Review: F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin

Fear, noun, 1. A feeling of anxiety and agitation caused by the presence or imminence of danger. That's the dictionary definition of fear. This can somewhat also describe the latest game in Monolith's thriller-shooter series. It sure is full of anxiety, and has some agitation for PC users at least. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin picks up right before the end of the original F.E.A.R. You are no longer the "Pointman," instead you step into the shoes of Michael Beckett, a member of a second special ops team, who while originally set to rendezvous with the first FEAR (fuck those periods) team, got redirected to capture and protect the president of Armacham Technology Corporation, Genevieve Aristide. The game starts with you breaking into the building housing her Penthouse, and the shit hits the fan about ten minutes after, with the explosion of the Origin facility([SPOILERS] at the end of FEAR 1) ripping through the city, and releasing Alma from her prison. Things then continue to go from bad to worse for ole' "Bucket." But that's as far into the story as I'll go.

Graphics
The graphics in FEAR 2 are pretty spectacular. The whole presentation of it comes off as an interactive movie, with the filter effects, character models, and amazingly detailed level design taking full advantage of the next gen hardware that it's running on. FEAR looked great in its own time, and the sequel spares no time stepping it up. The presentation of the spooky elements really add to the atmosphere, and the game is really successful in just being immersive overall. Beware though, the game is bloodier and gorier than the SAW franchise, and Alma has no regrets ripping the flesh off of some poor soldier, and taking their heads off for no reason other than to be a total bitch.


Gameplay
The gameplay in the game is that of your standard shooter variety, but it's got a few unique things that do make it stand out. They added in a "semi-cover" system, which means it doesn't have the new-fangled cover systems of the lastest shooters that has been done to death, with instead giving you the option to use the environment as cover, and making the crouch button your friend. The original game had the AI flipping tables and shoving things in front of your shots, and 'Lith so graciously gives you that option this time around. The game also carries over the slow-mo system from the first game, though you don't start with it, and it is fully within story context when you actually get it. The AI in the game isn't as brutal this time around as they have been toned down in their ass-kicking levels, but they still act very realistic, flanking the player at every chance, and flushing you out of cover. While this may seem annoying, it keeps combat fresh and fast paced. The guns have a good weight to them, and you certainly don't feel like any of them aren't doing as much damage as they should be. They have a good balance between each other, and overall just "feel" good, which is often something that's hard to do with a shooter.

I guess I should also mention the mech battle sequences, though other sites have talked about them to death by now. Final verdict on them is simple. They make you feel like a badass, and they're awesome. Not much else to say.


Gripes
While FEAR 2 is overall a good game, I do have some problems with at least the PC version of it. I havent played the 360 or PS3 versions, so you'll have to excuse me. First off, while I know this game was also built for consoles, it is inexcusable for a PC shooter to not have a quick save/quick load system in place. Seriously, the auto-save is inadiquate for a PC game, it always has, and always will be. The next problem is the lack of options the user has in adjusting the graphics in the game. I couldn't tone down the motion blur, and ended up motion sick more than once due to it. I never get motion sick, not even while watching Cloverfield in theaters. These are, of couse, technical gripes I have with the game. I honestly don't have any gameplay or graphical gripes, and the story is much better than the first game.


Final Word
F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin is one of the better shooters to come out lately. It offers quick, visceral action with a healthy dose of scare the hell out of you, and a dash of suspense on the side. While PC users may be irked at the lack of options for them, it's still a good buy, even at $60 in this recession.

Score: B

Review: Super Mario Galaxy

Well, I guess it is that time again. Nintendo released a new console and thus we have a new game featuring that fat Italian bastard Mario yet again. Now I love our mustachio hero as much as anyone so I gleefully picked up his new adventure in space.

Storyline:
The storyline is pretty much your usual stock Mario story. Mario is going to see Peach during the Star Festival, Bowser comes with some new weapon/power, takes Peach, wash, rinse, repeat. At this point in the franchise I would like to think we could have something a little better. I don't want much, just something a little better.

