Zeb's Den

This is it folks,

I can finally address the secreative project I referred to in my last post (a month ago). Now I said it would be soon but some major things came up with it which delayed it's posting. So without further ado, here it is:

I have begun freelancing for Gamesradar.com. Sonic Free Riders review

This may not seem like anything too massive but it is a legitimate respected outlet which is owned by the biggest games journalism publisher in the world. In addition to all that, they're paying me proper freelance fees and are supplying the games which I review for them. In other words, it's a massive step for me.

That being the case, there probably won't be much (if anything) posted here from now on. If you wanna keep following my work just visit Gamesradar.com (and I suggest you do as it's a fantastic site). Also, keep an eye out for me in other outlets in the New Year.

Thank you for your support,
Bryce Zubriski a.k.a. Zeb364

Hi folks,

I know I've been gone awhile but there are good reasons, trust me. Things have been crazy for me the past three or four weeks. I can't go into why right now as it's all still under wraps but when I can reveal it (and it will be soon) it will be big.

Also, I haven't been completely absent from posting as any of you who check out my work on allvoices.com know. I did post a small photo-based piece there a week back which I did mean to link to from here but unfortunately it got lost in the shuffle.

That being the case, you can check it out now to tide you over until the huge news hits in about a week or so.  http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/7083108-the-unboxing-of-the-fallout-new-vegas-special-edition

Thanks for reading,
Bryce Zubriski

The holiday season is upon us and with it, and endless onslaught of triple-A titles. This being the case I've decided to take a look ahead at some of my most anticipated games of the upcoming months.

Now when I talk about the holiday season I don't just mean the couple of months leading up to christmas but in fact the following months as well. This year (as in the past few) alot of great games have moved to the begginning of the following year in order to avoid the big name titles that drop before the holidays.

Personally, I prefer it that way. Before x-mas money is tight, what little you have needs to be saved for gifts, and you have to wait and see if someone buys you that game as a gift. After the holidays on the other hand not only is your money your own but you there's always gifted cash and store certificates. Add this to the fact that now you get a week or two to enjoy each game and gamers can't lose.

So without further ado, here's my My Top 8 Most Anticipated Holiday Titles:

1. Fallout: New Vegas
Now this might partially be due to the fact that I'm picking up my pre-ordered special edition tomorrow but I just can't wait to get back into the Wasteland. With all of it's awesome items, environments, and intricate desicions with the glitz and glamour of Vegas sprinkled in, gamers are in for a great 50+ hours.

2. Dead Space 2 
This one is all the way out in January but I'm already itching to step back into the skin of protagonist Isaac Clarke. The tension and thrills provided by a Dead Space title when you have no idea what's coming next are unmatched.

3. Portal 2
This one should be obvious. Between the completely unique gameplay elements, brand new puzzles, and the return of GLADOS, why wouldn't you want more Portal?

4. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
This one wasn't on my list at all because despite my love for the main Assassin's Creed titles I have had little to no interest in any of the spin-offs. Add that to multiplayer that appeared to be shoe-horned into a series that didn't need it and I couldn't have cared less. Until PAX that is. Ever since I got my hands on the multiplayer I haven't been able to stop thinking about it.

5. Force Unleashed II 
To my surprise, I had completly lost interest in this game for awhile. I mean, I love the first game and am a fan of anything with a Jedi or Sith in it but for some reason I just didn't care. Then suddenly, with the same lack of explanation, I started looking forward to it again and my anticipation continues to build.

6. Fable 3
Fable 2 engrossed me completely for a solid week and Fable 3 promises to fix all the little problems I had with number 2. The only reason I'm not more interested is because I refuse to get too excited over anything Peter Molyneaux  releases.

These next two games would have easily been higher up the list except that they have no solid release date as of yet and are therefore not guaranteed to hit the shelves during the holiday season.

7. Mortal Kombat
All I have to say is that it's about time this franchise returned to what made it popular in the first place.

8. Assassin's Creed III
As I previously mentioned, I love the core Assassin's Creed titles. Factor in that this is reported to be the conclusion of Desmond's story and it becomes a huge blip on my radar. Not to mention all the awesome possibilities for a setting.

Finally, there are a select few games that I'm not really anticipating but I am curious about. They look like they might be good but I want to see how they turn out.

Notable Mentions
James Bond 007: Blood Stone, Bulletstorm, Brink, Marvel vs Capcom 3, Homefront, Call of Duty: Black Ops

Hello everyone,

I just posted my article covering Free Radical's Timesplitters franchise and it's impact on the industry. It's some unique and interesting stuff (if I do say so myself) so you might want to check it out. As for what's coming next...well to be honest, I'm not sure.

