A brief intro cinematic explains that Mr. Pesky, the patriarch of a large squirrel family, returns home to find that his babies and acorns have been stolen. This sets the adventure in motion to rescue all the squirrels and horde as many acorns as possible. Most of your time is spent collecting things; your primary objective in each level is to collect all the acorns strewn about the course. Once that is done you can head to the door to move on to the next level or you can push your luck with the remaining time on the clock and try to collect the five fruits that appear only after you've gathered all of the acorns. Additional objectives include defeating all the enemies in a level and beating the mission within a special shorter time limit. During an ideal mission run you would accomplish all four objectives, however because that is unlikely you will likely return to each mission several times to conquer each objective individually. Returning for all of these goodies pads out your play time and will help you unlock more costumes for Mr. Pesky, which range from a pirate costume to a mini tuxedo.

The bottom screen displays information such as what objectives you have completed and can be used to make selections on the menu. The controls are rudimentary, using the Circle-pad or D-pad for movement and the A button to jump. The Circle-pad can seem slippery at times but the amount of in-air control feels appropriate and is forgiving enough that the timing of your jumps is easy to nail. You can defeat most enemies by jumping on their heads. The introduction of a grappling hook early on is put to great use throughout the game and will have you swiftly swinging around levels to access areas normal jumps cannot reach. If you get hit your penalty is that Mr. Pesky will move very slowly for a few seconds before recovering his normal speed. The game would be significantly more challenging, and probably more interesting, if your character died when hit instead but with a fast completion time being so integral to the gameplay, you'll do your best to avoid unwanted contact anyway.

There are three power-ups that spice up the gameplay. The first is Super Squirrel which will make you invulnerable and able to destroy enemies on contact. Another power-up will give you the ability to run and jump really fast. The last power-up allows you to jump much higher and farther than normal. The three power-ups work well on their own and in concert, especially when levels are designed around utilizing all three. Another, less important collectible is a clock that grants extra time for you to complete the level.

This is an excerpt from the full story which was originally featured on gamrReview, read the full version here - Super Little Acorns 3D Turbo (3DS) - Review

The story and set up are both simple. You are a young ninja named Hanzo. One day you return to your village to find the place has been destroyed and your clan abducted. Thus begins your bloody quest to save them. The story is neither deep nor interesting, though honestly you would never expect it to be in the first place. Your enemies are zombie pirate monkeys, or maybe that’s monkey zombie pirates... no, wait, they might actually be pirate monkey zombies — oh, whatever, all that matters is that they are things for you to slice into bloody pieces. I am truly puzzled by the game’s Teen rating because it has the blood and gore of an M rated game but the juvenile sense of humor of a 9 year old. As such, I’m not sure which type of gamer would be interested in Draw Slasher; I would hope not many because it's simply mediocre.

You control the game completely through touch screen interaction using your index finger. Some enemies can only be attacked from specific angles or from behind so you will occasionally have to take a few seconds to adequately aim your strikes. You can jump by tracing arcs in the air or slashing a line upwards. Sometimes the game tasks you with jumping over obstacles in order to reach an enemy on the other side of the screen which tests your timing, precision, and patience. It was during these sections, where the touchscreen constantly miscalculated the location of my finger swipes, that I desperately wished the game would just let me use a button to jump.

You can use magic by pinching the touchscreen with two fingers then selecting the type of magic by slashing over its icon. Magic abilities range from causing an earthquake that stuns nearby enemies to turning invisible so you can attack all of the enemies from any angle. These magic abilities mix up the combat a little bit but by the time you learn the ability to go berserk with your sword all of the others seem useless in comparison. Many boss battles culminate with an execution prompt that requires you to trace your slashes along predetermined paths, resulting in precision slices on your enemy. The game is actually well aware of its similarity to Fruit Ninja and even makes a boss battle about it that falls utterly flat.

This is an excerpt from the full story which was originally featured on gamrReview, read the full version here - Draw Slasher (PSV) - Review

New for 2013 is The Show Live Mode that offers updates based on the outcome of actual major league games, which should be enough to keep players interested for the duration of the season. Other play options include taking control of one or more teams and guiding them through a season, the post-season (also new for 13), or multiple years in Franchise mode. The Road to the Show mode is still a major draw, allowing you to guide a player from the minor leagues to an All Star career in the majors.

On the field, The Show is still a winner. The various ways that fielding, pitching, and hitting have been interpreted through the in-game mechanics just seems to make perfect sense. That being said they've obviously designed with a console experience in mind. Take for example the pulse pitching system. The idea is that you should press the button to throw the ball when the diameter of the pulsating circle is at its smallest. The problem is that the timing is noticeably harder to master with the smaller screen and the less responsive button presses lead to some wild pitches that have the capacity to drastically alter a game at a crucial moment. On a more positive note, batting is a thrilling challenge that’s part guesswork and part timing that results in a feeling that is wholly satisfying when you are able to connect on a big hit.

The controls can be a tad iffy. As I already explained, timing the button presses just right for pitches can be quite bothersome but fielding has its own control issues as well. The small size of the baseball on the Vita’s portable screen, combined with the somewhat limited range of the analog sticks, can seem like a match made in hell when trying to scoop ground balls to make a play. The batting system has been further developed to account for timing, positioning, and contact which means you can make up for slightly off timing if you make solid contact and vice versa. The duels between batters and pitchers are perhaps the most thrilling part of the core MLB 13: The Show experience, though again, the minuscule dot of the digitized baseball can make it hard to adjust your eyes to develop the visual acuity necessary to rattle off consistently good at bats.