Graphics:
The graphics in SMG are about as high end as Wii can offer. Everything has a nice little glow to it and looks good. The environments all have their own look and feel. You can definitly tell that a lot of time and effort was put into the graphics to make it look good. I mean it's not indivual blades of grass like in every PS3 game, but they work well.

Gameplay:
Mario comes to the Wii with some new tricks. You do all the usual Mario things with platforms and jumping but you also get some new tools as well. Pointing the Wiimote at the screen at certain planetoids will let you gravitate towards then. Spinning it lets you do a spin jump (duh?). You also get little star bits with the Wiimote and can hurle them at enemies. And you get in buddles at points and use the Wiimote to guide you. Overall funtastic.

Unfortunitly it suffers from a plague that platformers get: Collect X Amount Disease. In the game you need to collect X amount of Y to get to the next area and beat the game. This was fun...in 1996.

Why?
In the game you get 1ups and extra lives but they reset after you turn off the console. Why the hell do we need them in the first place? If you get a game over you just start back from the hub of the world anyway.

Also stupid racing parts in a platformer also piss me off. I hate these damn things so much. This was a contributing factoring in me not playing this game for a few days.

In Closing:
It's Mario on a Nintendo console, you will buy it and enjoy. Mario gives you some fun with your Wii and then you trade it in for store credit at Gamestop.

Rating: B

Review: Metal Gear Solid 4

Graphics

The most beautiful game I've ever seen. Once again, it may look a bit better on my TV (considering it's "bout tree fiddy" feet HD plasma blu-ray TV that shoots laser bolts out of its backside for voltage). Too bad anti-aliasing sucks on console HD games right now, otherwise it'd be perfect. The badass graphics made the cut scenes over nine thousand times more awesome as well.


Gameplay

Snake always owned, but now he owns even more. Also, remember when Raiden was a faggot? Well, they nerfed that, too. Now he's a fuckin' badass. He went from being Richard Simmons to Chuck Norris in just a couple of years. Probably was takin' dat dere cell tech. I won't reveal any of the plot because that'd spoil the game completely, but yeah, the aiming system is spot on, the stealth is spot on, and the boss fights are typical MGS boss fights. They're hard at first, but once you know what to do, you should be good to go.

Gripes

The anti-aliasing flaw kinda sucks, but I got used to it. Maybe the game is a little short, wait, no, maybe I just beat it too fast and didn't have a life back in the summer. That's probably it. Also, they may have made Meryl too hot (is it sad to be somewhat attracted to billions of pixels on a monitor, yes it is, but oh well, no different than pr0n right?). I always imagined her as some stocky little ginger girl but then in MGS4 I was like fap fap fap (not really but still). I have a few other minor gripes as well but like I said before, revealing the plot is a no-no.

Last Words

Nothing will ever beat the original MGS. That game will always hold a special spot dear to my heart, but this one is at least the second best game ever made. If you like awesome games, get this one. Splinter Cell can gtfo by now btw, pretty sure Solid Snake has him beat. Anyways, this is the only game where the ending had me in tears. If you call me a pussy for that, then you're an asshole. I'd say why, but the whole plot issue will come up again.

Score: A

Intro And Review: The Last Remnant

Hey folks, new blogger to FRAG'D so I might as well introduce. You can call me Tsurai. Guess I'm this blogs "Asian guy who plays too many RPG's" Yes I play RPG's, not too much since I haven't seen one worthwhile; so to review a good RPG, might as well praise one made by the masters of RPG's: Square Enix.

A few months have passed since the release of "The Last Remnant", and though I've had it for maybe two months since buying a 360, I've scarcely played it; thus I consider this a "First Impression" rather than a "Review", but I'm new here. Cut me some slack.

