For this week’s Reviews Spotlight, we asked for reviews of Halo 3: ODST, and you didn’t disappoint! We have three fairly positive reviews for the new Master Chief-less shooter, and we aren’t about to stop there.
Like the buffet line at the MGM Grand (minus the screaming kids and the degenerate late-night Keno players), we’re going to serve up a game review for every other current-gen system out there, and for dessert we’ll throw in some awesome classics too. Order up.
ODST: The real sequel to ‘Halo: Combat Evolved’
By Cory Birdsong
Reviews for the new Halo “sequel” released this week have been mixed, to say the least. Some people aren’t happy that it’s a throwback to gameplay mechanics found in the original Combat Evolved, and others think it’s a fresh take on a franchise that’s been around for almost a decade. Cory says that although “the game’s mechanics are also a callback to the original Halo…there are many things about ‘ODST’ that are the same as ‘Halo 3″ or wholly new to the series.”
Halo 3: ODST Review
By Jack Morphy
Continuing on a positive note for our newest Halo fix, Jack has opinions beyond just the gameplay. He claims that “the story is quite impressive, almost like a murder mystery.” When discussing the gameplay, though, he says, “The gameplay is definitely different than what you would expect from a Halo game, and at first I wasn’t too impressed.” We’re going to go out on a limb and guess he ends up liking the game.
Can Bungie’s Flagship Shooter Survive without Its Chief?
By Brian Shirk
A warning to the weak at heart: Brian’s review is stunning. He not only gives a detailed in-depth breakdown of what’s good, bad, and ugly about the ODST, he also glances back at the first three Halo titles, two of which he enjoyed immensely. About ODST, he laments, “Even though ODST doesn’t provide much new other than slightly altered abilities and the need to seek out med packs, it did make one other major change — the addition of dark, moody environments.” Brian rates the game well, but he points out some glaring flaws, too.
Tales of Monkey Island: Episodic Gaming at its Best
By Davneet Minhas
Now that we’ve had our fill of the first course, our reviews smorgasbord continues with a PC classic reborn for 2009. Tales of Monkey Island is an adventure game; you guide unlikely hero Guybrush Threepwood through crazy puzzles of logic and excellent humor. Davneet seems to like the format of the game. “While games in the Tales of Monkey Island series can certainly be frustrating, that frustration is dwarfed by the brilliant character design and dialogue,” he says. The best part is Chapter Three, “Lair of the Leviathan,” which is set for release on Tuesday, Sept. 29!
50 Cent: Blood on the AWESOME
By Adam Dorsey
When you think of a really fun video game, who comes to mind? 50 Cent the rapper, right? Believe it or not, Adam claims this might actually be the case after playing Fiddy’s most recent game for the PS3 and Xbox 360, 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand. “The gameplay is fun. It turns the third-person, over-the-shoulder gunplay of Gears of War into something I actually like.” Maybe so, but when we buy a game with 50 Cent in it, we expect killer beats. “The soundtrack is composed of the 50 Cent I like, the 50 Cent I was promised, and the 50 Cent that isn’t so concerned with candy shops.” Now that sounds like a game worth stealing a diamond-encrusted skull over!
Wii Fit Won’t Turn You into Arnold — but It’s a Decent Fitness Experiment
By Brian Shirk
Remember, this week’s Reviews Spotlight is all about variety. How about a review of a peripheral for the Wii? The Wii Balance Board isn’t a new device, but with new software like Wii Sports Resort utilizing it, people are starting to look to the device to add some realism to their game experience. Brian says, “Wii Fit is Nintendo’s latest nontraditional game — a title that will interest many, but will turn others off at the same time.” How about the exercise portion of the Wii Fit experience? “For those of us who don’t stretch enough, however, this game just may be the motivation we need; just don’t expect a great gaming experience.” Would you rather exercise, play games, or weakly attempt to do both?
Even Time Can’t Unravel This Classic (Chrono Trigger DS Review)
By Brian Shirk
You were promised reviews of a couple of classic games, and like that last forgotten brownie under the dessert platter, Chrono Trigger is a treat. Any gamer and lover of the Super Nintendo that was around in 1995 would remember this unique, incredibly addicting action/RPG. For Brian, “As a fifth grader, I fell in love with for a variety of reasons, but the biggest was that it felt like nothing that had come before.” What besides being developed by a Final Fantasy legend and creator of the Dragon Quest series did this game have going for it? “Every character in the game was incredibly well animated, and it provided for a more immersive experience than any RPG that had come before”. Guess that answers that!
The Super Nintendo’s Best Kept Secret (Secret of Mana Review)
By Brian Shirk
Our final stop in the reviews buffet line, and the second classic review of the day, is based on another great RPG from the ’90s. Secret of Mana came to us at a time when the RPG was about 5 percent as common a term in video games as it is today (well, at least on consoles). Action-RPGs were even less popular, and as Brian points out, “You’ll find few titles on 16-bit systems that are as colorful as Secret.” Not only did SOM have a great story and very unique, enjoyable gameplay elements not commonly found back then, it had some great songs, too. “Without a doubt, this game includes one of the best soundtracks of the 16-bit era (if not all time),” Brian says. It’s a classic masterpiece well worth visiting again.