News and Review

News flash: Cammy's the coolest character EVER!

If you're visiting this site, you and I probably like the same kinds of games. Mainly, I'm a fan of fighting games and RPGs, but I really do play a little bit of everything (on all systems except N64), so there should be something here for everybody. I don't really have much time to play games, so I have to sacrifice sleep. Sitting around and playing games doesn't take much energy, so I figure that it's kinda restful (unless I get myself too worked up).

Anyhow, this page is for reviews of the games that I've been playing. I hope you find my reviews useful and interesting.

BTW, I use a grading scale of 1-10. 1 means it's completely worthless. 10 means it's as perfect as humanly possible (in my humble opinion). An averagle game is probably around 6-7, good game is about 8-9, and a 9 to a 9.9 is a great game!

News flash: Cammy's the coolest character

	Platform: Website: Maker: Genre: Score:	PS2 FinalFantasyXII.com Square Enix RPG 9.5
	For the last 2.5 years, my gaming life has been pretty much wrapped up in Final Fantasy XI (I'm Isobel on the Titan server), so there have been very few game reviews LOL. Only a new Cammy game... or FF game can pull me away for a bit.
	Anyhow, I'm about 30 hours into FFXII so far (almost no FFXI and sacrificed a lotta sleep in 9 days to get that!), so this isn't a complete review, but I think I know enough to really go ahead and rate it now.
	Storyline... it's all about storyline! XII isn't anything groundbreaking at all, but it's interesting enough. There's really nothing wrong the storyline.

Characters... Vaan is really quite 'blah' but there's nothing wrong with him either. I certainly don't dislike him in any way. The backup character are great! Ashe is a bit annoying, but she's got personality. Balthier is just F**ing cool as hell! Penelo has pigtails, so I love her. Fran is kinda freaky, but cool at the same time. And OMG I'm totally fascinated by her voice!! Too bad she doesn't talk very much. Basch is a bit plain, but I like him, and I have a feeling he'll develop a little more. And all the miscellaneous characters are good too. From the insanely cute Moogles to the rest of 'em, they're interesting and really fit the world of Ivalice in FFXII.

Graphics... I think they're amazing! Wow, such an incredibly beautiful world! And so much detail!! And this is only a PS2. 'Only'? Hmmm... how much better could graphics on the PS3 or whatever really get? Does it get much better? Maybe a little bit, but not too much I think.

Voice acting... only in the cutscenes, but there are a lot of 'em. And the voice acting is the best so far! English voice acting is notoriously bad (miserable, awful, ridiculous, shameful, etc), but I couldn't ask for anything else in FFXII. (except for more Fran! Fran needs to talk more... I love her voice LOL)

Gameplay... typical Final Fantasy more or less, but it's a bit more free-roaming like FFXI. The big difference is that you actually see the monsters roaming around the zones. You can run up and fight or try to sneak around if you want. They don't randomly attack out of thin air anymore. Another big change in the gameplay is the ability to set your party's AI (artificial intelligence). It's a bit complicated and limited at first, but when you get used to it, it's a really nice thing to have! It lets customize the game to play how you wanna play.

Problems? 1 big problem for me at first... I couldn't change my camera, so when I wanted to look left, I looked right, and when I wanted to look up, I looked down. OMFG that drove me nuts because it was exactly opposite what I was used to in FFXI. And there's no 1st person view (for looking around the beautiful environments). But I'm used to it now.

Game guide... There's a lotta info there, but I think it's very poorly organized. The main walkthrough wastes too much time telling you the storyline (spoilers >_<), and there are very few references to side quests and secrets in the walkthrough. That stuff is all stuffed somewhere in the back of the guide, and it's your trouble to try and keep up with all that on your own. You're sure to miss one stupid little piece of a quest and either lose out or waste hours going back and trying to replay part of the game.

Overall... AWESOME! Almost a perfect 10. I'm loving it and can't wait to go finish it off...

The ONLY reason I bought this game was because I found out Cammy's in it. Cammy with a new outfit is more than enough reason to make this one of the most important games in my collection. But you know what? Even if Cammy wasn't in this game, it would still be a great game! Seriously, I loved it! I never expected it to be the least bit interesting, but it's really, really cool!

