SynopsisIntroduced on SEGA Genesis in 1991, Sonic the Hedgehog rapidly became one of the world's most recognizable video game characters and franchises. Now, to celebrate his 15th birthday, Sonic is back exclusively on PSP in Sonic Rivals. Sonic, Knuckles, Shadow and the insidious Dr. Eggman are all back to trip, shove and vault each other as they race through their different stories to their finish lines at breakneck speed.SEGA brings back traditional 2D gameplay with new 3D tracks, traps, hazards and environments. Play as one of the characters against a rival in a race so competitive you'll think you are playing a real opponent. Or, play with a buddy for intense, multiplayer competition. Customize your character's skills by collecting trading cards, then challenge other players and wager them online. Welcome the beloved blue hedgehog back into action on your PSP system.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
So, if you've read any of the magazines you probably won't even think about picking up this title - almost across the board it's been given 4s and 5s out of 10. Thankfully I work at a game store and can stick in whatever I want whenever we're not busy. After 20 minutes of messing around with it, I decided it was worth a purchase.
Graphics - 9/10 The graphics in this game look as good as anything the 360 would offer. Crisp 3d designs, fluid animation, and awesome effects make this game at least a must-see. Even better, the framerate never craps out on you. The only reason I don't give this a 10? Some little things, like Shadow's chaos animations, look a little old. He'll throw a little fireball and a door will open. They didn't try very hard, but it's such a tiny part (and only in story mode) that it doesn't matter.
Sound - 10/10 Some of the best industrial rock you'll find on handheld. Probably matches Timesplitters 2 as one of my favorite soundtracks to a game. Though there isn't a whole lot of music to be had, what IS there is amazing, and with some stereo headphones on, it'll really get you into the race.
Style - 9/10 Probably the only Sonic racing game I would even consider trying to play with a buddy. It's nothing like R Racing, which is a good thing. This plays more like the versus modes in Sonic 2, where you're trying to complete a level fastest; however, instead of making a shorter version of a level, these things are absolutely HUGE, and tons of different paths depending on what rail you take, what sort of boost you use, and how fast you're going. It's not an easy thing to take on. Your rival is always there next to you, but unless you really mess up, you're always close to him as well. There are lots of little things to jack with the guy in the lead, like bricks you have to break or blocks to push or girders to knock over. It wastes valuable seconds that mean the other guy WILL be close, or breathing down your neck, when you're done with it.
Replayability - 6/10 Unfortunately, with very few zones in the game it's over pretty quick. It's fun with a buddy, but ultimately you'll probably get bored after you beat it and see how all the characters play. If you're a real collector, though, it'll take you awhile. You win cards after each race depending on your rank (standard S-A-B-C ranking) which is based on rings collected, times you hit your rival, time, and boosts performed. You use these to unlock new costumes and characters, but like I said, you may get bored before you get there.
Overall - 8/10 Definitely worth a try if you've got some money to spend, and at least worth a rent if you can find a Blockbuster with it. It's crazy and fast action that'll remind you of the glory days of Sonic. Now, if only they could make it longer...