I've been brainstorming some ideas but haven't really come up with the right one yet. I'll continue to brainstorm until I find it, at which point I 'll update you guys.

Stay Tuned

The Timesplitters franchise was originally established in the year 2000 with the release of the PS2 exclusive launch game of the same name. It was created by Free Radical Design which was a video game company established in April 1999 by former Rare employee's; David Doek, Steve Ellis, Karl Hilton, Graeme Norgate, and Lee Ray. Now I only mention this fact because while at Rare those five had all worked on two of the biggest FPS's of all, Goldeneye and Perfect Dark.

So after striking out to create their own development company they used the skills they had honed on those landmark games to create a brand new FPS IP that was all their own. Thus, Timesplitters was born.

The first game (titled simply, Timesplitters) was released as a launch title for the PS2 (and was also exclusive to that platform). this meant that only early adopters truly had it on their radars and that the development team was still learning the hardware. Despite these early obstacles though Timesplitters turned out to be a decent game with a devoted following. Still, it was nowhere near indicative of what the second entry in the series would accomplish.


Timesplitters 2 is where the series truly began to leave it's mark on the genre and the industry as a whole. It's crisp, clean multiplayer was a true step forward for not just the series but the genre as a whole. The multitude of weapons not only in any one map at a time but also in the hands of any one player at a time allowed for a never ending variation on multiplayer gameplay.

The single player campaign was the first in the series to establish an overarching story that was maintained from mission to mission and into the next entry in the franchise. This also allowed Free Radical to imbue their protagonist, Cortez, with their trademark sense of humour. They did all this while sticking to the core time travelling idea established in the first game which is the premise that allowed them to include such a wide array of characters and locales.


The third (and so far final) entry in the series Future Perfect was just that. It was Free Radical's crowning jewel, the culmination of everything they had learned from the last two games, and unfortunately the most overlooked as by then most FPS fans had moved on to Halo and other series.

Ironically, this is where the idea for this article sprang from. The day before Halo: Reach hit shelves, in a sort of nostalgic nod to the past, a buddy and I dusted off my old Gamecube and fired up Future Perfect. After playing a bit of both the campaign and the multiplayer it became impossible to ignore the similarities between this 2005 game of last generation and modern day shooters.

Now obviously I'm not saying Timesplitters necessarily originated all of these ideas but it's contributions in making the leap from Goldeneye and Perfect Dark to Halo and Call of Duty are unmistakable.

There are the extensive post-game stats and awards featured after every round of multiplayer covering every aspect of the game you just played. Not to mention the extensive detail of your overall stats. All of this is tied to your profile, which can be saved on a memory card and loaded up on anyone's copy of the game, a concept that was unheard of at the time. It also featured a well rounded and functional Map Maker which was rare for console gaming.

Finally, there was the aforementioned Free Radical humour. In most first person shooters (now and then) it seems that the developers must choose between making a triple a title with no real humour at all or making a humorous shooter that's mediocre at best. Timesplitters was the best of both worlds. It was a grade A game worthy of a purchase on it's merits as a shooter alone that was also genuinely funny. Future Perfect in particular as the Mature rating allowed the developers to truly open up the jokes. It wasn't crass, just adult. The kind of jokes kids wouldn't understand even if they heard them but that adults would find hilarious. All of this took place in their wonderfully satiric universe which parodied classic film and video game stereotypes but never in the cheesy way you see today. It truly was a rare thing.

Timesplitters is a must play for anyone interested in modern day shooters and how they came about. Not to mention any fan of a good shooter or a could laugh.

   

Hello again,

I just posted my review of Halo: Reach for your reading pleasure and now I'm looking forward to what's coming next. To this end, I have already formulated an article idea which I plan on starting on Monday. It won't be like anything I've posted previously but instead it will be more analytical. I will be looking at Free Radical's classic (and possibly lost) series Timesplitters and it's impact on the industry as a whole. I should have it up by Thursday so check back for that.

Thanks

Halo: Reach launched on September 14th and has dominated Xbox Live ever since. Not only are you likely to find the majority of your friends list playing Reach at any given time but you can't fire up your Xbox Dashboard without being bombarded by Reach. So the question inevitably arises, does it deserve all this hype?

Obviously there are plenty of Xbox gamers who will instantly reply, "definitely". It has the Halo name on it and therefore they feel it's worthy of their devotion. What about the rest of us though, should we run out and drop $70 (at least) on a brand new copy of Halo: Reach? To truly judge for yourself you'll need to decide how important each aspect of the game (campaign and multiplayer) is to you. To this effect I will be looking at both, scoring each separately, and then balancing the scores together to come up with an overall total.


