Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II

Starkiller is finally back and he’s coming for Vader for the second time around in this new installment of The Force Unleashed. Lightsabers, Stormtroopers, unbelievable new bosses, can this game get any cooler? Well, I’ll be the judge of that.

          I played the first game before and even own it to this day and it’s still a good game when you feel like cutting some heads off and get that anger out. The Force Unleashed II was a big riot when the news got out. Anybody who was a fan of the first game probably came in a sea of gamers into the nearest GameStop for a pre-order. If it was me, I would wait for the storm...trooper (sorry, couldn't resist) to pass.

          The good aspects of this game are simple. We get to see a few familiar faces, (i.e. General Kota, Vader, Juno Eclipse, and of course Starkiller) amazing battle scenarios, crazy force powers, awesome lightsabers, the game was totally stunning in that respect. However, there are some important things to point out.

          First, when you play the game the first time, it is very fun and exhilarating. However, playing the same game over and over is very tiring. Sure, stabbing Stormtroopers is maniacal and brings out your anger, making you go "YEAAHHHHHH!!! Take that!", but not everyone likes being crazy, besides me of course. The game could’ve been a little more laid back for my “needed on the game” list. A longer cinematic, maybe, in general, a few more interesting features would’ve been nice. The game really has an upbeat pace. No, maybe not “upbeat”, that’s not the right word. A word like “fanatic”, “crazy”, “way over the top”, may suit the category. I’m a huge Star Wars fan, but Starkiller, just take it down a notch at the least.

          As far as appropriateness goes, it’s pretty appropriate for a T rated game. I must point out that the Wii version of the second installment includes some mild blood. All other platforms are blood-free, fortunately. Next is the language, there only the d—n and h—l words in the game, so if you don’t mind these words in a movie, the game is nothing to worry about. No real sexual inappropriateness is in the game except for some cleavage from our own Juno Eclipse, a phrase concerning a rich life that includes women, and a (SPOILER WARNING) smack on the lips for our Star Wars lovebirds. So, if any of these things bother you to big extent, be on your guard.

          Starkiller and his crew truly came back with a crazy bang. Nobody has ever come back with such power and expectancy. The guys at Lucas Arts did a fine job. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II gets a 4 out of 5 stars.  

Mario Strikers Charged

Mario, Luigi, and the rest of the gang are back and they’re ready for more domination on the soccer field! This sequel to Super Mario Strikers ups the ante to a new level of soccer games. Let the game begin!

            First off, I must mention that people who own the original Mario Strikers game are going to be harder to convince to get this game since they own the original. The charged-up sequel is basically a remake of the first game, but with a few more fireworks added.

            What made Super Mario Strikers known was its famed “Super Strike” which was a powerful shot that doubled your score from one point to two. Well, this game brought it back and with reinforcements. The “Mega Strike” includes a better cinematic shot and up to 6 points available. Every single time I used those shots, I wanted to sit back and enjoy the show, but I kept on realizing this was a VIDEO GAME not a movie. Also, the graphics need a shout out, because, the Wii is more known for its “cartoony” style of artwork, and “cartoony” only applies to the gameplay not necessarily the graphics.

            Now it’s time to get into the game itself. Here’s how it goes down. First you pick which captain you want to be, in this case, the Mario star characters. Mario, Luigi, Peach, and others make the list, including an interesting choice, Bowser. I say this because Bowser was only in the game in the original when he was messing up players and the game as well. Nintendo made a smart move by putting Bowser in the standings, why? I found myself more often than not turning off the Bowser feature in the original game anyway. What a waste of graphics that was! A lot of people like being the fire-breathing King Koopa, anyways, whether he was Mario’s nemesis or not, it doesn’t matter to us.

            The gameplay was confusing as well. I’m more used to a GameCube controller rather than a Wii controller and a Nunchuck. It doesn’t necessarily matter because you just have to get used to the new controls. Like riding a bike, you probably won’t forget how to play using those controls.

