Resident Evil 4 (2005) (PS4)

Note: This review contains spoilers for Resident Evil 4 (2005)

Since its original release in 2005, Resident Evil 4 (RE4) has seen continuous praise and success, including over a dozen different hardware ports, enough that it is widely considered one of the greatest video games ever made. Of all the Resident Evil games, however, this one had one of the most troubled developments. The short version is that starting in 1998, four different versions were proposed and subsequently discarded before the final release. The first of these, and the most well-known, started as an attempt at a more “stylish” action game directed by Hideki Kamiya that was spun off and retooled into the original Devil May Cry, which released in 2001. The second, known internally as the “Castle” version, would include story elements that made their way into the 2005 survival horror game Haunting Ground. The third and fourth versions, “Hallucination” and the lesser-known “Zombie”, were scrapped for technical reasons, though elements from both would still make their way into the final game. Interestingly, “Hallucination” would have taken some influence from the Silent Hill series and “Zombie” was criticized by Shinji Mikami for being too similar to previous Resident Evil games, as he didn’t want to bore fans by relying on tired tropes.

This consistent desire for a different kind of Resident Evil game resulted in a more action-oriented game, a direction that had a ripple effect on the rest of the franchise until Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (RE7). In the intervening time, I had tried getting into Resident Evil through the PS2 version of RE4 and the PS3 version of Resident Evil 5, but only got to around Chapter 2-1 in the former and barley got anywhere in the latter before I moved on to other games. However, with the release of Resident Evil 4 (2023), as well as a personal deep dive of the series following a playthrough of Resident Evil Village, I finally had an excuse to go back and finish what I had started in RE4, this time through the 2016 PS4 release. With this zombie from the past finally slain, I can safely say that while it’s a little rough now, RE4 has aged much better than many of its predecessors and has definitely earned its longstanding reputation.

Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days (PS3)

While IO Interactive (IOI) is best known for their long running Hitman franchise, they have developed a handful of other titles. One of these was Kane & Lynch: Dead Men, which garnered a mixed reception from critics and indirectly led to the creation of gaming outlet Giant Bomb after GameSpot fired editor Jeff Gertsman for his 6/10 review score for the game. Despite the reception, IOI announced a sequel, Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days, which Square Enix would publish in 2010. Upon release, Dog Days received a mixed reception from critics, with criticism aimed at its short length, story and experimental visual style.

Despite all the negativity that surrounded the game when it came out, I actually always had an interest in playing Dog Days, largely due to the unique and gritty presentation that resembled footage from a cheap handheld camera. Sometime after release, I ended up ignoring the game until I was made aware that the game had developed a cult following over the years for the exact reason it caught my attention (and convinced that I didn’t need to play Dead Men beforehand). Although you can easily buy the game cheap secondhand for about $10-15, I bought a brand-new sealed PS3 copy off the Square Enix store (normally $20 now), largely because I could and partly so I could have the freshest experience in honor of this blog’s 12th anniversary.

As it turns out, while there is plenty that one could criticize about Dog Days, largely when it comes to its gameplay, there truly is something about its presentation, and to an extent its story, that keeps the experience engaging and worth (re-)visiting.

Resistance: Retribution

Insomniac Games is no stranger to handheld spin-offs of their games being developed by other studios, and Resistance is no exception. Following the release of Resistance 2, the first of these spin-offs, Resistance: Retribution (Retribution), was developed for the PSP by Bend Studio. When I first played the original Insomniac trilogy of games, I didn’t have any interest in playing this game, however news of the PlayStation Store closures (before that decision was reversed) led me to panic buy a physical copy with the intent of playing it at some point in the future. Now that I have, I was pleasantly surprised by the overall quality of the game to where I wonder why I didn’t play it sooner.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Among the games announced at Sony’s PlayStation 5 reveal, the one that I was most excited for was Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, since it was the first new game in the series since the 2016 reimagining and would return to the original timeline as a sequel to Into the Nexus. On top of this, the reveal immediately showed off the PS5’s potential with the dimensional travel gimmick and the new character Rivet (who was unnamed at the time) was the first female Lombax to be introduced since Angela Cross all the way back in Going Commando. Rivet’s reveal also made a splash on the internet for this reason, however I opted to wait to play the game for myself to see how she was handled rather than indulge in any of the hype. I will admit the game’s $70 price tag was almost a turn-off for me, though I pre-ordered it regardless, finding it to be a much-welcomed return for Ratchet & Clank and a true showcase of what the PS5 can do for the series.

Fuse (PS3)

After playing through the Resistance trilogy, I decided to revisit one of Insomniac's follow-up games, Fuse, originally released in 2013. When I first played it after finding a used copy, I thought it was okay for what it was, though I wanted to see if my opinions changed at all. Following a second playthrough, I thought it had some interesting ideas, though I realized this time how generally forgettable the game is.

Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII

Note: This review contains spoilers for Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII

As part of my journey through Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, the next stop after Advent Children was Dirge of Cerberus, a sequel/spinoff game that puts Vincent Valentine directly into the spotlight. Oddly enough, this also happened to be the only piece of Final Fantasy VII media I didn’t own, likely due to its negative reception, so I borrowed a copy to reduce the investment. Now that I’ve played it for myself, it seems that its bad reputation wasn’t unearned.

[OLD] Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark

This game has been re-reviewed. Read it here: https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2020/06/second-look-transformers-rise-of-dark.html

 

In the time leading up to the release of Transformers: Age of Extinction, a new Transformers game was announced, titled Rise of the Dark Spark, that would not only tie into the movie, but also feature a sort of crossover between the Live-Action Movie Continuity and the Aligned Continuity, specifically within the events of the Cybertron games by High Moon Studios. When I first heard of this, I thought it was a rather interesting idea, since this hadn’t been done very often in mainstream Transformers fiction, though never in video game form (the Dreamwave Armada comic toyed with continuity crossovers briefly and the lesser-known Fun Publications material features multiversal crossovers often as a plot point in their Timelines stories). In any case, I was excited to the point where I pre-ordered the game (even getting a free poster for picking it up at GameStop on launch day) and decided I wasn’t going to play it until after seeing Age of Extinction to avoid movie spoilers. Due to the game being developed by a different studio than High Moon (Edge of Reality to be precise) and it being made as a movie tie-in, I decided to maintain a sort of cautious optimism, though I wasn’t expecting Rise of the Dark Spark to top Fall of Cybertron and actually decided I would persist through the game even if I didn’t like it (I braced myself for this based on online reactions). After playing through the game, I found that while the end result was decent, it still had some shortcomings that overall affected the final product.

In the Movie timeline, Drift is on his way to meet up with Optimus Prime and Bumblebee in order to stop Lockdown from claiming the Dark Spark, an ancient Cybertronian relic that acts as the opposite of the Matrix of Leadership. However, the Autobots are too late, as Lockdown manages to retrieve the Dark Spark and set his plan into motion. Meanwhile, on Cybertron in the Aligned continuity, Optimus Prime and a team of Autobots are trying to prevent Megatron from getting his hands on the Dark Spark before it’s too late.

The story, for the most part, feels kind of thin, since the story mainly centers on the Autobots and Decepticons fighting over the MacGuffin that is the Dark Spark, though evidently Megatron and Lockdown seem to have their own reasons for wanting the relic. There are also certain points in the story where it seems to try to hit the same notes as in the Cybertron games (ex. speeding through a highway, Bruticus, Grimlock), though it feels like it’s missing something when it does. Taken by itself however, there is enough of a story for the game to work, but it doesn’t feel like it has quite enough meat on its bones. However, I will give it credit for managing to fit itself well into the continuities it is trying to represent, barring a couple of errors.