First, let's take a look at the campaign. Now obviously there's the fact that Halo: Reach is a prequel and therefore even the mildest fan has some idea of how it ends. The basic information is even conveyed in some of the pre-release promotional information, Reach falls and therefore you failed to save the planet. A little more digging and you'll inevitably come across the fact that by the time the next game starts (Halo: CE) Master Chief is the only remaining Spartan and therefore your team of Spartans (Noble Team) must be dead.

Knowing this can make it a little difficult for some people to become truly invested in the story and the characters. This means that when the game crescendos in an attempt to evoke an emotional response it can easily result in more of a snide laugh than anything else. That's assuming that you're one of those people. If not, the story can be truly gripping and you really feel for every member of Noble Team. In fact, Reach arguably has the best story of any of the previous Halo games. The ending in particular carries a significant punch and, without giving too much away, will definitely leave it's mark on the player.

Unfortunately, the gameplay does still suffer from some of the trademark issues of the Halo universe. You will die some cheap deaths and you will likely have to restart a lot. On the other hand, unlike other Halo games (with the exception of ODST), you will encounter scenarios in which your best option is to sneak by to the next checkpoint.

Overall though, your personal experience will depend completely upon how much you care about these characters and what their going through.

8.5 out of 10

Well folks,

there was a bit of a delay between the end of PAX and me posting my round up of the show. Overall though, I think the extra time helped me get some better perspective on things. In any case, this does mean that it's going to be a busy week on here because now that I've posted my round up I'm working on a review of Halo: Reach which will be up by Friday.

So by the end of this week you will see a review of one of the biggest games of the year.

Look Forward To That

It's been a couple weeks since I returned home from the 2010 Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle (PAX Prime) and I have had a good amount of time to reflect upon what I experienced. So now that I have truly wrapped my head around what I went through, I have decided to close out my coverage with a simple overview of the entire PAX experience.

The first thing that comes to mind is the complete failure on behalf of the Hilton Seattle. I won't get bogged down in the details of exactly how they failed in each department but I will provide you with a list of the areas in question; price, service, parking, convenience, booking, food service, and even internet access. Essentially everything a hotel is supposed to provide. Their failure was so complete in fact that it forced me to find new lodgings for the night and return a day early. Now while this isn't a direct issue with PAX it does hurt the overall experience, particularly because it is one of their selected sponsor hotels.

Once I arrived at the Seattle Convention Center for PAX itself things took a noticeable turn for the better. Despite the overwhelming size of the Expo and the daunting task of trying to experience it all I was overcome with pure, unadulterated joy. It was a euphoric feeling that truly is beyond description. Nothing could spoil it either. Not the lines, the need to walk to a separate building to sign-in, the $20 for parking, or the fact that I still needed a hotel room. Unfortunately those are all inconveniences (however minor) that will, at one point or another, negatively impact a trip to PAX.

The best thing about PAX is how it is specifically tailored to please the fans above everyone else. Whether you enjoy anything from board games to certain genres of literature, PAX has exactly what you want, and it's all waiting just for you. The entire weekend is one long fan service, from the price of admission to the free swag.

There is no animosity at PAX because everyone accepts everyone else for exactly who they are. It even extends beyond the Convention Center itself to within a four block radius in every direction. On the September long weekend, you can wear your nerd love on your sleeve in downtown Seattle.

I just posted another story from PAX Prime 2010. This one covers the phenomenon of Cosplay and why people do it. It turns out that even the cosplayers aren't sure why they do it but at least I got a bunch of cool pictures of Cosplayers at PAX Prime 2010. Unfortunately though, since it is photo based I couldn't post it here because, as I have previously mentioned, it doesn't load photos well.

To make it easier for all of you to find though I have added a direct link to it in this very post.

http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/6719051-cosplaying-just-cause

Thanks for reading, there's plenty more to come.

Well,
I've posted my first article from PAX 2010...just not here. My first article is a photographic tour of everything PAX 2010 has to offer but unfortunately Blogger doesn't do well uploading that many photos into one article. So instead of posting the article here and and at the site for which it was contracted I posted it at the other site and am now posting a link to it here. 

http://www.allvoices.com/users/Zeb364

Go there to find the article and all the photos.

Well folks,

life does have a tendency to get the way of things doesn't it? I'm coming out of Day One of PAX Prime and I've got both good and bad news.

The good news is that I got tons of wesome material for upcoming features. Everything from pictures, to game info, to panels, to the show floor, to an overall impression of PAX and the Seattle area.

The bad news, thanks to an emergency situation I am forced to cut my trip a day short and head home tomorrow. Don't worry though, I'll still have tons of great stuff straight from PAX for all of you.

