Hard Corps: Uprising Review (XBOX Live Arcade)

In the year 2613, a defected soldier by the name of Bahamut must rally his troops to defeat and overthrow an evil empire known as the Commonwealth, as well as its leader Tiberius. After realizing just how corrupt the Commonwealth empire was, Bahamut defected from its regime to join the Resistance Forces, in order to take back the land that the Commonwealth annexed. That is the premise of Hard Corps: Uprising, a spin-off from Konami's incredibly popular Contra series, which tells the back story of the character Bahamut from 1994's Contra: Hard Corps. It is the first game in the Contra series not to have the iconic name in its title, which is apparently an attempt to have Hard Corps become its own stand-alone franchise.

Like other Contra games before it, Hard Corps: Uprising is a fast, frenetic and challenging side-scrolling arcade shooter with platforming elements. Its core gameplay isn't much different from that of the Contra games I remember playing in the nineties, but the classic formula still works well. As players progress through each of the game's eight stages, they will have to defeat many different types of enemies that pop out from just about anywhere on the screen. Occasionally, the opportunity will present itself to climb up walls or climb on the ceiling, to avoid obstacles or get to new platforms. Along the way, floating capsules containing extra lives, health or weapon upgrades can be shot down to give you an advantage. One major change to the classic Contra foruma is the fact that you now have a life bar, which will absorb some damage before you lose a life. That is, unless you fall off of the map or get hit by certain attacks (such as a sniper's bullet.)

In addition to ground-based combat, Hard Corps: Uprising also features sections that involve vehicles, such as motorcycles and hoverboards. There is a motorcycle chase/boss fight at the end of the first stage and the freeway stage always features a hoverboard, whether you're gliding along the highway trying to avoid crashing police cars or fighting a boss in mid air in a later section of the stage. The vehicle sections add variety to the gameplay, but they don't feel much different from the ground-based sections. The mechanics are primarily the same, except you can move faster and there's no need to run. However, I found these sections to be quite fun - especially the freeway stage, because it reminded me a lot of the freeway level from Turtles in Time, which was one of my favourite games growing up.

Stealth also plays a role in this game, which surprised me a bit. There is one stage where you must break into the Commonwealth's tower, in an attempt to confront Tiberius. It is in this level that players are given the option of trying to be stealthy to avoid detection and potentially avoid being hurt, or to go in with their guns blazing. It's an interesting change of pace for sure. That same level also features a section where you must save a doctor who has been working on military programs for the Commonwealth. Once you save him from his glass cell, he accompanies you to a checkpoint where your helicopter is awaiting to take him away. If you let him die, then he will utilize one of your lives to respawn. Unfortunately, this part of the game can be somewhat frustrating because the follower's A.I. is not very good. Luckily, he only follows you for a brief period of time and the number of enemies you face while protecting him is quite low.

This time around, the game features a second mode in addition to its traditional Arcade Mode, referred to as Rising Mode. Whereas Arcade Mode only allows players to use preset skills and a limited number of health bars, lives and continues, Rising Mode allows players to earn character points that can be used to purchase new skills or upgrades for their favourite character (note that they are locked to the character you earned them with.) Character points are added to your wallet in the shop, based on the amount of experience you earn while playing Rising Mode, and are very helpful. There are a myriad of different skills available to purchase in the shop, which is available through the main menu, at each continue screen or when you finish a level. The list of upgrades includes weapon power-ups, new abilities such as the ability to reflect bullets or dodge while dashing, and health/life upgrades. Each item in the store costs approximately one million character points or more, but it doesn't take long to amass a large amount of them by putting time into the campaign in Rising Mode.

The inclusion of this second mode makes the game much more accessible to those who are new to this type of game, especially since it contains a stage select option. Rising Mode was the game type that I invested the most time into, due to the fact that I haven't had much experience with this genre, apart from Contra 3 and Sunset Riders. After you complete each of the game's eight stages, you are given the option to upgrade your character, continue or quit. Quitting is not something you're penalized for due to the stage select option, so it allows you to quit out and choose to start from the next stage, which resets your lives and continues.

Those who are accustomed to the Contra games and love the challenge that they present will probably overlook this mode in favor of Arcade Mode, due to the great increase in challenge. The game isn't easy in either mode, but it's much more difficult in Arcade Mode, due to the limitation of three continues. Gamers who are able to finish it will be awarded with some bragging rights, especially if they can unlock the (nearly impossible) achievement for beating Arcade Mode without dying. Fans will not be disappointed by the challenge presented by this game.

Several different types of weapons are available throughout the game, including a rifle, machine gun, spread shot, rocket launcher and a homing arc gun. There were two weapons that I didn't like using very much, which were the flamethrower and the reflector gun, which allows you to reflect bullets back at enemies. Neither one had very good range. But, with so many different types of weapons available, it's important to try to strategize which ones you'd like to use. I found myself avoiding weapon pods when I had a machine gun, spread shot or homing arc gun, as those were the three most useful weapons.

Two player co-op is available via XBOX Live, allowing two people to try to overthrow the Commonwealth regime together. Players are given the ability to choose a quick match, custom match (with unique settings) or to host their own game. Co-operative play is a great asset, especially for those who may not be great at this type of game.

Full leaderboard support is also available, giving players an opportunity to compare their scores with those of their friends and the best players in the world. Scores that players earn when they play through each stage result in a graded lettered score, or rank, given afterwards. There is an achievement for earning the top rank in each level. Additionally, each stage features a hidden star piece, which will add to your score when found.

From the main menu, players get the option to choose one of two available characters: the aforementioned soldier Bahamut, as well as a young woman named Krystal, who is attempting to take revenge on the Commonwealth regime for murdering her parents. Each character has its own back story told via text screens that appear during the loading screens between levels, and feature subtle differences such as the fact that Krystal has one less health bar than Bahamut. The storyline isn't very original or well-developed, and is essentially just there as an excuse to have you blow stuff up. Players can customize their character of choice at the character select screen, by pressing the Y button. This will change their armor colour, hair colour and sometimes even their race. There are several different options to choose from.

