The game that started the zombie craze! The original Resident Evil from the Sony Playstation is the subject of the newest Ethos Video Review. Click the link below to watch the video. Thank you always for watching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLb9PxLnFYE&feature=channel_video_title

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     There are tons of video game compilation packages available out there today - some are better than others. Few are as good in content and affordable as The Orange Box, originally released for the XBox 360 in 2007. By the time I bought it, it was only twenty dollars, which was a total bargain - I believe the original price was no more than forty. In any case, The Orange Box is a great find for 360 owners.

     It contains essentially five lengthy video games for a fraction of the price. One of the most memorable first person shooters from the Xbox era, Half-Life 2 is the real star here. It is featured in HD glory (rendering the original Xbox version looking muddy and ultimately obsolete), and it is still a blast to play today. It also features new chapters in the Half-Life saga in the forms of episodes, entitled Episode One and Episode Two. So if you loved Half-Life 2, you'll surely love the upgraded visuals and the extra content for that game.

     Team Fortress 2 is also included and I frankly don't have too much to say in regards to this game. It isn't something that is my forte particularly, and while it isn't a bad game, its not too compelling compared to the rest of the package. It has its moments, but isn't as detailed as Half-Life 2 or as mind-bending as the other brilliant inclusion, Portal. I would say that The Orange Box is worth getting just for Portal alone! It is one of the most innovative and down right clever games I've ever had the pleasure of playing. It isn't the longest game, but it has a brisk pace that keeps your attention and requires it - since it will keep you involved with its intellectual puzzle solving. You'll meet one of the more interesting characters in gLados, a sarcastic, mocking, yet incredibly fascinating AI that supervises your progress throughout the odd experiment of Portal.

     For such a low price, The Orange Box defines what it means to get bang for your buck. It is absolutely worth your time, even if you just play the original Half-Life 2 or Portal.

-Kurt L.

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     Considered one of the Playstations 3's great triumphs, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune is indeed just that. I did not get the chance of playing this game when it first came out, but it was certainly a pleasure to do so recently. This game always intrigued me, but at the same time, I often shied away from it. It reminded me a lot of Tomb Raider, and I have never really been a big fan of those games. It's not the type of game I dislike, I just always thought those really old Tomb Raider games on the Sega Saturn or the original Playstation were just so broken. However, the concept of archeology and adventure for hidden treasure is a thrilling one.

     Uncharted: Drake's Fortune is not simply a Tomb Raider game with a male protagonist. It is a Hollywood blockbuster thrill ride on the video game medium. It packs a lot of action, loveable heroes, a compelling story, and some witty and sometimes hilarious dialogue amongst the starring characters. Nathan Drake (descendent of the historically important Francis Drake) is the star here and he is a terrific lead for a game. He has just the right swagger, yet down to Earth nature about him that makes him so likeable. I also really liked the female love interest in Elena, a spunky reporter who is thrilled by the adventure and plays as a perfect partner to Nate. And of course, there is the grizzled, cigar chomping Sully - Nate's confidant and good friend.

     These loveable characters embark on a grand adventure to find the lost treasure of Sir Francis Drake, and the journey to find the fortune is a breath taking one. From the incredible graphics that detail the island setting, to the impressive Hollywood musical score, to the extremely tight controls and top notch gameplay, Uncharted has it all. It features some dizzying heights as Nathan Drake fearlessly leaps from rock to rock, building to building. It's a very complete game that essentially breaks down to three simple components: 1. A cover and shoot system. 2. The leaping mechanic. 3. Puzzle solving. And while all three sound incredibly simple, and obviously have been seen before, they are so well implemented here, you never get bored or find it repetitive. I thought I would, but I never felt the need to stop playing.

     The pacing of the game is what keeps the flow going so well. It's a relatively short game, I probably beat it in I suppose 8 hours or so, spread over the course of a week, and I was thrilled from beginning to end. There was a lot to like about this one - for instance, even from the outset, I was intrigued by the games  concept as it draws in from a historical perspective, weaving in the mystique and allure of the adventures in which popularized Sir Francis Drake. There has been a lot rumor in history as to what sort of adventurous exploits he was up to, and this game feeds into that even more so - quite brilliant!

     I highly recommend this game as it is a fast paced good time from beginning to end. It stands out to me as one of the PS3's biggest surprises. Obviously nowadays, the Uncharted series is a big PS3 exclusive franchise, and I can see why as the first game is just so good on so many levels.

-Kurt L.

