Ico & Shadow of the Colossus HD Collection Review

Ico & Shadow of the Colossus HD Collection

I’ve got to be honest with you, this review was hard to write. Both of these games are great, but they are so different from other games that they defy the normal standard of rating games. I decided to review each game separately and average the score at the end; prepare for a long read. Enjoy.

Ico

Ico is a 3D puzzle game in which the main character (named Ico) leads himself and a mysterious girl named Yorda through an ancient prison in an attempt to escape. This game was originally released on the PS2, but has been remastered in HD for the PS3.

Gameplay

To me, the game feels like a Zelda game. That is, if a Zelda game took place in one enclosed (but expansive) building. You play as Ico, a parkour master at the age of twelve, who has been locked in a prison because he has horns growing out of his head.

Gameplay revolves around solving puzzles by navigating and manipulating the environments, all the while escorting a helpless girl and protecting her from the shadow monsters that constantly try to kidnap her.

“Yay!” I hear you scream, “Escort missions! We love those!” I understand that the idea of an entire game being one long escort mission is not appealing, but trust me, this game is different. Team Ico (the people behind the game) do a good job of making you really care for your companion, which changes moments when Yorda falls down from: “Ugh, not again,” to: “OMG, is she okay?”

The controls may take some getting used to. Climbing controls are standard, but the fighting system is lacking. Even though the game has brilliant puzzles, there are situations that force you to fight your way out, which can be thrilling, but are usually frustrating. But the game isn’t meant to be easy, with no auto-save feature, if you die or Yorda is captured, you will be forced to start from your last manual save point. Get ready to watch some walkthroughs on this one.

The camera works well most of the time, but occasionally has you looking in the wrong direction. When the camera does work, it provides a very cinematic feel to the things you do. By zooming in and out, the camera shows the impressive architecture of your surroundings and adds depth to the environment.

The real thing that makes the gameplay stand out is that Yorda is completely helpless. You have to manually move her wherever you want her to go by holding a button and dragging her along. This mechanic may sound terrible, but I think it actually gives the player a deeper connection to Yorda than would be achieved by just saying “follow me.”

Story

This is where the game becomes tough to review. Ico’s story is, for lack of a better word, weird. But this isn’t bad, and it certainly doesn’t draw from the game. The story is just that: a story. The plot doesn’t flow like a normal linear game, but that is what makes it unique. All you know is what is shown to you and the ending is completely open to each player’s interpretation. The story does introduce love in a different way by making the player personally responsible for the love interest. All of these elements make for a very engaging story that players will not soon forget.

It may be important to note that no one in this game speaks English, but there are subtitles for what little dialogue there is. The story is told through pictures, and it works well for the game.

Graphics/Sound

It is important to note that Ico was a PS2 game. Keeping that in mind, Ico looks great. Not by today’s standard, but considering the time when it was made, it looks great, and I suppose that’s what’s important.

The soundtrack is much more impressive. Music reflects the situations the player is in, warning the player of danger in some cases while providing a sense of tranquility in others. Fire and water sound great too.

Appeal/Replayability

Ico is not a long game, but this works for it. After completing the game once, the player can restart on a harder difficulty. This combined with a intricate plot that many players will want to see twice to make sure they got it all.

Conclusion

Ico is a unique game that takes a lot of ideas from other games, while adding a Team Ico twist. I give the game a 8/10. It is good fun, and hard to dislike.

Shadow of the Colossus

In Shadow of the Colossus, you play as “Wander”, who tries to revive his beloved from death by killing sixteen colossi. The Colossi are massive massive beasts that make for some of the most epic boss fights I’ve ever seen a video game. The game feels like a cross between a God of War and a Zelda game. It is an epic 3D puzzle adventure that takes place across an expansive open world. And it is 100% awesome.

Gameplay

All in all, it’s the gameplay that makes Shadow so good. Controls are very similar to Ico, with the addition of a “grip meter.” This gauge shows how long Wander can hold on to a climbable surface before falling. This may take some getting used to, especially if you are coming straight from Ico, but this mechanic is what makes the Colossi battles so thrilling.

There are some flaws with the game mechanics, but they are minor. The controls are clunky when riding a horse. The camera works well most of the time, but sometimes it doesn’t cooperate at all. None of these things are game breaking, but they come up as little annoyances here and there.

The world in Shadow of the Colossus is mostly empty, but it fits the message of the game perfectly. Each Colossus is in a different area, and getting to these areas is a puzzle in itself.

