Released in 1994, the game was made by the notorious developers at LJN, who have actually made a host of terrible games for the NES back in the day, most infamously - Karate Kid, Friday The 13th, Jaws, Back To The Future, and many more bombs. When I was a young lad playing WWF Raw, I was unaware that LJN had made such awful games in its past, because this new one for SNES was awesome! And even to this day, it is still one of the more memorable and enjoyable wrestling video games. Even with the advent of 3D gaming, WWF Raw maintains a strong foothold in this genre. Though, it is worth noting that the Nintendo 64 boasted a very impressive library of wrestling fare with games like WCW/nWo Revenge, Wrestlemania 2000, and WWF No Mercy. But, I must digress.

     WWF Raw features a lot of options for the player. First off, you can play as either 1 or 2 players, then, choose what mode you'd like to play: one-on-one, tournament, Royal Rumble, tag team, etc. - there are plenty to choose from, adding to the games surprising depth. Also, you can choose the difficulty rating, which ranges from a 1-10 scale. One of the best modes in this game is the Royal Rumble, and the action can get pretty hectic if you aren't quick to throw opponents out of the ring - it's a fun kind of chaos. Of course, the more standard matches are a blast too, especially when you take the action outside of the ring - easily transforming the match into a hardcore one with a bucket and a chair available for smashing. It's great fun.

     Unfortunately, by 1994, wrestling great Hulk Hogan was already on his way out of the WWF and continuing his career at WCW, so he is not in the game. As a young Hulkamaniac, I was disappointed, but there are plenty of great wrestlers to choose from nonetheless: Bret Hart, The Undertaker, Yokozuna, Razor Ramon, Shawn Michaels, Doink, Diesel, 1-2-3 Kid, Owen Hart, Luna Vachon, Bam Bam Bigelow, and Lex Luger. Each wrestler has its own signature finishing moves in the game, and their moves vary a bit from one another, while some share the same basic moves - in any case, there is a lot of depth here too.

     WWF Raw certainly stands out as one of the premiere wrestling titles available throughout gaming history. It has a timeless charm, and tight, fun gameplay; not to mention, it has some crisp and vibrant graphics as well, the best of its kind compared to previous wrestling games. While it may not have the high volume of wrestlers and options as more modern games do, it still stands among the best, as it was a marvel for 1994. Enjoy this SNES classic!

-Kurt L.

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     Since its release in 2000, The Legend of Dragoon has been given both good and bad reviews. At times, the bad reviews seem to outnumber the good as there seems to be a genuine distain for this large 4 disc Playstation RPG. Upon replaying the game for review purposes, I couldn't help but think "Does The Legend of Dragoon really deserve such a bad rap?" I mean, when I first got the game I didn't think it was that terrible. In fact, I actually enjoyed the game. But, perhaps it was just the ignorance of youth as there were some things about The Legend of Dragoon I didn't notice back in the day.

     Just like the other countless reviews available for this game, The Legend of Dragoon is filled with good and bad qualities. For starters, The Legend of Dragoon is a pretty bloated game spanning 4 discs as I mentioned earlier. Having an RPG span three or four discs was fairly common on the Sony Playstation platform, and isn't inherently a problem for most players. For an RPG to be successful however, all of the game play elements have to be interesting and epic enough to hold a player's attention which in return drives them to complete the adventure. The Legend of Dragoon has interesting and epic moments, but it isn't nearly as well put together as say Final Fantasy VII or even Final Fantasy VIII for that matter.

     The Legend of Dragoon is a tale about a red armored clad warrior named Dart, who players will be controlling almost exclusively throughout the game. Dart is just returning home after an unsuccessful 5 year stint of trying to hunt down a black monster who burned down his village and murdered his parents. With the quest of vengeance seemingly done with, Dart finds that his home is once again under siege by Sandora armed forces. His childhood friend Shana has been kidnapped, and if things weren't bad enough Dart is almost taken out by a dragon. After being saved by a shadowy character named Rose, Dart learns that he is a Dragoon which is someone who control the spirits of certain dragons. Not a bad start to the story by any means, but as the game progresses there are some problems to the story's presentation overall. Anyone who has played any almost any RPG on a platform predating Playstation 2 or the Microsoft Xbox will be familiar with the use of written dialect as the main source of story progression. Similar to comic books, this written dialect appears in conversation bubbles over the character or characters that have something to say, and for the majority of the Legend of Dragoon players will be spending most of their time reading these conversations. Unfortunately, this portion of the game is really lacking. The written dialect is typically dull, and this is do to impart by poor translation. That's right, poor translation. The Legend of Dragoon is filled with grammatical mishaps, and translation errors. Now back in the good old days of the NES, translation errors were common and generally forgiven. Being the Legend of Dragoon was released in the year 2000, we're talking about a new millennium in gaming here people. Such mistakes should not have occurred, and down right hurt the game. On the brighter side of the spectrum, this game is filled with excellently crafted cinematic cut scenes that come with their own equally impressive voice acting.

