Turn off the lights and turn up the sound, because you're looking at the newest incarnation of Bitmob's Reviews Spotlight! This week's basket of articles should keep you occupied whether you're a fan of Russian horror stories, Japanese melodrama, or plain 'ol American adventurism. While I'll admit that David Ngo's article is quite fixating, remember that several attention-starved stories are waiting after the jump.
Shut Up and Play Metro 2033 Already
By Ed Grabowski
With a deluge of lukewarm reviews, Metro 2033 is a tough sell. Yet, for all the unenthusiastic critics, an equal number have lauded its exceptionally atmospheric direction. Despite the evident divide within the community, Ed does his best to explain how special this game is. If you decide to take his advice, remember to play with the lights off — it's spookier that way!
Five-Sentence Game Impressions – Part 1
By David Ngo
The world of reviews is a relatively stagnant one. But every once in a while, someone comes a long with an interesting idea — that "someone" is David Ngo! Instead of a meandering, 500-word article, David's decided to summarize his ideas into five, succinct sentences. While many of the blurbs seem trite, some of them can be quite insightful! Bullet points have never been so cool.
Chime — If Tetris Pieces Could Sing
By Suriel Vasquez
Chime might remind you of Tetris or Lumines, but Suriel assures us that it's very different. But before you pick up this five-dollar game, you'll have to unlearn the strategies and tactics which other puzzle titles have brainwashed into you. Color combinations and music synchronization will undoubtedly test your wit, but you'll be morally rewarded — the developers of Chime are donating 60% of their revenue to Save the Children and the Starlight Children's Foundation. Since fun and charity rarely intersect, you'd be crazy to miss this opportunity.
Final Fantasy 13: A Spoiler-Free Review
By Brian Shirk
If I ever need a second opinion on a Final Fantasy game, I would turn toward Brian Shirk. Besides having a compendious understanding of the series in general, the man has excellent taste in Japanese RPGs. Most astounding is his capacity to explain Final Fantasy 13's appeal, while simultaneously avoiding any potential spoilers. I've never done this before, but I want you — the audience — to make me a promise. If you have even a miniscule inkling of interest in Square Enix's newest adventure, do yourself a favor and read this review.
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves Review — A Real Treasure
By Michael Wenzel
By now, you've undoubtedly heard about, what many critics have called 2009's game of the year. Yet, many critics have failed to highlight Uncharted 2's most subtle qualities. Michael Wenzel remedies that fact with a review that makes some uncanny observations. What do Crash Bandicoot and Nathan Drake have in common? Did the developers pay homage to Quentin Tarantino, the famous Hollywood director, in their game? Michael answers these questions and more in his article.
Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head
By Doug Lee
Quantic Dream's unconventional approach to game design has left the industry in a state of confusion. Driven by quick-time events and interactive dialogue scenes, Heavy Rain demands a moniker which is more accurate than "video game." Despite being at a disadvantage, Doug cogently describes the experience which this thrilling tale aims to deliver. Using games like Halo, Mass Effect 2, and Indigo Prophecy as foils, Doug illustrates how Quantic Dream's excellently penned characters opened his eyes and challenged his opinions on what a "game" truly is.
Late Bird Review: Demon's Souls
By Ariel Fiest
As always, Ariel avoids the launch-day fever and takes some extra time with a certain game. This week, he decided to pay Demon's Souls some much-needed attention. But what makes this title so deserving of that attention? This carefully constructed opinion piece explains.