Call of Duty: Black Ops First Impressions



Hello everyone,

I didn't attend the midnight launch for this game, but I did go to gamestop the next day.  When I got home I popped the game in and I had about 4 hours to play.  I'll try to put this into perspective, but in that 4 hours I played two rounds of multiplayer, one round of Nazi Zombies, and about 3 campaign missions on normal difficulty.  I'll be posting a full review of the game next week, but right now I'll share my initial thoughts.

Campaign:  As of right now I have finished the campaign, on normal difficulty, and I'm not impressed.  There were definitely some interesting levels, some really innovative, but the majority were very repetitive and tried too hard to be Modern Warfare 2.  In every single level you can count on two things:  Some kind of quick time event and at least one moment in which you will need to draw your pistol, that you don't even have as a weapon, and save someones life.  In these aspects, Black Ops isn't innovative at all and it overdoes what Modern Warfare and Modern Warfare 2 did so incredibly well.  What Black Ops's story does well, however, is the actual "Black Ops" levels.  I can tell you, the first two levels, and maybe three more in the entire game of 15 levels.  I really only enjoyed 1/3rd of the game, which doesn't sit well with me.  However, the levels that I did enjoy were incredibly innovative and fun.  I don't want to spoil anything, but all of these levels shared a feeling of being behind enemy lines and fighting, not only to complete your mission, but to survive.  Unfortunately though, I felt the same way about Call of Duty: World at War.  Treyarch does develop games really well without any outside influences, but when they try to live up to Modern Warfare, they fail, which is unfortunately about 2/3rds of the game.

Multiplayer:  I haven't played many matches of multiplayer, but from what I've played I think the maps are a little too big.  Most of the maps in Modern Warfare 2 were close to medium range maps, which really worked well, but Black Ops's maps really encourage you to snipe and camp.  Also, the pre loaded classes are really under powered.  I feel like I can get several kills with the weapons they provide, but no where close to someone who has unlocked the custom classes. 

Nazi Zombies:  Nazi Zombies hasn't changed much from the final map pack in Call of Duty: World at War.  You are initially trapped in a facility and need to turn the power on to access different rooms to get back to your own time period.  There's not much to say about this map, but there are three total maps that come with the game.  The second map is really crazy; you play as Nixon, Castro, JFK, and JFK's advisor to defend the Pentagon from invading zombies that happen to be Nazi's.  This map is much more like the original map that came with World at War because the map is much smaller and there are only a few doors to open.  I could easily see spending a lot of time in this map, but not necessarily the first.  I haven't unlocked the final map, but I'd like to see what it is. 

A full review will be posted some time next week after I've had some more time with the game's story and multiplayer modes. 

Thanks
Cheif Goku C

Game Review of the Week: Assassin's Creed 1 and 2

Hey guys,
After an unexpected hiatus I'm happy to say that I'm able to start posting on a regular schedule again.  Over the past month or so I've gotten and played many different games, mostly in anticipation for the upcoming games of the holiday season.  One game coming out is Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood.  I am still considering getting this game, so in preparation I bought Assassin's Creed 1 over the summer and Assassin's Creed 2 several weeks ago.
Assassin's Creed 1:

Story:  This game is definitely a game worth seeking out because of how great the story is.  You take on the character of Desmond who wakes up one day in a facility with only two other people who seem to be holding him hostage.  After some explanations you lay down in some kind of strange machine called the Animus, and suddenly you become Altair, a master assassin from the late 12th century.  The game begins with Altair and two other assassin's attempting to secure an artifact from the Temple of Solomon.  The Brotherhood of the Assassins only requires three rules:
1.Stay your blade from the flesh of an innocent
2.Hide in plain sight.
3.Never compromise the brotherhood
Altair, being arrogant, clearly disregards the central tenets of the Brotherhood which results in the death of one assassin and a severe injury to another.  After returning to the Brotherhood stronghold in shame he must attempt to fend off an attacking army, and while this act is valiant it does not make up for breaking the Assassin's Creed and is executed by his master.  Hours later Altair wakes and realizes that he was not spared, but at a high cost.  Altair must start at the bottom of the Brotherhood, loosing all of his weapons and experience, he must assassinate nine targets in order to restore his previous rank and standing in the Brotherhood. 
This is where the game essentially "starts".  Assassin's creed's story was incredibly entertaining and interesting.  I found myself really wanting to finish this assassination so that I could see what happens next to Altair.  Furthermore, the fact that Altair is a flawed character makes him more likable as he embarks on his journey of self discovery to restore his honor and respect for the creed. 

Gameplay:  The gameplay is incredibly fun, but there is a large learning curve.  The game manipulates the controller to actually provide double the buttons, and this control set up can be confusing at first, but once you get the hang of the control scheme it really isn't noticeable.
The fighting in the game is very focused on sneaking and killing silently without attracting attention to yourself.  This game play style works well for the game because if you get into a large fight with more than ten people it is very difficult to win, mainly because you are equipped to take out one or two guards.  Once a large group shows up you can quickly be over powered and killed. 