It's basically a beat-em-up game where you fight your way through a storyline, but there are so many extras in there that really make this game a lot more than just that. Mini games, lots of stuff to explore and discover, and so many other little things to keep the game fresh and exciting all the way to the end.

I thought the graphics were pretty good. It's gritty and grainy, but that fits the style. The gameplay is good too because you can button-mash your way through, or you can learn a lotta advanced techniques. The characters are good (voice acting especially), and I liked the storyline too.

The extra stuff is what I really liked, and what put the game over the top for me. Of course there's Cammy too! And most of the old Final Fight characters are there too... Cody, Guy, Haggar, Andore, etc. And there are references to other Capcom things around town... like "Cammy Lager" beer, and a poster for a Bison vs Dudley fight. If you're into hip-hop and metal, the soundtrack is 2nd to none! No generic stuff... it's all real music from artists you probably know. Mini games too... like darts, memory, car smashing, and roach smashing LOL

1 major problem... the saving system SUCKS! You can only save 1 game file at a time, and it only saves up to a cutscene, so be careful! Why you can't save multiple game files... I have no idea! Another problem is the Xbox version of the game freezing. Twice my game froze on me, and I lost over an hour worth of gameplay each time. I've read on boards that this is a common problem. So save often, and it won't be much of a problem.

If you wanna fight Cammy, you only have 1 small chance! You need to do a pit fight in front of the Japantown Dojo after you escape the burning Dojo with Guy. I missed it the 1st time and had to start the game over again. It took about 2 hours to power my way through to that point again.

Anyhow, this game has a lotta great stuff in it. A little bit of everything. I'd kinda describe it as Def Jam (fight for New York or Vendetta) with a little bit of Resident Evil and GTA. Anybody who's a fan of this website will probably like this game. And remember... I'm totally serious... even without Cammy, I'd love this game.

Sorry for the very late review, but I've been very busy, so it's taken me a while to play through enough of the game to where I could really review it for you. Anyhow, this has always been one of the best game series! I've never really been disappointed. In some way, Soul Calibur (Soul Edge/Blade before that) has always gone above and beyond to totally impress me. SC3 is no exception!

There really wasn't much talk about SC3 leading up to the release, so I was kinda worried. But good old Namco came through again. If there had been a bunch of hype about the game leading up to the release, it would have lived up to it!

SO much to talk about, but I'll just hit on a few of the things that really impressed me the most...

The graphics are top-notch! Everything from the characters to the stages! Only complaint I can come up with is that there are too many effects (chunks flying off the ground, lightning and other hit effects, etc.)

The Chronicles mode is a real time strategy game that really is kinda half-assed. But it's not really bad. The idea was kinda interesting, but they really didn't do as much with it as I thought they could. If nothing else, it's a great chance for you to create and play your own character.

Speaking of the new create-a-character mode... it's AWESOME! Now, other people might not be as excited as me LOL I just love this kinda thing. I've spent as much time creating characters as I have fighting. And most of my fighting was so I could make money to buy more parts! You could make a create-a-character game, and I'd love it. Anyhow, I think anybody will have fun making their own character... just not as much as me ^_^ It's also very cool that there are lots of new and unique fighting styles you can use for you character. Personally, I love the Samurai for all the cool throws.
* You can also (somewhat) edit the colors of the existing characters.

Extras... this game is so much more than just a fighting game. Sure there's the typical game where you select a character and play through their storyline, but there's so much more to keep the game fresh and exciting for a long, long time. And tons of replay value in stuff like the RTS game, etc. but also the fact that each character has multiple paths has you can discover. And what's really innovative is that there are certain times in the CG movies where you can affect the flow of the story by quickly hitting some kinda button combination (a little like Dragon's Lair).

The stages are especially impressive I think. So beautiful and creative! And I love that in the museum mode you can read up on the stage itself... kinda like a character bio (which you can also read) for a stage. It's that kinda attention to every detail that makes this game not just really good, but really special.

The new characters are all pretty cool, and all your old favorites are back! My favorites are still Seung Mina and Yoshimitsu. And of course I've got a ton of characters I created myself!!

The one thing that I really didn't like about the game is that the computer AI can cheat INCREDIBLY bad! I guarantee that you'll throw something across the room sooner or later. It blatantly reacts to your moves as only a computer can! Grrrr... >_< But eventually you'll learn how to cheap you way though those times when the computer goes nuts.