This is an excerpt from the full story which was originally featured on gamrReview, read the full version here - MLB 13: The Show (PSV) - Review

Title: Mogworld
Author: Yahtzee Croshaw
Publisher: Dark Horse Books 
Original Publication Year: 2010
Page Count: 413
ISBN: 978-1-59582-592-2

Excerpt: I ran out into the empty plain, waving what was left of my arms. “COME BACK, YOU BASTARDS!!” I screamed. “You missed a spot! Look! OVER HERE! UNDEAD MINION RUNNING FREE! Get off!” By now, Meryl and the priest had grabbed me under my armpits and were running towards the valley exit. “I’M OVER HERE AND I’M BIG AND FAT AND JUICY AND NOT DELETED COME BACK AND DELETE ME YOU PRICKS DELETE ME DELETE ME DELETE ME…” (pg 67).

I have a confession to make. Despite being a videogame critic and avid recreational gamer I do not read or watch many videogame reviews (other than the excellent ones here at gamrReview, of course!). Fully aware of the irony of writing this, I find it hard to relate to most criticism on an intellectual or emotional level and think the whole system is utterly obsessed with assigning inflated review scores. The one shining exception is Yahtzee Croshaw’s Zero Punctuation reviews over at The Escapist. As many readers should know, Zero Punctuation is a series of video reviews featuring the voice of an angry, narcissistic, pessimistic, British gamer bluntly and crudely stating why X game of the week is or is not worth your time. Usually the latter.

And it is wonderful. I tune in every week to watch Yahtzee go against the mainstream tastes of most other critics and call out videogame publishers and developers alike for releasing bad games. Most refreshing of all is that he doesn’t assign scores to games for publishers to parade around on the box art and other promotional material. Naturally, with admiration also comes a fair dose of envy between a fellow critic so what better way to make myself feel big in comparison than by writing a review of Yahtzee’s first book, Mogworld, and declaring it a giant pile of literary feces? Well, I can’t give you that, because Mogworld is actually an enjoyable read, one that is easy to recommend to gamers and fans of high fantasy, albeit with a few reservations. You win again Yahtzee, you eloquent British bastard.

Mogworld tells the story of Jim, who is your ordinary magician in training away at college when he is killed during a surprise onslaught on his school. Jim spends the next sixty years dead only to be reawakened by a powerful sorcerer to serve as his undead minion. Revived as a rotting animated corpse, Jim realizes he was much happier in death and goes to various amusing lengths to off himself once more. However, his attempts fail as he is constantly reborn and realizes it’s not just him, because everyone in the world he inhabits keeps respawning after death. Jim makes the best out of life as an undead minion, killing heroes that attempt to penetrate his master’s fortress, until one day ghostly figures known as Deleters manage to permanently erase his master and his fellow minions from the world. Jim realizes these Deleters may be his only hope for a permanent death and embarks on an adventure to find them.

This is an excerpt from the full story which was originally featured on gamrReview, read the full version here - gamrRead: Mogworld - Article

Your vehicle, the G-6155 Interceptor, usually looks like a sports car but it transforms into a speedboat when on water and a dune buggy when travelling offroad. Neither transformation drastically alters the gameplay, however. The car has four weapon load-outs: front-mounted machine guns, a rear exhaust flamethrower, shockers on either side of the car, and missile launchers by default. Gameplay is very attack centric but the possible options for defense include a cloaking device, a shield, and of course evasive driving.

The story is told primarily through the mission briefings that precede each level. What starts off as a strong set-up teeters off into a disappointing and jumbled mess of a plot. The big reveal at the end of the game has no impact because there is no character development or proper build up to that moment. I only saw one FMV cutscene after I beat the game and the resolution was very muddy and the action poorly staged.

Gameplay is the best part of Spy Hunter but it ends too quickly, costs too much money, and is wrapped around shoddy presentation. Each time you fail a mission you are forced to endure lengthy load times before getting another try from the last checkpoint. The only way to overcome some of the most frustratingly challenging segments of the game is through tedious trial and error. The mission variety stops the game from feeling too repetitive, but only just. Most levels involve trying to beat the clock, destroying particular foes or enemy structures, or simply surviving until the level ends.

This is an excerpt from the full story which was originally featured on gamrReview, read the full version here - Spy Hunter (PSV) - Review

FIFA controls on Vita have already been established by the previous iteration but, for the uninitiated, there are several touch control inputs unique to the handheld. You can pass and shoot using the face buttons or you can use the touch screen to pinpoint exactly where you want the ball to go. The rear touchpad can be used to take shots at the goal as well. The accuracy of these mechanics has been somewhat fine tuned for this newer version but they are still less intuitive than utilizing the traditional control methods. I found it too easy to overshoot the target using the rear touchpad and passing with the front screen briefly obscures the action on the pitch. Nonetheless, everything works as advertised and playing FIFA on the go with dual analog sticks is a real pleasure.

There are no new game modes. Ultimate Team and Football Club are still conspicuously absent, though both could feel quite at home on a sophisticated handheld like the Vita. Instead, you get the same combination of Be a Pro, Career, and Tournaments to play through. All are as fun and as in-depth as you remember but there is nothing new to explore or experiment with. Playing the Career mode, which by its nature involved going through a ton of menus, I realized the user interface needs to be less cumbersome and would do well to incorporate some touch screen functionality. 

On the pitch, the game goes back quite a few years. There is still no sign of The Player Impact Engine or Tactical Defending features being integrated into the gameplay. The attacking intelligence and dribbling systems are also left unchanged. The game cannot help but feel archaic, playing more like a portable version of FIFA 11 than 13.

