Dead Island: Game of the Year Edition review

Dead Island takes place on the island of Banoi, which is suddenly struck with a zombie outbreak. You play as one of four characters who are stranded on the tropical deathtrap. Your character is immune to the virus, so because of that, the other survivors on the island think it's best to just send you out to do their dirty work, run their errands, and scavenge for supplies. Hey, makes sense, right? I know I'd be sending out the guy who won't turn into a zombie if he gets bitten. Unfortunately, the story is largely uninteresting, and the characters aren't very likable. There are a few interesting moments, but overall, you shouldn't go into Dead Island expecting some gripping tale.

The bulk of what you'll be doing on the island of Banoi is looting and, obviously, killing hordes of zombies. Combat is satisfying and brutal, and I can't stress enough how good it felt using a nail hammer to bash a zombie's face in. Weapons are an integral part of survival in Dead Island, and throughout the course of your quest for survival you come across everything from flimsy wooden paddles to powerful machetes. Along your journey you come across different weapon mods, and by combining seemingly useless items you've looted (duct tape, wire) with some of the sturdier weapons you come across, you can create something as impressive as a nail bat or an electric crowbar.

As much as I enjoyed the idea of the crafting system in Dead Island, there were a few times where I would create a powerful weapon only to come across an unaltered mace or machete that was much stronger and more durable than what I had concocted. Speaking of durability, that's one of the elements that shines in Dead Island. You can't just create a weapon of mass destruction and breeze through the game. The more you use a weapon, the more of its durability you expend. You can fix up your items at workbenches, but you need to be mindful of their condition as you go on quests, which is absolutely brilliant because it keeps combat interesting.

The most fun I had in Dead Island was during the first few hours. Collecting weaker weapons and having to dish out punishment to take out zombies was a lot more satisfying than simply severing their heads off with the modified ripper weapon, which features spinning blades and looks really cool. Personally, I like the fight, and having to work for survival was more intense. Aside from that, encountering human antagonists was also remarkable, as these bouts featured some heavy gunplay that required patience and a steady trigger finger. Additionally, the RPG elements that allow you to level up and enhance different skill trees add a nice touch to the experience. And for gamers who want to play alongside others, Dead Island's co-op is still intact here.

The Game of the Year Edition features all of the cool gameplay that was released last year in the main game, warts and all, but it also fixes the glaring bugs and features some neat DLC extras. The aforementioned ripper mod, for example, was originally released as an add-on, and now it comes bundled with this edition of Dead Island. There's also the Bloodbath Arena, which is a new area that allows you to take on hordes of zombies and hack your way up a few levels. It's not the most amazing distraction, but it can be fun when played with others.

The most notable inclusion in the Game of the Year Edition is the Ryder White Campaign. This DLC will take you roughly three hours to get through and offers a different perspective on the tale of Dead Island. That said, because the story in the base game was never that enthralling to begin with, it's hard to care about the plot here. Still, the Ryder White Campaign does feature a lot of awesome shootouts. There were also a few cheap moments where gangs of running zombies ambushed me, and as you can probably guess, those sequences weren't very fun ... unless I had an assault rifle to mow 'em all down.

Dead Island: Game of the Year Edition is a nice package for gamers who want to destroy legions of undead monsters. Is it worthy of the title Game of the Year? That's debatable. But at $30, it's tough to pass this game up. You get a 20-hour main campaign rife with side quests and fun albeit flawed gameplay, a powerful weapon mod, an arena where you can level up and kill even more zombies, and a brief add-on campaign. At the end of the day, Dead Island is a really fun time, and you should definitely check it out if you've got that zombie huntin' itch.

[Reviewed on PlayStation 3]

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Via: Dead Island: Game of the Year Edition review

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Frogger: Hyper Arcade Edition review

Frogger: Hyper Arcade Edition follows in the footsteps of other revamped arcade classics, such as Namco’s Galaga Legions DX and Pac-Man Championship Edition, by returning to the classic gameplay many folks grew up with, and adding extra modes that actually serve a purpose, and don’t just serve as décor.  While the game’s still missing out on certain things that will make it a party favorite (like online play), there’s undeniably no question it ended up being better than expected.