With this type of game, precise controls are a must-have, or else the game ends up becoming more frustrating than fun. Luckily, developer Arc System Works did a great job with the control scheme and the jumping mechanics. Player control is precise and the basic control scheme is very easy to get accustomed to quickly, especially if you have experience playing previous Contra releases. The left joystick is used for movement and aiming. Shooting is handled by the X button (you can keep tapping it repeatedly or hold it down. Sometimes holding it will allow for more powerful shots,) and jumping is handled by using the A button. Additionally, special abilities such as running, dashing, and dodging can be used by pressing either the left or right shoulder buttons on the XBOX 360 controller.

Presentation is another very strong aspect of this title. Not only does the game have a silky smooth frame rate, but it also looks beautiful. Arc System Works did a phenomenal job creating a colourful visual style that looks like a water-coloured anime. Each of the game's varied settings (including stages set in places such as a desert, jungle, freeway and an underground subway line,) is unique in its design and colour palette. Each character, whether it's an ally or an enemy, is well-detailed, features fluid animations and is unique in its own design. It's not often that you see a game feature so many different enemy types, as it seems like each level has its own unique set of them. To be honest, this is one of the best looking Arcade games I've ever played.

Like its predecessors, Hard Corps: Uprising features an original score comprised of heavy metal tunes. The music fits very well with the fast-paced gameplay and feels natural. It also sounds great. There are also a varied amount of different sound effects, adding to the audio mayhem. These sound effects are well-done, sound great and add to the immersion presented within the experience. Sound quality is another aspect that Arc System Works nailed with this one.

Another one of the game's strong points is its enemy design and variety. In one level, you'll be shooting guards, turrets, sentries and robots. However, in the next level, you'll be shooting mechanical alligators, snipers, and plants that produce poisonous gas (which will poison you for a short period of time, so watch out.) Almost every level features different enemies, which really keeps the game feeling fresh and innovative. The basic enemy soldiers are present throughout several levels, but they don't become too boring to fight against because of all of the variety in the accompanying foes. Some tiny enemies such as mechanical spiders and fish will knock you down or stun you for a brief period, which adds some extra depth to the gameplay. If you are stunned, you can move the joystick quickly from left to right and back, to break out of it.

Each stage features two boss fights, each with their own varying amount of stages and forms. The creativity shown in the boss battle mechanics and design is quite impressive. With a couple exceptions, each boss fight feels different and unique, infusing the game with different challenges and variety. Some of them, especially the last boss, can be very tough, which makes it all the more satisfying when you defeat them.

Although it doesn't push the envelope too much, Hard Corps: Uprising is a very well-made game that is sure to impress fans of the genre, as well as newcomers. Its visual style and animation fluidity are amazing, and the sheer variety of its enemies and environments is quite amazing. The only major downsides are its poor follower artificial intelligence, as well as the fact that the core gameplay can be somewhat repetitive at times. However, there is quite a bit of replay value to be had for the game's modest $15 price tag, especially if you try to get the best ranking score on each level. The in-game clock stated that I'd played for about four hours in total (over both modes) before beating Rising Mode, with 95% of that time spent just in that mode alone. Fans of the genre should definitely check this one out. Even if you've never played this type of game before, I recommend at least trying the trial. It's well-made and a lot of fun.

Rating: 8.5/10

Hard Corps: Uprising will be available for the XBOX Live Arcade February 16th, 2011. The PSN release date has not been confirmed.

Stacking Review (XBOX Live Arcade Version)

In a 1930s inspired world full of Russian stacking dolls, it is your duty to stop an evil baron from enslaving all of your fellow children. That is the premise of Double Fine's latest game, Stacking, which is available on both XBOX Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network. However, there is a lot more to it than that. Players control Charlie Blackmore, a pint-sized boy and the youngest of the Blackmore family, who are all chimney sweepers by trade. When your father goes missing after leaving for a new job and your brothers and sisters are taken away as debt repayment, ending up in the child workforce in very dangerous and dirty positions, it is your responsibility to set out into the world to save them and put an end to child slavery once and for all.

What sets this game apart from its peers is its unique gameplay mechanics, which primarily involve stacking into other dolls, in order to use their unique abilities or to conceal your identity from guards. Each area you visit (whether it's the game's main hub, which is an old-fashioned train station or one of its other four levels,) is filled with tons of different types of dolls, each with their own abilities. These abilities are very diverse and some examples include a doll with key on its head that can be used to open locks, bird dolls that can fly to their nests to help solve puzzles, as well as dolls who have comic abilities such as terrible flatulence. It is Charlie's job to use these fellow dolls to solve puzzles and complete tasks, in order to save his brothers and sisters. But there is also the opportunity to use some of the comical abilities to cause mischief, which is pretty fun in itself.

If I was to lump Stacking into one genre, I would describe it as being a puzzle game. However, it has some action elements as well, which mainly come to fruition when you use some of the unique abilities that some of the dolls possess. As I mentioned prior, the core gameplay mechanics force you to utilize said abilities to help you complete tasks and puzzles that help you progress towards your goal of saving your family and stopping child labor.

Each level has its own different puzzles you must complete - each having three or more different solutions available. A good example of this is a section where you have to save one of your family members from a large guard. This can be done a few different ways, including combining a doll dressed as a fireman (complete with a water pump) and a doll with frigid breath to freeze him, or by making him sick as a result of feeding him rotten food. The game allows players to utilize their creativity in an attempt to find fun ways to solve the dilemmas and puzzles presented as you progress through the 5 level campaign. However, if you focus solely on these challenges then the game will be somewhat brief (between 3-4 hours or so.)

In addition to the story challenges/dilemmas, there are a lot of side challenges available within each level. Players are provided with a bullet point list of different hijinx that they can get up to, allowing for experimentation and creativity, due to the fact that the dolls required are never listed. Causing chaos by slapping different dolls or delivering justice upon various dolls with a judge and his gavel can be quite amusing, but I found that searching for each level's unique dolls was the most interesting side quest available.