For example, Megatron (voiced by Fred Tatasciore) should
not have this body yet.

Gameplay is similar to that of the High Moon games, though with a few differences. Minor differences apply to how returning playable characters are used; for example, Swindle returns as a playable character from Fall of Cybertron, but you can’t use him to grapple anymore since the section he’s playable in does not require platforming (this is not a complaint so much as an observation, since while it felt weird at first, any changes made are fine so long as they suit the game well). Major changes include the addition of Gear Boxes, which can be earned by Leveling Up, completing any number of Challenges, or defeating enough enemies (think the Prize Boxes and Ribbons from Gears of War: Judgment). These Gear Boxes usually reward you with something you can use in single player or Escalation (multiplayer, which I admittedly did not try out because it’s not my forte), which can also include extra playable characters for the latter. As with the High Moon games, you can also find a number of audio logs scattered throughout the stage to add more depth to the story (although I found it difficult to find any, so this is probably to add replay value).

The graphics are actually pretty decent, but they look a little unpolished (not sure I can say anything about texture loading since that was a minor issue in the High Moon games as well). It’s clear that some assets were used from the Cybertron games, at least as far as character models, though they look cleaned up and yet unpolished at the same time; the same also goes for the Age of Extinction character models, since while they do accurately represent the characters found in the movie (at least with the main characters), they look a little incomplete. The cutscenes also look good in places, but half the time, they look kind of like cheap machinima, as though not enough time was put into them. The backgrounds also have a good amount of detail in them, especially the Cybertron levels, but at times the levels looked a little incomplete, especially in the Earth stages, but they are nonetheless at least presentable.

An example of (some of the better) in-game graphics.

The voice acting is also decent, but it sounds a little mixed. Many voice actors return to reprise their respective roles from the Cybertron games, but some of them, such as Keith Szarabajka (Ironhide) and Nolan North (Cliffjumper), don’t really sound like they’re giving it their all like in Fall of Cybertron. Peter Cullen, of course, still gives an amazing performance as Optimus Prime(s) in the game, and Troy Baker still does an amazing job channeling the late Scatman Crothers when voicing Jazz, as do a few of the other voice actors, but it doesn’t sound like everyone’s having a very good time with this game. A couple of characters from Age of Extinction, Lockdown and Drift, don’t have their respective VA’s from the movie (understandable), but while Gregg Berger does a good attempt at trying to sound like Mark Ryan when playing Lockdown, Chris Jai Alex’s performance as Drift sounds noticeably different than Ken Watanabe’s from said movie (it’s not bad, it just sounds different).

The music is also pretty good, though the most memorable tune from the soundtrack is what you hear in the title screen (to be fair, it was composed well). As for the other sounds in the game, it seems that Edge of Reality also recycled High Moon’s sound bank, which isn’t really a problem since it creates a sense of familiarity, but there are times where it feels like there isn’t enough sound, mainly when it comes to the Teletraan 1 screen (where you get to equip weapons and upgrades). When you’re trying to equip a weapon, there isn’t much of a sound when scrolling through stuff, and there’s no sound at all when you actually equip something, so for a moment I thought the action didn’t go through. Aside from these issues, the sound design wasn’t too bad. (As a sidenote, after having recently replayed Fall of Cybertron in preparation for this game, it seemed odd not to hear Teletraan 1 make a comment related to the character accessing it, but I attribute this more to the game having conditioned me to expect that more than anything.)

The titular Dark Spark (and a missing punctuation in the description).

However, there were a few things that also kind of bogged down the experience somewhat. At one point the game froze on me, requiring me to restart the console, and at least once I ran into a broken checkpoint, forcing me to restart the current objective in order to be able to advance. Also, even when playing on Easy, there were a few sections that still felt pretty difficult, as in a level of difficulty I didn’t expect to experience on the lowest setting, and so I eventually managed to barely make it through those parts, hoping I wouldn’t run into something that would make me have to go through them again.

Transformers: Rise of the Dark Spark is not one of the worst games, but it is rather disappointing, especially as a Transformers game. While the voice acting remains good, even if some performances don’t sound as strong as in previous Transformers games, the combat, graphics, and sound design seem unpolished at times and technical problems bring down the experience a bit. However, while the story isn’t all that fleshed out, it still manages to create a new part of the Movie and Aligned canon, even showcasing events that were only mentioned in Fall of Cybertron (again, barring a couple continuity errors). Transformers fans might get something out of this game, at least as far as Transformers canon is concerned, but the slightly unstable and generally unpolished state of the game might cause potential buyers to reconsider. While I was definitely not expecting this game to top Fall of Cybertron, it’s certainly not something I would pop back into my PS3 anytime soon.

[OLD] Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault (Vita)

As with Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time, Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault is one of Sony's Cross Buy titles, meaning a purchase of the PS3 version nets you the Vita version for free. However, unlike Sly 4, the Vita version of this game was delayed for several months with an offer of the HD version of Ratchet: Deadlocked for free to compensate for the wait. Now that the handheld port of the game has been released, I decided to take a separate look at it due to the massive delay to see whether or not it was worth the wait. After completing the campaign, I would say that it was well worth it.

I'll admit I haven't checked out the multiplayer at all, partly because I don't know another person with a copy of the game to help me test it out, but from my experience with the single player, I would say that it's a decent port. All comments that are not about controls and graphics can be found in my original review of the PS3 version of the game, so let's take a look at what's different. The graphics, while not as impressive due to system limitations, look pretty decent for the platform; nothing stands out as being ugly-looking or anything, but you can tell there's some attempt at helping the game look close to its console counterpart. At times there isn't as much detail and some textures look a little pixelated, but you can tell the dev team was at least trying. There's some slight lag when too many things are on the screen at once, but it's not unbearable and it goes away rather quickly.

The controls are pretty much the same as the PS3 version, though slightly different. It doesn't make any attempt to take advantage of the Vita's touch features, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, since those features are not required for a game to work. One of the main differences is that, to make up for there being no L2 or R2, the way you use the Hoverboots is moving forward and pressing O at the same time. This change isn't awkward and actually works for the limitations the system has in terms of button layout.

Overall, the release of the Vita version of Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault is well worth the wait. It's not as visually impressive as the PS3 version due to hardware limitations, but it still looks pretty close to it. The Vita version's controls are easy to handle and aren't very awkward, making it easier to handle. If you have any interest in picking up Full Frontal Assault, make sure to pick up the PS3 version, since you get two more games (including the Vita port) for free. Having this version of the game is also a better investment than Size Matters or Secret Agent Clank.

[OLD] Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault

Last year, as a follow-up to Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One, as well as to celebrate 10 years of Ratchet & Clank, developer Insomniac Games released a pair of Ratchet & Clank titles, one being an HD Collection of the first three titles (which I received for Christmas and will get to eventually), the other being a brand new game called Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault (also a gift). This game was originally to share the same fate as Quest for Booty, wherein it would get a retail release in Europe and only as a PSN download in North America. However, in a strange twist of fate, the game has also received a physical release in North America, something that pleased me greatly, under the same $20 price range as the download version. It should also be noted that this game supports Sony's new Cross Buy initiative, where if you buy the PS3 version of the game, you will also get its PlayStation Vita counterpart for free (however, as of this writing, the Vita version of this game does not come out for another week, but at least I have the physical PS3 disk). Released to little fanfare and a seemingly limited physical run (when I asked my nearest GameStop about the game when it came out, they had only gotten 20 copies), is this game a worthy installment in the Ratchet & Clank series?