This is an excerpt from the full story which was originally featured on gamrReview, read the full version here - FIFA 13 - Review

The first and shortest game is called Ski. The object is to ski down a mountain in as fast a time as possible. This game requires that you hold the Gamepad vertically. The TV displays a 3D rendering of your skier while the Gamepad screen shows a two dimensional top down viewpoint. As the player you have to look down on the gamepad screen. By tilting the controller left and right you control how your skier slaloms through the course. There are obstacles and rough patches you can hit that will slow you down as well speed boosts you can earn. The dash is punctuated by jumps that require you to flick the controller upward at just the right moment to pull off. Tilting too far to either side will cause you to veer off course and cost you precious seconds. The ultimate folly is to look at the TV rather than the Gamepad; it is not recommended and makes the experience unplayable. Overall the average game of ski only lasts about 20 seconds, but it is still an effective example of how to use the Gamepad.

The Nintendo representative was not very eager to show me the next minigame, Thief, and I could see why. Not because the game is bad per se, but it is not a very active demonstration of the Gamepad's capabilities and requires a crowd of people that don’t necessarily have any control input. The game starts out with the player choosing a randomized character to act as the thief from the Gamepad screen. This requires that no other participant look on or else the fun of the game is ruined. Once that character is picked, the thief is unleashed into a crowded top-down street scene. As the player your job is to slowly move around the map and steal apples as they appear at random locations. To do this you should move your character slowly so you don’t arouse suspicion by the people watching the TV screen, whose job it is to identify the thief at the end of the game. There are tunnels that act as portals to aid the thief in moving around undetected. I actually found the game quite interesting while playing, and so did the crowd of onlookers behind me trying to find me out. Once the time ran out, the TV displayed the same randomized characters again and asked the players in the audience to correctly identify the thief. Once everyone made their selection using the touchscreen the game revealed that their choices were wrong before identifying my character as the thief.

This is an excerpt from the full story which was originally featured on gamrReview, read the full version here - Game and Wario is Fun to Play and Watch - Preview

My first session was a four-man free for all on the PlayStation 3. I chose everyone’s favorite lombax, Ratchet, and competed against Kratos, Sly Cooper, and Good Cole on a level that seemed to be a mash up between Killzone and Sly Cooper. Ratchet relies on many weapons for his attacks - he has a ray gun that can fire a burst of three shots, a grenade he can lob at enemies, and of course his trusty oversized wrench. I started off strong, cornering Cole with unyielding gunfire and grenades but a poorly timed execution of Ratchet’s Super Move left me vulnerable to a thrashing that ultimately led to my death. In this free for all mode, eliminating an opponent earned you two points towards your score whereas dying subtracted one.

The level constantly required the fighters to travel upward or risk taking damage or possible self elimination. That particular game ended in a loss but that was only the first of many sessions I took part in over the three days of Comic Con. Landing attacks and combos will increase your AP until you earn enough to pull off a Super Move. There are three levels, each more devastating than the last, and landing one is the only way to eliminate an opponent. Given that I was playing with a three minute time limit, you have to make a decision whether to pull off a level 1 super to score some quick points or whether to hold out until you can execute a devastating level three and score many kills at once.

This is an excerpt from the full story which was originally featured on gamrReview, read the full version here - PlayStation All Stars Battle Royale Leaves an Impression - Preview

In terms of value LittleBigPlanet is incomparable in what it offers on the Vita. Sure, it would be nice if the main adventure lasted a bit longer but what is there is uniformly excellent. Complementing the story mode are a plethora of Vita specific minigames that make use of the front and rear touch screens as well as the gyroscopic motion sensors. These micro challenges include air hockey, a Sackboy version of whack-a-mole, hole in the wall, and much more. If that weren’t enough there is an arcade world featuring five games that have multiple stages of gameplay. Now these don’t necessarily have anything to do with the world of LittleBigPlanet but they are fun and fully accessible in their own right and provide a significant amount of hours to your possible playtime. And all of that is to say nothing of the multiplayer, which only falters in not offering the option of local ad-hoc play. Cooperative multiplayer opens up the gameplay considerably thanks to some areas of levels only becoming accessible when playing with more than one player.

Then there's of course the Create and Share aspects which have been translated almost perfectly to the Vita. I would like to dispel the myth that level creation in LittleBigPlanet is easy; quite frankly that has never been the case and the 60 different lessons that comprise the level editor’s tutorial is a testament to that. The tools and interface are simple to use but leveraging them in order to make fun and memorable levels requires patience, creativity, and proper planning. However, the touchscreen makes placing objects, manipulating size, and rotation much more intuitive compared to using buttons and analog sticks. You can also use the Vita’s cameras to take pictures and paste them into the game world, which is nifty and allows you to get more personal with your creations.

The online system is exceptional and a grand demonstration of what the Vita is capable of in this realm. You can upload and download content, including high scores and levels through 3G or Wi-Fi, though playing with others will require the latter. The online connection is seamless once you are logged into the PlayStation Network. As you tackle the story mode you can see the number of online players currently playing that level and have the option of jumping in on their game or having folks drop in on yours. This also applies to various minigames, many of which are made with multiplayer in mind. Once others have joined your party they can accompany you through other story or community levels and can even come back to your pod. You can communicate via a headset or use the game’s built in text system so you and your party members are on the same page. The online experience is so seamless and satisfying that it hardly feels as if you have ventured online at all, as I never experienced any lag or any other technical issues that broke the flow of the game.

This is an excerpt from the full story which was originally featured on gamrReview, read the full version here - LittleBigPlanet - Review

The roster of characters is large, bordering on overkill with over 59 new and returning characters (including those available through free DLC). Old favorites come with largely the same moves from past games with the biggest change to their arsenal coming in the form of special Tag Assaults. Tag mechanics include special grabs, launchers, and bounds where swapping out your fighter at just the right time will leave your opponent vulnerable to devastating combo damage. Another part of the tag team dynamic is strategically monitoring your fighters’ health bar to know when to make a switch because the round ends if either character is defeated. Not all fights involve four combatants, as you still have the option of choosing one fighter if that is your preference, so you can stage 1-on-1 or 2-on-1 fights.