     The Legend of Dragoon plays like most RPGs that were available at the time, with a few elements that give the game its own personality. Players will roam the environments as Dart, with the rest of the party neatly out of sight until needed. While going through each of the many environments, there are plenty of things for players to interact with including side characters, treasure boxes containing useful items, an have combat encounters which brings up a battle screen. For the most part, combat is identical to the Final Fantasy series. Graphics are improved in the battle mode, characters and environments have more textures, and the action is turned based. There are no real surprises here, except The Legend of Dragoon has two additional features. The first feature, which is a topic of heated debate, is the ability to string together attacks by hitting the correct button combinations when prompted. Early in the game, these string attacks are easy to master, but as the game progresses they grow more difficult as they grow longer. By the end of the game, perfectly timed string attacks are crucial for producing enough damage to bring down bosses. Each character also has their own unique string attacks, adding to the difficulty. Some would say the string attacks are too complicated, and distract from the overall experience. I disagree. True, these attacks can be difficult, but the effectively keep a player engaged in an otherwise mundane turned based experience. The most memorable feature to the Legend of Dragoon, is the ability for characters to take on dragoon form. When characters in combat transform into their dragoon state, they grow a set of wings, get stronger armor, and gain access to better spells. Although transforming into a dragoon really is only necessary when taking on bosses, players will be wanting to use this in combat as frequently as possible. Being random attacks are incredibly frequent in this game, almost too frequent, there is plenty of chances to use this and completely dominate lesser enemies.

     Graphically, The Legend of Dragoon really doesn't shine except for the cut scenes. Character animations are adequate enough to get the job done, while background environments are very detailed. Considering the amount of detail that was put into the cut scenes, it is disappointing that the rest of the game looks so average. There is a good use of sound and music in the game, and they do add to the overall presentation to the game.

     Sony put in a lot of time to bring The Legend of Dragoon to the Playstation. Considering the final product, there were some misfires to the game. That doesn't mean the Legend of Dragoon is the critical failure some would lead you to believe. Sure it might not be the best RPG ever made, but it still has qualities that caused Dragoon to have a cult following. I myself am among The Legend of Dragoon's fans, but I have no choice to tell it like it is. Anyone who is interested in the game, I urge you to play it and decide for yourself. Just don't expect a Final Fantasy experience.

Written by RB

Over and Out

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     This game is a mess. What is it? Maru's Mission is a Game Boy game made back in 1991 that no one remembers. I'm surprised I remembered it enough to review here on Ethos. This is a game embodies many qualities that will repulse the player.

     The graphics are not the worst, but often look too dark and become difficult to see - even when you adjust the brightness on the Game Boy itself, it's not easy to look at. The story is uninspired, cliched, and not very compelling. Perhaps the worst aspect of this game is its gameplay. It is a side-scrolling platforming game, and the main character, Maru, shoots a projectile - simple enough. However, it is so confusing, and boring. It's a game that isn't sloppy, but it's just not good. It doesn't give off the vibe of a game that was slapped together, but it is simply a bad game - with poorly made choices by the developers. I can't get over how horrendous the gameplay really is, and the bizarrely executed health system, which seems that after each hit you take, your health is drained in a random numerical fashion.

     The only fairly commendable quality is the sound. The music is moody and interesting, and the sound effects articulate the action pretty well. Unfortunately, the music and sound in this game only acts as an auditory reinforcement of what I'm actually playing - and that is this gahbidge game. I know that when I hear the audio of this game, I am playing the dreadful Maru's Mission.

     On top of being an awful game in so many ways, the icing on the cake is that it is punishingly hard - it's the awkward design and terrible gameplay that often contribute to the insurmountable difficulty. So, while already a bad game from so many different persectives, Maru's Mission is rendered virtually unplayable because of many of its innate issues. And how can a game be unplayable? That's an oxymoron. You play a game!! How can a game exist that is unplayable? Well, I've found it! Maru's Mission is that game.