Hidden throughout each area are over 20 different unique dolls to find. Some factor into the storyline and quests, but others require a lot of searching and work to find. I was able to find most of them without much of an issue, but there are a few that are still eluding me. I'm determined to find them all. Searching for all of these dolls adds a lot of length to the experience, and allows you to take a break from the main storyline whenever need be.

Charlie is controlled with the left joystick, while the right joystick controls the camera. He can stack into different dolls with ease, allowing for a very simple control scheme that works quite well. By pressing the Y button, players can stack into a doll one size larger than the one they're in, so long as they approach the doll from the back. It is also very easy to de-stack from dolls, just by pressing B at any time. A blue hue will surround a doll that you can stack into, when you're in range. As you make your way through the campaign, larger dolls become available to be stacked into. Sometimes they will help you complete tasks, but they also usually add into the unique dolls total. So, this forces players to revisit previous levels, where larger dolls also show up. Each different doll's abilities are available through the use of the A button and the right shoulder button will bring up a blue trail that will lead you to your next objective.

Tim Schafer and his team at Double Fine did a very good job with the presentation. From the menus to the early 1900s styling, the game looks and sounds very good. The menu system is easy enough to navigate, allowing for players to cycle between different menus (including one for tips, a menu showing unique dolls collected and a hijinx list,) with ease, just by pressing the shoulder buttons. The thing that impressed me the most about the menus, however, was the main menu, which features stacking dolls that stack from left to right as you move the cursor through the different options. That was a really nice touch, and it really sets you up for what the game will deliver right from the start. Additionally, a homeless man that Charlie befriends at the beginning of the game creates murals of the locations you've visited, as well as replicas of all of the unique dolls you've found in a train station storage room. This allows you to visit them to easily see what you found and try to figure out what you're missing.

Visually, Stacking is a game that stands out from anything else I've played. Since its stars are little Russian stacking dolls, it's not hard to imagine that it looks different from just about any other game out there, which it does. Its visuals are colourful, well-detailed and very polished, allowing for it to pop in high-definition. Each different size of doll provides a subtle change in movement (waddling,) and movement speed, so that allows for a change in animation each time you switch to a new doll. There aren't a lot of diverse character animations within, other than the odd ability, but Double Fine did a good job animating the dolls and their world. The dolls look like the Russian stacking dolls you would find a child playing with in real life, and they move around in a manner that makes it look natural. The animations can be quite comical at times, especially during the cutscenes which take place on a theatre stage and are animated with digital noise and reel edges, making them look like old film being played on a projector.

Instead of going with voice acting, the developers decided to stay true to the game's early 1900s era, by giving the game's cutscenes and dialogue the silent film treatment. Because of this, the game features no voice work whatsoever. Although it does have a well-done original score that fits the time period well. Additionally, most dolls have their own unique sound effects, which sound great and really add to the game's charm and immersion. The writing is well-done and the main characters are fleshed out pretty well.

The game runs quite well, although I did notice an occasional hiccup when I would move the camera quickly, especially when I was using a larger doll. However this issue didn't affect the gameplay much at all. In general, the game is quite well-made, but the camera isn't perfect. Luckily, you can control it freely using the right joystick. I also encountered a glitch where I fell through a railing at one point.

Additionally the challenges can sometimes be obscure, allowing for some trial and error, but the hint system helps quite a bit. You can get hints by pressing X while having the specific task highlighted in the objectives menu, but you must wait approximately thirty seconds before getting a new hint. There are three hints per puzzle. Other than that, the only other relatively large issue is that there just isn't a lot of variety to the gameplay. Though, considering how unique the experience is in many ways, I found that relatively easy to overlook.

Overall, I enjoyed Stacking quite a bit. It's a well-made game that is different from almost every other gaming experience I've had in the past, and it provided a nice change. In addition to being creative and featuring a colourful cast of characters, it is also very stylish, elegant and well-made. Not to mention the fact that it's easy to jump into for gamers of any age group, providing great appeal to younger gamers who will enjoy being able to play with the dolls and their abilities, as well as core gamers and older adults. It's a game that the whole family can enjoy. Despite some minor issues and a brief campaign, Stacking is definitely worth checking out, especially considering how charming and creative the experience it offers is.

Rating: 8/10

Stacking was released this week for both XBOX Live Arcade and the PlayStation Network. It is 1200 Microsoft Points or $15. It is free (for a limited time) for PlayStation Plus members.

Tales From Space: About a Blob Review LINK (Playstation Network)

I was recently asked to start writing reviews for Video Game Talk - a section of DVD Talk, which is a site I've been a member of for years. I graciously accepted the offer, as it's an amazing opportunity. So, I'm currently writing for both this blog and VGT.

My first review for Video Game Talk was uploaded last night and is now available on the site. It's for a really cool PSN game titled, 'Tales From Space: About a Blob.'

Check it out if you're interested. Here's a link:

LINK

Mario Sports Mix Event Recap + Impressions

Yesterday, I was given the opportunity to attend a community event celebrating the launch of Mario Sports Mix - a collaboration project between Nintendo and Square-Enix. The event took place at a YMCA in Toronto, which was a perfect setting due to the type of game that it is. The event was also for Big Brothers and Sisters of Toronto, who were invited to attend. In addition to being able to try the game early, the kids were given a chance to play different sports (I saw them playing volleyball and hockey) with half being on Team Mario and the other half on Team Donkey Kong. Mario and Donkey Kong both were in attendance and they took part in the sporting events, making sure to take some pictures with the kids at the end.

The event was an hour and a half in duration and I managed to get a chance to play the game for a little while. I also watched others play it. What I did get to play was quite fun. Out of the four sports available to be played in the game (dodgeball, hockey, basketball and volleyball,) the only one I didn't get a chance to try was dodgeball. Each of the three I played were very over the top, fast and frenetic, like other Mario sports titles.

Hockey was definitely the best one out of the three that I did get to play. I found it to be the most fun, especially since it played a lot like Mario Strikers (which I'm a huge fan of and became addicted to.) Checking is a very important aspect of the gameplay, which is a lot like Strikers. Both games are quite hectic and somewhat chaotic in that sense, which I find fun. Players use the nunchuk to control their team and can switch on the fly by pressing C. Motion controls are used for faceoffs, shooting the puck (which is a gold coin,) special moves and checking. Traditional Mario items (like shells) are able to be used to try to stop your opponent. They worked pretty well. It was quite easy to score, which was the one major downside, although it was still very competitive.

