Review - Condemned 2: Bloodshot

I finished Condemned 2 and as I promised last week, here is my full fledged review.

As I mentioned last week, the game really only changed a couple of things around with the basic game play, with the addition of the level up system and the changes to the combat system. The forensic investigation system was also changed slightly. Upon finding a body you can investigate it with multiple choices to select to see if you can identify who the body is, and how they died. It is pretty cool but you have to suspend your disbelief because you send blood samples, finger prints, metallurgy samples, and anything else you find, via your field kit back to S.C.U., your base of operations.

The first half of the game is pretty basic and I can honestly say I enjoyed it. It really brought you back to the first experience and added all of the elements I've mentioned. Unfortunately all good things must come to an awful terrible terrible stop. The game really takes a turn and begins to become repetitive and just not that enjoyable. You are in some environments that are no longer scary, and the weapon selection doesn't ever really expand. They give you the shotgun and the assault rifle to start off with as guns. Even with a level up system of some kind, the enemy scale is terrible. A lot of the game has to do with sound waves, which means you have to deal with these annoying sounds coming from your speakers and these really annoying visual effects. You keep going just so you can try to find out this mystery that keeps building into some awful ending. All in all the experience was a real let down.

All in all, while making some cool innovations and really giving itself a graphic overhaul, Condemned 2: Bloodshot couldn't save what turned out to be a really crappy story. So what do I rate my first official game review? I give it a:

Thanks for reading.

The Decline Of The Rhythm Game

Have we reached the summit of rhythm gaming? Have we ventured to the top of the viking metal mountain and now we look down on a rockier road full of dead plastic guitars?

I think we have seen a flawless (cough) progression through rhythm gaming that got better and better. Lets take the uphill climb. Pa Rappa, Um Jammer Lammy, Frequency, Gitaroo Man, Amplitude, Donkey Konga, Guitar Hero 1, 2. This is where we were a year a go. Loving Guitar Hero 2 on 360 and thinking it was only a taste of things to come. And it was. But for as much innovation and popularity that Guitar Hero 3 and Rock Band have brought us, they are officially the top of the mountain and the first games to introduce problems into the genre.


Guitar Hero 3 was everything you could of wanted out of the 3rd game... on paper. It had mostly all master tracks, hd- graphics, online, and wireless guitar. But after a few weeks of heavy metal shredding and enjoyment, the beer goggles came off and a few problems became evident. Characters were lame, models looked weird, online works... but what fun is it without being in the same room.

Rockband had a similar feeling after a while. This game is amazing, I mean amazing, but I need 3 friends to commit to playing the same instruments every-night for the next month to keep it fun.

And that is where I am right now. Guitar Hero 3 seems is wear I wanna be when I play alone but the songs and graphics really lack at this point compared to Rockband. But then when I want to shred in Rock Band I quickly drift back to earth as I realize this game this game is much less fun with one guitar.

This problem of which to pick and neither satisfying my full urge to tear ass, is the first in what I feel will be many many more dissatisfactions with the series. The music is getting less and less impressive as most of the best rock songs have already been used and the music pool with drain up eventually. As for new music being debuted on Rock Band, I think this is only a good idea in theory. People are always hesitant to spend their virtual change on things they are not familiar with. (Frogger is a top seller on XBLA) With band oriented games on the way and more product placement in the games, it feels like the best days are behind us. Sure we can still find some fun in the Aerosmith game and more songs in the future, but I think the instal thrill has defiantly worn off and we need innovation to propel the genre at this point. We are at the mercy of Harmonix now to tell us what is cool and see what the next trick they have up their sleeves.

Impressions - Battlefield: Bad Company Beta (Part 1)

I woke up excited to get my hands on Bad Company for the first time. Without even getting out my bed I had turned on my Xbox and queued up my freshly downloaded beta. After a nice video detailing the gametype we’ll be playing I was ready to defend or steal me some gold. Then I met a foe that I never want to see, an enemy known as server issues. Turns out that are a limited number of servers up for the beta at this time, therefore only a certain number of people are able to play at a given time. Basically a one person leaves another person gets in kind of deal. Later there was a greater success rate, and I was able to fit a few games in. While it didn’t exactly wow me, I was sticking to my usual style of run and gun, that has already gotten me into trouble with Vegas 2 this week. This means I’ll have to readjust before I can give Bad Company my true opinion. I’ll be posting more of my thoughts throughout the beta.

Episode 29: Thank You Sara

Plenty of games to cover and get excited about this week. The gang goes through their thoughts on Bully, Condemned 2, and Rainbow Six: Vegas 2. We get downright giddy for the new Halo 3 map pack, Sonic's last chance to save himself, and all kinds of great gaming news. Unlike 90% of the interweb we don't try to trick you into thinking we have a vagina, so check out episode 29.