Anyhow, overall it's another great game! If you haven't picked it up yet, you definitely should. But beware, this time around it's ONLY available for the PlayStation 2.

For another great review of Soul Calibur 3, check out Cary Woodham's blog on 1up.com. Check Nov 3, 2005 on his blog for the review called "The Silly Side of Soul Calibur 3". Cary's always got a unique perspective that's guaranteed to make you laugh and think at the same time.

Not many game reviews this last year... because I've been playing Final Fantasy XI almost non-stop! But a series as classic as Tekken will definitely take me away for a little while. My overall impression is that it's good, but somehow I feel a bit disappointed. 8 is a good score, but I really expect more from Tekken.

The storylines are really good as always, and I love how they tie stuff into the previous game, so you know what 'really' happened (like Paul losing to Kuma). The main storyline in this one is one of the most exciting... Heihachi is dead! There are a lotta themes that spring off that, and alternate endings depending on who you win with. However, some of the storylines are just a bit too stupid... like Xiaoyu wanting a time machine, Julia being a tree-hugger, and Paul's quest to be the strongest in the universe.

The graphics are really nice, but they really don't compare to Dead or Alive Ultimate. The backgrounds/stages in Tekken 5 are really the best yet. Some of the best ever in my opinion (as far as style goes). There are plenty of CG cutscenes and rendered pictures for the storyline. And even some cool extra stuff like Xiaoyu's ending as an anime.

The 3 new characters are pretty cool. Cammy LOVES Asuka because she rescues that cute little kitty cat in the Tekken intro, but otherwise I think she's really boring (looks and fighting style). Chinese monks are pretty played out, but Feng is really quite cool because he's so ruthless. Raven is blatantly Blade + Ryu (Shinobi/DoA), but he's really very, very cool. I like him a lot. Pretty much all the old characters are back. All the cool characters like Nina, the whole Mishima clan (+2), King, and Yoshimitsu. And even the lame characters like Lee & Ganryu are back.

The new boss is one of the worst ever... he's SO cheap! I either kill him 1st try with almost no trouble (with strong characters that can really drive forward and attack relentlessly), or I use about 30 continues and a lot of luck to squeek out a cheap win.

One new thing in this Tekken is the ability to modify your character's outfits. Like Virtua Fighter 5, you can buy all kinds of color mods and extra clothes. Unfortunately, it's almost all TOTAL junk! It's a great idea, but there's almost nothing I want. Other extra stuff includes the Devil Within game where you run around mazes as Jin and beat stuff up (kinda fun), and all the original versions of the 1st 3 Tekken arcade games.

It's a very solid game, and any fan will enjoy this latest chapter, but there's just nothing really special about this one. I feel like there's a lot missing. A lot of it is really small things that I'm being picky about, but it adds up! There's no major flaw in this game except that maybe Namco didn't live up to their own standards and really come out with something special.

I'm kinda disappointed in this game. I really thought they'd add more to it. The bottom line is that if you've got DoA2 Hardcore for the PS2, then you've pretty much seen 95% of it. There are lots more costumes, 1 new character, and a few little things, but the only big changes are the intro movie and the ability to play online. If you're not a new fan, or a very hardcore fan, then there's probably not much here for you.

I am a pretty hardcore fan, so it was fun for me to replay this old game. I haven't played online, but that's no big deal for me. The one thing that disappointed me the most was that the moves weren't updated. For instance, in DoA3 Tina can do all sorts of awesome moves to characters on the ground or in the air, but they didn't update this new DoA2 with any of that stuff >_<

There's a 2nd disc with the original DoA on there, but I haven't even bothered checking that out. Maybe someday.

The one thing I can say about DoA2 Ultimate is that it's got the best graphics I've ever seen! They will blow you away (especially the stages), and it moves as fast & smooth as anything you've ever seen. But for the most part, it's just a slightly updated version of the same old thing. So if you're a hardcore fan who can still enjoy the old stuff mixed with the little bit of new, or you're a new fan to the series, you should check it out.

You probably know that I'm a big KOF fan too. I'm so happy to see KOF finally making it outside of Japan. In Japan, it's as popular (probably more) as Street Fighter, Guilty Gear, DOA, Tekken, Virtua Fighter, etc. If you're a fan, then you know why it's so popular, but if you're not a fan yet, it's time you got to know it.