Thank you

Hey Folks,

I've got some good news and some bad news to report today. Let's start with the good news shall we?

Tomorrow day one of PAX Prime and I'll be there reporting on everything I can possibly get my eyes, ears, and/or hands on. It's going to be crazy and there's so much going on all weekend that I'm going to collect as much of it as I can. I'll get it all to you guys as fast as possible.

Unfortunately, now it's time for the bad news. With all the craziness leading up to PAX (and some additional insanity from my own life) I was unable to write anything on the Scott Pilgrim universe. Also, my schedule just could never seem to line up with that of the games journalist I was going to interview about the industry so we have been forced to post-pone to post PAX. It is still coming though.

That's it for today folks but I'll be posting plenty from PAX in the next few days so keep a close eye on my blog. Everything PAX related will be easily accessible from the PAX link on the right side of the page.

Thanks for reading

I just posted my review of the fourth release in Xbox Live's Summer of Arcade, Monday Night Combat. While I won't be reviewing the final game in the Summer of Arcade lineup I will still be providing plenty of great content, I'll just be moving on to something new. I will be posting an article regarding the entire Scott Pilgrim franchise (the graphic novels, the movie, and the upcoming XBLA title) sometime near the end of August as the game doesn't release until the 25th. As for the time remaining until then, I am still working on putting together an industry article involving an industry insider.

Thank you readers

Who they're protecting it from varies between the two different game modes; Blitz and Crossfire. Blitz is co-op in which one team protects their Moneyball against waves of bots, while Crossfire features two teams each with a Moneyball they must protect from bots as well as the other pros.

There are many different ways to both attack and defend but all of it costs in game money which is earned through kills, assists, and other in game accomplishments. Whether you use that money to strengthen your defences by building/upgrading turrets that surround your Moneyball or to boost your offensive capabilities by upgrading your character, the key is resource management. There are even traps, jump boosters, and vending machines hidden throughout the arenas that can be used to your advantage (for a price of course).

This depth is what is truly enjoyable in MNC and it extends to the character class system. There are five different classes that cater to all kinds of players from stealthy assassins to giant hefty tanks. Once you collect enough lifetime earnings you can purchase a custom class slot in which you take one of the base characters and tweak their stats with sponsorships (perks).

Ultimately, Monday Night Combat's best feature is the surprising depth it offers. At first glance it's a very simple, accessible arcade shooter but once you get into it you realize there is so much more going on that you can't stop until everything is tweaked perfectly. Unfortunately, while you're testing new ground, you're likely to die a lot and even lose more than your share of Moneyball's. That being said, when it comes together you'll have a blast.

The strange thing about XBLA's Monday Night Combat is that it's a very hit or miss experience. It can be incredibly thrilling or incredibly frustrating with no clear reason as to why this particular match is one and not the other. Some people will love the varied class system while others despise it. Even the art style (which is reminiscent of Team Fortress 2) is a point of controversy. This experience of constant highs and lows made it difficult to review and impossible to out and out recommend or denounce. Thankfully, there are free trials for all Xbox Live Arcade titles.

Try Before You Buy

Now that I've posted my review of the second release in Microsoft's Summer of Arcade promotion, Hydro Thunder Hurricane, it's time for me to fill you guys in on what's coming next.

I'm going to be reviewing one more title in the Summer of Arcade lineup when it releases on August 11th. It will be the stylized multiplayer shooter Monday Night Combat, which is somewhat reminiscent of Valve's Team Fortress 2. I hope to post that review by the weekend of the 14th which will bring me to the second half of August.

As for the rest of the month, I'm not exactly sure what I'll be posting but it will most likely be an article or two. I may even be featuring a freelancer from the games journalism industry to provide some insight from inside the industry itself. All of this is still up in the air though so keep following me for updates.

Thanks for reading

The second release in Microsoft's Summer of Arcade, Hydro Thunder Hurricane, is a sequel to Hydro Thunder which was originally released as an arcade and was later ported to Dreamcast, Playstation, and N64. That being said, if you loved Hydro Thunder than Hurricane is meant for you. It pays homage to the original by including all of its core gameplay elements but unfortunately, that's about all it contains.

Hydro Thunder Hurricane is gripping at first with its fast-paced, boost centered racing and the constant hunt for shortcuts will bring you back to old tracks again and again. The problem with this is that there are only eight tracks so they grow old fast.

There are four different game modes; Race, Ring Master, Gauntlet, and Championship. While each of these provide a small variation in gameplay (with the exception of Championship which is just a mix of the other three) they all take place on the same eight tracks so your left feeling like you've already done this. Ring Master even keeps you on the core centered path of the track to avoid exposing any of the shortcuts but this also prevents you from using any of the shortcuts you've made the effort to find. In a game that centers so much on the discovery of any and all shortcuts it's very irritating to not be able to use them.