First off, Frogger: Hyper Arcade Edition features the original arcade classic – well, an “inspired” version, anyway – with different settings to choose from, including a retro 8-bit design.  There are various other modes you can check out as well, each one using old-school gameplay as its focal point.  These include Paint, Twin Frogger (one of our favorites, as you control two frogs at the same time), Frogger Freak Out, Battle Royale, Tile Capture and Lady Frog Rescue.  Up to four players can take part in these games, and the more the merrier, as the competition just isn’t the same against AI opponents.  Tile Capture and Frogger Freak Out are easily our favorites, thanks to their unpredictable nature.  Twin Frogger is worth a try as well – and quite challenging.

Zombie Studios sweetened the deal by letting you choose whatever visual and audio style you want for each round.  You can go with classic inspired tunes, which aren’t half bad and a visual grid layout similar to a Tron-like world, or go with the retro 8-bit look with “Froggy’s Lament” – yes, it’s here – in the background.  For some odd reason, Konami also added some Castlevania and Contra-inspired sprites and tunes as well, and they mesh better than you might expect.

As a party game, Frogger: Hyper Arcade Edition delivers lots of fun, as there isn’t a dull mode in the bunch (save for Paint – could’ve been less predictable), and up to four local players can join in at any time.  It’s also fairly balanced, so kids and adults alike stand a chance to win each round.  Trophies and Achievements can also be unlocked, and additional backgrounds and tunes are also opened up as you hop along through the game.

While Pac-Man Championship Edition still has the edge with online leaderboards and additional modes, Frogger: Hyper Arcade Edition still makes it home without getting squashed.  This is easily one of the better games in the series to date, reminding us how excellent the classic game was while, at the same time, coming through with new challenges aplenty.  Jump on this game when you get a chance.

[Reviewed on Xbox 360]

Via: Frogger: Hyper Arcade Edition review

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London 2012: The Olympic Games review

The game consists of 40+ activities, all based on the actual Olympic events, though playing through them mostly involves tapping buttons like crazy, holding the analog stick in a certain direction, or completing a quick-time event.  While that’s hardly as involving as what EA’s doing with its sports sims, it does make for a strong approach in the casual market, as anyone can literally pick up and play these games.  Plus, Sega Australia has put a certain sense of timing into each event.  With running, for instance, you have to tap the button enough so that you maintain a certain level of stamina, but you don’t want to mash like crazy, as too much can tire your runner out.

There are some events that truly stand out here.  Archery is very well done, giving you not only the trajectory on a shot, but also letting wind play a factor – something we haven’t seen that often in other archery games.  Table tennis has an interesting new spin – literally – with analog controls, rather than the usual button-tapping set-up.  And there’s even some first person shooting with the pistol events, something you don’t normally see in the Olympics.  Though not all the events are home runs, at least Sega made them interesting enough where you won’t automatically skip them.

Sega also outdid itself in the presentation department.  While not every athlete looks convincing going for Olympic gold, these athletes actually look closer to realistic than we expected, and their surroundings, based around official Olympic locations in London, are fascinating and life-like.  Furthermore, the camera never becomes a problem, as Sega has set up each angle so that it aids the player, rather than holding them back.  The sound is authentic too, with crowds and announcers applauding your performance.  Could’ve been better music, though.

London 2012 does give you the option to customize your athletes however you see fit, so you can add favorites from the past – or yourself – to your official team.  However, Sega cut the roster dramatically short with only 36 of the 200+ of the countries represented, for some inexplicable reason.  So if you’re a fan of Cuba or Egypt, we’ve got some bad news.

As for the other options London 2012 provides, they’re pretty good.  Motion play is included in the Party Play events, including Kinect and Move support, and though not every event can be played this way, the ones that were selected are moderately fun.  The game also comes with online support, so you can compete with other players around the world through leaderboards.  We’ll bust those world records yet…

Though London 2012 likely won’t be remembered like a year or so from now, it fares much better than Sega’s usual glut of Olympic-licensed flutter.  Though some of the activities are lacking (how do you screw up women’s volleyball?!) and a lot of representing countries are missing, most of the activities are fun with regular and motion play, and the online interaction is better than expected.  The presentation is good too, for what it is.  If you have to fulfill your fix of Olympic fever and the billion-plus hours of NBC coverage isn’t enough for you, step up to this podium and claim your medals.

