Assassin’s Creed

Platforms: Xbox 360 - Developer/Publisher: Ubi Soft Montreal
Genre: Sandbox-Stealth - Single Player

Review by EarthViper

Introduction:
I admit it, over the past 10 years during the rise in prominence of both sandbox games and stealth games, neither genre has appealed to me all that much. It came as quite a surprise then that Assassin’s Creed, which supposedly fused these two gameplay styles into one, interested me so much. As the year was winding to a close I was left to ponder however if Assassin’s Creed would be merely another in a long line of massively hyped 2007 games, filled to the brim with potential, that would fall well short of the mark. Keeping my hopes high I rushed home from the game store, AC in hand, hoping that the bitter taste the rest of the year had left in my mouth would soon be washed away. So did Assassin’s Creed overcome the hype machine and deliver a game that deserved it’s attention based on true merit, or did it fall with a thud like so many before it? Read on to find out.

Click here to read full review!

-EarthViper

Timeshift

Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC - Developer/Publisher: Saber Interactive/Sierra Entertainment
Genre: First Person Shooter - Single Player Campaign, 2-16 Multiplayer

Reviewed by Chris Cesarano (a.k.a. Grohdinger)

Introduction:

Timeshift is one of those titles that has been in development under several different studios for several years, so when it comes out you’re always unsure what to think of it. The game might be good, or it might be humdrum. Even worse, it could be absolutely terrible. While TimeShift certainly doesn’t feel like a refined title under development for several years, it at least isn’t terrible. It’s simply…ok.

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Super Mario Galaxy

Platforms: Nintendo Wii - Developer/Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: Platformer - Single Player or Two Player Co-op

Review by Chris Cesarano (a.k.a. Grohdinger)

Introduction:

The word innovation has been getting tossed around a lot ever since all of the next-generation consoles were announced. Every company wanted to make their game system or new title sound like it was going to be a brand new experience, as if it were a form of gaming nirvana. A lot of those titles hit this year, and while many of them have tread new ground, it doesn’t seem like gaming has been reinvented. Just refined. There is another word that begins with the letter I, however, that games have been lacking for a long, long time. Imagination.

Super Mario Galaxy not only has innovation, but it’s got imagination out the whazoo.

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Call of Duty 4

Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC - Developer/Publisher: Infinity Ward/Activision
Genre: Tactical First-Person Shooter - Single Player Campaign, 1-4 Single System, System Link, Xbox Live

Review by Chris Cesarano (a.k.a. Grohdinger)

Introduction:

In the beginning, Call of Duty was a WWII franchise. However, gamers have proclaimed how tired they have been of storming Normandy repeatedly for the past several years, despite the paradox that they also purchase these games repeatedly. Nonetheless, Infinity Ward themselves were sick of that period in time, and thus decided to push forward into modern day. It turns out that it was the best possible decision they could’ve made for the franchise.

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Conan

Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3 - Developer/Publisher: Nihilistic Software/THQ
Genre: Action/Hack and Slash - Single Player Only

Review by Chris Cesarano (a.k.a. Grohdinger)

Introduction:

After staring at a pair of crosshairs in the center of the screen for the past two months, it’s nice to take a break with a nice hack and slashing title like Conan. However, how does it compare to surrounding releases such as Jericho and Guitar Hero 3? How faithful is it to Robert E. Howard’s original vision of the Cimmerian?

The answer here is “pretty damn good and true”, as this dragon-slaying, limb hacking, maiden saving bad ass does a fine job of entertaining.

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Halo 3

Platform: Xbox 360 – Developer: Bungie - Publisher: Microsoft
Genre: First Person Shooter – 1-16 Players

Reviewed by Grohdinger, Ace-747, Kenny K, EarthViper and WizardExe

Introduction:
Look up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s…oh wait…nevermind, it’s just another Halo 3 review. Seriously though, in an effort to be different and hopefully curb any personal bias, we’ve decided to review what is surely the biggest game of 2007 as a group. Five different members of the review team each wrote their own mini-review and scored the game individually yet we’re taking an average of all five overall scores as our official Wii60 score for Halo 3. Each person reviewed the game in a different manner, addressing different parts of the game and doing so from a unique perspective so you can look for the person whose opinions you most commonly agree with or you can take it all in at once understanding each gamer will view each game in a different way.

