Demon's Souls

**NOTE** I have made a change to my rating systyem. I have decided to make everything out of ten, since that gives me a wider plane to deal with. Thanks and happy new year-Toad Sage***Well I fired up the ps3 this Christmas...And I got Little Big Planet and Demons souls.
Since you have probably heard the LPB is the best game ever....so Ill go ahead and review the game you havent ever heard of.

Title: Demon's Souls
Platform: ps3
Genre: Action, Role-playing
An exclusive for the Playstation 3, Demon’s Souls was a game that received little attention prior to its release. It seemed as though only a few people were excited about this game. This may have been due to the big time releases of Assassins Creed 2 and Modern Warfare 2, both being huge titles. So, I guess it’s safe for me to say this game blew the “hype” way, way out of the water.

Story: The story of this Japanese born RPG (role playing game) is very captivating. The game takes place in an imaginary world sometime in a middle ages-like period. A dark, uncontrollable fog has swept over the land after the rulers made some sour deals with demons. Now it’s up to you, the hero to defeat the fiendish devil spoken of only as the “The Old One.” Countless heroes have gone to destroy him and failed, so now it’s your turn to step up to the plate. The story isn’t outright bland, but it’s not a masterpiece either. Things pertaining to the story like cut scenes and interactions with NPC’s (non-playable characters) don’t happen too often. But they happen often enough to keep you in tuned with what’s happening and add some pizzazz to the game play.

Game Play: Before you jump into actually playing the game you must first create a character and choose their class (soldier, wizard ect). The character creation process is very generic and what you would expect from an RPG in today’s world. The end result is a very individual looking character, and that’s all that really counts. After that, it drops you into the action. Demon’s Souls is an extremely difficult game. You will find yourself dead more times than you can count. It has to be one of the hardest games out on the market today. The game forces you to actually think and use strategy which is very uncommon for an action game. So if you don’t like to plan and actually think things out BEFORE you rush in and attack, this game isn’t for you. Let’s get back to dying. When you get killed in Demon’s Souls, all of the souls you have collected are lost (which can be gained back if you find the spot you fell) and you become a spirit. As a spirit you are connected to what they call “The Nexus.” This is essentially a spirit world. Instead of having to restart the game when you die, you are transformed into a spirit version of yourself and are free to continue game play. The downside to this is that your health is halved, so it does have its costs to be stuck down. This is where it gets interesting. Through online play you have a few game play options after you die. The first thing you can do is join up with another player online. While you are deceased you can be summoned by another player (who is alive) and you two can play the level together helping each other out. The bonus for the live player is that he gets a buddy to aid which helps him in a major way. The bonus for the player who was dead and summoned is that if they successfully get to the end of the level and defeat the master demon at the end, the dead player is resurrected. The other option is for the dead player to invade a live player’s game. He appears as a spirit known as a “Black Phantom” and his objective is to hunt and kill the live player. If he is successful then he is resurrected. Some other ways to get resurrected are to use a rare item that is found, or simply completing the level yourself. Another element of online play is player messages. What players have the ability to do is leave a short warning message on the ground for other players to see and read. Things like “beware of the enemy’s ambush” and “use fire on this enemy” appear often. Another way that the player can be aided is the use of “bloodstains.” How this works is the player goes up to a bloodstain (which is in the place where another player died) and views the moments leading up to the player’s death. This helps you see what they did wrong. This unique style of online play has never been done before in a video game. It is very fun and creative. The game play may be very hard, but it rewards the one who uses tactics and is careful. The moments you are still alive are a reward of your skill.

Other Elements: The visuals in this game are stunning. The whole game has a very classic medieval fantasy feel that is straight out of the book. So expect to see Knights in shining armor, castles, dragons and the lot. The same can be said about the visual styles of the enemies. They are very creepy and amazing. It’s not often we see a game like this that is so visually pleasing. The soundtrack of the game is equally epic brining you pieces that meet the mood of every occasion you run into in the game, everything from epic battles to mystic castles.

Demon’s Souls is an epic that should not be missed, but does require some skill for the player to advance. I give it an 8/10

Great News!!

I have some good news for you all.
Final Fantasy 13 is coming on on March 9, 2010!!!!!

I am so excited!! This looks like one of the more promising games in the series...we will have to wait and see.

Need for Speed: Shift

Title: Need for Speed: Shift

Platforms: PC, ps3, psp, xbox 360

Genre: Racing

Developer: EA

The Need for Speed series has been on and off throughout the years. I mean you had really good games like Hot Pursuit and horrible games like Pro Street. When you get a game company like this that keeps making on and off games you can never be too sure if their newest product is actually going to be good. Need For Speed Shift is one of those games.