The multiplayer is bare bones at best. It contains only two game modes, straight up Race and the much more interesting "Rubber Ducky" in which each team has one player control a rubber duck which the rest of the team must try to get across the finish line before the opposing teams rubber duck. It makes for an interesting and fun variation that is actually a blast to play. The only problem is that the online infrastructure is, for lack of a better term, broken. It is very difficult to get into a game and if you do manage to do so, good luck staying there. I repeatedly got a "Disconnected from server" error message and I asked around the lobbies that I did manage to get into and I was clearly not the only one. Fortunately the game does offer split-screen so if you can get buddies on your couch to play, that's your best bet.

Hydro Thunder Hurricane is, at its core, a great testament to the original game and its arcade roots. The problem is that it fails to develop enough on that original concept which results in a very thin experience because the original concept was fine for five to ten minutes in an arcade but for a permanent $15 purchase it's just not enough.

If you have rose coloured glasses of the original Hydro Thunder than Hydro Thunder Hurricane might just be for you. In regards to the overall value however I can't justify a 1200 Microsoft Point purchase.

Avoid

Ok folks,

so here's the deal. I've been trying to get some Microsoft Points together for a couple of the upsoming releases in Microsoft's Summer of Arcade. Now it's taken me longer than I'd hoped but I've gotten enough for two of the games so I am going to be posting reviews of two of the remaining four releases.
I am currently working on a review of Hydro Thunder Hurricane, the second game of Summer of Arcade, and I will start working on a review of Monday Night Combat when it is released on August 11th. I'm going to do my best to have my Hydro Thunder Hurricane review up by Friday.

Stick with me for everything you need to know about Summer of Arcade.

I've got big news folks. A friend of mine is going to be covering Blizzcon for me from the show floor. She knows WOW inside and out and will be able to provide an interesting perspective. She's going to be going to be using a pen name.

So look forward to reading some insightful articles from, Nonerzz.

Well I just posted my first review of the new and improved Zeb's Den and as promised it's the new Xbox Live arcade game LIMBO (I'd like to credit IGN for the screenshot). LIMBO just so happens to be the first game of Xbox Live's Summer of Arcade promotion which features five consecutive weeks of big name arcade titles. Now I'm not going to promise that I'll be able to review them all (I do pay for most of the stuff I review myself and a trip to PAX isn't going to come cheap) but I will try. We'll see how things develop but don't worry, I'm not going to let you good people go hungry for too long.

I've also added a new feature that will make it very easy to let your friends see what I'm doing here. You'll notice a small letter icon at the bottom of every post now. Well that let's you e-mail that post directly to anyone you like.

Thanks for reading

As soon as you load PlayDead Studios new game LIMBO you are bound to come to one realization, this is one beautiful and unique artistic experience. It's unavoidable in the opening sequence alone. The scene opens and you are introduced to a haunting world coloured with nothing but black, white, and shades of grey.

You are given several minutes to take in what lies before you when suddenly two small white dots appear on the bottom of the screen. Soon after, a small boy entirely shaded in black, sits up and you realize your protagonist has been lying unconscious on the floor from the start. The scene ends as the boy rises to his feet and you are left to discover the next step for yourself.

This is just the first of many mysteries you'll encounter in LIMBO. The puzzles are challenging but fun so you become determined to solve them. Every last one is unique but manages to fit the motif perfectly. Even the achievements are purposefully vague leaving you to figure them out for yourself.

Throughout the course of the game you really come to care about your character, simply referred to as "The Boy", and his quest to discover the fate of his sister. This is very impressive seeing how The Boy makes no expressions or sounds of any kind and yet somehow he manages to coax genuine concern and affection from the player. Whenever your failure causes his death, you're likely to feel it.

Overall, LIMBO is an amazing game with a couple awesome avatar awards as a nice bonus. The only problem with LIMBO is that there isn't enough of it, when you reach the end, you'll still want more. Despite this, it's completely worth the 1200 Microsoft Points and since it is the first game of Xbox Live's Summer of Arcade promotion (www.xbox.com/summerofarcade) you can receive a rebate with the purchase of other select titles. With a free trial up on Xbox Live right now, there's no reason not to set foot in LIMBO.

