Our weekly Reviews Spotlight is Bitmob's way of pointing an index finger at a select few reviews and saying, “Read these!” Also, it's Bitmob's contribution to Jane McGonigal's mission to piece reality back together… one game at a time. This weekend, we have a dose of fantasy, a smidge of science fiction, and a whole mess of awesome!
Late Bird Review: Castlevania: Lord of Shadows
By Ariel Feist
Since Eastern Europe and Xbox Live are finally going to see the release of Reverie, the downloadable content for last fall's Castlevania: Lord of Shadows, we decided to revisit the recent makeover of the classic franchise. Community writer Ariel Feist has a convenient habit for reviewing previously released titles. His review is elongated and full of detail about the story and gameplay, but what he was most impressed with was its presentation. Lord of Shadows has style and, according to Feist, just enough to merit diving back in next week.
For Glitches and Glory: A Dragon Age 2 Review
By Matthew Anfuso
Are you still on the fence about Dragon Age 2? Maybe you’re playing it now, you’ve got some strong opinions about it, and you want to know what other people think. Well, then we’ve got a review for you. Developer Bioware makes role-playing games that are so good, some western gamers are throwing stones at the once-dominant Japanese RPGs. So, how does their latest release stack up with Jade Empire, Star Wars: Knight of the Old Republic, and Mass Effect? For Matthew, Dragon Age 2 is a mixed bag of great characters, odd design choices, and glitches. Check out his commentary under a picture of character, Meridith. I think it summarizes his feeling about the game — and his pet peeves — perfectly.
Gemini Rue – A Film Noir masterpiece come to life in game form
By Daav “Puke” Valentaten
Daav “Puke” Valentaten is the community writer equivalent of actor, Mark Strong. The man is consistent! His review of point-and-click title Gemini Rue is an old one from February, but it’s solid. In talking about the game, Daav places a lot of emphasis on articulating the feel and mood of the world of planet Barracus. He describes it as thematically noir in atmosphere, and it reminds me of the feeling I had playing Fear Effect. It’s a welcome change of pace, as reviews are often inundated with technical descriptions of mechanics and features. Daav doesn’t tell you what you’re going to purchase. He tells you what you’re going to experience.
Kusoge Sunday – Darkest of Days
By Cameron Pershall
The plot of Darkest of Days got me excited over the possibilities. A company called KronoteK travels through time grabbing people who have historically disappeared, and employs them to do wetwork for at different periods throughout history. You play as Alexander Morris, a soldier who is plucked from sudden death by KronoteK agents at the battle of Little Bighorn. Cameron Pershall was also excited about the possibilities of this low-budget venture. Click on the title above to see how developer 8monkey Labs executed on this compelling idea.