Story: This game really doesn’t feature much of a story line. I mean it’s a racing game. But it does offer about 70 different cars and customization for them. There are some titles out there that offer a very small selection of cars to use in a game. This isn’t fun especially if you are the type of person that likes to unlock and keep working for them. Game playability is really limited if you have no unlockable content.

Game play: The focus in this game was “driving simulation.” As opposed to the other titles in the series which have been more arcade style. Honestly, if we want a driving simulation some of us can just step outside and go for a nice Sunday afternoon drive. Having a game play focus like this was one of the games greatest mistakes. Even though the game play is solid throughout, it is not always fun and can be boring at times. Since it is indeed a simulation standard road physics apply. You can just go 250mph speeding down the road, ramming into every car you see. Instead you have to go moderate speeds and if you try and ram into someone you usually spin out. This takes a lot away from how fun it is because it is so limited. But, at the same time it is something we have never seen before and can get fun if you work at it a little. Invite some friends over for this one. This game really changed what we know about racing games.

Other Elements: The Graphics in this game are amazing and some of the best we have seen in racing games. Every surface shines and it is all so clear. Presentation wise they actually did a good job of making it seem realistic. The game is best played through the driver’s seat view. You can look around in the seat of your car out your window to see the completion. You can even look up at the rear view mirror. Your limited view also adds to the fun of the game. The soundtrack is pretty standard to what we have come to expect with the NFS games. They are standard rock songs that are catchy, but you aren’t humming them at the end of the day.

Summary: NFS Shift is a mediocre game with good and bad elements. There is a lot of room for improvement here and I think that EA could have made a better product. But, if you invite a few of your friends over on the weekend you will have a good time with this game. I give it a 3/5

Hey everyone!

Hey welcome to my blog...
I figured my introduction post was way to far back.....
Well anyway I am the Toad Sage and this is my blog about video game reviews.
Enjoy!

Dynasty Warriors: Gundam

Hey all!

Title: Dynasty Warriors: Gundam
Platform: ps3, Xbox 360
Genre: Action Adventure

Story This game really doesn't have much story. It involves you, a teenager in a giant robot, traveling around blowing other robots up. It is pretty basic I know. If your a fan of the original anime, then you will be semi satisfied. The same robots and characters you know and love make an appearance.

Game Play The game play in this game isn't really all it could be. You have your basic machine guns and saber sword for a melee attack. But that is pretty much it. Playing the game I felt very, very limited on what I could do. The game play gets old fast. It involves about 50 mindless robots charging at you while you press the exact same button over and over again to defeat them all. It is ridiculous.

I really have nothing more to say about this game other than don't buy it. Its honestly not worth whatever they want to charge you for it. This was a huge disappointment. I give it a 1/5

Section 8

I'm going to be honest with you here. I hadn't heard of this game until I was browsing through the newly released demos on my 360. *Also please take note: I haven't played the story mode of this game. Only the xbox live multiplayer. I will be basing this review heavily on the game play.*

Title: Section 8
Genre: Action, 1st person shooter
Platform: xbox 360,PC

This is a game that went fairly unnoticed by the general public and gamers alike.
The trailers made it seem just ok and there wasnt really a big name developer behind it to really get it a ton of attention. But, when I saw it was using the Unreal Engine I was sure it was going to be good.

Story This game really doesn't have much of a story at all. You play as a guy named Alex, tasked with literally jumping out of high speed jets onto the battlefield. The main story mostly just follows you in battles.
Game Play This is where the game earns most of its points. The game play is amazing. In the typical Xbox Live match, you start the game by selecting you drop point and then you are dropped from a ship. There is even a little sequence in where yous steer your little spaceman to a safe landing. Once you land, your introduced to a very typical team death match sort of thing. The combat is really fun and fast paced. You are on your toes the whole entire time. You have access to all of your spaceman powers including jet packs and super speed. You have a basic set of guns like Rifles, Pistols, and shotguns.

I honestly don't have a ton to say about this game because there really isnt much to it. It doesn't go past fun online play. Not a lot of depth. You really shouldnt pay $60 for this one. Get the demo, its free. I give this game a 3/5 Remember to check the Sidebar to see all of the games I've reviewed so far.

Batman Arkham Aslyum

Hey all.. Pein here... I know its been a while since ive done a review, but I have been super super busy. But I have a good one for you today.


Title: Batman Arkham Aslyum
Platform: ps3, Xbox 360
Genre: Action Adventure

When I heard about a new Batman game I was freaking out. There hasnt been a bamtan game since Batman Begins, in 2007. I mean Sure he appeared in Mortal Kombat vs DC but there hasnt been Batman all by himself in a game for a while....

Story The game starts off with you taking the Joker to Arkham Aslyum. Pretty easy right? WRONG! Due to a stupid mistake by a very stupid employee, the Joker breaks loose and kicks everyones trash. As Batman, you are trapped in the Asylum with all of the guys you have put in jail before. As you can imagine, they aren't very happy to see you.