Graphics:  Considering the game came out three years ago, the graphics are good, but not great.  Facial animations look off and textures can look distorted from a distance.  However, the landscapes are beautiful and the cities are very large and detailed. 

Bottom line:  Assassin's Creed is something that every gamer should try because it really is a defining game.  The game play isn't all that different from other action adventure free roam games, but the assassinations are incredibly fun and the way that the game plays is incredibly immersive. 


Assassin's Creed 2:

Story:  Assassin's Creed 2's story is totally different from Assassin's Creed 1.  You take on the role of Desmond, who is escaping the facility he was held hostage in.  To avoid spoilers, Desmond eventually gets to a warehouse where he goes back into the Animus as a different assassin, Ezio.  However, when Desmond first takes control of Ezio he is just a thug driven by nothing, but when his entire family is executed by the Templar Knights he becomes driven by vengeance.  Donning his fathers secret assassin cloak, Ezio takes up the cause of avenging the death of his family and discovering the Templar's evil plans.  I thought that the story for Assassin's Creed 2 was much more "over the top" than Assassin's Creed 1's story.  Also, I found Ezio to be less likable than Altair, but more motivated in his mission.  It also appears that the Brotherhood has dissolved and all that is left of the assassin's are small groups of resistance fighters across Italy.  I still found this game entertaining, but I think the main problem that I had was that Altair was such a cool and interesting character that I didn't want to let him go, and luckily he makes several appearances in this game in some interesting ways. 

Gameplay:  The gameplay of Assassin's Creed 2 is exactly the same as Assassin's Creed 1, but with some added bonuses.  For example, Ezio is equipped with two wrist blades and a host of other weapons.  Some of which include poison, smoke bombs, and flying machines!  This definitely makes the game more fun and varied, but at some points there is little to no challenge while using these new additions to the inventory.  I found the controls to be tighter and more responsive, but there is still a slightly confusing control scheme.

Graphics:  Assassin's Creed 2 is incredibly beautiful to look at.  The way that the water ripples, the way that enemies fall, and the way that you run just looks immensely beautiful and polished.  There are still some issues with facial animations, but other than that the graphics are top notch. 
 
Bottom Line:  I personally liked Assassin's Creed 1 more for the story, but Assassin's Creed 2 is definitely worth investing in, especially for the continuation in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood which is coming out this holiday season.  If you liked Assassin's Creed, or other action adventure games like Uncharted, you'll like this game. 

Hope you guys liked these reviews. 
Upcoming posts are: 
Halo: Reach review (long overdue)
Call of Duty: Black Ops first impressions
Call of Duty: Black Ops Review

Thanks for reading,
Cheif Goku C

Extra Life 2010

Hello All,
This Saturday, Gamers Across the world, will unite in a 24 hour gaming marathon to fight pediactric cancer.  More information can be found at this link:  https://www.hospitalshelpingkids.org/ExtraLife/default.aspx

I am participating in this event on Saturday, October 16th, 2010.  You can donate to mine, or anyones page, since all of the money goes to the Children's Miracle Network. 
Here is the link to my Extra Life Page: https://www.hospitalshelpingkids.org/ExtraLife/m.aspx?i=1972390EB+1+D5BFA
Thank you and updates on the blog will be coming more regularly from now on,
CheifGokuC

Plants Vs Zombies

Plants Vs Zombies was released almost one and a half years ago on the PC and it was recently ported to XBLA on September 8th. Bottom line, buy this game. It is a little pricey on the Xbox Live Arcade at 1200 XBL points, but it is fully worth the price.

Gameplay:
Plants Vs Zombies is a tower defense game in which you must plant different types of garden plants in your front and back yards and roof in order to repel the oncoming zombie invasion. Some of these plants include a pea shooter, Venus fly trap, and cactus, all of which are used for defending the house where you reside.  For those of you who have ever played a PopCap game like Peggle, you know of the addictive, psychedelic properties that their games contain. It is hard to describe, but the humor of the game, the controls, and the story (or lack there of), make this game's gameplay incredibly addictive and fun.
In addition to the main campaign, there are also a verses mode, horde mode, and mini game mode that add to the replay value.

Design:
So the design of the game can be divided into two different parts: Visuals and sound. The visuals of the game are very bright and vivid, though not HD, but like I've said, the visuals of a game are the first thing that you see but the least important aspect of a game. The sounds of the game are very humorous as sometimes the zombies will say some little catch phrases like "Brains" and "They're Coming!" It really sucks you into the fun that is to be had.

Bottom line:
If you played this game on the PC there is little that has changed. At the price of 15 dollars, this is a really great deal. If you are a fan of strategy or tower defense games you will definitely like this game, and if you're not, play the demo and you'll know whether or not you like the game.