Of course, mastering the intricacies of the tag mechanics and Tekken’s combat in general is a challenging proposal. The game provides a Practice mode as a resource particularly tailored to defensive training but which also allows you to reset the position of your fighter at any time so you can practice wall combos and other position dependent techniques. As well developed as the Practice mode is, the primary educational mode is the Fight Lab. One part tutorial and one part story mode, Fight Lab teaches you the fighting essentials wrapped around a story of playboy businessman Violet trying to create the perfect fighting machine, the Combot. The player takes control of the Combot and navigates various minigame challenges designed to teach defense, tags, movement and other important techniques. Combot borrows moves from many different fighters, so the combos you learn are not immediately transferable to any character besides Combot. The story unfolds in five chapters that are injected with humor and feature a few cameos from Tekken’s rival Street Fighter series.

Unlike its 13 year old predecessor, Tekken Tag Tournament 2 features its own unique storyline, though it is not considered series cannon. There is no traditional story mode but progressing through an Arcade Battle will result in an ending cinematic for your character. These sequences vary in length, emotional impact, and coherence. Tekken has always had a taste for the wacky and bizarre, which is certainly well represented by the assorted cutscenes that total over one hour in length. Most feature traditional CGI graphics but others take more artistic license by utilizing 2D and other stylized forms of animation.

This is an excerpt from the full story which was originally featured on gamrReview, read the full version here - Tekken Tag Tournament 2 - Review

Madden NFL 13 makes full use of the Vita’s many unique control inputs, starting with the touch screen. You can tap on any player to immediately take control of them before the snap or use your finger to drag a receiver and send them in motion. By far the best use of touch control is for on-field play calling. By pressing the L button, you can edit the play on the fly by tracing a route for your receivers with you finger. Madden has implemented new ways to call plays while on the field before, but this is the first instance of it working really well. The touch controls open up the gameplay considerably, allowing you to change your entire play without calling an audible and alerting the defense. There are inherent risks to abusing this feature, though. Often times a player might become overzealous and mis-time the throw, or the receiver might follow the route a little too well, incorporating any unintentional squiggles you may have made when trying to trace a straight route into his run. Regardless, open play calls makes the Vita version stand out and is one of the most enjoyable additions to the game in years. 

The Vita’s rear touch panel also gets in on the gridiron action. While carrying the ball you can swipe your finger on either the right or left side of the handheld to perform a spin move in that direction or double tap it to juke. Truth be told, these inputs are less responsive than pressing the circle button to spin or juking by moving the right analog stick, but it's nice to have the option. Kicking the ball relies on motion controls and works out much better than expected. You still control the power of your kick by pulling back then pushing forward on the analog stick, but you control the direction and elevation by tilting your Vita from side to side or pitching it forward and back. This may sound laborious, but trust me, it quickly becomes second nature. 

Madden NFL 13 still relies on the Franchise and Be a Superstar modes to provide most of the single player fun. Franchise mode is still fun and as deep as we've come to expect from Madden. In addition to cut days, more scouting options, and free agent bidding, the ability to trade future draft picks adds another notch of realism to the experience of roster management. Consistency also now plays a factor in player performance - players will now experience hot or cold streaks based on their performance, which will affect their morale and how they respond when the pressure mounts. It adds another thing for gamers to consider while playing. Perhaps, after three consecutive weeks of 4th quarter disappointments, you'll find yourself benching a cold Mark Sanchez and giving Tebow a chance to call the shots for the tail end of your play-off run. Another aspect of the game I like is the ability to switch teams after a completed season. There is something oddly satisfying about managing the front office of another team and having to compete against the dynasty you helped create.

This is an excerpt from the full story which was originally featured on gamrReview, read the full version here - Madden NFL 13 (PSV) - Review

There is no real narrative driving the campaign in Sound Shapes, which leaves the expressive music and visuals with the task of conveying a sense of story. You control a circular blob. You move using the analog sticks and jump by pressing the X button. The blob has the ability to cling to surfaces that do no feature thick, dark borders and which are generally light in color. You can move around more quickly by holding the R or square button, which also has the effect of releasing the blob’s adherence to its surface. It's an intuitive and straightforward control scheme. The game provides a comfortable amount of in-air control and when new gameplay elements are introduced, such as swimming or vehicles, the new controls are simple to grasp.

Like all platformers, Sound Shapes features a central collectible that is strewn about its levels and leads players towards the end of the level. These coins also function as musical notes. By collecting these notes you contribute to the build up of the stage’s accompanying theme. Every stage begins with a simple melody or rhythm that grows more sophisticated with each note collected. Each stage comes with a certain number of notes to collect, but they're never hidden or located out of the way, which is good because you would be prevented from fully experiencing each track if your collection was incomplete. I didn’t miss a single note on my initial playthrough of the very linear campaign. In that sense, the game does not reward exploration, which may sound slightly odd for a platformer.

Coming into contact with red objects will cause your blob to die and return to the nearest checkpoint (which is never truly far away; in fact, most rooms come with several). There is no lives system or game over screens. The only real penalty for death is that you will lose any notes you may have collected since you last reached a checkpoint. This mitigates the game’s difficulty considerably because, although you'll found yourself dying quite often, you'll rarely ever feel frustrated. 

This is an excerpt from the full story which was originally featured on gamrReview, read the full version here - Sound Shapes - Review

More Mama is on the way.