The story (or what little there is of it) follows the events of All 4 One, with Ratchet, Clank, and former Galactic President Qwark aboard the Starship Phoenix II. As Qwark expresses boredom over not being able to fight anything, he gets excited when Ratchet mentions a group of rouge cleaner bots. Once they are dealt with, they receive a message from a new, unknown menace that has a personal agenda against Captain Qwark. With this, the three of them spring into action. While the campaign only lasts but a few hours (what else can you expect from a $20 game?), this plot manages to string the events together as best as it can and features some great moments of hilarity and actually manages to have one or two unexpected twists thrown in. One of these twists, revealed after completing the first (of five) levels, is the identity of the villain: Stuart Zergo (voiced by the ever-entertaining Richard Steven Horvitz). (Remember him? Neither did I. He is an easily-forgotten/unfound Captain Qwark fanboy from Going Commando, the second game in the entire Ratchet & Clank franchise!) Overall, the story of this installment is thin, but enjoyable for what it's worth.

The gameplay of Full Frontal Assault is, as advertised, a return to the classic Ratchet & Clank gameplay, but with a new twist: there is now a Tower Defense type of gameplay where you must also defend a base from enemy attack, using defenses such as mines, walls, and turrets. As more advanced defenses are at your disposal, equally more powerful enemies are also sent to attack. The newer items require more Bolts to be spent, but once you get a good groove going, it becomes a lot easier to figure out how best to defend your base. At the same time, you must also infiltrate another base on the other side of the map by destroying power nodes and then rebooting your base for completion. You must also defend a set of generators within your base, using Bolts to repair damaged (but not destroyed) generators, and turrets and bombs can be set up around them. Weapons, among them the amazing Groovitron and Mr. Zurkon in later levels, are found inside special pods, which require a special minigame to open, with breakable Bolt and ammo crates scattered around the environment; ammo and Nanotech crates can be found with the weapon pods once they are opened and regenerate over time. I was a little worried about the Tower Defense mechanic at first, given what I saw of it in Assassin's Creed: Revelations, but when I actually played the campaign I thought Insomniac did a very good job with this style of gameplay, incorporating it well with the rest of the core gameplay. I also enjoyed the level design, though their layout caused me to take more time in some cases to explore everything in order to increase my arsenal and finish certain objectives.

The game also features Local Co-Op, much like in All 4 One, but unlike All 4 One, it is limited to two players instead of four. After testing this feature out with my brother, I found that it works really well (aside from it taking less time to beat a level). Weapons unlocked are shared among players and any Bolts earned are added to both players' Bolt counts, eliminating any sort of competition that was found in the previous title (this is not a bad thing to me, given the style of gameplay present here). However, this feature sadly does not work on Standard Definition TV's, due to it not supporting that resolution. I fortunately own a High Definition TV to allow this to work properly, but this really bothered me, since it singles out players who do not own an HD set. So remember: if you want to play with your friends, make sure you've been keeping up with the latest entertainment technologies.

The graphics are similar to that of All 4 One, in that they are very good. As with the new Dante in the Devil May Cry reboot, I have grown accustomed to this new art style; it keeps the cartoonish look set up by the previous games of the franchise, while retaining the light-hearted atmosphere displayed in the earlier games. Everything is bright and colorful, as is to be expected from a Ratchet & Clank game. This is accompanied by some top notch voice acting, though this is also to be expected, given that whatever few voices there are mostly comprise that of returning characters (including the Plumber's obligatory appearance) and the aforementioned Richard Horvitz. This is backed up by music that suits the atmosphere, although you would be more invested in the gameplay to pay attention to most of it; still, I liked whatever I could get out of the music.

If I have one major complaint about Full Frontal Assault, it's that the game sort of dates itself. The villain's personality seems more tailored to a more modern audience and they spout a handful of internet slang and memes at certain opportunities (though I will give Insomniac credit for doing their research on this). The phrases the bad guy spouts out are thankfully some of the more well-known ones, including "like a boss" and the common "n00b"; there's even a visual joke where using the Groovitron in the final battle allows the antagonist to dance as in the popular music video for "Gangnam Style" by K-Pop musician PSY (the ship's computer is also guilty of this, spouting the internet phrase "U mad, bro?" at one point). On top of this, there is a point where the villain hacks the Starship Phoenix II and the song "I Am Glad, 'Cause I'm Finally Returning Back Home", aka the "Trololo" song, plays over the speakers (R.I.P. Eduard Khil). While this does make the game more relevant to an audience from the modern age of the internet, I have the feeling that these references will become less relevant as time goes on if this sort of thing eventually dies down (then again, this is the internet, so I might be underestimating it here). On the other hand, while these references are more relevant to the time I am typing this, I will admit they're actually pretty funny.

For what the end product is, I would actually say to Ratchet & Clank fans to give Ratchet & Clank: Full Frontal Assault a shot. It has rather unique gameplay for a Ratchet & Clank title and the Co-Op and Tower Defense systems work really well. The plot is admittedly paper thin, but I believe the voice acting and twists help to balance out the short campaign. I hesitate to recommend this game to a newcomer since there are a couple of plot references to previous games (one of which requires you to really know your Ratchet & Clank trivia in order to be fully surprised by the identity of the bad guy), unless you don't care that much about the continuity or being somewhat confused right off the bat. While Full Frontal Assault isn't as deep as previous entries (in fact it's rather shallow by comparison), I won't hold it against Insomniac for trying something new.

Happy 10th Anniversary, Ratchet & Clank, and I hope your next 10 years are awesome.

[OLD] Transformers: Fall of Cybertron - Much More than Meets the Eye

This game has been re-reviewed. Read it here: https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2020/06/second-look-transformers-fall-of.html

Transformers: War for Cybertron from 2010 is probably one of the best experiences I have had with a Transformers game. Naturally, due in part to popularity, High Moon Studios has recently released a sequel to their hit game, Transformers: Fall of Cybertron, while also tying into the events of the Transformers: Prime cartoon (again highly recommended). Since I enjoyed the studio's first Transformers story, I was, of course, greatly excited to play this game, especially with the hype surrounding it and word from the development team on what the game would feature. I had good faith in the product since the people working on the game seemed very enthusiastic about the Transformers brand, and one pre-order later, it met all of my expectations, in fact surpassing them greatly.

In space aboard the Ark, the Autobots are approaching a portal that would send them to another destination, due their home planet of Cybertron being in a dying state. Shortly, the Decepticons have caught up to the Ark and are attempting to stop it. When Bumblebee does what he can to try and prevent the Decepticons from doing any more damage, he manages to intercept Megatron before he deals a fatal blow to Optimus Prime. After this happens, the player begins to learn more about the chain of events that led up to this particular point in time.

