The lead up to Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 was full of promise.  The long legs of the first title seem to have paved the way for another good beat-em up with an rpg feel to it.  Will the newest entry make the former proud?  Let’s take a look at how Alliance 2 stacks up.

Presentation 7.5

Now I’ve seen some pretty games and I’ve seen some ugly games, but you’ll be happy to know that Alliance 2 falls somewhere in the middle of these to ends.  It’s no ugly duckling, but it’s not the hot prom date you’re hoping to brag about the morning after.  All of the environments have a lot more detail over the 1st alliance, and there is improvement in the character models over the 1st Alliance.  Still I feel that some of the non-playable characters got better treatment then the ones that were useable.  Storm looked like an aging street walker, while Bishop and Cable looked exquisite in detail.  A lot of the fusion moves look cool but, it’s not quite enough pop as the ultimate power attack of the first one and I’m going to go more into that in the next section.

Gameplay 6.5

I think the mistake here is that instead of Activision going with Raven Software, they instead turned the reins over to Vicarious Vision.  It was almost like they looked at everything that made the 1st game great and decided that none of it was needed to come back.  I don’t know if this was an insecure thing…you know how you make someone else feel bad to make yourself feel better; but it was not a good move.  Here are just a few things that were stripped away from Ultimate Alliance 2 that were in the 1st game:

• Simulator Missions were reduced from one per character with a few bonus missions thrown in to about 12
• Unlocking new costumes used to also unlock new abilities; now it’s purely cosmetic.
• Leveling up heros / villans not only made powers stronger, but gave you access to new powers.  In U.A. 2, you’re locked into the 4 preset powers that are assigned to each hero.
• Fusion powers while cool at first grows old fast because they tend to follow the same format just different animations per character.  In U.A. 1 not only did you get a single ultimate attack, the ultimate would change if you had 1 or 2 or 3 or 4 keeping the variety fresh.

I think Vicarious Visions were striving to make the game more accessible, by stripping all of that stuff out.  On the flip side of that having all of that stuff in the first place is what made the first Ultimate Alliance a blast to play.  The one bright spot amongst all of this is that they made the equipment effect the whole team instead of an individual character.  However, that lone bright spot is not enough to make this game feel like it has any soul.

Lasting Appeal 5

Ultimate Alliance 2 features two view points to play through; Anti-Registration and Pro-Registration.  If you find yourself that invested with the events of the Marvel Civil War then you’re going to want to play this game twice.  If you find that you really don’t care after your first run through then that’s the end of the appeal.  I don’t think the allure of new downloadable characters can save this.  It would have been fun to play as cable, and Bishop and some of the other cameos as it were fun to play with the Juggernaut; however it will not be fun to play with them in this shell of a game.  This is a rent.

6 out of 10

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Hey Gamers it’s your boy PoeticChaos coming back with another title game that you just might want to actually buy. Fight Night Round 4 is a game that just might surprise even the ordinary gamer. Here are the top 5 reason why Fight Night Round 4 should be a must buy.

5.  Fight Night Round 4 is amazing when it comes to the detail of its fighters styles which makes the player actually feel like they are seeing a real fight occur.

4.  The Fight Night A.I. is amazing during season mode as it gets more difficult to fight contending boxers.

3.  F.N.R. 4 displays every little detail that makes gamers feel like he or she is the boxer themselves. From the repeated quick jabs to the eyes from the first cut; the action the game brings makes you feel apart of it.

2.  F.N.R. 4 have some of the best graphics I have ever seen on any game as each thrown punch sends ripples through the jaws of your opponent.

1.  The number one reason why Fight Night Round 4 should be a must buy is because it is a great two player game; F.N.R. 4 allows for a true gamer to see how well they can test their metal up against other gamers who started out at the same level as they did.

Fight Night Round 4 has so much going for it that it should be recognized as one of the best boxing games ever created. From the boxers fighting styles to the off the hook custom soundtracks; F.N.R 4 is by far one of EA sports best and I personally can’t wait to see what next have to offer. Hopefully Fight Night Round 5 might come with a two player legacy mode.