Gameplay The gameplay of AA is great. It involves you fully taking control of The Dark Knight like no other game has offered before. You will sneak, creep and kick trash. You are given a full arsenal of Batman's gadgets and even have access to the Batcave this time around...unfortunately there are no sliding poles, Adam West, and an instant costume changer thing. Its still cool though. A big thing with this game was the combat system. It uses a 'free flow" combat system. Basically, its you and fifteen guys. You win every time. Unless you really suck. Or you just cant find the Y button. What does this Y button do you ask?? It is pretty much your counter attack button. Remember in the Spider Man games when your head would glow when you were about to get hit? Its kind of like that, only their head glows. Weird I know. If you can time it all right, you are going to have an easy time. If your reaction time is slowed by...I dunno..five seconds..then maybe you will get hit. If you haven't already noticed, im kina sorta hinting that the combat is really easy. It is also really fun, so you want to keep on fighting. Whats really challenging are the boss fights. This game really goes back to the classic boss fight where the villan goes all super power and tons of henchmen take turns hitting you with cheap shots.

Other Stuffs The games soundtrack and graphics are GREAT! Plus, it uses the voice talents of Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill for Batman and the Joker. To me, those two have always been batman and the joker. The characters are beautifully designed. You don't feel like they changed too much about the characters but at the same time you sense that they have a modern touch to them.
SummaryIn short, Batman Arkham Asylum is a superb action game for the Bat-fan or the casual gamer. I give this game a 5/5.

Transformers: The game

Title:Transformers: The game
genre: Action Adventure
Platforms:Ps3, Xbox 360, Ps2

Modeled after the summer blockbuster hit, this game looked promising. Sandbox environments, full control over them, playing as a giant robot..... It all looked good. Unfortunately, this game had 'less' than meets the eye.
You basically get to play as all of the autobots (good guys) and all of the deceptions (bad guys) in two separate campaigns. That both feel the same. You control a different bot every mission, but again they all feel the same. After that you head on pointless missions with pointless objectives. It is all pointless.
The graphics are horrible. Not only is the game play graphics choppy, and "cubish" the so called "Pre-rendered" cut scenes are worse.
As you have seen, I dont have much to say about this game. But this one sentence will say all there is to say about Transformers The game. It is not fun to play. At all.
I give this game a 1/5.

Kingdom Hearts

Title:Kingdom Hearts
Platform:ps2
Genre: Action adventure, Rpg
Square Enix has done it again. They have released a number of good titles including final fantasy and The World Ends with you. Kingdom Hearts is no different.
The game basically centers around a boy named Sora as he goes on a quest to bring his missing friends back home. But, for some odd reason you are thrown into the vivid Disney universe. That's where the game really gets it's individuality. Not only will you get to visit the "worlds" of your favorite Disney Characters but you will also get to fight along side them. The game has a rich story that will keep you enticed until the credits roll. Not to mention the beautiful cut scenes that acompany you though the story.
The Game play of kingdom hearts is also wonderful. It plays just like a typical RPG. Minus the turn based combat. You scroll through the menus selecting which attack you would like to use. Then you use it. The combat is very fast paced and can be challenging at times. Trust me, the boss fights give you a run for your money. They don't just hand you the victory like they do in most games.
The visuals are also a work of art. The characters are in anime style and they look great. The worlds you roam around in are colorful and each one is unique to the style of the film it was originally portrayed in. The cut scenes are simply amazing. The soundtrack is beautifully recorded. You will find yourself humming a tune from the game more often than not.
Kingdom hearts is a extraordinary game. You will love every second of it, I know I did. I give this game a 5/5.

Mario Cart Wii

Title: Mario Cart
Platform:Nintendo Wii
Genre: Racing

In my time reviewing games I haven't given enough justice to the wii. As the wii has produced oodles of bad titles, this one is a shining light.
Mario Cart is most likely the most simplistic racing game you or I will ever play. You take control of all the classic Nintendo Characters. Mario, Luigi, Peach....the list goes on and on. The goal of course is to get from start to finish, in first place, obviously. In between you will have a good 'ol time throwing shells and bombs at your fellow racers. The game has a reasonable amount of characters and maps, so if your the type that has a thing for unlockables, you'll be there for a while.
The game play is very simple. Steer around the track dodging obstacles, and running into power ups. The game is more fun when you play it with the wii wheel. It is basically a steering wheel. It may seem simple, but it makes the game way funner.
In short, mario cart wii is a very simple, fun game that anyone can play. Break it out at a dull party, and you'll be having a great time in no time.
I give it a 4/5

Ultimate Ninja Series.