As with the game taking place before this one, though this entry more obviously takes place within the current continuity, there are still many, many shout-outs to the Generation 1 cartoon, most especially the 1986 animated movie, even recreating whole scenes from it (including dialogue and, at one point, camera angles); among other scenes from said movie, a particularly hilarious one to see reenacted in the game was Starscream's coronation ceremony. Though I did not grow up on the 80's cartoon, it was still fun to see how the development team managed to work in some design aesthetics from it, and some of the messages given during loading screens show how much fun they had with Transformers lore (one message, for instance, makes a callback to the very first episode of the original cartoon, particularly regarding Teletraan 1). However, some things are there to remind you that the game is, indeed, grounded in the new continuity, including such design choices as Cliffjumper's head sculpt, the look of the Decepticon warship Nemesis, and the new design for Megatron's body, among some plot threads that bring more depth to the Prime cartoon. All in all, it's nice to see that the makers of this game enjoyed working with the brand's mythos.

As with High Moon's previous Transformers games, I liked the way they decided to tell the story, and this game manages to take it one step further. In War for Cybertron, the game had a Decepticon campaign taking place before an Autobot campaign, and Dark of the Moon had the story go from Autobot to Decepticon and then end with the Autobots. Fall of Cybertron makes things more interesting by offering a series of intertwining Autobot and Decepticon chapters, all while keeping a seamless continuing story flow to where you don't want to put the controller down (though I suggest you do that every so often or else you might strain your arm); sometimes there are even button prompts wherein you switch from one character to the next. The story itself is also very engaging and oftentimes suspenseful, with some truly epic moments that make sure you don't forget it any time soon.

With every sequel there comes a chance for improvement, and it appears that High Moon Studios has taken full advantage of this opportunity. Cybertron itself looks even more amazing than it did in War for Cybertron, with a much wider variety of colors that really makes everything pop out at you, thanks to the brighter lighting. There is also evidence that the developer tried to make controlling each character feel as unique as possible, and they succeed in every way. Each character is not only given their own special ability (though a few characters share abilities), but also their own unique transformation scheme and sound, making it a true sight to behold. The Autobot Jazz, for instance, break dances as he transforms to a bass-filled remix of the classic transformation noise. A partial exception to this would be the Autobots Bumblebee and Cliffjumper, since they share a body type (like most of their toys), and therefore have similar transformations.

The gameplay for each chapter of the game feels very unique as well, each having loads of variety in addition to their main mechanic. When playing as the Decepticon Vortex for example, while it is primarily a flying stage, it is also possible to get up close and personal with the Autobots he is facing while at the same time taking advantage of his helicopter form for quick maneuverability. There are even some parts of each stage where one is able to take full advantage of their vehicle mode, and during these points you get a true sense of speed when going at the character's maximum velocity. The Autobot Grimlock is also unique to the point where he has own control scheme, though it works in the game's favor to help you feel a real sense of power when controlling him.

This, combined with other things, leads to some of the epic moments that I brought up earlier. Aside from Grimlock, you are also able to control the Decepticon combiner Bruticus, whose size and strength really make you feel like doing some heavy duty damage, especially with his special ability. While you don't get to control him, another notable moment is witnessing the transformation of the Autobot Metroplex (as seen in the trailers), which creates such a moment of awe that is difficult to put into words. Grimlock's transformation scheme is also spectacular whenever it occurs, further creating the feeling of power mentioned earlier. Coupled with the plot twists that happen throughout the story, this game knows how to keep the player invested.

Another notable bit of change is how Energon Shards are implemented into the game. Whereas previously they were used for recharging your special power, which now recharges on its own over time, here it is used as a form of currency for use in the Teletraan 1 store, where you can purchase many useful weapons and upgrades. You can also unlock new items in the store by finding blueprints scattered across each chapter, alongside various audio logs that provide more backstory on the events of the game; the fact that there are numerous blueprints and an even greater amount of audio logs certainly adds a lot of replay value to the game. You can also rate the items found in the store, allowing you to consult the community on the best way to go about customizing your character's weaponry, and Teletraan 1 will say things relating to the Cybertronian using the store, some of which can actually be fairly humorous.

Like War for Cybertron before it, the sound design deserves a lot of credit. The sound effects in the game are really impressive, in that they sound very realistic and varied enough to not sound repetitive. The soundtrack is just as amazing, with music that helps set the game up for how serious the tone is, even on the main menu screen. During one moment where I faced the death screen, the background music for that level continued to play, and until I continued playing I didn't get tired of hearing it.

Not to be left out is the voice acting, which evidently has a lot of effort put into it. Some voice actors like Sam Riegel, Fred Tatasciore, and Peter Cullen reprise their roles from the original game, and their performances are just as good here as they were previously. While there are some returning voice actors, some of them play different characters and do an amazing job with them, along with some actors new to this game. For instance, while Steve Blum may not be Corey Burton, he does a fantastic job as the Decepticon Shockwave; Jim Ward, who some of you may recognize as Captain Qwark, has an interesting interpretation of the Autobot Perceptor; and Troy Baker actually does an amazing Scatman Crothers impression while voicing Jazz. However, one of the most surprising choices has to be Gregg Berger reprising his role of Grimlock from the Generation 1 cartoon, and after more than 20 years he's still got it in him.

During the campaign, I came across the same problem its predecessor had, namely the texture loading. However, this problem seems to have been mostly fixed, as I only saw one or two noticeable instances of the textures lagging behind the game models, and even then it was only about one or two seconds. In any case, though this problem still exists, it wasn't enough to bog down the experience in any way, but it is still something that needs to be worked on.

One last thing I would like to bring up is the package you get for pre-ordering the game from GameStop, the G1 Retro Pack. This pack includes special weapons based on Generation 1 Megatron and Shockwave, which even has all of the original cartoon sound effects, including the original transformation sound unaltered. It also has a G1 skin for Optimus Prime, which even gives him an alternate mode and transformation scheme reminiscent of said series. I had a good time with this pack despite coming late into the Generation 1 mythos, and hopefully this pack becomes available as DLC later so that G1 fans who were left out may enjoy it also.

Transformers: Fall of Cybertron is not only a great game on its own, it is also an amazing Transformers game, greatly surpassing War for Cybertron. The thrills never stop coming, there is plenty of variety to go around, and the technical work is even more impressive than the last trip to Cybertron. Transformers and shooter fans alike will definitely have a good time with this game, and those following the current Transformers timeline will have something new to add to their collection. In the end, this game not only has the touch, but also the power.

[OLD] Transformers: War for Cybertron

This game has been re-reviewed. Read it here: https://trophyunlocked.blogspot.com/2020/06/second-look-transformers-war-for.html

Transformers is a highly popular franchise that has been going on continuously for almost 30 years, so naturally a number of video games have been made based off of it. The success of these games has been mixed overall, from downright terrible to okay at the very least. In 2010, High Moon Studios, a developer previously known for the games Darkwatch and The Bourne Conspiracy, released Transformers: War for Cybertron, considered by many to be the best Transformers game ever made. This month, the company will put out a follow-up game, Transformers: Fall of Cybertron. While I have played War for Cybertron before, I decided to play it again in anticipation for the sequel, and it's still as good as I remember it.

Throughout the many iterations of Transformers lore one aspect that has been prevalent is an event called The Great War, a civil war between the Autobots and Decepticons lasting for eons on the planet Cybertron prior to their arrival on Earth. In this version, Megatron leads the Decepticons on a mission to take Zeta Prime, then-current Autobot leader, offline and infect the very core of the planet with Dark Energon in order to make it his own. In response to this, an Autobot named Optimus leads a resistance in order to return Cybertron to its former glory. The finer details of the plot have some intriguing character development and twists, in addition to a great number of callbacks to the original 1980's cartoon, known as Generation 1.