Get Episode 29 on MP3 (right click to save as)

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Smashpocalypse!

If there is one thing to be said about Super Smash Bros. Brawl it is this, Brawl is the one Wii game that you need to purchase in 2008. With that out of the way let’s get right down to why Brawl is the best version of the series to date. Smash Bros. Brawl is Nintendo’s celebration of its own history, with a few guest stars throw into the mix this time around. If you are a person filled with anger and hate, specifically towards Nintendo and its many franchises, then maybe you this isn’t the game for you.


That being said, if you are that type of person, then the subspace emissary portion of the single player will more than likely cause you to vomit. This new version of the single player adventure mode is a Nintendo fanboy’s dream. The emissary allows you to play through a ridiculous storyline that puts characters from far and wide together to fight with or against each other. Besides the traditional Smash Bros. fights, you’ll be forced to go through some 2D side scrolling platforming levels. These feel more like filler for your 6-8 hour adventure, and just don’t work very well with fighting controls, with a fairly straight forward and boring design to boot. Where the emissary really shines is the cut scenes between the levels that are the best Nintendo has to offer, and are quite amusing as well. The subspace emissary is a decent way to take a break from the regular matches, and if you have a friend you can play through the whole adventure with two players. The emissary is also the easiest and fastest way to unlock all 35 characters.


At lot of Wii titles out there suffer from forcing you to use a controller or control layout that just doesn’t feel right. Brawl allows you to use anything you choose, and you are also able to change the control layout to your liking. For Melee vets it is more than likely best to go with the Gamecube controller. Personally I’ve been sticking with the Wii remote & nunchuk combo, and find it to be a good substitute. I would recommend shying away from the classic controller, and just staying away from the Wii remote all together. Then again who knows, you could find some way to master the game with just the Wii remote and a certain custom control layout and put me in my place, that’s the beauty of it all.


This brings us to what Smash Bros. is all about, the multiplayer. The formula is pretty much the same, launch your opponents off the screen once you’ve given them a pretty good beating. Where Brawl is unmatched is its variety in its characters, stages, and ability to customize items and status effects. With 35 characters, 41 stages (10 Melee stages return), and more items and assist trophies to bother to count, each match is truly different from the last.

It’s widely thought that Smash Bros. is a fighting game for those that can’t handle hardcore fighting games, while this is true it is only to a point. Every character has the same controls, but of course they have their own move set. This makes Smash Bros. a very easy game to pick up and play for anyone, but there is plenty to master. Timing is everything with countering, dodging, and shielding. There are more moves in Smash Bros. than you originally think when first playing through the game, this makes mastering each character rewarding and a lot of fun.


A new addition to the action is the Smash Ball that allows your character to perform a massive attack (or waste of time for some), that usually causes the bodies to fly. These are character specific, although there are a few that share, such as the Star Fox characters all have the landmaster final smash. We could go on and on for hours about who is the best and who has the best final smash, but that’s why we play the game.

Yes it has its issues, mostly with the emissary not playing as well as you really want, and the online is really lacking. Overall Super Smash Bros. Brawl is a reason in itself to own a Wii, and will satisfy for months and years to come. I am happy to give Brawl our first five out of five.

Beta Company

I have been a huge fan of the Battlefield series for quite some time now on the PC. It's no secret that its efforts on consoles to date haven’t exactly lived up to the expectations of the PC games. I may be just getting suckered into another console stinker, but I’ve liked what I’ve seen so far. Next week I’ll be putting it to the test in the Xbox 360 beta. The Call of Duty 4 beta last year got me very excited for its release, and I believe had a big hand in making it the success it is now. Hopefully the same will happen to Bad Company.

Impressions - Condemned 2: Bloodshot

This week I've gotten the opportunity to check out Condemned 2: Bloodshot. I've only made it through the first couple of chapters so bare with this post, and next week I'll have a full fledged review. Condemned 2 takes place sometime after the first, where we our find our hero Ethan Thomas drunk in a bar, and literally battling his inner demons. In the sequel Ethan is almost a totally different person, his physical appearance has changed greatly and his attitude and demeanor are very different as well. I felt that you are only in name playing the same character, it works for what the game is trying to illustrate with Ethan being a broken man.