Graphics
The Last Remnant has stunning visual appeal for a game made by Square Enix on an American system...granted it would load fast enough. It would take somewhere between 5-10 seconds for the full texture of objects to fully load before anything looks remotely beautiful as the screenshots captured them to be. In the time it takes for such pixels to load, you're bound to observe people that they're supposed to resemble. In a way, you'll have a few moments to reminisce of the original Xbox graphics until you're back in Next-Gen.

Gameplay

You'll find the gameplay very simplistic at first, but that's because of the handicap of using another guy's army. At the very start of the game, they'll introduce some very basic mechanics: hit this thing, move here, etc. By the time they're done with kiddie time, it's the player's turn to step up as General Patton. Your main character, named Rush Sykes, will have to start building up his own squad of generic characters and maybe another "leader". This squad will probably begin with you and another leader, but eventually recruit more characters to build up into a powerful little platoon. From there, one must develop tactics using provided formations of little parties in order to effectively attack/defend; this includes the ideas of interlocking, flank attacks, zerging, and so forth. And of course, let's not forget the basics of RPG's: leveling and gear - not only for the main character, but your other leaders and generic minions, and this ranges from 2-20 people total to level.

Gripes

Ignoring the very simple yet complex combat and the graphics load, you have one other major concern: lag. Yes you heard it here, lag. There will be MULTIPLE instances where your characters will begin to slow down and possibly even stop for what feels like an eternity but only to discover that 8 seconds have passed. Having it as a turn-based RPG, that's no problem, but to have discovered one of your parties has fallen is aggrevating. The last major problem are fighting bosses while "under-leveled". Having it as a "growing level system", you'll never see what level you are, thus you're to guess just when you're prepared. Common sense would dictate that "it's when you stop getting exp, nub." Wrong, you'll never know when the flow haults. The only time one can tell if you're under-leveled is if one of your squad leaders fall (which, by the way, results in an entire party falling if the party's leader falls). You will also endure the immortal voice talents of Johnny Yong Bosch, so you may get tired of it if you've heard his voice in every other Anime known to mankind.

Last Words

I personally stopped playing this almost weeks after I got it, so I may have thrown in the towel early. Being a Square Enix fan, I bought it as soon as I bought a 360, but I advise renting it first to feel the flow. To those who do not have a 360, fear not. Well, fear the wait. The Last Remnant will be hitting PC on April 9th this year...for Japan. It's from Japan, that's what you get. Europe will be expecting Last Remnant March 20th, no current word for the US. Seeing as how Square Enix SHOULD be supporting Playstation 3 (yes, I'm one of those guys who believe Square has turned their back on their country), Last Remnant will also be hitting Playstation 3, yet the date has not yet been specified.

If you enjoy it, I praise you for your dedication. If not, I feel the same pain. My last piece of advice for this game, boss fights. You can only assume you're not ready but take the risk anyway because dying in a boss fight is the only way to measure your progess; thus I say place these words from the great Illidan Stormrage from World of Warcraft into your head: "YOU ARE NOT PREPARED!!!"

Review: NHL 09

NHL 09 is FUCKIN' AWESOME DUDE, ok? If you're a hockey fan, get this game right now. I got it when it first came out, and I'm still playing it. HOLY SHIT! You realize how rare it is to play a game for a year and onwards? Talk about replayability, brahs! If you take 08 into the consideration, I've played this game for like 2 years or more.

Graphics

Yeah, graphics to sports games isn't always the sha-bam-fa-bam (I just made that word up btw). It doesn't always make or break the game, but NHL 09 has FUCKIN' AWESOME DUDE graphics. Especially on on an HDTV that is 'bout Tree Fiddy in not just inches, but diameter too. Wait, wut? Yeah, this game's graphics are second to none. I remember this plumber dude came to my house and he was like "Holy shit I thought you were watching the actual Pens playing there for a moment" (serious.