Speaking of which, this brings up my thoughts on how this game relates to the Transformers franchise. In order to tie in with the newest iteration of the brand, Transformers: Prime (which I highly recommend), Hasbro has officially stated that this game takes place before the events of the show as part of the current continuity. However, the aforementioned callbacks seem to suggest that War for Cybertron was made with the Generation 1 cartoon in mind. For instance, the characters Rumble and Frenzy are blue and red respectively, much like the original cartoon (contrasting most other depictions where they are red and blue respectively). Other things that seem to enforce this are the visual aesthetic and the voice acting, both of which I will expand upon later.

What I like about the story is not only what’s being told, but also the way it is told. Usually in a Transformers game that has an Autobot and Decepticon campaign, the two stories share similar elements but go in completely different directions. However, High Moon has taken a more interesting approach in that, while there are still two campaigns, the Decepticon portion of the story takes place before the Autobot half, forming a more complete and seamless plot. This approach is improved upon in High Moon’s videogame prequel to Dark of the Moon.

While I don’t have much experience with third-person shooters, I enjoyed the gameplay of War for Cybertron. Before each chapter of the campaign, you are given a choice between 3 different Autobots or Decepticons to play as (depending on the chapter), each with their own set of abilities that can change your combat experience (and sometimes, by extension, what you experience during the narrative). Each character has two special abilities, each tied to a shoulder button on the controller; the one on the left can regenerate immediately, with abilities such as levitation or dashing quickly, while the one on the right, ranging from powering up allies to unleashing a deadly shockwave or siphoning enemy health, requires Energon Shards from fallen enemies in order to recharge.

You are also given a long-range weapon to match the character that you want to play as for that chapter. You are able to hold up to 2 of these weapons, excluding grenades, both of which can switched out at any point you find another one, some of which can be real life savers on the battlefield. Ammo and health are also plentiful at times, and when you get up close to an enemy, clicking the right analog stick will bring up a close-range weapon that can do the job (in the right circumstances of course).

Of course, what’s a Transformers game without the ability to transform? Thankfully, this is made easy by simply clicking the left analog stick, which frees up the rest of the controller for other actions. The transformation itself is a smooth transition between robot and vehicle form that is really fun to watch. The robot models also have some parts on them that organically move on their own, which may end up becoming a slight distraction when not engaged in battle.

On that topic, the visuals of War for Cybertron are amazing, especially in the designs of the robots. Aside from the aforementioned moving parts, the robot designs take several design cues from Generation 1, another thing that seems to tie the game to that continuity, while still looking fairly unique on their own.  Cybertron itself also looks rather impressive, though admittedly it could’ve used somewhat of a larger color palette. In any case, everything manages to stand out pretty well, especially the more brightly-colored robots, despite the fact that the game overall looks a little dark.

Praise also goes to the sound design of the game. All the proper mechanical sounds are the right places, including the iconic transformation sound, and the background music is simply amazing. During especially intense moments, the music can go from setting the basic tone to a guitar-heavy metal sound and even an epic drum solo. The voice acting also deserves special mention, including such names as Steve Blum, Nolan North, Liam O’Brien (Asura in Asura’s Wrath), and Peter Cullen (reprising his role as Optimus Prime) among others, all doing a fantastic job with their characters. Most of the characters that appear, with some exceptions, sound fairly close to their Generation 1 counterparts to good effect. Steve Blum also does a good job as the narrator setting up each chapter, seeming to channel Victor Caroli, narrator of the original cartoon, as he does so.

During my last experience with this game, I ran into a couple technical issues that ended up being mildly hilarious. At one point during the Decepticon campaign, if you decide to remain idle during a conversation on what happens next, there is a good chance that, if you’re not playing as him, Soundwave will inexplicably start floating upward until he hits the ceiling, only to go back to being grounded when you keep the plot moving. There was also a point in the same campaign where, during my first battle with a Destroyer, the giant enemy seemed to magically levitate off the ground, acting as if it’s standing on a flat surface, until it, like Soundwave, went back to being grounded as it went through its death animation.

However, there were also a couple technical problems I found that, while relatively minor, brought down the experience a little. There are some moments in the game where you have to wait for the textures to load completely, and not even the cutscenes are safe as this happens. It even got to where, during the Autobot campaign, as I got to the end of a corridor, the walls on either side of it just suddenly popped up out of nowhere, leaving me very confused for a moment. There was also another moment in the Autobot campaign where, during the flying section, the sound went out after I respawned, leaving me with nothing to work with but the rumble feature of the controller. Thankfully, this problem never repeated once I respawned again.

Transformers: War for Cybertron is perhaps one of the best Transformers games ever created. It has a great plot, the sound work is amazing, and transforming feels like a natural process during play. It may be somewhat buggy, but if someone was looking for a good Transformers gaming experience, I would not hesitate to direct them to this game. As a Transformers fan, I had a blast while playing, and I’m sure that other fans who have not played it yet will enjoy it much the same way.

Now I’m looking forward even more to High Moon’s next Transformers game, Fall of Cybertron.

[OLD] Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One - Not One 4 All

During our buildup to Sly 4 later this year, we have come to the last game in the Ratchet & Clank series, All 4 One, released just last year. It was in fact the release of this game that got me more into Ratchet & Clank in the first place; I had considered playing it, but decided it would be better to get more familiar with the characters first by going through all the other games, starting from the very beginning. To this moment I do not regret that decision, despite the various ups and down I came across during my experience. And now without further ado, let us dip into Ratchet's latest next-gen outing.

Some time after the events of the comic, Ratchet and Clank are escorting Galactic President Qwark to receive the Intergalactic Tool of Justice Award in Luminopolis. In actuality, it is a trap set by Dr. Nefarious as he reawakens a light-eating Z'Grute from cryosleep to devour Qwark. However, this plan backfires, causing Lawrence, Nefarious' butler, to leave his master behind. This forces Ratchet, Clank, Qwark, and Nefarious to work together in order to stop the Z'Grute. Once they succeed, the four are abducted onto a mysterious spacecraft, leading them to embark on an adventure as they learn the value of teamwork.

The story of this game may not have the same cinematic feel as the Future Trilogy, but it is engaging enough to make you want to keep playing. Some of the focus, as well as some of the comedic moments, focus on the relationship between Qwark and Dr. Nefarious, specifically how they gradually become more friendly towards each other during their journey after being bitter enemies for most of their lives. In fact, Nefarious sees plenty of character development in this game, since the titular characters try to get him to use his abilities for good rather than evil. Though he turns on the others again once the universe is saved, there is a rather touching moment after the credits where he seems to actually miss being a hero with the rest of the group.

The gameplay is as solid as ever, though this time the game is more multiplayer focused than before, to where that was the way the game was marketed. However, rather than focusing heavily on competition like most modern games do with this option, it is instead all about co-operation, which you drop in and out of at any time, online or off. As such the gunplay is more centered around this concept, where if two or more players fire with the same weapon at the same enemy, the power of the attack increases based on the number of players. While it is entirely possible to go through the campaign of the game by yourself, I found myself having a lot of fun with a second player on the couch (or futon in my case).

While this game may be all about teamwork, there are still moments of competition to be had. There are plenty of things players can do to try and outdo each other, be it bolt collecting, sucking up small creatures, or even surviving the longest, among others. This adds to the overall experience, rather than hindering it, by throwing in an incentive for parties to get to the end of the stage.