     I know, I know, there are worse games out there; E.T., for Atari 2600 and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde for NES come to mind, but those were beyond horrible - they are at least memorable because of their legendary and notorious infamy. What separates Maru's Mission from those bombs is that Maru's Mission is a forgettable experience. Nobody remembers it, and nobody will. Hopefully by writing this review, I will have purged this game from my memory and it will be lost in the abyss of nothingness, where it ultimately belongs.

-Kurt L.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNhHOc7Q8lA

-Kurt L.

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     The legendary Doom series had practically invented the first-person shooter back in the day. It wasn't the first game to do it, but it was definitely the best of its time, and most revolutionary. From its creepy setting, to the claustrophobic corridors, to advanced weaponry at your disposal, to the incredibly monsters - both hauntingly original and bizarre - Doom was an instant classic. The Nintendo 64 got its own chance to host the acclaimed series, and did so in 1997 with Doom 64.

     This is one of the better iterations of Doom out there. First off, it boasts an impressive 32 levels, 7 of which are hidden. The story is the same, a lone soldier, John Doe, is trapped on the alien moons of Mars, and must traverse alone through the treachery that lies ahead. The gameplay and the atmosphere is where this game really shines, and the level design. The graphics are also top-notch, generating some of the clearest, crisp visuals the N64 had to offer. The only hitch with the games presentation is that it is dark - too dark! I would suggest, because getting started, to turn that brightness all the way up in the Options section of the menu. Once the brightness is maxed out, the game will be perfectly fine, unless you prefer playing in such darkness, then by all means. In any case, the visuals are great!

     The gameplay remains largely unchanged from the previous Doom games, but why fix what isn't broken? It's that great first-person shooter experience that you come to expect with Doom. This game does not disappoint in that department. You have some truly awesome weapons in your arsenal, from the rip-roaring chainsaw, to the double-barreled shotgun (my personal favorite in the game), to the cool plasma rifle, to the monstrous BFG-9000.

     The atmosphere is haunting, and one of the strongest aspects of the game. There isn't much in terms of music here, but that's ok considering how much attention there seems to be in terms of ambient sound. You'll often hear groans, gurgles, and other bizarre effects coming from all around you, and it can be quite jarring - in a good way. Also, hearing the stomping footsteps of a Hell Knight, Barons of Hell is scary enough...but the scariest of all is the Cyberdemon. Indeed, one of the most terrifying enemies you'll ever encounter in a video game, and it still makes me shiver to this day - in a good way, of course!

     The level design is also quite clever. You'll be pitted in various labryinths, often with glimpses of a hellish looking sky, only adding to the atmosphere. The character designs of the various demons you will encounter are all quite grotesque, and are very well-detailed - they all convey horror.

     Doom 64 is fun because it harkens back to the good old days of the original Doom games. It is a creepy horror show filled with all the nuances of a truly scary game. It also remains as one of the best Doom titles ever made. I would highly recommend Doom 64 to any fan of the horror, first-person shooter genre.

-Kurt L.

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     This is indeed one of the better NES out there, and I think, at least in comparison to Super Mario, or Mega Man, Vice: Project Doom is largely unknown to the general gaming public nowadays. I guess it is just one of those respectable games of the past that has basically stayed there - at least I certainly don't hear about this game anymore, nor is it available for the Wii's Virtual Console, so that it would be available for a new generation. I argue that it should be, because it is an undisputed NES classic. It was a game that certainly added a significant amount of depth to the vast NES arsenal of games, as it stood out amongst the best.

     You assume the role of Officer Hart, and your mission is to take down an evil corporation called BEDA, who are apparently helping out an alien race. Most of the levels in the game are of the side-scrolling blend, but there are a few, including the opening level, that are over-head driving missions a la Spy Hunter. They are nice little diversions that add variety to the game, and do not detract from the experience. In between levels, the story unfolds via cutscenes - a rarity in games of this era. The cutscenes are entertaining and gritty in nature; they look great and the graphics are pushed to the max.

     The gameplay itself is a lot of fun with a lot of variety. In the side-scrolling stages (which comprise the majority of the game), you run and jump through various, nicely detailed stages, battling an interesting yet unusual array of enemies. The best is that you have three different choices of weapons - a whip, a pistol, and grenades. You may be using the whip most of the time because it of course never runs out of ammo - but the pistol is cool despite its fairly short range, and the grenades are quite empowering during boss battles. I like transitioning between all three, as they each are quick and responsive, and are each nicely balanced, complimenting each other. The choice in weaponry can make for some nice strategy as you traverse the stages - it's really awesome stuff.