Maximum Impact is the first 3D King of Fighters game, so it's not at all typical of the series. A lot of the characters are the same, but this is really a new series. It doesn't even play like the classic KOF games in that it's really a 1 on 1 game instead of a team fighting game.

The gameplay is decent, but it's not up to par with DOA, Tekken, or Virtua Fighter. The graphics are very good, but again, it's not quite up there with the big boys. None of it's bad, but it's not top notch. However, where KOF MI really stands out is in its character designs and storylines. If you love good characters and interesting storylines, then you should have a great time with this game. If you're just into good fighting gameplay, and you could care less about how they look or what their story is, then this is just a very average game for you.

There are 3 special things about this game that I gotta note... One is that it comes with a special edition DVD that's quite interesting for fans. It goes into the making of the game as well as some of KOF's history (2004 is the 10th Anniversary). The second interesting thing to note is that the artist Falcoon did the character designs from this game. He's one of Japan's most famous fanartists, and I know that a lot of America's most famous artists are big fans of his work. If you don't know him, check out Falcoon's homepage and prepared to be stunned! And the 3rd special thing about this game is the alternate character designs that you can select. These aren't just different outfits or colors... they're totally new designs by Falcoon! Mai Shiranui with short hair and a new outfit, Iori Yagami with a totally new look, and much more!

Anyhow, for fans this is a great game that you should pick up for sure. For non-fans... you might wanna check it out if you're into style and story, but if you're just into fighting, then maybe it's not for you (unless you really need something new to play).

This is an all-girl wrestling game, and although it's a little embarrassing to talk about it, I think it's gonna be an awesome game! I got to play an early copy of it at the San Diego Comic Con, and I was blown away.

First of all, I'd almost forgotten about it, and in fact it's been deleted from the site for quite a while, but I actually invented Rumble Roses in a rant I wrote way back in early 2001. My idea was basically an all-girl wrestling game with an idea for submission moves kinda like the button pounding sword-breaks in Samurai Spirits. It's amazing how many of my ideas showed up in this game.

I really can't watch wrestling anymore because it's just too silly, but I still think wrestling has great potential. But instead of having dudes in speedos, wouldn't it be MUCH more fun to have girls?! Of course. I don't know what it's taken so long, but Konami finally did it.

Anyhow, this game plays amazingly well! It was made by a famous wrestling game maker in Japan. I haven't played any of the wrestling games besides Def Jam Vendetta, but Rumble Roses plays very well, and that's what all the people who have played other wrestling game say too. Sure the big excitement is mostly based on the cast of uber sexy girls, but this game is as technically good as any other game. That combo is what's gonna make this game a huge hit.

There's a lot to talk about (innovative techniques, mud wrestling mode, etc.), but I'll let you go out and research it more if you're interested. This game is due out in November in Japan, and watch for it to be a big hit.

This is the first MMORPG that I've ever played, and I'm extremely impressed! At first I was really upset about FFXI being an online game, and I didn't like what I saw at first. But I'm a FF fan since just about day one, and I just couldn't resist... suddenly it started looking more and more interesting. Now, I'm totally in love with it, and I may never ever play another game again! ^_^

What's so amazing about FFXI is that it's such a HUGE world... so many monsters to fight, things to see, and people to meet! And you're not really stuck in any kind of linear storyline, so you can really just roam all around. It may overwhelm some people, but I'm loving it because there's hardly ever a time when you don't have anything exciting to do. On top of all that, it's the FF world we all love, and all the details that made the other FF games are here and make FFXI just as deep and special.

I was a little bit worried about having to play with other people online, but I've actually made friends with some really cool people. There are idiots to be sure, but for the most part everybody is very helpful and fun. Anyhow, I won't rant on any more about the virtues of this game... I'm just gonna order you to come and play too! (join me and the over 500,000 people playing FFXI)

For more on my character, check this out...

My favorite kind of game is the strategic RPG (but FFXI might make the MMORPG my fav). Other games in this genre are Final Fantasy Tactics and Tactics Ogre. I've loved them all, but I think Disgaea has become my all-time favorite.