Xavier Griffiths: So what kind of involvements do the NBA players have? You have Deron William on the cover from the Nets, but he’s away representing the USA in the Olympics so he couldn’t be part of this event. What kind of input did he and other players have?

Jesse Sutton: Deron Williams has been a fantastic partner. He’s been talking to kids for a long period of time and he hears what they want to do and what they don’t want to do in the game, he’s been helpful in offering us advice from that perspective. 

Kenny Smith has also been fantastic. He is just an amazing human being. He is so passionate about this game. When we first sat down and met him, his eyes literally lit up when he heard about it and ultimately saw the game. He’s been incredible at creating awareness for the project going with a very grassroots approach. Going from camp to camp to camp all around the country this summer, making sure young adults get a chance to see this game. 

Xavier Griffiths: What's it like working with Kinect? The game seems very responsive. 

Jesse Sutton: So one of the things that we’re really excited about is that the accuracy of this product with the Kinect and our technology is literally 98%. It will be the most accurate Kinect game in terms of response when it releases. With a game like this, if it’s not authentically accurate it’s going to ruin the experience and we think we really have resolved that problem. 

This is an excerpt from the full story which was originally featured on gamrReview, read the full version here - Interview: Majesco CEO Jesse Sutton - Article

A cordial and fired up Kenny Smith introduces NBA Baller Beats to press at an event in NYC.

Xavier Griffiths: How did you come to be involved with NBA Baller Beats?

This is an excerpt from the full story which was originally featured on gamrReview, read the full version here - Interview: NBA Champ Kenny Smith Shares his Thoughts on Baller Beats - Article

Majesco Entertainment recently held a press event to show off their new Kinect title - NBA Baller Beats - ahead of its release this fall. The event was well attended by media and the company brought a considerable amount of basketball talent to help show off the game. Two-time NBA Champion Kenny Smith was in attendance, as well as Curtis Smith and WNBA player Essence Carson. In addition to their rousing celebrity endorsements, the event also gave yours truly the chance to get hands-on with the game, which utilises Kinect technology to track the movements of an actual basketball as well as a gamer’s skeleton. 

 

 

As the event began we were all led to a gymnasium containing several basketball courts equipped with three demo stations set-up with Kinect to show off the game. Journalists and guests in attendance were seated on the bleachers where we had an up-front view of the proceedings. Majesco Co-founder and CEO, Jesse Sutton, took to the court to welcome us and share his excitement about NBA Baller Beats while shedding some light on how the game came into existence. To bring this game to retail, Majesco partnered with both the NBA and sports equipment maker Spalding, who provides the official NBA regulation basketball that comes packaged with the game. In addition to the basketball stars in attendance, Majesco also partnered with Brooklyn Nets star point guard Deron Williams, who graces the cover of the game. Deron Williams couldn’t be in attendance, as he is part of the US Basketball Olympic team and is busy getting ready for the start of the games in London, but he was kind enough to share his thoughts on the game via a pre-recorded video. 

After the video, Jesse came back out to talk about the game some more and then introduced former pro baller Kenny Smith to provide a live demonstration of the game for us. Smith is a naturally charismatic speaker, bolstered by his experience as a televised analyst for TNT’s “Inside the NBA”. After he took the mic, Smith explained how excited he was when Majesco contacted him about their development of NBA Baller Beats. He recalled basketball training camps he used to host where he would coach aspiring players to improve their ball handling by dribbling to a rhythm and rapping along. The apparent similarities between NBA Baller Beats and his own teaching method is what attracted him to the game, he explained. 

 

 Two-time NBA Champion Kenny Smith introduces NBA Baller Beats.

Kenny Smith then stepped away from the microphone and began setting up the game. He started off by selecting the song (“Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen, which is one of the most straightforward songs in the game). As the game began, Smith got right into the swing of things, matching the on-screen cues with ease while talking to the audience. The dribbling synced up with the beat of the song quite well and incorporated a number of moves such as crossovers, pump fakes and between the leg dribbles. Being the pro that he is, Smith of course made all of this look easy, though he broke quite a sweat in the process. He ended the song with 98% accuracy, which was good enough to earn him a five star rating. 

Kenny Smith then passed the ball to Curtis Smith to demonstrate more of the game while he provided commentary. Curtis, being one of the driving forces behind this game’s creation, played along to Missy Elliot’s “Get Ur Freak On”, which is reportedly the hardest track in the game, on the highest difficulty no less. The song lived up to its reputation as Curtis immediately had to dribble with great speed and concentration as the game threw multiple special moves at him to perform in quick succession. He seemed to be in the zone until he suddenly lost control of the ball which rolled several yards away and paused the game until he could fetch it. Curtis completed the track with a 4.5 star rating after losing possession of the ball at least once more.

Finally, Curtis was joined by Essence and another young basketball phenomenon named Jashaun Agosto to show off the game’s multiplayer. Baller Beats offers multiplayer for up to eight people, competing in a pass-and-play style competition. For this final demonstration the group played to “Party Rock” by LMFAO. Kenny Smith again provided commentary as the three ballers rotated turns, playing along to different sections of the song. There was a grace period of several seconds between each player’s turn to allow the other player time to clear out of the way. All three contestants performed admirably and Curtis eventually came out on top, though all three lost control of the ball during their routine meaning Kenny Smith was the only one to maintain possession during his entire playtime. I guess that’s why he is the two-time champ.

 

Aspiring young basketball player shows off his dribbling skills and the accuracy of Kinect sensor.