[Reviewed on Xbox 360]

Via: London 2012: The Olympic Games review

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Bellator: MMA Onslaught review

In a sport that’s as technical as MMA, Onslaught sets itself apart from other similar titles by ramping up the action and pace. The best way to describe this formula would be to call it a Mortal Kombat meets MMA cross. You’re still setting up moves to counteract your opponent’s movements, but the focus isn’t detracted by complex button sequences. Indeed, most of the time will be spent button mashing to break blocks and to expose takedown opportunities – not pacing around the ring to find that one viable chance to score. This style of play coexists well with the introduction of a stamina bar. Like most fighters, you have your health bar that depletes after every hit, but you also have a stamina bar that keeps strategy vital in Onslaught. As you throw punches, kicks, and takedowns, your stamina bar will drop lower and lower; as it does, you run a greater risk of being knocked-out easier by a “flash KO.” This feature can be used against your opponents, thankfully, and will keep you on your toes throughout your matches.

Whereas some downloadable titles fall short in terms of graphics, Onslaught surprisingly impresses. The game ships with a number of well-known MMA fighters that are detailed from head to toe, or beard to chest hair. Though the game focuses less on surroundings, Onslaught’s slew of fighting locations are detailed enough to satisfy, as your focus won’t be on the setting. Onslaught also captures fighting in all its gory glory. As you and your enemy duke it out through three rounds, gashes become wider and your body more bloody. It’s always satisfying when you land a killer blow on an opponent and it’s then complimented with blood flying from his mouth onto the matt.

Onslaught does have some hindrances that detract from the overall experience, though. Unlike UFC Undisputed 3, Onslaught’s fight presentation is little to none. Apart from a nod to fighting games (Ready, ready, FIGHT!), you won’t be treated with play-by-play commentary or thrilling intros that show the fighters have come to pound each other into a pulp. There are also some hiccups in the fighting engine that makes the action pause for a moment, though some of them are absolutely hilarious. One time we were knocked out and our opponent began jumping and running around our body and pushed it around the ring.

Thankfully, these rough spots can be mostly overlooked thanks to the amount of content within Onslaught. Along with your standard exhibition, ladder, and multiplayer modes, the game features an extensive create-a-fighter mode that’s a breath of fresh air in sports games. You’ll have four spots available to create fighters that can be leveled up to 64, though no one fighter is the “ultimate, unbeatable fighter.” You can make your character as serious or silly as you want and can then level him up through any of the game’s modes. As you rank up, you’ll earn points that are used to improve your fighter’s skills across several horizons: strikes, takedowns, submissions, and technical. 345 Games has also promised future DLC, some free, that’ll extend your play time.

From a normal standpoint, Onslaught may not be much, especially in comparison to similar triple-A titles. The fact of the matter is, though, that the game is a fifteen-dollar downloadable title that offers more playability than any MMA/UFC game on the market. It’s also considerably unique in its gameplay style that is definitely a homage to fighting games. Simply put, 345 Games’ Bellator: MMA Onslaught is a great addition to the ever-growing digital marketplace and compliments the ever-growing sport that is Bellator. 

[Reviewed on Xbox 360]

Via: Bellator: MMA Onslaught review

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NCAA Football 13 review

The first thing you’ll notice is the gameplay.  The quarterback has some new step-off animations – 20, in fact – that make passing feel a little more fluid.  There’s also indicators to let you know how your receivers are positioned, though I felt there were instances where the defense reads them just a little too closely.  (Thankfully, the “blind swats” that were such a pain in previous versions are gone – the defender now has to see the ball to take a shot at it.)  The running game shows some signs of improvement as well, with better read-outs of hot routes and the ability to change it on the fly if you deem it necessary.

While most of it does lean on the same old stuff we’ve seen in previous years, NCAA 13 as a whole operates like a great sports sim.  Very rarely will you find an instance where something didn’t go as planned – save for user error or simply playing as a low-level, stat-drained team.  You can adjust sliders however you please in the game, should you feel you need work on your passing game or how you run on the field.

And as always, NCAA 13 packs on the modes for players to try out.  The newest of the bunch is Heisman mode, where you can take one of a dozen past winners – including cover star Barry Sanders – and run them through their paces for a superstar season.  While lacking in overall innovation, it’s nice to see these achievers get the recognition they deserve in game form.  And, hey, you can shut your friends up about who can do more in a Heisman season.

Aside from that, most of the modes from the series make a return.  The mascot football mode is a bit ludicrous, but well worth trying out if only to silence your buddies by dominating them with dudes in Air Force Falcon uniforms.  Road To Glory is once again back, where you can create a player from scratch and run them through a high school-college career, earning XP and making them a better-rounded player.  The addition of extra goals and Reaction Time (a cool little slowdown feature) are nice here.  Finally, Online Dynasty lets you make the run for records through either Xbox Live or PlayStation Network, setting up conferences and changing around staff to see if you can perform better in your league.