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     Sports games are annual events. Each year a new sports title is rolled out, and diehard fans scoop it up without question. For a long time, I was not like this, but nowadays, I indeed plunk down the cash for the newest baseball or basketball game. NBA In The Zone '98 was the first five on five basketball game on the Nintendo 64 way back in the day. For years, it was the only console basketball game I had owned. My preference on simulated basketball was the NBA Live games for the PC, beginning with the awesome NBA Live '98. With so many sports games out there to choose from, some do indeed stick inside ones mind and memory forever, and In The Zone '98 is a prime example of such.

     I remember quite clearly that my brother and I saved up our allowance just to buy the newest basketball game. Mind you, games back then cost an exorbitant 70 dollars. Yes, $70. In today's day and age, most games are $60, and we complain about the price. $70 is just insane, but we all went for it. We couldn't resist! The games looked so intriguing!

     It is now 2011, 13 years after the In The Zone '98 was released, and I still for some reason play it today. With some of the best basketball games of our generation at my fingertips like NBA Live '10, and the amazing NBA 2K11, I still take the time to revisit In The Zone '98. It must be the sentimental value. It must be the incredibly blurry graphics. Maybe it is my pure love of the game of basketball. Maybe it's the legends that are featured in the game - Patrick Ewing, Clyde Drexler, Hakeem Olajuwon, Allan Houston, Charles Barkley, and Roster Player. Who? My mistake, I mean Michael Jordan...just not to confuse you, Roster Player is a white guy with #99, but is also the starting shooting guard for the Chicago Bulls. Either way, it's all awesome!

     The gameplay is pretty basic, and the features are practically unplayable without sapping an entire controller pak to save it all. It doesn't matter though. It's all about the exhibition in this game. It's pure fun. No glitz, not a whole lot of razzle dazzle, just a simple game with big time players. It has its own unique charm.

     Nowadays, you can find In The Zone '98 in retro game store bargain bins for a dollar or two - a long way from 70. And though it is a game that is largely forgotten by most by now, it will always have a special place in my heart.

-Kurt L.

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     The newest Ethos Video is here! Time to play a bad game for a change! Enjoy the newest video (and I use the term "enjoy" loosely, as this game is pretty awful)! Thank you always for watching!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuepStE9nrY

-Kurt L.

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     Naturally, like any other game out there, Fallout 3 does indeed have a story that progresses you through the game, but ultimately how you reach that destination is up to you. The premise is simple and quite endearing - you are a young man in search of his father (brilliantly voiced by Liam Neeson by the way). Amazingly, you start off as a little baby, and I've never seen a FPS game starting you off as a toddler! As brief as that is, it is still quite a welcome surprise. I digress.

     The true brilliance in Fallout 3 lies in the unknown - and what I mean is how things exactly will play out. From the early goings, you realize that essentially every action you take, or any word you say, will reflect how people react to you as a person. There is a "Karma" rating. If you rob or kill someone, you get "Bad Karma." If you save someone, or do generous or gracious acts, you get "Good Karma." Based on how your overall Karma rating is, the world around you perceives you to be as good as your actions are. It is a fascinating system. I generally prefer to have as much Good Karma as I possibly can, but that if I need to do something a little dangerous, or something outrageous, I will not hesitate, as I am simply following my own path.

     One of my favorite moments early on as I was just understanding the game was when I first emerged from the Vault in which my character was born and I first travelled into the depths of the Wasteland. I came across this small, ramshackle house and went inside. I spoke to the innocent homeowner about the Wasteland to gather more information, and when she went into the other room, and I wandered into her kitchen in search of food or a weapon for survival. I remember seeing a knife on the table and wondered if I should take it. If I did, that would be stealing, but I needed a weapon to survive out there - at least to start. I ultimately stole the knife because my primary goal at this point was to survive as best I could. I got a little Bad Karma from that action, but over the course of the game it obviously blew over. But the very idea that I pondered so much about robbing a knife is something I've never done before. What other game could make you think so much?

     Another brilliant time was when I was negotiating with a group of vampires who were terrorizing this town I wandered into, and being a good samaritan, I wanted to help this town out. I thought to go in guns blazing against these blood thirsty vampires, but decided not to, but rather use my own intelligence and speech to influence them not to attack the town any longer. I remember it being a sketchy and uneasy conversation, but eventually we came to an understanding and the vampires left the town alone. Wow. Since when can that happen in a video game?!

     There are countless times in Fallout 3 where I have taken the diplomatic approach. Sometimes I did not, like at this slave camp. I remember not caring for the way the brusque guard was talking to me, so I blew his head off with my shotgun and rescued the slaves. It was awesome.