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When the Terminator Salvation movie was announced no one expected a game to follow (that’s called sarcasm).  Like most gamers we tend to not buy into a lot movie games due to constant disappointment from the gaming industry.  Though there have been a couple of decent games that were adaptation from movies; however a lot of these titles never live up to the standards.  I must say X-Men Origins: Wolverine is a good pick up for those who have a fear of movie to games titles.  Terminator Salvation was a title that I kept my eyes on since it was announced.  I watched every trailer and gameplay video that was put out on different websites.  From what I’ve seen it gave me the impression that this game was probably going to be a decent title.  When I picked up Terminator Salvation and sat down to play it I was anxious to see what the developers of this game had to offer.  Once I started playing I notice the Main Menu was very simple and easy to navigate. There was no Xbox Live menu, which means no Online Co-op!  I was very disappointed about this.  When will these game developers realize that the future of gaming is moving towards online multiplayer games?  This is where they can win over gamers by putting out the best multiplayer games.

I started a new game and I was put right into a decent cut scene that I pretty much already seen on the Internet but hey.  Once the game started I was impressed with the graphics in this game. The player models look very sharp and few good details stood out.  The character models reminded me of Left 4 Dead characters but with a little more details.  The character you play as “John Connor” moves very smooth and fluid.  Once I started getting use to the cover system I must say it makes the game very enjoyable.  The controls in this game is simple and basic, you don’t have to bust your brain remembering what buttons do what.  In the case of some games that  you play where this lame AI is the bane of your exsistence; Salvation shines through in this department.   The game AI is quite capable; they will flank you and attack the weakest of your teammate.  Your teammates are very smart and helpful, and will not leave you hanging.   You won’t have to worry about to many of those “Damn it what are you doing Dom!!!” moments here. Your computer partner will never leave you hanging to fend for yourself.  In some parts of the game you will see where this game could of use some improvement graphically and physics wise.  Terminator Salvation is not a bad title, but yet it is not going to be a classic title either.  I would suggest renting this title for two reasons:

1.  You’re a die-hard Terminator fan that wants a quick thrill. 
2. It is not a long game and the replay value won’t make you want to come back for more.

A lot of sites gave decent reviews for this game and some even bashed it badly, but I say rent it and give it a try. But is it worthy of a $60.00 purchase? NO!

Graphics= 8
Pros: Graphics is good and some nice visual effects, some nice cut-scenes.
Cons: A lot of graphical tearing and stuttering.

Sound= 7
Pros: Good sound effects and decent voice acting, also nice to hear the Terminator score that we are all familiar with.
Cons: Could be a little better.

Gameplay= 7
Pros: Great cover system that will make the game fun to play.
Cons: Aiming could be a little annoying sometimes.

Replay Value= 5
Opinion: This game could have been saved if the Co-op was online and not just offline. The story is very short and I don’t think you will want to go through it more than twice the most.

Overall Score: 7

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Now I haven’t touched a sports game since I’ve called shenanigans on EA for locking up the Official NFL License for 80/11 years!   I will admit that I’ve never been stellar in either basketball or football, but to me there’s no better way to get into an upcoming season then by being able to play alongside the haps in any league.  Now that 2k Sports has to focus on the remaining sports licenses of MLB, NHL, and the NBA; the hope is that each iteration becomes vastly better then the last.  However that hasn’t been the case with their MLB, and NHL titles, many critics and fans feel these games have been on a declined from their once former stellar status.  Well NBA2K9 is just a few weeks away and it’s the one title that’s been carrying the torch for 2k Sports.  But the development team has been keeping information about some of the new features and looks of the game under tight wraps.

So, I feel it’s time to try and get to the bottom of this mystery like a Scooby Doo Show!  The Kid, will scour the interwebs and compile whatever info I can all into this one article and I’ll even chime in on my own and give my thoughts of the things to come in 2K9.  So without further ado; let’s get it!!!!!

Now from some of the official trailers that were put out by the 2k sports team it does seem that there’s a lot more fluidity amongst the players, which has lead a lot of speculation as to whether the development team may have implemented the Euphoria Engine in their latest installment.

