Solider of Fortune Review

Solider of Fortune

Developer: Raven Software

Publisher: Activision

Genre: FPS

Release: 2/29/2000

Platforms: Windows, Linux, Dreamcast, PS2

Modes: Single-player, Multi-Player

Availability: Uncommon. Not in any online stores.

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Info:

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        The version I played was the Community Edition on the PC, which is made compatible with modern systems and resolutions, additional graphical effects, and new server browser support.

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Story:

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        The story of Solider of Fortune is about 4 nukes being stolen from a Russian facility and organized gang violence that took over a subway. You play as John Mullins, a mercenary working for an organization called the shop, is sent to deal with these situations with his partner Aaron Hawk. The plot is minimalist and is told during briefings for each mission. It’s not deep, but it carries the plot along well enough.

Casual Game Reviews

Luxor:

Developer/Publisher: MumboJumbo

Genre: Arcade, Shooting

Release: April 5, 2005

Modes: Single-player

Platforms: Windows, Android, PSP, iOS, Xbox 360, Wii, Mac OS

Availability: Online stores

It looks simple, but it's hard

         Luxor is about shooting orbs and destroying the ones that are traveling down the track. To destroy the orbs, you must ether, match up three colored orbs by shooting them with a matching color, make the orbs collide by destroying orbs between them, or using a power up to destroy them. It sounds easy but it isn’t as the orbs will keep coming until the bar on the bottom is filled up. Firing indiscriminately is the fastest way to lose. You need to be strategic with your shots and focus on racking up combos.

         The platform that you control with your mouse can switch between two orbs. The game in the early stages will almost always give you the color orb you will need, but in the latter stages, after level 5, it doesn’t do as well. I have had stages where the orbs are near the pyramid and I needed a certain color, but it kept giving me the wrong colors I didn’t need at the moment. It’s not a big flaw that you can’t work around it. For the fast majority of the time, losing is entirely your fault and success is based on your skill.

         The game has around 20 stages that will start to repeat once you get to level 5. There are 12 levels with 5 or more stages between. If you lose all your lives, you will start at the beginning of the level. I have had fun with this and I recommend it to anyone that wants a fun yet challenging arcade game.

Quick Incomplete Game Thoughts

Quick Incomplete Game Thoughts

         These are quick thoughts of games I didn't beat or play long as I didn't like them or found them boring. Since I didn't beat them, I don't feel comfortable calling them reviews. Rather then write out a boring 2 – 3 page review of why they are not worth buying, I keep it brief.

Commando Jack:

         Commando Jack is a tower defense game that was originally on mobile and it shows. The menu interface, the coins, and the bad aiming sensitivity are all examples of how it's a mobile game. It's an easy game regardless of difficulty or game mode. The only thing difficulty does is change how mach damage the enemies take and there being more obstacles blocking jacks ability to shoot the aliens. An interesting feature is you can take control of Jack or the rocket towers and participate in the fighting yourself. This also makes the game easy as all you need is 4 turrets to plow through the enemies. After 15 minutes, you have seen all this game has to offer. It's a mediocre game that isn't worth buying. I got it for free in a giveaway.

Earth Defense Force 2025 Review

Earth Defense Force

Developer: Sandlot

Publisher: D3 Publisher

Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3

Release: February 18, 2013

Genre: Third Person Shooter, Arcade

Modes: Single-player, Local Co-Op, Online Co-Op

Availability: Xbox Market Place, PlayStation Store, Online Stores

Disclaimer:

- This review is for the Xbox 360 version

- I got this game for $15 on Amazon

- I don't have Xbox Gold so I didn't try multi-player

- Laser Chainsaws are cool

- Images are from the official press release that was taken from IGN.