Title:Ultimate Ninja Series
Platform:PlayStation 2 (there is also one for the ps3, but im just going to review the ps2 versions as that game is in a league of its own)
Genre:Fighter

Naruto is one of the most popular anime shows to hit the U.S. And, whenever an anime hits the states a video game adaptation closely follows. Some of the most memorable Naruto video games were the ultimate ninja series.
There are four ultimate ninja games to date that have been released in the U.S. so far. One of which follows the story of Naruto Shippuden. The first three games basically break up the T.V. show's main story arcs with new and more characters being unveiled in each installment. It covers every major moment in the anime's history so long time fans of the show will be very happy gamers. One problem with the game (the first one) is the lack of characters. Since the game only covers a small portion of the show you only see about twelve characters. In the later games, this problem is fixed with over 20 characters in the other three.
The game play is great. It revolves around you and your opponent beating the crap out of each other using super moves, ninja tools, and many more objects. The developers really nailed jutsu usage. All you do is charge up your chakra (energy) and land a punch to start the cinematic. It then involves you and your opponent pressing a series of buttons trying to increase or decrease the damage. The game also features support characters who occasionally drop bye and leave you a power up or an item. The games visuals are just ok. But, it really gives you the feel that your are playing out an episode of the anime.
There is somewhat of a story mode in some of the games where you can free roam the "Village" interacting with the many people that dwell there. This mode isn't worth your time.
In short, the Ultimate Ninja series are good games that deserve more credit than given. The good gameplay mechanic and super moves add on to the anime like feel. But, in the end, this game is one that only a fan can enjoy. I give The Ultimate Ninja Series an overall 4/5.

Turok

Game:Turok
Platform:ps3 xbox 360
Genre:Shooter, First person

When fans of the series heard that Turok was being put onto the next gen consoles, they were ecstatic. Therefore the game received a great deal of hype. I had never played a Turok game before and I was excited for its release. There wasnt a doubt in my mind that this game would be anything short of awesome.
The game starts you out in a futuristic setting, as you are aboard a space shuttle heading towards some unknown planet looking for a mercenary. And, of course, your ship ends up crash landing. As luck would have it, the place is infested with dinosaurs. You command Turok, a scruff looking man of Indian decent. Anyway, from there you go about shooting things and killing all of the baddies. But, there are some serious issues in this game. For one, it is WAY to repetitive and gets old fast. After a while I thought I was playing the same level, just with a different background. When you think the game is reaching its climax, they just send you on an insignificant mission. Its almost like the game never ends. But, it does finish off with a pointless climax and stereotypical ending.
But, the game isn't all bad. There are some good points to it. For one, the combat is fairly entertaining, while it lasts. It is fun occasionally to go out and only use a bow and knife. This brings some real challenge to the game.

In short, Turok is a semi entertaining game that you really shouldn't pay full price for. I give turok 2/5

Animal Crossing: City folk

Im thinkin about going to my local game store and picking up animal crossing city folk for my wii. It looks pretty sweet to me, so ill fill you in with a review if and when I get it.

Is it just me...

Yo what up?? So, is it just me...or does this new Wolfenstien look full of win????
I haven't really played any of the other games in the series, this one looks like a great one to start off with I cant wait for the release!! (Copy paste the link on the side bar into your browser to see the trailer!)

Gears of War

Title:Gears of war
System:Xbox 360
Genre:Action, 3rd Person shooter

Gears of War for the xbox 360 was a one big step forward for the gaming industry. With its advanced cover system and graphics, it really showed the people the potential their xbox 360 consoles had.
The game starts you off as War torn hero Marcus Fenix getting bailed from prison by your buddy Dominic Santiago due to the need of more soldiers like Marcus. The game is set in a futuristic world similar to earth, over run by terrible monsters called the Locust. After a short intro and a tutorial to let you have a feel for the controls, it throws you into the war torn world.
The game play mechanic in Gears of war is genius but simple. It all revolves around a cover system that is dominated by the A button. Just using one button you can; Jump over walls, roll, hide behind obstacles and much more. The game has a very small set of weapons that are great, but really could have been expanded on. Your main weapon, probably the most fun, is the lancer. The lancer is basically your normal machine gun with a chainsaw attached to it. It never gets old ripping through flesh with your rusty old chainsaw. Other weapons include your basic assault rifles, shot guns, snipers, grenades and rocket launchers.

Overall, Gears of War is a game with great graphics, an excellent core game play mechanic and A gripping story that will leave you on the edge of your seat waiting for a squeal. I give gears of war a 5/5. This game is a must have.

Sup everyone!!

Hey hows it going? Welcome to "Your Moms Basement" my new blog about video games! I'll be mostly focusing on Video game reviews and I am going to post a new review for you each week. Please post any suggestions you have to make this blog better! Thanks and I hope we can all enjoy my blog!!! p.s. Be sure to check the side panel, as my blog progresses, to see my rating on all of the games Ive done so far!