After the live demonstration, I eventually got to try out the game for myself. Again, being that we were in a gymnasium, I got to play the game while standing on an actual hardwood basketball court. Most gamers at home won’t be able to have the same experience, but the game works just as well when playing on any type of surface, though shag carpeting is not recommended. I stepped in front of the Kinect sensor and began fiddling with the menu by waving my hand over the selections. I initially began playing along to Kanye West’s “Amazing”, which is one of the slower and easier songs in the game, before I decided to try my hands at Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust.” One of the most obvious developments since our E3 preview is that songs are no longer separated by difficulty and each song comes with three playable difficulty settings. 

Once the game was all rearing to go I took control of the rock (that’s street slang for basketball, for all you squares out there) and began playing. I possess neither great athletic ability nor a strong sense of rhythm so, needless to say, I was a bit nervous. Once I started dribbling along to the onscreen cues, however, the game began to gel with me. The Kinect sensor was amazingly responsive, though the game (on its easiest setting) was forgiving, acknowledging dribbles that were a split-second or two off of the beat. 

The game usually has you dribble on one side at a time and will call for a crossover dribble to get you to dribble with your other hand. In my experience, it’s better to look at the screen rather than at the ball, as you would if you were actually playing offense in a real game of basketball, though the temptation to focus on the ball is definitely there. I lost control of the ball on more than one occasion, enough to make me miss out on a few beats but not enough to pause the game (mostly when I had to dribble with my non-dominant hand). My advice to correct this is to stay low. Bending your knees greatly increases you control over the ball and really makes you feel like you're in the game. I finished my demo with a gentlemanly 2.5 stars in case you were wondering, breaking into a serious sweat about halfway through.

 

Majesco CEO Jess Sutton poses with Kenny Smith, Curtis Smith, and WNBA star Essence Carson.

 

The stream of visual notes is easy follow and aesthetically pleasing to the eye. The background resembled a carnival setting decked out in the colors and logos of the selected team, which was the LA Lakers during my demo. The music came through really clear and had a fuller sound when accompanied by well-timed ball bounces. The game features 30 licensed tracks, ranging across decades and genres. Below is a list of confirmed tracks.

1. “Amazing” – Kanye West
2. “Another One Bites the Dust” – Queen
3. “Bangarang” – Skrillex
4. “Blue Sky” – Common
5. “Bust A Move” – Young MC
6. “Chillin” – Wale ft. Lady Gaga
7. “C’mon Catch ‘Em By Surprise” – Tiesto vs. Diplo ft. Busta Rhymes
8. “It’s Tricky” – Run DMC
9. “Let It (Edit Remix)” – Machine Drum ft. Melo X
10. “New Fang” – Them Crooked Vultures
11. “Obstacle 1” - Interpol
12. “Party Rock Anthem” – LMFAO
13. “Slam” – Onyx
14. “Stylo” – Gorillaz
15. “Tightrope”  – Janelle Monae

 

 

16. "Access Hollywood" – Consequence

17. "Autobiotics" – Calling All Cars

18. "Canon" – Justice

19. "Championship Fever" – Najee

20. "Disparate Youth" – Santigold

21. "Don't Sweat the Technique" – Eric B. and Rakim

22. "Get Ur Freak On" – Missy Elliott

23. "It's Ok" – Cee-Lo Green

24. "Music Makes Me Feel So Good" – Static Revenger

25. "Night By Night" – Chromeo

26. "O.N.E." – Yeasayer

27. "Roll Up" – Wiz Khalifa

28. "Satellite" – Rise Against

29. "So Good" – B.o.B.

30. "Surf Hell" – Little Barrie

NBA Baller Beats releases September 11, 2012 exclusively on Kinect for Xbox 360.

This is an excerpt from the full story which was originally featured on gamrReview, read the full version here - NBA Baller Beats Preview Event NYC - Preview

While The Amazing Spider-man is a tie-in to the recently released film of the same name, it functions more as a sequel to those events than a direct adaptation. At the beginning of the game Dr. Connors/The Lizard is already sealed away in the asylum when Gwen Stacy decides to take Peter Parker on a tour of Oscorp. In this iteration of Spiderman, the webslinger and other genetically modified beings like him are referred to as cross-species. Naturally something goes wrong with the secret experiments at Oscorp which leads to an outbreak of an infection that kills people or turns them into cross-species. Gwen Stacey is quarantined alongside a group of scientists inside the Oscorp labs, so Spiderman’s only choice is to turn to Dr. Connors for help developing a cure while grappling with trust issues over whether the brilliant scientist can control his urge to become The Lizard. As the story progresses you can feel the stakes escalate considerably but that doesn’t mean the narrative itself is particularly enjoyable.

The Amazing Spider-man is essentially a 3D beat-em-up with a few platforming elements. The basic mechanics are well implemented for the most part. You can get around by pressing the B button to web swing and holding the Y button to gain elevation while doing so. The X button controls melee attacks and pressing it in rapid succession will build a combo. The A button can be used to shoot webs at foes from afar or to activate Spiderman’s signature move at the end of a combo chain. The combat animations are probably the best thing The Amazing Spider-man has going for it. Even though you are mashing the same buttons repeatedly, Spiderman has various attack animations that work especially well when fighting a large group and cancel into one another fluidly so the combat is always visually pleasing at the very least.

The other key gameplay element is Spiderman’s Web Rush ability. Holding down the Y button shifts the camera into first person perspective and allows you to aim at anything in your surroundings. Aiming the reticule at the walls, ceiling, floor, or any protruding ledge will cause Spiderman to instantaneously find his way there as if on a zipline. This feature works amazingly well and is a great tactic for evading enemy fire or covering long distances speedily. Web Rush can also be used to target enemies and objects in the environment. You can take down bad guys by stealthily trapping them in a web cocoon or get the drop on a host of enemies by slamming an exploding gas tank on their heads. Unfortunately, there are times when the camera gets in the way of properly aiming at your target during a web rush which awkwardly forces you to reposition Spiderman and hope for a better angle. The touchscreen features two commands, one used to dodge attacks and the other the retreat to safety or cancel a web rush. Both commands are vital for surviving heavy attack from enemies.