Download

Guess what loyal readers?! Thanks to a surprising combination of monetary and creative circumstances I am starting the blog back up!
There will be a couple of changes though. There will be an ad at the bottom of new posts in the form of a square block of text. It's a link, so if your interested in the advertised material just click the link. Also, from now on I'll be posting more than just reviews. From time to time I'll post feature articles, previews, editorials, and content of that nature.
Finally, I have one last big treat for you good people. In 39 days I will be off to PAX Prime 2010. How does this benefit you? I will be reporting everything I experience on the show floor and in any and all panels I get into. You can expect daily updates all weekend and a detailed summary of the entire show the following week.
Thanks for sticking with me through all this, I'll do my best to make it worth it. My first new article is a review of the recent XBLA game LIMBO and it will be posted by Tuesday at the latest. Following that I'm going to be featuring some cool stuff right up to PAX, at which point it's going to go nuts. Stay tuned.

Well,
here we are folks. It's looking like this might be it for Zeb's Den. I have been offered a similiar position at a different website, one that pays, and I will be posting my reviews there. I would gladly have posted them here as well but the site I will be working for owns the exclusive first years rights to any work I produce for it.

I would like to thank anyone and everyone who took the time to stop by and read my work. I appreciate your time and suggestions.

You can find me at my new workplace, suite101.com, under my real name Bryce Zubriski. The first review I hope to post is Red Dead Redemption but everything I write needs to be approved by my editor now before it posts so we'll see.

Thank you,
Zeb364 (Bryce Zubriski)

Ok everybody,

I know I'm late on the delivery of my Iron Man 2 review but there's a good reason for the wait. I was assigned a bullet review (essentially a very small review) of Iron Man 2 by my editor at the Penticton Herald and I didn't want to run it on my blog before it ran in the paper. That does mean that this will be a very short review though as that's what was requested of me for work.
As for what's coming in the future, I just got Red Dead Redemption today so that will be the next game to be featured here. I am going to tell you up front though, it will probably take a bit longer than usual as I am swamped at work and Red Dead is a massive open world game and as you might have noticed, I'm very thorough with my reviews.

Thanks for sticking with me and I hope you've been enjoying my reviews,
Zeb364

Hi folks!

My life gonna be pretty hectic for the month of May, thanks in no small part to an internship at The Penticton Herald, but I do intend to continue posting reviews. Now I won't be posting as many as be for, at maximum I'll be posting one a week, but they are coming. As for this week, I'm planning on seeing Iron Man this weekend and then posting a review on it. After that I think I'll review the Halo Reach Beta but I'm not certain.

Thanks for sticking with me,
Zeb364

Hello again everybody,

I just posted my first DLC review featuring Left 4 Dead 2's The Passing. For anyone who doesn't know, DLC stands for Downloadable Content. I intended it to be a smaller, sort of mini-review but after discovering the amount of content in Valve's latest DLC offering I ended up writing a full review. This probably won't become a trend as very few companies put that much content in their DLC offerings (especially for that low of a price).
One last thing, I want to explain the last word in my DLC review (i.e. Download). For any DLC reviews I do I'll be using what I like to call the Three D system. The three D's stand for; Download it, Decide for yourself, and Dismiss it. So that's the method behind that madness.

Thanks for reading and welcome to my one and only follower,
Zeb364

Hi folks,

I've decided what the next review will be. It won't be as drastic of a departure from my past reviews as I teased earlier but it will be a smaller review so I might still have time to do one of the ideas mentioned in my last post. In any case, my next review will be of the brand new Left 4 Dead 2 DLC, The Passing. It was released today, I will play it tonight and the review should be up Saturday or Sunday.

Keep following for all the gory details,
Zeb364

Hello again everyone,

the Splinter Cell: Conviction review is up and ready to be torn apart in the comments section. For the next review I'm going to be chaging things up a bit by not reviewing an Xbox 360 game. I'm not sure what I will be reviewing yet but I do have some ideas. It might be a movie, an old game, or maybe even Uncharted 2 for the PS3. I'm not sure, but I do know that I will be reviewing Iron Man 2 following it's release on May 7th so check in for that. To be completely honest, that could be the movie that I review in my next review because I will be getting incredibly busy in the following weeks as I will be starting a newspaper internship. We'll just have to wait to see.

Thanks for reading,
Zeb364

Hello everyone!

Now that the Battlefield: Bad Company 2 review is posted and waiting for comments it's time for me to start looking to the next review and I have some big news on that front. I have realized that the most relevant review I have posted has been two months old by the time I posted it which simply won't do (especially in a year as packed full of big games as 2010). So to help rectify this I will be posting a review of a brand new game within a week of its release. That game will be...Splinter Cell Conviction! Keep reading to see what I think of this reinvention of the series.