The basketball mode was fast-paced, frenetic and fun. I had a tough time scoring, but that was most-likely because I was new to it and hadn't become accustomed to the control scheme yet. Its motion controls were what you'd expect and felt somewhat natural: you'd raise the Wiimote up and then swing it forward to shoot from far away or to dunk (if you're close to the basket.) Timing is important, so it's something that will come with practice. I thought it controlled pretty well and was fun. There is one court available where random point multipliers will appear on the court in circular pads. If you shoot from one, you will receive the shown benefit (or lack thereof, considering there are negative point pads too.) This allows for there to be some pretty weird scores, and is fun. I'm glad they only chose to leave it restricted to one court though.

Volleyball actually plays a lot like basketball in terms of its control scheme. In order to serve, you must lift the Wiimote up and then tilt it forward. The height, length and power of your serve will change depending on the speed and power you use. Motion controls are also utilized for the other maneuvers, such as volleying and attacking the ball. The controls are pretty simple, but I thought that the motion controls were a bit inconsistent at times. I enjoyed playing it, but not as much as the other two sports.

Although I didn't get a chance to try dodgeball, I did watch a couple of people play it for a minute or two. It had different rules than the traditional dodgeball rules. Instead of being out after being hit once, they added life bars. It seems like you must completely eliminate an opposing player's health bar to get them out, which is certainly a different take on the sport. However, it makes sense from a video game perspective (especially an arcade sports game like this one,) because it allows the game to last longer and invokes some interesting new strategy.

Each game mode allows for players to choose the amount of players there will be on each team (seemingly limited to 2 on 2 or 3 on 3.) Location selection is available, with some having their own unique attributes (such as the aforementioned basketball court, as well as a volleyball court that continuously slides left and right.) Said attributes change the game up a bit by adding new challenges and elements. Of course, items and special moves also play a big part in the experience, with a myriad of well-known items being available in each mode. There are 14 courts available, and some are limited to certain sports. A handful return from Mario Hoops 3 on 3. The career mode is set up with a myriad of different cups/tournaments in each sport, similar to Mario Kart.

All of the characters have their own special moves in each sport, such as Mario's ability to dunk from anywhere on the court in basketball and Peach's distracting special move that sends out a ton of huge hearts in volleyball. There are nineteen playable characters available, such as the traditional (and popular) Nintendo icons Mario, Luigi, Peach, Donkey Kong, Diddy Kong and Wario, as well as your Mii. Additionally, the game contains 7 unlockable Square-Enix characters, such as the Ninja, White Mage, Black Mage, Slime and Moogle. Each one has its own stats and specialties, allowing for people to select their ideal type of team.

The game featured some nice animations, decent looking graphics and very colourful environments. Just by looking at it, it's easy to tell that it's a Mario sports title. Its sound design also seemed pretty good. Mario Sports Mix appeals to a wide-range of ages, but is targeted towards kids the most.

I enjoyed attending the event and getting a chance to try the game. I look forward to playing it this week. Check back for a full review in the near future.

Mario Sports Mix is out tomorrow (February 7, 2011) for the Nintendo Wii.

Breach Review (XBOX Live Arcade)

Breach is the latest release from developer Atomic Games, who have primarily worked on military simulations for the United States military and intelligence agencies in the past. It fits the same description, but is in the form of an online multiplayer only first-person shooter, which is being released on XBOX Live Arcade and PC today.

At its core, Breach is a tactical military shooter. However, it sets itself apart from the pack due to its stronger emphasis on realism, as well as its destructible environments. Whereas other games such as Battlefield: Bad Company allow you to destroy buildings, sniper posts and the like, Atomic Games took it a step further in Breach. In addition to being able to destroy buildings (which is useful to eliminate areas where enemy snipers may be hiding) or destroy bridges to make the enemy's advance more difficult, the debris that is created by the explosions can also take out opponents. This adds more realism to the idea of having destructible environments and also adds more strategy to the game. Players can also use destruction to their advantage by creating doors or vantage points, collapsing buildings with charges or by bringing a roof crashing down on opposing players. Charges can also be placed on enemies.

Unlike other shooters such as Call of Duty, your health does not regenerate, which makes the game a lot more realistic, in addition to making it a lot more difficult. It is important to take cover during firefights, using the game's active cover system, which is toggled by pressing the right joystick in when you're behind any sort of cover. Cover is a huge part of the game and it is very important to take full advantage of it if you ever expect to survive for long in-game. The only way to replenish your health is by using the medic kit gadget, but you don't unlock that until you make it to the fourth rank. It allows you to heal yourself or a teammate.

Weapons caches are found throughout each map and occasionally contain rocket launchers (it is also important to note that caches will replenish your ammunition, gadgets and/or explosives.) Rockets can be used to take out multiple enemies at once, but their best use is for destruction. Players can target specific structures, bridges or walkways with this weapon. However, it's important to consider your options before firing because, although the weapon is very useful against wooden structures and concrete barriers, some of the structures in the game are made from steel and this severely limits the damage caused by the explosive ammo. Additionally, players can also unlock sticky bombs, or breach explosives, which can also be very useful in an attempt to cause a massive amount of destruction. These are unlocked as you progress through the game and level up your character.

From the start, players are given the chance to choose from one of four different class types, including traditional rifleman and sniper classes, as well as a support class outfitted with a close range shotgun and a gunner equipped with a light machine gun. There is also an unlockable fifth class referred to as recon, which is only unlockable after players max out their rifleman and sniper classes, and is outfitted with a high-powered assault rifle. The class list is available at the start of each game and after each death that a player succumbs to. There is no option to switch classes while you're playing.

