Its no secret that I am a huge fan of the Metal Gear and Metal Gear Solid franchises. Ever since I got my first taste of some "tactical espionage action" on the Sony Playstation there was no turning back, I was hooked. Then when I learned Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty was going to be released for the Sony Playstation 2, I got the system just for the occasion. There was mixed reaction upon completing MGS 2: Sons of Liberty for the first time, but there is no denying the gaming experience as a whole was nothing short of awesome.

  Being one of the Sony Ps2's flag ships, almost every element from the original Metal Gear Solid has been expanded on and fined tuned. Infiltration is still the name of the game, as our returning hero Solid Snake is called back into action. This time around however, Solid Snake has many more moves at his disposal. On top of everything that could be done in Metal Gear Solid players will be able to use diving rolls, shoot from the first person perspective, hang from ledges, and even walk stealthily through corridors with pressure sensitive controls. In some situations, failing to utilize this simple walking feature will alert the enhanced AI of the patrolling guards to your presence, and the player doesn't need to give the AI any extra chances to discover them. The guards are much smarter than their predecessors in Shadow Moses. They will listen for foot steps, follow wet foot prints, search for their fallen comrades, and even look for shadows as you come near a corner of the hallway. All of these elements combined to make a sense of realism that will keep players hooked as they actively continue to find new ways to remain hidden. An added bonus to MGS2's enhanced stealth mechanics is players can now hold up wandering guards to shake them down for dog tags, and other items by pointing a weapon at the guards head. Collecting all of the dog tags is an amusing yet difficult challenge, but not necessary to completing the game. Mix in its great graphics, I can guarantee players will be returning to MGS2: Sons of Liberty after the beating the game, because its just down right great to play.

  The Metal Gear Solid franchise is known for great, gripping stories, and Metal Gear Solid 2 is no different. The game's creator and director, Hideo Kojima knows how to tell a story, plain and simple. But, Metal Gear Solid 2's story presentation isn't perfect and is where the game takes a bit of a hit. Although the plot is excellent, full of memorable moments and twists, at times it feels like the games developers got a bit lazy. Fans of Metal Gear Solid will be familiar with the Codec, it is where a screen pops up and a conversation appears as Solid Snake speaks to whoever he is talking to on the other side of the screen. There is nothing wrong with the codec, but in Sons of Liberty's case it is over utilized. Instead of using cut scenes where one should have been, the games developers opted to use the Codec, making it easier on them. Although the games voice acting is the best in the business, the over use of the codec robs the players from some real emotional and gripping moments. By the end of the game, players will be sick of the codec. There is no other way of saying it. On another note, Metal Gear Solid 2's story offered a ground breaking and controversial element to the franchise. This is possibly the only spoiler I will offer in my reviews, but I hate to break it to you folks, Solid Snake isn't the only playable character in Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty. In the second half of Sons of Liberty, we are introduced a rookie in the special operation unit FOXHOUND named Raiden. Raiden is a platinum haired, frail looking character that is more agile and ninja like than Solid Snake. After MGS2's debut, Raiden became the topic of many heated debates throughout the gaming community. Some loved the character, and other hated the whinny rookie. Either way, Raiden played a pivotal roll in MGS2's story and single handedly elevated Solid Snake status from a lone hero to a legendary soldier.

  Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty is a perfect example of what a power house the Sony Ps2 can be. It was a technological marvel at its release, and continues the Metal Gear Solid legacy with a game that just can't be beat. Although, it was is a few notches from perfect, no Ps2 owner can go without Sons of Liberty.

Written by RB

  As of 2002, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty Substance edition has been released for the Sony Ps2, Microsoft Xbox, and Windows platforms. MGS2 Substance features extended gameplay from Solid Snake's perspective of the big shell, although doesn't have any voice work added to it. There are also several other mini games including skate boarding. The added mini games are nice, but don't really add anything major to the overall experience. Only hardcore fans of the original version might be interested in rebuying the substance version of MGS2. Rating remains the same.