Thanks for reading and as always you can find me on 360 at,
Zeb364

Disapointing In Both Modes

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is an overall decent game. It features nice graphics, the gameplay suffers from a few issues but is overall passable, and the physics are awesome. The real issue with the game is how bland and typical it is. It's not terrible in any way but it doesn't stand out in any significant way either. That's not to say that there are no interesting features about Bad Company 2, their just bogged down by the paint by numbers formula of the rest of the game.

The whole game looks nice. It's slightly brown and dingy but that feels completely fitting to the gritty, dirty atmosphere of the entire experience. The real visual stand out though is the debris caused by damaging, or even destroying a building. This is where the game really shines. The sights, sounds, and physics of a building coming apart, or even coming down, is an impressive sight. Unfortunately it's not as practical a tactic as the player might hope. This is one of the examples from this game of a great idea that was poorly executed.

Another such example is the integration of vehicles into both the Campaign and the multiplayer. The game features all the different vehicles you could possibly want, from sea-doos to helicopters, the only problem is they don't control terribly well. I found this to be less of a problem in single player but as soon as I jumped online for some multiplayer I found myself hoofing it across the map to avoid fighting with a vehicle. Obviously some are easier than others, I mean driving a sea-doo across an open lake is simpler than piloting a helicopter while shooting and being shot at, but overall I typically chose my own two feet. This wouldn't be such a big deal if the maps weren't so expansive but they were clearly designed larger to accommodate the vehicles as a viable option. It's truly unfortunate that this is the case because the addition of vehicles is one of the only truly remarkable elements of this multiplayer, or of this game as a whole.

This brings me to the true failing of Battlefield: Bad Company 2. The developers were clearly trying to be the next "Modern Warfare" franchise by mimicking Infinity Ward's successes, which made the whole game feel like you've already played a better version. They added a few new elements in order to elevate it above Modern Warfare, some which worked (the ability to swim in multiplayer) and others that didn't (the vehicles), but ultimately these small additions don't do nearly enough to make Bad Company 2 as good as Modern Warfare, let alone better. Instead, due to its sub-par story and occasionally clumsy controls, Bad Company 2 simply comes off as a lower class copy of Modern Warfare 2. Not terrible in any way, just a five point knock off of a ten point title. Which leaves the consumer with only one question, why should I pay seventy dollars for this when I can pay the same amount for its better quality inspiration? The answer is...you shouldn't.

I'm not saying Bad Company 2 is a definite pass, I'm just saying to buy Modern Warfare 2 first. If, like most the world, you already own and have played through Modern Warfare 2's single player and are just dying for a new military first person shooter campaign then Bad Company 2 is just what you're looking for. Otherwise, I recommend steering clear.

7 out of 10

The first review is up and waiting for your feedback. It`s on Bioshock 2. Check it out and let me know what you think. The next one should be up soon and it will be on Battlefield: Bad Company 2.
Thanks for reading and as always you can find me on Xbox Live,
Zeb364

Hello everyone and welcome back to Reviews Of All Kinds!
This will be the first official post featuring the first official review. The game I have chosen for this landmark event is Bioshock 2. So without further ado let’s get to it.

A Satisfying Return to Rapture

In Bioshock 2 you play as Subject Delta, a prototype Big Daddy who has the ability to use Plasmids. The game is set ten years after the original Bioshock and after a startling cutscene (which I won’t spoil here) you’re awakened by Brigid Tenenbaum (a main character from the original) with no memory of what has happened. She quickly offers to help you discover what has happened to you and, more importantly, to help you find your Little Sister. Before long you are contacted by Sofia Lamb who is the current leader of Rapture and the games primary antagonist. She also happens to be the mother of Eleanor Lamb, your lost Little Sister. This is where the games main conflict comes from and it proceeds to develop into a thick, rich, tapestry full of well fleshed out characters.

Making a sequel to Bioshock, one of the most acclaimed and revered games of this console generation, is a daunting task. If you somehow haven’t tried the original Bioshock I recommend you do so before trying Bioshock 2 because not only is Bioshock a solid 10 but it also sets up the background and universe required to truly appreciate and understand Bioshock 2. Despite the level of difficulty in doing so, 2K manages to make a sequel is everything it needs to be. I’m not saying that it is better, or even as good, but it does everything that you can hope for a sequel to do. It makes a few minor improvements to the original, not corrections because they weren’t really issues in the first game, but the developers found a way to improve them for the sequel. A few great examples of this are the streamlined combat, the more rapid and intense hacking, and finally the improved enemies. In Bioshock 2 you can use one Plasmid and one weapon at the same time while in the original you had to switch between one and the other. This comes in handy while facing the improved enemies featured in Bioshock 2. Not only are they more intelligent (taking cover, healing at health stations, etc.) but they are also more diverse including a new type of splicer, a new type of Big Daddy, Big Sisters, and a surprising enemy encountered only in the second half of the game. Finally there is the hacking mini-game used to subvert vending machines, turrets, and security cameras. In the original Bioshock it took the form of a game where you connected pipes to conduct fluid from one end to the other which was slower paced than the rest of Bioshock and removed you completely from the rest of the game. While in Bioshock 2 it’s a faster paced game where you are required to stop a needle in the correct coloured section and the rest of the came continues around you while you attempt to do this. These small tweaks add to the experience and make the whole game a bit more streamlined.

