It's the start of a new month, and the Bitmob community is taking a cue from hip-hop music group Bone Thugs n Harmony. But instead of 40-ounce bottles of Old English and blunts, community members are devoting their hard-earned cash on video games and console add-ons. Let's see how well they spent their money.
As always, this is the Reviews Spotlight.
It's Nothing Personal — Mafia 2 Review
By Patrick Cavazar
Ah, life in the 1940s. Three-piece suits, pocket watches, and smooth, gelled hair — does it get any classier? If only Bitmob was anything like the real mob, I'd command the respect and attention of all the long-legged dames. Alas, I was born too late and without the chiseled features required to intimidate local businessmen. Luckily, Mafia 2 hit stores about two weeks ago and promises to fulfill my Palermo pipedreams.
Tastefully avoiding references to the Godfather, Patrick takes a stroll down the bullet-strewn, blood-soaked streets of Empire Bay, an impressive facsimile of mid-century New York City. With a narrative set squarely in the '40s, do the mechanics lag behind — or can we expect 21st century gameplay?
Not Quite Untouchable, But It Isn't Just Another Bunch of Mobsters
By Reggie Carolipio
Does having a vaguely Italian-sounding surname give Reggie a deeper appreciation of Mafia 2? If so, I ought to put my Somali name to use for a handful of pirate-themed games!
With guts and glory in equal measure, this Bitmobber bites into the sinew of 2K's Italian-American odyssey and decides whether or not the Czech developers have prepared a savory meal.
Amused by sexual innuendo? Well, Reggie displays both length and technique in his mile-long review of Mafia 2, deconstructing each element of gameplay with the charm of Clark Gable and the raw nerve of Steve McQueen. Prepare a glass of water — this review is quite the marathon.
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Review — Success and Failure of a Genre
By Isaiah Taylor
According to my Steam profile, I've spent precisely 91.3 hours with Battlefield: Bad Company 2. If that doesn't make me an authority on the subject, I don't know what does!
Considering my expertise on BC2 (the preferred acronym of the pros), I can wholeheartedly recommend Isaiah's review. Ample, robust, and complete with ghetto-fabulous epigrams, this review appropriately evaluates the success of Bad Company 2 within the context of the current first-person shooter market.
If, for some reason, you've thus far managed to avoid Bad Company 2 , check out Isaiah's impressions.
Monday Night Combat Review: Monday! Monday! Monday!
By Marcel Hoang
Since the Catholic church and NFL called dibs on Sunday, Uber Entertainment settled on Monday night for their class-based violence.
Part of Microsoft's "Summer of Arcade," Monday Night Combat pits two identical teams against each other in a game reminiscent of older tower defense titles. The ultimate goal is to destroy the opponent's Moneyball while protecting your own. Sounds fun, doesn't it?
If Monday Night Combat is the sport of the future, should we start buying jerseys and commemorative Moneyballs, or can we continue tossing around a pigskin? Marcel has the answers you so desperately seek.
Excelinya Burst — Indie Game Spotlight (Xbox 360)
By Joe Donato
Excelinya Burst? Sounds like the type of strange science-fiction game you might find your weird neighbor playing. Oddly enough, it's being pitched by Japanese developer DK Alpha as a "strangely compelling" indie game.
Get this: You play as an "anime witch-girl armed with a grappling hook." If you aren't sold on the premise alone, you probably weren't going to buy this game anyway. If, on the other hand, I've whet your palate, check out Joe's complete coverage of Excelinya Burst in the link above.