I will close the gameplay portion by simply saying that few games have you ride on your horse alongside a flying Colossal beast, jump onto its wing, and climb along its body while it is in motion. However, Shadow of the Colossus does do this, along with many other things that all in all add up to be, in a word, epic.

Story

Like its predecessor, Shadow’s plot is shown more like a folktale, leaving it up to the player’s interpretation. The thing that really drives the story forward is to not only find out what the next Colossus looks like, but also discovering the consequences of killing it. Once again, no characters speak English, but there is a lot more dialogue, so be prepared to read some subtitles.

Leaving the player with another ending that will make him/her think, Shadow delivers a great story about just how much some will do for the one they love.

Graphics/Sound

Shadow was also originally a PS2 exclusive, but with the HD reboot, it rivals some games that come out today. It is still obvious that the game is old, but the scenery and the Colossi themselves are both beautiful and detailed. I never once thought that this game belongs on the PS2. It belongs on this generation, and this is the best way to play it.

The game also features one of the best soundtracks I’ve ever experienced in games. Music nce again reflects the situations the player is in. When roaming the world on horseback, the music is peaceful and filled with natural sounds. There is a nice contrast offered when the player then climbs up the back of a Colossus, and the music turns harsh and dramatic. This truly enhances the experience of fighting the colossi, and part of the reason this game is so epic.

Appeal/Replayability

Shadow of the Colossus offers a harder version of the game for those who beat the normal version. This allows players to experience the Colossi in different ways, as well as letting them participate in time trial modes when fighting the Colossi.

This feature is what will call players back time after time to play this truly amazing game.

Conclusion

Shadow of the Colossus is the type of game that comes along once in a generation. This HD remake of the cult classic is one that every PS3 owner should play. I give the game a 9.5/10. Seriously, play this game.

Total Score:

The total score for the collection is 8.75/10. I recommend it to anyone who owns a Playstation 3.

Edge of Tomorrow Review

Edge of Tomorrow

Edge of Tomorrow is a sci-fi action movie starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt. The story revolves around Tom Cruise’s character, who is enlisted to fight in the war against the “mimics”. Mimics are an invading alien species that threatens to destroy human life as we know it. However, Cruise’s character begins reliving the day of the battle over and over again every time he dies in combat. The eventual goal: live the day long enough to destroy the leader of the mimics.

Plot

The plot, despite leaving you thinking after the movie has ended, has surprisingly few plot holes, especially considering that its a time travel movie. Going in, I thought I was bound to be watching the same scenes over and over again, but this what not the case. As Cruise masters the events of the battlefield, he knows exactly when and where and enemy will be, and what they will do, making for some intense and interesting fight scenes. The ending of this movie is a classic “you decide what happens” ending, but it fits the tone of the movie well.

Acting/Dialogue

The movie features a great cast, including of course Tom Cruise, whose performance is stellar. In my opinion, Cruise is an underrated actor, but in this movie he really shows his skill.

Cruise and Blunt’s chemistry is perfect for the tone of this movie. Without spoiling too much, I will say that Blunt’s character really holds the movie together, and her performance is almost as good as Cruise’s.

The dialogue is full of humor, one-liners, and witty remarks. There are great monologues as well. This movie is sure to have people quoting and referencing  it for years to come.

SFX/Action

The special effects are amazing. They look great, and provide explosive action scenes to the movie that are so pretty, it almost distracts from all the destruction. There are some great fight scenes of Blunt and Cruise kicking butt. However, some of the most thrilling moments come in Cruise’s death scenes. These scenes are both comical (in a gruesome way) and serious, the latter of which becomes evident part way through the movie.

Conclusion

This is the movie to see right now if you are a fan of sci-fi action. A great story, great acting, and great sfx make for a great movie overall. I give Edge of Tomorrow an 8.5/10. Go see Tom Cruise at his best, and leave the theater thinking about the movie for hours afterward.

Pokemon X and Y Review

Pokemon X and Y

Pokemon X and Y are part of Nintendo’s sixth generation of Pokemon games. As usual, you play as an up and coming trainer in the Kalos region who fights against an “evil” organization while also making your way to the Elite Four. Pokemon X and Y do not disappoint, and act as awesome additions to the Pokemon franchise.

Gameplay

Pokemon X and Y are the first Pokemon games on the 3DS, and gameplay has been impacted because of this. The games, unlike past entries in the series, is now made up of fully 3-D models. This include your avatar, pokemon, and the scenery of the game. It really makes the world seem larger and makes it more immersive.