     There really is a lot to say about Fallout 3, and I know I haven't discussed every facet of the game, and without going on and on for pages on end about it, let me just say that this is a truly incredible game. Graphically, it is a powerhouse. The action is pretty tight with a wide variety of weaponary. While this game may have the occaisional bug or hiccup when playing (once or twice it froze on me), 99.9% of the time, this game plays flawlessly and it just blows you away every step of the way.

     Believe me when I tell you this game is incredible. If you've never played it, you simply must! It isn't overly complicated with its leveling up systems and all that stuff in some more conventional RPG's, Fallout 3 is relatively easy to understand, and it becomes a supremely fun game to master.

     Fallout 3 is on my list of Top 10 Favorite Video Games of All Time. It was my pick for the 2008 Game of the Year, and it still leaves a tremendous impact on me to this day as much as a game can impact you. This game sort of reminds me of that quote from the Terminator films..."No fate but what we make." Brilliant.

-Kurt L.

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    Being Jedi Outcast was such a success in my book, I was pretty excited for Jedi Academy and bought it day of release. That doesn’t mean I didn’t have my doubts however. One of my biggest concerns was the fact the face of the franchise, Kyle Katarn, wasn’t the main playable character of this game. Instead players will be able to create their own Jedi to be, Jaden Korr, from a slew of different create a character options. These options include the typical items such as male and female, facial feature, and clothing design. The more interesting aspects are you can also choose from a variety of different races, like the Rodian for example. Another nice feature is you will have the ability to create your own lightsaber, by choosing different hilts and blade colors. In the later levels, you will also gain access to dual wielding sabers, and the ever popular double bladed variety. That means players won’t have to go through several average levels just to get their lightsaber, you’ll have it from the start of the game, and odds are it’s the only weapon you’ll want to use.

    Having the ability to create your own character isn’t necessarily a bad thing for this game, but it does have some draw backs that docks a few points from the overall feel of Jedi Academy. For starters, Jedi Academy’s plot isn’t as nearly well polished as its predecessor’s. Jedi Academy’s story revolves around Jaden Korr learning the ways of the force, and of course the fate of the galaxy is at stake. After Jaden, and his (or her) friend Rosh are assigned to their master, Kyle Katarn, the cookie cutter adventure begins. I know that sounds harsh, being as a whole Jedi Academy really isn’t terrible, but Jaden’s quest to become one with the force doesn’t have the emotional impacts Jedi Outcast had. Although it does have decent moments, Jedi Academy’s story lacks the overall maturity that the Jedi Knight series has been known for. Mainly do to the fact players have control over which mission they will complete next out of 3 series of 4 possible missions instead of having a standard linear experience. Another flaw to Jedi Academy’s story is in the voice acting. For the majority of the time, the voice acting is fine, but being players can choose between a male and female character, that ultimately means there must be a male and female voice actor for Jaden. Any time Jaden speaks, no matter what the sex is, the characters lines feel like they have simply been copied and pasted into place. On occasion, some character’s lines even slightly overlap one another, and this just take a player out of the entire experience.

    Jedi Academy’s game mechanics are where this game really comes to life, as it builds on the foundations set in place by Jedi Outcast. The main focus here is pure action from start to finish, and its pretty rewarding. As to be suspected, Jedi Academy is also a mix of 3rd and first person perspectives. While using the large array of blasters, bow casters, and other authentic or unique Star Wars weapons game play transfers into a first person shooter. Using ranged weapons can have its advantages, but in terms of this game feels a bit unnecessary being players will have access to their lightsaber from the get go as I mentioned earlier. Being the lightsaber is going to be the main weapon of choice, the game will almost exclusively be a 3rd person adventure. Unlike Jedi Outcast, the ability to enter a first person view for saber combat has been removed. Some might miss this feature, but Jedi Academy has plenty of new attacks and character animations to take its place which makes fighting feel much more diverse. These new attacks and animations only become even more unique once the player is given the choice to upgrade to using two lightsabers or the double-bladed lightsaber. The addition to these two choices really brings the action to life, as your character will be able to do more devastating attacks.

    And what would a Jedi Knight game be without force powers? Well, it wouldn’t be Jedi Academy that’s for sure. Jaden’s greatest ally, the force, has also undergone some changes since the last installment of the Jedi Knight franchise. The force is just as powerful as it was in Jedi Outcast, there are just more force abilities players can take advantage of. There are both light side abilities, and dark side abilities. The light side powers, which include Force Healing, Force Protection, Force Absorption, and the Jedi Mind Trick are generally defensive abilities that are used to aid Jaden. The dark side powers are a little bit more interesting. They include Force Grip, Force Lightning, Force Rage, and Force Drain. These are Jaden’s offensive abilities, and are pretty darn cool. The biggest change to the force in Jedi Academy, is the fact players will have control over which abilities they want to focus on. That means if you are the master of your own destiny, and Jaden will truly reflect your personal play style.

