game: half-life 2

So I finally got around to playing..."the best game ever made" which recieved the highest rating out of any game they have rated.  On top of that their scoring system is pretty strict.  Anyway, I thought the game was REALLY well done, although I do not know if I would go as far as calling it the best game ever made.

What the game is very successful at doing is creating atmosphere, in fact when playing the game it is like you are playing through something that you think can be real.  The level of detail in the game is amazing, every thing from the physics engine they used, to how objects interact with each other when you thrown them around with your hands or the gravity gun.  Because of this level of detail it adds this feeling that you are part of an epic war...

Storyline wise I cannot say I cared for it that much.  I was told I needed to play the first game to understand the story of the 2nd game...but I do not buy that arguement.  Like I do not need to watch the first terminator to understand the 2nd one.  Anyway, if you have not played the first one, like me, you will feel that the only story is you mysteriously appear and are thrown in the middle of this war, where some government is controlling the people.  From that point on you just fight with the rebels to try to stop the government.  Towards the end you get a little more of the story but that is about it.  Since there is a lack of explanation, to me, the story is driven by the game itself...the levels that you go through, what you do in the levels, etc., which actually made it pretty interesting in that sense.  But overall, I cannot say that I was impressed.

One of the most craziest things I have ever seen in a first person shooter is the last level of this game.  I would even say that it is worth to play this game just for that level haha that is how rediculously amazing it is.  It just had me going...WOW.  Anyway, this game is a classic and is one of the best games ever made, check it out...

Rating: 9.5/10


 

game: castlevania portrait of a ruin

Castlevania POR is the newest addition to the castlvevania line and is probably the best castlevania to come out since symphony of the night (SOTN).  It basically plays like all its predessors after SOTN but the newest and coolest feature is that there are 2 main characters and depending on who you are controling the other becomes your side kick.  You can have both characters out on the screen at the same time or you can just have 1 out and call the other for special attacks.  Having control of 2 characters is pretty interesting as you can creating combos, have special magic attacks that both characters do, and use the other to solve puzzles.   

The castle is about normal size as the other castles but the new twist is that in certain rooms throughout the castles there are portraits that you enter that essentailly warp you to another "castle" or locations (such as egypt).  The whole concept of this game, on the whole, is very refreshing and is just what the series needed, something new.  It was very it was very exciting to see that konami was able to keep the old forumla but to change it, or throw in new twists, to completely make it a new experience to the castlevania franchise.

There are two things I did not like.  One, there is not a 2 player option.  I do not see why they did not implement this, there are two characters already.  It would have been awsome to be able to play through the whole game co-op with a friend.  The stylus was not used this time around.  I feel that something really interesting can be done with castlevania and the stylus but nothing has been done with both of the games that have been released for Nintendo DS.  One suggestion I would have is some weapons that you pick up will require the use of the stylus?  I do not know but that would be more interesting than what they have done thus far.  Actually, after you beat the game you can play as the twin vamp sisters in the game and you use the stylus with them and it is quite inovative but it is not part of the main game.

Overall, I would give this game a 9/10, missing a perfect score for my 2 complaints above.

-Roberth