Info:

          The “Earth Defense Force” series started as game under the Japanese discount brand know as “Simple 2000” series for the PlayStation 2. These were budget priced game that were made by small developer teams. The first game was titled, “Monster Attack”, which got a European release. “Global Defense Force” was the sequel and also got a European release. While they were sequels, they had nothing to do with each other story-wise. None of the games got a North American release as the Publisher feared that Americans would not like that kind of game. “Global Defense Force” would get a Japanese sequel know as “Global Defense Force Tactics”.

PC Game Pad Info

                                                      PC Game Pad Info

    When it comes to playing games on the PC, sometimes a controller is better to use then a keyboard and mouse. 2D games, fighting games, and driving games are more comfortable with a controller. Some games are programmed badly and a controller naturally works better then the keyboard and mouse. Other times, you may want to play on the couch and find a controller more comfortable. Whatever the reason is, picking a good controller and getting it to work is important. Games these days are programmed to recognize a Xbox 360 controller and you may not have one to use for your pc. These suggestions might help.


Xbox One Controller:

    When it comes to PC game-pads, the Xbox One controller is probably the overall best one to use for the PC. The direction pad is improved over the Xbox 360 controller and it has all the functions needed for direct input and Xinput games. Unlike other controllers, it doesn’t has significant issues like analog sticks having big dead zones, triggers not analog, or buttons not being responsive. It can also use any USB to Micro USB cable. Some games that use Xinput might not work correctly due to the drivers being different then the Xbox 360 controller drivers. This can be fixed though by following these instructions at this website.

    Driver Fixes:

    http://www.videogameperfection.com/2016/02/19/xbox-one-controller-a-review-for-pc-gamers/
    http://www.videogameperfection.com/2016/02/24/xbox-one-controller-alternative-drivers/

    Buy:

    http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-One-Wireless-Controller/dp/B00YJJ0OQS/ref=pd_sim_147_4?ie=UTF8&dpID=41FsRKU0B0L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=010AB2YM2DHC04XSX36W


Using Other Controllers:

Red Dead Redemption Review

Red Dead Redemption

Developer: Rockstar San Diego

Publisher: Rockstar Games

Release: May 18, 2010

Genre: Third Person, Open World

Platforms: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3

Modes: Single-player, Multi-player (online)

Availability: Xbox Market place, PlayStation Network, online stores.

Disclaimer:

- This is the Game of the Year edition

- Got it for $20 on amazon

- I have played other Rockstar games such as

Grand Theft Auto 3 and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

- Review is based on the PS3 version

- This review doesn't cover the Undead Nightmare expansion.

- Screenshots taken from http://www.rockstargames.com/reddeadredemption/

-Played on hardcore mode and beat the game with 96 % completion

Info:

          Red Dead Redemption was made by Rockstar San Diego, formerly known as Angel Studios. They were known for games such as Midnight Club series, the Smuggler's Run games, and Red Dead Revolver. Rockstar North, known for the Grand Theft Auto series, helped out with the game development. The Game of the Year edition was released October 11, 2011 with all the DLC and the Undead Nightmare expansion. Included is a new hardcore mode for the original game, and one scene of nudity being censored.

Story:

          The year is 1911 and the Wild west is coming to an end. Red Dead Redemption is about a former outlaw by the name of John Marston who's family is being held hostage by the U.S. Government. They want him to hunt his old gang members that are terrorizing the last of the Wild West. With no choice, he sets out find them and bring them to justice. One way or another.

Translation Issues

                                                      Translation Issues

          In these past years, there have been lots of discussions about the quality of translation in games. Games like Xenoblade Chronicles, Fatal Frame 5, and Fire Emblem Fates have been in the fore front of the issues. With dialogue changed and things removed, it as stirred lots of displeasure among fans. Translations when it comes to game media is a mess. You got people who translate 1:1 and people who translate well. Then you got people who translate poorly or so different that it becomes a different product. Video games and Anime are the only mediums were translations can vary so much. It makes no sense.