Though not all the schools made the cut in this game (which is a bit weird, considering it’s the “ultimate” NCAA package), we did see plenty of our favorite universities represented with mascots, authentic fields and player celebrations in the game.  And even if actual player names aren’t included (NCAA rules, I guess), it’s still a decent overall experience.

That said, the graphics can lack a bit in certain areas.  From a distance, the crowds don’t really look that much different, even if your team is romping and stomping a long-time rival.  Also, some of the environmental effects and camera angles don’t change much, even with extreme weather conditions.  Just something for EA to keep in mind with next year’s go-around.  Otherwise, the game looks marvelous.  Especially the menus and the replay system.  Talk about ESPN inspired.

As for audio, Brad Nessler and Kirk Herbstreit once again return for audio commentary, and though there are times they sound slightly disjointed (especially when meshed with Erin Andrews’ sideline reports), they offer some good rapport as your team marches forward.  The crowd noises are quite enthusiastic and fun to listen to, and the authentic themes for each school are a blast.  More cannon fire would’ve been nice, though.  (Yes, some schools still use cannons.)

Though not quite as trend-setting as last year’s rendition, NCAA Football 13 is still a good game of pigskin, packed with features and a strong presentation that fans of the sport will happily embrace.  At the very least, it’ll tide you over until you see if Madden NFL 13 can make the grade or not.  That’s a month and a half of Online Dynasty domination.  See you on the field.

[Reviewed on Xbox 360]

Via: NCAA Football 13 review

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The Amazing Spider-Man review

That’s because Beenox takes everything that it’s learned from the previous games and applies it into a formula that fans have been wanting for years, ever since the release of Spider-Man 2 – to be able to swing through New York with the kind of exhilarating freedom that Peter Parker has come to appreciate.  And though the game isn’t without its objectives to be met, it’s really up to you how all of this is played, whether you just want to collect comic book pages across mid-town or teach baddies like Rhino and Vermin a thing or two.

The story follows the events that occurred in the film, with some slime named Alester Smythe taking over for Curt Connors at Oscorp.  He’s trying to shut down the cross-breed project that infected Connors, but to no avail, as several hybrids escape, infecting a number of employees in the process – including Spidey’s main squeeze, Gwen Stacey.  If that isn’t enough, Smythe, quick for a cover-up, has unleashed several large robots across the city, ones that are prepared to squash cross-breeds flat.  Sadly, this means good ol’ Spider-Man as well.  And that’s about all I can give away from the plot.  Trying to avoid spoilers, kids.

What I can tell you is that Beenox nails every single aspect of the Spider-Man experience that it possibly could.  The game goes all over the place, from swinging across the city to fighting in stylish combat to using your web-crawling stealth to get past rooms of enemies, taking them out one by one silently.  (You can feel the Noir Spider-Man vibe here that first came up in Shattered Dimensions.)  Let’s break down each one…

Web swinging: For the most part, it works marvelously, as you can use precision to go from place to place, between routine swings and your new Web Rush ability, which zooms into a first-person perspective and lets you choose your landing point.  The only downside is it’s not entirely realistic, as Spidey is almost able to swing a web anywhere – even in wide open park areas.  But you’ll be too busy being all acrobatic to care.

As for combat, it’s natural, and while not as smooth-flowing as, say, Batman: Arkham City, it works.  Webbing up enemies is a good time, and your super techniques, like the web zip, really pay off on enemies at a distance.  You can also web retreat if you need to, though zipping from the main combat to a safe spot can be a little disorienting at first.  One huge addition is being able to use secondary objects in combat, like dumpsters and oxygen tanks.  Boom!

(Note: there are instances where you have to do button-mashing, like taking out the flying robots above, but they're really not as bad as you might think.)

Finally, there’s stealth, using your web abilities to tie up baddies from afar or even using your web to silently track enemies.  It’s very cool, though there are times you’ll be a little antsy hiding from folks.  Sometimes patience pays off, though.

All of these tie together into a worthwhile gaming experience, one that truly makes you feel like the webhead.  Your Spider Sense also helps out as well, as little markers appear when you need to dodge an attack (pressing the Y or triangle button) or step completely out of the picture to heal.