            There are some new features that really make this game a very interesting game. One thing that I like about this one is the sidekicks. More sidekicks are in this game as well as new things about them. Choosing sidekicks is a little more complicated than that of the original game. You have to choose different people instead of a team of one person. For example, in the first game you picked your captain then your teammates, like Toads, Boos, or others. In this game, you pick your captain then pick the rest of your team, like this: I pick Luigi as my captain, and then I pick a Toad, a Monty Mole, a Birdo, and a Hammer Bro as my sidekicks. So, in this game, you really have to focus on who will do best on your team rather than whom you like best. Sidekicks also have their own, I like to call, “power strikes”, which are very similar to mega strikes, but on a smaller scale. Toad, for example, has a fire shot, or Birdo has an egg shot, or Dry Bones has an electric shell shot. This to me really balances out the gameplay in this installment. In the original, I always got my captain to do the super strikes and the sidekicks for less important shots. In this game, any character could be the hero. Also, there are more captains to unlock. I won’t tell who will join because I want the players of the game to be more surprised.

            Captains have their own power-ups as well. Every so often, the captain charges up his power-up and then can use it in different situations. Waluigi can use his “Wall-uigi” move to block other people from coming his way and executing his mega strike. Others include Wario with his gas mask move, Mario’s Super Mario move, Peach’s Freeze Frame, Donkey Kong’s Thunder Slam, and other impressive moves.

            Thankfully, there aren’t that many things to critique about the game’s appropriateness, gameplay, or other features except for one thing. When doing a Mega Strike with two people playing the game or you are on the end of the computer’s strike, you must execute a small mini-game to block the balls coming at you. The way to play is simple; you point your cursor at the balls coming at you and push A to block them. The problem with that is the transition between the actual game and the blocking mini-game. All you get are balls coming at you then a haze of red with balls coming at random speeds and stopping at different positions of the screen. This really confused me and will probably confuse you who haven’t played the game before. It’s really a matter of getting used to the whole situation after once or twice playing the game. Also, with the girl captains expose some midriff and leg on the body, so watch yourself.

            All in all, the game was a stellar sequel to Super Mario Strikers. The game is exciting after getting used to everything after a while. But the reality is that the game is a lot like the original and really needs some consideration. I, personally, would wait until the game was like $30 to $35, I wouldn’t get it for $40 or $50 unless some buy one get one free or half-off deal was going on for used games. “Charged” gets 4 Mega Strikes out of 5.

Portal 2

In 2007, a game called “Portal” came out on the PC. It was a success. Now, in good ol’ 2011, Portal makes a huge comeback. And when I mean huge, I’m not kidding around. Portal 2 comes back as the classic shooter puzzle game for all ages. Personally, this game HAD to be on the top of the market when it first came out. I’ve never played the original I must confess, but that just adds to the fun of the second one.

The game was a potential mind-blower when I first tried the game out for myself. Each and every puzzle was unique and fun in its own right. From staggering heights to racing against the clock, Portal 2 seemed to have everything…and possibly more. The game gives you two choices to start with. First, you can play by yourself in the single-player mode. The single-player mode makes you the classic portal-shootin’, rapid-fire-testin’, heroine as in the last game.

Now, you guys out there may be asking , “Hey, what’s the problem here? We can’t play a chick! What’s wrong with you people?!” I had the same sort of problem. But, the whole game is in a first-person point-of-view, so you don’t see the hero “chick” the whole time anyways. The only time you see her is when your portals are at a perspective that you see yourself walking in to the portal you made. Almost like mirrors that you can walk through. The synopsis follows. Don’t worry I won’t give you too much information. Basically, your character slept for a long while, in a coma, and the test facility you work in is in a pretty bad shape. Your arch-nemesis, although she’s not much of one, GLaDOS, wakes up after your first encounter with her. She wakes up and decides to work with you instead of trying to get the revenge on you for “murdering” her. Testing through different puzzles, or “chambers”, along the way, your robot friend, Wheatley tries to break you out. I can’t tell you the end part, because it’s just really cool, and you have to see it for yourself.

Whew, that’s a lot for a single-player mode, if I do say so myself. And yet that’s not the end of the game! My goodness, these people came up with just everything didn’t they!? Portal 2, the clue is that the “2”. Give up? Well, get ready for "2" times the fun. It also ihas a “2” player mode as well as a single player mode. I loved the fact that they did more than a one player mode. And the best part is the story is different than the single-player mode. So in science terms, 2 x story = more fun than before! 

