Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword - Quick Review

Due to some poor planning on my part I've ended up with way too much to play. With five games on the table one had to draw the short straw. I typically don't review a game I don't beat, or at least complete the majority of, but Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword is the exception.

Once again you take the role of Ryu Hayabusa, this time around six months after the events in Ninja Gaiden. Just like before your village is under attack and you are the only one capable of saving the day. You hold the DS in its book style with a map on the left screen and Ryu on the right screen. Every button on the DS is block, while every other action is done with the stylus. Drag the stylus to move Ryu, and slash across your enemies to swing your sword, or tap them to throw shuriken. These controls work great for a Ninja Gaiden game on a portable system, but this causes it to be a little easier than most Ninja Gaiden games.

Ninja Gaiden DS is a wonderful portable action title, and should be a welcome addition to any DS owners collection, not just Ninja Gaiden fans.

4 out of 5

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.

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.