As for how Amazing Spider-Man looks, Beenox went all out with this engine.  The New York environment is simply stunning, as you swing through city streets and even high into the air, possibly at the Xtreme Challenge blimp floating around the city.  There are times screen tearing and lost details emerge, especially if you’re swinging high above everything, but overall, it’s a wondrous recreation of New York, right down to the Daily Bugle.  The indoor stuff looks excellent too, though the close-up camera can pose a problem in certain combat situations.  Don’t be afraid to back off and figure out your next move.

Activision also pulled a little surprise with the game’s voicework.  Instead of going with the usual cast, it’s called upon newcomers to the Spidey franchise.  Naruto’s San Riegel provides a superb take on Spidey, complete with his witty comebacks and believable tone of voice.  You can just feel he really cares for Stacey.  Backing him up is voice over veteran, Nolan North, who’s quite sinister as Smythe, especially later on.  It’s great to hear Claudia Black as well, voicing nosy (but helpful) reporter Whitney Chang.  And finally, Bruce Campbell returns as the know-it-all Xtreme Challenge reporter.  He’s a blast, like always.

The Amazing Spider-Man gives you plenty to do, between free-roaming crime missions, photography tasks, side stories and helping citizens in peril.  But it eventually comes to an end once you 100 percent everything…which, fortunately, will take a while.  And once you collect comics, you can actually read them, a nice treat for die-hard fans.

To be honest, aside from some web-swinging physics, small camera issues and a lack of some familiar villains (really, was Venom too busy?!), The Amazing Spider-Man nails down the experience of being the web-slinger, with very few problems getting in the way.  It’s a definitive movie-licensed experience, but doesn’t rely too much on the movie itself to fuel it.  Beenox did it just the right way – their way – and have produced one of the better Spidey games as a result.  Where they go from here is anyone’s guess…but a co-op adventure with Venom certainly wouldn’t be out of the question.

[Reviewed on PlayStation 3]

Via: The Amazing Spider-Man review

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Spec Ops: The Line review

What starts off as a few moral dilemmas quickly escalates into you second guessing each of your decisions — decisions that at the beginning of the game seem so easy and simple — and rethinking your morals. At the beginning, everything is so clear, but at the end you will not only second guess your decisions, but your sanity as well. Are you a monster? Are you doing what it takes to survive? These are the questions you'll ask yourself as you play Spec Ops: The Line, and ultimately, it's the questions you will be left to answer when the game concludes.

Most of today's shooter games have that macho-man, Americans saving the world mentality. They make war seem fun and exciting, without really exploring the toll it takes on you not just physically, but mentally. Spec Ops: The Line is refreshing, not because of its innovative gameplay, but because of the way it explores war and depicts the mental breakdown of soldiers caught in a situation that goes from bad to worse.

Story is Spec Ops' strongest aspect. Playing as Captain Martin Walker, you are sent in to the ruins of Dubai after a series of cataclysmic sandstorms cut the city off from the rest of the world. Your mission is simple: search the city for Colonel John Konrad and his battalion, The Damned 33rd squadron of the U.S. infantry, and rescue them.

Upon entering the ruins of Dubai, you are soon met with strange radio signals that peak Walker's interest, leading him deeper into the city, and ultimately further into the rabbit hole. Walker, along with his two squadmates Lugo and Adams, soon discover that things in Dubai are not what they seem, and that the very men sent in to keep the region stable has abandoned their duty. It's now just a fight for survival for everyone in the war-torn lands of Dubai. Civilians, CIA, The Damned 33rd, and now the Deltas are all fighting for their lives.

Up until now, I've talked mostly about Spec Ops' story and dilemma. That's because story  is where the game truly shines. While many games rely on action gameplay as a crutch to aid the story, Spec Ops does the complete opposite. Rather, Spec Ops' standard third-person gameplay serves as a setup to the next cutscene, where Walker and his squad question the very actions that just took place. Combat is in the game simply to facilitate the narrative.

You won't feel like a hero at the end of each firefight; instead, you will feel like a monster who slaughtered dozens of people just trying to survive. Through these cutscenes, you will watch as Walker and his men quickly deteriorate, questioning their judgment and morality.

Via: Spec Ops: The Line review

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Jeremy McGraths Offroad review

This is arcade off-road racing through and through.  Think of it as a modified version of Midway’s Off Road Thunder, but with the crazy thrills and mud-filled tracks replaced by more simpler stuff – and for the better.  You’ll have the opportunity to take on 20+ racing events in the Career Mode, and challenge others through online multiplayer, with up to seven other people able to join in an event.  You can unlock additional arcade modes as well.