This is an excerpt from the full story which was originally featured on gamrReview, read the full version here - The Amazing Spider-man - Review

Once you boot up the game you have the choice of playing either Metal Gear Solid 3 (the first chronological entry in the series, taking place in 1964), or Metal Gear Solid 2 (which takes place between 2007 and 2009, but was released several years before Snake Eater). Considering I never played the original Metal Gear Solid I decided to play part 2 first, so that I could experience them in the order they were released.

Metal Gear Solid 2 starts out with Snake investigating a tip about a new Metal Gear being transported on a military ship on the Hudson River. This opening episode of the game is thrilling and memorable in its impact before it all slips away and Solid Snake is replaced as the main character by a rookie operative, codenamed Raiden. I understand that this swap was a major shock to gamers a decade ago, but to me it comes off as an extremely clever set-up for the ensuing plot. I enjoyed the first few hours of MGS 2’s story, as it seemed to set up the stakes, the objectives, and the characters at an effective pace. Things took a turn for the bizarre shortly afterwards and the plot became so muddled, pretentious, and weird that it was hard for me keep up with the numerous, lengthy cutscenes. You can’t even save the game without enduring a long-winded and sentimental exchange between Raiden and his love interest.

Snake Eater fares much better in this regard. The story is still equal parts strange and meandering, but the narrative is much easier to follow because it requires no knowledge of the previous games. The original Snake is tasked with recovering a Soviet weapons researcher that wishes to defect to the U.S. Things take a change for the worse when Snake is betrayed by his mentor, The Boss, and left to fend for himself on a very important mission in the jungle where he must use camouflage and feast on wild animals to survive. Seeing Snake endure repeated episodes of brutality and heartbreak allowed me to connect with him in a way few other game characters allow. Say what you will about Kojima’s storytelling, but he definitely knows his characters. Snake Eater also pays homage to Cold War-era pop culture from its delightfully Bond-esque theme song, to the discussion of films such as “A Fistful of Dollars” and “Dr. Strangelove”, thankfully replacing the schmaltzy minutiae of its predecessor that occurs when you save the game. Snake Eater also happens to be one of the few games I’ve played in recent memory where the story’s conclusion felt as rewarding as playing the game itself.

The controls can be a tad clunky. The dual analog sticks work about as well as you would expect and are the reason why movement is the most straightforward aspect of an otherwise unorthodox control scheme. The Vita’s tiny buttons don’t do combat justice. One of the most annoying quirks is that you are unable to release the square button without firing your weapon, which is counterintuitive towards carrying out your mission stealthily. Due to the lack of necessary shoulder buttons, item selection has been relegated to touch screen controls. Luckily the game still pauses whenever you want to toggle through items, which somewhat abates how cumbersome touch controls feel in comparison to simply holding down a trigger button. Outside of menu navigation and item selection, the touch screen is only used to zoom in while aiming through a scope or during a cutscene. It is a bit disappointing to see that the Vita’s many unique inputs aren’t put too much use in either game; there were many contextual situations that I feel would have benefitted from either touch or motion controls. Though perhaps it is best the developers focused on recreating the authentic console experience during the porting process instead of forcing on something that would need to be implemented with very thoughtful consideration.

As they are part of the same series, both games share many common gameplay elements. Raiden and Snake find themselves primarily on their own in hostile territory and must use their wits and special equipment to complete their objectives. Gadgets play integral roles in some of the best moments in each game, whether that means using a microphone to identify a person of interest based on his irregular heartbeat or using thermal goggles to pick out snipers in the jungle. The primary game mechanics involve shooting, crawling, hiding and dragging enemy corpses where they won’t be detected. Over the course of both missions you’ll disarm bombs, carry out escort missions, and even fire at enemies from the sidecar of a motorcycle. The sheer variety is incredible. The fundamental difference in setting helps differentiate the two games. Sons of Liberty takes place in the confined corridors of an off-shore oil rig while Snake Eater occurs in the heart of the jungle, incorporating camouflage and survival skills to great effect.

This is an excerpt from the full story which was originally featured on gamrReview, read the full version here - Metal Gear Solid HD Collection - Review

Xavier Griffiths: What are the biggest additions or improvements to FIFA 13, in gameplay terms?

Aaron McHardy: We’ve been talking about five big changes that we’re making this year that I think have the most impact on the game. Those changes are called Attacking Intelligence, Complete Dribbling, First Touch Control, our new version of the Player Impact Engine, and another feature called Tactical Free Kicks.

Starting with Attacking Intelligence, the number one feedback we got from FIFA 12 is that people wanted improvements to the AI. That can take its shape in a million different ways but when we read in between the lines, what we decided on doing this year is improving our attacking intelligence in the game. We’ve done some technological changes to our positioning system so that players work harder and work smarter to go on runs and decide where to go, analyze space a lot better than they used to do in FIFA 12. We’ve given them new behaviors like being able to curve around defenders, to keep plays alive by staying on-side, to opening up passing channels when there is a passing channel available to slip the ball through, your teammates will now change their run to open up space so you can pass the ball to them. Also we’ve given all the players on the pitch the ability to think two plays ahead so they are analyzing the game to think who is the most likely player to receive a pass and deciding should I stay here trying to support the ball possessor or should I take up a new position because I know this guy is going to get the ball next? I think all of these things have come together to improve the flow of the game and make you feel like you have a plethora of options going forward in FIFA 13. 