Players can fully customize their characters to suit their individual play styles. Each side has three different character skins to choose from and skins can be assigned to each class individually. As you invest more and more time into the game, you can utilize your experience points earned during matches to purchase new weapons, attachments, gadgets and perks. Breach allows you to set up each class separately by assigning them different perks, gadgets and weapons. There are only a certain amount of spots available, so you must choose wisely. The upgrades are locked at first, but you can unlock them by increasing your rank, which is accomplished by reaching certain experience point plateaus. However, you can only unlock new weapons by spending time playing as that class. For example, the only way to unlock new sniper rifles is to play as a sniper for a while.

Included in the unlockable items are 23 real-life weapons, as well as eleven real-life spy gadgets. The latter list includes a Dragon Skin armored vest, a sabotage kit, a sonic imager capable of seeing through walls and detecting movement, an IR sniper detector and a bomb sniffer. These gadgets each unlock at different ranks, but can be extremely helpful. When creating your own class however, you are only given the opportunity to select one gadget and one main weapon, so it's a tough choice. It's important to test things out to find out which one suits your play style best. There is always a side-arm pistol available at the press of a button (down on the directional pad in the 360 version's case.)

The game's thirteen unlockable perks can help you in various different ways. Some examples of the perks available for purchase include the following benefits: increased sprint duration, more ammuninition and grenades, increased accuracy during intense firefights, better accuracy during blind fire and double damage for your melee attacks. There are also perks that give you extra experience points (while reducing your health) and one that places an IR target on the player who killed you last, allowing for you to know who to take revenge upon. You are able to select one perk at a time.

Breach features five different game types, as well as a hardcore variation. My two favourites were infiltration (where the two teams battle for posession of objective control points and the first team to a certain amount of points wins,) and retrieval (which is a mode where teams try to collect a canister and bring it back to their secure locations, earning points for each time the canister is secured.) The game also includes a traditional team deathmatch mode, as well as convoy and sole survivor. In convoy, one team tries to defend a convoy of trucks as it makes its way from one point on the map to another, earning additional time when they pass certain points, while another team attacks. Sole survivor mode sees two teams battling against each other without respawns, allowing the final surviving player to be named the winner. The game allows for sixteen players to play in one game lobby, with two separate teams of eight. Bots are not available.

Hardcore mode can be applied to any of the game types and maps. It incorporates a lot of major changes to the game, including the elimination of radar tracking, disabling the kill cam, and modifying the damage settings to create a much more lethal and realistic experience. In general, hardcore mode is much more of a simulation than the game's regular set-up. You can access hardcore mode when you search for games by pressing the right joystick in and then refreshing the lobby list.

The game also features four different maps, with one variation that allows you to play one of the maps at nighttime as opposed to daytime. The game refers to them as combat missions, as opposed to using the term map. The list includes Peak (a communication complex located on a snowy peak,) Summit (a complex positioned on a mountain road, surrounded by shoddy wooden huts,) and Silo (a nuclear silo located in a mountain range, complete with valleys.) Additionally, there is a map that goes by two names (Passage and Nocturne.) This map contains a long service tunnel and is located within a mountain range in Asia. Passage is the name given to the daytime version of the combat mission/map, whereas Nocturne is the name the nighttime version goes by. My personal favourite is Peak, although I like all of the maps for their own reasons. Passage/Nocturne are unique because they contain more confined locations than the others do, and the tunnel is very dark, so it's hard to spot enemies. All of the game's maps are very large, which allows for the battles to take place on a large scale, spread throughout the map.

Players earn experience by completing an assortment of tasks within each game mode. Various amounts of experience points are awarded for killing an opposing player, as it's based on rank. However, experience is given for other things such as when players take over a control point in infiltration, deposit the canister in retrieval (or aid someone in doing that,) and when players assist on kills. There is also a perk referred to as the 'Badass' perk, which sacrifices half of a player's health in exchange for the ability to earn more experience. The game features several main ranks with different tiers of each. You can see the amount of experience points required to reach each rank by checking its achievement list. It takes quite a while to level up though, so that is something that will definitely keep people coming back. This is a game that requires a lot of time in order to progress within your rank and within your classes, so it offers a lot of replayability that isn't just based on competition or fun factor, but is also based on wanting to level up more and try out new gadgets and perks.

While playing Breach, it is important to understand that it's not a game that you can run and gun in like is the case with Call of Duty. I enjoyed this new, more realistic take on the genre. Although it has a steep learning curve, I had fun playing it and put quite a bit of time into it. Sometimes there are some issues when you're in cover (relating to it being a bit sticky and not responding perfectly,) but the game plays quite well. There were a few hiccups within the gameplay, but nothing major. It's challenging, fun and competitive. However, it's also tough. The shooting mechanics work quite well, and I like how important teamwork is within the core gameplay. If you don't work as a team and support each other, you'll lose.

Breach features an easy to navigate menu system, allowing for easy access to upgrade menus, game lobbies and its stats tracking page. Within the stats page, you can see the amount of experience points you've earned, how close you are to unlocking new weapons and your proximity to your next rank. You can also take a look at your kill-death ratio, as well as detailed stats regarding the exact amount of kills/deaths you have. I'm glad that they included this because it's something I feel every game should include. I find it frustrating when games don't have a stats tracking menu. One of my personal gaming pet peeves is when developers omit visible and accessible stats tracking pages.

The default control scheme is quite accessible and well designed. The left joystick controls your movement, whereas the right joystick controls the camera and your aiming reticule. Active cover is initiated by pressing the right joystick in and you are able to peek above or to the side of cover by using the left joystick. The right-trigger controls your fire, down on the d-pad brings out your side-arm and up on the d-pad can switch to a grenade launcher accessory. Players can utilize the A button to jump, the Y button to interact with items (such as canisters and weapons caches,) and initiate sprint by holding in the left joystick. Certain gadgets can be used by pressing the right shoulder button (or right bumper as it's often referred to as.) I found this control scheme easy to use.