I played the game with my father and he loved it! The game really made you think, but you don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure it out. To be honest, there are more pros than there are cons to this game. GLaDOS’ wry humor is fun to hear in every chamber. She’s so mean, but the funny thing is she’s so nice about it. The irony just makes you chuckle. And Wheatley, he’s as funny as GLaDOS! His stupidity and loyalty to our nameless heroine is what makes the game special. There are a few tidbits in there as well. Some turrets, GLaDOS’ henchmen I suppose, are malfunctioning and makes a funny thing for a gamer to see and hear. For example, turrets that go through a reaction test have to respond to a “template”. When one turret responds, “Hello”, the good ones make the same response, “Hello”, but when a bad turret comes up…well it goes like this.

Template

“Hello”

Response

“Hi, howya doin?”

That response catapults the malfunctioning turret to the incinerator room, with few responses such as, “Wait…wait…waitwaitwaitwaitWAIT!!!” or “This is RIDICUOULOUS!” This made me cackle loudly with laughter when I heard those tones of disbelief. The puzzles I couldn’t get enough of either. The mind-bending physics to the game were so unreal and looked so real that I was at a loss for words except for, “WAHOO!”

There are a few drawbacks though. The puzzles are fun and challenging at the same time, but after doing it so many times, it gets too easy to do. But, thanks to the different story modes, you might forget how to do one chamber and then go on trying to figure it out again. There were a few language problems I could see. A few d—ns, h—ls, c—ps, and oh my G—s are in the picture, and the thing is, this a rated E10 game for crying out loud! Anyway, the puzzles fun and the comedy in this game cover up pretty much all of the language anyways. Other than that the only critique is there’s nothing really bad about this game!

I have to be honest the best part, that was nice and funny was when (SPOILER WARNING, I think) GLaDOS sang a song of goodbye to our heroine. It was very nice to hear. I remember one lyric that reminded me of the people who loved and will love this game. “Go ahead and make some new disaster/That’s what I’m counting on”. To be honest, that’s what I’m counting on as well. Either that or we’ll be missing our robotic friends and tester at Aperture Laboratories. $60, for me is no reason for me to stop and think about this. If you’re a puzzle fan of any kind, this is your game. I can’t stress this enough, BUY IT! Why are you still reading this? GO! Portal 2 gets 5 portals out of 5, no questions asked.

Nintendo 3DS and PS Vita

Okay, people, just so you know, aside from games, I also like certain game systems. That's what we're going to talk about today. The market for handheld devices is starting to go up with new innovations as well as crazy new prices. Let's start with the new Nintendo 3DS.


Let me just say, the 3DS has got to be the biggest release from Nintendo thus far, also quite the stupidest. Allow me to explain. 3D gameplay has been an interesting thing in consoles. Consoles! Not handhelds! Nintendo really jumped the gun and missed it by several feet with this new gaming device. The 3DS was supposed to revolutionize gameplay, instead of giving little kids headaches the first 10 minutes of playing. There's a sort of 3D slider on the side of the screen which is to help with the 3D setting. It can have more depth it can have little depth all the way down to 2D, which more often than not is the setting most people are using.


The control interface is a little better than the original DS and DSi's that's for sure. This system includes what most handhelds don't have: an analog stick. I like the fact that they use an analog stick rather than trying to adjust to the control pad and back again during console gaming. This makes the gaming way more consistent. There's also a new motion sensor implanted in the device. So, playing Steel Diver (which is also really stupid) you can go down and up with a tilt of the device. Easy as that! The home menu also allows you to make Miis, take pictures, music, and other fun things, and maybe even internet like the DSi, but don't get your hopes up. Now to the games.


I've played some of the games for the new 3DS and to be honest, the games I played and heard of...SUCKED! Totally boring! However, they're are more games than that. I just haven't played them. Let's hope that they rock. This system definitley needs some saving. After all those interesting notes about this system let's move on.

