Category Archives: Reviews

Manhunt is a guilty, guilty pleasure

Rockstar has gone too far! I know I’ve said this many times. After all we are dealing with a developer known for creating games based on carjacking (Grand Theft Auto), illegal street racing (Midnight Club), inciting riots (State of Emergency), and of course gruesome mature noir stories (Max Payne), we should know what to expect. However, never did I think that even Rockstar would be responsible for a game like this. With Manhunt, they have pushed their reputation as being the bad boys of gaming to a whole new low. And yes, I love it! Anyone who has seen the … Continue reading Manhunt is a guilty, guilty pleasure

Red Rock Fumble

There are games out there that just beg you to ask, "What the heck happened?" RTX: Red Rock is one of those games. Though LucasArts has made some spectacular titles as of late (Knights of the Old Republic) and is well known for its stylish adventure games back in the day (Full Throttle, The Dig, Day of the Tentacle) this game is quite possibly one of the worst Lucasarts has ever released, where nothing works the way it should and the only thing that goes through the roof is the difficulty…which brings back memories of the NES days when you … Continue reading Red Rock Fumble

Grand Theft Auto: Springfield

I love the Simpsons. Very seldom do I watch network television these days, but the Simpsons has always been a tradition for me. I even watch it at work when I am closing up for the night, and I even have my own favorite episodes in mind (Some of my favorite episodes include Cape Fear, featuring Sideshow Bob’s ordeal with the rakes, and Bart Sells His Soul, where we hear the sissified Todd Flanders yell out "Ow, my freaking ears!"). On the other hand, I also love the GTA series. Whether it is the open ended gameplay, the engrossing storyline, … Continue reading Grand Theft Auto: Springfield

Beyblade Charms the Kids

Beyblade: animal, mineral or vegetable? I’ll I can say is I’m lucky my five year old son wanted to see the new game I was about to try out. I started the game ready to kick some butt. Hey the package says Beyblade. This game is obviously about sword play. Much to my surprise I found myself playing against a spinning top. "WHERE THE HECK ARE THE SWORDS!" I screamed at the television. Then my five year old chimed in "They’re supposed to be tops Dad. Don’t you know anything?" Suddenly I felt the curse of old age creeping up … Continue reading Beyblade Charms the Kids

Hungry like the wolf

So there I am"a superhero. I always wanted to be one"ever since I was little. I wanted superpowers, an adolescent power fantasy, the works. Picture me in junior high thinking ‘Man, if I were the Hulk I’d just stomp that bully.’ But I never pictured that I’d have such a casual disregard for human life"and that I’d like it so. Yes, folks, I’m playing Wolverine’s Revenge by Activision. And I’m really enjoying it. I’m usually a bluenose about gratuitous violence in games (to the point where the GiN editors were all ‘are you SURE you want this one"we can find … Continue reading Hungry like the wolf

A Great Vice for the PC

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is my first venture into the Grand Theft Auto world, but it will not be my last. I started playing GTA: Vice City on the Sony PlayStation 2 (PS2) at a friend’s house and on my very first session I was hooked. Several of my larger friends had to come and physically remove me from my seat so that they could play. I knew it was coming out for the PC, and a month or so later at E3 I got my first peek at the PC version, and from that moment on, I could … Continue reading A Great Vice for the PC

Marvelous Music Mayhem

The game Frequency was cast aside by many gamers amidst the holiday buzz of November 2001. The game was praised by many reviewers, deservingly so, but was lost not unlike games such as ICO. It featured a new spin on the Dance Dance Revolution and Parappa the Rapper-style games. The easy to learn, hard to master gameplay featured many popular artists, as well as some underground techno DJ’s. However, it succeeded well enough to spawn the sequel Amplitude that was released in March 2003. The game follows the same pattern that Frequency laid out: hit buttons to a beat to … Continue reading Marvelous Music Mayhem

GBA addict maker

Although I am more partial to the Game Boy Advance than I am to the GameCube, I have wanted to see a fresh, unique GBA alternative to all the SNES ports that have plagued the system. The closest I was able to get to before was Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow, but even that is becoming redundant. Leave it to the company who made the GBA to solve my dilemma. Before leaving for E3 I read a review in Electronic Gaming Monthly for a title called Warioware Inc. Considering the pictures that were used in the review, including a black and … Continue reading GBA addict maker

Dark Angel flies on console

Dark Angel the game is based on the hit television show of the same name staring Jessica Alba and created by James Cameron. The game is a 3rd person adventure, with emphasis on stealth and fighting. The setting for the TV show and the game is 21st century post-pulse (apocalyptic) Seattle. The main character is Max, a genetically enhanced super-soldier developed for the military. As a child Max escaped from a company called Manticore along with other genetically enhanced children. To this day they are still-hunting her. Max is helped by her friends and in particular Logan Cale, a cyber … Continue reading Dark Angel flies on console

A Classic reborn

The DUKE is back and in rare form indeed. For any that have played a Duke Nukem game before, this will be familiar territory. For any that have not had the pleasure of meeting Duke yet, do not expect a complex story line and intricate plot – this is Duke Nukem. The guy tells all that will listen that he has the best job in the world. He loves saving the world. It is what he was born for. He also loves big bosomed scantily clad women and plenty of them flock around him yet again (ok so they are … Continue reading A Classic reborn