So without further ado, here’s the five sections of our Official Wii60 Review for Halo 3 in a completely random order…really, I swear >_>

To read the full review, click here!

-EarthViper

John Woo Presents Stranglehold

Platforms: Xbox 360, PC (PS3 on Oct. 29th) - Developer/Publisher: Midway Games and Tiger Hill Entertainment
Genre: Third-Person Action/Shooter - Single player campaign, Up to six players Online

Review by Chris Cesarano (a.k.a. Grohdinger)

Introduction:

Many apologies for the incredibly late review on Stranglehold. Being back at College certainly doesn’t help, and neither does having a lot of titles to play. The biggest shame is that this review comes at a time between the releases of Halo 3 and the Orange Box, two very big name titles, and there’s no way this game is going to get the attention it should with those two there. This actually works out for the better, though, as the game is good for a lower price.

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Eternal Sonata

Platform: Xbox 360 – Developer: Tri Crescendo - Publisher: Bandai Namco
Genre: Role Playing – 1-3 Players

Reviewed by EarthViper

Introduction:
In perhaps an unexpected twist, the Xbox 360 has suddenly become the recipient of a barrage of Role Playing games. In two weeks time, three RPG’s have landed on the 360 and while the first two left much to be desired; RPG fans and 360 owners alike had high hopes for the third. Tri Crescendo’s anticipated Action RPG Eternal Sonata arrives on the heels of a highly praised demo, but does the final product deliver the goods, or continue the string of disappointments in the Role Playing genre?

Click here for full review

-EarthViper

Blue Dragon

Platform: Xbox 360 – Developer: Mistwalker - Publisher: Microsoft
Genre: Role Playing – 1 Player

Reviewed by EarthViper

Introduction:
It’s been a long and agonizing wait for the new generation of systems to kick into gear in regards to RPG’s. After starting off very slow with meager offerings like Enchanted Arms, it looked like Oblivion may finally have some quality company in my favorite genre. Two Worlds and Blue Dragon both land on the Xbox 360 within one week of each other; both games receiving a fare share of hype and/or acclaim. After discovering Two Worlds was complete and utter trash I hurried home from GameStop with my copy of Blue Dragon, anxiously awaiting my first chance to enjoy a solid JRPG this generation and hoping it would cover up the bad taste Two Worlds left in my mouth. Sadly, while Blue Dragon comes up smelling like roses compared to almost every other RPG this gen, it falls well short of the genres best.

Read the full review here.

-EarthViper

Metroid Prime 3: Corruption

Platform: Nintendo Wii - Developer: Retro Studios - Publisher: Nintendo
Genre: First Person Shooting Adventure - One Player

Reviewed by Chris Cesarano (a.k.a. Grohdinger)

Introduction

When I first tried Metroid Prime on the demo station when I worked at GameStop, I was frightened of how the game would turn out. Super Metroid had been one of my favorite games, and I had recently stumbled upon a rare copy of Metroid II for GameBoy. It was a fantastic series, but could the title be taken into a first person 3-D perspective? Yes, it could. The demo had filled me with such chills and joy that I was certain the Metroid franchise was in the right hands.

However, Prime 2, while fun, did not live up to the first in the series. Ever since I’ve been curious about Prime 3. It has certainly looked fantastic, but Echoes had left me skeptical. So, in the end, how did Retro fare with the conclusion of their very own Metroid Trilogy? The answer is that, while they certainly made a fun game worth the money spent, they still haven’t achieved the same quality they set forth with the first title.

Before reading the review or skipping ahead to the final score, note that, while I do make comparisons between Corruption and the first Prime, I did not factor these into my scoring. The title is scored based on its individual quality and merit.

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