The Playstation Vita is also a new handheld system that's coming out real soon. So, how about I give you guys a small exclusive? Just 'cause I'm nice. The new Vita has probably more gadgets than an updated swiss army knive, a total makeover from the PSP systems. To be honest, this baby has more crazy interface then Nintendo will probably ever see! Check this: DUAL analog sticks, for double the control, Touchscreen for some games, a back multitouch pad for ultra virtual reality, a motion sensor (like the 3DS) and an OLED screen for best graphics performance. 3D graphics is way better than a fuzzy Mii coming out at your face, if you ask me. Also, The PS Vita also has some gadgets and more like the 3DS if that's what sold you for the system in the first place besides the 3D part. There should be internet, and music, but also full-length movies, pictures with the camera, (more hi-def ones for the techies out there), could also have Playstation Network. That alone makes me want to wait for the Vita already. This handheld video game war might already be won, my friends!

I don't know much about the games but I can see that there'll be a Modnation Racers game for it, Uncharted, for the adventurous gamers, and many more titles coming at ya!

In this battle, I expect nothing more than the Vita having more star power over the 3DS with exponential numbers. For clarification, let's go over the basics. 3DS pros: Games for everyone. 3DS cons: 3D was the big ticket item, and failed to convey that good enough. PS Vita pros: Best gadget use as well as interesting interface. PS Vita cons: Might have more games for the big kids than the little'uns. 3DS gets 2 out of 5 stars, Vita gets double, 4 out of 5. Thanks so much for reading! 3, 2, 1, GAME ON!

NBA Jam

BOOMSHAKALAKA is one of the weirdest known phrases and also loved phrases of all time. Why? It reminds people of a video game in diners everywhere, a little game called "NBA Jam". People everywhere, news flash! The arcade game makes a return and turns regular consoles into this new over-the-top slammin' and jammin’ video game. I personally can't wait to get started. LET'S GO!



NBA Jam takes a twist on a classic two-on-two playing video game where getting as many points as possible is OBVIOUSLY the objective. But, there are more fun ways to do that, than just a boring old pick up, throw it into the hoop, and shout YAY very unenthusiastically. Just so you know, the last couple of sentences are to make you laugh. Oh, forget it, you'll get it in an hour or so. Anyway, after a while, when you're knocking down points with awesome dunks and arcing three-pointers, you start to get on fire. I don't mean that figuratively, you literally catch on fire. Not you, the player you’re playing catches on fire. This happens when you sink three consecutive scores. When you're "en fuego", you can execute the most amazing dunks I call (yes I give them names. If you think that's weird, don't. :), like "Mega Helix", "Catapult", even "Backfire". If you don't know what the names imply, just play the game. I personally love, love, love, the game. Controls are simple, but thankfully the game has a tutorial to help with anything that you're not familiar with. It also incorporates the motion sensor with the Wii, which often is used anymore in some of their video games. Thank you for using the brains the Lord gave you!



I also really enjoyed the fact that they mixed up the new school players with some old school legends. How'd you like to play side by side with "Dr. J" Erving, James Worthy, or even "The Diesel" himself? It also incorporates unlocking things, which is important in any game. You can unlock certain achievements. NO SOUP FOR YOU! Sorry, just making sure you're still paying attention.



Now for the dreaded critiques. To be perfectly honest, there's not much to tell. The commentator can be a little cheesy. He's about as cheesy as Monterey jack, so yeah he's pretty cheesy, but, his phrases make me fall in love with it even more. They're hilarious! The dunks can be pretty over-the-top, but that's what draws you in, too. The cartoony graphics may turn you off, but that's your opinion not mine. I actually believe it complements the over-the-top-ness of it all.


NBA Jam is absolutely amazing! If you don't think this game was amazing, or if I was not funny during this entire thing, I think you ought to see the doctor. Patient on virtual aisle 1,458! All jokes aside, if I saw NBA Jam for, oh say, 30 to 40 dollars? It's already off the shelf. If it was 50 bucks, I'd be worried, but I'm worried about anything over that amount, so what are you reading me for? Oh wait, right, it's my blog, my mistake, I'm so sorry! NBA Jam gets 5 BOOMSHAKALAKAS out of 5. I need to eat, and I need a catch phrase. Oh how about this? Keep your controllers charged! Peace!