In terms of visuals, Breach isn't anything that will blow you away, but it looks pretty good. Its maps feature quite a bit of detail and some nice texture work, but the visuals feel a bit dated. The character model options look decent, and are quite varied and detailed, although there's only a limited amount to choose from. However, sometimes their animations can be a bit stiff. Its effects are pretty well-done and are especially noticeable during explosions and destruction. The game runs on the engine that Atomic Games used for their last project, the controversial, unreleased (wartime) shooter/horror game, Six Days in Fallujah.

Sound design is a relatively strong aspect of Breach. It includes a myriad of different sound effects, including different sounds for ricocheting bullets, which was a nice touch. The sound effects used for the weapons, footsteps, explosions and destruction all sound pretty good. Although there is no real dialogue, soldiers will occasionally utter one-lined quips after taking out an opposing enemy. At times, sound effects can sound a bit muffled, however. The only major problem I had with the sound was that, during the first day I played the game, the sound almost completely cut out for about 30 minutes or longer. I could hear the music but that was all. It occurred during different games, and ended up rectifying itself after a while. I haven't experienced the issue since.

Overall, I thought that Breach was an enjoyable, engaging and well-made shooter. It sets itself apart from the pack by offering a more realistic experience (especially with hardcore mode turned on,) and offers quite a bit of content to unlock - so much so that it'll keep you playing for a long time. Although it has some minor issues (which aren't anywhere near game breaking,) it's a very solid game that is definitely worth checking out if you're a fan of military shooters or simulations. You get a lot of content, lots of replayability and some time consuming achievements. Just keep in mind that this isn't an arcade experience like Call of Duty - it's much more realistic and unforgiving.

Rating: 7.5/10

Breach is available for XBOX Live Arcade and PC, as of today, January 26, 2011.

LittleBIGPlanet 2 Review (PlayStation 3)

LittleBIGPlanet 2, the latest release from developer Media Molecule and publisher Sony Computer Entertainment, marks the return of Sack Boy to the PlayStation 3. Like its predecessor, LittleBIGPlanet 2 is a creative, three-dimensional platformer at its core, however this installment allows players to create not only their own levels but their own games, ranging from sports games to side-scrolling shooters to different types of races. In addition, it also features a greater emphasis on the creation of a cohesive storyline for its campaign. This storyline follows Sack Boy as he (and his new friends in the Alliance) try to save their world from the evil Negativitron, which is laying waste to everything it gets near and has captured and brainwashed innocent sackbots. As the player, it's your responsibility to help put an end to the Negativitron before it's too late to save Craft World and its inhabitants from the Negativitron's destruction.

The game's campaign takes place through 30 unique levels that span throughout Craft World, taking place in six uniquely different locations. These locations (each with their own creator who factors into the storyline) include a sackbot factory, a mental institution made up of foliage, and a world of scienece known as Avalonia. Each location has its own unique look, feel and different gameplay changes, making it a pleasure to progress through the campaign because you never know what is around the corner. The game starts off by teaching you the basics through basic platforming levels like those seen in the first game, but it doesn't take long before you're traveling on a train, rolling across rollercoaster-esque rails using pastries and even riding an assortment of exaggerated animals, each with their own abilities (such as a bee with a honey cannon and a jackrabbit with a slam attack.) Each world is made up of seven main levels and culminates with a final boss battle. All of the boss fights are unique and employ different mechanics, which is nice to see.

Hidden in each level are two different types of collectible bubbles - regular bubbles (which are found in large quantities and give you points and potential multipliers depending on how many are picked up at one time,) as well as prize bubbles. The prize bubbles all tend to look the same (larger than the usual ones,) but they all contain different things, ranging from clothing, hairstyles, stickers, materials, and other customization items. The aforementioned clothing and hairstyle are available for use to customize your Sack Boy character (which is completely customizable down to its gender, material style, eyes, teeth, clothing and hair.) The other prizes can be used when you create your own levels. Stickers can be placed throughout the levels in the campaign as well, however. Players are able to create their own stickers in the creation area, by snapping an in-game picture of their character or by taking pictures of themselves using a PlayStation Eye camera. At the end of each level, players are shown where they rank in comparison to all of the other players who have completed said level, and this is based on their collectibles earned, whether they aced the level by not dying and other factors.

One of the best things about the campaign is just how creative, unique and interesting it is. Although I thought it started off a bit slow, it really started to pick up once I hit the third world, Avalonia, as that's when it became very creative and stopped being just a platformer. Some of the story missions are completely different types of games, with a great emphasis on side scrolling space shooters. Normally, I'm not a big fan of those types of games, but I found those levels to be the highlights of the campaign in this game. They're just done so well and in such a creative fashion. Each one is different in its own way (some take on a traditional design, whereas one where you're riding the bee, include much more creative abstract visuals, enemies and colour schemes.) Races are also included in some of the missions and you are rated based on your completion time and the amount of collectibles that you pick up along the way.

I also liked the way that they integrated some real-time strategy elements into the levels that take place in the sackbot factory. Within those levels, you must rescue sackbots who have been captured by the Negativitron and have been imprisoned within various cells inside of the factory. This is done by stomping on a button to release them. You must utilize the rescued bots to help you complete puzzles in order to progress. They will follow you when you move and will be required to activate certain switches and pathways that will help you progress. Sometimes they will form a chain from the ceiling to help you grab on and swing across a gap. The end of each level requires a certain amount of sackbots to have survived, but you can usually go back and get more without much trouble. Real-time strategy is a genre I've always had a hard time getting into, but those levels were quite fun because they boiled it down to its simplest form, which is unit control, and made it fun.

The campaign quite a few side levels (which are unlocked by finding keys in their adjoining story levels.) These are predominantly made up of versus games, score attack modes and races. When players complete score attack games, they are awarded prize bubbles based on the amount of points that they acquire throughout said game.

Other major additions to this sequel include a grappling hook and what is essentially a fireman's suit that allows you to shoot water (which is very helpful in the asylum world, where you have to put out fire enemies who are setting the world ablaze.) The grappling hook plays a large part in the game's campaign and takes a while to get used to, because it's difficult to control and can be quite frustrating. This is especially frustrating sometimes, since some collectibles require you to be able to swing perfectly with lots of momentum, which is very hard to do. The water suit, on the other hand, works very well. These are available in addition to the creatinator, and the grabinator gloves that allow you to pick up heavy objects, which both make a return in this sequel.

