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Metareview: Children of Mana
During the great catastrophe that occured in Illusia, many lost their life. The Mana Tree, a staple of the Mana series, has now become corrupt with its own power, causing countless monsters to roam the lands. Mana pillars have also erected across Illusia, tasking the player with raising the Sword of Mana and freeing the trapped Guardian Spirit within. This is the only way the Mana Tree and Illusia can return to peaceful state it enjoyed before the catastrophe. IGN - 80%: "Hardcore gamers expecting to get a sequel to the popular Secret of Mana series from the days of the Super Nintendo are going to be let down purely based on the dungeon crawler design of the game. For fans of games like Blizzard's Diablo, or repeat gamers that enjoyed Sword of Mana despite its harsh criticism and apparent downsides, Children of Mana is a keeper. The action is solid, the amount of character customization is definitely robust, the amount of side quests and bonus missions to partake in will ensure players that the adventure isn't over too quickly, and the game is simply beautiful on an audio/visual level. As far as hack-n-slash RPGs go, Children of Mana is one of the best we've seen on a handheld, and for dungeon crawler addicts Square Enix has definitely hit the spot." Gamepro - 80%: "Ultimately, Children of Mana is wonderfully rendered, but when compared to Secret of Mana's engaging narrative, Children of Mana's sparse and slow story falls short. The game is still fun, especially if you enjoy dungeon-crawling and strategically nuanced battles. Fans of the Mana series should check it out, but don't hold your expectations too high." Games Radar - 60%: "It's a shame that combat in Children of Mana is so mindless. The ingredients are there to make this a really excellent action RPG. Unfortunately, it wasn't cooked for long enough and you're left with an action RPG with great RPG elements and trite action. There are lots of things this game does right, but ultimately it fails to live up to its potential."
Metacritic: Grand Theft Auto Vice City Stories
It'll be out on store shelves soon: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. You've seen all our coverage of the game so far. Does the game live up to the incredible hype? Let's find out what some of the critics have to say about this hotly anticipated entry into the GTA series: IGN (90/100) thinks the game falls in very familiar, but high-quality, territory: "It's still largely the same game that we first saw with Grand Theft Auto III. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as Vice City Stories is still easily one of the best games on the system, but if you've began to grow tired of the franchise's mechanics, mission structure or overall feel, this likely won't renew your love of the series.". 1UP (90/100) is still shocked that Rockstar squeezed so much into this portable game: "Like LCS before it, Vice City Stories impresses like few games have managed to do on the system. The fact that the PSP pulls off everything in here with minimal loading screens is amazing. And the sheer amount of variety the game offers -- from side missions to the empire building to the story to the clever collectibles (red balloons, 99 of 'em) to the best sandbox-style, "mess with the world as you'd like" action out there -- will easily keep you entertained on cross-country flights a few times over (though it sucks down battery life at a startling rate).". GamePro (75/100) thinks the story's poor execution hurts the game: "So it's a big shame that lot of that personality has gone missing in Vice City Stories. Maybe it was the jump to a smaller stage that did them in but the characters and dialogue don't have the same snap nor does the game exhibit the same goofy and utterly loveable 80's style. Instead, the game is gritty and dull to a fault and it doesn't have the same sense of humor that made the past titles so entertaining." Unsurprisingly, the game is more of the same. It seems like for many of us, that's perfectly fine: we need our GTA fix. However, for those of you that never got into the formula, or have become tired of the franchise, Vice City Stories won't do anything to really bring you back. The game is now available in stores.