    Multiplayer has also returned with Jedi Academy, which added a lot of life to the overall replay ability of the game. All of the same modes that were offered in Jedi Outcast are still intact, and players can choose to use a pre-made character like Luke Skywalker or Kyle Katarn as their online avatar. Of course, their Jaden Korr is also playable online. Like Jedi Outcast, the amount of gamers still playing online has diminished over the years although some still remain. In its day, I spent many hours playing Jedi Academy’s multiplayer and it is a blast. If you can’t find a human opponent, you can still play against Bots. Although its not the same as playing against someone else, its still worth playing.

    Graphically, Jedi Academy isn’t drastically different than Jedi Outcast. Being Jedi Outcast had some pretty decent graphics, I’m not too disappointed in how Jedi Academy looks although it would have been nice to see a little bit more in terms of that “wow” factor. I also ran into compatibility issues Jedi Academy while running Window’s Vista (what else is new right?), so setting this game to run with in Windows XP mode will definitely save you a lot of heartache is trying to run Jedi Academy with a newer operating system.

    Sure Jedi Academy didn’t take a huge step forward for the Jedi Knight franchise, but I can say with absolute certainty that I had a lot of fun playing this game. When you want some intense lightsaber action, and feel like tossing some storm troopers over a ledge with Force Grip, Jedi Academy is definitely a worthy investment.

Written by RB

Over and Out

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https://www.youtube.com/user/EthosReviews?feature=mhum#p/a/u/1/IkMxuWfxrXs

-Kurt L.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4HQ1nhXgl4

-Kurt L.

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    Halo: Reach tells the tale of the planet Reach, before the events that took place on the Pillar of Autumn and Master Chief’s awakening from his cryogenic sleep in the original Halo. Reach is invaded by the Covenant, all human life on the planet is being systematically, brutally executed. Obviously this doesn’t sit well with the super soldier Spartans that call Reach home, and Noble Team is going to fight back, hard.

    For the entire game, players will take the perspective of a rookie Spartan known only as Noble 6. This time around, players will create their own Spartan from the ground up. They will choose either a male or female soldier, and pick from a variety of customizable and upgradeable armor options. Like other Halo games, players will also design their emblems and color palates for their armor. These customizable options appear in full in the game’s amazing cut scenes, as well as online play.

    After players settle on a look for their Spartan, Noble 6 is quickly acquainted with his (or her) new squad mates. It doesn’t take too long for things to turn sour, and Noble Team to discover that the Covenant has indeed invaded Reach when they find farmers have been brutally murdered. Unfortunately for them and the planet, things only continue to get worse from there. As Noble Team progresses through Reach’s darkest days, their true characters begin to show. The formula in how each member of Noble Team is presented is similar to that in Halo: ODST, as Noble 6 will often be partnered up with one of the other five Nobles during each mission. That is where their similarities end however. Noble Teams world is literally being torn apart around them, and each character sets itself apart in the chaos that ensues. In their own way, they tell a story of courage and sacrifice when things are bleakest. Players will have no problem identifying with this cast, as they add a layer of humanity to the super human mystic of the Spartans. This helps concrete Halo: Reach as one of the best told stories in the franchise. For anyone who picks up Reach as their first Halo experience, they will have no problem following the straight forward plot. Hardcore fans will obviously find the experience deeper, as they will notice some of the more subtle moments that foreshadow events to come. There are also plenty of familiar faces that pop up and revelations that occur in reach that will please everyone, but I’ll leave it at that as to prevent any spoilers. This story really needs to be experienced first hand, and its well worth the investment.

    When it comes to game play, Halo: Reach is surprisingly rich. Reach is a culmination of everything that was great throughout the entire course of the franchise, along with some new additions that make those great elements even better. Before I even picked up the controller, Reach was a guarantee to be an outstanding first person shooter, and the first person aspects are indeed rock solid so there is no need to go into too much detail on that. New comers and veterans alike will have no problem popping off headshots with the good old M6G-Magnum pistol. There is also a large variety of alien and human weapons, with each having several new additions like a Grenade launcher or Needle Rifle just to name a few. Unfortunately, dual wielding weapons has yet to return to the Spartans. It is a missed opportunity, although really doesn’t effect the game. Reach’s AI as with many Halo games is spot on when it comes to the Enemy AI. The Covenant are cunning, lethal killers that will stop at nothing to take you down. The fact the Elites are back in action with the Covenant this time around makes them all the better. The human AI, isn’t quite as sharp for some reason although is better than what it was in ODST. The two most refreshing additions to Halo Reach however, is the use of armor abilities, and assassination attacks.