This game is actually something that belonged on the PS instead of the PS2, but it's so good in every way that you can hardly be bothered by that. The resolution is bad, but the graphics are actually very good. Most of all, the gameplay is about twice as deep as anything else because there are so many things you can do (like picking up another character and throwing them to another location). There are a few flaws (some height & range issues), but with so many options, you hardly notice that either. And of course no game, no matter how good it looks or well it plays, is much fun if it doesn't have a good storyline with interesting characters... Disgaea gets an A+ in both areas, and I think that's what really made this game such a huge cult hit. I don't think you can help from falling in love with Disgaea in one way or another.

In Disgaea you're the Prince of Hell, and you end up fighting all kinds of wacky demons, angels, monsters, aliens, and other things alongside your minions and an odd angel. It's hands-down the most stylish and creative game I've played since Darkstalkers, FFX, or Skygunner... go get a copy tomorrow because it's being re-released! Check the website for more info.

A game called La Pucelle was recently released, and it's more of the same, so if you loved Disgaea, check that out too!

The bad...
I got the Xbox version for the enhanced graphics, but I was VERY disappointed to see that there was no custom soundtrack option! WHY NOT?! And what's worse, aside from the intro song, the in-game music absolutely sucks!! Another thing that really upset me about the game was that you weren't allowed to customize your car's paint like RR5 (I spent hours just playing around with that). The tracks are good, but the scenery is pretty boring on most of 'em. And the other thing that kinda upset me was that there haven't been any special things to unlock (like the Pac-Man stuff rom RR5). >_<

The good...
The racing is pretty good overall. It's not ultra-realistic (and ultra un-fun) like Gran Turismo, but it's quite not the jump-in-and-go powersliding fest that RR5 was. The best thing about this game is the Racing Life mode which is basically a character based storyline with cool CG movies. One really cool and original feature is the pressure meter which allows you to screw with the other racers. Another thing that RRE improves on is the variety of races available... track, city, rally (dirt/gravel roads), and drag. And of course the graphics are absolutely amazing.

In then end, I played the hell out of this game, so despite all my disappointments, it obviously must have been a pretty interesting game. However, I can't help but think about what an awesome game it really could have been. If they learn from this game, the next one should be the greatest ever.

Maybe it's not 100% perfect, but it's definitely on my list of must-have games for the PS2! Time Crisis 2 is also on that list. This is hand-down the best light gun shooting game series going. The arcade games are great, but when Namco brings it home, they're even better because they add all sorts of extra missions, options, mini games, and other things that will make you want to pick up and play this game every few months even after you've done it all.

This is a typical Time Crisis game except that you've now hot a whole arsenal of guns at your disposal... pistol, shotgun, machine gun, and grenade launcher. Anyhow, I'm not gonna go into detail about all the things that are great in this game... I'm just gonna tell you to go out and buy it RIGHT NOW!!

If you LOVE the Onimusha series and tactical RPG games, then you'll LIKE Onimusha Tactics. That's my situation. It's a decent game for those people, but I doubt it'll impress anybody else. Although the storyline is 100% linear, it's pretty good. And I liked seeing some of the characters from Onimusha 2 making a comeback. The graphics are kinda plain, and so is the gameplay... this game is a very simplistic tactical RPG. There's not much use for tactics in this game. In fact, it's hard to use tactics because it's so simplistic, and because the level designs force you into narrow fights that doen't use the terrain well at all. Anyhow, if you're the person I described above, check it out. If you're not, then try Tactics Ogre, Final Fantasy Tactics, or some other GBA game.

I played the first Castlevania in the arcades 15 years ago, and I'm still playing 'em all today! It's one of my all-time favorite series. However, this new Castlevania is the first to go 3D (those games on the N64 don't count), so I was really worried... after all, it was perfect the way it was, so why did there need to be a drastic change?! I would have loved to see a Guilty Gear quality 2D animated game, but I couldn't pass this one up.

This first thing that really hit me about this game is how good the graphics looked! The pictures I saw in magazines looked really bad, but when everything's moving, it's a beautiful game. The gameplay was ok, but I really hated the real-time item menu... you can't pause to use items, so you have to go into and scroll through the menus while you play, and that can be a REAL pain in the butt! The fixed camera angle was the other thing that bothered me because there are times where it makes gameplay really awkward. The game was also kinda short (7-8 hours), and the storyline was kinda lame (until the end). But overall, I was pretty happy with the game. I still would have liked a 2D game better, but there were enough good things in this game to make it worth playing if you're a fan. I guess the next Castlevania will be 3D as well, and if they can improve on this game, it should be pretty good.