Metareview: Medal of Honor Heroes
You think that having massive thirty-two player multiplayer Infrastructure battles would give Medal of Honor Heroes higher marks, but critics these days... they're hard to appease. While the game isn't poorly reviewed by any means, it hasn't been glowingly reviewed, either. Maybe WWII games are becoming a bit too stale and familiar? Maybe the analog nub wore out the critics? Let's find out: IGN (84/100) loved the game enough to ignore most of its flaws: "Heroes has set a new standard for portable first-person shooters. It has a number of issues, a few of which can irritate quite a bit, but when put into perspective they all seem rather small. It says a lot about a game when its highpoints do a great job of excusing, maybe even hiding its blemishes." Gamespot (73/100) hopes you like playing online: "If it had more depth, Medal of Honor Heroes would be a great game. No matter how you shake it, with a single-player story that's just four hours long, the game's over far too quickly." Game Informer (64/100) thinks we've killed enough Nazis: "Everything about Heroes feels like a rehash of old concepts, even if this is effectively a new game. As a full-on PSP FPS that manages to work and control moderately well, that may be enough to satisfy some players. The rest of us, meanwhile, are going to feel like we've seen this game a hundred times before, and not only are we ready for something new, but we've played that something new in the form of other, better titles." It does seem like EA has crafted quite a technical achievement with Heroes, especially in multiplayer. But I agree with Game Informer: I'm done with WWII shooters. And players that skip out of the multiplayer experience will certainly feel burned by such a short single-player campaign. But, it looks like anyone looking for some solid FPS multiplayer action on the PSP will have to look no further. The game is now available in stores.
Metareview - Marvel Ultimate Alliance
Joystiq has posted a metareview of Marvel Ultimate Alliance. The consensus: it's good. From the creators of X-men Legends, it's no surprise that the game is fun. Highlights include a revamped, simpler healing system, better villains than Justice League, good enemy AI, and overall great production values. Check out Joystiq for some quotes and links to prominent reviews. Anyone picked this up yet?
Metareview: Ace Combat X
The early reviews for Namco's PSP-exclusive flight game are in, and they're good! The critics have unanimously applauded the game's graphics, sound, music, depth and controls. With such care placed into games like Tekken: Dark Resurrection and the original Ridge Racer, it appears that Namco is quickly becoming the PSP's leading publisher. Let's see what the critics had to say: Gamespot (82/100) - "Ace Combat X plays surprisingly well on the PSP. Although its visuals aren't quite as slick as in the PS2 installments, it's a remarkably intense action game that you can take with you on the go." GameBrink (89/100) - "I didn't think I'd see another quality air combat game like it until Namco's eventual PS3 outing but Ace Combat X has arrived to prove me wrong. From the visuals to the audio and the controls, the developers custom tailored the PS2 Ace Combat engine to fit in the PSP's profile. And they didn't just port it; they actually improved on it as if Ace Combat X was the next title in the series and not a portable spin-off." IGN (87/100) - "Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception makes a spectacular landing on the PSP. It has everything longtime fans of the series could possibly want, along with a few extras they're probably not expecting. Deception also looks great and runs well, offering a near identical experience as what's on the PS2." I didn't plan on picking up Ace Combat X, but after all the great reviews, I think I may reconsider. The game is now available in stores.
Metareview - Bounty Hounds
I was extremely excited to play Bounty Hounds, but when the demo was released and I finally got my hands on it, I must say I was a bit disappointed. You see, the camera was every bit as bad as previously reported. Unfortunately, most of the reviewers agreed with me, as the game didn't exactly get the kind of reviews many of us thought it would before playing it. However, I'm sure that didn't dissuade many of my fellow fanboys from picking it up, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with it. IGN (70/100) - "Bounty Hounds is a classic example of shoddy execution derailing a slew of great ideas. With a better camera and improved controls, it could have been a real contender." Got Next (60/100) - "It seems that no matter which way you look at it, Bounty Hounds is the kind of game that did everything right to turn out great except the first thing it was meant to do – create an addictive online interaction with players." Games Radar (30/100) - "Nearly every element of Bounty Hounds falls flat. Graphics? Utterly mediocre and heavily fogged (the comic-like cinematics are drawn nicely, though.) Level design? Non-existent: expect a sleep-inducing never-ending sequence of open fog fields and blocky square corridors." As you can see, the game just didn't seem to deliver, and that's a real shame because it seemed like it was coming together to make a really great game. Hopefully, Namco can go back to the drawing board and fix these problems when and if they release a sequel.