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  Let me just start off by saying that Constantine stays true to the movie to game adaptation legacy, its just another weak game, which is unfortunate. While assuming the role of John Constantine, players will exorcise demons with a large variety of weaponry and spells, cross between the realms of earth and hell, and follow through the concepts of the film. Constantine could have been a decent action game, all of the right elements are present, but they're just poorly executed.

  Constantine is essentially a pretty straight forward third person shooter. The player will advance through each level by unleashing some holy weapons on some pesky demons. There is nothing really wrong with that aspect of the game, and adding some spells Constantine can cast when prompted to complete the proper button sequences has some pretty decent effects. The problem with Constantine lies within the action itself. Enemies are ridiculously slow, even on a harder difficulty doesn't really represent much of a challenge. The possibility of having some addicting game play was constantly being undermined by the game's poor animations, and lack of excitement. In the end, the only way to sum up the game play is just boring. Players also have the option of using melee attacks in the game, but they are completely useless. Also, trying to pull off a 180 turn by pressing and holding in the left thumb stick is yet again painfully slow to respond. By the time the turn registers, the player will already have taken damage that could have been avoided otherwise.

  Graphically, Constantine is a mess. With flat textures, and poor animations Constantine is painful to look at. Besides some of the cut scenes, Constantine looked like a late Playstation 1 game instead of a late Xbox release. Areas in the game that could have been something interesting to see, like the hell stages of the game, are simply vacant and void of distinguishable texture. Constantine's animations are incredibly blocky, and lack any imagination.

  Possibly the worst aspect to the game as a whole is sound. Constantine's sound, especially when it comes to the voice work, is just terrible. The never ending raising and lowering of the televisions volume to compensate for the varying sound quality through out the game was down right annoying. While playing through a level, sound is more reliable and doesn't vary as often, but the voice work is frequently hard to hear and sounds like the actors are miles away from the microphone. This was a poor attempt to capture the mediocre monotone presentation from the film, and just fails entirely.

  Unless you're a huge fan of Constantine, whether it be the graphic novels or the film, Constantine really doesn't have much to offer. If you're looking for a fun action game, this definitely isn't it. With a little more effort, Constantine could have been something better. I can guarantee this game is going to be exorcised from my gaming collection.

Written by RB

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  I have been a proud WoWer since the game's release, and World of Warcraft was my first experience into the world of MMO game play. Needless to say, the game did not disappoint. World of Warcraft is a true RPG, in every sense of the genre. Right off the bat, each player will create their own character and unique identity to your new home of Azeroth and there is no shortage of variety to World of Warcraft. Players will pick which faction they want to be allied with, either the Alliance or Horde, and whichever faction you choose comes with its own set of races. These races include anything from humans, dwarfs, and gnomes, to things like Orcs, Trolls, and Undead just to name a few. Each race also comes with its own set of sub classes for the player to choose from, like warriors or stealthy rogues. There are many more, and some races have classes unique only to them. Each race and class has their own unique set of perks, and fill a vital role in completing a group. No one combo can do it all, forcing the aspect of being a social game.