I've been waiting for this game a long, long time! The original FF Tactics is one of my all-time favorites, and I love most of the other strategy RPG games too (Tactics Ogre, etc).

I'm a HUGE fan of this kind of game, so although I had a ton of fun, I have to admit that it wasn't as good as many of the other strategy RPG games. Tactics Ogre for the Advance is definitely better, and so was the original FF Tactics for the PlayStation. There just seem to be a lot of little details missing from this game that make the strategy aspect of these games so great.

Like all strategy RPGs, there are a ton of classes. However, they are really divided up by races, so there are classes that only certain races can become. Sex also seems to be divided up by races... only the Viera are female, while the Moogles, Humans, Nu Mou, and Bangaa, are all male. And for better or worse, there are TONS of weapons. It takes me 30 seconds to scroll through my inventory of weapons. You need so many because characters learn their abilities from the weapons, so you can't really get rid of them because you'll probably need to use them again later.

The best aspect of this game was the way it played: it's got a linear storyline, but there are hundreds of side-quests that you can also do along the way. Another neat thing about the game is that you get to create the world map. You'll be given locations like towns, mountains, caves, and forests, but you can place those wherever you want. Another interesting aspect of the game is the fact that there are laws enacted for each battle (along with a Chocobo-riding knight to enforce 'em). You'll have to pay close attention to what's been banned from the fight, or you'll actually wind up in jail!

In the end, I give this game 8 out of 10 star which is kinda low for me when it comes to strategy RPG games (I just love 'em so much!). Somebody else might have scored this game lower, so you might wanna keep that in mind. I think there are 2 reactions to this kind of game (and especially this one)... you'll get addicted, or all the little details will drive you nuts. If you try it out, I hope it's not the latter.

I'm not normally an FPS fan, but after playing the demo for this game, I knew I had to get it! The gameplay and graphics were great, and the twisted storyline was also very cool.

Anyhow, I absolutely love this game! There are over 30 huge levels ranging from Egyptian tombs, to arctic bases and German castles . This game is basically a combination of Medal of Honor Frontline and Resident Evil... you fight the Nazis who are working on all sorts of freaky undead, supernatural, and robotic experiments. The gameplay is great (TONS of weapons), the concept is one of the best ever, and it's got a great storyline on top of it all.

BTW, just to note, I haven't played this game on Xbox Live. However, I'm hearing that it's at least as good as, if not better than, the single-player game. And another thing to note is that the PS2 version of the game doesn't have multiplayer capabilities, and I've heard of other problems. So, if you're getting this game, it really sounds like you should pick up the Xbox version.

There are only two gripes I have. One is that German voice acting is kinda lame, but I'm German, so maybe it just sounds goofy to me. The second thing is that the computer AI (Artificial Intelligence) is a little bit weak at times. For instance, enemies sometimes detect you through walls. Also, if you see the toe or gun barrel of an enemy peaking out from around the corner, you can shoot it and do full damage. However, none of the AI problems will not have a major impact on the game... for the most part, it's pretty damn good.

Anyhow, if you're not a fan of FPS games, this one might make one out of you... it's done that for me!

Every gamer should know all about Castlevania because it's one of those all-time classic series. I remember playing the first one at Fuddruckers (hamburger joint) over 15 years ago, and I'm still a fan today. This game is still pretty much the 2D action platformer that it's always been, and that's how it should be. It's a great kind of game, and they've done a lot with it over the years. This one doesn't really offer anything new, but since you shouldn't try to fix what's not broken, that's okay!

The oddest thing about this game is that it takes place in the year 2035! But don't worry, it's not all laser guns and mecha vampires. The one new gimmick is that every creature has a soul that can be captured and used to give your character special abilities. But overall it's the same old game, and like I said before, that's good. Out of the 3 GBA Castlevania games, I'd rank this one slightly behind Harmony of Dissonance. The only thing I've really got to complain about is that there's no 'castle trick' (like the upside-down castle in Symphony of the Night)... it's just a straight-up castle. And I missed finding all the breakable walls and hidden rooms (there are only a few this time). Oh, and maybe the game was slightly short. But all said, I'd rank this one right up at the top with SotN and HoD as one of the all-time best Castlevanias. Everybody needs this game for their GBA!