If you've never experienced the adventure, action and minifigure humor of the LEGO Star Wars series, here's your chance. Commemorate the 30th anniversary of the legendary intergalactic tale with LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga, which contains the events of all six Star Wars movies. New levels, characters, customizations and features add a fresh gameplay experience for LEGO Star Wars veterans, while puzzle solving, teamwork and the game's unique signature humor keep newbies coming back for more. No matter what part of the universe you hail from, this massive title has something for everyone to enjoy.Play as exciting new characters, such as Watto, Zam Wessell, Boss Nass and many more, and create and operate your own vehicle with every Prequel Trilogy character. Explore the silliness of the force with the improved Character Customizer, which allows you to criss-cross characters and create new personalities, such as Han Windu and Lando Amidala. Take on the new Mos Espa Podrace and Gun Cavalry levels of LEGO Star Wars II, and discover new bonus levels and 10 additional Bounty Hunter missions that add depth to the story. Wield enhanced Force powers, earn new powerups and enter a new Challenge mode. Thrill to the special elements designed for the Nintendo Wii console, such as motion-sensitive inputs that enable you to control your LEGO Star Wars characters in entirely new ways. Plus, take a peek at the behind-the-scenes footage of the included bonus video, The Building of LEGO Star Wars.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
Presentation: I can't really think of anything outstanding about LSW's presentation, but on the other hand, I can't think of any real flaws. Maybe I just can't think... Ever seen a LEGO set? Well, that's what the game looks like! The characters are all LEGO toys, but they have a full range of motion. On the technical side, the game runs pretty solid at 60 fps. Most of the graphics aren't high-poly textured wonders because they correctly emulate the LEGO toys! Once again, there are no big flaws to speak of. The audio can be described the same way. The music is taken straight from the films' soundtrack, and the sound effects fit the game well. Characters grunt and jabber, lasers make laser-y sounds, and explosions explode. Once again, not really any flaws. The game features numerous cutscenes, many of which are humorous. Though the characters never speak, you can always tell what is going on and you'll probably recognize a lot from the movies. Game Play: In LEGO Star Wars, the characters are divided into groups. Characters within a group usually have all the same abilities; in other words, the differences are usually only cosmetic. Jedi characters carry lightsabers, can jump high, and can use the force. Jump characters can jump the highest of all the characters. And so forth. During the game, your party has all the character types necessary to complete the level. Levels are progressed through by defeating enemies, pressing switches, completing puzzles, etc. Probably the best feature of the game play is the ability to play two-player co-op mode. This makes the game a lot more fun, since you must work together to finish levels. Game play mechanics are generally decent, but the levels in which you pilot aircraft are very bad. The spaceships are hard to control and just a little too fast to really feel like you're playing and not just button-mashing. Thankfully, ship levels don't usually appear more than once every 5 or 6 stages. The controls are simple and easy to use, but in a sense, disappointing. One of the biggest hype points for the Wii version was that you could control the lightsaber with the Wii remote. While that statement is technically true, the control is limited to simply swinging the remote in any direction to make the character attack, as opposed to controlling your lightsaber's actual movement and position. Swinging the remote has the same effect as pressing the B button. Value: LEGO Star Wars is loaded with extras. Each level has extra goals, like collecting a certain amount of LEGO money, finding secret bricks, and collecting all the pieces of a LEGO vehicle kit. Although that adds a lot more playing time, the game can still become boring. LSW has TONS of unlockables--characters, levels, vehicles, easter eggs--that you can buy with the LEGO money you collect in the levels. I would estimate the total play time needed to unlock all the levels and accomplish every objective to be about 75 hours. Yeah. So if you're trapped on a desert island with just this game, it'll be at least a few days before you have to do the exact same thing over again. The two-player co-op is a great value booster, and there's also a battle multiplayer mode. Intangibles: It's LEGOs... come on! This game has charm, and I can't remember the number of times I saw things in this video game that made me laugh or drop my jaw. Overall: If you like LEGOs, or Star Wars, or just funny games with loads of extras, this is the game for you.