Metareview: Killzone: Liberation
The second half of October is going to be an expensive month for PSP owners. October 31st will be an especially expensive time, with two of the PSP's biggest heavy-hitters launching simultaneously: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories and Killzone Liberation. The early reviews of Killzone are in, and so far, it's good: IGN (90/100) - "It seems wherever Liberation can go the extra mile, it does. It delivers on all fronts, from a thoroughly engrossing single-player campaign to an addictive multiplayer component. Liberation also shames most other PSP offerings through its presentation, which blends excellent visuals and sound with a clean and user-friendly interface. It has a few quirks, but in the end, they seem almost negligible. Definitely recommended to fans of the action genre, but also to anyone who dislikes bad games." Game Informer (73/100) - "Killzone is a franchise that has generated a lot of hype based on one average console FPS and a really wicked E3 video a couple of years ago, but Liberation is a PSP title that has some real meat on its bones... The basics here are all done well; I just wish there was a better auto-targeting system in place, a flaw that really limited my enjoyment of this game. Still, when portable versions of shooters so often feel like product for product's sake, it's good to see a company that's actually trying to do some quality work on the PSP." UGO (90/100) - "Gameplay-wise, Liberation is one of the best overhead shooters we've ever played... We would've liked to see a slightly meatier single-player experience, but the promised downloadable chapters and maps should help that. Mutliplayer, on the other hand, is top notch, and if you've got a couple friends with the game, it'll be a sure way to kill a few hours." Meaty? Not meaty? Game Informer and UGO seem to disagree and the meatocity of the game, but one cannot forget that much more content will be made available later on in the year as free downloads, such as the highly coveted Infrastructure multiplayer. Our very own Chris Powell gave the demo an 8.5 earlier in the year, and it appears that the final version of the game is well represented by the demo. So, dust off your demo UMDs, and give the demo a spin. Chances are if you like the demo, you'll like the game.
Metareview: Clubhouse Games
Featuring more than 20 classic board, card, and party games, Clubhouse Games allows gamers to play alone or take things online via Nintendo's Wi-Fi Connect service and is the latest entry in Nintendo's Touch Generation line of games. Released in Europe as 42 All-Time Classics, the gameplay of both titles is identical. Featuring plenty of gameplay and a budget price, Clubhouse Games has plenty to offer. Is what it offers worth the price of admission, however? IGN - 80%: "The entire package is about casual, portable pick-up-and-playability when you've got some time to kill. That being the case, the variety on offer here is simply staggering. The fact that Nintendo's poured so much energy into ensuring everything is solidly entertaining - with particular props going to the multitude of mulitplayer and online options - just sweetens things further." Cubed3 - 80%: "Whilst games like Billiards border on the unplayable you will cherish that cart next time you are stuck in a tunnel on the way home from work/uni/college/school and can pull out your DS for a quick game of blackjack or solitaire. Or to see if you can finally get 3 strikes in a row for the bowling mission. It this is a highly personal choice for any gamer as strictly speaking these games are nothing new; but in terms of affordability, replayability and downright fun we feel it's worth it." Nintendo Power - 70%: "If you plan on playing with your friends, it's indespensible; if you'll be going at it alone, there's a fair amount to do but you may lose patience with the scoring and lack of single-player variety. [Nov. 2006, p.87]" The points made that many of these games can be played for free via several different online outlets is certainly a valid one, however with the convenience of clumping all these games together for a small price, along with Wi-Fi Connect support, we certainly feel the package is worth the price. What about you, fine reader?
Metareview: Gangs of London
Gangs of London is the biggest release for PSP this week. Sony's been hyping the game through extensive advertisements and elaborate contests. They even printed tons of demos so that people would pick up, play and think "man, this game is a winner." Unfortunately, the plan backfired as I got tons of comments from readers trashing the game. Chris Powell asked me what I thought and I called it "laughably bad." It looks like our negative first impressions of the game were right as the game has been ridiculed by critics the world over. Let's check out some reviews from all over the world: Pocket Gamer UK (40/100) - "Don't put Gangs of London on anyone's Christmas list. Whether it's stealth, driving or shooting, the game feels limited and unengaging, is hampered by unresponsive controls and completely lacks the necessary polish of a modern production." Sydney Morning Herald (60/100) - "With such clumsy controls, the limited intelligence of both friends and foes, and a lack of mission variety, most players would have a lot more fun with GTA Liberty City Stories." GameZone (50/100) - "Gangs of London is a pretty dull game that can border on frustrating due to the clunky controls, lame missions and weak AI. Definitely more 'Swept Away' than 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels'." I'm somewhat disappointed at how this game turned out. If Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories wasn't around the corner, I'd be pretty upset.