Xavier Griffiths: How long are some of these changes in the works? Do they get implemented the very next game after you come up with them or are there things you work on knowing they won’t be implemented until further down the line?

Aaron McHardy: We implement some things we know aren’t going to be there right the year we start working on them. It is challenging for us because we have one full year to actually get the game out every year. There are some things that we do want to do that really can’t fit into one-year cycles. So we have to make steps to actually build those features otherwise we’re robbing our fans of something that might be bigger and better than just one year. A great example of that is the Player Impact Engine last year in FIFA 12. We actually took a couple of years to be able to bring that feature around collisions and stumbles into FIFA 12. And this year what we’re doing in terms of the Player Impact Engine is an extension of the work that we did last year, so when you look at it in that regard it’s a multi-year job to bring features like that to the table. Expanding on things like push and pull, allowing defenders to be able to use the body, and find new ways for defenders to try to win back possession.

This is an excerpt from the full story which was originally featured on gamrReview, read the full version here - Interview: FIFA 13 Gameplay Producer Aaron McHardy Talks New Features - Article

Title: Play Reality: How Videogames Are Changing Everything
Author: Jayne Gackenbach, Ph.D. & Teace Snyder
Publisher: In association with Original Cliché Entertainment
Original Publication Year: 2012
Page Count: 101
ISBN: 978-1-105-30452-1

Excerpt: “Gamification is basically just the process of making real life feel as fun, engaging and, especially, as rewarding as playing a videogame. Because as important as graphics, story and gameplay can be, a huge part of what makes videogames as much fun as they are, are the ways in which the player is frequently rewarded for playing: whether it’s with valuable in-game items, XP, currency, achievements, un-lockable items, or maybe just something as simple as a game saying ‘good job.’” (p. 62) 

If you’ve been a serious gamer for any significant portion of your existence you've probably noticed the subtle ways gaming has altered your everyday life. Stuff like less money in your wallet, dangerously overworked thumbs, and a haphazard sleep cycle dependent upon new game releases are obvious. However, have you ever wondered how the rise of videogames could potentially affect your health, the way you work, or the way you dream? Those are just some of the questions explored in Play Reality. It's a truly interesting subject matter for a book, wouldn’t you agree? I thought so at any rate.

Each chapter of Play Reality is preceded by quotations attributed to the likes of George Carlin, Ronald Reagan, Shakespeare, the band Tool, Shigeru Miyamoto, and the game Zero Wing (“All your base are belong to us!”), though their relevance to the topic of discussion is at times questionable. The book begins with a (very) brief history of videogames that begins with Atari’s Pong, covers the ensuing success and legal battles, explains the rise of Nintendo in Japan and the world, delves into the controversy behind violence in videogames, and jumps ahead to the present day where gaming is shaped by things like Xbox Live, Facebook, and MMOs. While I admit I learned a few interesting tidbits by reading this opening chapter, it is by no means meant to be comprehensive and compresses nearly half a century of gaming history into a short summation most dedicated gamers over the age of 20 should find largely unrevealing.

Other chapters are dedicated to subjects such as videogame addiction, the effects of videogames on violent behavior, and examining the role of games in our evolving cultural landscape. There are a few truly interesting nuggets of information to be found in these chapters, such as an examination of the sophisticated economy that grew between players of Everquest through the creation and tracking of Dragon Points, independent of the developer’s input. Snyder and Dr. Gackenbach note that at one point the GDP for that game would have ranked as the 77th highest among the world economies. Other interesting factoids delve into the celebrity status enjoyed by professional gamers in South Korea and the therapeutic effects of gaming even when up against a boss that makes you controller-out-the-window angry.

This is an excerpt from the full story which was originally featured on gamrReview, read the full version here - gamrRead: Play Reality: How Videogames Are Changing Everything - Article

PulzAR is broken down into five different parts of escalating difficulty: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Epsilon. The first three sections introduce new components and game mechanics to play around with in training sessions before you are allowed to try your hand at a real level. The introduction of these elements, which include different colored lasers, and nodes that refract beams of light in two directions at once, feels natural and prevents things from getting stale too early on. That being said, I think with a little imagination there is potential for a lot more components and different interactions between them. The learning curve is manageable; more than anything the game seeks to test your visual-spatial reasoning, not bombard you with overly complex mechanics.

In addition to activating the missile launches, your secondary goal is to collect coins. Each level has three coins spread some distance apart from each other. You can collect these coins by passing a beam of light through them as long as you are still reaching the activation nodes. This challenge is simple enough to begin with but later on you may have to sacrifice a coin or two for the sake of completing a level within the time limit. Overall there are 75 coins to collect in the game, which require an insane amount of ingenuity to gather and provide incentive to replay some levels. Other elements that factor into your score are the amount of time elapsed and whether you were able to complete the level without playing all of the items at your disposal.

The biggest issue with the game has to do with the technical limitations of the AR technology. The game requires ample lighting and a flat and undisturbed surface to play on (ideally the top of a table). I did my best to create these conditions at all times but still encountered annoying interruptions of gameplay. In certain cases the Vita’s camera would fail to recognize when I placed a new AR card and would not place a much-needed piece even as time continued to wind down. Other times a small disturbance in the position of any of the on field cards was enough to disrupt the carefully guided path of my lasers, forcing me to rearrange everything in an attempt to implement that strategy again. PulzAR claims that you are in control and encourages you to move around with your Vita (as long as it’s aimed at the play area) to get a better view of things, but at times even minor involuntary movements were enough for the game to claim to be out of range.

This is an excerpt from the full story which was originally featured on gamrReview, read the full version here - PulzAR (PSV) - Review