One of the only real complaints about the original was the final boss battle. Most people felt that it simply did not fit with the feel of the rest of the game. This is addressed in the sequel in a fairly significant way but before I get to into it I want to warn you that while I will do my best to ruin anything major some small reveals are unavoidable. If you have not beaten the game and don’t want to know anything ahead of time then I suggest you simply skip ahead to the next paragraph. Now in regards to the final battle in Bioshock 2, you don’t actually face one specific boss. Instead you are assaulted by an endless horde of Sofia Lambs strongest followers while attempting to complete a few objectives that are necessary to your success. This is consistent with the feel of the entire series because whether you’re playing Bioshock 2 or the original you almost never face just one enemy at a time and almost always have something to accomplish besides simply defeating them. Once you do accomplish the necessary objectives it does result in a flooding of the room thus killing all the enemies. Once this has occurred you proceed to the exit and after one final explosion one of four final cutscenes begins. Which cutscene you see depends entirely on your actions throughout the game and which option you took at certain pivotal decisions. Three of the four endings also include one final pivotal decision which influences the finale of the video. Ultimately the ending leaves you feeling content and, surprisingly, hopeful for the future of the series. Where the original left you more blown away and most likely more devoted to the game it tended to leave you not wanting a sequel because it was so good it seemed impossible to do it justice. This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing but at the same time neither is a desire for more content from the same universe.

One last aspect of Bioshock 2 is the very controversial multiplayer mode. When this mode was announced it caused stir within the community because fans of the first game strongly believed that it was already perfect without multiplayer and all a multiplayer mode would do was detract resources from the core game. 2K went ahead with the multiplayer despite this negative response and surprisingly enough they succeeded in making a pretty enjoyable multiplayer. Now it’s not going to become the next internationally loved multiplayer and overtake Modern Warfare, Halo, or Gears, which unfortunately means it will probably shortly be abandoned because that is the unfortunate nature of modern day console multiplayer. Despite this likely pre-mature death it is a solid first person shooter online multiplayer but tweaked in ways unique to the Bioshock universe. These tweaks are what make this multiplayer stand out. The addition of gameplay elements like the use of Plasmids, hacking of turrets and vending machines, unique splicer themed melee weapons, researching defeated enemies for a damage bonus, and the ability to become a Big Daddy, make this multiplayer mode feel at home in the Bioshock universe. The real gem of this multiplayer though is the integration of a story aspect. This is achieved mainly through the addition of a personal apartment for the player to visit before and after matches where they receive messages from the company funding there combat and can listen to audio logs made by all the different multiplayer characters. These, added to the comments made by the individual characters during the actual matches, paint a surprisingly full picture of their mindset, motives, and the environment their living in. This story aspect adds a whole new layer to the multiplayer that has never been seen before. These unique traits make the multiplayer worth trying and it clearly didn’t detract from the single player experience, partly I believe because they contracted two studios specifically for multiplayer.

Overall Bioshock 2 is a great game. It expands on the rich universe created in the original without retreading any old information. It refines the experience where at all possible adding another layer of shine to the overall product. While the first game revolved around a view where the individual takes precedence over all else to an extreme degree the second avoids a repetition of this while maintaining the same level of impact by introducing the opposite view of the community taking precedence over all else to the same degree. It adds to what worked for Bioshock without overdoing them to where they detract from the overall quality.

10 out of 10

Hey everyone!
This is my first post ever and I'm just going to use it to introduce myself and what it is I'm going to be doing here. My name is Bryce Zubriski also known as Zeb364 (also my 360 Gamertag, send me an invite if you want to play sometime) and I'm an aspiring games journalist. I decided to start this blog as a way to practice writing reviews and to get some feedback on them. On that note, I welcome any and all comments, be they positive or negative. All I ask is that you try and keep it constructive. While it doesn't bother me if you just want to spout hate, it's everyones right to do so, it just doesn't really help much.
To get back to my point though, while I will mostly post Video Game Reviews on this blog I will also post Film or Book Reviews from time to time. That's pretty much the jist of it though, the first game I'll be reviewing is Bioshock 2, keep checking back to see what's happening.
Thanks for your time,
Zeb 364