  After you've created your in game identity, you start off a level 1 in a unique starting area depending on which race you decided to play as. It is in this starting area you will learn how World of Warcraft is played, well at least the main mechanics of the game. Reading the manual that comes with the game is highly recommended, but for those who just want to jump right in there are some tutorials to pop up and guide you on your merry way. The game play itself isn't overly complicated to begin with. Player's will use a tool bar that contains their attacks, and will either use the related hot key, or mouse click to activate the action they have chosen to use. This tool bar is easy enough to use at the start of the gaming being each new character only starts off with a few actions to choose from, but as a player levels higher and higher new actions will become available after speaking to a class specific trainer. This will continually add more actions to the tool bar making the player even more powerful, and learning what actions work best at the right time is a skill that is crucial to master. Players will also be able to specialize their skills by using talent points that are earned from level 10-60. These points allow the player to customize how they would like to play the game, whether it be PvP (player vs. player), or dungeon crawl. Talents points are a hot topic of debate between hardcore Warcrafters, and many in game strategies are formed around the talent trees alone. In the end, I suggest that each player finds what works best for them and don't let anyone try to sway you otherwise. Once you enter the World of Warcraft, your in game experience becomes your own unique to how you wish to play it. As each player progresses through the game, earning money is every beginner's nightmare. Azeroth's currency is broken down into copper, silver, and ultimately gold. 100 pieces of copper make 1 silver piece, 100 silver pieces makes 1 gold piece...sounds easy enough. World of Warcraft is unique to the fact that questing isn't really the way to riches in this game. Sure you can make some money continuously questing, but the player will ultimately be strapped for cash. World of Warcraft is designed around an actual in game economy. Players will have to learn one of the many trades, like blacksmithing for example, and put their skills to good use. Players have to pay one another for particular services, and unwanted items can be sold over a server wide auction house. Some higher level characters even offer themselves as mercenaries, running low levels through dungeons for a fee. Nothing is handed out in the World of Warcraft, if you want to make your way to riches, you have to get creative.

  There are three distinctive play styles to World of Warcraft. The game is broken down into Player Vs. Player aspects, where people engage in large battle grounds where each faction dukes it out for victory, or go on large raids to devastate a rival faction's main city. PvP is where people can flex their internet muscles, and is a rewarding experience. The hardcore fans of WoW however prefer to dungeon crawl, or what's known in game as Player vs. Environment (PvE). Each player is free to choose how he or she prefers to play, and there are dedicated servers just for PvP, or PvE. Players who want to experience all aspects of WoW are sent to a Normal Server, where the majority of Warcrafters play. Blizzard, World of Warcraft developer, is also keen to the fact many people drawn to this RPG style of game play want to nerd it up with some role playing and have developed special realms specifically for that purpose. These RP servers strictly enforce the fact players must remain in their character at all time, its very nerdy even by my standards...but to each is own.

  Almost every aspect of World of Warcraft encourages the fact that WoW is a social game. Players must rely on other players to advance through dungeons, work as a team in battle grounds, even to earn their riches as I stated previously. As a game World of Warcraft itself is great, but the social networking is the major draw. Players are free to make a name for themselves on their server, make in game friends and enemies, which only deepens the RPG style of game play. The social networking is also a double edged sword however. As great as it can be, it can be as equally bad. There are plenty of jerks in the world, and some of the worst are angry nerds which Warcraft draws in great numbers. It isn't uncommon for the nerd rage to start flowing through the chat channels, which can really make for an unpleasant gaming experience. All I can say for people that might be turned off about that is, World of Warcraft is a game that is well worth putting up with some rage once and awhile. The game features an Ignore list...so you can at least silence a few gamers you wouldn't prefer to play with. For those who are considering jumping into Warcraft, try to keep this in mind. World of Warcraft has players of all race and age groups. The night elf you're about to tear apart might just be a 10 year old that doesn't know any better. We play games to have fun, take the good with the bad, and remember its only a game.

  I could continue for hours writing about World of Warcraft, and in this review only scratched a small surface of what this game truly offers. World of Warcraft isn't a game for everyone, but anyone who is willing to give it an honest chance its well worth the monthly fee. Few games can transport players into another world, and keep them literally addicted for years. It is a game that's constantly evolving, and ultimately rewarding. World of Warcraft is unlike any other game out on the market.

Written by RB

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  Before Left 4 Dead 2's release, there was a lot of concern over how the game only took a year to be made. Fortunately, most of those concerns have been laid to rest. Left 4 Dead 2 takes all the great game elements from the original, and has refined them for an even more gore filled experience. Graphics have been slightly improved, there is more weaponry to choose from, more bosses, expanded multiplayer modes, and a smarter A.I. fondly known as the "Director." They overall length of each scenario the survivors will have to overcome to make their way to safety have also been lengthened, which was one complaint many had about the original Left 4 Dead only taking about two and a half hours to complete.