Halo: Reach First Impressions

Alright...
So, as I write this post it is 4:33 in the morning, and take into consideration that I bought the game at 12:01 am, this very same day. I have spent just over 4 hours playing this game, more specifically Forge, Matchmaking, and Campaign. I'll go over my first impressions with the game in that order.

Forge has been substantially improved. Everything that should have been in Halo 3 has been included in Halo: Reach. Users can phase, snap, and levitate pieces to their hearts content. Although it was a bit overwhelming at first, it became more intuitive as I used it. I only spent about 45 minutes in Forge, but I can tell I will be spending much more time on my map editing in the future.

Second, Matchmaking was where I spent the bulk of my 4 hours. For anyone that played the Beta, you can expect a very similar experience. However, there are several noticeable differences from the beta that should be noted. First, in the Beta there were only 4 main Spartan armor permutations, and now a fifth has been added. This fifth permutation enables the user to project a hologram of them, which could distract a sniper, or draw someone’s fire for those few precious seconds. Second, I think that the experience has been refined. To be more specific, splash damage is reduced and increased when needed, the armor permutation controls feel more tight and more responsive. Lastly and unfortunately, many things have been nerfed. For example, the cloaking permutation has been changed so that it is only active when standing completely still, and when you are moving the invisibility turns into a partial invisibility, but make no mistake, you are very much visible to your enemies.

Lastly, the campaign is where I was placing most of my preverbal eggs. I have always loved the Halo Campaign's made by Bungie. Halo CE, Halo 2, Halo 3, and Halo ODST all had their flaws in the campaign, but they were all incredibly fun to play and very enthralling. Unfortunately, in the hour and a half or so that I played the campaign I didn't see any deep connections between the characters, plot development, or a deeper and darker underlying plot that would inevitably reveal itself later in the game. Maybe I should replay the first three levels, and maybe I should pay more attention to the acting and animation, but from what I noticed, it really didn't blow me away. However, I do look forward to finishing up the campaign, first on my own on Legendary, and then on CO-OP with four friends.

Look for a more in depth review later in the week when I beat the Campaign and get a chance to try out the Custom Games, Theater Mode, and Fire Fight Modes.

Used Game Review of the Week: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Review
When I first saw this game sitting in the used game bin for 17.99, I was a little hesitant, mainly because Dead Space was sitting right next to it. However, since I do have Dead Space on the PC, I decided to try this Star Wars game to see if it would be worth it to pick up the next one in the series, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2. I have to say that I haven't spent much time with the game, probably less than 3 hours, but with what I've played, I think I made the right choice. This game is perhaps the most intuitive Star Wars game ever made! There is no better feeling than wielding a red lightsaber and lifting a storm trooper into the air and force pushing him across the map. The controls are very tight and responsive and so far, I really like the story. The visuals do seem like they are a little dated, but the game did release a while ago. This visual problem is especially evident in the cut scenes. I'm not exactly sure what it is, but the facial animations don't really match the words being spoken. Now, I have to say that I will be picking up The Force Unleashed 2 when it comes out. I cannot wait to finish this game and see where the story takes me.
I give this game a 9/10, but I'm not sure if a non-Star Wars fan would really enjoy the experience.

Hey,

Last week a Halo: Reach Commercial was released, and here is the full version, compliments of Machinima.

Enjoy!

Used game review of the week

Hey,
I've decided to post one review a week of one of the many used games that I have. These reviews will be based on games that are at least 6 months old.
This week's used game review is on Sonic's Ultimate Genesis Collection.
You can find this game for 1$17.00 at Gamestop, which is a very good price for such a large collection of games. With this game you will receive approximately 40 Sega Genesis games, some of which include: Sonic, Sonic 2, Sonic 3, Sonic and Knuckles, Phantasy Star, Streets of Rage, Kid Chameleon, Fatal Labyrinth, Altered Beast, and Shinobi 3. While this is a very large collection of great old school games, I have to give this game a 6/10. The best games in this pack are easily the sonic games, the Phantasy Star games, and Shinobi. Other than those, the other games are a very random assortment. After playing Sonic, Sonic 2, Altered Beast, and Shinobi 3 I had my fill and I really had no desire to play more. If you are an old school gamer that is looking for some great nostalgic gaming, then this is most definitely the collection for you. For everyone else though, the game really is a very random assortment of games that are fun for a short time, but do quickly lose their luster.
Thanks for reading!

Remember Reach

Hello All,

Finally there is an action packed Halo Reach Live Action Teaser. This one will definitely remind you of the We Are ODST and Halo Landfall before it.

Enjoy!

New Blog

Hey everyone,
After a very long battle with Blogspot, I've decided to remove all traces of my other blogs and I'm just going to be posting on this one. Here you can find videos, machinima, reviews, and the occasional walkthrough. I look forward to serving some great content!