Each level in the game is playable in co-op, for up to four players at any given time. Players can work together to complete puzzles and accomplish goals, or just have fun playing the level(s) the way they want to, either by creating a swinging chain of four Sack Boys, by throwing each other around, or whatever they feel like doing. Additionally, a lot of levels feature secret areas that are only available to groups of two or more. These areas include side games and collectibles that you cannot get while playing single player, and it takes at least two people to be able to access these areas (the number required is painted on the wall by the entrance.) It is incredibly easy to play online with another person or a friend - before each level starts, you are given the option to try to join someone's game or to play alone. However, there is currently an issue referred to as an 'infinite loading glitch' where the game sometimes fails to load multiplayer games and it essentially locks up at the loading screen, requiring you to quit the game and restart it (or turn off your controller, which some say works too.) I had this happen to me once.

The world in LittleBIGPlanet is three-dimensional. What that means is that you aren't limited to just a two-dimensional plane to traverse, which is the case in most traditional platformers like the Super Mario Brothers series. Instead, players are able to press the left thumb stick up or down to toggle between planes. This is quite often necessary in order to complete puzzles, reach new areas or avoid bosses. I found this factor to be frustrating at times, because it was quite easy to accidentally get stuck on objects, because is is sometimes difficult to tell which plane your character is on. There were also some inherent control issues, that made it a bit cumbersome to switch planes. However, this isn't anything game breaking and is just a minor nuisance.

In general, the game controls quite well. The default control scheme utilizes the left joystick for movement, with the right joystick serving as camera control. Both joysticks are also used to re-size, rotate and move objects and stickers that you place in the game world. The X button is your jump button and occasionally serves as a boost or fire button if you're in a vehicle or riding an animal. The R1 button is another multi-use button that controls your ability to grab, drag and throw things, as well as your grappling hook. It also serves as a fire button for weapons and vehicles at times, as well as the button for some animals' secret abilities such as the jack rabbit's smash attack. Overall, the controls are quite easy to get used to and there aren't many issues inherent in the design. However, I did notice that (on odd occasions,) the jump button wouldn't register properly and I'd fall to my death. It didn't happen very often though.

The main selling point of the LittleBIGPlanet games is not their campaigns, however. The most popular aspect is the fact that they allow players to create their own levels with tons of different designs, items, backgrounds, materials, stickers and other things at their disposal. LittleBIGPlanet 2 takes this aspect of its predecessor further by allowing players to create their own game types. The developers allow players to utilize the same tools that were used to create the core game, to design and publish their own creative games. The creativity that is present within the game's community already is amazing. It is also important to note that levels made in the original LittleBIGPlanet carry over to this game, so there is already a ton of community content available. Players can search for levels based on certain criteria and can review their fellow gamers' work by selecting a happy face or a sad face, or by 'hearting' the level. There is also an option to write a text-based review, complete with tags (listing what type of level it is, whether it's challenging or easy, etc.)

The game offers 52 in-depth tutorials for players to watch or take part in, that show you every aspect of level creation. These tutorials are accessible through the main menu and can be viewed over and over again. They're incredibly helpful and it's an excellent touch because there are so many intricate details that Media Molecule have added into the creation aspects of their game. It's truly amazing how much the engine allows them to do.

Visually, LittleBIGPlanet 2 is a treat. Its visual style is incredibly unique, looking different from any other game on the market. Its levels and worlds are filled with unique designs, interesting colour choices and off the wall character designs. Its graphics are quite detailed and incredibly colourful. Its animation system is also very different from anything else I've ever played, as most of the characters animations (as well as their looks) are exaggerated in some way, which leads to a lot of humour. The game's frame rate is quite stable, but I did notice some minor hiccups.

Adding to the humour that is created by the game's visuals, character designs and animations, is the game's incredibly clever writing and excellent voice acting. To say that this game's characters are unique is an understatement, and the voice actors do a phenomenal job of bringing them to life. The narrator (Stephen Fry) also does an exceptional job, as he's not only funny but is also interesting to listen to, which is expected from such a well-known and popular British actor. The script-writers also deserve a lot of praise for creating such a unique story, within such a vivid and interesting world. There is a lot of humour in the spoken dialogue as well as what pops up during speech bubbles inside of the levels. Players are able to write their own text dialogue for their own levels, which helps, especially when it comes to tutorial purposes.

Overall, LittleBIGPlanet 2 is a great game that will appeal to gamers of any age. It is very accessible without alienating itself from the veteran gaming crowd. Although its campaign is rather short (one could probably finish it within one sitting,) the game includes so much content that it'll keep you playing for months. Although the box lists PlayStation Move support, the game doesn't not work with the peripheral, and it can only be used on an included demo for the upcoming Move game, Sack Boy's Prehistoric Adventures.

You cannot go wrong picking this one up, especially if you were a fan of the original, as it's a step forward. The best aspect if the various unique game types that are found within the campaign and the community levels. I can't wait to see what the community level designers come up with in the future. If you like platformers or you're looking for a unique experience, make a point to try this game because you won't be disappointed.

Rating: 9/10

LittleBIGPlanet 2 was released on January 18th for the PlayStation 3.

007: Blood Stone Review (XBOX 360 Version)

The latest video game release starring the world's favourite fictional British super agent (James Bond,) 007: Blood Stone is a third-person shooter/action game filled to the brim with explosions, car chases and tons of action. Developed by the now defunct studio Bizarre Creations (best known for their Project Gotham Racing series as well as Blur,) Blood Stone is a grittier, much more action-packed experience that differs from the traditional Bond game formula that we've become accustomed to. The game was designed to reflect the much more physical nature that Daniel Craig has brought to the character and it's very evident.