On top of modes, Jeremy McGrath’s Offroad also comes with an XP system, where you can upgrade your vehicle for “later events”, according to the man himself, McGrath.  However, we didn’t notice too many differences in performance, even with all our stats maxed out.  Granted, pro racers shooting to make it all the way through career on the highest difficulty may think otherwise.

The gameplay is vintage arcade racing, as good as a game of this type will get.  Each vehicle handles the same, but handles well, as you slide around dirt turns, go flying off jumps and ram into vehicles (without flipping them over) to try and brush past them.  There’s a “clutch boost” that supposedly helps you gun better out of a turn, but we tried it and didn’t notice much improvement in the ride.  There’s nothing there that the DiRT series didn’t already perfect, but at a smaller price point, Jeremy McGrath’s Offroad is easily more accessible.

The online racing is smooth, though it takes a little bit of time to put together a race, since the lobby is usually a ghost town.  Luckily, you can still challenge fellow players through leaderboards, competing with their best times with your souped-up car.  And unlocking new ones is a good add-on, though the performance between them hardly differs.  You’d think the Monster-licensed truck would have an energetic upgrade over the others.  Nope.

Graphically, Jeremy McGrath’s Offroad has plenty to offer.  Though there are only six tracks in all, they look very good, running at a fluid 60 frames per second and packing more detail than we expected, especially when we went plowing into signs on the side of the road.  There isn’t much variation in the vehicles, though, nor any real time damage.  You take the good with the bad, I suppose.

As for audio, the in-game music is okay, but hardly memorable, and McGrath spews out a whole bunch of racing tips in-between each race.  He does so with little emotion, but at least he’s somewhat helpful with his advice.  The sound effects are good, though all the trucks sound the same.

Jeremy McGrath’s Offroad, more often than not, relies on typical driving conventions, thus guaranteeing it won’t stand out over Sega’s arcade racers or the others we mentioned.  However, it’s an entertaining romp that took us by surprise, and for $10, you certainly get your money’s worth when it comes to arcade-powered joy.

Via: Jeremy McGraths Offroad review

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Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends

Enter Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends, a simulation-style racing game that features 51 Ferrari vehicles and races throughout the company's history. Players compete on the typical assortment of famous courses across three distinct decades. It's made by Slightly Mad Studios, the developers of Shift and Shift 2, two games that competed directly with Forza and Gran Turismo and still managed to carve out a following.

So what does Ferrari Legends bring to the table to set it apart from the pack? Not a whole lot, to be honest. There's the Ferrari hook, but let's do some math here. 51 Ferraris? That's a lot, but Forza 4 features 36 Ferraris and hundreds of other cars to boot. Maybe the Ferrari pull will make this a good stocking stuffer for someone's Ferrari-loving dad at Christmas time, but most racing fans won't be satisfied by such narrow appeal.

The premise, which sets you on a course through three eras of Ferrari history, doesn't really amount to much. Early era races begin with a sepia-toned vintage look before blending in the full color visuals. Later races feature modern era cars and faster speeds. Either way you'll make your way through each era in a dull, linear slog that requires you to finish races one at a time with no diverging paths. Racing game career modes are ultimately just a big pile of races, but the way they're presented can have a huge effect on how fun it is to keep playing. In that respect, Ferrari Legends couldn't be more boring.

The linear progression is made worse thanks to extremely uneven difficulty from one race to the next. It's not uncommon to snatch a 10-second lead on your opponents on one race, only to retry the next race again and again. One particularly difficult time trial required me to lower the difficulty to easy and cut across chunks of the track to finish it in time. When your only options are to cheat or simply stop playing, the latter starts to become quite appealing.

Those frustrations are made even worse when put in contrast with a game like Forza 4. That game's rewind function should be a racing game standard. It's detailed difficulty settings allow you to fine tune your assists like ABS and traction control. Going for higher difficulties provides substantial bonuses in Forza 4. Ferrari Legends, on the other hand, offers no such rewind function, and only provides three assist settings: Novice, Normal, or Pro. Forza offers learning AI that adjusts to your ability and play style automatically. Ferrari Legends offers Easy, Normal, and Hard, where Easy can sometimes still mean "balls hard."

