Aiming while holding down the left trigger is really awkward; so is having to switch between firing your gun and using it to pistol whip somebody by pressing the right bumper and then the trigger. Although classic comes the closest to recreating the original experience, both the Spartan and Duty Calls settings seem to function better.
Video Game Review: Perfect Dark Read Post »
Stagger? Paradigms? Sounds confusing, right? And if you’ve seen the gameplay trailers, it can look absolutely hectic. However, once you get the hang of it, the game’s fast pace and inherent strategy — especially against bosses or large groups — provide a greater sense of satisfaction than simply grinding away at hit points.
Video Game Review: Final Fantasy XIII Read Post »
Things are pretty much standard fare here when you’re on foot, meaning anyone with FPS experience will pick up the controls quickly. The only thing that may take some time to get used to is having your melee attack mapped to the right bumper. To me it made using it feel like a pre-planned event rather than a defensive reaction, which can be problematic when you’re having an unexpected face-to-face encounter with a tango.
Video Game Review: Battlefield Bad Company 2 Read Post »
From an in-game standpoint the new weapon upgrades are the main attraction here as some of them really add pop to your arsenal. Each of the game’s seven weapons received an upgrade with the sawed-off shotgun emerging as a highlight for me as well as my weapon of choice for close encounters.
Video Games: Sinclair Solutions Tester Pack DLC Read Post »
It’s always tricky business getting a real-time strategy game to function well on a console, but Toy Soldiers generally does a good job. When setting up your units you use the analog sticks to move the camera and cursor around the map before bringing up a radial menu of available units with the right trigger. After selecting one you purchase and place it by pressing A.
Video Game Review: Toy Soldiers Read Post »
Pitching is handled via the same meter system I first remember seeing in EA’s MVP Baseball series during the original Xbox days. It was great then and still holds up well despite minimal advancement. You start the process by selecting which pitch you’re going to throw, then tap X to begin your delivery, which causes the meter to start filling. As it nears the top you’ll see a sweet spot to get optimal power on your pitch — stop the meter too soon and you’ll throw softly, let it to go too far and you’ll overthrow the pitch. After it fills all the way a line will move back down where you’ll once again have a target area to hit. The closer you get to that point the more accurate you’ll be. It’s all about timing.
Video Game Review: MLB 10 The Show Read Post »
In the weeks after submitting the review I was consistently finding more issues, and my subsequent remarks in the comments section showed some of that realization emerging. The reality was that title deserved a score in the 3.0-3.25 range, not the 4.0 I had bestowed upon it.
Video Game Review: MLB 2k10 Read Post »