Blood Stone is one of several James Bond video games that does not follow a plot from the popular film series or Ian Fleming's novels. Instead, the developers worked with writer Bruce Feirstein (best known for writing the scripts for Bond films such as Goldeneye and Tomorrow Never Dies, as well as the video game adaptation of From Russia With Love,) to create an original storyline for the game. The result is an interesting storyline (complete with its own unique twists and turns) that sees the iconic Agent 007 traveling to various locations across the world, in an attempt to get England's top secret biological weapon from the hands of those who intend to cause great harm with it. Along the way, Bond (voiced by Daniel Craig) meets a fiesty young jewelery designer Nicole Hunter (voiced by musician Joss Stone,) as well as other colourful characters who each have their own agendas.

At its core, Blood Stone is an action-packed third-person shooter with a physical takedown system. Players must utilize cover as they shoot their way through levels based in locations such as Istanbul, Monaco, Siberia and Burma. Cinematic close-quarters takedowns allow players to gain focus aim shots, letting Bond take out up to three enemies at once with one shot (similar to the mark and execute system found in Splinter Cell: Conviction.) This inclusion adds strategy to the gameplay, especially on harder difficulties, where you must strategize your approach to certain action sequences, including where and when to use those focus aim shots to get the best results. These mechanics are nothing new and don't bring anything unique to the table, but I still found the gameplay fun, despite some repetitive sections. However, I've always been a fan of shooters, especially when it comes to James Bond games (for the most part, as there have been a couple duds in the series.)

In addition to its core third-person shooter mechanics, Blood Stone also features a large driving component. Since developer Bizarre Creations were well-known for their racing games, it's not surprising that they added a large emphasis on driving into this game. The vehicle segments range from traditional car chases to an action-packed train chase that sees Bond driving across a frozen lake while avoiding an aerial helicopter assault. These segments add much needed variety to the experience and end up being pretty fun. There are a couple standouts (including the train chase, a boat chase segment and a lengthy high-speed chase at the end of the campaign) but there are also a couple of mediocre car segments as well, that feel very generic. Even those are somewhat fun though, as all of the car sections require you to constantly be on your toes and paying attention because they're full of obstacles, enemy vehicles, quick turns and traffic.

The game's campaign is fun and action-packed, although it is on the short side and can be completed in just a couple of sittings, clocking in at approximately five to six hours in duration. It isn't very difficult, so I recommend playing on hard (and then moving onto its highest difficulty, 007, which is unlocked after you complete the game once.) If you're accustomed to playing shooters and have a lot of experience with this type of game, it shouldn't pose too much of a challenge as, even the 007 difficulty isn't overly hard. I was able to beat the game twice within a week and I didn't play it non-stop. Level select is available, so players will always have the option to go back to replay their favourite segments whenever they want.

One major difference from the average James Bond video game is the fact that this game doesn't feature any special gadgets. The gadgets have been replaced by a smart phone that Bond carries around. The phone not only allows him to keep in contact with M and his other accomplices - it also allows him to disable security cameras, hack into locked doors and download encrypted information from computers. All of this is done using short button-prompt minigame segments. The camera also allows Bond to scan the environments for hidden intelligence files, which adds a filter to the visuals while it is in use. It's very helpful throughout the campaign but it takes away one of the coolest things about the character - his various unique and over-the-top gadgets. That may disappoint some people.

It is also important to note that Blood Stone also features a robust multiplayer mode with support for up to sixteen players, in addition to its campaign. The multiplayer component is strictly team-based and features a few different modes, including Team Death Match, Last Man Standing and an objective-based mode. These competitive modes take place across 8 different maps, some of which are only available for a certain game type. Players level up as they gain experience, earning medals along the way by completing milestones (for example: getting a certain amount of kills in a certain manner. Each limit you pass gives you a different level of medal, with the highest level being 007.) Although it's somewhat generic and has some issues, I enjoyed the game's multiplayer experience. It's not perfect and probably won't last for a long time into the future, but it's surprisingly decent and quite fun.

The game controls quite well overall. It's easy to move within cover, especially since you can move from one section of cover to another simply by pressing the joystick in the correct direction and pressing a button. Takedowns are very easy to pull off and the shooting mechanics are easy to use and don't requite a steep learning curve, even when it comes to pulling off the focus aim shots. Those are activated simply by pressing one button (provided that your focus aim meter has been filled.) Additionally, the car chases controlled pretty well, although there were a couple weird physics issues I noticed when it came to crashes. The cars feel like they have some weight, but can be a bit floaty at times, unfortunately.

Visually, 007: Blood Stone is a relatively nice looking game. It features detailed environments and some very nice effects (including blurring effects brought on by heat and some nice explosions.) The game runs well and doesn't feature many visual or performance glitches. However, the character models and their animations leave something to be desired. Despite looking like their real-life counterparts, the main characters tend to look very rigid (especially during cutscenes) and their faces don't always match up perfectly with the dialogue they're saying, making them look off at times. It's not going to blow you away with its visuals, but it doesn't look bad at all.

Just like all of the previous James Bond video game iterations before it, Blood Stone has excellent presentation and audio. Its sound effects are vibrant and really bring you into the world well. Not to mention the fact that the voice acting is top notch (which it should be considering the fact that there are some skilled actors from the film series providing voice overs, such as Daniel Craig and Judy Dench, as well as newcomer Joss Stone.) Each level's loading screen provides a detailed conversation between M and Agent 007, regarding the location of his next target and other details, which is really well done considering it's also accompanied by intel files and pictures. In addition to all of this, the game also features an opening title song by Joss Stone (which is quite well done,) the iconic Bond theme song and a good original orchestral soundtrack, composed by Richard Jacques.

Overall, I must say that I enjoyed playing through Blood Stone. Going in, I wasn't sure if I would enjoy it enough to play through it twice, but I enjoyed both of my playthroughs. Despite some repetitive sections, a couple pedestrian car chase segments and some visual issues, it's a fun game for Bond fans. It doesn't bring anything new to the table, but it's engaging from start to finish. I can't wholeheartedly recommend blind-buying it, but it's a solid rental for any fan of the Bond franchise or third-person shooters.

Rating: 7/10

007: Blood Stone was released on November 5th, 2010 for the XBOX 360, Playstation 3 and PC. It is also available for the Nintendo DS although that is a different version of the game, developed specifically for the handheld device, by another team.