They may look cute, but there's nothing nice about the characters in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. This fighting frenzy will have you inflicting painful KO's on familiar opponents you thought were your friends. Take your frustrations out on Link, Mario and other characters from throughout the gaming world. Shoot spaceships out of the sky in the Lylat System from the Star Fox games and deal out killer blows in Rumble Falls based on the look and feel of Donkey Kong: Jungle Beat.Hit opponent after opponent to build up your damage meter, then knock your enemies clear off the screen. Rely on weapons that are silly but very effective, such as banana peels, pitfalls, gooey bombs and many more. Hurl old-school crates and barrels or select from Assist Trophies and Poke Balls to strike fear in the hearts of your foes. Combine Standard, Strong and Smash attacks to bash your way to victory. There are so many ways to smash, you'll get lost in the melees for hours on end.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
Gameplay: Brawl is arguably a bit more simple to play than Melee, when it comes down to the attacks. This is partly because of the removal of glitches/exploits/certain tactics. No longer will you have to practice wavedashing if you want to challenge somebody who knows it, and in my eyes that is very good. In Brawl, you can play with four different controllers (GameCube controller, which is still best, Classic Controller, and Wii Remote both with and without the Nunchuk), and customize your control scheme completely. I like to play with the default setting for the GC controller, but this new feature is awesome, and will let anyone have an easier time playing. What is so great about Smash is that all attacks are so incredibly easy to pull off, with only a button press and a control stick movement needed - at most - for every attack. This makes the game easy to play, easy to learn, and of course very fun.
Story: The only story in this game is in the form of The Subspace Emissary, the new Adventure mode. While the story is simple and unimpressive, it's presented with incredibly beautiful cutscenes. It's sad that these cutscenes are the best thing of The Subspace Emissary, then, because the gameplay of this mode is generally boring, repetitive and at most times frustrating due to some of the most annoying enemies in video game history. It is, in fact, the only true weak point of the game.
Graphics: The best on Wii. Period. All characters are animated perfectly, and are full of life. Every character has his or her own, unique looks and great animations. The stages are the same, with pretty much every stage looking very good. Effects from items, attacks and the likes also look like they should, and there is pretty much no slow-down during the regular game (this is an issue in online). All in all, the graphics are very impressive and pretty much perfectly done, and it's just amazing that this has been done exclusively on the Wii.
Sound: Nintendo have put together an amazing number of music tracks - remixes, old classics and recent originals are all put together for one of the greatest video game soundtracks ever, and every stage has close to 10 different tracks that will play - all of which you can decide the frequency of. Sadly, not all is well with the sound, because some characters' voice acting is downright horribly cringe-worthy. Pit and Pokemon Trainer, for example, both have ridiculously bad voice samples that should never have appeared in such an otherwise wonderfully presented game. The announcer has some of the same issues, and seems to have difficulties pronouncing basic English words such as "break" and "survival". Still, I'm not gonna complain so much about the sound, when the music clearly weighs up for it.
Replayability: It takes about 8 hours to play through the Adventure mode, which is actually impressive, seeing as it's such a small part of the game. The versus mode ("Brawl") and the online mode are probably what will keep you occupied the most - if Super Smash Bros. Melee had you hooked, there are no words to describe how addicted you will be to this game. It has a huge replay value which is multiplied even further when you add some friends into the mix for some multiplayer action. Still, even when playing alone, there are tons of challenges for you to try and keep you occupied for quite some time.
Conclusion: I've brought up some bad points about Brawl - mainly the Adventure mode, which kind of stinks. I also mentioned the voice acting for some characters and some lag problems in the online mode (which is otherwise well made). However, I believe that since The Subspace Emissary is such a small part of the game, it shouldn't pull down the score a lot, since the rest of the game is pretty much a flawless, incredibly fun experience. I recommend it to any Nintendo fan that owns a Wii - and if you don't own one, get hold of one as soon as possible, because you're probably going to want this game anyway. Game of the Year 2008? Yes. Yes, I think it will be.
What's great about it: Graphics, Gameplay, Replayability
What's not so great: Laggy Online, Limited Single Player
Brace yourself for a new set of tricks, tracks and ways to race. The included Wii Wheel transforms your Wii Remote into a steering wheel that feels great in your hands, while the Wii Remote and Nunchuk controller supply a classic control style for veterans of this racing series. Either way, you'll be able to perform impressive speed-boosting tricks, such as jumps, flips and wheelies.You can zip through brand-new tracks and arenas, and also tour classic courses from Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart 64, Mario Kart: Super Circuit, Mario Kart: Double Dash and Mario Kart DS. There are even options for trying all-new motorbikes that have their own special tricks and techniques. The action gets fast, furious and funny when you race in Mario Kart Wii.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
Introduction: Mario Kart Wii is the 6th and latest installment of the Mario Kart series, famous for its craziness and multiplayer madness. This game features several new elements but keep true to the Mario Kart legacy many of us grew up enjoying. Among these feautes is the new Wii Wheel, which comes free with the game.