Super Smash Brothers Brawl

The Super Smash Brothers series is going at it again with their latest installment, Super Smash Brothers Brawl. This time around the Nintendo worlds are more than fighting each other; they're fighting a great threat that is rising in the universe. Are you ready to brawl? Then let's go!


The game is quite a bit similar to the previous games in most aspects. Your job is to either knockout as many people as you can in a time limit, or be the last man standing in a stock battle. The roster for this game totals up to 37 characters. Veterans like Mario and Link come back as well as newcomers like Wario and Meta Knight. The game has so many characters that each battle is filled with excitement and tension. This game, however, has much more to offer then just battling against foes. Brawl has much more then you would expect in a regular fighting game. For example, the modes are really abundant. You can do a regular brawl with your friends or computers, go on a classic mode by yourself, go on the adventure mode alone or with a friend, the list is almost endless.


The gameplay is also easy to pick up if you’re new to it, or have been playing it for a long time. Each game has a similar controlling mode so it's easy to pick up and play no problem. If you’re new to the games then it's easy for you to pick up the controller read the instructions and go. It will take practice to master all the moves and techniques, though. You can also use different controllers instead of just the standard controller. You can use the Wii controller, with or without the nunchuck, the GameCube controller, or even the Classic controller, I believe. Everyone can use different controllers at any time, if you want.


There are a few things that do concern me, however. This game has got to be the most appropriate fighting game out there, but that doesn't mean it's entirely good. Pokémon characters, Zelda, Sheik, Ganondorf, Zero Suit Samus, Pit, Snake, Lucas, Ness, should be looked out for in this game. Pokémon has been a favorite of smaller kids for quite a long time. The faces of Pikachu, Charizard, Squirtle, and others are very familiar, but some believe Pokémon are actually mystical and magical creatures, which even I know does not settle well with some parents. However, if you are a fan of Pokémon, what am I to stop you? They may be magical, but they are still a worldwide phenomenon. Zelda, Sheik, and Ganondorf, are all of the Legend of Zelda series, which is infamous for its puzzles and also known for its magic. In this game Zelda, Sheik, and Ganondorf, uses their magic for fighting, not for puzzles in this case. Where magic is concerned, many people believe that magic doesn't exist and don't care, or are scared of the idea itself and forbid their children from ever doing anything with it. However, I can assure you parents that there are plenty of other characters to choose from instead of these "magical" characters. Besides, since magic doesn't exist, why worry about it? Next is Pit from the Kid Icarus games. Pit is an angel. An angel, if you don't already know, is a servant to God. Anybody who is an angel who doesn't serve God most likely isn't a good person to play. However, Pit is only an angel that can fly with a bow that can split into swords, fire light arrows, and other interesting things. His final smash requires an image of the goddess he serves, but otherwise this angel is clean. Lucas and Ness, of the Earthbound series, seem to be "psychic". I say they're "psychic" because that's what their bio says. However, I don't believe they are psychic, I believe they are psychokinetic, sounds similar, but completely different. Psychic people tell the future and can see into your mind, but psychokinetic people make fire and electricity with their minds, pretty different huh? I play them all the time, so I would say they are appropriate. Zero Suit Samus and Snake are left: Samus being from Metroid and Snake of Metal Gear Solid. They aren't psychokinetic, they don't have magical powers, and they don't serve a goddess, but they do wear some close-fitted clothes. I'll get to the point. After using a smash ball, Samus fires her zero laser, and destroys her suit, what's left is Zero Suit Samus. Her blue suit is so tight-fitted; I think she needs a bigger size suit. She’s a fine character to play, but try not to look to close. Snake has the same problem. His jumpsuit fits close to his body, some parts are enunciated, but if you don't look at him that close, he's actually a good character to play as.


Overall, this game is clean and fun to play, once you've gotten the hang of everything. I would get it when the pricing is a little lower, like 35 dollars at the best 50 at the worst. I would get it, no doubt, but I would wait until I had some extra money to work with, not save up then blow it all on the game itself. Super Smash Brothers Brawl gets 4 stars out of 5.