     All of these different elements make for a classic game - Vice: Project Doom is just that. It offers and accomplishes so much, that it is a surprise that this game isn't particularly popular today. This game should be resurrected on the Wii's Virtual Console so that a new generation of gamers can experience this amazing title. It wasn't a trailblazer, but it certainly had the credentials to be one. If you could hunt down a cartridge of it somewhere, then I would suggest getting it. It's one of the best NES games out there.

-Kurt L.

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     There is no denying the success of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, and everything it has done for FPS genre. With great graphics, story elements, and a killer multiplayer mode, its no wonder it has become a staple of Next Gen gaming. When news of Modern Warfare 2 hit, well needless to say gamers around the world went through the roof, myself including. Call of Duty has been a staple in all of my gaming rotations for years, and being a proud member of the Modern Warfare multiplayer community, I was psyched to get my hands on a copy of the sequel. So, did Modern Warfare 2 live up to our expectations?

     I am happy to report, that yes, Modern Warfare 2 brought the proverbial A game. Well, at least for the most part, but we'll get into that in a bit. In true Call of Duty fashion, Modern Warfare 2 has all the elements of the franchise we've come to love. There is a story driven campaign mode which jumps between the perspectives of numerous characters, an extensive multiplayer mode, an all new Spec Ops mode, and some of the best looking graphics offered on the PC, Ps3, and Xbox 360 platforms. This makes for plenty of gunplay, and gamers will undoubtedly be spending hours of their lives playing Modern Warfare 2.

     Most players will jump right into the game via the campaign mode, which continues on with the story from Modern Warfare 2. I won't go into too much detail over the main plot, but the world is in a sad state of affairs. The United States and Russia are at war, and things are getting messy not only on the foreign front but the home front as well. That's right, the US has been invaded. While playing as the Army Ranger, Pvt. James Ramirez, you'll be fighting the war in our own backyard while making headway to the White House. During the other portions of the game, you will assume the role of Task Force 141 member, "Roach" under the command of Captain "Soap" McTavish from Modern Warfare 1. Roach's plot bring the players on the more traditional Call of Duty path, by trekking around the world and fighting in exotic locations. Overall, the campaign mode is filled with intense action worthy of the Call of Duty brand, but unfortunately is where the game takes a hit. For starters, Modern Warfare 2's plot is incredibly unrealistic. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but at times it seems like every clichéd action movie scenario plays out at one time or another. What truly great moments the campaign mode has, seems overshadowed by the lack of creativity, but there are some really awesome moments none the less. To make matters worse the campaign mode is very short, even by Call of Duty standards. In my experience, playing on the Hardened difficulty setting, I was able to complete the game in just about 4 hours first time through. Now take into consideration I am very experienced when it comes to playing Call of Duty, so your mileage my vary from mine. However, that still shouldn't excuse such a short campaign. Fortunately, improvements to the game's mechanics do make for a fun gaming experience. No longer will players be stuck firing at countless waves of respawning enemies until players advances forward, and the artificial intelligence is top notch as to be expected. Your fellow soldiers AI is worthy of their real life counter parts, and add a depth to the game that wasn't expected. The do their part in the battle, and are good to have around as their input actually has value. When they call out enemy locations, or warnings, heed their words. Enemies are tough this time around, and use the environment to their advantage. It isn't uncommon to see snipers trying to pick you off from 3^rd story windows, or trying to flank your position. Upon completing the campaign, players will unlock the all new Spec Ops mode.

     Spec Ops mode is a welcome addition to the Modern Warfare franchise. Spec Ops isn't just a simple mini game, but a full section of the game with its own unique sets of challenges. Spec Ops mode is down right fun to play, and there are plenty of scenarios to work through. These scenarios vary from completing a basic training mode, to evading enemy detection, or sniping waves of oncoming enemies just to name a few. Spec Ops can be played alone, or with friends. Although Spec Ops functions fine as a solo player experience there is no doubt that it will truly shine when having a friend back you up. There are many of hours of intense action in Spec Ops to be had, not to mention each scenario has tons of replay value.