  Aside from the initial upgrades to Left for Dead 2, the game play is essentially the same. You kill thousands of zombies in some intense first person action, with the emphasis on both ranged and melee weapons. With an easy to learn control scheme, players will be popping off headshots in no time. There are loads of weaponry to choose from this time around, in both ranged and melee categories, allowing each player to find a specific weapon that fits their play style. My personal favorite combo is an M16 assault rifle mixed in with dual pistols, but whacking some zombie heads with an electric guitar is also a welcome addition to any arsenal. There is also plenty of ammo drops through out each stage to ensure you'll always be able to find that special weapon you had in mind. Regardless, the blood will continue to flow effectively no matter what weapon you choose, and trust me...there will be blood. Left 4 Dead 2 is incredibly realistic when it comes to the gore level. Zombies react properly as they're being shot, and nothing is sugar coated. Disembowelments, loss of limbs, bodies being literally cut in half are all frequent sights in this game. So players with a weak stomach might want to look elsewhere.

  As a single player experience, Left 4 Dead 2 is a fun game. The artificial intelligence takes control over the 3 other survivors in your party, and does a decent job of watching your back. On occasion, the A.I. will cause a survivor or two to pop into your line of fire, but that isn't uncommon with many FPS. When playing with a computer, its bound to happen from time to time. That's one of the main reason, Left 4 Dead 2 doesn't really start to shine into you look deeper into its multiplayer options. Left 4 Dead 2 is truly optimized for online play with up to 4 friends, and is best played with voice communications. Playing with other people brings a level of fun and excitement as a zombie horde comes rushing out of nowhere few games are able to capture. By working together, the game play becomes much more enjoyable. When playing with less then a full group, the computer will once again take control of the remaining survivors. This is where the A.I. does take a bit of a hit. The CPU controlled survivors seem to get frequently confused of who to follow, or even who to help if both human players get incapacitated by either a smoker's tentacle or a jockey riding on another player's back. This has lead to a few deaths while playing with fellow reviewer Kurt L. when testing out this game. Luckily, that is the only place the A.I. seems to lack in Left 4 Dead 2. With the help of something called the "Director", Left 4 Dead 2's scenarios offer something different every time they are replayed. The A.I. is capable of judging how well a player is doing, and throw new obstacles in their way making every level feel like new. Although the setting may be the same, the variation in the game's challenge guarantee's hours and hours of fun to come. There are also different modes of multiplayer, such as versus mode, scavenger mode, and for those who want some extra challenge there is realism which makes Left 4 Dead 2 incredibly challenging. For those interested in some unlockables, some of Left 4 Dead 2's achievements come with a few customizable options for your Xbox 360 Avatar.

  There is no true story to Left 4 Dead 2. Player's assume the role of a survivor and play through a scenario. Aside from some simple communications between the survivors, that's about it. The lack of plot doesn't exactly take away from the experience either, just gives the player less to focus on as they're hacking away at some mindless undead. Each scenario plays out smoothly, and players won't have a hard time figuring out to go. However there is a bit of a pattern to the game where you'll be running through zombie hordes to turn off triggered alarms, which is possibly the only repetitive aspect to Left for Dead 2.

  If you were a fan of the original Left 4 Dead, adding the sequel is definitely recommended. They're pretty much the same game overall, but Left 4 Dead 2 filled in all the gaps from the original. Left 4 Dead 2 is a better game, but still keeps true to the series. So anyone looking to slaughter some undead with your buddies, hook up that Xbox 360 headset and start playing online. You won't find many games like it.

