Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon Review

by

FC3BD review

Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, PC
Release Date: April 30, 2013

FCtitle
I did not grow up it the 1980s, nor was I even alive for a nanosecond of it. Michael Jackson, Ronald Reagan, and cocaine were all legendary aspects of that era that I’ve only grown to hear about in my later years (with cocaine being the only survivor). Such is not the story for the creators of Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, a downloadable standalone title loosely based on 2012′s spectacular Far Cry 3. Taking Far Cry 3‘s winning first-person shooter formula and letting it soak in a radioactive 1980s cesspool, Blood Dragon pays wonderful homage to this coveted decade along with neatly mixing a level of oft-requested stupidity and open-ended, play-however-you-want gameplay.

Continue reading →

Injustice: Gods Among Us Review

by

injustice final

Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U
Release Date: April 16, 2013

title
On the nerd Venn diagram, the overlap of Mortal Kombat and comic books is pretty significant. Well aware of this fact, developer NetherRealm attempted to combine to two ideas for 2009′s Mortal Kombat Vs. DC. Finding a lukewarm reception between gamers and critics, NetherRealm stuck to what they knew best and created 2011′s incredibly violent and spectacular Mortal Kombat reboot. This split didn’t leave DC completely out to die though. Instead, it led to Injustice: Gods Among Us, their new fighting game significantly lacking in fatalities and people named Sub-Zero. Stepping back in over the top violence but subbing in a more popular universe, NetherRealm has crafted a fighting game stepping far enough into familiar territory but carving out enough of its own path to become worthy for any fighting game enthusiast.

Continue reading →

Assassin’s Creed III: The Tyranny of King Washington Episodes 1 – 3 DLC Review

by

WAshington final

Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, PC
Release Dates: February 20, 2013 (Episode 1); March 19, 2013 (Episode 2); April 23, 2013 (Episode 3)

ACtitle
On premise alone, Assassin’s Creed has always been a wonderful, thought-provoking franchise. Time travelling through history to stab historical icons has always been as fun as it has been creative, letting players enact orchestrated assassinations in worlds only seen in history text books. Assassin’s Creed III captured that fantasy well too, but the series has never dabbled in alternate history which is, again, a premise worthy of interest.

Ubisoft went pseudo-Undead Nightmare and announced a trilogy of downloadable episodes starring the evil reign of a King Washington in an evil, lethargic slouch. Rather than be another DLC pack filled with just more levels, the alternate take on a such an intriguing topic was a ballsy move, one that only could improve on a killer foundation that Assassin’s Creed III set. However, that is what one would think if the appropriate amount of manpower was poured into this episodic downloadable expansion. The Tyranny of King Washington is about as half-assed as you can get, overcharging players for such a skimpy, barely interesting set of missions.
Continue reading →

Some History and The Future of Console HQ

by

When you grow up, you have many influences. Someone, or something will find a way to convince you of an idea. Usually, the idea is short lived. It occupies your mind for a while, but then you move on to the next one. That is what a gaming website has been for me for quite a few years. When I was around twelve years old, I knew gaming was something I cared about. I’m not talking about just playing, but learning about them. Shows which covered the industry took up my time, the web had become my source for news, and my love  for it all was growing. There was nothing before I was so passionate about. Continue reading →

Guacamelee! Review

by

Guacamelee review

Platforms: PS3, Playstation Vita
Release Date: April 2, 2013

fantastico

The impact of Nintendo’s iconic franchises is undeniable when gazing into the gaming hemisphere. Mario and Link’s imprint is still visible in almost every release, but Metroid‘s impression was nearly abandoned as technology progressed. You know the classic Metroidvania formula: your character starts from zero, builds up powers in a gradual fashion, and then opens up new pathways within a 2D platforming world. Guacamelee! shoves its way onto the Playstation 3 and Vita, resurrecting the timeless Metroidvania blueprint in its luchador-enamored world. Although such a shorthand description sells the game drastically short; Guacamelee! is brilliant homage that offers an ingenious mix of old and new ideas.
Continue reading →

ME3_Citadel

Mass Effect 3: Citadel DLC Review

by

ME3_CitadelPlatforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

Release Date: March 5, 2013

I love Mass Effect 3. Mass Effect is definitely my favorite series of this console generation. Seriously, I never shut up about it to Kevin or Michael. Now, despite my borderline psychotic love for this series, I’ve never bought downloadable content (particularly for ME3) that didn’t leave me somehow discontent; Omega should have been ten dollars at most, and From Ashes should have just been part of the game. Citadel changed that. For once, downloadable content is worth exactly what you pay for it.
Continue reading →

DmC Devil May Cry: Vergil’s Downfall DLC Review

by

DMC Vergil Downfall

Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, PC
Release Date: March 5, 2013

VD
Dante’s adventure in the slick, flashy, and downright gorgeous DmC Devil May Cry was an experience that completely reinvigorated the entire franchise. As awesome as Dante is, he is only half of the Nephilim lineage. Like Devil May Cry 3, we got to see glimpses of his twin brother Vergil but never got to play the other Son of Sparda until the expected re-release hit store shelves. DmC has a similar plan, but with much less waiting. Vergil’s Downfall comes to downloadable services for an odd price of $9 and even though Vergil isn’t as flexible as Dante, the blue-tinted brother is still a blast to play as.
Continue reading →

God of War: Ascension Review

by

GOWA review

Platform: PS3
Release Date: March 12, 2013

Descension

God of War is essentially the perfect video game trilogy. The original God of War exploded onto the scene and forever changed action games, bringing a fast, brutal take on Greek mythology wrapped up in a compelling personal story. The sequel maintained this sturdy foundation, streamlined it, and simultaneously raised the bar and the stakes in almost every department. God of War III took these stakes established in God of War II, jacked them up to the stratosphere, and closed out the series in the most satisfying way possible. Concerning both the narrative and the gameplay, this trilogy refined mechanics and escalated the story in such a fantastic, well-paced method, mercilessly forcing it within the most memorable in gaming’s franchises.

From the climax that was God of War III, it’s only natural to wonder where to go from the literal top of Mount Olympus. God of War: Ascension aims to answer this with the most prequel-y of prequels, predating every other God of War title. Kratos is still a man, one enslaved for his past mistakes and Ascension attempts to tell the story of this particular side of Kratos. Even though it bears the prestigious God of War name, Ascension feels like a generic, halfway competent competitor rather than one of the founding fathers of the hack and slash genre.
Continue reading →