Metareview: Loco Roco
The last time PSP Fanboy did a Metareview, it covered another one of my most-wanted games: Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins. It didn't fare too well, with the critics bashing its much-too-high level of difficulty. Garnering only a 73 average, many felt a little disappointed, myself included. [Andrew's note: the game is pretty damn good, but then again, one of my favorite games last generation was Ikaruga.] The other game I've been obsessing over, Loco Roco, has just been released and although it got some poor initial reviews from Gamespot and a nine year old girl, the critics seem to be in agreement that Loco Roco will make you cucoo for Cocoa Puffs. Here are excerpts from the critics: IGN (90/100) - "You'll discover playing Loco Roco is a lot like eating candy, only without the stomachache after an overdose. That sounds absurd but it really gets the point across. It's vibrant, cheery and serves no other point than to make you smile. But, like candy, Loco Roco also ends sooner than you want it to end." The New York Times (90/100) - "With imaginative levels on snowy landscapes or inside whales, Loco Roco uses charm and simplicity of design to create something near perfection. But it's a small perfection, charming in its childlike whimsy but as insubstantial as a summer breeze." GamePro (60/100) - "So much of LocoRoco is so clever and original that it's almost perplexing when it stops being any fun. The fun does run out, though, long before the game is over -- in that sense, the experiment has to be called a failure." Well, it looks like the people of GamePro don't like candy. But, the rest of us can be proud of Loco Roco's impressive 84 average from the critics.
Metareview - Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins
It's been well documented throughout the annals of time that Andrew is overly obsessed with anything Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins. I mean the guy has practically been hanging onto every whim of new information that has become available since he's heard of the game. And now that the game has just been released and reviews have poured in, I'm not sure whether he's happily playing it or if he's on suicide watch. You see, the game hasn't neccessarily been the poster child for great reviews; rather, it's reviews have seen more up and downs than Ike and Tina spending the winter locked in a log cabin in Montana. The game currently has an 73% average score on Metacritic. Play Magazine (95/100) says "Ultimate Ghosts 'n Goblins is '2D,' but it's also a highly-produced, meticulously planned, big-budget release. This is no throwback to side-scrollers gone by, this is 2D handheld gaming." Gamerfeed (70/100) tells us what we already know: "This game is about as hard as petrified wood. Capcom eased things up a bit by tossing three difficulty levels into the mix, but even the added confidence booster couldn't save me from dying hundreds of times." Official U.S. Playstation Magazine (40/100) gets down to the nitty gritty: "The ugly: The graphics, the controls, the level design."
Metareview - Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth
IGN was one of the first outlets out of the gate with a Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth review as they awarded it an Editor's Choice award, but now, more reviews have been pouring in. While this is another port, which some people don't seem to like, it seems like it's one of the best RPGs yet for our beloved PSP. However, that may not mean a whole lot since the PSP's RPG library is nothing to write home about. Will Lenneth change all that? IGN (85/10) gets right to the point by saying it's "the best RPG that the PSP has received to date." 1UP (80/100) appreciates the change of pace Lenneth brings to the table. "As an originator, Valkyrie Profile is an inspired maverick in a field of me-too RPGs, beautiful to look at and exciting to play." Gamespot (75/100) thinks it's a decent game, but only fans of the genre may have fun with it when they said, "A solid port of a one-of-a-kind role-playing game that is endlessly appealing to genre fans who are looking for something different, but it's a bit too dense for everyone else." So there you have it. While Lenneth doesn't appear to be anything spectacular, it should offer someone itching for some RPGing on the go a lot of fun.