Since I was sick over the weekend, and felt too bad to sleep, I had the chance to lay around and play a new game. The idea behind this game sounded very interesting, and I've never played a wrestling game before, so I tried it out.

Def Jam Vendetta is wrestling game featuring a buncha original characters along with some of Def Jam Record's biggest stars. The main part of the game is a storyline mode where you pick one of 4 original characters and wrestle your way to the top. In your way are a buncha thugs and rappers, and the storyline is surprisingly good. And with the money you earn, you can upgrade your character's stats. Aside from all that, you can also pick up a girlfriend. Other girls will try to pick you up, and then you can choose which way to go. No matter what you choose, the girls fight it out in the ring (you control the girl you pick), and then you gotta live with your decision. All in all, it's a pretty fun game with some unique concepts behind it.

Now on to gameplay. All reviews are saying that this is the best wrestling game out there. I don't know, but I thought the controls were pretty weak. If you're used to the tight controls of KoF, GGX, SF, etc., then this game might frustrate you. And the computer AI cheats REALLY bad at times. I don't mind hard AI too much, but when it blatantly breaks the rules of the game, it drives me nuts! It's stunning how bad the AI is at times... it can drain the fun right out of the game. Almost all points I took away from the game come from the controls and the AI. I took a little away from the soundtrack because I expected it to be better.

Anyhow, the graphics are great... very detailed and smooth. And there are a million moves! A lot of them are classic wrestling holds, but some are original. Best of all, I liked the idea of submission wins. I've been pushing for that for many, many years now. I'm glad somebody finally tried it out. And it works very well. The idea is that your submission holds work on certain parts of the opponent's body, and after enough torture, his tolerance wears out and he submits.

My final take on this game is that it was a great idea and a pretty good game. Even people who don't listen to rap music and watch wrestling could like this game. I'm looking forward to a sequel because I think this series could go a long way (just fix the AI!). Almost every aspect of this game is A+, but again, frustrating gameplay took its toll on me. Nevertheless, I wouldn't hold anybody back from trying DJV out.

It's obvious from CammyFan.com that I love fighting games. And most of you who know me, know I'm also a big RPG fan. My very favorite type of game is of course a game with Cammy! But besides that, it's a Strategic RPG. Games like Tactics Ogre, Hoshigami, and Final Fantasy Tactics fall into this category.

Anyhow, this game for the GBA was everything I could have hoped for! The only SLIGHT disappointment is that stages aren't true 3D, so it limits the complexity (because you can't rotate). But besides that, the gameplay is absolutely awesome! There are so many elements that add to the strategic nature of the game... characters that fly, undead characters, beast characters, magic items with special effects, etc. Terrain always plays a big part in these kinds of games, but especially here. For instance, the stage will eventually flood if it's raining throughout your battle, and that can really change things. As you play through the game, seasons also change, so a swamp stage in the summertime ices over and causes all kinds of new problems in the winter. Even fire spells will melt snow and burn away grass. This kinda gameplay really gets your mind working, and more than once I'd play a 'quick' game before sleeping and find myself staying up an extra 2+ hours!

Another big gameplay element is that you can change character classes along the way. There are many different things you can train you characters to be... knights, ninjas, clerics, wizards, dragon tamers, etc. As you play the game, you earn Emblems that have affect on what you can become. For instance, if you kill 5 dragons and earn a Dragon's Scale Emblem, you cannot become a dragon handler anymore. And to become an Angel Knight, you must die and be resurrected (earning you an Archangel's Feather Emblem). Many of the emblems are pretty obscure, so it's fun to try and figure out ways to earn 'em.

The storyline in Tactics Ogre is pretty simple, but there are so many side-quests that you end up with a lot of variety. Side-quests aren't always obvious. Most of the time I accidentally found myself getting involved with something totally different when I simply backtracked to an older location. The people you meet and things you do in these side-quests can have a big effect on your ending. I think there are something like 5 endings you can earn, so the reply value is high. And given the variety of the strategy, you'll actually want to play again so you can try building a totally different kind of team and battle plan.