The game play is virtually the same, you walk from point a to point b and along the way battle scary bums and beat them with various items you find. Major differences in the game play come in the combat system and the investigation themed areas. The combat is still, up until the point in the game that I am currently at, very melee heavy. Using things like 2x4's, pipes, and bricks or what ever you can find in the current environment to defend yourself from your attackers. What is different is that this time around Ethan can gain different items and equipment as you progress in the story to help you out. For example last night I was given brass knuckles for my left hand, and earlier today I earned a Kevlar vest to protect against gunfire. So far the upgrade system has been pretty cool and it keeps you trying to do your best when you do a mission.


There are several other changes that I've encountered, but I'll save them for the final review. So far Bloodshot has been pretty cool, equally scary as the first and just innovative enough to make the game fresh but not lose any of the qualities that made it awesome to begin with.

WiiWare Talks Mad Shit On XBLA

WiiWare is attracting developers who are sick and tired of the norm (retro games) over at Xbox Live.

"Added another WiiWare developer, who also didn't want to be named: "Frankly, we're not looking at making games for Xbox Live Arcade because the service is full of shit," he said, pointing towards the service's number of retro remakes."

Do you think WiiWare can generate enough quality original content to be successful, without it being a focus hardware wise for Nintendo (a lack of a hard drive leading to such small file size). I think Nintendo is on a very high horse right now and these digs at Microsoft are just pebbles hitting the chin of a giant, a giant internet monster, who has voice chat all the time with his other giant friends and 2 gig DLC for breakfast. David better ease off of the sling before the giant gets mad.

Episode 28: Bird House Simulator

The gang is back to kick around some new ideas for games, news segments, and candy bars. We ponder what Phillip Harrison does with his spare time, what we want out of Bioshock 2, and what Hideo may have hidden up his sleeve. I understand this post is all over the place, but then again so is episode 28.

Get Episode 28 on MP3 (right click to save as)

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Giddiness Factor: March Edition

A fresh list of five things that fill my mind and cause me to forget my childhood memories.

Wii Fit

Walking the streets of Liberty City

Destroying the Mario Kart steering wheel

Spring

Something, anything, even just a screenshot, of Fallout 3

Live Action Quarterly: Sonic Issue

Its kids like this that ruin parks for the rest of us. I in no way applaud or condone this behavior. I honestly can't tell if these basement dwellers are kidding or living out some furry fantasy. I hope in the Sonic 2 edition, someone plays Shadow and paints them-self black and runs through traffic.

Smashimanjaro!

After completing the Subspace Emissary, classic mode several times, and over one hundred matches under my belt, I give you an updated list of new characters.

14. King Dedede
13. Wario
12. Diddy Kong
11. Lucas
10. Olimar
9. R.O.B.
8. Ike
7. Wolf
6. Pokemon Trainer
5. Snake
4. Lucario
3. Pit
2. Meta Knight
1. Sonic

Apparently I had a pretty good feeling going in about my top three, but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t surprised by the newcomers. Lucario made the biggest jump with just the right amount of balance, he’s a lot like Mewtwo but doesn’t seem as floaty which is great in my opinion, also his final smash is close to the top. It’s no secret that in pretty much any game I side with characters than lean towards the quicker side. This explains the jump for Wolf, who I thought would just be Fox with a gray skin, but in fact his moves are much faster with smashes that do just as much damage. Diddy was a disappointment, with a rather average move set but a fantastic final smash he lands pretty much in the middle of the road of brawlers. I went in hoping to at least see that although he would be weird Olimar would at least be fun, but to be honest I just don’t get what he does. Maybe I’ll figure it out on a rainy day. For the most part the new characters are a welcome addition to the Smash Bros. roster, and I hope most of them stick around.

Bioshock 2

So its official, Bioshock will have its sequel. We all knew it was coming but now that its definitely gonna happen, I'm pretty excited. Bioshock was one of the best games I played last year and the chance of adding to an already incredible story would be fantastic. My one request is make the ending a little better than what you did in the first one. So cheers to Bioshock 2.

Episode 27: Looking To Trade?

Order has been restored, all is right again in the world of Scissors 61. The three man booth that has been called better than the Dennis Miller years by some, is back with a fresh podcast. Much talk about game development school commercials, broken plastic, tv show video games, and a little game that ends in Brawl.

Get Episode 27 on MP3 (right click to save as)

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Smashtrocity!

Suddenly nothing else seems to matter.

5284-1063-0541

Rocked

Currently looking for suggestions for how to fix my broken Rock Band bass pedal. Our friend Chadwick was rocking out just a bit too hard to Dani California on easy, and the damn thing went crunch. This has caused me to spiral into a deep depression. Luckily for me Brawl should be in my hands in a matter of hours and I'll forget about the incident completely. Expect many, many, many posts and such on Smash Bros. Brawl in the coming days, weeks, and months ahead. Time to stock up on controllers, batteries, energy drinks, and legal pads. My excitement for Brawl at this point shouldn't be legal.