In a turn from the Future trilogy's more realistic next-gen look, All 4 One employs a more stylized art style, making it look somewhat more cartoonish than previous installments. This isn't necessarily a bad thing though, since the game world still manages to look rather impressive and detailed, as do still images used to show the past. While the character designs may be a little different than before, they still remain nice to look at and I wouldn't mind if this style was used again. The music, also as expected, is enjoyable to listen to, one of the high points being the end-of-level music, and helps to match the level or whatever mood is required in cutscenes. The voice actors, for characters both new and old, turn in solid performances for their parts, including Steve Blum as Mr. Dinkles, making the dialogue between them even more enjoyable.

Overall, I thought Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One was a good experience that would definitely appeal to the multiplayer crowd. However, if you are more of a fan of single player, you are probably more likely to enjoy the game less. On the other hand, if you are a Ratchet & Clank fan and you have not picked up this game, I would suggest at least giving it a try.

Playing the Ratchet & Clank games for the last several months has introduced me to some memorable characters and moments, and I have enjoyed it for the most part. I am aware that there is a game that was made for cell phones, Ratchet & Clank: Going Mobile, but I haven't had a chance to play it because, as far as I know, I do not have any way to access it. Regardless, I would consider myself a Ratchet & Clank fan and I can't wait to see what Insomniac does next with the franchise.

[OLD] Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time

And now it has come to this: the ending of the Future Trilogy in the Ratchet & Clank series, A Crack in Time, released in 2009 following Quest for Booty. Unlike the last game though, this is a full game you can get at retail and not as a download, and it should be noted that this is the first Ratchet & Clank game to have PS3 Trophy support. While it isn't the last of Ratchet & Clank, this game is definitely one of the best I've seen from the series, especially in regards to the story, and I enjoyed every moment of it.

Starting off immediately after the end of Quest for Booty, there is another scene that elaborates on the origins of Clank, calling all the way back to the the very first game in the series. At that moment, the one who had abducted Clank at the end of Tools of Destruction is revealed to be none other than Dr. Nefarious, Ratchet's enemy from Up Your Arsenal, along with his butler Lawrence. After Nefarious fails an attempt to hack into Clank's brain, and losing his trust with the Zoni, Clank escapes, but is caught by Nefarious again, where he learns about the structure they are in called the Great Clock, built in the exact center of the universe (give or take fifty feet). Later, Clank meets another robot named Sigmund, Junior Caretaker to the Clock, and learns of his destiny to manage time. Meanwhile in space, Ratchet and Qwark are busy looking for Clank, when the Lombax learns of an "exile" that may help him in his quest. When he meets the exile, it turns out to be a Lombax like him, named General Alister Azimuth, who seeks to use the Great Clock to undo the fate of the Lombax race. With Ratchet's help, Azimuth not only promises the return of Clank, but also the chance for Ratchet to see his family.

The story is overall very suspenseful and awe-inspiring, having a bit of a cinematic quality to it that helps carry the events forward. There are still quite a few laughs thrown in to prevent it from becoming too serious, but in any case there are some memorable moments from the cutscenes, including bits where the characters make a small jab at story conventions, including highly ironic revenge schemes and wavy flashback effects. There are also plenty of references made to previous games in the franchise, so they might be confusing to anyone who hasn't been keeping up with the franchise from the first installment onward. Regardless, it all felt very much like a movie. A really, really good movie at that.

Familiar control schemes and gunplay elements return in this game from later installments, making it easier to pick up and play, especially for those already initiated. Among these returning elements is the new wrench mechanic introduced in the last game, and it was still interesting in the way it was integrated. However, there are a couple of new upgrade systems; there is one for special "Constructo" weapons where you can pick up mods throughout the game to customize them to your purposes; there is also a new system for your ship, in which you can collect Zoni to give it new upgrades and abilities. There is also a new gameplay element for Clank, where in during his levels you can reverse time when you hit an object, thereby repairing it, slow down time by throwing a special grenade, or recording multiple versions of yourself in order to solve puzzles. I found some of these puzzles to be quite a challenge, and at least once I started one over again once I found a much simpler solution. However, this is the good kind of challenge where you can learn from your mistakes as opposed to the soul-crushing variety.

The music of this game is simply spectacular, with each cutscene having a film-like score that helps the cinematic feel mentioned earlier. The music of the levels is also very good to listen to, and as usual is not annoying in any way while helping build up the tone of the game. The voice acting is also just as good as ever, including the voices provided to the robot characters, and like the background music is not annoying. The acting present on the central characters is deep and can be rather emotional at times, allowing you to feel whatever they are feeling as well. On that note, the performance of Dr. Nefarious in this game served to remind me exactly why he is by far my favorite Ratchet & Clank villain to date. The graphics of this game are some of the best I've have ever seen, in fact the best so far in this series alone, with special praise going to the cutscenes that help display the characters expressions during the story (again, even the robot characters are included).

I didn't actually notice any major problems with this title, aside from there being a couple times when Ratchet would inexplicably fall off of something for no apparent reason. Besides that, I can't really say anything too negative about this game. On a side note, the difficulty setting returns here from Quest for Booty, so depending on your situation you can switch it up or down at any time.

Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time is one of the best this franchise has to offer, and the cinematic qualities it brings are stunning for a game in the modern age. While this is a game I would highly recommend, it's more enjoyable once you are more familiar with the characters presented by playing all the older (console) games. Overall the Future Trilogy is a very enjoyable aspect of the Ratchet & Clank series and is not to be passed up, most especially if you are already a fan. When I return to this series, things go two-dimensional.

[OLD] Ratchet & Clank Future: Quest for Booty

As time goes forward with Ratchet & Clank, so does the Future Trilogy. Following Tools of Destruction is the middle portion, Quest for Booty, released in 2008. Interestingly, this part of the trilogy is a download through PlayStation Network, at a price point of $15. This raises the question, is it worth it?

The story of the game is very simple here, taking place shortly after its predecessor. After Clank was taken away by the Zoni, Ratchet tries to find a way to track him down so he can get him back. The Lombax eventually does, through a machine created by a known pirate named Captain Darkwater. However in order to gather the parts to activate it, he must deal with a particularly persistent pirate named Rusty Pete, who's captain he defeated last time, Captain Slag. When Rusty Pete finds a way to bring his old captain back, Ratchet is forced to stop him so he can rescue Clank.

The game overall is very short, lasting only a few hours, and as a result some things are more condensed. For instance, there is a much smaller arsenal than in previous games, and since you can get ammo regularly in crates there is an absence of any sort of vendors. There are also only a few locales this time around, consisting of a couple of islands and an armada of space pirate ships. Also, the only time you actually get to use Bolts here is when you are negotiating with a smuggler that you meet in Tools of Destruction. These are actually not negatives, but rather positives since they aid the game in working with its short length.

The level design is pretty good for a game like this, though one section got particularly annoying due to it consisting of plank walking and one pirate taking what seems like a cheap shot from afar. Regardless, it was interesting to see how it allowed you to go the whole time without Clank and still be challenging. In this case the shortness of the game is probably a good thing since in a much larger game you likely wouldn't be able to do much without your robot buddy. To compensate for this, a new game mechanic is introduced where you can crouch with your wrench as if about to throw it, then extend it to latch on to special objects in the level to manipulate them with the analog stick. I found this feature rather interesting, and I wonder if this will show up in the third part of the trilogy when I get to it.