Gameplay

This is what makes or breaks a sports game. No one gives a shit about graphics unless the gameplay is great (unless you're a FUCKIN' NEWB, in which case you need to STFU and GTFO). Well, guess what, NHL 09's gameplay is FUCKIN' AWESOME DUDE. No other game has gotten deking, skating, shooting, dangling, shoot outs, basically all aspects of the game as perfectly as NHL 09 has done. Sure, NHL 2k9 has a better fighting system, but fighting is pointless, amirit?

Gripes

It's all about the triple g's, yo. The only gripe I have about this game is it is too addictive (wait, wut). Is that a bad thing? I guess so, because like maybe if other games didn't suck so much I'd consider stop playing NHL 09 to play other games. Again, wait, wut? I can't think of things wrong with the game. Omfg.

Last Word

NHL 09 owns. I could make a big long paragraph to say why yet again, but hey, I'm gonna go play the game right now so I can't.

Score: A

Review: Wrath of the Lich King

Reviewing a World of Warcraft expansion is a little like sampling a new kind of cheesecake. Of course it's got a different type of topping, but in the end, its the delicious center that continues to bring you back. Thus is the same for the Wrath of the Lich King. Unlike the Burning Crusade, Blizzard have actually outdone themselves. Considering how massive the scope of the game actually is, I'm going to break this review down into a few categories.

Graphics

Let's get the most noticeable part out of the way first. Blizzard's art design for Lich King has gone above and beyond to make the game look beautiful, even if it's still running on a nearly five year old engine. They've made many, many improvements with not only the art direction, but the overall style. In all honesty, they've raised the bar so much that one nearly groans with the prospect of going back to the old world to do nearly anything. To sum it up quickly, Lich King is pretty. I'm sure there are better words to describe it, but it is too difficult to come up with the perfect definition. You'll understand what I'm getting at the minute you take your first zeppelin/boat to Northrend, and you'll never want to go back.

Gameplay

At the core of it, Lich King still has the main gameplay style that has made World of Warcraft so addicting over the past few years. The classes are still teetering on imbalance(as well as being imbalanced in some cases), however Blizzard plans to fix this with the upcoming(as of this writing) 3.1 patch. Each class has been expanded to once again gain new abilities and talents with the level cap's increase to 80, but each also retains their unique sense of style that keeps them different. With the expansion, Blizzard has also released the Death Knight hero class. While I had my doubts, they have managed to create a new class that does truly feel new and unique, even with all the others still remaining. The Death Knights themselves also have one of the single most epic quest chains at the beginning your play as one. 

Speaking of quests, it looks like Blizzard has learned a lesson or two from the past few years. Quests have evolved from "Bring me 10 bear asses" to much more fun variants. Of course there are the standing cut and dry MMO types (Escort, Kill X, Bring back Y, Talk to Z), but they have also added in some pretty awesome quests. For example, a quest in the Storm Peaks has you jumping between flying dragons with a harpoon, kicking off their riders, or a series of quests in Icecrown for a eerie little boy, that lets you experience some of the best moments in Warcraft Lore. That's not to say that the fun quests are only available at the higher areas, as even Borean Tundra has its own share of them.

Gripes 

Like any good game, Wrath of the Lich King still has its problems. There are the standard bugs, exploits, and rude players, but it does come with its own unique issues. Death Knight overpopulation is a big one, with any /who search usually providing 50% or more of the results as Death Knights. Then, you have the unbalanced PvP part of the game, where currently, player front end (or burst) damage is so large, that most healers don't even stand a chance, and are rendered near useless. There's also the gripe that the current PvE content is too easy, but considering it is supposed to be entry level content, one should not expect it to be too difficult.

Last Word 

Wrath of the Lich King is a very compelling addition to what was already an excellent game, if you're already a fan, go and get it, you won't have any regrets. For everyone else, now is a great time to jump in and see what WoW is all about. Oh, and those of you who left due to the story of the Burning Crusade? This one is much more memorable, and it doesn't need space paladins.

Score: A