Metareview - Titan Quest
When Blizzard introduced the seminal Diablo a decade ago, they single-handedly invented the hack and slash RPG (and, quite possibly, carpal tunnel syndrome). There have been many followers since -- Dungeon Siege on the PC, Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance and Champions of Norrath on consoles -- and while the graphics engines have evolved, the addictive gameplay has remained more or less the same. With Titan Quest, developer Iron Lore stuck to the principle formula, but in a setting that is more Age of Mythology than D&D. Yahoo! Games (90/100) appreciates the attention to detail in level design: "Although there are no random levels, the later game opens up with enough side quests that you don't feel like you're playing Dungeon Siege, being shunted from one canned encounter to the next. The flip side of not having Diablo's tile-based random-level generator is that every nook and cranny is built by hand. And it looks it: Titan Quest is a gorgeous game on many different levels." GameSpot (76/100) notes Titan Quest's potential longevity: "The gradual approach to character creation taken here is welcome, and the sheer scope of the single-player campaign, coupled with the cooperative play and tools to create your own campaign, means that players willing to commit to the experience will have a wealth of content to keep themselves busy with." GameSpy (70/100) recommends a hefty system configuration: "One wart in Titan Quest is its performance -- specifically, the game tends to chug when the lighting and particle effects are full-blast. It never became unplayable, but during the worst moments, it was definitely annoying enough for me to hope that some imminent patches will be released to address the problem."
Metareview - SpellForce 2: Shadow Wars
With all of the attention given to Rise of Legends and Heroes of Might and Magic V over the past month, another strategy title quietly made its way to store shelves. Aspyr's SpellForce 2: Shadow Wars is the latest attempt to mash up the role-playing and RTS genres, and with their expansive maps and attention to detail, German developer Phenomic should give Atari's Dragonshard some healthy competition. IGN (84/100) is impressed by SpellForce 2's sheer amount of gameplay: "One thing this game has in spades is replayability. Not only is the single player story campaign very long and involved but there's also a free-mode which amounts to a second campaign. There isn't as complete a story as in the normal campaign, but there are a lot of new quests across 31 maps and all of these maps can be played alone or with two friends along for the ride." GameSpot (82/100) applauds the ease of use: "Command and control of all these different units is easy thanks to the slick interface. While you can use regular real-time strategy conventions to create unit groups, SpellForce 2 goes a bit further by letting you easily designate targets for various groups or telling a hero to unload a particular spell or skill on a specific target with just a couple of mouse clicks." Yahoo! Games (80/100) feels the mix of RPG elements is just right: "Unlike most role-playing games, Spellforce 2 doesn't limit your hero's advancement with a class system. So you can explore both the combat and magic skill trees as you wish -- hybrid characters are entirely feasible. Although the system is nowhere near as deep as, say, Diablo's, it is considerably more complex than most other RTS games can boast."
Metareview - 2006 FIFA World Cup
Though EA has released several FIFA iterations this year, the new 2006 World Cup might be worth a look if you haven't played the series in a while and have $30 bucks to spare. If anything it should get you pumped for the world's largest sporting event if you're a futbol buff. IGN 84% - "EA put together its most solid soccer gameplay experience yet and the deepest World Cup title of all time. Still, it's hard to argue that the gameplay, an obvious imitation of Winning Eleven, is better, but with star players and a nifty new shooting mechanism, it would be hard to argue it's worse." Games Radar 70% - "The biggest disappointment is the sheer lack of innovation in the game engine and graphics. Yes, the shooting mechanic is a little different, but for the most part the gameplay is the same as the last few FIFA games."
Metareview: Age of Empires III vs. Civilization IV
Whilst Age of Empires III and Civilization IV are classed in the same genre as strategy games, they have very different styles. AoE is real time and has a permanent "down with the troops" view and feel. Civilization IV, on the other hand, is turn based and features a lot of micromanagement. Rather than trying to represent one age as best as it can, it tries to cover the whole of civilization; from cavemen to spacecraft. The two games took the 1st and 2nd place on the PC games sales chart for the week ending November 13th. So we thought it'd be very appropriate to write up a versus metareview of the two games - in the style of our previous F.E.A.R. vs Quake 4 metareview. Take the jump to find out what reviewers thought of these two strategy game behemoths.
Unreal Championship 2 review round-up
We've already stressed that UC2: The Liandri Conflict is not for everyone. But for those gamers that welcome the challenge, UC2 offers arguably the most intense players-vs-player(s) action on the Xbox. Whether FPS or 3rd-person hand-to-hand, UC2 exploits the Live! medium almost flawlessly. Current reviews: EGM (82) Game Informer (93) GamePro (80) Games Radar UK (90) IGN (93) Maxim Online (100) Official Xbox Magazine (93) Play Magazine (65) TotalGames.net (74)