Written by RB

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  Like many games in my NES collection, Dino Riki was a hand-me-down. Even at an early age I knew no one wanted this game, but being I didn't have a ton of games at my disposal just yet the Adventures of Dino Riki was a staple in the NES's gaming rotation. Those were very dark times, very dark. But, I digress. As you can probably gather from the game's title, you play as a cave man named Dino Riki. You throw rocks, torches, axes, and boomerangs at things that are supposed to pass as dinosaurs while you hunt for power ups that cause our small cave man to turn into a hulking man beast. Sounds OK right?

  Unfortunately, not so much. The Adventures of Dino Riki is full of annoyances that will make even a season gamer go into a fit of "nerd rage", as the game's mechanics are just...off. One of the biggest flaws to this game is the fact the player has little control over Dino Riki's movements. Like many classic flying games, the game continues to force a player to move forward as the game continuously scrolls upwards. Dino Riki uses these same technique, but fails to pull it off successfully as the game just feels clumsy. With the lack of control of the character's movements, the player is constantly bombarded with attacks from these so called dinosaurs as they shoot pellets at you. At times, these attacks are easy enough to avoid, but the game often throws you a curve ball as countless enemies appear from nowhere. The player's life bar only allows three hits, so good luck avoiding a screen full of those little white pellets of doom. The game will often speed up at certain intersection within a level, these boost of speed also increase those pesky dinosaur's attacks. Advancing to another level doesn't quite bring the enjoyment one would expect either. Each level is essentially just a carbon copy of the original, with minor differences like bosses and backgrounds. The Adventures of Dino Riki quickly becomes repetitive. The only real piece of amusement I was able to get from this game, is the light hearted music, but we don't play games just for the music now do we?

  Despite the Adventures of Dino Riki's difficulty, with a bit of patients the game is beatable. But for a game to be a success, all of its elements must come together in a complete gaming package. No matter how many times I've played this game, it continues to just fall short. Even replaying the Adventures of Dino Riki for review purposes was like pulling teeth. I can say with absolute certainty, this is a game best left in the stone ages.

Written by RB

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     What do you get when you mix an odd Japanese family, stealth based game play, and a mosquito? The answer is a Playstation 2 game called Mister Mosquito, and it is one heck of a strange gaming experience. Very few people have gotten their hands on this novelty game, and when it comes down to it that's all Mister Mosquito really is. The idea behind Mister Mosquito automatically turns off many gamers, since the player must assume the role of the most annoying blood sucker around as the title states. Overall, that's not an appealing prospect by any means but Mister Mosquito isn't entirely flawed either.

  As soon as the player turns on the game, he or she will be greeted with an extensive opening even before you get the option of hitting "start". This opening cut scene which basically just consists of a birds eye view of a house, as a woman calmly speaks about the family inside and that you are a mosquito. The introduction takes about 15 minutes, and cannot be skipped the first time around. It is a very dull, and annoying way to start off any game. However, the introduction is probably the longest cut scene in the actual game so that's one less thing to worry about I suppose.

  Once you actually get to start the game, you assume the roll of a mosquito that resembles nothing of its real life counterpart, which is probably a good thing. As a brightly colored cartoon version of the pesky critter, its your duty to gather as much blood as you can while not getting caught by the inhabitants of the home you've intruded in. No one likes a mosquito, and its best to keep a low profile as you buzz around the room being wary of insect traps while you try to suck some blood from your victims. Doing this is actually pretty rewarding, as the flight mechanics function well and the stealth elements make for some unique game play. Even the aspect of drawing blood from your victim comes with a little mini game where you have to watch the victims awareness meter, take too long and expect to trigger a fight sequence where you have to hit pressure points to calm your target back down. When you actually think about it, smacking someone in the forehead with your buggy body doesn't exactly sound like an ideal way to calm someone down, but hey for the game it works. A downside to this game is that it does come with a bit of a learning curb. Once you get a handle of the game's controls, and what it is your exactly supposed to be doing, you'll have little problem flying around your large environments, but be warned the controls are a bit awkward for first time players. As you progress through different levels, you will earn different color combinations to customize your mosquito. For how repetitive this game can become, its not exactly incentive for someone to keep playing deeper into the game.