          There are people who say 1:1 translations are not good because they are dry. What defines “dry”? Is a written work dry because it doesn’t have swear laid about or any talk of memes? That's called changing the work. Regardless of what anyone says, by making something less “dry” you are altering the tone and potential meaning of the text. Who are you to say what needs to be changed or not? Doing that isn't respecting the source material, but making your own derivative product.

Atelier Rorona Plus Review

Atelier Rorona Plus

 

Developer: Gust Entertainment

Publisher: Koei-Tecmo

Genre: RPG

Platform: PS3, Vita

Release: 6/24/2014

Availability: PSN, and other online stores.

Mode: Single-player

Disclaimer:

- I played the PS3 version

- I like management sims

- I like RPG's

- Screenshots from official website

http://www.ateliergames.eu/roronaplus/#home

Info:

          Atelier Rorona Plus is a remake of the 2009 “Atelier Rorona” by the publisher NISA. The Atelier series is a long running series that started in 1997 and through 16 games, not including remakes and ports, is about alchemy. Atelier Rorona Plus is a remake of the 11 game of the series. At the time, the game was very hard, with the game-play being tough to figure out. When Koei-Tecmo acquired the right to the series, they started working on plus versions of the Arland Trilogy and the Dusk series for the PS Vita. These plus versions, contained all the DLC integrated in the games, had various game improvements, and extra content not found in the PS3 counterparts. This time, they decided to release the Remake on both the Vita and the PS3 with the same content.

Reviews on Other Sites

 Note: This a short opinion piece about my thoughts on reviews.

            I was browsing various games sites to read their reviews and I noticed that mostly big name games get 2-3 page reviews. If it wasn't a big name release then it typically got only a page. Even for RPG's like the Tales series, they would be just 1 page long compared to big name RPG's like Fallout 4. Even NBA 2016 would get a 3 page review. It's not really fair that only certain games get a full length review, while others are merely summarized. I understand that paid reviewers have many games to review, but they do deserve better. They don't all have to be 3 pages long, but at least long enough to do a game justice. It doesn't do many games justice to merely summarize them as it will eventually make them sound all the same. There is more to gaming then the big name titles that are out there.

3D Dot Game Heroes Review

3D Dot Game Heroes

Developer: Silicon Studios

Publisher: From Software (JPN), Atlus (NA)

Platforms: PS3

Release: 5/11/2010 (NA)

Genre: Action-Adventure

Modes: Single-Player

Availability: Online Stores like Amazon ($30 New)

Disclaimer:

- I'm not a professional reviewer.

- A Link to the Past was my first Zelda game.

- I enjoy classic style games like this.

Info:

“3D Dot Game Heroes” is made by Silicon Studios who have developed; Operation: Darkness, Bravery Default 1 and 2, FANTASICA, and other games.

Story:

          The plot involves the player character being a descendent of the legendary hero that stop evil from taking over Dotinia Kingdom. Years latter the popularity of the kingdom wanes so the king decides to make the world 3D in order to make the world more appealing. Unfortunately, this strengthened evil and put the kingdom into peril again. So it's up to you to save the Kingdom.

          The writing is light hearted and silly with many tributes to classic games like Dragon's Quest, Final Fantasy, and of course, Zelda. There is plenty of 4^th wall breaking references that acknowledged the silly game-play and story tropes that appear in many games. It's nether obnoxious or in your face, but subtle humor.

Graphics:

          The game is rendered as millions of tiny cubed pixels known as voxels. From the game world to the characters, it helps give it a retro NES/SNES feeling to it. Looking at the character from a flat perspective or from far away on an overhead view, they can almost be mistaken for sprites. When you play for the first time, the colors may look flat and muted. You will need to adjust the brightness and color setting, in-game, to make it look it's best. Too much color and brightness will hide the outlines of the voxels and blend some colors together. You may also have to adjust it in the volcano and wind valley sections where the HDR can make things hard to see. It's a minor issue, but it's something that can be easily fixed.