My Favorite Color is Mauve

Remember that game where you can shoot stuff. You know the one... Halo 3 of course. I recently fell back into some nice Halo action with the other fellas at scissors61.com and found some interesting factoids that Bungie dropped this week regarding online play. "The most popular armour colour amongst all online players is Steel. The least popular is... Mauve. The most popular service tag is "O07", least popular is "Q43." And the most popular emblem is the Phoenix (not toggled) while the number 6 (toggled) is the least popular."

Quick Reminder: The Halo Championship takes place on March 17th... which is a Monday. Perfect if you don't have a job and you are currently home right now (2pm ET) playing N+. Gurney. Pwned

IGN - Future of Foundry

Current Bain Of My Existance

For anyone who hasn't gotten a chance to, check out N+ on the XBLA. For those of you who don't know what N+ is, it is a simple puzzle platformer where you play as a ninja. You can run, jump, and leap from platform to platform. Rockets, guns, and robots are all in your way. Anyway the game is great, but the reason for my post is because its only 800 Microsoft Points (or the flash version for free), and I feel its early contender for game of the year. Its so simple and easy but gives me a frustration that reminded me of playing portal. For anyone looking for something to tide them over until Smash Bros. or Army of Two or anything for a quick pick up and play, check out N+.

Episode 26: As Always

Keeping with the theme of guest stars of decades past, Don Johnson is featured heavily throughout episode 26. Around minute 34 we pull a Hume and travel through time after some technical difficulties. We discuss Valve and Activision rumblings, kiss up to our superfan, and hit a new low in the realm of podcasting. Put your head down and power through episode 26.

Get Episode 26 on MP3 (right click to save as)

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Smashtacular!

This will be the first of many Super Smash Bros. Brawl related posts. With the release of what seems like the only Wii game this year coming this Sunday, my mind can't help but ignore everything else in life. The roster of Smash has been raised from 26 to 35, with 14 characters brand new to the series. Sure some are clones of other characters, but everyone loves fresh skins right? Here is my list of the 14 new challengers, ordered by my interest in them before touching Brawl for the first time.

14. Wolf
13. King Dedede
12. Lucas
11. Ike
10. Lucario
9. Wario
8. R.O.B.
7. Diddy Kong
6. Pokemon Trainer
5. Olimar
4. Snake
3. Pit
2. Meta Knight
1. Sonic

I'll post and updated list after I get a hands on with each of the newcomers.

Dexter Game Announced

Showtime (a name that strolls hand-in-hand with quailty games) announced DEXTER the game today. I'm a huge fan of all things blood, and I expect gallons in this case. What I don't want is a by the books TV game A LA - 24 or .... the Friends game. I would love a Condemned meets Assassin's Creed kind of feel. Think about it!!!

Reason #6 Why I Hate Brian Mihaich

He single handedly destroyed episode 26 of the podcast. This is the last of Brian Mihaich ranting. Episode 26 coming tonight (in some form)

Reason #4 Why I Love Brian Mihaich

It has been brought to my attention that when we review games here at Scissors 61, we don't have a scale to compare games. Your prayers have now been answered thanks to the one and only Brian "The Ocho" John Mihaich.




The crying Brian goes to the games that are just plain broken, are not worth the space that they take up on a shelf, or remind you of the pain you felt when that girl got away so many years ago during your trip to Boise. Example: 90% of the Wii library.





Anger is often caused by disappointment. Think middle-aged dad with a good buzz going at a little league game when his son strikes out for the final out and the kid doesn't realize the game is over, that kind of anger. Example: Devil May Cry 2.





The middle of the gaming road, games that don't really do anything to stand out. This equates to that guy in accounts receivable that wears the same five shirts every week. Example: Recent Japanese RPGs and WWII shooters.





Games that remind you why you like video games in the first place, just plain fun and well worth the time you put into them. The thumps up is the most familiar symbol for excellence in media today. Example: Halos, Burnouts, Puzzle Quest.





It's sexual. This rating is for games that take the gaming experience to another level. Appreciate these games for all they are worth, show your love. Example: The Orange Box, Call Of Duty 4, Metal Gear.

Reason #168 Why I Hate Brian Mihaich

Brian gave our superfans the silent treatment most of episode 25 because of his illness. Well shortly after it was passed on to me and I have done next to nothing all week. Most would ask how this is different from any other week for me, but its actually been that awful. I have played next to nothing this week, and really all I want at this point is hours and hours of smash bros brawl. Forgive me for the worst post ever, just be happy I didn't follow the double Brian with an unprecedented triple Brian.