According to the lastest hands on of NBA 2K9, some of the biggest features for the series will be The 2K Insider, Living Rosters, and Association 2.0.  Some of these features seem to tread along the same lines of NBA Live’s DNA feature but with a twist according to the 2k Sports team:

“First of all, the developers at 2K are entirely aware of the competition. As any hoops gaming fan knows, EA Sports’ NBA Live 09 announced its player DNA feature a few months back, whereby in-game player attributes will be updated based on real-life results. 2K understands that Living Rosters might sound like a similar feature, and they’re quick to point out its essential differences. The crucial distinction, as they put it, is the “human touch” of the 2K Insider, a hired employee whose job it will be to not just act as the face of the 2K Sports community, but to also have a real impact on the rosters in the game.

As with the competition, you can expect to see roster and attribute changes when you download a new 2K roster in NBA 2K9, all based around what’s happening in the real world. However, rather than update things on a daily basis, 2K devs told us that the plan was to change a roster when it was warranted. Naturally big-time injuries or huge trades will be reflected in the game on a timely basis. What seems to set 2K9 apart, however, is how those changes are made and how much they can add to the gameplay experience.“

Catch the full hands on, and other insights into what 2K is bringing to the table over at Gamespot.com.  My take on all of this so far is that while there has been some official gameplay trailers and a few touted features from different hands on it still seems there’s little now about NBA 2K9 which is set to hit the PS3, Xbox 360, PS2 on October 7th.  So by a turn a hand I ask all you gamers who catch win of this article to leave comments stating any new features for your fellow brethren.  We also have forums where  you can go and share info as well.  Will this season really matter????   It will if we can all come together and work to figure out will this be the definitive basketball simulator for the year. 

Update:

According to an article posted on Oct 2 by ZTGamedomain.com NBA 2K9 will be hitting PSN and XBLA.

“With the start of the regular NBA basketball season right around the corner, 2K Sports today announced that a free demo of NBA 2K9 is now available for download on the PSN and tomorrow morning for XBLA.”

It seems the demo was released on the PSN yesterday and it dropped onto XBLA this morning. I’m urging anyone who have played this demo come and give impressions so that we can get a fix to hold us over until we all can get a hands on ourselves.

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As all who have heard the show by now, know I’ll be in Sin City all next week.  However I decided to share this bit of gameplay footage before I go.   Create-A-Finisher Mode is making it’s way back to Smackdown Vs Raw 09!!!!  Now I can’t speak for anybody else but for me this is one mode that I feel makes SVR 09 great for fans.  There’s nothing like being able to craft your own finishing move and tie it to your created charater and then work your way through the ranks of the wrestling federation.  It brings up nostalgia of how me and my brothers battled it out for the belt numerous times.  If SVR 09, can give the fans an online franchise mode that spans on for more then a year, or better yet a build your own league mode and then run through the franchise…let me take a breath.  I’m getting way ahead of myself.  All of this is to say that I’ve been looking for a compelling reason to jump back into a wrestling game and hopefully some more cool features for SVR 09 are annouced to do just that.  Enjoy the video, and I’ll see everyone in a week with vegas stories to tell.

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This new look Prince Of Persia has come with some scrutiny.  Some people don’t like the new art style, while other’s love it.  I am in the “Love It Camp”,  I find it a fresh look and sometimes to keep a series alive with potential a new look is not the end of the world.   Now the real question is will the gameplay for the next entry in the Persia universe fall in the “Love It Camp” as well???   I’m not completely sure; although after seeing this developer diary I’m looking forward to going back to camp.

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Just when you think you’ve seen it all; someone somewhere will come up with something that’s never been done before.  That someone is EA.  That’s right one of the largest video game publishing companies in the industry took it upon themselves to put out a youtube response to a fan’s youtube video regarding a glitch in the Tiger Woods 09 game.   Watch and learn a truly unique PR move.

