2010 in Video Games

2010 is shaping up to be a huge year for games. Will all major consoles really hitting their stride and having price drops, gamers should be getting very excited. Here are some of the 2010 games I am looking forward to:

• Metroid: Other M
• Castlevania: Lords of Shadow
• Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker
• Super Street Fighter IV
• God of War 3
• Epic Mickey
• Super Mario Galaxy 2
• Resident Evil Portable
• Final Fantasy XIII
• The Last Guardian

It is only November 2009 and my wish list for next year is already way too big! What are you looking forward to?

Challenge Mode

So I completed all the Ridder's challenges last night and now I must master challenge mode to finish up my trophy collection. Wow, this mode is crazy hard. I have only about 6 medals in the predator (stealth) challenges and 1 medal in a combat challenge. I have to get 24 medals in each to ace the game! I'll keep giving you updates, but my quest for the platinum could end here.

Batman: Arkham Asylum

I finished Batman: Arkham Asylum yesterday. It is a solid, solid game that is much better than the standard super-hero fare that you see on consoles. If I am being honest, it is actually the best super-hero game ever (and that is not hyperbole). Excellent story, great voice-acting, nice use of powers and super-hero abilities, and a great secret riddle campaign. The game plays like a meld of Metroid Prime and Metal Gear Solid with a tight combat system thrown in. Check this game out you will not be disappointed. While we are at it here are some other great super-hero video games:

• Marvel VS Capcom 2 (multi-platform)
• X-men (arcade)
• Spider-man (PS1)

And here are some to avoid:

• X-men (NES)
• Wolverine: Adamantium Rage (SNES)
• Marvel Superheroes: Rise of the Imperfects (multi)
• X-men/Spiderman: Arcade's Revenge (SNES)

Take that Jin!

I finished scenario mode last night in Tekken 6. Now I need to replay some of the levels to unlock more trophies. The Nightmare Train level is ridiculously difficult though, and as such the Platinum Trophy might elude me.

Full Review: Tekken 6

Platform: PS3

Price: $65 CDN

Release Date: October 27, 2009

2009 is definitely the year of the fighter as another franchise sees its latest installment with the release of Tekken 6. Tekken first burst on the scene in 1994 and it has established itself as one of the top series in the genre.

Tekken 6 takes the tried and true formula and heaps (at times unnecessary) additions on the game for a home console release. There are several modes of play: arcade, online, and scenario campaign mode. The first two modes are standard fare, and as usual for Tekken the control scheme is tight and movesets seamlessly transition into killer combos. Where the game succeeds and fails miraculously is in the scenario mode.

This mode is a beat-em up style 3D adventure that puts you through 40 levels of nameless ninja pounding. The story, while incomprehensible at times, keeps you interested level after level. However, the controls are garbage; hit detection is brutal and movement is clunky at best.

The mode also has some rpg elements to it as well; you can upgrade clothing for added status effects. The problem is that every item is accurately displayed on your character. So while the character design looks great normally, once you upgrade your items you look like some 10 year olds’ design a wrestler from an N64 WCW game. For example, my character currently has a knit cap, aviator glasses, a puffy orange vest, power gauntlets, stretchy pants, and two Chinese swords at his belt. He has great stats, but he looks like a total douche.

The real problem is that scenario mode is uneven. It could have been great but the execution doesn’t quite work. That wouldn’t matter (it is a fighting game after all, not a beat-em up), except for the fact that 80% of the trophies are from the scenario campaign. Namco Bandai forces you to play this silly mode much longer than you would wish.

All of these issues aside, I actually have found Tekken 6 to be the most fun game I have played in a while. It will not replace SF4 or BlazBlue as my favourite current-gen fighter, but it is a fun ride. However, for $65 you should already be a fan of the series to make the purchase. All others wait until it goes down to $30. If only so you too can have your own cowboy hat, pirate shirt, leather vest, checked pants, lightsabered hero.

Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story

Platform: Nintendo DS

Price: $40 CDN

Release Date: Sept. 14, 2009

When I played the first Superstar Saga game for the GBA I was impressed. Nice graphics, tight gameplay, excellent use of RPG elements, and a comical story all added up to a fun and fulfilling gaming experience. The subsequent release Partners in Time continued with that tradition while further exploring the DS’s capabilities. Bowser’s inside story nicely continues on this trend, adding some new elements, but mostly using the tried and true formula that has made the series a hit worldwide.

The story goes like this: Fawful (veterans of the series will remember him) wants to take over the Mushroom Kingdom. He tricks Bowser into eating a vacuum mushroom, and Bowser, in turn, vacuums up our heroes into his belly. Fawful takes over Bowser’s castle and now the trio must work together to defeat this new villain.

You control either Bowser or Mario and Luigi (game shifts during the story) and each has a unique control scheme. The controls are great, with one exception. There is quite a bit of mandatory touch screen action that is imperfect and annoying (I was eating a giant carrot for a long time). I don’t mind the touch screen when it works, but every time you use the touch screen it could be done easier, faster, and better with a button combo.

That aside, the game is a solid, solid title and will keep you busy for at least 20 hours. That works out to a very reasonable $2 per hour of entertainment. Mario and Luigi is a must have for any RPG fan, but others will enjoy it as well. If you have ever liked a Mario game you should give this a try.

Micro-Review: Daredevil: The Return of the King

Brubaker does not disappoint in his rendition of The Man Without Fear, and the Return of the King storyline is no exception. Solid storytelling, excellent use of forgotten characters, and a surprising ending make this tradepaperback a must have for any DD fan. If you enjoy gritty crime stories with ninjas, this is the comic for you.