Speaking of new features, this is also the first Ratchet & Clank game to feature a difficulty setting, contrasting with all previous games where there was no option. I'm not sure whether this is a good or bad thing, though given the nature of the game this can be seen as a way to get more mileage out of your purchase.

So is it worth the money? I would say yes, since even though it is a more condensed Ratchet & Clank experience, it still manages to hit all the points of a full-length installment. The characters are enjoyable, there is still some humor thrown into the dialogue, the gunplay is really well-done, and there is a good amount of challenge in the level design. I would recommend this game to anyone who has played Tools of Destruction, and especially to ratchet & Clank fans in general. In fact I would say it's a must-play for anoyone who wants to experience the full Future Trilogy, due to it filling in story gaps and an intriguing scene at the end, seeing the return of a rather nefarious enemy.

[OLD] Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction

Continuing through the Ratchet & Clank series in anticipation of Sly 4, we come to Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, released in 2007. It is the first game in what is known as the Future Trilogy, as well as the first Ratchet & Clank game released for the PS3. For the first next-gen game in this series, I would say that it's really well done, though a minor problem arose during play.

On the planet Kerwan, Ratchet is fixing up a hoverbike when Clank gets a distress signal from Captain Qwark, who is under attack by a swarm of heavily-armed robots. They try to reach him through the hoverbike, but crash before fighting their way to Qwark's base. Once there, the duo finds out that the robots are actually trying to eliminate Ratchet, and try to escape. However, they are stopped by the robot army and learn that they are being controlled by Emperor Percival Tachyon, leader of the Cragmite race, who's goal is to wipe out all Lombaxes for eradicating his kind. However, Ratchet escapes before Tachyon can finish the job. As the last Lombax in the universe, Ratchet must defeat the Emperor, also the last of the Cragmites, with help from some friends he meets along the way. Meanwhile, Clank comes into contact with a mysterious group of aliens called the Zoni, who seem to know more about the future than one might anticipate.

The new characters introduced in this installment are pretty enjoyable and not annoying, though it was also nice to see some old faces every so often. I also felt the new female lead, Talwyn Apogee, seemed fairly well-rounded, complimented by some amazing work from her voice actress, Tara Strong (she recently lent her voice to Harley Quinn in Batman: Arkham City). However, that is not to say the rest of the voice acting isn't great, as everyone gave a solid performance overall. While I'm on the sound side of things, I should also compliment the music, which is just as engaging as ever, including an entertaining bit of music from a new gadget, the Groovitron.

Speaking of which, there's a plethora of new weapons and gadgets to use in this game, in fact so much that the Quick Select is now divided into three rings instead of two. Switching between these rings is much easier than in Deadlocked, since it utilizes the shoulder buttons to go through them really quickly. Like in previous games your arsenal can level up over time, though here the maximum Level is back to 5. There is a system similar to the Mods in Deadlocked present through a vendor, but this time it can be used to upgrade various aspects of your weapons, including Ammo capacity, Bolt drops, and Raritanium drops among others, the latter of which is used for the upgrades in the first place. One of my favorite items to use was a robot called Mr. Zurkon, who can be very handy in taking down tougher enemies while hilariously delivering trash talk (one of my favorites is where he compares a target's fighting to "an infant bird-fly").

An interesting addition to the gameplay is the way that the DualShock 3 controller is utilized. Using the Sixaxis functionality of the controller, you can perform actions such as cutting through rock by moving the controller in the desired direction. Fortunately, if there is a point where this becomes too hard to handle, you are given the option to use an analog stick instead for the rest of the game.

The graphics are amazing for an earlier PS3 title, and the physics are actually improved upon, if only in a more minor, yet noticeable sense. Crates this time are smaller and have more weight compared to previous games, in that if you manipulate them in certain ways they will fall over as opposed to just dropping down. While this might cause you to lose a crate if you aren't too careful around gaps, it's still very impressive to behold. When you visit some planets throughout your journey, since there is more texture it's interesting to think of it as Ratchet placed in a modern video game setting, as well as the subtle contrast it creates.

I've brought up the checkpoint system in previous games, and the qualities of it seem to work the same way here. However, this is not the minor problem I mentioned before, since I've learned to expect this sort of thing from a Ratchet & Clank game. The aforementioned problem is actually an instance where the sound in one cutscene went out of synch for whatever reason. Aside from that incident, the synchronization was perfect throughout the game.

Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction is a nice step forward for the Ratchet & Clank series. It has many great improvements to the formula, the graphics are still stunning after a few years, and there are plenty of strong performances all around. The story also is very engaging and leaves on an interesting cliffhanger. If you are a Ratchet & Clank fan, this is one game you don't want to miss.

Jak II - Continuing The Legacy

After the success of 2001's Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, Naughty Dog began developing its first sequel, Jak II. Released in 2003, the game would go on to receive critical acclaim like its predecessor, as well as get added to Sony's "Greatest Hits" lineup of PS2 games. Having finished a 16+ hour campaign, Jak II definitely lives up to its fame, but is also a little off from perfect.

The tone of the game takes a complete 180 from the first game based on the opening cutscenes alone. Jak, Daxter, Samos, and Keira go through a portal generated by a Precursor Ring on a Rift Rider (both of which they found in Jak and Daxter) and end up in a technology-filled dystopia known as Haven City. They are nearly immediately separated for about two years, during which Jak has been experimented on Dark Eco in an attempt by Baron Praxis to create essentially a super soldier. Daxter comes to his friend's rescue, aiding in his dramatic escape from prison as they run into a man named Kor that tells them briefly about the citywide takeover by Praxis as well as the attempts by the Underground to restore control to its rightful owner, who happens to be a child he is protecting. Once the duo start aiding the Underground, things quickly escalate as they continue to realize just what they have gotten themselves into.

Storywise, the game unfolds like a rollercoaster as alliances are made and broken, love is tested, and numerous revelations come to light, especially a very notable one near the end that will literally leave you guessing. While the story is considerably darker than the previous entry, its execution is astoundingly brlliant thanks to its expert pacing, as well as including well-written dialogue that explains just about everything you need to know about the characters and events without going into long expository speeches. With the screen time the characters are given, it's easy to map out their relationships and motivations while still being genuinely surprised by at least one or two unexpected plot twists. At first I didn't feel too much emotional attachment, but it's hard not to be shocked when something happens to them late in the game to affect plot or character dynamics.

Speaking of characters, the very first thing anyone should note about them is that Jak can now speak. While he is fueled by revenge on Praxis, this is justified by having been tortured in experiments for two years against his will. The growly tone of his voice serves as a nice touch and adds some depth to him, allowing him for once to interact with other characters on a more equal level. In addition, new characters like Sig, Torn, Tess, Ashelin and Krew are well-written for their roles, though talking about their relationships with each other would only make this more confusing than it needs to be. The voices selected for these characters are also done well, with specific praise going to Krew's sinister British voice and Clancy Brown's voice for Baron Praxis. I also found Daxter's dialogue to be humorous at times in a way that didn't feel annoying.

In terms of overall gameplay, this is perhaps where Jak II differs the greatest from its predecessor. The Eco abilities from the previous entry are now instead integrated as ammo types for a single weapon known as the Morph Gun. Using the D-Pad to switch between ammo types is very simple to adjust to and aiming the morph gun was never a problem, with advantages for each ammo type serving to inject a nice level of tactical skill on the part of the player. Thanks to Jak's prison time, players can also collect Dark Eco to transform him into Dark Jak with the press of a button, though they must forgo using the Morph Gun for the duration. While Dark Jak does have his own advantages and is very strong in melee combat, the time it takes to recharge a single use plus a near lack of a need to use him greatly lowered my incentive to even consider using him, especially when taking into account that the Morph Gun alone is enough to get you through the game. The rest of the controls are lifted directly from Jak and Daxter, so there was also a great sense of familiarity in the game that I could immediately latch onto.