Anyhow, this game has it all... great gameplay, interesting characters, good graphics (for GBA), innovative ideas, and high reply value. Some people might not like the strategic aspect of this game and others like it, but if you haven't tried it to find out yet, shame on you. If you do find you like it, I guarantee you'll love it! This game is an absolute must-have for your GBA.

BTW, Final Fantasy Tactics Advance came out about 2 weeks ago in Japan, so if you love Tactics Ogre for the GBA, you've got something else to look forward to!

There's a reason why this game is one of the most popular ever in Japan! Guilty Gear is filled with style, personality, great graphics, unique characters, detailed storylines, and deep gameplay. GGX2 is something that you should all experience.

However, I do have one major complaint, and it's the same one I've had about all the other games... it's SO hard that it takes a lot of the fun out of the game! Getting your ass handed to you time and time again when the game is on "Easy" setting is beyond frustrating. There were many times that I've just had to give up because I wasn't even close to winning a round (and I've been playing fighting games for over 10 years!). It's a shame that such a great game can be hurt by something like that.

Everything else in the game is a perfect 10. Sammy really paid attention to every little detail (except difficulty), and that makes this game extra-special. There are lots of different modes to play through, and of course there are some characters to unlock, as well as a ton of awesome artwork for the gallery. So despite the sometimes infuriating gameplay and the fact that it's basically just an upgrade of the first GGX, Guilty Gear X2 should really capture your imagination and make a good impression on you. Most games are totally ruined when the gameplay is badly flawed, but the fact that I still love GGX2 shows you how good everything else really is.

BTW, this game hasn't been released yet. As of now, the projected release date in the USA is Feb 5, 2003.

Even with all the rave reviews and commercials running on TV, I didn't have much interest in this game. But some friends bought it for me, and I'm SOOOO glad they did! This is absolutely one of the most amazing games I've ever played! I've only played a few levels, but I've played enough to want to recommend it to all of you. I'm expecting this game to end up as one of my all-time favorites!

The old Metroid games were awesome, so I never imagined that changing it into 3D could do the series justice, but I was dead wrong. It's even better! I can't begin to stress HOW impressed I am with ever single aspect of this game. Of course the storyline is cool, the gameplay is good, the graphics are amazing, the music couldn't be better, and on and on and on. This is one of those games that will make a fan out of just about anybody! If you've got a Gamecube, you've gotta run out and get this game...

Normally, I don't like platform action games like this at all, but the look of Sly Cooper made me have to try it out, and I ended up loving it! The art (style and quality) is amazing, and so are the characters, storylines, and settings. And hey, the gameplay is pretty damn good too. This is a game that just about anybody could get into.

With SO many different platform action games, you'd think that all the ideas had been used up and played out, but there are a lot of very clever things in Sly Cooper that make it stand out from the rest as something special. And it's all very easy to get the controls, so don't worry about it being too complicated. Some people complained about it being too easy and too short. I thought the challenge was just about right (too much challenge in a platform game, and the frustration will suck all the fun out of it!). As for it being too short, I think that's just a sign that it was so good, that everybody wanted more! Definitely check it out, and for a retail price of just $39.95, it's a bargain.

To make room on this main page, I've pushed back some of my older reviews to an archive. Inside, you'll find...
Street Fighter Alpha 3 - Gameboy Advance
Fighter Maker 2 - PS2
Wild Arms 3 - PS2
Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind - Xbox
Resident Evil - Gamecube
Luigi's Mansion - Gamecube
Hot Shots Golf 3 - PS2
Tekken 4 - PS2
Seaman - Dreamcast
Hoshigami - PS
King of Fighters EX: Neo Blood
Super Street Fighter 2 Turbo Revival - Gameboy Advance
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance - PS2
Final Fantasy X - PS2
Vampire Night - PS2
Devil May Cry - PS2
Fatal Fury: Mark of the Wolves - Dreamcast
Time Crisis 2 - PS2
Okage - PS2
Tekken 4 - arcade
Capcom vs SNK 2 - Dreamcast & PS2
Gauntlet: Dark Legacy - PS2
Point Blank 3 - PlayStation
Chocobo Racing - PlayStation
Chocobo's Dungeon 2 - PlayStation
Metal Slug X - PlayStation

Go to the Game Reviews Archive...