wounds or standing in pools of blood. During the course of the game, some female demons wear outfits that expose their breasts; others have phallic-shaped heads or torsos. A couple of demons (e.g., “Incubus,” and “Succubus”) have sexual characteristics that are detailed in text (e.g., “It ravishes women while they sleep, impregnating them' and 'They visit sleeping men and tempt them into engaging in sexual congress with them”). The words “sh*t” and “a*shole” appear in dialogue.
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Bioshock Infinite Spoiler Free Review

Developer: Irrational Games | Publisher: 2K Games
Players: 1 Player Game | Release Date: 03/26/13 | Genre: FPS

The word Art is defined as the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination. For many, Art and videogames don’t go together. Videogames are seen as a game that requires pressing buttons and little or no thought. This argument could have been made many years ago but not so much anymore. With titles like The Walking Dead, Journey, and now Bioshock Infinite showing that games can be art.

By Kaleb Rutherford - 04/02/13

ESRB Details: Rated for: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, Mild Sexual Themes, and Use of Alcohol and Tobacco.

Rating Summary: This is a first-person shooter, set in a fictional city-in-the sky (Columbia), in which players assume the role of a private investigator searching for a mysterious woman. As players explore the city, they encounter a variety of armed guards, thugs, and mechanical creations that attack the central character. Players use pistols, shotguns, rifles, and machine guns to kill these enemies. A three-pronged hook can be used to dismember and decapitate several enemies. Players can also use an assortment of special powers to defeat enemies (e.g., setting characters on fire, electrocuting them). Large blood-splatter effects occur when characters are injured. Enemies are also depicted beating themselves with a bat or shooting themselves in the head when they are possessed; during one sequence, a character intentionally sets herself on fire. During the course of the game, characters sometimes engage in suggestive/sexual dialogue (e.g., “Obscenity and fornication everywhere!” “Could use a good roll in the hay after this,” “I think yeh gave me the clap, ya dirty boy…”). The game allows players' character to obtain 'health' by consuming beer and whiskey; the screen turns fuzzy and distorted if the player consumes too many drinks. The social/political backdrop of the fictional city (set in the year 1912) includes the use of derogatory ethnic/racial terms (e.g., the words 'gook,' 'chink,' 'negroes,' 'injuns,' 'crackers'); language such as 'sh*t' can also be heard in dialogue.
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StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm Review

Developer: Blizzard Entertainment | Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
Players: 1 to 8 Player Game | Release Date: 03/12/13 | Genre: RTS

The first thing I have to say about StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm, is: Congratulations, Blizzard! In recent memory, I have never be disappointed with the stories you tell in your titles. “Back in the day,” I played Brood War and got pretty dang good at it. In the days of my youth, I had time to devote myself and could beat even some of the better Korean players. Things are a bit different in the present day. Players have improved their skills, strategies have changed, and there is a lot to re-learn.

By Davis Wiitala - 03/30/13

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I Am Alive Review

Developer: Ubisoft | Publisher: Ubisoft
Players: 1 Player Game | Release Date: 03/07/12 | Genre: Survival Horror

As a long-time fan of the Survival Horror genre, I began a quest to find a new title to play through and review. The opportunity to cover I Am Alive presented itself to me and I just couldn't pass it up. For a game that has seen numerous sales on Steam in the past several months, I walked away pleasantly surprised. I Am Alive possessed a storyline that grabbed my attention, presented a challenge, and even made me a bit emotional--something that rarely happens in videogames. And it is even presented completely in greyscale!

By Davis Wiitala - 03/30/13

ESRB Details: This is an action game in which players assume the role of a man who must find his family in a post-apocalyptic world. From a third-person perspective, players traverse through city ruins and use a machete to kill human enemies in melee-style combat. Battles are accompanied by realistic gunfire, slashing sounds, and cries of pain; characters emit brief splashes of blood when hit. Players have the ability to kill or knock unconscious wounded/vulnerable enemies via finishing moves (e.g., throat slashing, impaling, pistol-whipping); these scenes are highlighted by close-up camera angles and increased player control (e.g., on-screen prompts with button-press sequences). During the course of the game, players encounter women who can be saved from nearby enemies; sexual mistreatment is sometimes implied in the dialogue (e.g., “These guys kept me as their pet, or mascot, or something.”). One sequence depicts the background silhouette of a man fondling and threatening a captured female survivor; the exchange includes phrases such as “Do you hear me? Don't touch me!” and “Don't be like that. You know I can make your life a lot easier if you would just cooperate.” The words “p*ssy,” “f**k,” and “sh*t” can be heard in the dialogue.
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Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 Review

Developer: City Interactive | Publisher: City Interactive
Players: 1+ Player Game | Release Date: 03/12/13 | Genre: FPS

The CryEngine 3, in my opinion, has been the source of many great games lately. So when I heard that Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 was going to be using it, I thought: “Awesome! An FPS with an emphasis on stealth tactics, and sniping! I've gotta try it!” I had seen, and heard, of the first game, and wanted to play it but sadly never got around to it. I was not going to let Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 slip by my “gaming radar.” I have always loved tactical stealth games like the Metal Gear Solid franchise.

By Davis Wiitala - 03/30/13

ESRB Details: This is a first-person shooter in which players assume the role of a professional sniper (Cole Anderson) engaged in covert military operations. Players primarily use a long-range sniper rifle to complete mission objectives, but nearby enemies can also be killed with explosives and stealth attacks (e.g., stabbing or slitting their throats from behind). Combat sequences are highlighted by realistic gunfire, screams of pain, explosions, and large splashes of blood; performing accurate headshots triggers slow-motion effects that follow the bullet to its intended target. Some sequences depict blood-splattered corpses and/or civilians getting shot; one scene depicts soldiers pushing lifeless bodies into a mass grave. The dialogue occasionally references drugs and/or sexual material (e.g., “How interesting is four kilos of coke,” “Gambling, drugs, hookers,” “He offered me an hour with his wife if I let him keep it,” “Sure, man, we're doing this for world peace. And some . . . .p**sy. Mostly the p**sy.”). The words “f**k,” “sh*t,” and “a*shole” can also be heard in dialogue.
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Ni no Kuni Review

Developer: Level 5 | Publisher: Namco Bandai
Players: 1 Player Game | Release Date: 01/22/13 | Genre: RPG

The Role Playing Genre holds a special place in my heart. When I was a kid, I had to buy most of my games and wait until Christmas or my birthday, both in December, to get new titles. Due to the financial investment of my hobby, I wanted to get the most gameplay for the cheapest amount of dollars. The solution? 30 to 100 hour epic Role Playing Games featuring deep stories and enough gaming time to keep me occupied until I could get my hands on the next RPG. Fortunately, this genre of game was normally one of easiest to purchase because they were all so much fun.

By Kaleb Rutherford - 03/01/13

ESRB Details: Rated for Alcohol and Tobacco Reference, Comic Mischief, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, and Simulated Gambling. This is a role-playing game in which players control a boy attempting to save his mother from an evil witch. Players complete quests, search for hidden treasures, and engage in turn-based battles with fantasy creatures (e.g., robots, dragons, animal-like monsters). Characters can use swords, firearms, and magical attacks; enemies fall over and/or disappear in puffs of smoke. The game includes some comical sequences: characters ejected as offspring from a moaning creature; a character picking its nose; dialogue such as “wet me pirate pants!” Character cards sometimes depict/reference alcohol and tobacco (e.g., text reading “…wine that ferments in their stomachs”; a creature smoking a pipe). During the course of the game, players can occasionally wager in-game currency on blackjack and slot machines. The words “damn” and “hell” appear in dialogue.
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