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Spider Man: Web of Shadows is looking to be complete awesomeness.  Eveytime I see this gameplay footage I get goose bumps thinking from thinking about the way this game is gonna play.  While I know only very little about this game so far, I do plan on brushing up on my knowledge about it with IGN’s Hands-On of the game.  Meanwhile enjoy the footage.

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My first time playing SoulCalibur on the Dreamcast I immediately fell in love with this franchise and always been a big fan of the series. The last time I played SoulCalibur was on my XBox and was really looking forward to the Next-Gen version since the birth of the XBox 360 and the PS3. So I finally got my copy of SoulCalibur IV and was anxious to play this new Masterpiece. Now as I mentioned in my last review of Army of Two I am a big presentation fan when it comes to video games because for me I love seeing good cinematic and cut-scenes. I was immediately blown away by the opening movie for SoulCalibur IV that lasted at least a good 3-4 minutes that had me drooling out my mouthpiece, SWEET!

After the opening sequence I immediately played around with the menu to see what goodies, and extras there was and I must say I was very impressed with it. There were some really cool extras that I won’t give away, let’s just say I never thought they would have put that in there. Being that I haven’t played SoulCalibur in a while I went into the training mode to brush up a little on my fighting skills and the one thing that impress me is they give you the option to train in so may ways that can definitely help you in combat against the computer or against a human opponent.

Once I got the hang of it I decided to go to the Arcade mode and try playing against the computer. I picked Yoda as my first fighter just to see how he was implemented into the game and boy the graphics that was put into this game is visually an eye orgasm lol. Once the match started I couldn’t help but to notice how the details in Yoda’s character stands out; from his hair, down to every wrinkle in his face. And of course for most Star Wars fans you will love hearing the Light Saber make the sound effect we all love when it’s swung. The stages are beautifully done and love the details that they put into the stages when enemies are hitting the ground and debris gets tossed everywhere.

Another thing you are gonna love is the ability it create your character and edit other fighters. This will keep you playing SoulCalibur IV with the feel of having your character become the ultimate fighter. I created a character that looks pretty much looks like Altair from Assassin’s Creed and I was impressed how they allow you to create your dream character, good stuff Namco!

Now as far as playing SoulCalibur IV you will not have a hard time learning to play or getting your skills back in this game. The controls are simple and very easy to execute once you get the hang of it. I was able to get my groove back just playing a couple matches and I became the master of the Apprentice *yeah come see me online!* lol. The online for SoulCalibur is good when you get the combat in this game down. I will advise you to not go online unless you are really ready because you will not be happy getting your butt kicked by someone who put a lot more time learning his characters strengths.

So if you are planning on getting SoulCalibur IV don’t hesitate at all, this game is awesome! Hopefully we’ll be seeing some downloadable content in the future for SoulCalibur IV for both consoles that will be worth waiting for. I also believe that Kratos from God of War is a character that will be available for the PS3 version so let’s keep our fingers crossed. So here’s how I rated SoulCalibur IV.

Graphics= 9
Pros: Great visuals on characters and environments, along with cut-scenes.
Cons: No being able to see Darth Vader in the Xbox 360 version lol.

Sound= 8
Pros: Good sound effects of weapons clashing, especially the Light Sabers, characters voice over are also done well.
Cons: Not being able to hear Darth Vader’s cool voice and the way he breathes in the XBox 360 version lol.

Gameplay= 9
Pros: Great combat and sweet grab moves, the Critical finishes give it an extra touch.
Cons: Some people might think the character story is a bit short but I think this game give you enough and not too much to bore you because we all know that some fighting game can get boring really quick.

Replay Value= 8
Opinion: With the online and the amount of characters available, not to mention the downloadable content to come, SoulCalibur IV will be in your rotation for months to come.

Overall Rating= 8.5

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Having just purchase the console character specific Soul Caliber 4 yesterday, I figure it would be a good idea to hear someone else’s thoughts on the game.  Then I got to figuring why should I be the only one benifiting from another’s insight into this wonderful fighter.  So, I bring this video interview to you from Gamevideos.com.  Remember sharing is caring.  Now if someone would go to the forums and share some MGS4 experinces then everyone would be happy.  Enjoy!

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