    Armor abilities are special items that are either issued at the start of a level, or picked up in the field. They allow your Spartan to have key skills that can give you the upper hand against those nasty alien invaders. The armor abilities are used with the LB button, and players will begin with the basic Sprint ability. Sprint obviously allows your Spartan quick bursts of speed, which can either save your life or thrust your straight into the heat of combat. Possibly the most interesting part of these armor abilities is there is something for every play style. Stealthy players who want to sneak up on enemies will probably want to use Active Camouflage the most, more aggressive players might enjoy a drop shield or Armor Lock that will protect them from incoming damage. All of these Armor abilities change the scope of game in Halo Reach, and each player should spend some time experimenting with which one they like best because these abilities now transfer into other modes of play.

    Easily the most entertaining addition to Halo: Reach is the use of assassination attacks. In every Halo, players have had the ability to give an unsuspecting grunt a good swift pistol whip to the back of the head. Alone, this was highly entertaining. Bungie has finally decided to develop this a bit more, and add a flashy animated kill to those who sneak up and take their enemies out silently. This seems like such a simple addition, but feels right at home in Halo. Its actually hard to believe that stealth kills are just finally showing up now this late in the franchise, but I digress. There is one draw back to these stealth kills. Players will still take damage, and can possibly be killed themselves while trying to pull this off. So choose when you want to sink that knife into an alien wisely, especially in firefight or online play!

    It goes without saying at this point, that Halo: Reach has extensive multiplayer options. The campaign can support up to 4 friends to join in either through a LAN network or Xbox Live. Although I can’t verify this myself being the game is still new, the campaign will apparently adjust its difficulty to the number of players that join into your game. So heroic or Legendary difficulties will remain just that. Firefight mode has also seen a dramatic revamp from its introduction in ODST. It is much more customizable, and features different equipment kits for players to choose from. In terms of the fights themselves, they feel much more dramatic and live up to the full potential of what this mode can be. I can say with absolute certainty Reach’s Firefight mode will get seriously more play time than its predecessors. And then there is of course the competitive online scene, where players join one another to see who really is Top Spartan. Many of the usual match ups remain the same, although they are on a much grander scale. Anyone who has played Halo online competitively will tell you it is incredibly addictive, and the quality of play hasn’t changed at all in Reach. One downside is, that several of the multiplayer maps players already have from the other Halo games have been recycled in Reach. There is nothing wrong with this per say, although it does feel kind of cheap. This isn’t just something that is tied to Halo however, and is something that is becoming common in all franchise that feature competitive online modes.

    Graphically, Halo Reach is one of the best looking games I’ve seen on the Xbox 360. The attention to detail is superb, whether in character and weapon design, or level design. Reach is truly a beautiful looking game, although there is a flaw. Yeah, you read that right, a flaw. Throughout my play time, I noticed a problem with motion blurring. At first, I though it was a problem with my TV or possibly my 360 which has had issues in the past. Fortunately, and unfortunately neither one of these was the cause. It is in fact an issue with the game itself. From time to time, Reach’s beautiful graphics are marred horribly by this motion blurring that resembles the “Ghosting Effect” from LCD/Plasma TVs that aren’t really designed for gaming. Although when this motion blur does occur it is rare, it is noticeable and shouldn’t have even made it into the finished copy. Hopefully, Bungie will issue a patch to correct this. If so, I will make comment on it at a later time in this review. Finally we come to one of my favorite aspects of the Halo franchise, which is sound. Excellent sound effects, and musical scores are a staple to the franchise. Halo Reach only continues that legacy with some of the best effects and music featured in any Halo game.

    Halo: Reach is a game that truly rewards its players. Everything you do in game helps earn you points to unlock new gear, and rank. With many ways to play, players will undoubtedly be spending a lot of time on the planet Reach and with good reason. Bungie pulled out all the stops in their final moments in the Halo universe they delivered us nearly a decade ago, and now they’re going to move onto new things. With that said and done, they once again delivered perhaps one of the best Halo experiences in the franchise. Anyone who has the ability to get their hands on a copy of this game owes it to themselves to do so, as it could contend for one of the best titles of this year.  Halo: Reach, reached for the stars and it paid off big.

Written by RB

Over and Out!

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