     Last but not least, we come to the multiplayer mode. This is where the heart of Modern Warfare 2 is held, as undoubtedly this is where most fans of the franchise will be investing the majority of their time. Anyone who has ever played Call of Duty online knows what to expect from Modern Warfare 2. There are numerous game modes, including team death matches, free for alls, search and destroy, the list just goes on and on. As players progress through the online mode, they will level up, obtain custom class creations, which are all staples of previous Call of Duty installments. However, the biggest change comes in the form of how customizable Modern Warfare 2 online really is. As you progress through the new online mode, players will still have to obtain new weapons, and perks, but now will also be rewarded call signs and Emblems. These new Call signs and emblems are your new signature in the Modern Warfare universe. Every time you make a kill, or so something important like draw first blood in a match, your call sign and emblems are displayed with your name. These call signs and emblems are completely customizable, and are unlocked as you complete challenges and objectives while playing the game. Although they don't do anything other than look cool, they set each player apart as an individual which ultimately adds to the overall online experience. Players are no longer stuck between picking a long gun and hand gun combination. There are plenty of new weapon combos to fit each gamer's play style. For example, one player may prefer using a UMP45 sub machine gun and have their secondary weapon be a shotgun. Or a sniper my back up his long range assault with a machine pistol incase things start to get too close for comfort. Even kill streak rewards have become customizable, which causes players to never know what's coming next, just like on a real battle field. One area of Modern Warfare 2's multiplayer mode I did find lacking was the map designs. They are by no means bad, but their design feels much more constricting in terms of game play compared to other Call of Duty installments. Players seem to follow the same routines within these maps, whether it be sniping on cliff sides, camping out near stair ways, or simply using grenade launchers to clear out underground bunkers. The map designs have forced these predictable events, being maps are either too open, or too enclosed. Regardless of this flaw, Modern Warfare 2's multiplayer continues to set the bar on what a FPS online mode should be.

     When it is all said and done, Modern Warfare 2 is an outstanding game. There are no two ways about it, if you like Call of Duty you are going to love Modern Warfare 2. Despite coming up short in a few areas, its flaws are minor at best. Anyone who loves first person shooters needs to get their hands on a copy of this game. It looks and plays great no matter what platform it comes on. Modern Warfare 2 was easily one of the best releases of 2009.

Written by RB

Over and Out!

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     Mega Man is one of gamings oldest and most prolific of franchises with a slew of games for generations of varying consoles and handhelds. Over the course of the 20+ years Mega Man has been in the business, he has surely shared his triumphs as well as his tribulations. Mega Man had a glorious run on the NES for six classic titles. He had a new revamped look on the SNES and made a string of successful games there, and has sort of transformed over the years with various spinoffs until it finally returned to the basics (and its best) of forms in a decade with Mega Man 9 and Mega Man 10. With the original 8-bit Mega Man and the awesome retroness of Mega Man 10 bookending the franchise (for now), there was and still is an entire 3D era of gaming so prevelent in the industry. There was indeed a few 3D games in the Mega Man franchise, and like I said - this series had its ups and downs - and Mega Man 64, was a downer.

     It was basically a port of the Playstation game Mega Man Legends, but Mega Man 64 was released in 2001, a whole three years after Legends for PS1. It just seems odd that Nintendo would release this game, not only so late in the life cycle of the N64, but in the midst of the new era of the Playstation 2 and the newer, cutting edge systems. With the release of such a archaic game like Mega Man 64, it certainly made the N64 seem stodgy - until Paper Mario came out a month later in 2001, becoming of the systems last games, but also one of its best, but I digress.

     Mega Man 64 apparently, from what I've read, has some better visuals than Mega Man Legends, so with that being said, I would not want to see what Legends looks like, as the graphics in Mega Man 64 are blurry at best. Screenshots of this game make it look enticing, but the reality is this game looks bad, and its more shameful considering how late in the N64 life cycle this was released.

     For many games out there, you can overcome some poor visuals if the gameplay itself is strong, and that is another disappointing area. The gameplay is simply unforgettable and boring, and the controls are weak. What's worse is the pacing of the game - it's slow and sluggish. It boasts some RPG elements and dialogue sequences, but they drag down the experience greatly, making the game more of a chore to play than it is. I think if these parts of the games were either shortened or dropped all together, you might have a passable, mediocre, and even playable game here; ultimately though, the game suffers from its terrible pacing. I feel like when I was playing this game, I invested so much time to get from what seemed to be Point A to Point B, but it felt as if nothing was accomplished! I kept thinking, "what's the hold up!" I wanted the game to move along, and it just took what felt like forever.

     If you can look past many of the broken elements of this game, you might actually enjoy it - somewhat. It's not the worst game in the world, but it is pretty forgettable. Mega Man 64 is in one word - disappointment. The Mega Man franchise deserved a better treatment when it came to the Nintendo 64, or for any 3D system at the time for that matter. This game did not provide the fun and wholly enjoyable experience its 2D predecessors had provided for so many years prior. The best way to solve your Mega Man 64 woes are to go back and play some of the classic NES and SNES Mega Man games.

-Kurt L.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCQKyAXx-NY

-Kurt L.

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