In addition to gaining a new weapon and a new power, the enemies Jak and Daxter must face are now a race known as the Metal Heads, replacing the Lurkers from The Precursor Legacy (though they still play a role in the story). This race has plenty of enemy types to keep one on their toes, adjusting strategy accordingly to deal with specific groups. Killing Metal Heads can reward you with a Metal Head Skull Gem, the new currency of sorts for the single Precursor Oracle in the game. Bringing a certain number of Skull Gems to the Oracle will reward Jak with a new ability for Dark Jak to wield, ranging from invincibility in this mode to clearing a group of enemies much faster. No matter how many abilities Dark Jak gets however, I still did not feel the need to wield his powers that often. In addition, Precursor Orbs, the currency of the previous game, plays a bit less of a role now, with a total of only 286 scattered throughout all of the game's levels. Collecting a number of them will unlock secret modes or other extras, which may or not be worth it depending on how much of a priority you place on collecting them.

While different powers and enemies already provide a good amount of variety to the game, a great deal more is applied throughout the entirety of the story. One moment you'll be platforming as usual, the next you'll be racing on a NYFE vehicle, and in another you'll be piloting a mech suit that can punch through walls. There's even an on-rails shooting section and times when you'll be shooting airborne enemies with a turret. This level of gameplay variety is something I liked since it helped the game constantly feel fresh, helped by the fact that the controls in any stage are mapped very well and respond near-flawlessly.

Overall level design is good in this game, though some annoyances do crop up. Checkpoints are placed in each mission with the frequency of Ratchet & Clank, making some of the longer ones painful to redo multiple times in succession, each death becoming more frustrating to deal with. However, the constant replaying of missions did manage to improve my efficiency in approaching them once I figured out the correct way to do it. Haven City is also designed as a sort of giant maze, which while making the environment a lot better to look at also made it sometimes difficult to travel to my destination since it was easy to take a wrong turn and waste too much time in a critical moment. Transit also takes some time whether running on foot or using a hoverboard or flying vehicle of some sort. The AI for the Krimzon Guard, controlled by Baron Praxis as the other enemy faction of the game, is also interesting. It seems that you can absolutely anything to the general populace and they won't do anything, but if you so much as tap them while not running or dodge rolling across the city streets they'll send the entire city after you, ending their search only after you're dead, you hide under a bridge long enough, or you get into an open spot and keep running away long enough, sort of like how you outrun any police force in other open world games.

The NYFE races are also a good example of a mixed bag. Since you need to get into first to advance the story, there is absolutely no margin for error thanks to the course design and enemy AI. The only way to achieve this is by exploiting every shortcut possible at every turn or abusing boost power like there's no tomorrow. Controlling a NYFE vehicle is harder in courses with lots of turns, since letting go at any point during the turns makes it harder to regain steady control again. Regardless, I felt a feeling of triumph once I managed to get through these missions.

In terms of graphics, Jak II improves greatly from its predecessor of two years prior. The atmosphere is helped greatly by the use of a darker color palette to show just how different it is in tone from the more upbeat Precursor Legacy. With the presence of the day-to-night cycle still around, I also praise the lighting on the environment as the shadows projected also change more realistically. Water and lava also operate more distinctively this time around, with physics that stick much closer to their real world counterparts. I also loved the lack of a visible load time despite how huge and intricate Haven City is, which made the experience a lot more immersive. In addition, I also praise the great score and sound design, which is done in a way to not only make the world believable, but also keep the appropriate mood throughout.

With its hairpin u-turn in both tone and style from Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, Jak II is still an impressively fun and enjoyable game. While there is more focus on variety, open world play and third-person shooter elements, the core platforming aspect is still visible in a way that keeps the experience fun and fresh, and its ramped up difficulty by comparison is still a good challenge despite its annoyance from time to time. On its own, Jak II is a game that fans of the series or PS2 owners should not pass up, as it holds a rightful place in history in more ways than one.

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

While Uncharted: Drake's Fortune may have felt like a rough start for the franchise, Among Thieves was able to take the concepts to the limit and pull off the feel of a big budget movie spectacularly, simultaneously raising the bar to a near impossible height. I wasn't quite sure at first if Uncharted 3 would be able to live up to the expectations, but I am proud to say that, thankfully, it does.

As one would expect, the action begins right off the bat, although instead of climbing up a train we have Nathan in an extended barroom brawl. It is in the first scene that we meet Katherine Marlowe, possibly the best and most memorable antagonist out of all three games. Whereas Drake's Fortune revolved around the diary of Sir Francis Drake and Among Thieves used information regarding the lost fleet of Marco Polo, Drake's Deception has a centuries-old artifact used to aid in locating the city of Ubar, also known as the Atlantis of the Sands. What follows is an amazing journey across the world, from France to Syria, and plenty of mystery surrounding secret organizations and ancient myths made real.

However, the main focus in the story is more about human interaction. While we do see Nathan and Elena keep their romance alive, Sully and Drake take the spotlight, including a great look at their origin story that reveals exactly who they were twenty years ago. As the story unfolds, we see just what lengths they are willing to go to in order to help each other out as well as just how much they care about their survival.

Along the journey, the number of amazing set piece moments I witnessed was truly remarkable. If you've seen any summer blockbuster, you'd be able to recognize one or two memorable scenes, which this game completely outshines by throwing in as many as possible that still manage to contribute to the story. On top of this, Naughty Dog managed to improve the graphics to the point where I had to remind myself on occasion that I was playing a video game. The physics that accompany them are also well done on their own, making the locales all the more realistic.

The gameplay for Uncharted 3 is also improved well, but also steps back a little. Melee combat feels more natural thanks to the variety of moves Nathan now has at his disposal, which allows it to feel more like a viable method of taking out enemies than relying almost exclusively on gunfire. The gunplay on the other hand, while still relatively good, is another story. The dev team added a few more frames to his running animation that, while impressive, make it more difficult to aim while trying to run-and-gun. Still, the level design is very well done and platforming felt better in a much more subtle way, such as being able to reach for a ledge. The puzzles were also very clever and creative, which is a good thing considering they make you think a little harder about what you're doing.

While I did like the game overall, there were a couple of levels that stood out, if only because the rest of game was done so well. One in particular is the gunfight in a pirate graveyard, which has you surrounded by a seemingly never ending assault while highlighting the swimming mechanic. The section may have been easier if this was better implemented, but it did me no good, forcing me to jump from boat to boat and simply lie in wait to better line up a shot. The only other section that felt annoying was a desert level later on that had similar problems, except whatever challenge might have come from firing almost blindly turned to frustration as I anticipated specific enemy placement.

Uncharted 3 is an excellent example of what can be done not just with the PS3's tech, but also within the realms of storytelling. While I was eventually able to figure when certain gameplay moments would occur in a somewhat formulaic fashion, it was still good fun. What really got me through though was the fact that I was able to feel for the characters. I began to question as the game went on whether or not they would be able to make it out alive or even if the game would have a happy ending. This is a PS3 title that shouldn't be missed.