This generation comes ripe with a new stockpile of undiscovered Pokemon. Although not the largest generation, the design and mechanics of these new creatures fits the setting and tone well, making this generation one of the best.

The battling system is mostly the same, but there is a small twist. Some Pokemon can Mega Evolve into a superior form for the duration of the battle. This power sacrifices the Pokemon’s held item, and adds a whole new level of strategy to the game.

The multiplayer and trading system have been changed as well. You no longer have to enter a Pokemon Center to go online. The player can now go online from anywhere in the game world, provided their 3DS is connected to Wi-fi. The new GTS is great and online battling could be a game of its own.

My favorite addition in Pokemon X is a system called wonder trade. Ever had a stockpile of weak or useless Pokemon that you don’t want? Wonder trade allows you to send any Pokemon that you want to a random player in exchange for a mystery Pokemon. This feature is fun and a great way to trade without any tedious negotiations.

Plot

Unfortunately, Pokemon X and Y's story in not great. It seems directed towards younger audiences and, unlike past games, does not tackle serious conflicts in the real world. The plot involves taking down an organization that want to make the world a better place by destroying it. It is a well-known theme and is not unique at all.

The other part of the plot is the player’s struggle to become the regional champion by defeating the Elite Four. This is a classic progression in the Pokemon franchise, and it excels in this game just as it does in its predecessors.

Graphics/Sound

Being a 3DS exclusive, Pokemon X and Y are, unsurprisingly, able to run in 3-D. However, only battles and certain parts of the map have this feature. This makes transitioning from walking to battling a bit sudden and choppy. Despite this, the 3-D is well done and the scenery in Pokemon X and Y look great. It is huge leap for the series in the right direction.

This Pokemon game comes with its very own soundtrack that is just as good as the originals, if not a bit modernized.

Appeal/Replay

Pokemon X and Y are unique because they appeal to all ages. Fans of the series will adore them, as will new comers. The post-game is incredibly short though, and you’ll probably beat the game in around 20-30 hours. Experienced players can continue breeding and battling online if they wish, but Pokemon X and Y allow you restart the game at anytime, with a completely different team if you desire.

Conclusion

Pokemon X and Y are some of (if not the best) games on the 3DS to date. It is well worth the price by providing great gameplay and good replay value. I give the games a 9/10. Fans of the series, you will not be disappointed.  

Why Everyone Should Play Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

The Elder Scrolls’ sixth title, Skyrim, is one of the best games of this generation. Everyone who plays video games should at least try this masterpiece, regardless of your tastes in video games.

Skyrim is a Fantasy RPG that takes place in the world of Tamriel. More specifically, it takes place in the region of Skyrim. Skyrim is a large mountainous region that resembles the Scandinavian countries of the real world. The environments are astounding, but realistic enough to become truly immersive.

The great thing about Skyrim is that it appeals to everyone. You can be good, evil, or neutral. You can explore almost endlessly, but if you like a strong story to follow, Skyrim has that as well. The fighting system allows for multiple play styles including charging in head on, using ranged weapons, stealth, and magic.

If you are new to the Elder Scrolls franchise, don’t worry. The game accepts new comers well, while also providing lore that fans of the series will recognize. While you don’t need to invest in the mythology in order to have fun in the game, it does give the realm of Tamriel a sense of depth that has never truly been recreated in any other game.

Your character in Skyrim is completely customizable, which let’s you experience different ways to play every time you start a new game. This allows player to really grow attached to their character and the world around them by watching them progress and increase in strength.

The graphics in Skyrim look incredible,but this does lead to some lagging and glitching in parts of the game. Also be prepared for long loading times, but just know that it is all worth it. Skyrim’s soundtrack is one of the best ever, with epic vocal pieces along with calm and majestic instrumentals.

Skyrim is a game that comes around once in a generation. With seemingly limitless content, great stories and lore, and brilliant graphics, Skyrim is one of the best immersive experiences in all of gaming. Seriously, even if your hate RPGs, you will LOVE this game! I rate the game a 9.5/10, a nearly perfect game with just a few minor flaws.

Overall, Skyrim is a cultural phenomenon that will be talked about for years to come. Other games would die to be as good as this one and you will never understand just what you are missing until you pick it up for yourself. EVERYONE should play this game.

Give it a Chance.