In some respects it's not fair to compare Ferrari Legends to Forza 4 because the game simply doesn't set its sights that high. There are no options at all for modifying your cars. The driving physics seem closer to an arcade game, with the car turning on a central pivot rather than all four wheels. Crashes send cars careening all over the track in comical, almost Daytona USA-style form. Damage is never more than mildly cosmetic in even the most terrible crashes.

The game's AI is just as likely to run right into you and cost you the race as they are to drive off into the grass to avoid you. They're so random and unpredictable that it adds a bit of fun to the larger races. I caused a pile-up so bad in one race that I crossed the finish line with a 35-second lead. That unpredictability can hurt bad when you get spun out in the last corner of a ten minute race, though, and you'll never miss Forza 4's rewind function so badly.

Even the game's most unique feature (besides its undying love for Ferrari) is pretty half-assed. Each race is introduced with a paragraph of flavor text that reads like race car driver fan fiction. There's a cast of characters, drama over the decades, defections to other racing teams, and even hints of a love plot. It's pretty great stuff that would've given the game a unique flavor if it wasn't just a block of text.

What's truly crazy about my laundry list of complaints is that I can't even say my time with Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends was that awful. Swimmy driving physics or not, this game is assembled just well enough that it can still be fun. I just can't possibly recommend it when I know that all the racing games I've played in the last few years (including the developer's own Shift games) are more engaging. The genre is just so good all-around that even the bad ones aren't all that bad.

[Reviewed on Xbox 360]

Via: Test Drive: Ferrari Racing Legends

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Magic: the Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013 review

Thankfully, DOTP 2013 had made a few minor enhancements which perhaps justify the new SKU. Though awkwardly implemented, players can finally choose which lands to tap when casting spells, a feature which was bizarrely missing from the first two Duels products. The A.I. still makes some rather routine mistakes (the brand managers I met at E3 were unwilling to explain why the computer still casts all his creature spells before combat, one of the game's most cardinal sins), though overall seems to make fewer outlandish decisions, previous A.I.s often known to needlessly commit suicide when confronted with a complicated board state. There's still some odd bugs here and there (I still don't know what's wrong with that jittery time bar), but the overall polish seems to shine through. 

The game's biggest fault is the multiplayer mode: Planechase, which though providing the potential for some truly hilarious situations, is most indicative of the game's tendency towards randomness. Planchase involves a stack of "Plane" locations, which influence the board in a variety of ways (damage is doubled, players lose creatures every turn, etc). Players also have access to a special six-sided die which they can pay mana to roll, either triggering that planes's special effect, or warping the players to a new location. Again, it's really cool when the die roll comes up in your favor, leading to situations where I started turn one with a 7/7 monster in play, or had all of my attacking creatures cloned to attack every other opponent. But then there's situations where the same random favor seems to fall only to your opponents, leaving you crushed as they continue to reap cheap rewards, your own die rolls sadly coming up blank. This can be especially infuriating when the game's A.I. incorrectly identifies you as the threat, opponents quickly ganging up to take you out while inexplicably ignoring the guy in the corner with 100 life points and a swarm of deadly creatures.

Again, the real problem here is that the game lacks Magic's fundamental feature: the ability to fully customize one's own deck. After all, this is what justifies the randomness of the actual game, as each card you pull from the top was specifically chosen for inclusion by yourself. Though players can edit the existing decks with cards specifically unlocked for them, but cannot build their own unique creations, limiting the fun to what has been pre-determined by committee. There's a full online multiplayer component to Duel's, but gone is the reward for smart and cunning deck-building, with luck of the draw as the only remaining component.

Point is that a game with as much history as Magic: the Gathering deserves more than this simplistic simulator, something a bit more ambitious for players who truly want to delve into the game, but aren't ready to start dropping their paychecks on Magic Online. However as long as consumers are content with piloting the game's pre-constructed decks to largely random conclusions, I suppose there's no real reason to add any sort of expansive content (though I still believe Duels is begging for a legitimate quest mode, ala Cardfighter's Clash).

Anyhow, for ten bucks, you get a decent distraction and a redeemable code you can bring to your local retailer for a promotional pack of cards. Based on that value alone, you really can't go wrong, assuming you can ignore the vaguely disgusting marketing that pops up to reward your various accomplishments ("You beat the boss! Reward yourself by spending money!"). If you've been looking for a way to get your collectable card game fix without breaking the bank, this is the best thing we've got. You simply can't argue with the price.

Via: Magic: the Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013 review

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