Category Archives: Reviews

Sammy's Mixed Bag

  Sammy's most recent releases for the PlayStation 2 are sequels to two titles that I will admit I never played. However, in the end I am proud to say that I didn't play one of the predecessors while I wish I did play the other one. The following co-reviews will explain my decision even further:   GALERIANS: ASH   Galerians: Ash follows up on the PS1 title literally. Six years have passed since the mother computer, known as Dorothy, was destroyed by the lead character Rion's psychic powers. Now her followers, named Galerians, are attempting to revive Dorothy. It … Continue reading Sammy's Mixed Bag

Entomb this sleepy raider

At this point I could make loads of crass "Is that Lara Croft in your pocket or are you pleased to see me?" type gags, but I shall resist. Nevertheless, Lara Croft has clambered and grunted her way onto the small screen, courtesy of Ubi Soft. GBA owners everywhere can rejoice because they’ve got their very own Tomb Raider to slip into bags and the pockets of combat trousers – hoorah! In true Tomb Raider fashion the story is based around some fabricated legend. Lara has an ancient text to decipher, which leads her from Switzerland to South East Asia … Continue reading Entomb this sleepy raider

Shrek is big, but stupid

One day some fat suited types sat around a boardroom table and said, "I really love this idea about the big, green, farting ogre. I reckon we’re onto something here." I expect there was some kind of golden handshake. They all left the room with dollar signs in their eyes, high on the prospect of major marketing tie-ins; lunch boxes, bed spreads, games, maybe even a TV show. This could be the next Toy Story, they promised themselves. Shrek was good. I liked Shrek. But the same cannot be said for the string of games it has spawned. This time … Continue reading Shrek is big, but stupid

Primed for Action!

The original Metroid was one of the first games I played when I got my Nintendo Entertainment System. That was over 15 years ago, and back then it was a milestone in adventure games. Keep in mind that this was during an era when most adventure games only involved horizontal scrolling, and Metroid’s vertical depth added a unique addition to the mix. While it went unnoticed in Japan, Metroid was a huge hit in the States, and went on to span a GameBoy sequel, as well as the Super Nintendo successor, which expanded everything about the original game. I regret … Continue reading Primed for Action!

Bubbles Everywhere!

The puzzle genre is to video games what the horror genre is to books; both are fading fast. Like horror in literature, at one time puzzle games were big business. Games like Tetris were popular with gamers because of their addictive nature, and how new and innovative those games were at the time. As time went on though, a lack of innovation in newer puzzle titles led many gamers to get bored with puzzle games. Gradually, the puzzle genre lost so many fans that it went from being a huge genre to what it is now, a niche genre. While … Continue reading Bubbles Everywhere!

Egg Mania is Eggcellent

Puzzle games are one of those genres that has decreased in popularity over the years. Like fighting games, puzzle games used to be a premiere genre back in Tetris’ heyday. Now though, a constant stream of copycat games and a general lack of originality in the genre have made the genre much smaller than it once was. With the ushering in of the 128-bit era, puzzle games have become even fewer in number. In light of the new technology, it seems that companies have been more intent in putting their money into graphical showcases that will grab public’s attention, rather … Continue reading Egg Mania is Eggcellent

Barbarian is Capable Carnage

Barbarian is the latest arena fighting game for the PS2 platform. Players can take the role of one of ten different characters as they battle for supremacy in different environments across the world of Barbaria. If you are looking for an innovative break-the-mold type of title, then Barbarian is not going to be it. However, if you want one of the best fighting games out there, then Barbarian will fit the bill nicely. The various arenas in Barbarian are very well done and have a lot more interesting elements than even the much touted Dead or Alive series on the … Continue reading Barbarian is Capable Carnage

Cuboingo is Fun Cubed

I can remember a time when the game that was taking everybody’s quarters, and sucking away more work hours than pointless meetings was a now-classic game called Tetris. As time moved on, the market shifted, and we were treated to eras of shooters, RPGs, and strategy games. While these were all enjoyable in their own way, still I missed the days when a game with such an incredibly simple concept managed to capture the fancy of a game-playing nation. Those days may be here again, thanks to Cuboingo. In Cuboingo, you have a cube that is paneled on all six … Continue reading Cuboingo is Fun Cubed

Sly Cooper is a Slick Title

In recent years, the gaming industry has grown quite considerably. The days of making games out of the basement are gone, replaced by huge corporations such as Electronic Arts and Capcom developing games in huge design teams. In this recent growth spurt, the number of games available to the casual player has also grown considerably. Due to this, developers have to do something unique in order to get noticed. One of the most recent examples of this is developer Sucker Punch’s Sly Cooper. The game is unique because, while still maintaining platforming elements, Sly Cooper also delves into stealth-style games … Continue reading Sly Cooper is a Slick Title

Ratchet and Clank Will Raise the Bar

One of gaming’s most heralded genres has always been the platformer. When the industry made the transfer to 16-bit systems, the platformer hit it’s stride, as games like Super Mario World and Sonic The Hedgehog reigned supreme. Things seemed like they couldn’t get any better, but Super Mario 64 soon remedied that, as it’s 3D platforming levels captivated millions. Unfortunately, ever since then, platformers have hit a wall in the creativity department. One of the biggest reasons for this is that a good chunk of platformers just became endless scavenger hunts, with some combat mixed in. Even some of the … Continue reading Ratchet and Clank Will Raise the Bar