  If your looking for some great story out of Mister Mosquito, this game definitely isn't for you. To be honest, there really is no real story other than the fact you are really starting to get under the skin of the odd Japanese family. They basically just complain that they're getting really itchy, and are accompanied by a strange cut scene of them going about their every day lives. Not really a bad thing, but like the rest of the game does get a bit dull after awhile.

  Now understandably Mister Mosquito isn't a game for everyone, nor would does it come highly recommended. It has its moments of fun game play, but in a complete gaming package really comes up short. If your just looking to expand your Ps2 collection with some novelty games, well Mister Mosquito might be something you'll want to look into. For the rest of the gaming community, perhaps your hard earned cash is better spent elsewhere.

Written by RB

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     One of the first games I can remember playing on my NES besides the Super Mario Bros, was a game steeped in espionage, conspiracy, love, and betrayal. No, I'm not talking about Metal Gear, I'm referring to a less known classic called Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode. Most people may be more familiar with the Top Secret Episode's successor, The Mafat Conspiracy which had a greater popularity. That doesn't mean the Top Secret episode is another NES misfire by any means. In fact, its quite the opposite. In many ways, Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode was years ahead of its time.

  Going back and replaying the Top Secret Episode specifically for review purposes was a real treat for me. Despite being a huge fan of the vintage game play, I find myself being stuck more in the present instead of trying to recapture the joys of my childhood. However, despite years of playing Golgo 13 as a lad I found myself truly surprised of what this game was actually capable of. Call it the ignorance of youth I suppose. Anyway, that's enough reminiscing for one review. Lets get right down to the point, and talk game play.

  Unlike many games on the Nintendo Entertainment System, as soon as you turn on Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode you will realize this isn't your typical 8 bit adventure. Right off the bat, you'll be greeted by a cut scene, that's right I said cut scene, of a helicopter flying over New York City. As the helicopter passes by the Statue of Liberty, is mysteriously explodes. The only clue to as why this helicopter has met its untimely demise is a shell casing from an M-16 rifle...the favorite weapon of special agent Duke Togo, aka Golgo 13. Now obviously this doesn't have the cinematic prowess of games today, but back in 1988 this is top notch stuff and sets the tone for the game to come. Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode is a very story driven game and cut scenes are prevalent throughout the game, as every time you talk to someone another cut scene begins. These conversations are filled with clues as to where you're to go next, thicken the stories plot, and look pretty darn good for an NES game. Mix in a unique, and non repetitive sound track and you've got a game worthy of any international spy.

  Top Secret Episode's mechanics are a mishmash of different elements, which makes this game so unique. It varies from standard side scrolling action, flying helicopters, to first person perspectives, even sniping missions. That's right sniping missions, where even wind speed and direction play a factor on your shot...mind boggling for an NES game isn't it? Now all these factors make an outstanding experience, but at times aren't executed too well. For example some of the FPS areas of the game, you'll use thermal goggles to expose traps, grenades, all good stuff. But do to the graphical limitations of the NES these parts of the game tend to be a bit on the hard side, as they are filled with annoyances and at times make you want to throw your controller threw your TV. That's a little something we call vintage frustration. I probably shouldn't hold that against the game itself being its from 1988, but hey, it is what it is. Controls are easy enough to pick up, it is an NES game after all, and I doubt players will have to spend any time trying to learn how things work.

  There are countless NES games out on the market, with a good number of them being down right bad. Its unfortunate that Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode has gone largely unnoticed being it was so ahead of its time. For those of you who haven't experienced this game in its hay day, I recommend that you try to track down a copy. Being we live in an age where game remakes are becoming more and more popular, Golgo 13: Top Secret Episode certainly merit's a modern rendition. It has all the elements of a top seller.

Written by RB

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