Watch Dogs Review

Watch Dogs

By now, Ubisoft has become fluent in the art of open-world games. Most of their successful franchises (Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, etc.) happen to be open-world. Watch Dogs, however, is a little disappointing.

Watch Dogs takes place in a fictional Chicago, where the entire city is run by one operating system. You play as the one and only hacker/murderer/thief/uncle/vigilante: Aiden Pearce. After the death of his niece, Aiden goes looking for revenge. The entire plot revolves around finding who killed your niece, and hunting them down.

Gameplay

The gameplay is alright, but it is very standard to most open-world crime games. You have a weapon wheel with seemingly unlimited carrying capacity, the controls for which are frustrating. The player can usually only change one weapon/tool at a time. For example, if you wanted to select a pistol and grenades, you have to select one, close the weapon wheel, then open is back up and select the other. The fact that time does not slow when the wheel is open makes changing weapons very difficult under fire.

Shooting is standard cover based, where you stay behind a wall until a stupid enemy pops up and you promptly shoot him in the face. Aiden Pearce does indeed love his cover. So much, in fact, that he sticks to it all the time. There isn’t a button for “leave cover,” so maneuvering the battlefield is awkward and treacherous.

That brings me to another point. The game looks like a stealth/action crime game, but repeatedly put the player in situations where the only option is to shoot their way out. Aiden does not handle damage very well, so dying a lot is almost guaranteed.

The main thing Watch Dogs has going for it in terms of gameplay is the hacking system. In Chicago virtually anything electronic is hackable, including phones, computers, draw bridges, trains, and even steam pipes that run underneath the city. All this content makes for fun car chases and good environments to play around in.

Plot

The story of Aiden Pearce and his adventures as the vigilante is boring, drawn out, and loosely connected. If you are expecting a plot with a complex setup and dramatic twists and turns, you will be almost certainly disappointed.

Watch Dogs tries to juggle multiple conflicts, while also trying to introduce an unnecessary amount of characters that get limited screen time. Ironically, these supporting characters are more appealing and well rounded that Aiden himself. It is funny to watch suck brilliant and creative characters interact with the bland, empty husk that is Aiden Pearce.

The plot also doesn’t flow very well. The player will often spend time doing missions that seem completely unrelated to Aiden’s main goal, and that causes confusion in some parts of the game.

Graphics/Sound

I’m sure it is convenient for Ubisoft to make a game about hacking and glitching, so that whenever something is the game goes fuzzy, blurred, or pixelated, that it seems like they did it on purpose. The cutscenes, despite the “intentional” mistakes, look really good. The open world is another story.

The world of Watch Dogs is not anything close to what Ubisoft had promised originally. Not to say that it looks bad; it’s just not what most people expected. Leaving the let down of lesser graphics behind, Watch Dog’s world is colorful and for the most part look very good. Not great, but good.

The sound in the game works very well. However, occasionally dialogue gets mumbly if you are watching through a camera, so make sure to play with subtitles just in case.

Appeal/Replay

Watch Dogs’ main story may seem at times drawn out, it is actually not very long. However, if you get distracted by side missions and collectibles, which most certainly will, then the game gets much longer. In fact, I would say that side missions and collectibles make up almost 70% of what you can do in this game, and to be honest, that’s too much.

Side missions in the game include fixer contracts, criminal convoys and gang hideouts, all of which get repetitive quickly. The true beauty of Watch Dogs’ extra content lies in its collectibles and online modes.

Collectibles in the game are usually entertaining puzzle games that involve “riding the cameras” to unlock certain areas. These are fun, engaging and make for quick pit stops for Aiden on his way to the next main mission.

Multiplayer is seamlessly integrated into the single player so that it could occur randomly, or whenever the player calls upon it. In multiplayer, you can race, hack other people, stalk other people, or compete on a team in a conquest/capture the flag kind of game. Other people can also enter your game at any time and hack and/or stalk you. These are interesting ideas and are, for the most part entertaining.

All the extra content extends Watch Dogs by several hours, and while you are not likely to replay the main story over and over, Watch Dogs will call the player back into its open world time after time.

Conclusion

Watch Dogs is the first in what will almost definitely become a Ubisoft franchise. Like the original Assassin's Creed, Watch Dogs brings a lot of new ideas to the table, but still has major problems. Overall I give the game a 6.5/10. I recommend you wait on the price drop for this one, but don’t let that discourage you from picking it up; it’s fun.