Gameplay: This where Mario Kart has always shined, and there is no let up in Mario Kart Wii. The motion sensor controls work very well and you will be able to pick it up and be drifting and making wheelies in no time at all, newbie or not. The main single player modes, grand prix and time trial are fun enough, with 8 cups to play, but what will keep you coming back is the multiplayer, which includes race and battle mode. The lack of options in multiplayer is a bit disappointing, but enough for fun with friends. The battle mode is great but only two modes are available and you can only do teams, no more free for all madness.
Graphics: Now this is my one major gripe with the game. The character models are bad, very bad. Now I wasn't expecting anything special, but these are gamecube graphics on a good day. The character selection screen is sometimes painful to look at because some of the characters are so blocky. The courses are not too bad, but again nothing special. To me this is ot really acceptable, this next gen, the characters should look good, I know the Wii is not all that powerful but this is bad. However if this graphical cut allowed for the smooth online experience (covered later) then it is a good trade off.
Sound: As always Nintendo delivers in the music department. Some tunes you will start humming without even noticing, that is the sign of a memorable tune. Some are forgettable but most are very entertaining that Mario way. NOt problems here.
Re-playability: You just can't beat it here, this game is the most re-playable on the Wii (witht he exception of Smash Bros.). And finally Nintendo did the Wi-Fi right, still no voice chat, but it's lag free and fun as anything. What more could you want? You can also do 2 players on the same console online, which is a big plus.
All in all this is best Mario Kart experience so far, so pick this up and relive your childhood, or keep it going at least.
SynopsisDeveloped exclusively for PSP, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII features amazing graphics, full 16:9 widescreen presentation and a thrilling battle system. Set seven years prior to the events of Final Fantasy VII, Crisis Core finds the Shinra Company increasingly expanding its monopoly on mako energy and flexing its military might. With the growing city of Midgar as its base, Shinra is close to establishing dominance over the world. A group of operatives known as SOLDIER works within Shinra, and the elite members that achieve the rank of SOLDIER 1st Class are respected and idolized by the citizens.Zack is a young SOLDIER 2nd Class who wishes to make it to 1st Class. He carries out missions under the direction of his 1st Class mentor, Angeal. When an operation in Wutai goes bad, a group of operatives led by the SOLDIER known as Genesis go missing. Shinra sends more operatives into the situation, and Zack, Angeal and the hero known as Sephiroth must uncover the truths behind the lost operatives. Help Zack survive a cruel and exciting struggle loaded with 300 side missions and an action-packed real-time battle system. You don't know the story of Final Fantasy VII until you know the whole story of Crisis Core.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
Storyline: You control Zack Fair who played a pivotal role in the back-story of Final Fantasy VII. The magic of Final Fantasy VII has returned. The story is heart-wrenching as well as romantic. Don't expect anything less from Final Fantasy VII.
Gameplay: The Materia system has been redone, accompanied by the DMW system. The gameplay challenges and excites both RPG veterans and beginners. The conversion between turn based to action based will discourage hard-core fans of turn based combat.
Graphics & Music: With the best graphics to date. Period. Accompanied with breathless next-gen CGI. The inclusion of music found in Final Fantasy VII (PSX) and the movie “LAST ORDER FFVII” it makes for a inspiring soundtrack.
Overall: Amazing. It's an overall improvement to early aspects of Final Fantasy VII and more. Crisis Core is the shining star of the Final Fantasy VII's compilation. Angels have but one dream!